Committee adopts working‑group charge to develop climate and culture framework on bullying, mental health and bias

Chair Watterson reviewed a summer working group (membership noted in the meeting) formed to develop a recommended framework — not new policy — for how the district will track and report on school climate and culture. The scope discussed includes bullying preventions, student mental health and incidents of bias.

Committee members debated specific wording in the charge about whether the deliverable is a report or a framework and whether to include data, metrics and indicators in the language. Committee member Williams said the group should emphasize what to look at: "The climate and culture work group is charged with and including bullying prevention, student mental health, and incidence of bias." Members suggested indicators such as YRBS and Panorama data and community‑coffee themes as examples.

Members also discussed cadence and whether to add a firm deadline; several said the group had verbally committed to presenting a framework by the September joint meeting and that the working group should remain short‑lived. A motion to approve the charge as modified during the meeting was moved and seconded and passed on roll call.

The committee did not adopt a firm end date in the charge but recorded an expectation among members that the framework would be ready for review by September.