001I call the Channido County School Board organizational meeting to order at 700 p.m. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? >> I move to approve the agenda as presented. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> The motion was made by Mr. Rickard and seconded by Miss Carino to approve the agenda. All in favor of approving the agenda as presented, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Hearing none. The motion passes. Six to nothing. Nominations. 1.3. Nominations for chairperson for Shane County School Board. Is there a nomination for the school board chair? I nominate Larry Vance for the school board chair. >> Whitney Pence nominated Larry Vance for the school board chair. >> Is there another nomination? >> Uh yes, Dr. Shepard. I would like to nominate uh Dr. uh Mr. Mike
002Rickard. >> Okay. Gloria Carinio nominated Mike Rickard. Is there another nomination for school board chair? Second and final time. Is there another nomination for school board chair? Hearing none, we will move on to nominations are closed and we will move on to 1.4 vote for chairperson for Shannidoa County Public Schools. >> Um Dr. Shepherd, I do have a point of order. I mean, I wanted because I know we had talked about this before and doesn't really explicitly talked about this here, but I know we talked about it last year um that I would like the opportunity for each of the members to um say why they're running and then be able to have discussion among the members um either supporting or against or discussion on the um candidate seats. >> Certainly. So after the um
003motion for the school board chair is first and seconded and then the second nomination is first and seconded there will be an opportunity for discussion. >> So do I have a motion for Larry Vance as chair? >> I move to appoint Larry Vance for the 2026 school board chairperson. >> Is there a second for Larry Vance for chair? Second. >> I have a motion and a second. The motion was made by Whitney Pence. The second was made by Tom Street for Larry Vance as chair. Do I have another motion? >> I move to appoint um Mr. Michael Rickert uh for the 2026 schoolboard chairperson. Gloria Carino has made a motion for Mike Prickard as the chairperson for Shannidoa County School Board. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> I have a first Gloria Carino
004for Mike Ricker to be chair and a second by Mike Shabi. Now discussion since Mr. Vance was nominated first and had the first motion. Mr. Vance, would you like to speak? >> The role of the school board to me falls under four major headings. Policy practices resources leadership. policies that further the interests of public education, practices that work in the classroom, resources that are not on the target but in the bullseye, and leadership, leadership that is a force multiplier. And in the 14 months that I've been on the board, subtly or more so, I have supported efforts towards all four of those and wish to continue that success. >> Thank you, Mr. Rickard. Um, the role of chairman of the board to me really doesn't change my position on the board a whole lot except
005it accentuates my leadership abilities. Um when I was first elected as a school board member, I started my time um by first going to the SBMA symposium and educating myself and really digging in to what it is to be a school board member. Um, and I remember our first organizational meeting like this, Kyle, um, and I believe it was Brandy were talking about getting rid of the personnel committee. Um, even after volunteering myself on three or four different committees, um, I asked that we keep that committee alive. Um, reason being is my wife works in the school system. That previous summer, we had lost 21 teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School alone. Um, so I didn't think it was the time or the place to be getting rid of the personnel committee. Kyle even reinforced
006that when he said that committee hadn't been used for two years. Um, thankfully Gloria had my back and she uh volunteered to assist me on that personnel committee and we've since I believe made a difference with the personnel. um they've come to us, they've come to trust Dr. Sheepard when I've reinforced in them that if they come to us, we will take it to Dr. Sheepard and we can go anonymously or we can use their names. The ones that have chose to use their names after trusting us for a while, they found that Dr. Shepard is very approachable, very trustworthy, and now they talk to her on their own. Um on top of that, Tom you couldn't make the parks and recck committee meetings. Um, I was the alternate at that time. I stepped up
007and started going to those meetings in Tom's place. Um, and I'm still serving on that parks and recck committee today. I went through the list that Dr. Shepard or uh, Cheryl Jet, the clerk provided us, and I'm on like five of these right now and I don't have a problem with it. I' I've never had a problem attending anything. Um, that being said, so that I'm not proven to be a liar later on, the breakfast at Triplet, I appreciate the invite for that, um, the things like that during the day when I'm at work, I don't usually partake in. No offense to anybody within the school system. It's just not high on my priorities. But um not long after we were on school board, I believe Larry was on school board at that time as
008well, the third grade class at Ashb Lee reached out to us um and there were literally close to I guess probably a hundred letters from third graders about their playground equipment. Um, so I made it a point to get off work early and I reached out to that teacher that led that effort and I went out and I met with all those third graders and those third graders took me out to their playground and showed me all the equipment and the uh the deficiencies with that equipment. Mike Shy, that was the first time I saw him really step up. He was like, you know what, I could go out there and take care of some of those deficiencies on my own. And he did, and I applaud you for that. Thank you. Um, but after
009meeting with those third graders, I went back to Dr. Shepard and I said, "Hey, what are we doing about this?" Thankfully, she comes back and says, "We already have new playground equipment on order for that school." Told me when it should be in, and we were able to to get that together with the teacher that had led that effort. Um, since then, the new playground equipment has has started to be installed out there. One playground's 100%, is it not? Um, not too long after that, I went to the Noah Webster conference. I've really dug into this and really educated myself. Um, one of the state requirements, I don't know if the new members know this or not, but part of the SOQ for the state is that you have to do professional development. You don't
010just get elected and not do anything. You have to do professional development and educate yourself to be a school board member. Um, I've done that. I've done that every year. This past year, I took personal vacation time. Um, I believe it was in November, you all went, we were there at the SBAMA conference. Um, I've taken online courses through SBAMA. If you're SBAMA member, they email you several times. They provide plenty of courses if you choose to take them. Um, I assisted with the Ynan model policy writing. I fought for our female athletes. Um, I fought for our staff when it came to being compelled to participate in gender identity or gender ideology. Um, I've met with many teachers and staff to educate myself on the step or no step. When uh we had to
011vote on our first budget and we had to figure out do we give them a step or don't we give them a step, I went out and I met with over aundred teachers and staff to figure out what the step no step thing was about. Um, our new director of finance has even said a raise without a step is is not that great. Um, I worked to find a happy medium with the attendance policy when that was so rigorous and the uh the kids weren't allowed to attend dances and such. There was a um a gentleman down at the southern end of the county that he played sports and the sports helped his chronic illness. Um, I talked to those parents several times. They were working to figure out the whole attendance policy because they
012didn't want him missing out on sports because the doctors at UVA had confirmed that him being in sports helped his chronic illness. Um, I've assisted bus drivers uh when they felt their pay um or their contract was not being honored. Dr. Shepard this past year corrected their pay rates. Um, and even though we weren't able to go back and do anything retroactively because it was a contract, Dr. Shepard assured that bus driver if they stayed on board, they would be compensated greatly in the coming year um because of the pay raise. So, I mean, the facts speak for themselves. I'm out here. I'm fighting for our personnel. I'm fighting for our students. Um, another student reached out about security for our schools. I went to bat for that. I researched that. I contacted the company.
013I've talked to um to people within our county, the fire marshal, um, the head of the SRO's, the sheriff. Um, I make myself available. even though I have a full-time job um that I do pretty well at, I make sure and I made sure before running for this position that I could fulfill the duties and I believe the two years uh previous two years have spoken for themselves. Um, so when it comes to being the chairman, I've researched that as well and I believe that uh that I could definitely fulfill that role as well. Um, like I said, the only difference I see between the chairman and this position right right here is the person we want to lead um the six of us and going into um the next four years with a new
014governor. I believe that's going to be a tough job and I believe I'm the man for it. I appreciate all your support. I appreciate you all running for school board. I appreciate you serving on school board. It's a it's a tall order, but the the kids are worth it. The staff's worth it. Um I appreciate y'all's time. Thank you. >> Are there any other comments? >> I would like to speak. Um so I I want to speak on behalf um of my on my support for um Mr. Record. I've been here now two years and um as you all know I' I've done a lot of uh policies that I have introduced and a lot of work that I have done with Mr. Rickard. um in this last six months I didn't do as much
015just because I know that it was it's it's a little bit hard from my perspective as a board member um to be able to work if the policies that I'm introducing are getting blocked or if we're getting you know uh if if it's not getting the it's due um consideration u before the board and for me it is very important to have somebody who has demonstrated a commitment to the board uh as Mr. Rickard has said um and I I do want to clarify something because a lot of people think that we're always voting in lock step but if you go back and look at the at the voting a lot of times we disagree on a lot of issues uh the difference is that we respect each other um and respect is earned um
016if you want to get respect you have to give respect and we agree to disagree on some issues um but we still are able to to work together and we have worked together on a lot of that stuff um the the personnel committee comes to mind uh that's something that has been very um uh active and I think a lot of people appreciate it and we know this because they they write to us. They they tell us I I do have people all the time telling us how much they appreciate that we are making ourselves um out there available for the people and especially they appreciate uh Mr. Rickard because from my perspective as I've said before um my district pretty much encompasses all the schools um Mr. record is really only Strawburg, but we
017have a lot of people in the Southern campus and in the central campus that also appreciate that they can call him up and they can um uh text him or email him and that he's going to respond. And he does a lot of times he does uh when somebody has a concern, he immediately picks up the phone and calls him up even though he's never met him before. And I think that's what we need in a chairman. Um I think we need uh to regain the trust of the people. Uh I know that there's been a lot of things going on that um not everybody is you know particularly trusting of leadership uh whether in the school board in the county or nationwide. Uh so for me it's very important to have somebody not just
018that you know sounds good or or or who you know is saying the right things but somebody who's actually acted and who's actually proven himself that he really does care about this. Now I'm not saying that Mr. Vance doesn't care about this. I'm just saying in terms of who has actually been out there working really hard um for this um and I I know for a fact that Mr. Rickert has done that. Um and I know sometimes it drives Marsha crazy how much we're on either on the phone or working or trying to figure things out. Um there's a lot of other you know I we've had a long list of policies that I have introduced. Um, even the last three ones that we that I introduced in December almost didn't make it into the
019agenda um because our previous chairman was um offended that I had put Dr. Shepard's name ahead of his in the email line. Um, thankfully Mr. Goshel was able to help out and we were able to put it back in the agenda, but that shouldn't have happened. I mean, we're talking about, you know, policy such as the 250th anniversary uh celebration that that should not be happening in this in this on this board. And from my perspective, I there there's still many things that I want to work on with AI with uh the patriotic curriculum things that I have already been working with Dr. Shepard um that I would like this board to be a part of and that we can keep helping our students. But I need to make sure that the the leadership that
020we have is going to be leadership that is going to allow to at least have this discussion. Doesn't mean that it's going to pass. Maybe you guys don't agree with me on this stuff, but that's fine. At least we're going to have the discussion. And that to me is very important. So, um I just want to reiterate again, I have been working with Mike now for the last two years, and I I know what his commitment is to the school board, um to the students, God bless you, uh to the teachers. >> [clears throat] >> It's great when we go to events um even outside of the school board at our schools, you know, like or when we went to uh recently to the fields of faith. It's always great to see how many people
021come over uh to Mr. Record just to say hi. And we're talking about teachers, we're talking about students, we're talking about parents um because they trust him and I personally trust him. So um again, this is why I am supporting him for chair and I hope that everybody else will u consider that as well. Are there any other comments? >> Mr. Rick, >> are there any members of our board that are not in the SBMA? >> I'm not sure. I'm not in the SBA. >> I'm not sure. Are there any members of the board up here that would admit whether they are or are not in the SPMA? >> I'm not. >> Huh? >> I'm not. >> How are you getting your professional development complete? Madam superintendent, I rise to a point of order that
022this is uh not a debate. >> So you call for the vote. >> Yeah. >> Call for the vote. >> Thank you. Hearing a call for the vote. This will be a roll call vote. When you vote, please signify the person you are voting for, either Mr. Vance or Mr. Rickard. Cheryl, will you do a roll call? >> Mr. Shy, >> Mr. Vance, >> Mr. Larry Vance, >> Miss Cario, >> Mr. Miss Pence >> Mr. Vance >> I abain >> Mr. Record >> myself. >> Mr. Vance is the new chair. The vote is [clears throat] three for Mr. advance two for Mr. Rickard and one extension. Item [cough and clears throat] 1.5 nominations for vice chairperson for Shannidoa County School Board. Do I hear a nomination for the vice chairperson for Shannidoa County School Board?
023>> I nominate Miss Whitney Pence. >> Mr. Street nominated Miss Whitney Pence. Is there another nomination? I nominate myself. [snorts] Is there another nomination? Once twice hearing no nominations, I close the nominations. [cough and clears throat] Is there a motion for Miss Whitney Pence as vice chair of the Shannido County School Board? >> I make a motion to make Miss Mrs. Whitney Pence, chair, vice chair, Sheno County School Board. >> Mr. Street made a motion for Miss Whitney Pence to be vice chair. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. Vance. Is there a motion for Mr. Rickard to be vice chair? >> I will um like to nominate uh Mr. Rick for vice chair. Miss Carinio made a motion for Mr. Ricker to be vice chair. Is there a second [clears throat] >>
024second by Mr. record discussion. Miss Pittz, do you have anything you would like to say? >> Absolutely. Thanks for the opportunity and thank you for the nomination, Mr. Straight. I appreciate it. Um, as a newly elected schoolboard member, I'm just coming off of the campaign trail, um, completing my election in November. And during that time, obviously, I received the support of the community. Um, they are aware that um, you know, I'm here to support the students, the staff, and I'm in a unique position where I am overly available during the day. And in my opinion, I would have to believe that that is something of importance to staff, parents, um during the day if they have issues and need to reach out to me. I'm a I'm very easily accessible. Um, I also uh do
025believe that members of the board who are in leadership position should not be distracted by any legal issues that they currently have going on. And I am one of those people. So, um, I definitely would continue the hard work that I put into my campaign if I were given the opportunity to be the vice chair of the school board. Thank you, >> Mr. Rickard. Comments. >> I go with what I said earlier. Um, going off what Whitney said there at the end, um, one thing we were taught when we were first on this board, one of our first conferences, the attorneys all looked at us and told us, if you're not being sued for something, don't worry. It'll be coming. um you're either doing nothing or you're doing too much because the lawsuits will come.
026The only lawsuit that I'm tied up in is one resulting from a uh from an employee within our school division who uh is no longer with us. It was brought about by being on school board. Um I am involved in no personal litigation other than that. Um, and like I said, stick around on the school board long enough, you'll find yourself uh in the hot seat. That is if you're doing anything. >> A point of information. We're all members of litigation right now. We're all being sued. >> Are there any other comments hearing? Done. We will do a roll call vote and please signify your selection for vice chair of the Chinidoa County School Board by indicating Miss Pence or Mr. Rickard. >> Miss Jeff. >> Mr. Pence. >> Mr. Miss Pence, >> Miss Car,
027>> Mr. Rickard, >> Miss Pence, >> Mr. Vance, >> Miss Pence, >> Mr. >> Marcel, >> Miss Pence is the vice chairperson of the Shannidoa County School Board with a vote of three for two for record and one extension. I will now turn the meeting over to chairperson Vance. >> Thank you, Dr. Sheepard. Item 1.7, nominations for clerk for the Shannidor County School Board. Floor is now open for a nomination. >> I move to appoint Cheryl Jet for the 2026 school board clerk of the board. >> Miss Jet has been properly nominated. Is there a second? >> Second. >> And a second. Other nominations hearing none, we proceed to vote. Madame clerk, there is one candidate. May we vote by voice? We may. All in favor of Cheryl Jet uh becoming the U clerk of
028court. Clerk of court. Clerk of the school board for Shannidoa County, please indicate by saying I. >> I oppose. No hearing. None. You are elected by acclamation. Cheryl Jet reinstated as clerk. Item 1.9, nominations for deputy clerk of the Shannidora County School Board. The floor is open for nominations. >> I move to appoint Crystal Stickley for the 2026 school board deputy clerk of the board. >> Miss Stickley has been nominated. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Several seconds. Other nominations hearing none, we close the nominations. All in favor of Miss Stickley being appointed deputy clerk of the board for the Shannidor County School Board will answer by saying I. >> I oppose. No. >> Congratulations. The reappoint is confirmed. Under the information agenda recommendation for parliamentarian Dr. Shepard. Do you have a recommendation?
029>> I do have a recommendation. I think that Mr. Joe Bowman has done a fabulous job of being the parliamentarian and I would recommend him to continue in that role >> and this will be continued under action item 3.1 committee assignments for 2026. Once again, Dr. Sheff, >> thank you. So in front of you, you will have two lists and um descriptions of the committees that the school board members serve currently on. You will notice on the Shannidora County School Board Committee list, the school infrastructure planning committee was added today. Um, we failed to put that on there earlier. The two representatives for that infrastructure committee were Mike Rickard. Um, are you interested in serving on that committee again this year? And then also Kyle Gutshaw, who will need to be replaced. Is that a
030yes? >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you. So if you are interested in serving in any of these committees, please let on any of these committees ple please let Mr. Vance know by Thursday, January the 15th. These committees will be solidified at [clears throat] the Monday, January 26th meeting and let Mr. know by email, please. Does that work for you? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Perfect. >> Item 2.3, resolution setting terms and conditions and appointing trustees to the Stars Education Trust. Madam superintendent, >> the stars education trust sets the terms and conditions upon which the trustee will serve as the trustees of the trust. Pas member and trustee of the Storms Educational Trust was Mr. Kyle Gutshaw and he did not seek reelection. Therefore, at the at our next meeting on Thursday, January the 8th, we will need
031a recommendation and a motion for the trustee to the Mary Ellen and Donald D. Stern's Education Trust and approve the resolution setting the terms and conditions of the trust. Um, attached to this agenda item is the resolution and the copy of the Star's last ruling testament. This is a an a very um interesting appointment. Um it the money from this trust goes to serve students with disabilities and students um who may not um have financial um means to be able to enroll in dual enroll. So um so it serves that the trust actually um benefits those those children. So and this also this meeting has been set for fe Tuesday, February the um 17th at 9:00 a.m. So whoever is on this um trust will need to be available during the day. this appointment um
032would need to be able to meet one time a year. It's an interesting appointment and and I hope um there's someone who is interested in in serving. >> Did we not have somebody on it before? >> Um Cal Vetaw was our was our representative and then before him it was um Andrew Keller. Is that the conclusion on that? >> Yes. So, we will need to know that person at the um January 8th meeting. >> Item 2.4 resolution on agent and deputy agent for examining and approving payment of claims. And that will be dealt with again later on item 3.2. Dr. Shepard. >> Yep. So, the agent for approving claims was um Kyle Gut and the deputy agent was Larry Vance. This needs to be somebody who can come in and sign the um the approval
033during during working hours um during the week. And I think it's twice a month that you have to review claims and um approve them and ask questions about some of the um funds that we're spending if you have any any questions about that. So, are is there any are there is there anyone interested in being the agent? And is there anyone interested in being the deputy agent? So, when we get down to the action agenda item, we'll have that taken care of. >> I'd be happy to make a recommendation if that's in order. >> That would be great. >> Uh for agent, I would uh recommend Whitney Pence. She's 6 and a half minutes from this building. And so coming down and signing a form twice a month would not be a handicap. It can
034she she can do that on her way to the Woodstock Cafe to pick up her latte. And I would also recommend for the uh deputy agent, Miss Carinio. >> No, I I decline. Thank you. >> You decline, Mr. Shy. >> Uh yes, I I would accept that. >> That would be my recommendation. >> I accept as well. Item 2.5 is a recommendation of designate to attend meetings of the school board in the absence of the division superintendent and I have a sneaking suspicion that Dr. Shepard has a recommendation. >> So on the rare occasion that I am not at a school board meeting or a work session, um I would like to recommend that Mr. Chad Hensley and Miss Jennifer Proctor fill in in my absence. We now move to the action items of which
035there are four on the agenda. [clears throat] The appointment of a parliamentarian and the floor is open for nominations. >> I move to continue with Mr. Joe Bowman as school board parliamentarian. >> Thank you, Mr. Richard. Mr. Bowman has been nominated. Are there other nominations? Is there a second? >> Second. >> And a second. No other nominations. As my brother, the auctioneer would say, going once, going twice, going three times. Nominations are closed. And we [clears throat] now vote. All in favor of Mr. Bowman being reappointed as parliamentarian for the Shadow County School Board will end the cake by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. No. >> Congratulations, Mr. Parliamentarian. unanimous. >> Thank you. >> 3.2 resolution on agent and deputy agent for examining and approving the payment of claims. Uh you have heard the
036recommendation of the superintendent being Miss Pence as the agent and Mr. Shy the deputy agent. Were there be any nominations from the floor? I move to appoint Whitney Pence as the agent and Mike Shy as the deputy agent to examine and approve the school board's bills and payroll. >> May I hear a second? >> Second. >> All in favor of the motion is presented. We'll indicate by saying I >> I >> oppose. No. Congratulations. And Whitney thought she was going to get by, but this is her birthday present. See, today's her birthday. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Miss Carenio did not vote. Correct. >> Mr. Parliamentarian, do we need to wait for Miss Carin? >> A majority vote. >> It's a voice majority. >> Proceed. It would take three more nos to vote
037it down. >> All right. >> I'd say you could proceed in this case, >> sir. >> Yeah. >> All right. The appointment or designate to attend the meetings and you've heard the recommendation of the superintendent, Mr. Hensley and Mrs. Proctor. Is there a motion to that effect? >> I move to appoint Mr. Chad Hensley and Miss Jennifer Proctor as the superintendent's design to attend schoolboard meetings in the event of the superintendent's absence or inability to attend for the period of January 1, 2026 through December 31, [snorts] 2026. >> Is there a second? >> A second. >> And there were several. Thank you. All in favor of the motion as stated making Mr. Mr. Kinsley and Miss Proctor the designate indicate by saying I >> oppose no and they are so appointed. Item number four adjournment.
038There has to be a motion to adjurnn. >> I move to adjourn. >> So stated. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor of adjourning advocate by saying I. >> I oppose. No. And Shannidoa County School Board stands adjourned until January the 8th at 5:30 p.m. And for the record, 7:36