Second. motion carries. [Music] Congratulations. You can do the jumping jacks at the next board meeting. You can do the jumping jacks at the next board meeting. Okay. Okay, Madam President, governing board members, I'll go on to the next one unless I need a cue from Dr. Croto. I apologize if I've moved forward. Okay. Uh the next one is uh is administration is proud to recommend Miss Amy Crow as a interim principal at Freedom uh school here in the Daiser Unified School District. A quick little background for Miss Crow is that she's been in education approximately about 19 years and two of those years have been administration with us uh currently at Freedom and u previous last year at Elmar Raj. So we're really excited to ask the governor board to consider our uh placement of Amy Crow as an interim principal for Freedom. Motion to approve the appointment of Amy Crow as an interim elementary school principal for the 2025 2026 school year.
Because those are the kids that kind of get loose or do not get the information that we need to get them with. And then um another thing that we also talked about was um the access lessons and like trying to create more access lessons that are more meaningful because a lot of time what I'm noticing and feedback that I'm getting from is these access lessons that we're giving are not really getting through right like a lot of them are way too short or they're not really getting the students engaged in you know what we're talking about even though I know that all of those lessons are really important to like stuff that you guys have as requirements to deliver to the students right so I think we need to do a little bit better job. I don't know what what that would look like, but delivering that and engaging students in those in that time period, right?
That lesson will make will make you not just successful, but significant wherever you take wherever life may take you. So on behalf of our entire board, the administration, your peers, your the families across this district, thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for using your voice for good. We are so proud of you. We believe in you and we cannot wait to see how you will continue to lead and inspire in years to come. Congratulations and may your journey be as impactful as you have already proven you are. [Applause] [Music] What are we doing? Surprises. Your favorite Don't cry, you guys. Don't mess up your makeup. patience. All right. All right, we're still in 3.1 board member comments. Any other board member comments? I have somebody, but I um I first want to say thank you for indulging me.
There's a place for you here. Uh what we do is we run concession stands for sporting events. Uh every person on here has been has worked probably several times. There's room for your name here. If anyone here has an hour next year to volunteer, if you think you might and you are able to volunteer, I encourage you to what do they call it? Scan the QR code. Is that that what the kids are saying these days? Sign up. Join the festivities. Concessions is amazing. You get to throw pickles at people. I'm not kidding. You can play uh ring pop roulette with kids. It's a great time. But all that fund translates into money which allows every musician in the Columbia school district to have what they need to demonstrate their talents for you. Please join us second Mondays if you want to uh join us for our regular meeting or otherwise please just scan, sign up, volunteer and be part of the amazing story that unfolds every time these musicians perform.
So yeah, this is incredible. Welld deserved. Congratulations both of you. So we move on to the minutes and the chair will entertain a motion to approve the regular minutes of April 4th, 2025. So moved. Second. All in favor? I I. All opposed. Looks like it's unanimous. Um, I will now entertain a motion to approve the executive minutes of April 14th, 2025 with the stipulation that they be held till the matter for which they are intended is completed. So moved. Second. All in favor? I I opposed. Uh, all in favor? Unanimous. Um, next up we have the student representative, uh, Elizabeth O'Neal reporting on what is happening. Hi. Um, good evening and welcome. We have just come back from a refreshing April break and are gearing up for the last few weeks of school. Dartmouth High School's theater company had a very successful weekend full of performances for the High School Musical.
Um yeah, generally so. Um so th this is where I like it. It says here um annual scheduling and administration of the school climate survey. I I feel like this is probably like a hard stop on annual scheduling of meetings maybe or it could have used some clarity because here it says the survey school year commencing 2025 and bianually thereafter. So trying to just confirm like this is so explicit that when it says bianually thereafter that the survey must be every two years but there's nothing prohibit prohibiting us from doing it more frequently. Um but we have to do it at least every two years. is only that little odd question where it says annually schedule and that makes me I've asked a few people actually have a problem with what annually administering because like you said we can but we don't and it's not I mean this isn't you know the SAT it's pretty quick you know you guys saw the survey last month well let's call a couple weeks ago.
Um, he and you know, we weren't always on the same side, but your grandfather was respectful and you could go to sleep on his word. and and from what I know of you, you're a chip right off the old block. So, congratulations and congratulations to your family, your dad, your mom. I'm sure they're very proud and I know he's very proud. To the new board members, we have um Arlene who has served our community on the zoning board, been active for many, many years. We have Mr. Odo who's a retired firefighter and has been active in that community for many years and has given he was one of the first responders has given a lot of years and and we have Lissa who is a very active mother participant in you know children's activities in the school so it's a nice mixture and we're really hoping to see that this this new board looks like a new board majority we're hoping looks like I we're hoping that we're going to see a focus on the students and the staff and what the needs of this district are as opposed to jobs and created positions.
to 12:00 noon. Is that right? It's 5 hours for the kids. So 8:15 to 1:15. We'll make sure we'll make that revision. We'll make sure. But we have some really strong teachers ready to go. Miss Fernandez, Miss Williams, Mr. Ro, Miss Maringo, Miss Garcia, and the parable officials will be Miss Simpson, and Miss Moore. There's no board action necessary. This is a study session item already. Okay. So the hours will be corrected by this. Yes. Sure. Actually, I'll do that right now. Absolutely. Any other questions on that? We're on to approval for various statements. Mr. President, members of the board, um administration is requesting stipens be paid to teachers from various grants like title one and 102 grants. Per board policy, all employee pay, including grant stipens must be board approved. You have it in front of you. Title one grant stipens, high school advanced placement, dual enrollment coordinator.
Second motion carries. Congratulations Madame President, I got the queue from Dr. Croto, so I'll go continue. Uh, madam president, governing, board of members, uh, the last recommendation we'll make a new board from me uh will be uh for the assistant principal athletic director in at Willow Canyon High School. That's Mike Boa Boa. Make sure I say that right. There you are. Thank you, Mike. Uh Mike's been in education uh for approximately over 17 years. Uh he has been a successful athletic director for four years in a pre a different district. And Mike actually is a current employee uh for us for the last two years uh uh teaching physical education. So we're excited to recommend to the govern board for your consideration. Thank you. I move to approve the appointment of Michael Barola as interim high school assistant principal for the 2526 school year. Second I'm going to vote yes.
Um but yeah, other than that, um those were most of the criticisms I heard from the student advisory board meeting that uh that we got. But yeah, that's it for me. All right, thank you both. Their last meeting will be with us the next time. So, uh we'll be happy to celebrate you then. May 1st has come and gone, and I didn't hear any updates from either of you about uh any individual information you might want to share. It's the next board meeting. Oh, it's the next board. Don't I'm just curious, I guess. So, I guess I'll have to wait. I'll have to wait. Don't steal their thunder. I'm sorry. Okay. Uh item number four, um uh approval of minutes. Can I get a motion from the board of education to approve the minutes of the uh April 21st, 2025 business meeting, the April 21st, 2025 close meeting, the April 28th, 2025 parent teacher advisory committee meeting, and the May 1st, 2025 special meeting with action item.
This is long. I apologize, but um have some things I'd like to share. Sitting here tonight, I am filled with a lot of emotions. Gratitude, pride, a hint of sadness, and above all, deep appreciation. Um, this moment feels surreal, my last board meeting, after four of the most challenging, rewarding, and transformative years of my life. I would be remiss to leave this podium without speaking to the belief that drives me in all that I do, and that is about diversity and belonging. I am sickened by how swiftly I have seen this country swing from progress to appeasement and from courage to the comfort of the loudest voices in the smallest corners. In education, inclusion is not a trend. It is not a checkbox or a courtesy. It is a catalyst for greatness and a force that fuels innovation, deepens sympathy, and unlocks the full brilliance of every student that we serve.
Thank you. Beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Todd. And thank you for drawing everyone's attention to the amazing videography by uh Mr. Nickerson, who is hiding in the back. Um and to the beautiful video boards that our school has put in for sporting events and concerts like this. Um this is really, really cool and hopefully not too distracting for the performers uh to see. I I keep looking up there right when I get on there. Um it it is distracting for me a little bit. Um we're going to finish this out with two more pieces. Himm for the innocent and connect us. And I don't need to say anymore. Thank you for being with us tonight and enjoy. [Music] Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] I love you.
Congrats to all involved. This past Friday, we celebrated the day of kindness at the high school. This event brought our school community together to focus on spreading kindness. Shout out to the following clubs who made this event a great success. The BSU and allyship club in partnership with the GSA, the Christian Fellowship Club, and the video game club, as well as the fishing club, the sunshine club, and several individual students. Junior banquet is also right around the corner and the junior class is preparing for a night full of fun. Information regarding the tickets will be posted this week in the class of 2026 Google classroom. The countdown for the last day of school for all classes is on. But before then, our students are preparing for their upcoming AP exams, MCCAST, and final summitives. May is a very busy month of assessments, so sending all good luck to all of our students as they prepare.
It's not like we're not asking the world of people to do this. So, we do want to make sure that it gets done like it's hard to I think every parents years is is really appropriate every two years. Yeah. Which is the survey that there were general questions but then there were writing answers. That was the old um climate survey. So, we are not administering that one anymore because that was probably the most telling. Yeah. Because you can answer the question, but it's the comments after where you could really find out what's going on. Right. The board just um approved the one that the state put out for the initial survey, which doesn't include open-ended responses, which I mean again can always be revisited. I believe I mean they didn't mandate quote the survey they you just have to have a survey. So I think in the initial form we did a uniform wish I had that realization a lot sooner.
We don't need them. You you need to start now focusing on the buildings, the repairs, and our children. I I just received a call today. There's no paper towels in the schools for the last two weeks. That's unacceptable. So please pick your committees wisely and be active, be very proactive and thank you so much and the best of luck to all of you. Thank you. Uh Kevin Kane, I give my address to 13 Lincoln Place. Uh Garfield, I just want to congratulate the three new members of the board of education. I'm so proud of you guys. you guys ran an amazing election. Um although I have not known them forever, I've known them for a couple years now and I do have faith that they will do the right thing for the students, the staff, and everybody else in the district. Um great people and I would back them any day of the week cuz I know that they're the right people for the job.
You have Miss Nunes. You also have for the teachers, Mr. Espanetta and Miss Fernandez. Academic advisors per grade level. This is a very good idea for Miss Misson, Miss Fio, Miss Domingo, Mr. Miss Fernandez, and Mr. Venor. They get to pay even more like a small group attention to all the different grade levels. um um at the high school child study team coordinator Man parent engagement coordinators Mad Mr. says they've done a great job this year. Move on reading stipen for one teacher who will work with third grade for June and July. We will have the name for of that person for Wednesday. Uh and then also we also have title two grant stipens PLC team leaders miss and Miss Fernandez. They are responsible for the key planning throughout the year with the administration both misson and myself. And we also um have a dyslexia grant I believe stipen for missia.
Motion carries. Congratulations. All right. Next up, we have uh item G4. Dr. Croto. Thank you, Madam President. Tonight, um, we have the financial and compliance audit report for the fiscal year that ended June 30th, 2024. And I'll have Mary Delp Spidel kick this topic off. Meridel. Hey, Madam President, members of the board. Um, we are pleased tonight to bring to the board our financial and compliance audit for fiscal year ended June 30th of 24. As you know, as this district, we are required to meet a number of compliance requirements. Um, we undergo a uniform system of financial requirement review, single audits because we expend a certain amount of federal program dollars and also our full financial audit. And so tonight we have Miss Kristen Conway, our audit manager with Heinfield Medion Company and Francancy Wolf Alman, our director of finance will be here to present to the board the results of those audits.
So moved. Second. Terry moves. Ken. Thank you. Terry Pavis, I. Ken Dawson. Hi. Chris Espinosa. Hi. Throw Fuller. Hi. Jenny Hagstrom. Hi. Cara Castton. Hi. and Don R. I. Motion carries. Item five, board workshop, parent teacher advisory committee meeting. Feedback. Uh, I'll turn this over to Scott. Okay. Yeah. So, we held our meeting uh last Monday um April 28th um at South High in the library. Uh we had a we had a pretty good turnout. I think we had maybe 22 confirmed coming in. We were around 14. Uh it was a beautiful day. Usually we get a storm when we're at South. Uh so um I can understand. Uh we were fortunate obviously um Cara and Jenny were there um so we could get input um from you two as well. Um but it was nice that Mike, April, and and Katie were there as well.
To retreat from that truth is not neutrality, it's surrender. I will never surrender when it comes to our students. When we reflect the full spectrum of the human experience in our schools, we ignite creativity. We challenge assumptions and unlock the full potential of each of our students. In my opinion, this isn't optional. It's critical to our very mission. Every student deserves to see themselves in their learning and to see beyond themselves, too. Inclusion builds empathy. Belonging fuels confidence. And when students feel seen, they rise. Period. A truly great education doesn't teach facts. It builds bridges. It prepares students not to just succeed in the world, but to transform it. As educators, leaders, and change makers, we must intentionally and actively cultivate environments where differences are celebrated and students know that they belong. The path to student excellence is and always will be, no matter what anyone says, will be paved with inclusion.
[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Hi y'all. I'm not going to take too much of your time. Um, if you don't know me already, my name is Lily Emmes. I'm a current senior here at Columbia High School and I will my last day is this Thursday and I will be graduating May 18th with some of these people here. Um, if you didn't know, if you knew that already, some of you here's another fact. I am part of the first AR's first four-year class along with some of the people here tonight. And to um honor that, we decided to give him a little something to represent the past four years that we got to share with each other.