Submitted by: Sara Presler

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Our child is newly enrolled in the SPICE preschool at Carol Rae and our other children (we've got triplets!!) are enrolled to start with GPS in the fall. Thank you for offering the specialized programs for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder through the SPICE preschool. We're so pleased with the teacher, Ms. Melissa Morales, and the new opportunities ahead for our child. Prior to our first day we had a positive intake experience with the preschool evaluation, then a good team meeting for our first IEP at Carol Rae. On our first day of school, we were immediately greeted by the Principal and our child had a positive first day. We wanted to share this positive feedback with you as parents of a special education child educationally starting from square one with Gilbert Public Schools.

Submitted by: Brad Perry

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: I've been teaching for 9 years, and during my near-decade on the job, I've exclusively earned either Effective or Highly Effective ratings. At Mesquite Junior High, I have an incredible rapport with my students - so incredible, in fact, that I was chosen by a former assistant principal to lead a campus-wide PD detailing the importance of building relationships and classroom management. I also rarely write referrals or have negative interactions with students. I have been an integral part of my campus for years, and I have earned a "Staff Recognition" award in the past. Additionally, I was selected in 2019 to attend a 3-day AVID training in Seattle. I was also a proud member of Mesquite Junior's PBIS committee, as I have lots of experience with this system and was instrumental in earning my previous school (Trailside Point in Laveen) a PBIS Gold Award and an A+ School of Excellence designation. I'm also a published author, with several articles, short stories, and even a professionally published collection of short fiction to my name. I'm also an accomplished musician, and I have enthusiastically helped Mesquite's band program whenever they've needed it. Additionally, I recently wrote an essay for the upcoming MJHS Yearbook. So, taking all that into account, could you provide me with some concrete information as to why I was chosen to be RIF'd? The documentation I've been provided says the following: “The Superintendent shall submit to the Board recommendations for the non-continuation of specific staff members.” Considering my decade of experience, my impressive ratings/scores, my friendly student relationships, and my overall stellar job performance, why did Mr. McCord select me? What rationale, data, or evidence can he provide that would justify his decision? As recently as a week ago, I was in talks with my department head about teaching 8th grade Honors ELA next year. As recently as March 17th, my principal and I were discussing my creative writing elective for next year. Now, I find myself out of a job and out of answers. Please do the right thing and respond to my question - it'll make this very difficult pill I've been handed a whole lot easier to swallow. Thank you.

Submitted by: Mary

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I have heard that in the Morrison Ranch area monthly/weekly newsletter, other charter schools (San Tan Charter, ALA, Higley) posts/advertise their schools and GPS does not. To increase enrollment, we should be more visible to the community, especially in the newly developed area in Morrison Ranch about their homeschools. GPS should reach out to the developers about our schools. Just a thought. Thank you.

Submitted by: Gunnison Hunt

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Can we please make summer school options free or cheaper for our kids again this summer? Many of our students suffered with grades this last year and need our want to take the summer school classes but $180 per class is a little much when many of us parents have been hit by financial loss during this pandemic. I know mine, along with many others would jump at the chance to better our children's chances and sign up if discounted or free like last summer.

Submitted by: Kari Vanderpool

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am speaking for many many parents and students in objection at the layoff of many of the finest teachers to ever teach our kids. Specifically I would like to address coach and teacher Dave Peter's who has fought for his athletes for 10 years bringing home many championships. He has taught at our schools 1 year short of retirement sacrificing so much like a prep hour to take on another class when the school was short staffed, volunteering to teach in person during covid risking his own health and nearly dying in January after contracting covid from a student. He goes out of his way to coach and counsel students and athletes struggling with a variety of teenager troubles. He is kind and sincere, passionate and driven. He embodies nearly every attribute we could wish our children to be. Our job as teacher and parents is to give our children better than we had and we can not do that by eliminating fabulous teacher, coaches and role models from our schools.

Submitted by: Cindy Howard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: 1. I wish to ask Dr. McCord where the American Rescue Plan Money (approved by Congress 03/11/21) is being spent if not to retain the jobs of our 152 teachers? What were the factors used to decide how staff was chosen for the RIF? Many of these teachers are highly experienced, with many being very close to their retirements. Why are they being subjected to this RIF before much newer hires? 2. I wish to ask the Board to please review the rubrics of the 152 teachers to see whether policy GCQA was followed. 3. I ask that you please conduct a survey of ALL GPS employees to gather accurate data of resignations and retirements. 4. Lastly, I ask that you please table the RIF decision until this process is complete. Thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by: Bonnie Bezon

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: I am ashamed of the way our district handled the RIF's. The exclusion of GEA from the process, the lack of transparancy and the disrespect to teachers reinforces my decision not to sign my contract for next year. I believed this district when they said relationships matter. I will believe you no more.

Submitted by: Bonnie Bezon

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Greenfield Elementary is over populated. My child is in one of five 5th grade classes with 30 students or more. There is unprecedented building going on in the area. Getting rid of staff will leave students under supervised which can cause bullying and accidents. Students will also lose out on education due to teachers being overwhelmed. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Enrollment will improve greatly next year and you will not be able to accommodate students. On hearing of the proposed staff reduction you may end up losing more students to charter schools that have smaller classes. Please reconsider, keep our teachers and keep our kids safe.

Submitted by: Jessica K Mullins

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Is Neely moving?

Submitted by:Alexa Ankeny

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I fully intend to remove my 2 children from GPS if the mask mandate is not lifted. You can count on 2 less children to fund your district and incomes. My son has already had an upper respiratory infection this year which required antibiotics and breathing treatments to resolve and I will not continue to subject my children to the health risks or the indoctrination and mental abuse that the school is forcing on them by requiring a mask.

Submitted by:Laura Sixkiller

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Hi! As an initial matter, thank you all for your service. I watch the meetings online and know each of you put in tremendous time and don't always know that parents are grateful for that commitment-- even when we may disagree. The purpose of my comment today is to voice my support for maintaining the status quo regarding mask mandates for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. We are a mere 59 calendar days--roughly 42 school days--away from finishing out the year. While many of the teachers and staff have received the vaccine, most family members of the students have only gained access to schedule their first appointment, and so they are still capable of transmitting the virus to their children and their children to other students, none of whom have access to the vaccine yet if they are under 16. For the Moderna vaccine, it is essentially 42 days to reach the full immunity (28 days between shots plus 14 days). With vaccine appointments difficult to come by after the state opened to all adults, it is safe to say that we won't be able to count on most parents hitting that mark until right when school is ending. The students are already used to wearing face coverings. While students can opt into wearing a mask, it is unfair to place that kind of pressure on children who already face far too much peer pressure and bullying. And while students can also opt to go online, is that really what is best for the students - those remaining on campus without their friends and those being ripped from their classrooms-- in the final few weeks? Is it really that burdensome to continue to wear the same thin piece of cloth or face shield they have been wearing since August so that their classmates who have health risks can stay on campus, not be peer pressured or bullied about wearing the mask when others are not, and not being outed for whatever medical condition they may have to their friends by being removed from school on the even of completing the year? I think the motto from Quartz Hill provides the answer here: choose kind. If we choose kind, we'll preserve the status quo for the last few days of this school year. Thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by: Laura Harris

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I know GPS is trying to be wise on spending and cares about the students. As a mom of two young ladies who want to go into the teaching profession. With COVID and this RIF they are beginning to question if teaching is truly the job field they desire. They each have aspirations of returning to the Gilbert school district to teach, as many of their teachers have inspired them over the years. I am wondering how we hear there are not enough teachers and yet so many were let go. While I respect your decision I am concerned that this will impact classroom size and quality of education. What criteria were used in deciding who would be included in this RIF. Do you understand that with this decision you have added to the instability of our students during this time. Thank you for reviewing my questions and understand I appreciate your service. With much respect.

Submitted by: LISA PRUNTY-DEL RIO

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: It says that the decision to not renew teachers contracts is because of reduced enrollment in GPS. 1. How was the decision made as to what teachers contracts would not be renewed? Was it based on years with gps, performance, dept, etc and who made the decisions for each school? 2. Do the enrollment numbers that were looked at to make this decision include the online student population? Online students may be planning on a return to school next year and how will this affect class sizes with less teachers? Many of my son's classes already have 30 students. 3. Will any programs like music and art, or core classes be cut because of the workforce reduction? 4. How will eliminating experienced teachers that are mentors for our children help grow enrollment? From my perspective this will make people less likely to want to enroll their child or children in our school district? How will this win over charter school students. 5. Will the workforce reduction have any impact on our special needs student population? If so what is the district planning to do to make sure SPED kids are having their needs met. 6. Ultimately what is the district gaining by this move besides saving on teachers salaries?

Submitted by: Paige Reyes

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I’m saddened and disappointed at the lack of transparency displayed by the Superintendency and board related to the the reduction in force for the 21-22 school year. My son is a freshman at Gilbert High and plays football and made varsity soccer as a freshman. Today my son found out that apparently ALL of the coaches associated with the soccer program at GHS were included in the RIFs. If this is truly the case, then how on earth can the district say that this reduction is “student focused”? This year has been so hard on so many and decisions being made by the cabinet at this point in time truly make me second guess school placement for my children. “District” has done a great job of basically dismantling the entire soccer program at its oldest high school because it couldn’t see the forest through the trees. I understand that business decisions need to be made based on numbers, but it appears decisions are being made blindly without true consideration regarding the full impact on the social and emotional well-being of students. You will be hard pressed to convince me that rif’ing all soccer coaches at one high school is in the best interest of the student athletes who participate in the program. I urge you to reconsider how this reduction was implemented and review the process followed to ensure programs across the district were affected equally. This is the first time I have truly been on utter disagreement and disappointed with actions taken by this board and the superintendency.

Submitted by: Hali Turk

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: With the recent vote to change to a 2-2-2 school year schedule, I have a concern. Through recent years, our calendar has started school earlier and earlier every year. Because of where we live, our children have been attending school during the hottest days of the year. With the recent vote, school really will begin during the hottest week of the year, the last week of july. This contributes to poor attitudes, lack of outdoor recesses and less than optimal learning conditions. I suggest that we talk with nearby school districts and see if we can change the start and end dates of the school calendars in the future. Can we start mid august and end mid June? I know we want to work around Christmas and New Years, so maybe our winter break is 2.5 weeks instead of 2. In the end, I think we can do a better job of considering our climate when deciding when school should be in session. It is not the job of the teachers and staff to entertain the children during those hot months. Optimal learning conditions where recesses can be held and positive attitudes are easier to come by are ideal. Thank you for your consideration.

Submitted by: Tracie Nall

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am very disheartened by the GPS decision to cut 7.54% of certified staff members. In my child's high school, Mesquite, these layoffs include a highly qualified ASL teacher, two department heads, a speech and debate coach who also teaches AP classes, and an art teacher, along with many other valuable educators. GPS is quoted as saying "As a school district, it is imperative that student needs remain at the center of our decision-making..." but it is unclear to me how this decision centers student's needs. The district has also said that it is making every effort to increase enrollment for the next year and hope more students who left during the pandemic come back. While it is impossible to use the enrollment numbers from this year to forecast next year's enrollment (hint: it should be higher next year based on the vaccine roll-out that is currently happening), I can say with a certainty that these widespread layoffs are not in line with the goal of increasing enrollment or meeting students' needs. Why would parents send their children back to schools where senior, experiences teachers no longer exist, specialized languages are no longer offered (which, in the case of ASL is also a larger question of accessibility that should be addressed), academic extracurricular activities are cut, and art is unavailable? Cuts of teachers and programs like this only serve to drive parents straight to charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling at a time when the public school system can not afford the loss. Our students deserve better, and the district must work with the city and the state to ensure that you are providing better. This is a short-sighted decision that can hardly be called a solution. When enrollment numbers do rise next year, and certainly the following year, do you believe that these teachers will just be waiting to come back to their old jobs again? They will have been forced to find new sources of employment, and will be lost to our district quite probably forever. Surely we can work with the city and the state to obtain funding to cover the losses – we should have access to funds from the American Rescue Plan to retain teachers. The town of Gilbert places a high value on kindness and community. Through this decision, you have shown neither, and in doing so, you are teaching our students that people are expendable and quality education is a privilege for the few who can afford a private education instead of a right for every member of our community. These are not the lessons that I expect to be modeled from the Gilbert Public School District. I urge you to do better. Dr. Shane McCord, prove your value as superintendent. Governing board members, prove your value as elected representatives for our parents and students. Dig in and get creative. Fight harder for our students AND teachers. Fight for our community.

Submitted by: Bonnie Hickman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: GPS Board meeting 3/30/21 Respected board and Dr McCord, thank you for allowing me to address you this evening. My name is Bonnie Hickman and I have been with the district 26 years as a sixth grade teacher. I'm speaking as an individual and not as a representative of any organization. As I will be on phased retirement after this school year, most of the decisions that have and will be made will probably not affect me personally. I do not agree with the way in which teachers were notified of the reduction in force. I understand for our litigious society, it was probably necessary to do it like this. We hear constantly about the shortage of teachers in the state, and unless people were paying close attention to board meetings and the district financial situation or were members of the GEA, it's very probable that they had no idea that this RIF was a possibility unlike in 2008 when we all knew we were in a financial crisis. However, that is water under the bridge. I would just like to request that the board consider smoothing the ruffled feathers and do right by the teachers who have served through such an incredibly difficult year and we're most likely blindsided by this decision. According to our memorandum of understanding, teachers must have been in the district for a minimum of 5 years and have attained at least 25 days of sick pay in order to request the sick days to be reimbursed. As you know, many teachers held on to their sick days fearing that they would have to use them if they became ill with covid as the CARES act did not cover us after January. My concern is for the stability of the classrooms for the remainder of this school year. The students have also ridden this crazy train ride along with us and they deserve to have their real teachers with them for the 42 days that remain of the school year. I would like to propose that the board consider overriding the guidelines in the mou and allow teachers with less than 5 years service to the district and/or less than 25 days in their sick bank to be paid out at the end of the school year. Maybe there needs to be a caveat placed in it that they not use more than a day or two of the sick leave during the remainder of the school year. My concern is that these teachers have earned these sick days and, if they know they will not get reimbursed for them, may choose to take them between now and the end of the year. I saw on the substitute line that the district is attempting to prepare for this to happen, but it seems like a gesture of goodwill to the teachers who are leaving and also stability for our students to reimburse the teachers for the sick days which they have already accrued. Again I thank you for your unpaid service to our community!

Submitted by: Elise Millsaps

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please start to phase out these masks. Plenty of private schools have been open all year long with no mandate and have had no massive outbreaks or more Covid cases than schools with a mandate. This should be a personal choice. Please immediately push to remove these masks starting with preschool and kindergarten.

Submitted by: Lana Newman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: The lack of transparency and foresight that went into deciding which contracts will not be renewed next year is disappointing, to say the least. Using low enrollment numbers this year due to home learning options to justify firing our most experienced and valued teachers and coaches is not something our community should allow. When enrollment numbers are back up in the fall will you be offering the teachers who are 9 months from earning full retirement benefits their same contracts back?

Submitted by: Brielle Bisdnack

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: David Peters of Gilbert High School and Coach of Campo Verde’s swim team is an amazing teacher and coach. Firing him with ONE year left until retirement is enraging. He gives 110% to everything he does. He is a role model and mentor to hundreds of students/athletes. The Campo Verde High School swim program is successful BECAUSE of him. We have swimmers that get boundary exemptions so they can swim on our team because of David Peters. You are doing an injustice to current and future students/athletes. Instead of getting rid of teachers that LOVE what they do and give more than what they’re asked, why don’t you let go of the teachers that didn’t want to come into school to teach because of COVID? Please reconsider letting go of teachers like David Peters.

Submitted by: Tayln Sanders

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Coach Peters made me swim. He pushed us and i couldn't ask for a better coach, this was my first year EVER swimming and he pushed us and trained us and inspired me so much that i began to beat people who had been previously swimming. He gave the competitive in me a spark while swimming, I pushed harder and harder every practice and set I swam. He gave me so so so much advice not just in swim. He deserves to stay. If i could pick one person to stay its peters, he's so hard hardworking and dedicated, even when he broke his arm he was there every day dedicating his time to the team that loves him. Im a freshman and i planned on swimming the rest of my high school career because of the push Peters had, he was rough and made us work, but thats what we all improved.

Submitted by: Christy Ballard

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please lift the mask mandate. So thankful that they don't wear them outside as it is now but with the very few covid cases the school has seen and the governor lifting the mandate I hope the school district will lift it as well! :)

Submitted by: Craig D Newman

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Disgusting! Laying off Coach/Teacher/Mentor Dave Peters with ONE year until retirement. This dedicated leader of 19 years has been a Huge influence on my two Teenagers. Who does something like this ?? Please correct this immediately. How can you seriously justify, how do you sleep at night ?

Submitted by: Allison Monroe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Members of the Board and Superintendent McCord, I have been thinking about what comments to make since I heard of the RIFs of 150+ teachers on Friday night. Initially it was shock, then anger, and finally disappointment. The past year has not been easy on anyone, but it has been especially difficult for children and teachers. The teachers in GPS have been the constant for the kids as they have been navigating this new reality we all live in, and have adapted and met the challenge over and over again. I honestly don't know how they did it while balancing all of the other change in our world. Whether that was writing all new lessons to accomodate digital, to then switch to hybrid and write them all again (or teach them twice), to in person, I have watched the teachers navigate it all with grace, care, compassion, and a focus on doing everything they could for their kids. It is disappointing that the district has not held up their end in showing care and compassion for the teachers that showed up and did their jobs in very difficult circumstances. It is disappointing that yet again, our kids are the ones who will pay the price of this action--losing beloved, experienced teachers, and seeing class sizes increase, as that is the reality. While I understand that difficult decisions have to be made for budget reasons, it is the way in which those decisions are handled and communicated that make the difference. Showing compassion and care for the teachers, standing up for them and fighting for funding from the state before issuing RIFs, or letting the community know the issues and the results that will occur so they can try and make a change (perhaps an emergency bond to fund those teachers?)--none of that seems to have occured here, and that is what is most disappointing of all. The last time RIFs of this magnitude happened in 2008, my husband was a first year teacher, and he left the profession. GPS cannot afford to lose high quality, experienced, caring teachers, especially when they are so hard to find. I would ask the board to consider all other options, including a review of administrative staff and positions, pushing the state to fund to pre-COVID enrollment levels and a possible bond specifically to fund teacher positions. In the midst of a continued pandemic, it is impossible to determine decisions parents will make for their children's education 5 months from now. It feels as though the cuts are happening now, and the district will be scrambling to fill positions in a few months when parents re-enroll their children. My two boys are students at DRHS and Towne Meadows Elementary, and they have been fortunate to have fantastic teachers within GPS, and I do not want to see that change. At the end of the day, none of us would be where we are without the teachers that invested in our learning and helped us along the way. Please show them the support, care and respect they deserve and consider other ways to balance the budget. Respectfully, Allison Monroe

Submitted by: Jill Pascoe

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I appreciate that GPS has a budget deficit as a result of lower student enrolment and has had to make decisions and how to fund the district next year. I am extremely upset and disappointed in how the rif of GPS employees was handled last week. As a parent my heart breaks for our teachers. As a parent I am confused by a total lack of communication from the district, and I have had to piece together what has occurred through the media, and reports from staff. The district has not been transparent to families, and it is leading to confusion and anger. Sadly, this will likely lead to more loss of student enrolment, as parents will look for options where districts are more transparent, and classes are smaller. I have been fighting for GPS since my 10th grade son was in pre-school. But this last week has left me speechless. Is it true that all the staff that were let go on global academy found out at a group Webex where they were placed on mute? Who made this decision? Every single employee deserves and gets a one-on-one interview, and this is how it is done at all major companies. Anything less is completely disrespectful; not at all the industry standard. Please tell me this is a rumour and that the district I have supported all these years did not treat its staff this way. I have heard there have massive cuts to SPED. As a parents with a SPED student this is massively concerning. Will federally mandated IEP needs be met next year or do we need to look at other options? I have heard that well respected and admired teachers with 20+ years of experience were let go including hard to find math and science teachers while teachers with less experience were kept. Is this true? Was the only factor in deciding who was kept the salary they make? This is hugely concerning as we look to the future of our students education in the district. We love the teachers in GPS. But if the decision was made to remove good teachers over less experienced ones I have to question who made these decisions. I am also now extremely concerned about class sizes next year as they were already large this year. Please address these concerns during the meeting tonight. I will be watching. Thank you.

Submitted by: Katie Hodges

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am so very disappointed in the way these RIFs have been handled. As a parent of 4 GPS students, I have stuck with the district through all of the openings and closings in order to support funding our schools -honestly it would have been easier to homeschool. As a district family, we should have been allowed insight into this decision and the chance to reach out to our state government to plead for help. I am especially disappointed in the letting go of Coach Peter's. He risked his health and life to continue to teach through this pandemic and is only a year away from retirement. He made it possible for our swim team to still have a season. If this is how we treat people how can we expect good teachers to stay teaching in GPS?!

Submitted by: Mike Zondlewski

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I plan to read a statement to the board asking them not to approve the RIF guidelines and subsequent actions. Thank you for letting me speak to you today. My wife wanted to not reveal her name but with a name like Zondlewski... My wife works for this district and my daughter attends GPS schools. My wife has been a teacher for 25 years, 21 years in Gilbert Public schools. She has been a department head for her school for the last 10 years and an AP government teacher for the last eight years. She has taught summer school since 2003 and has been an online teacher for GPS since it first began in 2007. From that alone you can probably tell-she’s either very crazy or very passionate about what she does. She is a quiet steady force at her campus. She doesn’t like or need the spotlight and would rather work behind the scenes to help her school and her district. I will explain just three recent examples. In the spring of last year when the district shut down and teachers had to work at home, she was asked by her coordinator to write the curriculum for the last six weeks of school for all district teachers to use. I remember her spending hours in front of her computer scouring links looking for ways to create a curriculum that was engaging for students to learn remotely via computer for her district and all teachers to use. This summer, when Global Academy became the only form of summer school, she spent time helping, training and providing information to new staff who had no idea how the system operated even though she herself had at least 1000 students online for the district. She did the same in the fall for her department and in the spring this year to new staff at Global. She did not get paid for any of this, you will not see this in a Professional Development folder, she was not given a certificate, yet she did it without hesitation. I don’t even think the administration at her school was even aware, but that’s my wife. This fall, we had to make a decision on whether she would return as a brick and mortar teacher due to her serious health issues. I wanted her to say home and teach remotely. She would not-she could not because as she told me “her AP students needed her”. Every SINGLE day I worried if she would contract COVID and I would lose my wife and my daughter’s mother. She just went along with her day, wore her mask and did what she needed to do. Again that is my wife and how she is dedicated to her profession and this district. You cannot find a more hard working highly effective teacher than my wife for this district but after hearing some of the names of others who are on this RIF list, I realize she is not the only one. She did not want me to speak today, and she is simply too shattered to speak up for herself, but again that is my wife-a quiet steady leader for this district. How can you take someone who has been a highly effective teacher, devoted most of her life in multiple ways to this district, who is supposed to be family, and notify her she was "RIFed" and in the manner that it was done Friday? This bespeaks a lack of empathy, feeling, and caring that a district whose motto is supposed to be family would or should do. I do not know what words I can say to comfort her (the last time she felt bereft like this was when her father died). My daughter, who attends South Valley, doesn’t understand what “momma did wrong”. She was supposed to attend the high school where my wife worked but no longer wants to attend. My wife insists, that is how she still feels about this district despite what was done. This is what your decision has done to not only my wife but other teachers of this district. Many of you know my wife and know what she has done and know what the other teachers of this district have done for this district. What you have done in response to years of dedication, highly effective instruction, and hard work-well…..I can’t say it the way I would like to-I’m more of a speak first and hang the consequences. My wife is the eloquent one. I hope you can reevaluate this process and the decisions that have been made. Thank you for your time.

Submitted by: Francesca Livengood

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am one of the teachers being RIF'ed. I have been in the district for 7 years. I am devastated beyond words. I am wanting more information about how this decision was made. We haven't even had our end of the year reflection and meeting with administration to get our final scores for the year. They are due this week and conferences aren't being held until later in April. Yet, we were RIF'ed before that. I teach the Traditional 1st grade program at Canyon Rim. The district has paid for me to attend all the Spalding trainings as well as the Saxon Math trainings. I have also attended the Ready Gen and the Teaching Reading Effectively trainings as well. When the district was looking for a science committee years ago, I volunteered and worked numerous hours and created maps and curriculum for the program. I have attended several PD classes including SETI during the summer and the Learners market on weekends. This year due to Covid and my life situation I was unable to attend as many PD's as I would have liked. I attend the majority of events held by my school. I have taught hybrid, online and back to full in person without a complaint. The district wanted a traditional program. I chose to be trained to teach it. I have made many contributions to the district as well as my team and school. It is said that this is a reduction due to declining enrollment. I am wondering how many of these teachers that are RIF'ed also have children that will no longer be attending schools in our district which will decrease numbers even further. I know I have one. We do not live in boundaries so my daughter will no longer be able to attend the Traditional program once again decreasing numbers. I want to know who made up this committee and how decisions were made. I have loved working here in Gilbert. It has given me so many opportunities and has helped me grow. I am just divested that it has come to this. I hope you can explain further or find other ways to help retain the 152 teachers that you have RIF'ed.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am a concerned parent who chose to move to the Gilbert area specifically so our children would attend Gilbert Public Schools. Prior to Covid-19, we have been very happy with the education our children have received. Sadly, over the past year our mindset of the district has slowly changed. Please know that we fully understand that your position on the board has not been an easy one. However, due to the circumstances we have sharpened our views surrounding the district have been more diligent in streaming board meetings, viewing agendas, and talking to community members in regards to their ongoing thoughts surrounding their children's education with Gilbert. This leads me to my overarching concern. For the past 12 months you have been dealing with the heated debate of hybrid, virtual and face to face learning and what is best for all students. Agendas have also included what appears to be the routine business that all boards deal with at strategic times of the calendar year. All of this is expected. What was also expected, by my family and many of the community members we have talked to, is in regards to what is the district doing to get our children caught up academically. To my knowledge, you have failed to address this topic. In saying this, we think you would agree that all students have fallen behind and we would have hoped that you would be responsible public servants to develop a plan to get students caught up! (Often, we would also view the Update for Families information along with the Connect, Create and Care weekly newsletters for possible news on this topic. It appears both are no longer being published.) We have learned that many local charter schools and neighboring school districts (specifically Higley) have had very little to no lost instructional time since the start of this school year. Perhaps this is a direct reflection of the loss of enrollment (as presented at a recent board meeting) of hundreds of students and a few thousand over the past few years. In reference to a loss of instruction time, could there have been some decisions to eliminate early release days? Shorten or even eliminate spring break? Could you extend the school year? Lobby the state for more funding to increase more instructional days? Offer free summer school? We are not experts on school funding, but we do know the federal government has provided millions of dollars for public education. Could these funds be utilized to increase instructional time? In January, I steamed the board meeting and a gentleman mentioned that it was time for some of you to step down. I think he also mentioned that he was planning to run the next time a seat was up for reelection. Sadly, I have to agree with him. There clearly appears to be a lack of vision among members of the board as well as those at the district level who are responsible for moving the district forward. Regrettably, we will be exploring other schools and districts that will provide the best educational opportunities for our children.

Submitted by: Andrew Bradjan

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Thank you for allowing comments to the Board during these trying times. I am a Campo Verde Class of 2018 graduate who carried his student-athlete status from high school to college. That is in large part due to Coach Peters, who was told he was going to be one of 152 employees laid off by GPS this past Friday. Coach Peters has been teaching for 19 years with GPS and is one year away from retirement. Coach Peters teaches in everything he does. His teaching doesn't stop once he walks out of the door of his classroom. It doesn't stop once he finishes swim practice. It continues on and lives in everyone of his students--every minute of every day. It continues on long past his students have graduated and gone on to college or professional life. He teaches his students what it is to be a good person. He teaches his students to always push through rough patches, and always learn in the process. You should always learn with everything you do. Every experience, good or bad, is an opportunity to learn. I still have a really close relationship with Coach Peters, almost three years after I graduated. I have continued to perform at a high level as a student-athlete at a prestigious college because his lessons have helped me push through tough times. I will never forget his presence cheering me on and giving me advice after a good or bad race. He is the best coach I've had in over 15 years of swimming, and he still helps me in everything I do, even if he doesn't know it. Every person I know has had an experience like I did--whether that was in the pool or in school. He never fails to light up the room with his odd goomba jokes, and he never fails to impress with his swim knowledge and advice. The most painful thing is knowing that GPS is taking away his--along with many other teachers and staff--ability to make good students, student-athletes, and citizens. Coach Peters doesn't talk about it often, but he was hospitalized from COVID-19 this past year. He was knocking on death's door, and incredibly, he managed to push past it and make a speedy and successful recovery. Soon after his recovery, he called and spoke with my mom, and you know what the first thing he said was? It was a question: "How is your family?" That's how much he cares. He cares so much about his students and those he coaches that his first topic is always to ask how they're doing. Even when we should be the ones caring about him more. It's time to show him that we do care. Thank you again for your time.

Submitted by: Elise Millsaps

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Please start to phase out these masks. Plenty of private schools have been open all year long with no mandate and have had no massive outbreaks or more Covid cases than schools with a mandate. This should be a personal choice. Please immediately push to remove these masks starting with preschool and kindergarten.

Submitted by: Natalie Huddart

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Coach Peters has made a huge impact on his students and swimmers. You can’t get rid of a coach that has done so much for his swimmers. He puts in so much time an effort for this team. There is no campo swim team without him. Riffing an amazing coach and teacher is not the solution.

Submitted by: Meagen Winter

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Meagen Winter 24 years full-time educator. Speaking as an individual. Mother of 5 GPS graduates. This has been a very difficult year for many. When I first began teaching in the early ’90s, I didn’t have to “pay attention” to the politics of education. Probably a mistake when looking back. Our community paid attention for the educators so we could do what we do best, teach. We were given basic supplies and a budget for supplies above the basics. I still spent my own money but I could function at full capacity within this budget. Educators have been disrespected on many levels. We are called whiners when we speak up. We are called lazy when we don’t go above and beyond. This year teachers showed up under stressful conditions to have parents shaming them for expressing concerns. Teachers who gave up their school homes to teach the students online had to hear how awful online learning is and how it is not working. Some of our own governing board members and district leadership made such statements. I know that the intent was not to say the countless hours that the teachers have put in to make it work under the conditions was not enough, but it felt that way to many. Educators have become accustomed to the disrespect of the Legislature and its support of Public Education. Funding is taken out of Public Education to subsidize private schools. Public sums of Money are given to Public Charters but they are given a different set of rules to comply with its use and how to show they are using their dollars wisely. If every principal that had to read the Reduction In Force letter last Friday was allowed to speak off-script there would have been compassion and tears shared by many. When families gather at tragedies that is what they do. Families comfort, cry, scream, and whatever it takes when you care. The legalities in our world prevail at the cost of compassion. GPS has a policy for Reduction in Force, but the criteria of how the policy would be put to use were not transparent. Educators meet in Professional Learning Teams to develop rubrics and analyze data. Educators that were victims of lack of state funding and support and told there was not a position next year deserve to see the metrics that were used to determine their release. The conversations may be hard but are necessary to show dignity to them as a devoted educator. If the legalities prevent conversation, the data must at least be shared with the individual. I came to Gilbert when returning to education because it felt like family. It cost me years of experience and lower pay but I did it because I felt I belonged. My education family is broken. We need to heal. Some wounds take longer to heal. Some wounds scar and some continue to ooze for long periods of time.

Submitted by: Emerson DeChristina

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Coach Peters has been the best swim coach i’ve ever had. He is so self less and he values team, family, and fosters love. He restored my love in my sport and he always talks to me when i have a bad day. Peters always relates our sport to our lives and challenges us to be better people. I seriously don’t know what our swim program would become without Peters leading us.

Submitted by: Emerson DeChristina

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Coach Peters has been the best swim coach i’ve ever had. He is so self less and he values team, family, and fosters love. He restored my love in my sport and he always talks to me when i have a bad day. Peters always relates our sport to our lives and challenges us to be better people. I seriously don’t know what our swim program would become without Peters leading us.

Submitted by: Nelson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Can you please give us the numbers that drove your decision to lay off 152 teachers? I want to know how many students did Campo Verde and entire Gilbert district loose from 2019/20 school year to 2020/21. Also how did you come to conclusion that 16 teachers are not needed at Campo Verde alone. Should the lay off be equally distributed between schools or did Campo loose that many students? That would have to be about 16% enrollment loss.

Submitted by: Burt Nelson

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I would like to know how the propsed cuts in staff were determined. Campo Verde reportedly has 11% of the cuts. How does this compare to other schools? What will the resulting class sizes be? I've also heard that the Head Swim Coach at CV will be RIF'ed. How was this decision made? This will impact nearly 100 students. How this position weighed against basketball, cross country, wrestling, and other sports? The impacts to our children's education over the last year due to COVD has already been significant and damaging, I fail to see how eliminating teaching staff and increasing class sizes is an improvement.

Submitted by: Kent Gebauer

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Very disappointing for all the teachers and coaches impacted. I understand there are hard decisions to be made but a number of those selected are sure questionable. After all the Campo Verde swim program has had to endure the last couple of years with lack of pool space and less than accommodating school leadership now they lose their coach. This team has been state champions in the last 2 years but it sure feels like the school or the district no longer wants to support them.

Submitted by: Milo Perkins

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: As the number of students identifying as transgender grows greater, I feel it’s important to start looking into options for gender neutral bathrooms.

Submitted by: Karen Tobler

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: We are extremely disappointed in the District’s decision to end Coach Peters’ contract ONE YEAR BEFORE RETIREMENT. He is a prolific swim coach integral to the success and heart of the Campo Verde Swim Team for over a decade. Two of my children have been lucky enough to be coached by Coach Peters. He has curated and build the CV SWIM TEAM from its nascent stages. He is proficient in not only coaching MANY, MANY of his swimmers to win state championships, but he has nurtured the good characters and INTEGRITY of the athletes as well. He is an invaluable part of our CV Swim Family and we strongly encourage the District to re-instate his contract for one more year, to the fruition of his full retirement.

Submitted by: Alexa Dalbik

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: I am so highly disappointed by the firing of Coach Peters. He has proven to be an incredible and invaluable swim coach. His rapport and relationship with his swimmers is amazing. While I cannot speak to his abilities as a teacher, I do know that the swim team is very sadden by this turn of events. Coach Peters worked through the worst of the pandemic, coaching his swim team to the championship. I ask you to take the feelings of the kids in consideration and be reconsider your decision. This man has one year left until retirement and your allegiance to your teachers . The entire state is watching this play out. Do not make Gilbert an embarrassment in front of the entire state of Arizona.

Submitted by: Tyler Del Rio

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: No

Comment: Did the school board take into account any programs or classes that will have to be gutted because of teacher lay offs? How will this be better for students if entire programs will have to be cut? Why was this decision such short notice? Not many people outside the board knew about this decision until Friday afternoon. Why is it that some of our most experienced and caring teachers are being layed off? We need these teachers, especially during the pandemic when there is a shortage of certified teachers. They have already sacrificed their own health to come back to school this year. They deserve better.

Submitted by: Victoria Bradjan

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My name is Victoria Bradjan. All of my siblings and I have gone through the Gilbert Public Schools system, between Campo Verde and Gilbert High, from special needs classes to AP classes. Among the 152 beloved teachers being fired is Mr. Peters, a once-in-a-lifetime swim coach, mentor, and friend who changed the lives of my older brothers, myself, and everyone else who has ever been fortunate enough to know him. Among those teachers is Mr. Hoerber, who sacrificed his breaks from school to help me get accepted to UC Berkeley and ensure colleges were giving me the financial aid I need to get to go to college at all. Among those teachers is Mrs. Pearce, who brought to my family’s attention the mental health needs and suicidal thoughts of my younger sister. I could go on endlessly about the number of unbelievably amazing teachers here at GPS that are being let go. It is an understatement to say that they are the most loyal, passionate, and proven teachers around, and they deserve no consequence for GPS’s under-enrollment. We need to target the root of the problem: empty seats. Students will return to campus the moment their families deem campuses safe. The District should uphold their promise of maintaining safety procedures and the empty seats will be filled without issue. I implore and beg that you make our schools a more safe place, without having to expend our beloved staff. If you’re going to acknowledge that there are enough empty seats to let teachers go, then you need to acknowledge that the District has full capability of preventing those seats from going empty.

Submitted by: Muhannad Dalbik

Live or Work in the District: No

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: My 4 Kids attend/attended Campo Verde HS . We came from out of district to attend GPS because of the teachers and coaches. My daughter is on the swim team and Coach Peters has been an integral part of her experience at CV over the past two years. She was devastated when she heard the news. GPS should really be ashamed of itself. This man is one year from retirement and to snatch his entire career away in a single day is incomprehensible. I implore you to rethink this decision and allow Coach a Peters to retain his employment. He is a valuable asset to the district and to both GHS and CVHS.

Submitted by: Kelli Holden

Live or Work in the District: Yes

Child(ren) attending a GPS school: Yes

Comment: Dear Mr. McCord and Members of the GPS Board, First I want to acknowledge the extremely difficult school year that all of you as well as our teachers and students have endured. As much as I am tired of hearing that it's been an unprecedented year, it really has been. With that said, I am deeply concerned with the decision to layoff over150 teachers, teachers such as David Peters. Coach Peters has not only provided his students a wealth of knowledge that his students well take well beyond the classroom, but has shown so many kids what it is like to be a part of a team, how to believe in themselves, and overall has worked selflessly for the children that have passed through GPS. I worry that by jumping the gun and letting go of so many talented teachers, you will be placing our children further and further behind, especially after the roller coaster of a year they have all experienced. Without knowing what enrollment is going to look like next year, without even fully knowing what teachers are retiring or leaving the field, I don't understand how this decision was made and am not sure that our children's best interest was taken into consideration. I worry that my son will be lost in a classroom with too many students. I worry that many students will be left behind. I worry that the school district that I was once proud of, the school district that my children have been a part of for the last decade is making one of the worst and most detrimental decisions. I encourage you all to rescind your decision to let go of 150 dedicated staff until you KNOW that it will NOT have the ill impact that it most likely will if you don't. Thank you for your time. Respectfully, Kelli Holden