SCPS School Board Meeting 05/08/2025

001So, it's um 4:34 and we're going to open our session. Call to order. Um and do we have a recommendation for meeting in close session? Yes. I recommend the Shannidoa County School Board convene a closed meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act pursuant to Virginia Code 2.2-371188 2-371188 to consult with legal counsel regarding specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such council to discuss the audit of special education funds for the school year 21 and 22 and the Virginia state conference NAACP at all versus Shannida County School Board of Shannida County case and under the provisions of Virginia code 2.2-3711A29 2-3711A29 to discuss the award of a public contract in involving the expenditure of public funds including interviews of biders or offerers and discussion of the terms or scope of such

002contract where discussion in an open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body and to consider several personnel matters involving the assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salary, discipline or resignation under Virginia code 2.2-3711814 and to discuss and consider several student matters involving the emission discipline or the disclosure of information contained in a scholastic record of students in the Shannidoa County Public Schools under Virginia code 2.2-3711A2. Thank you, Dr. Shepard. Is there a motion to that effect? I move that the Shannidoa County School Board convene a closed meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act pursuant to Virginia Code 2.2-3711A88 2-3711A88 to consult with legal counsel regarding specific legal matters regarding the provision of legal advice by such council to discuss the audit of special education funds for fiscal year

00321 and 22 and the Virginia state conference versus county school board of Shannidoa County case and under the provisions of Virginia code 2.2-3711A29 2-3711A29 to discuss the award of a public contract involving the expenditure of public funds including interviews of biders or offerers and to in discussion of the terms or scope of such contract or discussion in an open session where would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body and to consider several personnel matters involving the assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salary, discipline or resignation under Virginia code 2.2-3711 A14 and to discuss and consider several student matters involving the admission discipline or the disclosure of information contained in a scholastic record of students in the Shenido County Public Schools under Virginia code 2.2-3711 A2 thank you Mr. Kchaw second second

004second by Mr. record. All those in favor of meeting in close session to discuss those specific matters, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? We will reconvene in close session. It's uh 610. You would like to reconvene in open session. Uh do I have a motion to reconvene in open session? Move to reconvene in open session. Thank you, Mr. Gutshaw. A second. Second. Second. Got lots of seconds. I heard Mrs. Carino. Um all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? None opposed. So, we will reconvene in open session. Um, the first thing I'd like to do is to uh read the following statement. The Shannidoa County School Board hereby certifies by roll call vote that to the best of each member's knowledge. Only public business matters lawfully exempted from open

005meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification resolution applies and only such um public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered by the Shendo County School Board. Each member responds, "I so certify when called." And uh Cheryl, are you ready to have a roll of call vote? Mr. Street, I so certify. Miss, I so certify. Mr. Gutshaw, I so certify. I so certify. Mr. Rick, I so certify. Mr. Bar, I so certify. Now we are going to have the invocation and the pledge and uh Mr. Vance is going to lead us. Actually, Mr. Vance is going to introduce Pastor Bobby Funkhouser from the Building Faith Church in beautiful downtown Mount Hein with a Strawsburg zip code, a Tomsbrook

006phone number, and in the area of Mount Olive. I hope I touched all the bases. You got it all. Got to say schooled in Strawsburg, Bill. Yes. School District Strawsburg. It is my honor and privilege to be able to come tonight to uh open the meeting for you all with a prayer. And uh I do have a short story that I'd like to present if I could for just a moment. Uh back a few months ago, I was in Tomsbrook, downtown Tomsbrook at our new uh dollar store that we've only had a few years. And while I was in there, there was a young boy probably in the neighborhood of about six or seven years old. And he had his basket and he was shopping and he had his backpack on his back. Right next

007door, as you all know, the old school that housed the I guess the elementary and the high school at Tomsbrook for years has now been turned into public housing. And he was from there. He shopped. He got everything he wanted, including a six-pack of 16 Mountain Dews. Got up to the cash register and as the clerk checked him out, he meticulously put each item in his backpack. And I'm standing there thinking, "Well, he'll carry that pop." And he tried as he might, and he did get all that into his backpack. None of us could have done that. When he got through, he reached in his pocket and he pulled out an EVT card. and he handed it to the clerk and he paid her. All of us know what an EDT card is. It's for

008those who are less fortunate. And I'm not saying there's a thing wrong with that because there's a lot of people that need assistance. But my thought immediately took me to a piece of scripture and I was schooled in Strawsburg and I didn't pay attention all the time and the Lord didn't bless me with a memory that reminds me of everything that's in there and be able to get it out. So, I'm smart enough that I have enough common sense to make notes. But this piece of scripture stuck in my mind when I saw that kid. It says, uh, this is Proverbs 22:6. It says, "Train up a child in the way they should go. Even when they are old, they will not depart from it." And that stuck in my mind and I'm thinking, where

009will this kid get off of this train? Where will he find out that there's more to life than an EBT car? When will he find out that he needs to go to work, he needs to get an education, and he needs to get off of the system? If we train our children up to believe all that, they'll never get anywhere. But what a task that our Lord and Savior has tasked all of us with to to bring up our children, whether we're parents, whether we're educators or we're a school board, to be able to get them through life with lessons that will take them till they depart this world. And it's up to all of us to be able to do that. And with the Lord's help, I figured out a long time ago that

010evidently church means something in this county and all around this country. because if you drive anywhere, you're going to see a whole lot more church buildings than you do school houses. The Lord had a plan for all of us and we just need to remember that and use it. But I thank you all for hearing my story. But just think about that child. Where will he get off of that train? Let us bow our heads for prayer. Most gracious father in heaven, we give you thanks for this day. We give you thanks for the bounty that you have provided for each and every one of us. for the opportunities to be educated, for the opportunities to grow in life, to be able to sustain ourselves, but most of all, Lord, to be able to teach

011our children as we go through this world today where parents are disengaged, where the school systems have a lot more on their hands than just the education to bring to the kid. Thank you, Lord, for those who have patience. Thank you, Lord, for those school boards that give opportunities to teachers to be able to teach our children. Help us all Lord to understand the way we bring our kids up and our kids are the most valuable treasure that we have. Nothing in this world is more important than our children. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to be able to educate them and to teach them and let us teach them life lessons as well. Common sense the way life ought to be but also educate them to know they can be anything anything that they

012need to be. Thank you again, Lord, for this day and all that you've done for all of us. Help us, Lord, to be the people you want us to be. Let us share that wonderful love that you had for us when you gave your one and only son because you loved us that much. Let us give back as well. We pray all this in the name of your son Jesus Christ and we say amen. And uh stand if you are able and pastoral will lead us in the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda as it has been presented

013to us? I move to approve the agenda as presented. Thank you, Mr. Rickard. Second. Second. Second by Mr. Street. Thank you. All those in favor of approving the agenda, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? None. Uh, and we do have recognitions and we're going to ask Dr. Shepard to tell us all about it. So, Sigma Middle School attended the state leadership and they were recognized um while they were there and Mr. Scott Schlletner, I saw him earlier. Here you are. Will you come forward and introduce your SECLA with Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Dr. Shepard, it is an honor once again to stand before you uh to talk about the educational leadership that we have at Signal Middle School. Once again, the students that we have, and I'll fall back on what

014Bobby Funkhouser just talked about, is our future is our children with the educational leadership that we have that is teaching our kids there. As you can see, they are receiving many accolades. And so it's with pleasure to introduce you to Miss Amari once again as she introduces our students who are quite successful. Thank you. Good evening. It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I stand before you to share the outstanding accomplishments of our students at the Virginia FCCLA State Leadership and Recognition Conference held April 4th through the 6th in Virginia Beach. This annual event provides an incredible platform for young leaders to demonstrate their talents, dedication, and commitment to personal and professional growth. I am thrilled to report that our FCCLA chapter at Signon Middle School had a tremendously successful experience. Our students represented

015our school and with excellence and I couldn't be more proud of their hard work and commitment. For those of you who may not know me, my name is Michaela Omari, the family consumer sciences teacher and FCCLA adviser at Sigma NA. And I have the great privilege of working with this remarkable group of students here and some who couldn't attend tonight due to sports and extracurricular activities. But we were honored to have 13 students attend the conference where they participated in star event competitions, general sessions, workshops, and all the enriching experiences the event had to offer. FCCLA awards are given to both chapters and individual students or teams competing in star events and our chapter truly shined at the conference. Our chapter earns several prestigious distinctions including being recognized as a 100% middle level chapter, achieving

016the platinum level outstanding chapter award which is the highest level of recognition for chapters in Virginia and receiving accolades in various national programs. These recognitions reflect our students dedication to the mission and values of FCCLA. Students were also recognized for excellence in individual and group projects, leadership skills, and career readiness. I'm excited to share the following results. Sixth graders Lee Barnes and Lucy Hawkman competed in interior design and received first place with the gold medal. Sixth grader Lily Stlair competed in Teach and Train and received first place with a gold medal. Eighth graders Payton Grant, Anno Bill, and McKenzie Wymer competed in chapter and review portfolio and received second place with a silver medal. Seventh graders Olivia Anderson and Gabby Davis competed in event management and received second place with a gold medal. Seventh grader

017Jake Kaiserman competed in sports nutrition and received second place with the silver medal. Seventh grader Liam Ludman competed in Say Yes to FCS and received third place with the silver medal. Seventh grader Shane Foren and eighth grader Ardan Kimmons competed in repurpose and re redesign and received third place with a bronze medal. We we are thrilled that 10 of our students qualified for the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida this summer and nine will be attending and competing from July 4th through the 12th. I'm also incredibly proud to recognize one of our standout students, Sydney McCarter, who just completed her term as the 20242 Virginia FCCLA Vice President of Membership. Her service reflects exceptional leadership, dedication, and a true passion for FCCLA's mission. Sydney has been an incredible role model to students across the state,

018and it is now my pleasure to invite her to share some highlights from her remarkable year. Good evening, everyone. I'm so excited to be here tonight to reflect on my term as a Virginia FCCLA Vice President of Membership. Over the past year, I had had an incredible opportunity to collaborate with the state executive council to support program development, implementation, and public outreach. Throughout my term, I traveled to numerous meetings, events, and conferences that helped me grow both personally and professionally. Some of my favorite experiences included leading the Virginia delegation at the National Leadership Conference in Seattle last summer, attending the National Fall Leadership Institute in Orlando this past October, judging state competitions at the Virginia State Fair, presenting a college day at George Mason University, planning and launching the Virginia SECLA membership campaign, visiting chapters

019across the state, meeting and forming foundation partnerships with local businesses in Shannondoa County and helping to plan and attend this year's state leadership and recognition conference. At the conclusion of my term, I was honored to receive a gold level scholarship for my work throughout the year. This past year has offered me countless opportunities that have allowed me to grow as a leader and make a lasting impact. I'm so grateful of my advisor, administration, chapter, and school board for always supporting me in this role. But my journey isn't over just yet. I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be attending the National Leadership Conference this summer in Orlando where I will serve as a competitive event room consultant. I'll also represent our chapter on stage as we receive the family's first national program award. This award recognizes

020our chapter's family wellness workshop, an event we hosted in February that provided families in our community with resources and activities that focus on financial literacy, communication, and wellness, and family engagement. In recognition of this achievement, our chapter will receive an $1,000 grant, which is a result of the hard work and collaboration of so many of our dedicated members. Before I turn it back over to Miss Amari, I'd like to take a moment to recognize her for receiving the Kathleen Buchanan Alumni in the Classroom Award. An honor presented annually to a current alumni and associates member in recognition of their outstanding contributions in the classroom. As her students, we couldn't be more prouder. She truly deserves the recognition for the incredible impact she has made on all of us. Thank you. Thank you, Sydney. As she

021already said, I do want to express my sincere gratitude to our students, administrators, school board members, and parents for their unwavering support and dedication to our organization. Their hard work, determination, and passion have propelled our chapter to new heights and have reinforced our school's reputation for excellence. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to seeing where their leadership journey takes them in the future. And we hope to be back with lots more success in August from our national conference. Thank you. That is it for recognitions this evening. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Shepard. Thanks. You're welcome. So, uh, now we're ready for public and staff comment on agenda items and non-aggenda items. And, um, like we have two, four, six, about eight speakers who have signed up to speak this evening. So, I'd like

022to make a few general comments about our, uh, our time to have these uh, public and staff comments. So, um, here we go. The Shannidoa County School Board welcomes public comments from Shannidoa County residents, parents, or guardians, as well as from current students and employees of Shannido County Public Schools. Schoolboard members do not respond to public comments during the meeting or hearing. Each speaker may speak up to three minutes. Uh we allow for about 30 minutes and I think we'll have plenty of time for that tonight. Uh if there are large number of speakers, we can accommodate that, but I don't think we're going to have that problem. All comments should address a matter related to Shannidoa County Public Schools. Complaints regarding division employees should be directed the school principal or an appropriate school division

023official. The school board expects that each speaker will be courteous modeling for our students how one can respectfully disagree with others views. Speakers will address their comments to the entire school board and not to one individual schoolboard member, to the superintendent, to a staff member, nor to the audience. Speakers will not engage in personal attacks. Uh the speakers have uh signed up uh on a document provided by the clerk that I've been handed. Uh and that uh indicates their role as stakeholders with valid addresses. So the speakers will be called order once they've signed up. Uh and if time allows, we can allow for additional comments. And uh our first speaker is Jessica Hoy. Hi. Um, I live in Tossbrook, but I teach at Sandy Hook. Good evening, Dr. Shepard and members of the school

024board. I come to you today as a parent, teacher, and community member deeply concerned about prioritizing funding for triplette over our elementary schools. My father, a skilled carpenter, attended triplette. The training he received there helped support our family. I recognize the value of career and technical education. It has its place, but not every student is ready for it. And we must not overlook the importance of foundational education. My daughter just went through the triplet tech interview process. It was challenging and I'm proud of her. But that process matters. It teaches effort, readiness, and that opportunities must be earned. If we remove that selectivity, we risk sending the wrong message and setting students up to fail. Triplette Tech should be turning kids away from their programs. That's how any other application process works. A few years

025ago, my father asked if any carpentry students at Triplettech could intern with him over the summer. He was told they weren't confident. That's a reality we can't ignore. Some students need more time developing reading, math, and basic skills before moving into specialized programs. Our elementary schools, WW Rumson and Sandy Hook Elementary School, are overcrowded. We don't have space for assemblies. The cafeteria is full and traffic is a nightmare. These are real issues affecting real kids every day. Additions to our schools are not the answer and will only add to the problem. I spoke with the superintendent at the regional jail. Out of 250 inmates, only 85 have a high school diploma. If a child isn't reading by third grade, their risk of future failure skyrockets. 85% of juveniles in detention centers are illiterate. These numbers

026are alarming and they point to a foundational problem. This isn't about dismissing career tech. It's about priorities. Every child deserves strong reading and math skills before anything else. Every child deserves a school board that will vote to prioritize their free their right to a free appropriate public education. Every child deserves to have adults in their corner. People who will stand up and advocate for them. Let's invest where it counts most. At the beginning, by funding elementary education first, we'll build a stronger future, fewer dropouts, fewer inmates, and a better prepared workforce. We don't need more triplet tech right now. We need better prepared kids. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I didn't come here just to be heard with my shaky voice. I came here hoping you'd listen. And if you did, truly, thank

027you. Thank you, uh, Linda Thomas Fowler. Transgender issues have been politicized in the last year, and it is important that all of us step back and take a moment to understand the consequences of our actions. Many so-called conservative voices advocate for shunning transgender people and rejecting what they tell us about themselves. I believe that is not a conservative value to reject people simply for who they are. While issues of gender are complex, how we handle those needn't be. It is a simple thing to say to someone, I believe you. How can I help you? This is both a conservative and Christian value. To act otherwise, to demonize someone as the other serves only to create division when people are only asking to be accepted for who they are. In light of these values, I urge

028you to remove the changes to policy ID that you enacted in January. Those changes, despite their claim, are not consistent with the earlier part of that policy. They are in direct conflict with it. It is clear the board recognizes this as there are now three potential revisions to this policy. However, none of them fix this. Drafts two and three do at least make it clear that the policy does not supersede policy GBA/JFHAB, but this is only a slight improvement. First, it misdefineses gender identity and any policy based on a factually incorrect definition is fundamentally broken. Before anyone points out that this is the same definition used in Donald Trump's executive orders, be aware that the courts have struck down this ban targeting the treatment of students in grade schools. While these cases are still pending,

029every court has been critical of the evote over animists in these orders. The rest of us should take a lesson from that. We should base policy on facts, respect for our fellow people, and the recognition that the world and life are more complex than we often like. Instead, we should seek to understand and help those that happen to be different from the rest of us. That is not controversial. That is simple human decency. Second, a policy that creates a taboo subject isn't about education. It is an attempt to make a group of people officially invisible. It is an attempt to pretend that a subject does not exist. By making it taboo, it creates an environment where misinformation, disinformation, and prejudice can flourish. This is not the kind of environment we want to create for our

030children. Instead of pretending that they don't exist, let us create a school where all children are welcomed and where we can create true learning and understanding and not live in a dark age of forbidden subjects and systematized animus. Instead, I urge the board and the school system as a whole to reach out to those that have experience with transgender issues such as parents of students and organizations that work with transgender people to ensure that our students are well educated and in an environment that can promote their well-being. You can be the leaders that help to create an environment where all students are welcome. Or you can be the face of a school system that shows students that prejudice is thriving in America. Please choose the path that cares for all of our children. Thank you.

031Ariel McCarter. Good evening. Uh my name is Ariel McCarter, proud parent of Sydney McCarter, whom you all have just heard so much about. Um it is my pleasure to have watched her grow and thrive with the support of incredible teachers and this caring community. Um it is thanks to the dedication of educators here that Sydney has been able to flourish as a young adult and experience so many meaningful opportunities. As a parent who takes great pride in the quality of education our children receive, I want to express express my strong support for the board to reconsider the original budget, which included funding for a study on a new school in hopes of moving forward with the construction of a new elementary school. My hope is that my six-month-old son will have the same opportunities Sydney

032did, opportunities that can only be provided in a school environment that is safe, healthy, and designed for modern learning. That means classrooms that are not overcrowded, facilities that are free from mold, and buildings that have enough space to give every student the opportunity and attention and resources that they deserve. I am proud to have been a student at Triplette Tech and deeply value the educational opportunities it is offered to our older students. However, it is essential to recognize that if our younger learners do not have appropriate spaces to build the foundational skills necessary for success, they will not be equipped to take full advantage of the excellent technical programs this county provides. as a strong early education in the cornerstone of future achievement, including vocational and technical pathways. I'm deeply concerned that without the board's

033approval for a new elementary school, our current and future students will not be afforded the same enrichment experiences that have helped Sydney that have helped shape students like Sydney. This includes specials, extracurricular activities, and other critical programs that support the whole student, not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you, Mike Shy. Mike Shy, Quicksburg, District 1. Um, good evening, school board members, Dr. Shepard, and staff. Um before I begin, I want to take a moment to um recognize and thank our incredible teachers uh across the uh our our district and our division. Uh it's teacher appreciation week. So, thank you for all the teachers do in and out of the schools. Um they're the backbone of our schools and they are shaping the future of um

034elementary all the way through uh career technical school um and and upwards. So, um I want to talk tonight about the overcrowding. So, in the schools, um we're hearing a lot of people talk about building new elementary schools, maybe adding on. The realization there is the reality is even if we started that process today, we are years away from it coming to fruition. So, in the meantime, what do we do? Um, I've thought about this a lot and um, I think a practical solution might be to alleviate some of the pressure on our schools. Um, the schools were built in the '7s and they were designed to houses to house grades 1 through 4, not preK through 5. So even back then, if you do the math, um, all the way back in the 70s,

035they would have foreseen enough that the schools would not be overcrowded. Today we've added a lot more grades into there. So I think a practical solution to really look into would be to be moving and let me preface this. I'm not advocating to get rid of the prek programs. Okay? What I'm saying is it might make a lot of sense to move them to other facilities. Um there is funding that comes through from the federal government and Virginia through the VPI um program. So, I believe there may be money there to house these um these programs as well. That would alleviate the overcrowding at least classroom wise of the schools. It would give our hardworking teachers more room to plan and to work with their kids. Um they wouldn't be stacked three or four, you

036know, possibly in a planning room anymore if it worked out. Um, it would also alleviate a lot of the traffic because all of the preschool kids are being dropped off or picked up by parents each day. So, this is this is not a fix the problem, but this is, I think, a way to really maybe um give us some more time to figure out the best avenue. Um the other the other issue with um building or adding on is we don't know if the board of supervisors is going to fund it. So we can ask all we want, but it's not this board's ultimate decision. So um but I strongly urge for a path forward that we look into possibly um moving the prek to other facility. So thank you and I appreciate the time

037to talk. Thank you. Thank you. and wine king. Dear board members, Superintendent Shepard, and residents of Shendo County, tonight is the night that you have the power and opportunity to propose to the board of supervisors where the educational funds for our schools will have the most impact for the future needs of our students and staff. This evening, I want you to focus on these two words: wants versus needs. I've attended almost every meeting this school year and the majority of the discussions have been about a new or renovated triplet tech. At the September 23rd board me RRN Architects and Dr. Shepard presented a 61page slide presentation with over 30 of those dedicated to that project alone. A projected to cost $60 million whether it was a renovation or a rebuild. In April of 2024, when

038last year's budget was being proposed by the central office, there was not one CIP budget item earmarked for triplet tech. However, four months later, at the beginning of this school year, at an August 19th work session, Dr. Shepard made the presentation to the board dedicated to a triplet renovation rebuild project along with RRMN. And then um at the following month's meeting in September, the same presentation was given by the architects at a joint work session with the schoolboard members and board of supervisors conveniently held at Triplette Tech. This RRM architect assessment presentation cost $316,000 in grant funds for a tripletch one project instead of being utilized to address the unknown or the known urgent needs specifically in our elementary schools. The health and safety of our students should be your top priority because the final

039proposal to the board of supervisors will directly impact 45% of our total student population who's in the elementary school in either a positive or a negative way. Especially with the increasing number of homes being constructed and the additional housing that has been approved in Woodstock and Strawburg areas. This should be an easy decision. On April 10th, Prince Principal Lynn himself gave a presentation about triplet entitled, "What triplet Tech could be that sounds like a want to me versus the need of a new elementary school that was presented that same same evening by Miss Proctor." And this is not to be disrespectful. I'm just curious, does Dr. Shepard know who Lisa Heiser is? Do you know that name? Interestingly, I have discovered that Mr. Lynn was has been coordinating with Miss Heiser, who is the outreach

040coordinator at the workforce solutions program at Laurel Rich for over 3 years now. Shando County Public Schools has had high school students enrolled in phabbotomy, heavy equipment operations, electricity, and even some CDL courses that they offer. The board members should be questioning why this information was not included in the recent triplet presentation. Just like I questioned the facility rating score that Sandy Hook was provided by RRM Architects back in August in August because it was not accurate. I will continue to fight for my Sandy Hook staff, family, students until they are provided an appropriate learning environment which they can which can only happen when this county gets serious about building a new elementary school. Thank you for your time and consideration. Crystal Hel I don't need to go anymore. She was my dad. Okay. Cara

041Morazzic. Good evening Dr. Shepard and members of the board. My name is Cara Marzek. I live in Strawburg. I have two children that attend Sandy Hook and my daughter will be as attending Sandy Hook in a couple of years. I've spoken several times at the board meetings today and today um I'm hoping to refocus on your advocacy role. So in your board norm, one of the board norms is advocate for quality public education. Now, our schools, infrastructure, staff, teachers, they are an asset. They are the biggest asset that we have in this county. So, when you're taking on that role as an advocate for that asset on behalf of all of our county residents, I urge you not to just decide for what's good in the moment, but rather let's focus more on the long

042term. the capital improvement decisions that you're making today will impact for the next 20 or 30 years or more. There's been so much focus on, you know, the discrete cost categories and necessary and urgent and this and that, which is obviously extremely important where we're getting our funding and how we're going to allocate it. But thinking it as as an advocate, the question that I think rarely gets raised or discussed out loud is what is going to be in the best interests of our kids. And the short-term reactionary decisions is what got us what Mr. Vance points out frequently, this '9s gym with drywall where you can't bounce balls in there and really function as a gym. Um, dare I say it's also what got us two large elementary schools across a two-lane road across

043a river with all of the traffic and the safety issues that that has also led to. So, let's advocate if we think we have a better plan, which you did. You did have a plan. You had a great plan that you presented to the board of supervisors. I agree with that plan. Let's let's continue to find ways to fund those capital improvements, the ones that we know need to be made now, and let's not abandon the plan for going for the new school or or getting the studies for all of the facility improvements that are needed rather than trying to do this band-aid fix as a reaction. Let's let's continue to push and advocate for that. and it's difficult and it's hard, but we have other represented officials in this county that you are constituents

044of as well. So, I urge you to work with them in that um in that role as an advocate. Thank you. Thank you, Christine. [Music] I I'm Shane Waller. I apologize. I can't really hear very well anymore. Um I I'm here to talk about um I know you all were discussing the uh the capital improvement plan now in light of the recent funding decision by the board of supervisors. Um and I think that the general consensus it seems like is the idea now is let's find a lowcost option because we don't know if the but board of supervisors is going to fund what we'd like to do. Um, I'd like to take a step back for a moment though and ask, was the board of supervisors decision reasonable? The capital improvement plan that you sent

045them, they funded barely a fifth of a fifth of about 20% of what you sent them. They they gave you you told them that $3 million of maintenance was needed at the schools and they wouldn't even fund that. So, is that decision a reasonable decision? I would suggest that it isn't uh when they won't fully fund what is actually urgent. That's not a reasonable decision. Looking at it another way, did you pack that capital improvement plan with 80% fluff? 80% of unnecessary items? No. You sat here, you had information sessions, you talked to people, you tried to figure out what was best, and that was what you thought would work well. And you're obviously, we're all frugal people. Y'all are frugal people. You're reasonable people. And that was what you felt was appropriate. And so

046now, why when the board of supervisors says, "We're only going to give you a fifth of what you think you need," are we just going to say, "Well, what's the cheapest thing we can do?" Why? Let me ask it like this. When you're getting being forced to choose between wheelchair ramps or sewer maintenance, is that a real choice? When you're being forced to choose between repairing traffic lights or door locks, is that a real choice? Those aren't real choices. And so we should now be making decisions f solely based on what is the cheapest thing we can do because that's not sustainable and that's not what's good for our kids. You know, some people would say that the board of supervisors with that funding decision is out of touch. They could even say that they're

047disconnected with what our schools really would mean. But I I would suggest that it's not a serious funding decision and we shouldn't treat it as serious and it shouldn't drive your choices with regard to the capital improvement plan. I think as my wife said, I would ask you to be the advocates for our kids. Talk to the boards of supervisors. Talk to your constituents. Tell them what you know that we need as a county for our schools. And don't abandon what you chose to do initially just because some folks decided that they didn't want to give their kids what they need. Thank you. Thank you. Uh is there anybody in the audience uh who would like to speak? Mr. Heisman. Good evening, school board members. Dr. Sheepard, Steve Hushman is my name, District 2, Conicville

048area. after a story like we heard uh at the beginning of the meeting with the uh invocation and such, I have to once again stand here and give a big shout out and praise to the successful uh year that the weekday religious education uh just finished up a couple weeks ago. They finished with 167 uh students enrolled and they had three uh very good um ceremonies at each campus location and we want to thank you all very much for supporting that. And also uh the spring forward program uh Z Lutheran's afterchool tutoring and enrichment program concluded their academic year this past week. that happens to be um the church that I attend. Uh we want to say a special thanks to Principal Dorman at Stonewall Jackson High School for encouraging some of their students to

049be tutors and we're especially blessed with Mr. Michael Ly who will be graduating next week. We're further blessed with the skilled leadership of Jane Perry who is a retired administrator and educator as well as many tutors that that help on a weekly basis which include your parliamentarian Joe Bowman and his wife Sharon. It is a great program that we are honored to share with the community and we look forward to next year. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right, we're going to move to the um consent agenda. We have a number of reports and um different uh activities that u library purchase materials, annual plan, so forth. Um, can I have a motion that we u that we accept the consent agenda? Move to approve the consent agenda as presented. Thank you, Mr. Gutshaw.

050We have a second to um approve the consent agenda. Second. Second by Mr. Rickard. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? None. And so we'll move on to the instructional agenda. And uh I see your proctor's approaching the podium. So we're going to hear about the math textbook adoption. Correct. Good evening, Chairman Marlo, board of members, Dr. Shepard. Uh this evening, we're going to be talking with you about our elementary math textbooks. Uh we are a little behind the schedule for about a month. um the elementary teachers had a late addition that that we wanted them to review so that we could make sure that we had an informed decision before we went to our final decision on which math textbook to adopt. Um so Miss Gabello's here to kind

051of take you through that process and share with you what our recommendation is. Where's the clicker? I don't see a clicker. I don't see a clicker. technical difficulties. Um, so good evening, Dr. Shepard, members of the board. Um, we did go through this exact same process with our secondary teachers. Uh, so this is very similar to my presentation from last month. Um, we did start with our current adoption and what that has done for us, either positive or negative. We looked at the state approved materials. Uh the first round came out in October. The second round of state approved materials came out at the end of February. Uh we went through rubrics with our teachers and we did get both teacher feedback, administration, and public feedback with our elementary adoption. Um we had a list

052of about six different options that the state gave us between October's approval and February's approval. um going through those materials, some were more aligned than others, some had more technology components, some were um hardback textbooks versus consumable textbooks. So, lots of different options for our teachers to look at. Um administration was heavily relied on to provide um reviews to our teachers and bring us feedback from them. We looked with our both principles and teachers about what their needs and wants were and number one for our teachers was a textbook that is better aligned than the textbook we have this year. Um we had our teachers go through the rubric which with each textbook that we reviewed. So they did submit three rubrics. Every team of teachers did and we did make the rubrics available for

053public comment. um they were available at each elementary school along with the samples of textbooks. Teachers did report that we had a very thorough process. They um a little too thorough for some of them. Um but they did all agree for the most part and we did have one parent participate in public review. So not very many unfortunately. Ultimately our recommendation is kiddom um and we will be going with that for K through five is our hope. It includes consumable workbooks for every student. Are there any questions? So your last statement the workbooks and my I had asked before about each kid receiving a book and I was told that there were going to be books that stayed in the classroom. Are the workbooks supplementary that the kids take home? So, two different things. At

054the secondary level, they are going to be a hardback textbook and there will be class sets purchased. At the elementary level, they are a consumable workbook. Each student K through two will receive four workbooks. 3 through 5 will receive three workbooks. Um there will be no hardback textbooks, so they will be um it's a six-year contract and they would get workbooks every year. Um, so those would go home with the students if they so chose. They would be theirs at the end of the school year. Thank you. What was there about this um Kiddum that sold you as being the the ultimate? Number one, their alignment when you average the alignment of the K through five workbooks averaged about a 92% alignment. Currently, our alignment with our textbook is about 50%. So, um, it matches

055our state standards at a level of 50%. The other options on the state approved list, the next closest one had an alignment of 78%. Um, so the alignment piece was really the clear piece that pushed us over the edge. Um the other piece that's also very helpful with KIDOM is they are that consumable workbook and we are part of the CIP um comprehensive instructional program consortium and they provide our pacing guide mathematically. KDOM is going to print our workbooks in our pacing guides order so teachers will not have to flip between workbook one and workbook four, you know, workbook one today, workbook four tomorrow. Um the four workbooks are pretty much per quarter. So the quarter one will be workbook number one and then that can go home with the students at the end of

056October. Thank you. All right. Thank you very much. Library book materials purchase. Dr. Shep. Yes. Thank you. So monthly we will have a library book uh materials purchase on our agenda. Um this is the book um list for April. Um we posted the uh draft list on the website on April the 23rd. We leave it up for a couple of weeks for any comment. Um this the um list is up for uh information at this school board meeting. The recommendation for approval will be on the set agenda at the Thursday, June 12th, school board meeting. Be happy to answer any questions. Have we had any questions from the public? We have not. Thank you. All right, we're going to move into umformational agenda and item 5.1 is information regarding request to appropriate 2024 surplus for

057future construction projects. So, I'm just going to review some information that was presented at the April 28th meeting. Um, just a review of our um, student enrollment. Um, I took a few slides out, so it's not like it's not identical to the April 28th meeting, but you will notice that we, you know, um, 12 13 years ago, we were at 6,000 students. The light blue line is prek through 12 and the dark blue line is K12. And you'll notice there was there's been a decline since 201213 through 2022 23 and um since 2223 we've had a slight uptick. So um we anticipate I think the next slide will be birth right? Nope. Um our enrollment trends at our elementary school. You'll notice that at Ashley Lee Elementary School, um there was a a significant uptick

058two years ago, and that was because we moved the fifth grade students back to Ashley Elementary School to make room at uh Stonewall Jackson High School for Governor School. You'll notice there's been a decline at at Sandy Hook Elementary School um for the last 12 years. Um slight decline. And then also WW Robinson, there was a decline and then a slate uptick recently. Middle schools very similar. North Fork Middle School um lost their um their fifth grade students to Ashby Lee Elementary uh school but gained their um eighth grade students from Stonewall Jackson. So you will not see any any major change in their enrollment. But at Peter Muenberg, um, we mentioned during budget cycle that we've had, uh, you know, an uptick of students at at Peter Muenberg Middle School and you can see

059that there. And then also at Signal Mom Middle School, you'll see um, a slight uptick the last couple of years, but really a decline since 2020. Um, I think it's 2012, 2013. And then in our high schools, Central High School, again, you know, you'll see the decline over the last um couple of years at Stonewall Jackson High School. You'll see a significant decline two years ago, and that's because the eighth grade students went back to um Northport Middle School. And then at Strawsburg High School, you'll see the decline and then the slight uptick um that the division level shows. And then um this is our birth rate. So you will notice in 2020 our birth rate increased fairly significantly um from previous years. It's uh not necessarily at an all-time high but it's you know

060third top third there on the list. And then over the last of the 2122 year um it declined and the 22 year is uh the lowest it's been since 2000. So here um are the numbers for the classes. Uh you will notice that um our 2020 students will be our our kindergarten class for this upcoming year. Um we're interested in seeing our kindergarten numbers we um in the next month we should be able to um predict how many kindergarten classes how many kindergarten students we'll have. And then um the this slide is the approved housing developments. I know this is a busy slide, but over at the right there's a summary. At Strawsburg um there have are 320 homes that have been approved and are on the books for building. Um so the number is

061320 homes approximately 42 students per home and 145 students. So if you think you know uh spread that over 13 13 grade level or yeah 13 grade levels kindergarten through 12 you'll notice uh that's about you know 11 10 11 students per per grade level. Um over the next you know these are these are the houses that are on the books at um you'll notice when you drive by food line um the um town homes right across from food line are going up fairly quickly. So we we should see an increase in student enrollment due to those town homes this coming school year. Um the the greater growth though uh potential could be in Woodstock where we have 873 homes already on the books and then Edinburg an additional 30 homes but all those all

062those um homes students would go to the central campus. Um so approximately using the same formula approximately 395 students would go to um central from the homes that are being built in Woodstock and then approximately 14 students. So about um a little over 410 students um from from those two two areas. What I don't have on here are the homes from Maritown or the homes being built in in Tomsburg. And I know there are a few homes that are slated that are are being built there. So, but these are the these are the um housing developments that are on the books currently. They've already been approved. I think I heard somewhere that there have been another one approved last week, another subdivision. Would that be included in there or So, it is not. This is

063as of October the 8th. Okay. Octo. Yeah. Um do you know if um any of this permits I know they haven't done it in the past because they had already been approved but um you know if our board of supervisors is asking for any kind of fees or whatever uh from these developers when they're developing this um places that would go towards building schools and all that or I forget the name of it's called profers and I'm not an expert in profers but my understanding with profers is that um that the they're not allowed to set a rate, a particular rate, but the people who are building the housing developments can suggest a rate. So, I think that's, you know, that's how it's done. That's that's been a change over the last, you know, three

064or four or five years, something like that. But that's my understanding. So, um but I'm not completely certain that that's correct. But we don't know if we are actually collecting. So, no, I don't. And if we are, it's very small. It's very low. We're not. Yeah. And um so here are the options. And I know that's very small. So I made a handout, a fulls size handout um if anybody wants them. Um and they are in no particular order. Um but I wanted um at the last work session um the recommendation was made to give us some options so we can go from there. And so I put together some options. There are some things that are on here that I know you guys would like to have information um about. I do have some

065additional information that I'm happy to share. Um and these are all approximate costs. So when we think, you know, when we look at option number four, um Sandy Hook Elementary School additional classrooms approximately $10 million. So that would be the million dollars to design, but also um we had slated for 12 additional classrooms at 1300 square feet per classroom and at approximately between $429 and $500 per square foot. So that would give you about $7.7 million plus the million dollars for um for the um architectural fees which would take you at $8.7 million. Well, that gives you, you know, so I'm off about 1.1 $1.5 million, but we know I heard it earlier tonight. We know that those buildings won't be built today or tomorrow. Um the architectural time to design it will be about

066a year to 18 months. And then, you know, and then the the build will take, you know, up to two years if we did some type of um of additional classrooms because contractors have to work around the school schedule. So, do they do it during the summer? Do they do it evening and weekends? You know, it it just depends. So, we added a little bit of um money there for potential um increases in cost. though, you know, because it's just an estimate at this point. We we don't know what that cost will be until we actually do the design. And so, and I think it's important that we note also, um, you know, it's been floating around this this 6.4 almost $6.5 million figure, but what we need to make clear is we don't know

067what we're going to get. This money is not money in our pocket right now. You know, we can ask for $10 million in different cases, but we always know when we make a budget, we're going to get half of that maybe. So, that's my concern with this document. I know that we have to present something. You know, the odds of us getting this figure is probably 1%. This exact figure. Um, you know, from the conversations that I've had, some members of the board of supervisors would like to return most of it, but it comes down to them deciding on that. So, we have to continue to plan like we're not going to get this kind of this money. Um, I just think it's important because it was kind of out there that we were for

068sure getting $6,472,93 and just from my conversations, the odds of that are not great, unfortunately. Um, so we're going to need to continue to plan for, let's say, we're getting 4.5 million and go from there, 4 million. Um, because like Mr. Shy said earlier, you know, we can ask for whatever we want, but we don't get that final decision. and that's the board of supervisors that has to return the money to us um that we from the surplus balance. So um you know we have a lot of tough decisions here. We have a lot of needs. Um we've heard different perspectives on triplet and new elementary school but ultimately we have to give some type of you know basic plan to them and then they're going to say we'll give you this amount or that

069amount. So, I just wanted to make sure that's clear because, you know, some have thought that I've talked to outside of the meeting here that um it was kind of a foregone conclusion that we're going to have this money returned to us in its entirety, which is probably not going to be the case. I could be surprised, but um well, and I want to address where this money is coming from because I know you guys have had that question as well. So, um the fiscal year 2020 uh 24 surplus is due to three really major factors. Um we um didn't fill all of the positions that we had that we had vacant. So, there were a number of positions that weren't filled. We had more students than we anticipated. So, we budget for a number

070and we usually look at um the number of students that we at the end of the school year, you know, that we have at that point and budget for that number because if we budget too high then um we could receive less funds than we need in order to um to for the following um year or if we budget too low then we have extra funds. So, we try to use actual numbers to to forecast what we're going to get. So, that's the second factor is we had more students than we anticipated. So we received additional state funds. And the third reason is because we received additional tax revenue that we didn't anticipate. So those are the three reasons we have a surplus of six about $6.5 million. Plus, you know, the other factor is

071we didn't spend, you know, we were very um conservative with our funds, frugal if you will, um and we didn't spend all of the money that was budgeted to us. I I like to think that we um are good consumers of of the tax dollar. So, you know, so those are the reasons why, you know, we had a surplus of $6.5 million. Um but, you know, these these options just as you know, Mr. Gotch said, we may not we may not get six and a half. They may come back and say, "Okay, we have $3 million to give you or we have $1 million." We won't know until the board of supervisors um votes on this. We have to have this to them. Um we don't have any more May meetings, but we have to

072have it to them by June June the 2nd so that we can get on their agenda for their two to June meeting so that we can have it reappropriated before the June 30 meeting, which is when that money would would um not be available to us any longer. So just to be clear, so this money um definitely comes from the school um those three categories that you um mentioned, but it just means that it may not all come back to the school. It may be taken by the board supervisors to take and use it somewhere else. I I just want to remind all of us back when we were looking at the CIP originally, um we all chose option C, which was a new triplet tech or a renovated triplet tech and a new elementary

073school. And I think we were all in unanimous agreement that if we had to choose one over the other as far as priority, we went with the new elementary school. Um, so there again, I've got to continue to advocate for that. I mean, originally I I emailed all of you guys. Dennis said he'd like an open discussion on these options. I looked them over. Originally, uh, Tom and I had met out at Sandy Hook, um, and walked that and talked about it and, uh, we had numerous Hold on one second. Um, so I want to get a a ruling from our parliamentarian. Uh, what we have had so far, uh, is an information brief on how we got to where we are. And there have been various questions questions that are clarifying questions. Uh now

074if we're going into arguments for and against not here not now clarifying questions uh there is a good question as to when uh and we have a we have a work session be before this or not because if we don't then we're going to have to make the decision we're actually on board for an action tonight. That's correct. Okay. So, when we get to the action item, have at it and each of us will at that point. Um, okay. You okay with that, Mike? Sounds good. All right. Good. Okay. I have um two other pieces of information before we move on because I know there is some um there was some questions about this. So, I I know one of the questions is if we did anything to our transportation building, what would that cost?

075And the numbers are um if we removed the windows and replaced the windows and installed a door, added a storage uh building and then um added a couple of offices that the cost the total cost of that would be right at 400 estimated at $490,000. We have $200,000 available for that. that was in the um CIP from last year um which then leaves about 300 $290,000 needed to do that complete project. So wanted to share that information with you. And then also, um, I know there was a question about putting additional temporary spaces at, um, Sandy Hook Elementary School, um, to help with the, um, the teachers who were doubled up or tripled up or or four to room. And um I would like to recommend there that we don't go back with uh you

076know a big large um modular unit that would be 12 classrooms because that would take the space if we um if we renovated the space and and added additional classrooms that would take that space. But could we live with two to three modular units that could alleviate the um overcrowding issue there? And those are to the tune of $100,000 a piece. I would recommend that we lease them so that they're not permanent and that you know, but it would also cost about $100,000 a piece and it would also cost about $75,000 to um get them connected to electricity and water and sewer and things like that. Um Dave, do you know that? What' you say? The if um to connect the modular units to the um electricity, the number was 75,000. Is that each or

077total? No, that was that was total. Okay. Why? Just to clarify, why would we be running water and sewer out to the So, um I would hope depending on if they're classrooms, if they're classrooms, we would want to have um bathroom facilities in there. We didn't have that previously, but if if we had a classroom out there, if we had a classroom out there to make it more safe, we would likely want those kids to have a restroom facility there so kids aren't being unescorted back to the main building. That's just that's my opinion. Um there could be others. So there'll be one bathroom for all one. Yes. So the $75,000 that covered electricity waterers. We were Yeah. Oh, okay. A fire alarm clock. So we're looking at at temporary trailers that have bathrooms in

078them. Okay. Thank you. I have one more question. Um just because when we're looking at the we obviously have a a lack of space and we have we've heard from a lot of people so that I don't doubt that at all. Um but I do get questions from um we did see the enrollment has gone down from other years. Why is that? Is that because there's more um requirements for more programs? Is it sped? Is it I mean why do we need I mean why are we short on space if our enrollment has gone down? I guess this question We had trailers there before. There were modular units there. There were 12. Yeah. But those trail those modular units were falling apart. Okay. So during those Okay. So that's why we didn't have a plan

079before. Got it. To be continued a little bit later tonight. 5.2. Dr. Shepherd. Yes. Resolution for Virginia High School League. Um at the April 10th schoolboard meeting. During school board member comments, the school board member requested um that an agenda item be added to the May 8th meeting regarding the Virginia High School League's implementation of President Trump's executive order 14 uh 1000 14,201 dated February 5th titled Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports. The school board member drafted a resolution titled resolution on improving the Virginia High School League's implementation of President Trump's executive order of February 5th, 2025, keeping men out of women's sports. Um, the resolution acknowledges the VHSS role in promoting sportsmanship and providing guidance to member schools and expresses concern over the league's current interim approach, which relies on self-reporting and lacks a

080clear enforcement mechanism. The resolution urges the VHSL to properly revise its handbook and policy manual to align with the executive order and to develop a clear and enforceable methodology for verifying the biological status of student athletes beyond self-reporting. And I believe that there was a meeting uh VHSL meeting yesterday. Yes. Yes. So I'd like to give a a report to kind of bring us up to speed of where we are. So um uh so the board is aware that uh that I uh developed this uh resolution that the VHSL come up with a um they've already adopted the um the Trump executive order that prohibits um men uh from participating in women's sports. Um however uh BHSL has promised but has not yet delivered on a regulation to do that. As a matter of fact,

081there there there's not much um much not much there there, but there was a meeting yesterday uh BHSL board met and discussed and uh two different groups of which were familiar were there, the SBMA, the executive board of which I'm a member, uh we developed a um a letter uh to be read and delivered to to the board. Uh and um that was done and some of you I think almost everybody in the board knows that Freedom Foundation um um lawyer um Josh Hetszel also made a presentation. Uh our representative on that board is um Matt Heisermanman who uh attended who attended the meeting and the um the brief back that uh that I received about about from that meeting yesterday was um I'm going to use my word uh positive in terms of taking

082those um um those suggestions and Um, I'm going to read um what the family foundation said. Good news. This is yesterday as soon as the decision was made. The Virginia High School League has finalized only allowing biological girls to compete in female sports. Uh, and then um the family foundation says, "Shout out to Speak Up Charlottesville team who spoke at the meeting in support of the policy as well as the schoolboard member alliance of Virginia." So those two organizations made their presence felt just just for your knowledge. Um the the the speaker for SPMA was um Antinine Scalia's youngest daughter Meg Bryce who was on our on the executive board and she brought some female athletes with her who testified. So apparently that went very well. Again my my my view. Um so but they

083did not yet come up with any specifics on how it was going to be uh enforced. And so my bottom line is I think we still need to pro proceed with our uh with our proposal that we would send to to the VHSL as to how and more specifically um we would like to see that done. Now, again, this is a resolution. It's not policy. Uh, and it it it's short-term. It's just shot out of the barrel for for them to consider, but it's it seems like the time is ripe for us to uh to follow up on that. So, since we've now had it for for information, we can take it for action at our our next regularly scheduled meeting, I think, if we're so inclined. Is that is that fair enough? Any other

084questions? Okay. Um, Dr. Shepard, information on the night lock door security devices. Thank you. At the request of a student from North Fork Middle School, members of the school board um and school board office staff have explored the feasibility of implementing Night Lock uh door security devices as an additional layer of protection against potential threats. The NightLock door stopper is a proven security solution that reinforces doors to prevent unauthorized entry during emergency situations. Uh used in schools across the country, this device has demonstrated its effectiveness by delaying or preventing access to classrooms by providing critical extra time. Nightlock can allow student staff to evacuate safely, secure them in place or await the arrival of emergency responders. Um, we also presented this information to our teacher advisory committee in April and they were very supportive of

085the nightlock devices. So, um, my, um, recommendation would be that this summer we apply for a school safety grant um, with the goal of purchasing installing the nightlock security solution during the upcoming school year contingent on grant funding. That grant funding is about $250,000 um that we will apply for. The cost of the nightlock security uh equipment is $133,000 um which includes installation. We would um we typically get we usually apply for 250,000. We typically get anywhere from 150 to 175,000. It's not guaranteed, but it is an opportunity for us to get grant funding for um um door security. Thank you for for uh the work on that. And 5.4 is the request to increase fiscal year 2025 operating budget. And Miss Campbell is approaching the podium. Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board.

086Please excuse my scratchy voice tonight. Um, I'm here to request that you all consider an increase to the operating budget for the current year. This is the year that we are getting ready to close at the end of June. Due to increased enrollment higher than projected for the current school year and the budget amendment signed by the governor last Friday, we are expecting an additional 1.1 million in state revenue this year that does not require any additional local funds to match. Um the bulk of this revenue is tied to a bonus that was written in by the general assembly. It's $1,000 for every SOQ or standards of quality position. We are hoping to use this 1.1 million in total to give a $1,000 bonus to all of our staff h uh 500 for part-time staff

087during the May payroll in order to comply with the amendment the governor signed of a June 1 issuance of $1,000 bonus. Any excess funds related to this 1.1 million will be used for operating maintenance in the building. Mr. Orts definitely can spend it. Um happy to take any questions. That last part that you added about the maintenance, is that allowable under? Yes. Cool. Thank you. Are you sure the teachers want this bonus? I don't think so. We'll take it. Thank you. Thanks, K. [Applause] All righty. We're going to move into our action items now. And uh first uh action item is um to move on the uh approval of personnel lists as they have been presented to us early this evening. Move to approve the personnel list as presented. Thank you, Mr. Cutaw. Second. Second.

088Second, Mr. Street. All those in favor of approving the personnel list, please indicate by saying I. I. Any opposed? None. And now 5.2 is the request to reappropriate 2024 surplus for future construction projects. Um, so Mr. Parliamentarian, I'm so are we ready to entertain a motion for adoption of one of these options? So, is there anybody who would like to make a motion for one of them? I mean, would this be where Mr. Record can supply his amendment or is that done after or anybody on this board make a motion for any one of those options if they want to? So, that's where we Uh, I'd like to make a motion to add another option. [Music] Okay. For um, wait a second. He has to say what it is, right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, no, but

089I I'm saying are we are we able to take a a presentation for from the dis now? Correct. Okay. So, if if if that's what you want to do, you want to make a motion for yet another one, then you can make that motion now. Correct. Originally, I emailed all the board members here and I did receive feedback from a few of you all. Um Dennis had asked us to go through this and kind of look at it and see what we were in favor of. And as I went through, there's a lot of great options on there. Um however, I went back to what we talked about when we talked about the CIP and how we originally went with option C, which was a new triplet or a new elementary school, and we all

090said, you know, if we had to choose one over the other, we would go with the new elementary school. Um, having a wife that works in the elementary school, I can tell you just within the past two weeks, our transportation department had to scramble. They weren't expecting kids to already be moving into those town houses. So, those streets are not on any of the maps yet. Um, so through brainstorming with Crystal and Kim and my wife, um, they came up with an option where there's a bus that passes right by there on Route 11. and the bus stops on Route 11, picks the kids up, drops the kids off. Um, so that that all worked out. My wife also told me that uh they're seeing record numbers of registration, kindergarten registration this year. Um, being

091an employee there for the past 11 years, she knows what they average about this time of year. Um, we need a motion. Okay. I move to uh go with the new elementary school first and foremost. Um the plans for it at least. Um next after that, I think we need to uh if we're going to go with the new elementary school, we should probably hold off on the renovations of the HBAC and the carpet, but I think we need to uh get the roof replaced as Dr. Shepard recommended on Stonewall Jackson High School and Strawsburg High School. Um, and then I believe the next ask is for the additional modular units so we have some relief for this coming school year. Asking our our students and our staff to have a school year like they

092had this year is unreasonable in my opinion. Um, but temporary. Yes, we need to, as Dr. Shepard recommended, and I'm in complete agreeance with, we go with a lease option. Um, and then the next would be Tom's transportation department with whatever money's left over. Um, that's my ask right now. All right. Let's let let's go back and figure out exactly what you want. One item, two item, three item. Number one item, the plans for the new element. How much? Yeah, hold on. So, um, thank thank you, Mr. Bowman. I appreciate that. Uh, and what I want to make sure we do is give our schoolboard clerks time to capture those. And so, let's go down, as you say, each one at a time. And, um, I would re the easiest way will be for him

093to take the paper and write the numbers and hand it to the clerk beside what what he wants. So, that's going to be the easiest way for Well, we only need to hear it though. and changed it. So, Mr. Are are you going to be able to put down figures next to each of those things? Dr. Shepard's already done that for us. Okay. So, so Mr. Go's point is well taken that if rather than talking the numbers back and forth, if you want to jot those down so that she can read them off. I can do that uh one by one and then we can we can cobble together this your your series of wants here. So while you're writing those down, my uh figure came up to 4.7 4,790,000. Is that right? I've got

0944775. Okay. That's based on the new elementary school plans, the modular classrooms and the rooftops. Yeah, I did modular classrooms at 400,000. So, $100,000 a piece plus $100,000 for um connectivity. So, I have a new elementary school estimated architectural fees 3.2 million. Two high school roofs at 450,000 each. I did additional modular units at 375. You did four. Yes, I did four just to allow for some flexibility and a transportation expansion at 300,000 that is United that is 4.8. How much is it for given for the plans for the new 3.2 million.2 Thanks. If we're at 4.8 and we're going to ask for the full 6.5 back, I would like to go ahead and add u the removing of the carpeting in all three elementary schools and the HVAC renovation if that keeps us under

095our figure. I have a question. So, are we going to have because we don't know how much money we're going to be receiving, if any at all. Are we going to have to vote on a priority list such that as we get money, we know which ones will get funded and the ones at the bottom if we don't get enough money, we won't be able to fund them. So after um my thought is after the board of supervisors said this is the money that you're going to get then we'll have to come back and say okay this is what we this is what we're going to do with it. So we'll have to yes we'll have another opportunity. So Dr. Shepard you and Kayn are keeping up with the math. Is it possible to add

096in the renovation of the HVAC systems at all three elementary schools and the removing of the carpet? Yes, sir. Yes. That's what I would like to see now. Sorry. Based on what I was just advised by our clerk, um, I should go ahead and make my motion exactly like I wrote it. Um, so for our fifth option, I would like to uh see us go with the new elementary school as number one, the modular classrooms as number two, the replacing of the roof at Stonewall Jackson High School, the replacing of the roof at Strawsburg High School. That would be three and four, respectively. Uh, number five, the transportation building. Number six, the renovating of the HBAC system at uh all three elementary schools. And number seven, the replacement of all the carpeting at the three

097elementary schools. So clarification question. So, um, modular classrooms, the the modular classrooms at Sandy Hook that Dr. Shepard recommend as a lease. Three of them. Three of them. Three. Three. So, you're asking for three units. That gives us six classrooms, Dr. Shepard. It would give us three classrooms because they're single units. They're single units. It's better than what we have now. So, yes, three units. I would also like to point out that uh Dr. Shep hold on. Um I just want to make sure do we have a complete motion at this point? Suits me. You need a second. Second. Oh no, no, no. I just want to make sure we've got a motion on the floor first. So, so as long as everybody understands, right, that's the point. So, yes, it would be Does anybody

098need it restated by either Cheryl or I would restate it because it's is kind of meandering. Okay. So, let's make sure everybody knows where where we're going. Yeah, I have a point of information. I'm hold of information. Um, so what we're doing here is just um like he's going to just have this list, but in the end for us to decide ultimately that this may not be the time to do it. Maybe when we get the information back from the board of supervisors or we have we have to provide this for them to tell us how much they're going to see what we provide them is going to dictate what they're going to give us. Right? What I mean is in terms of priorities like in terms of prioritizing what we want cuz like so

099he's saying a priority maybe ours or mine maybe a little bit different is that something that we do now or is that something that we do later when we get back from that? Dr. Shepard correct me if I'm wrong but if we put in a list of things that come to 6.4 million and the board of supervisors comes back and says you're getting 3.4 4 million. It it will come back to us to cherrypick probably from within that group, right, of the things we want or or or will we'll will accept as our as our budget. Yeah. As our plan. But I guess my question was we don't need to discuss now amongst ourselves what that will be. That's correct. So I guess for clarification, I'll take my numbers away. Um as far as priority,

100thank you for that, Miss Carlinia. Um, just to clarify for everybody, I'd like to make a motion to add option five, which would be uh the plans for the new elementary school, modular classrooms for Sandy Hook Elementary School for this upcoming year. Um, replacing the original roof at Stonewall Jackson High School, replacing the original roof at Strawsburg High School, the transportation building, uh, renovating the HV HVAC system uh, at all three elementary schools and getting rid of the carpet at all three elementary schools. Anybody have a total for that? I do. It is 6,272,000. Looking at Kaitlin to see if I'm close. I just put the rest of it at the carpet. That was what Mr. said. Okay. So, that would be 6,472,000. So second that's that's okay. So the motion's on the floor. Is

101there a second to that motion? I just second. Mr. Carlin seconds it discussion. Mike, have you said what you want to say or do you want to say more? Well, I would just like to also add that in Dr. Shepard's presentation just a few minutes ago about where we arrived at this $6.5 million surplus. One of her things was that we got more money because we had more students than what was projected or budgeted for. Um that being said, how many students are we going to have this coming school year that we didn't budget for? Um, I can tell you the people are already buying those town houses up in Strawsburg. Um, I saw the bus drop off there the other day. Um, there were at least five students that got off the school bus

102that day and headed back to the town houses. Um, and I mean, as we know, older couples without kids are not buying those town houses. It's either young young couples, firsttime buyers. um or young families with kids in school. Um that's why I've got to go with the new elementary school. Originally, I had sent all of you all a list. Um Kyle and I talked about it. Tom and I talked about it. Gloria and I talked about it. Originally, I was asking for the addition of more classrooms at Sandy Hook and WW Robinson. Um, after putting it out there on social media and asking for for input, I got input from quite a few of my constituents, uh, teachers, staff. Um, they reminded me of one thing that I wasn't thinking about, and that it

103doesn't expand our cafeteria. It doesn't do anything to alleviate the traffic jams that we see there. Um, and it doesn't do anything for our nurses station, our library, all that type of stuff. our our uh school lunches already go from 10:45 in the morning till 12:45 in the afternoon. If we're adding more kids, we're going to have to lengthen that lunch time um that much more. So, I think the thing that makes the most sense is do one thing that alleviates the problem at both WW Robinson and Sandy Hook, and that's build a new elementary school. Other comments? No. If you second, I assume you're in favor of it. So, is there somebody else who wants to speak next to the issue? I have I have a question. I don't know it. I mean, it's

104the items on that he mentioned off. Do we have any information on the roofs that like is there any detailed information? is can one be done before the other or both of them would like to be have both of them done or so they were on our CIP list for fiscal year 27 and fiscal year 28 I believe and um so it was just a way to get some of that urgent work that we know just like the work at um WW Robinson we have to do that work this summer so if we don't get CIP funs runs in future years, then we'll be in the same dire need for replacing a roof at Stonewall Jackson and at Strawsburg High School because they are um past their their life, their useful life. I I got

105to ask this. Are they leaking? I'm sorry. I don't I don't know that answer. Um you're talking about the roofs. Yes, that's Stonewall Jackson and Strawburg High School. They're they're past their life expectancy. We're have the same situation. WW Robson, we have rains and leaks constantly. So they are leaking and WW Robson and the idea around all this is prevented. Yeah. So that we don't get to that. Okay. Nothing wrong with a person, you know, with a if it's not, you know, I I get that, but I got to be kind of just just a conservative view, that's all. Okay. Um Kyle, yeah. Um some won't like it, but I'm going to be supporting option number four. Um I believe strategically it's the best chance to get the maximum amount of money from the board

106of supervisors. Um, if we diversify our our ask, I believe that they would much rather give little bits for different projects versus putting it all into one pot. I could be completely wrong. Um, just my opinion on it. Um, do appreciate the perspectives from everybody and you know, I'm not in the buildings. I don't see them. Um, and come visit. And yeah, so and I don't believe throwing triplet to the curb completely number one will go over well with the boss and number two is fair to to them. Um, so, you know, I think the additional classrooms would be a good start and getting getting it in in the right direction, but again, it's a board decision and um, you know, ultimately we'll see how much money we get back. But, uh, I think we

107have a better chance overall of getting, you know, closer to 6.472 472 if we're diversifying our ask versus putting it all into one school or um mainly into one school. So just my opinion, Lauria. So, um, yeah, I mean, this is a difficult decision as you guys can tell, um, because we pretty much were doing all this with our hands tied, uh, as somebody mentioned here before and we did a an ask of the DOS and we only got a fraction of it. And part of the fun that the reason why we're in this situation is because this can has been kicked down the road for many times before we sat here. So, you know, the easy thing would be to keep on k kicking down the road and hope that it really becomes a

108real problem. Um, we're out of here. But, uh, but that's not what we should be doing. And I think we've come to this point where we see a need at at these schools um these two elementary schools. Um, right now we're talking mostly about Sandy Hook, but totally W Robinson is right there. And the truth of the matter is um like we said, we've seen more development that is not even in that list that we just saw in here. And um as I keep saying uh as Mr. said, I was when we're talking about this town homes and you look at them, you know, three stories high, four stories high, it's not all people who are living in there. It's a is it people who are young who are going to be having kids or

109who already have young kids. So I really do think that the new elementary school is the right choice. I would love to see us be able to do more with it. Maybe even have that auditorium that this um county so desperately uh needs. Unfortunately, we don't know if it's going to happen. The unfortunate situation is that we don't even know um as said, we don't even know if they're going to fund that. Um, which kind of brings you to the point that you guys need to go to that other meeting and let the board of supervisors know what you're telling us because you got us, we we understand this and we understand the need. I'm not sure how much they understand um and and how pressing this is. Now, the only thing um and again

110I kept going back and forth with the with the temporary room uh trailers. I do think we need at least some um just because there is that need right now. So I'm fine. I think the three uh should work. The only thing that I kind of different with Mr. Rickard is I would put the HVAC and the copper replacement higher up on this list. um because we have heard from a lot of teachers saying you know the differences in the temperature and the hot and the cold and we did hear from um Danny at the one meeting that this is what's contributing to a lot of the problems also with the mold and u respiratory issues and I I have heard from several parents in fact I have a a friend who actually pulled her

111kids from school I told Loy Robinson because her kid was having problems with breathing and uh allergies and all that um and I think a lot of that would get resolved by addressing the HVAC and the carpet replacement. So, I personally would put those higher up. I think those are a big need. Um, so I would put those three and four, but that's just my opinion. [Applause] Did you make a motion? You didn't. 44. you just discussed it. Well, I agree with Miss Carino. Um, you folks back there need to put the pressure where the pressure belongs and apply the leverage to the board of supervisors. Um, half of them are up for election. They'll listen to you. Um, this wine king will tell you that one of the rules of politics is to, and

112this is politics, you know, it's about who gets what, where, when, how much, and how it's delivered. And Miss Wine King and others will tell you that one of the rules of politics is to go early and go big. So here we go. We go big. Yes. [Applause] Tom, did you um I know you asked a question before. Did you have anything else to say? Well, I mean, is this the point where we're supposed to say which one we Well, no. Whether you want Right now, the motion is to accept Mr. Rickard's option five. Either accept it or reject it. Not Not any other option. Understand? Okay. You don't have anything further? No. Okay. All right. Um, so I will I will give my opinion. I I I disagree with Mr. record that um that

113we ever came to a consensus. Uh this last year has seen us look at a lot of different options. Uh from the beginning where we saw some u pretty uh sexy um uh presentations about the new triplet and a lot of us were enamored of that. And then uh we thought well maybe maybe that's getting a little too aggressive and um can't afford that or don't need all of it. And then we started to look at different options. Um, and so we we've come it's it's been a quite a quite an odyssey for this board. We we visited technical schools. We've talked about um plans for the elementary schools that were made years ago so that they would be able to have additions on them. Um, we talked about um we're talking about some of

114the problems in the elementary schools we have now that look like they're going to be happening to the to the high schools if they're not if we don't pay attention to those. And so um the uh to me um I thought that the um the fact that we are going to commit I say again commit to um to projects at Sandy Hook and WW Robinson and Triplet uh was pretty smart thing because they all have to be addressed. They all have real problems and they all figure into our future very very prominently. Um, anytime we we talk about this to agricultural leaders or tech leaders in our county, uh, they are a gasast when we say we've turned down 70 80 people for our technical school. Uh, and that's just this year. Uh, and who

115knows what's going to happen next year. And we look around at some of our county partners. They have some more modern, impressive, innovative plans uh for new programs than we do. Uh and we're we are in serious danger of if we're going to just put the full brakes on uh triplet of u of putting ourselves in second class um status for that type of education. which is remarkable because the country is coming to the realization that and I say this having two daughters who have these that getting out of school and having a a degree in art history may not be you know everything that the county needs. Uh and so uh I we need to pay attention uh to technical education and give it it its due consideration. I think we went overboard as

116a group because uh at the beginning when we saw a lot of those uh cool presentations, but uh we don't have to have the Cadillac version of those things. Uh people have made it clear to me that the building at um Triplet is sturdy, serviceable, and with um some uh creative uh adjustments and restoration, it could be just fine even in the site where it is. And so if we have the board of supervisors look at these three and say, "Yep, I'm buying into it." that they're buying into a future for all three of those and not just not just one elementary school. Um I also and I I look at the um at the things that we've decided or have um labeled as urgent that are here and I don't think we want to

117leave any of these uncovered. Uh, and I think we could make a really good case to the board of supervisors that these things really need to have. We we really need them. And um it's it's not that it's not that we're being um greedy or uh or want, you know, that the the showy shiny new school. It it it it's the fact that um we've heard stories all through the year about uh about mold and about drainage and and problems like that. Somebody talking. Okay. So, um anyway, I I um I think we have the best chance of getting the maximum amount of money that would be applied to the maximum amount of things uh if we if we picked another option. happen to like option four because I think it does have the most

118number of urgent things to it. So, um for for that reason, I I'll be voting against option five. Mike, do you have final word unless anybody else wants wants to say something further? I I totally get what you and Kyle are saying. Um however, I think the one thing that's being left out of the conversation is the traffic at Sandy Hook. um the cafeteria at Sandy Hook. Um you know, it's a nightmare to anybody that goes and sees that. Um Kyle had mentioned he hadn't been at the schools. I heard the invitation given. Kyle, I would I would strongly suggest you go by there and get a a firsthand tour from the staff. Um I like Larry. Go big or go home. Um, I I do like the idea spreading it around, but there was

119a teacher from Sandy Hook that talked about her daughter having to interview to go to to triplet and I will say when we started this conversation about the new triplet tech, I got home and my 16-year-old son wouldn't talk to me that evening and I asked my wife, I said, "What's up with Logan?" And she said, "He's mad at you right now." And I said, "He's mad at me." And she said, "Yeah." She said he heard that you were in favor of a new triplet tech. She said the fact that he had to go and interview and make sure his grades were up to par to be able to get into the electrical program at triplet meant a lot to him. That some of his friends weren't as blessed as he was to have the

120GPA and to go through the interview process the way he did. Um if we build a new triplet tech or we renovate a new triplet tech, it doesn't mean we're going to be able to staff it. Um, right. Like she said, I believe that a big part of going to Triplet is the competition going in. I would also like to see the numbers of how many of our kids that go there come out and actually stick it out in the real world doing what they were taught to do because I heard recently about a kid that knew he was going to JMU that got into one of the programs down there and he was only there and admitted to people in the public the only reason he was there was to get out of regular

121school half a day. Mhm. Um, that being said, I got to continue to advocate for the the new elementary school. And Gloria, thank you. Um, I just didn't want to seem greedy when I was asking for the renovation of the HBAC in the carpet. I didn't want it all looking like it was Strawsburg, but I mean WW Robinson and Ashb Lee sharing those renovations. So, um, that being said, I I like your organizational. Thank you all. All right. Um, I'd like to uh follow up on the com uh with a comment about the traffic issue on Holiday Street, which I'm very aware of. And uh for the representatives of Sandy Hook, I have a 12:30 appointment tomorrow with Mrs. Zimmerman to walk around and see things. Yay. Yay. And I will definitely be taking a

122very hard look at your u new gym. But aside from that, uh there's a lesson for the county to learn from the traffic on Holiday Street. Putting two schools on that side of the river with one bridge, a two-lane road. It's being, you know, we discuss this over coffee and pray it never happens, but what if? What if? How would you get back? What poor planning? What absolute poor planning? And I know when I'm editorializing, Mr. chairman, you can wrap your gabble and tell me I'm out of order. But when they were planning Signal Knob Middle School, there was advocacy for building it adjacent to the high school and it was deemed a wetlands and we we couldn't we couldn't build it there. And I don't know the exact timelines, too many years ago, but

123soon after the land in Sandy Hook was purchased, guess what? Guess what? It's no longer a wet land. It was a leaky water pipe. What poor planning. So for the future of the county uh for you younger folks, um keep proper planning in mind on such things, which I think is a selling point uh for option five. I came here expecting to vote for number four, quite frankly, because I thought it was more bang for the buck, but the transportation issue is a is a selling point. I think the cafeteria maybe at Sandy Hook could be part of the renovation, but that doesn't solve everything. So, I'm done. All right. Um, Cheryl, I think we're ready for u call vote. We've had I don't think anybody has any more arguments and like I suppose I

124have last word, but LV decided to No, we're good. We're good. We're fine. Cheryl, are you ready to to call and then Mr. Street? No. Miss Carinio? Yes. Mr. Gutshaw, no. Mr. Bance, yes. Mr. Ricker, yes. And Mr. Bara, no. The uh the motion fails on a 33 t. Do I hear uh another motion? I move to request the fiscal year 24 surplus to the board of supervisors for option number four. Second. I got a question. What about you support option four, but you would like to make a change? You got to get a motion. You would second it. You need a second then you can amend it. Once it's seconded, it can be amended. Second. So now we have a motion and and a second. Any discussion? Tom, if you want to make an

125amendment, now's the time to do it. All right. Um, yeah. Bottom line it bottom line is I guess I'll be as quick as I can. It's a lot of options here on on and and they're all they're all needed. So that's, you know, it's it's it's not a matter of any of that. They're all needs and it's it's it's hard to, you know, um sit here and try to figure out what is what to do with this. Um anyway, my amendment is I I support option four, but what I would like to amend is I would like to withdraw one of the high school roofs, whichever one is not as bad. keep the one that is worst since it is in the books is you said 27 or 28 or something and probably also withdraw

126the carpet even though I visited. Is it needed? Yes, but everything on this paper is needed. Um and probably withdraw the flashing lights. But I'd like to add the transportation upgrades, which nothing has been done at that facility since it was built in approximately 68, 1968 in the temporary classrooms to try to ease that pain, you know, if we can. Those numbers do those numbers work. The transportation upgrades are only 290,000. You remove 4 50,000 in a roof and um yeah, the short answer is yes. You removed more than the transportation upgrades and then the classroom that did the temporary classrooms you got in there. Um I did not have that right now. Might have to remove the handrailings. I'm assuming if they were that desperate, they would have already been fixed. You're about 50,000

127over. How about if we remove the handrails? We can balance it that I have the Sandy Hook Elementary School additional classrooms, the WW Robinson additional classrooms, the triplet track edition, renovate the HVAC system at all elementary schools, the transportation upgrades to their building, Signal Middle School, repair the IFA stuck high school replace the original roof. and the sewer jetting machine with camera. Was that your intent? Yes. But whatever roof is in and the trailer and the three modular classrooms. Yes. Yeah. it. So, basically, I'm removing the carpet, one of the roofs, whichever one is in better shape of the high schools, removing the handrailing, the flashing lights, but adding transportation upgrades and temporary classrooms. Is that what you got? Yes, sir. But, you know, my my reasoning is I I'm you know, that definitely um

128you know, I I don't believe in putting all my eggs in one basket, but we're trying to take care I think, you know, trying to take care of I mean, it was used earlier, bang for the buck, but trying to address issues across the board instead of just focusing on certain points. All these things are a need. I'll be real clear about that. They're all a need, but we got to kind of and I think the board of supervisors is going to be more open to trying to uh take address, you know, more is you know, as much issues as we can, trying to give attention as much as we can across the board instead of focusing narrowing down a little bit. But anyway, that's mine. So, I I have a clarifying question for you.

129Um, what modular buildings are you recommending? The one that was in Mike's. Okay. So, would that be that stick with the number three? Okay. So, that includes the three modular buildings or class, not classroom, budget column. Yeah. Buildings. Try to ease that pain. But I I agree. I I I have to support keeping triplet on the Okay. on the sheet. Cheryl, what do you think? Do you have a u a grasp on this? So, you're you're amending the motion and you want to withdraw one high school roof, withdraw the carpet, withdraw the flashing lights, withdraw the hand railings, and add the extension to the transportation facility. And was there anything else? Temporary classrooms added. Add the three modular classrooms in San Diego. Yes. And I and I want to comment, you know, with the transportation

130facil uh you know, the upgrades of transportation facility, like I said earlier, nothing has been done to that facility since it was built. But the also part also viewed that I see why I want to point out we have $200,000 in that budget. If we just add a little bit more, we can complete that whole project and be done with it. Okay. So, so we we have a motion to make an amendment. You have I have you have it now. We don't have a second. And we don't have a second. Is second. There's a second. Mr. Gutshaw seconds the amendment. And now we're ready. U ready for Does that move the amendment? Please. No, we're ready for dis for discussion on the amendment. So, um, now you can give us your rationale or we can

131pass on to somebody else. Uh, just Oh, okay. Well, just same thing I said earlier. Those were the like I explained earlier, those the um I'm trying to, you know, like like everything on here is important. It is, but I'm trying to expand out um if this would happen. I'm trying to spread it out to try to cover more needs. And like I said, the transportation department, that project is we're basically halfway there. So if we just add a little bit more, we've done something and and be done with it. But um and then the temporary classrooms, we're doing something, you know, we're doing something at the schools, we're doing something at Triplette. So um you know, we're we're doing something to her roof. So that's that's just my reasoning. Thank you. Um, Mike, you

132want to say anything? No, sir. Thank you. Go ahead. Um, so this is just kicking the can down the road. You know what we're doing. Um, I'm a little bit disappointed because what we're doing is we're just trying to take care of a lot of small fires here and there. I mean, I understand we have a lot of needs and I understand even with triplet, we do have to to address certain issues with safety and all that. Um but I I still believe that the the new elementary is something that we have a real need for. Um it's not just a want. I mean this is something that we have certain policies that we have to address. I mean there's a lot of um restrictions and and and that the even the state tells us

133how many students you can have per classroom and uh and we have a lot of needs for this and we've heard already from a lot of the teachers that this is really a need. Um, so for me, just saying that we may may just expand to them, I think that doesn't really address a lot of the problems that we've already talked about with regards to the schools. Um, I think in many ways it's actually worse to spread this out because if we go to the board of supervisors and say we really need this elementary school and we're all on board and we're going to be putting all our eggs in that basket, I think we have a better chance. that if we say, "Well, we went to the found either this, this, this, or this."

134And then they're just going to say, "Well, okay, we may fund this, but not that." Um, so again, my priority is I really think we need to start working on this new elementary school. It's going to be years before we even get that. Um, we the reason we need the the trailers is because there's a need right now and because that need is going to spin for years. We're going to have to address it right now. Um, and again, I have to go back to the HVAC and the carpet replacement because we're talking about the health of the kids. I I had a daughter who um, you know, when we were in Pennsylvania in kindergarten, it was a school that was very old. It was over 100 years old. And uh, for kindergarten, there was

135mold in the room and it was a problem. We ended up having to take her off the classroom because she was coming home, you know, all the time and swollen and all that kind of stuff. So, I understand that that's a real issue, especially now that we have so many kids who have asthma and allergies and and all this other stuff. So, um I have to keep insisting that we need to address that first. Um I understand that there's a need in the transportation building. I understand there's a need with triplet. I understand there's a lot of needs that we have in this county. Um I think with the money that we already have for transportation, we're already addressing some of those issues. We're not going to be addressing all of them, but then again,

136we're not addressing all of them in any of the other issues that we have. So, um, you know, I'm going to vote no on this one. If we said no to Mr. Rickard, I think, um, at this point, I would support option two, maybe um because at least he's addressing those issues and it it except that I would like change in sort of trouble, but we need to put the additional um classrooms. Um, but again, I just we're doing what all these boards have done years and years before we did, which is just kicking it down the the road and hoping that somebody else will take care of it. Yes. Once again, we're we're discussing the amendment to um to to to the motion. Uh doc Dr. Shepherd. Um, who on your staff could address

137who's here this evening could address the um the and I'll have two of these uh could address the importance of the stair handrailing in all the schools which really is a safety issue. Who who could address that? So I think Dr. Harder can address it. Um he he actually was part of the walkthroughs of all the schools. Is that right? Right. Yeah. It's it's just various places that the exterior hand railing. Um the one that comes to my mind is the stair railing going down the hill at Central High School was broken loose on concrete um foundation that goes in. So that's it's definitely a hazard hazard. Um that's that's an example and it's at various places and in all schools have similar situations like that. So in a civil case where there was an

138injury, it would be an element of foreseeability because we acknowledge that the handrails are broken. You know, we can say that about a lot of stuff here. Mold. Did I hear mold? And then secondly, uh Dr. Sheepard, uh, who would like to address the, um, flashing safety lights that that the amendment is calling for to be removed? So, the flashing safety lights haven't been replaced for 60 years. And I received information recently that even the speed limit on those safety flashing safety line uh, lights may not be um, appropriate. It probably should be 25 miles per hour instead of 35 miles per hour. So those safety lights probably don't even meet code at this point. I have a question on that. Shouldn't be taking care of that. So my experience um previously was that the

139county took care of it. However, um Miss Campbell's experience is that the school division took care of it. So two different experiences, two different school divisions. So yeah. Okay. Um, we're good. Just quick question for Tom. Tom, you knew that I added the transportation building to option five, correct? Yes. Okay. I just want to make sure I was clear on that. Okay. So, we are ready to vote on Thomas Street's amendment. Can I say one thing? Yeah, go for it. I just want to make it clear to me, you know, yeah, the safety lights and hand rallies that is a safe I I do support those safety things. I don't want anybody to take it wrong that I'm not supporting it. But if that if it's if it's that urgent, why would it be on

140the list of something we would like to do? To me, if something is that unsafe, it in in my world, it gets fixed right now. So, that's why I'm a little unclear with the safety lights and the hand rallying because it wouldn't be on the list of, yeah, this is what we'd like to do. If it's that critical, it would be done now. I just want to make that clear. Cheryl, I think we're ready for the vote on the amendment. Mr. Sh, yes. Miss Carlinia, no. Mr. Gutshaw, yes. Mr. Vance, no. Mr. the record. No, Mr. Bower. Yes. So once again, uh the amendment fails on a 33 vote. Okay. So now we revert to um option four which was the original motion. You made that motion. Okay. Made Mr. Gotcha. And uh Scotch, you

141want to kick off discussion or Okay. Anybody want to say anything further about uh the motion for option four? Okay. Cheryl, I think we're ready for roll call vote. Mr. Shri, yes. Miss Carinio, no. Mr. Gutshaw, yes. Mr. Vance. No. Mr. Rickard. No. Mr. Barla. Yes. Um, option four fails on a 3-3 vote. It can seem that we've reached a deadlock. Unless is there anybody wants to mo make a motion for any of the other options? And that's what the problem is with this is the board of supervisors told us they want unanimous decision on this and we're not even close to a unanimous decision. Again, that adds more uncertainty, you know, when they're going to be giving these kind of funds back. Um, I don't know if we can try to receive some more

142guidance from them and to try to help us with putting together something that they will agree to giving us a large sum of money that, you know, this surplus. I mean, I know this has to be done and we don't have another May meeting, but I feel like if we could get some more guidance from them on what their appetite is, um, that could help our process and our thinking a little bit. Well, I um I I noticed that the u we must submit our official funding request by June the second. So, we do have some time to develop something that's um it's going to make a majority. That's the thing about a sixperson board. So um uh and so Mr. Kutchall suggests um that in the interim that there be I don't that are

143you suggesting that perhaps we have a meeting or anything with the board of supervisors or how are you suggesting that we uh develop that board or that we indeed have a special meeting of our own board to discuss options and come up with a I think if M or Dr. Shepard to go to Mr. asked with the board of supervisors and indicate that we're stuck in the middle here and to see what the board of supervisors might be thinking or leaning. That way we can have some guidance and we can come back here for a special meeting for 30 minutes and knock the rest of this out and be done with it. And we all can set another meeting date tonight. Sorry. You all can set another meeting date tonight. Okay. So now whether that

144violates protocol, I don't know. But you all have certainly the right that takes time to adjourn and when you adjourn, you readjourn at such and such date. So you can't set another meeting. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Bum. I'll get to you in just a second, Michael. Let me make sure. So, um what what Kyle was suggesting is superintendent to um Evan Vast to get kind of a a feel for the board of supervisors. Um, we don't know much how much guidance we're going to get or even what that's going to mean to us, frankly, but uh that will at least give us some um background for when we meet because the decision is still ours to submit this. And it could be that if we did have a um special called meeting for this

145this purpose that we could set it now and um and take that input and any new ideas that we have as we collaborate with one another and uh and and and uh and do that. Mike, you wanted to say something? In the interest of transparency rather than having the superintendent talk to Mr. asked um I'd like to propose that we ask for a meeting with our board and the board of supervisors and have an open discussion on this. That way everybody's on the record as far as what they agree with or where they want the money spent. I think the uh constituents of Shannondoa County deserve that as as well as our staff and the kids that are in our schools. Go ahead. Uh I I can see the I can see the logic of

146that. Um unfortunately I mean what I think that's going to do is I mean we you know we talked about handrails. So if if we have 12 of us, you know, talking about each of these things, uh I don't I don't I I really don't see a solution coming out of that group and maybe more consternation coming from the board of supervisors. That's that's just my gut reaction. Um, I I I do think that um that if you take it away from the board members and let the two, if you will, administrators kind of talk about it, it it might be a a cleaner way for us to get it back so that we can make our own board decision. But I but I don't know. I mean, I understand what you're saying. you get

147to 12 people in a room. But I I just I don't see that going going well. My concern is, you know, um if we do that, I don't know that they're hearing what we're hearing. I don't know that that they're going to be know, you know, listening to our staff, our teachers, our students, our parents. Um that they have gone and that they have seen what's going on with the schools. Um I'm not sure that they understand what the pressure is with regards to what we're trying to do with the schools, elementary schools. Um I mean it's very ironic that in many ways this is a an issue that has been kind of created um in part by the board of supervisors because they haven't funded this and because they have been allowing all this

148um development to have it to happen without getting anything back for us to build the schools and to provide this infrastructure for the kids. Um, so I would like to know what they're saying. I would like to know, you know, you have them tell everybody um what is it that they want and why and why not. I mean, I think there needs to be more transparency and accountability um here. So, I'm all for having that kind of a meeting where we at least get to hear from them um exactly why they don't want to fund this new school um or why they don't want to fund um these projects that we have been talking about that we have said are projects that we need to address. Um I think you know right now we're before

149the people and we're talking about this but we we're not hearing from them. So, we don't know you know what are they saying? You know what's the accountability there? Why why aren't any of them here listening? That's what I'm saying. I mean, so we're getting all this and and you know, I understand all the frustration and we agree with it, but then it's kind of like a wall. It's stuck right here. But um I have a I have a real concern. One comment, please. No, not yet. Not yet, please. It would it would I think it would help speak. I did talk to Dennis. It's about triplet. He actually spoke to us man and said that as far as getting some funding for triplet to look at businesses like Holtzman and things like that they

150would want to probably fund some of those things. We we have been engaged in those discussions throughout. Yeah. So that's it's a good idea. It's being followed up on. There are a lot of I just didn't hear it tonight. That's why I wanted to say that. It's okay. We can't put it in a budget, but it's something that we follow up on. But it's also something that um that those innovators and those businesses, you know, they like to reinforce success and that that that's the maximum that that that they want to follow and see that what we're doing that they can reinforce. So anyway, um I I'm so I one thing. So I'm just asking if um if if you I'm talking to the superintendent would would talk to um Evan and see if he

151feels that it's feasible for for for the for the two boards to meet before June 2nd and to to to discuss some of these things. I mean that that that's certainly fine with me. uh if the best we can get is some um some you know basic uh priorities of theirs or concerns of theirs. Uh but I've I'd be pretty um pretty reluctant to um ascribe this to their not either taking an interest in this or not not understanding their county. Um and just as we have one particular issue which is education, they have a lot of things to consider. And so um it's uh it's it's a lot easier for us to who are very close to this to to look at something and say that needs to be fixed, that needs to be

152fixed. And it's another one uh for the board of supervisors to take total responsibility for the county and and to deal with it. So um elected. I I know they're trying to do the right I know that they're trying I know they're trying to do the right thing. We're trying to help. Yes, I know you did. I know you did. And and there are other constituents uh who want to go to to to to triplet. Where are they? Where are they? This is your your county right here. We elected you to make the decision. You are the This isn't a town meeting. I'm I'm glad you came. I'm glad you made your your points. uh and we're listening and uh it's had effect and its impact. Okay. But I, you know, we're looking at an

153organization that controls the purse strings and right now they have control of that money. And so we want to do the best we can at finding out what we I think they'll understand. We've come to three deadlocks now. And we and we need we need a little bit more guidance from them as to what they're looking for to to to allocate that that surplus. So Tom, you had something for this? Mr. Chairman, I don't know if I can say something comment. Um, I'm sitting here thinking and just in my mind just thinking and thinking and if I'm on the board of supervisors and and and I've said it before and I'll say it again and you just said it, they I understand their position. They have multiple departments to try to take care of. So

154I'm kind of sitting here wondering and I'm just going to throw this out there, but if I'm on if I'm on the board of supervisor, this is a surplus. Okay. So, if you come to me with a surplus that you know, we may give it all back to you. We may say keep it all. We may say keep 50% of it. And if I'm if so, I'm just sitting there wondering, you know, going to them with we want a new school here, we or we want a new school there. I'm kind of wondering if they would be like, you know, whoa, whoa, whoa. you we're we're dealing with $6 million here. We're not deal, you know, a school a new school is 40 million or this new thing is 20 million or you know I'm

155sitting here kind of wondering would they only be enter they would only be interested in we're talking about a surplus of six you know we want to see things that you already have that are need critical repairs or critical updates. So, I'm just sitting here being realistic. If we go to them talking about new schools and this and that, they going to be like, well, you know, wait a minute, who who said anything about new schools? I mean, yeah, we can talk about it and yeah, we're interested and yeah, but we're just talking about $6.4 million of surplus. I'm just throwing that out there as if I'm in their seat. Well, I think I think Colin made a good point earlier that they're looking to us as a board to say this is the way

156we want to go and right now we're like this, you know, we're pointing a different direction. So, we're not able to give them a clear direction. So, what do we Yeah, but but but you understand what I'm saying. Who who's even said that they would even fund a $40 million school? I don't I don't we haven't even had any topics with that. Well, if I do have a question, I would like to post it to them. I mean, I don't know exactly like post it to you guys too as well. I mean, what do we do when we get to capacity and we don't have a new new school and what do we do at that point? But but that's to me that's another topic. This is this is the topic. That's his topic. I

157understand, but it's only $6 million. It's not $40 million. But this is for the plans. I know. But that's what I'm saying. And and so at that point because you had to start somewhere. You did um and if you do the plans at least as a step that you are serious about this and hopefully the board of supervisors will follow. But the question for you guys but also for the board of supervisors is what is the solution when we are at capacity and we keep having kids coming over. What do we do at that point? That's what I would like to know. I mean if somebody tells me well there's this other option that we can do and everybody's going to be happy then yeah we can consider it. That's what I would like to

158know. If if we okay talk let's talk about option four for a minute which would have committed us and them to um renovating three schools and at that point Dr. Shepherd, you can correct me if I'm wrong here, but if they would have accepted those three, they're they are by implication accepting the project through to completion at some point. I don't think they they're going to accept $3 million um plan or 10 million three 10 million 10 million and 20 million additions without the idea of continue continuing them into the future. So that's that's one of the reasons why I wanted to do it because one of those or all three of those if they're underway will be projects that we can continue. Well, I'm I asked that question before and I was told that

159no that was not a commitment from them. Well, if they I expressly asked that question. If they if they accept it, it would be pretty much of a Yeah, I'd have to use common sense. I mean, if they're going to accept spending a million dollars on planning, then they would have to accept interest in building. Can we have that in writing? I'm just using common s. Why why would I accept a million dollars to spend a dollar a million dollars in planning something but not not before the project again? Can we have that in writing? Because I get I had asked that exact same question at our last meeting and I was told that no, that was that did not constitute a commitment from the board of supervisors. Well, that that would be another interesting

160question just to ask Evan because my guess is that um that' be pretty poor planning for them to pony a million dollars for a plan that they're not I don't want to waste the tax dollars the the the taxpayers dollars if on the million dollars I'm planning if if if the money is not there to build it and you got to remember three of them are up for election. So, yeah, but only one is running for re-election. Gotcha. So, if only one's running for re-election, what this board may be for and what the next board may be for may be two totally different things. Which is again why I said I thought it would be better for us to focus on one project at a time. that if we show commitment towards doing this one

161project, it would be a better chance of them saying, "Okay, they're taking it seriously. We need to address it. Let's go ahead and do that." Um, if we're offering them, you know, a plethora of projects and schools and renovations and um, expansions, yeah, if they can commit to doing all of them and and pledge that, sure. But I just don't see that happening. Okay, here here's what I'm going to suggest. Um, Dr. Shepard, if you wouldn't mind, I would I would I would like you to be our spokesperson uh with um the administration of the board of supervisors uh to perhaps get a um indication if they would like to either provide further guidance or meet with us. And then um and then based on feedback that we get we either have that meeting or

162receive the guidance that they want to give us if any. And that that becomes the basis of a meeting that we have for a special called meeting of the six of us. And uh whether it's a meeting of both boards together or whether we get a gouge from the U board of supervisors as to what they what they're looking for. Um, it'll provide it doesn't provide the answer. That's not their responsibility. It's ours. But at least it gives us a guidance when we meet again in a special call meeting to make the final decision so that on June the 2nd, we can present a unified position. Does that does that work? No. Well, I'm I'm asking the people on on the school board. So, I mean, like I said earlier, I'd like to see a

163meeting of all 12 of us. Um, I'd like that's what I would like to see. Um, well, uh, Mr. Bowman, um, yes. Can we make a motion to the effect that you know the thing that what I just outlined to the superintendent as a motion and then we'll see if the if the board would concur with that. So, um, I don't like doing it as a chairman, but I guess nothing precludes me from doing it. Right. Correct. Okay. So, I would like to move that Dr. Shephard coordinates with and I will call it the administration of our board of supervisors to determine whether a joint meeting of both boards or a uh series of guidance points that that board might provide to us could occur. And based on the input from that response, the school

164board meets in a special called meeting to determine um our ask for the 6.4 $4 million surplus. Can I make a request regarding that request? So, if we're not able to meet in person, can we get a written statement from the board of supervisors that we can all read and have it in black and white so we know exactly what it is that they're saying and we can actually have everybody else know what they're saying. I think that's a fair request that we would like to have something in guidance guidance that would be provided in writing writing. Now before I complete that, Dr. Shepard, do you feel comfortable with that? Certainly. You can blame us. I got it. Okay. Does is everybody clear on the motion? All right. I'm hoping there's no discussion, but if

165there's discussion, we can second. Second. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Seconded by Mr. Gutshaw. Now, if there's any discussion, we can have it. If not, we'll call for the question. Mr. Street? Yes. Miss Cario? Yes. Mr. Gutshaw. Yes. Mr. Vance. Yes. Mr. Ripper. Yes. Mr. Bartlet. Yes. So, all six members voted unanimously. Unanimous there. What they wanted. That's what they wanted. So, we're giving it some. That's true. That's true. Um before we leave the topic, um I'm wondering if by consensus we can pick a time for that meeting, special called meeting so we don't have to um we're going to have to coordinate it with them. We can't pick something then. Yeah, we're wait till they come back with something. Okay. So um so based on that input that we get back from the superintendent, we'll

166select a date that works for us and we'll we'll communicate among ourselves about a good time for a special call meeting. So they have a a meeting on May 13th and another one on May 27th, but I don't know if they would be interested in a joint meeting on either one of those two dates. Yeah. Okay. If we could do the May 13th before the meeting, that would be great. While we're still on that topic, chairman, if I may. Sure. Um, Miss Carenio stated it earlier. It's on the record now. They have a meeting on May 13th, May 27th. You all need to show up. Your voices need to be heard. Send emails. Show up there. You got to stress to them what we need. Have them come out and visit. Where where is it

167going to be? They have a meeting here. May 13th and May 27. Yeah. And make sure they show up about the what quarter date? What time is it on that date? The 13th. So the 13th is at 4:00 and the 27th is at 7. I don't know if it's a work session or a meeting. So, I don't know if they have public um comments or not. Not sure. [Music] All right, we're moving on to action item 6.3, uh which is a request to increase the fiscal year 2025 operating budget. And uh do I have a um this should should be there should be I have a motion uh to increase the fiscal year 2025 operating budget. I move to increase the fiscal year 2025 operating budget by $1.1 million as presented. Thank you, Mr. Rickard.

168Is there a second? Second. Second by Mrs. Colinio. All those uh well is there any discussion? Do you need a roll call vote on this? Mr. Street? Yes. Minia? Yes. Mr. Gutshaw? Yes. Mr. B? Yes. Mr. Rick? Yes. Mr. Yes. So that request passes unanimously. 6.4 4 is u to modify the policy INB teaching about controversial issues and uh I am going to request that the uh vice chair take over the chair uh for this this discussion. Um and so I'll turn it over to you Mr. Gutshaw. Thank you chairman Barlo. So before we get started with our discussion or any type of motion just kind of want to lay this out. so we can keep this on the rails, keep this a robust discussion and a productive one. So, just a reminder that members

169according to our board norms have up to 10 minutes to speak on the first turn and on the second turn, we have it built in um if the board decides to make a motion um to limit the second turn to 5 minutes. So before we get going, does anyone make a want to make make a motion to have a 5m minute threshold for the second turn through? Uh Mr. Dutch Shaw, I move that the board norm of a limit of 5 minutes per member during the second and other subsequent rounds of discussion uh be limited to five minutes and adhere to motion on the floor by Mr. advance to enact our provision there to limit second turn on to 5 minutes. Is there a second? Second. Second by Mr. Street. Any discussion? Roll call vote,

170please. M. Mr. Street. Yes. Miss Carennio. Yes. Mr. Yes. Mr. Vance, yes. Mr. Robert, yes. Mr. Yes. So, the motion passes by a six nothing vote. And now we will head into the action item. So, we have two options to choose from. We have draft two for policy IMB and we have draft three policy IMB. So, do I hear a motion? Um, I move to adopt draft three of policy inv teaching about controversial issues as presented. Motion on the floor of Miss Carlinio to adopt draft policy three as it has been presented. Do I hear a second? Second. Second by Mr. Rickard. Is there any discussion? This is discussion to now we go into it now. Sorry, Miss Carlinio, you have your your Let me um before the time starts, let me just go ahead

171and pass this on to you guys because I do have a presentation that I wanted to give. So, I don't know anybody have Thank you. All right. So, um, here we are again. We have some proposed changes to this policy that we passed unanimously back in January. And I have a presentation. I don't know if we can put it up now. Um, and we have the handout, but I wanted to just go ahead and talk about it a little bit more. um because policy INV is a policy um about education. So um there has been some changes made um and I I spoke to Mr. Barlo. I don't know if the draft three actually includes the first paragraph which is says Shindo County public school shall not provide or allow any employee or third party

172to provide instruction, discussions or any other activities and is striking out guidance, activities or programming regarding gender identity to students enrolled in pre kindergarten through 12th grade. I'm fine with that new language. So if you want to adopt that, I have no problem with that. What I have a problem with and I' I've talked to several members regarding this is that last paragraph that we have um added to which says the school administrators, counselors, student support specialists, social workers and psychologists may respond to individual student inquiries about gender and gender identity without promoting personal beliefs or advocating for any viewpoint. discussions should remain within the scope of official responsibility subject to the parental notification requirements in policy GBA JFHAB and the reason you know I talked to several people and I understand there's a lot

173of good intentions um but I don't think that that all the members really realize um the bad policy and the bad president that this would set. So I I wanted to discuss that and the first one is that this new paragraph is not about instruction um and it belongs in the policy that it already is which is the model Ynan uh the Ynan model policies that we passed last year. So what we're doing here is we have a policy about instruction and we're adding a paragraph that talks about school counselors and student support specialists and other that do not have to do with instruction. So that's that's number one. Number two is that it allows discussions within the scope of professional responsibilities. Um, which would allow any woke staff to promote transgenderism. And I'm going

174to explain why. Um, and the last one is that it adds five categories of staff to discuss gender identity with students when the young model policies already limited to the one person that the superintendent gets to um, uh, appoint. So, the first point is that it's not relevant to section one. Uh that section in the uh schoolboard manual is entitled instruction. The title of the policy INB is teaching about controversial issues. And this new paragraph is adding five categories of staff to respond to gender questions that belong if anywhere to sections 3.8.3 and 8.4 of the SCPS transfer the policy that again we passed last year. So first point is not about instruction. Second point is, you know, words matter. Uh we talk about policy and and it reminds me of when we're talking about

175the affordable healthcare act did nothing about making it affordable or the inflation rel uh uh reduction act. It did not do anything about that. Um so we have to actually see what the policies actually do. And one thing we need to remember is that policies allowing indoctrination never use the word indoctrination or say that they're allowing staff to indoctrinate. uh students instead they're going to do it through different ways um that don't necessarily use those terms and that's what we're going to see here and I'm going to explain why um we need to analyze the impact of the language uh and open analysis allowing discussions within the scope of professional responsibilities is the same as saying that you will allow the promotion of transgenderism in the classroom. And the proof of this is actually in

176the uh when it talks about the discussions should remain within the scope of professional responsibilities is you have to look at what those professional responsibilities are. So I wanted to say I don't know who drafted this. I've asked several times. have not gotten an answer, but whoever did, um, I hope that they knew that if you look at the American School Counselor Association, it defines the professional responsibility of high school students. Oh, I'm so sorry. I kind of forgot to do that. Uh, we are here. Okay. So the one of the organizations that actually uh would be responsible for defining professional responsibility would be the American school counselor association the ASCA and it says for example the S the ASCA's position statement on the school counselor and LGBTQ plus youth highlights that school counselors are

177professionally responsible for promoting affirmation, respect, and equal opportunity for all students regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This includes counseling students with questions about their gender identity in an accepting and non-judgmental manner and advocating for a safe and affirming school environment. So, the SC ASCA's own position statement explicitly states that counselors have a professional responsibilities to promote gender identity. Similarly, um their position on the school council on transgender and non-binary youth reinforces that the counselors should recognize the students gender identity as determined by the students themselves, not external authorities and collaborate with school personnel to ensure policies and practices affirm and support transgender and non-binary binary students. Uh these policies are grounded in the ASCA's ethical standards which assert that every student has the right to a comprehensive school counselor program that

178affirms diverse identities including gender identity and that counselors must strive for cultural competence to meet this needs without imposing personal biases. So how is remaining within the scope of professional responsibility not protransgender indoctrination? That is why this language should not be added. That's what it's stating. Um, additionally adding the five categories, um, the existing policy is sufficient and follows Ynin's lead without getting in front of the agenda. Um, this is what we passed last year. Uh, we need to follow the Trump executive order that is banning counselors from promoting gender identity. Uh, we just talked about how important that Trump executive order was when we were discussing the DHSL resolution that is before this board. um most of what most if not all staff are not trained for this when we're talking about that um

179category of five uh different people that will be allowed to be discussing this with the students. But more importantly, we have no control over how these discussions will go. They're all going to be done behind closed doors. A teacher teaches in front of the students in front of everybody. These are all going to be happening behind closed doors. We're going to have absolutely no uh control over that. Again, we already have this. This has been addressed in the existing existing policy that we have. I refer you again to sections 3.8.3 and 8.4 which says that parents must be informed and given an opportunity to object before counseling services pertaining to gender are given. And then he says at the request of parents, Shannidora County schools should designate designate an administrator or counselor to speak together

180with the students parents with any student regarding questions pertaining to gender. So again, we are already this has already been addressed. We already have something in the books. What we're doing is we're passing a policy that in the instruction area that contradicts the policy that we already have. Policy that we already have says that there's going to be a designated person. We're actually adding uh five more categories of candidate of who can do that. Then we have the executive order of January 29th. Uh President Trump's executive order defines social transition to include counseling counseling by school staff on gender issues. Um and if you go to section 2E of the EO, it actually defines it. Says social transition means the process of adopting a gender identity or gender marker that differs from a person's sex.

181This process can include psychological or psych psychiatric counselor or treatment by a school counselor or other provider. It expressly forbids this. So we are going against that already. Um, so what's the problem with that? In the um, not only does it expressly bans uh, a school from supporting the social transition, it says that each agency's process to prevent or resend federal funds to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law. Um, it could include elementary school or secondary schools to directly or indirectly support or subsidize the social transition of a minor student, we could lose our funds. So that it's black and white. It's right there for you to read it. You can go back to the uh ending radical indoctrination in K12 schooling to see that that's exactly what uh what it says. And quite

182honestly, if anybody is questioning whether the Trump administration would follow through with this, you just have to go look at what's happening in Lowden and Prince William and all this other school. Uh therefore any changes must not allow STPS staff to provide counseling or treatment on gender identity or we will risk losing federal funding which we keep talking we need that funding. So the impact of existing policy allowing school administrators, counselors, student support specialists, social workers and psychologists to address gender identity goes beyond the Ynan model policies. It makes monitoring for inductation more difficult. It poses a higher risk of violating uh President Trump's executive order and we should not be in the business of providing guidance on gender identity. And let me just say the threat is real. At our last uh personnel meeting

183uh at the Southern campus, we had a current uh middle school teacher who is clearly protrans and strenuously criticized our gender identity policy. Um, we've also received emails from families of current Shannondoa County students, current complaining about teachers that have been promoting this in their classroom. So, this is already here and we need to address it. Um, so I I'm supporting proposal um draft number three because what it does is it makes the changes that Mr. Barlo um wanted from his draft two in regards to that paragraph regarding instruction which I have no problem with but it refers in the last paragraph um it says for avoidance of doubt this policy concerning gender identity shall not be interpreted to interfere or restrict designated school staff oh sorry I got to step in oh but you

184can come back we'll come back around sure thank you all right next discussion point is someone want Steve. Um, no. Um, next alternate opinion. So, LV, do you want to go next or I can go next? I'll uh I'll back clean up. Okay. So, um yeah, Mr. Barl, thank you. The um the policy that was introduced back in January passed six to nothing. And it passes nothing because everybody in the board did not want um gender identity um taught uh in instruction in classrooms and um provided pretty clear guidance uh for the fact that that that would be uh prohibited. On the other hand, it raised some other issues um when it included words like guidance activities, programming and so forth that kind of opened the door to other other activities and and other things

185that that might that that might flow from that. And um I think but more importantly there was a feeling that if it was if the draft was passed as we did pass it by the way um that there is an indication that there that there's um room for the fact that um parents and students who have an issue with a transgender issue in their life would not have the capability to bring it forward to be heard and that that would go no matter what side of what you feel or what angst as a student or parent you feel. So, it it it could be somebody who's feeling that that they have transgender feelings or it could be somebody who feels that they're being kind of pressed into that. The point is that it is code,

186Virginia code, that if a student has an issue and feels concerned about something that that student has a right to be able to go to somebody in a school, somebody in authority and ask for some sort of guidance and some sort of clarification, some sort of help with that issue. And we can't duck that responsibility. That that responsibility is given to us by by Virginia Code. And what one of the things we tr we tried to do I tried to do uh and I I want to talk here about the fact that members of the board did talk to one another. We were scored heavily in um social media for talking to one another. Um for because um Tom had some concerns. Wanted to find a way that we could address those concerns. talked to

187Kyle uh about you know how we could write it in a succinct way and suddenly there was a social movement uh that didn't include the discussion among schoolboard members but became you know uh something that was uh talked about in in very personal and very unprofessional terms in uh in uh social media and I think that was a shame because it it it it kept us from from discussing this as a school board in a as as the norms asked for us to do it in a collegial and friendly manner which we didn't do anything but but uh but through it um it became clear to me that this is about instruction and um but as a classroom teacher I uh see instruction going from bell to bell. And so, and what I wanted to

188include and did include was that any discussions or any other activities regarding gender identity would be prohibited. uh and and so I wanted to take it completely out of the concept of or take that the subject matter out of our school curriculum uh for pre kindergarten through 12th grade. Um and so I think Gloria just indicated that I don't think she has really great problem with that. But there's still it still leaves the question open as if it's not discussed in class. Um then who in the school system is going to deal with that question when somebody has an issue when they want to talk about it when they want to get some personal um personal um guidance um idea as to who to talk to just feel confused and and we have groups of

189people who have been trained to do various kind of counseling and uh understanding of some of the angst and some of the problems that kids go through. Uh and so u we put together this concept of school administrators, counselors, student support specialists, social workers and psychologists. Not that they would be involved every time or that a personal group would do that, but just that there are people trained to be able to listen to what somebody was saying and then to be able to direct them to the place where they would have a soft landing and then be able to work with some social agency, some church, some group that would be able to bring clarity for that student. And so the the one of the reasons this is this is in here and not instruction

190is because we kind of leave the door open if we're not going to discuss it all in class then kind of when tennis didn't bring this up. And so it kind of it kind of fits neatly in here by saying hey when this issue does arise um we need to be able to depend on those people to give good advice. And by good advice and this this here's the important po point here. By good advice, we're talking about discussions um that occur without anybody promoting personal beliefs or advocating any for any viewpoint. And this to me takes a sting out of it because now what we're saying to our counselors, to our students, student students, to our social workers is that you can provide guidance as to where to go to find that landing place

191and what your issues are. Okay? But you can't provide social guidance that would be thought of as grooming or or promoting a point of view. We're saying that's not allowed now. That's not allowed now. Now, um how how do we write a regulation that allows us to do that? We've already done it. Uh when we did the library uh selection policy, um we wrote a policy, uh the board did and the superintendent made a regulation and over the year we figured out ways that we would work with the administrators in the school and support staff and and so I have every confidence that the superintendent and staff and the school administrators can find a team. Uh and Gloria and I did talk about this and she had an idea or a couple of good ideas

192and we talked about this of ways it could be done where it would that kind of discussion would have to go to or through the principal so that the administrator kind of knows about it also where maybe it's done with a team of two people you know interviewing that that student rather than rather than just just one. So there are ways of of of doing this. Might take some for refinement and I think the superintendent would be fine with developing that regulation in concert with the school board to determine indeed you know does that in does that fulfill the intent of what the school board wanted and that's one of the jobs of our chief operating officer is to come up with with with uh with that. Um, so, um, I think it's I think

193it's I I like the fact that it's there. Uh, I think it creates a nice triad with the two other things that it's tied into. One is I I think we we need to tie it into um policy 1A, which is instructional goals and objectives, which I've added to cross references. And two, we need to cross reference it to uh GBA the uh what what what we've been calling for short u the trans the the young and transgender uh thing as far as you know I'll finish with finish but um we are not at threat from any executive order from President Trump. It doesn't come directly to us. Um, we've had two executive orders from Trump that has come come through the the educational system, but it goes through our attorney general who come up

194with best practices. It comes from VDOE and then it winds up for us to deal with. And so, um, you know, the White House, uh, and it's it's an irony. We're white house is uh saying that uh and I I agree with it that um that uh education is the purview of the state and not the national government. So it it it it's a little ironic that we're talking about an executive order, but when the executive order comes through VDOE, it indeed will have the imperimentter of our of our of our uh of our state governor and of our uh state um government. So, um, it's those I I I I think we we make it what we've done here is we've given a student who has concerns a chance to go to people and

195find out, you know, how they can clear up this confusion in their lives. Um, it gives the parents the right to know that. So, it it reinforces parental rights and um and and it it gives us a way to strengthen the fact that they're prohibited from from discussing these things. uh the school people as a from an advocate's point of view. Thank you. I'll take bad at it. Um Mr. Ricks, one thing that you just said was about the executive order and how we're insulated from that. If if I remember correctly, just here recently, we were required to sign a document saying that we met uh the requirements of that executive order. Did we not, Dr. Shepard? It was for title six, I believe. Yes. And um then just recently, Furpa and people privacy rights.

196It did cover transgender or gender ideology or gender um transition as well, did it not? I would have to go back and look. No, I believe I asked that question at that meeting and you told me that it did cover that. That that's what we were talking about. It's on our It's on our previous meeting, so I'll look at it real quick. Go ahead. Don't let me stop it. Um the other thing is is I our federal government, our state government. It's ridiculous how many laws are on the books that supersede or that correspond or that are in conjunction with laws we already have. Um to me, we've already covered this in the Ynan model policies. Um just referring to that takes care of that. If we add this, it just adds to confusion as

197to what the staff is supposed to do. Um, we do cover it. Um, and if you go to GBA, I've got it pulled up on my laptop now. Um, and you read that, it covers it in plain English. Um, why we're attaching anything to the teaching policy that has to do with gender ideology or gender u transition or any of that is beyond me. I understand what Tom wanted to do. Um, and I know what the state requirements are for us to do when it comes to counseling. Um, but like I said, it's already covered in the model policies. Why are we changing anything or contradicting the model policies? To me, it just adds more confusion to it. Um, other than that, I just to me policy after policy, you just refer back to one

198of the policies we already have and it takes care of it. Um, were you able to find that, Dr. Shepard? Yes, it's um so it was title six and it was based on that nobody would give preference get preferential treatment based on race, sex, gender, those types of things. Yeah, it was preferential treatment. Gotcha. Um so we have not had to sign anything yet because we receive federal funds that we are not doing anything when it comes to gender ideology. No. Okay. Um, other than that, to me it's keep it simple. We're over o over complicating things. Um, if you could have been I wasn't going to say which campus, but when we were doing our personnel committee meetings, if you could have been there when we were attacked by one of our own teachers,

199it was to the point that Dr. Shepard had to tell her to get back in line. Um, she was way out of line. And I can tell you this is a slippery slope you're heading down if there's no supervision um as to a teacher talking to a student about either of these topics because that teacher right there, she she was plain out right advocating for it. Thank you, Mr. Mr. advance or Mr. Street. Mr. Street. Mr. Street, do you have anything on this? I guess you know it. I guess one I was hearing teachers, but in draft two teachers is not on that list. So I don't know why teachers was even being said. But, you know, we passed something as far as instruction that we were all under the understanding towards a class. And

200this this draft two kind of is just for an individual that kind of to me falls under me mental illness, I guess you would say, if there's an issue. And the reality is they're going to come to someone if they have an individual problem, you know, with their thinking or their thoughts or whatever. And that was all this was is to cover that before a student goes home and and and and hurts themselves which you know in Mount Jackson we've experienced that. So that's all this is is it was supposed to be simple and it also does you know was my impression that the staff was even a little confused. What what can we do? What can we do? And I guess in draft two to me it's I'm not really big on refer to

201this or refer back to that. Just just tell me what you want to say, you know. I guess I just like to keep things more simple. Just just tell me what you want to say instead of refer to that or refer to this. And and I I guess you know um I guess that's really the only thing I have to say. Thank you, Mr. Street. Um, since we're still on the first turn, I guess with Mr. Vance. Well, I I agree wholeheartedly that the Shannido County Public Schools and all the government agencies out there have no role in playing no role to play in in advocating transgenderism. And I think we we all agree on that, at least here on the board. Um being the oldest person in the room, I had a different support

202system in my life. I had a family, I had a religious foundation. Uh norms have changed and so forth. And we all know that those changes that I have taken place where the the family is not necessarily the same solid foundation that I enjoyed or the religious foundation is not what what what is in place now. Um I'm very satisfied that it prevents the schools of Shannidora County and the personnel therein to be advocates. They should not be advocates. I I agree with that wholeheartedly and I also agree with Mr. Street since the uh the foundations of family and religion and so forth are not there. Who do they turn to? Who do they turn to? They spend 100 what Dr. Shepherd 75 days 175 days. Okay. in a school they build a relationship with

203these school personnel that as I said at the last meeting that that's based on trust and they may need to turn to those people not for advocacy but where can I go as as the chairman pointed out so I'll stop here just two things for me first thing like Mr. street this whole thing has been you know turned into something that it's not. Um you know the we we passed the initial policy and then it became clear that um more it needed to be clear for the staff. We all know that nobody sitting up here is in favor of indoctrination or any of those things. We all know it. Everyone in the county knows that nobody up here is for that. And you know, we've been four of us have been attacked online and said

204that we support indoctrination and all that. We all know that we don't support that. We're we are trying to make this clear, trying to support students if they are having mental issues or something going on that is making them feel in a way that they need some type of help. And like I said at the one meeting, regardless of if we agree or not, which you know, everyone has an opinion on these things. The other thing the staff knows or they should know that policy you have to follow policy. There are consequences in every walk of life. Whatever job you do, whatever you know, whatever you do in life for work, there are policies, there are rules you have to follow. And if you don't follow them, consequences come. So, we talked about, you know,

205staff members, if they cross that line of policy that the school board has put into place, you know, consequences do come from that. It's just like anything you you violate something that you've agreed to follow, things happen. So I want to make it clear that you know regardless of if we what we pass tonight we have policy in place and if it becomes evident to us and there's evidence that you know a violation has happened this you know thing consequences could be in place and that's like I said that happens whatever job you may have in your life. So I don't want it to sound like you know people are getting away with doing this or that. I mean if an actual incident happens and it comes to the board we take that very seriously

206superintendent takes that very serious the staff here the principles I mean we violations of pol policy shouldn't be happening and if that is brought to our attention you know I think it's clear that we will do what we have to do and I think the staff at least most of them understand that um and if they're trying to skirt that line and get away with things. Um, I think it's pretty clear that it's probably not the the best idea. So, um, just moving forward, I think we need to try to give them some some clarity. That way, it's black and white. You know, if you go against this, then, you know, consequences may happen. And that's not a personal attack on anybody that may feel a certain way. But when it comes to your job

207and working in a school, you have to remain you have to be teaching in a way that you know is appropriate. And you know in this case something like transgender that is a different kind of situation for everybody. Not everyone's equipped to deal with that. um you know, we can't just turn them away, turn kids away, but we also don't need to be referring them to organizations or um things like that that have some type of political or um gender, you know, anything tied with gender identity and in a biased way. So, I know I've rambled on for four minutes, but just want to put that out there. um nobody on the school board indoctrinates or supports indoctrination and um we all want want what's best for the the you know school division. So um

208this like I said this whole thing has kind of gotten popped up and propped up as something that none of us have intended to do at least and I just want to make that clear that those are our thoughts and feelings. Um, now that I've gone on for a few minutes, I would like to open up round two. Miss Carlinia, who made the original motion, will have 5 minutes. So again, I understand that that's not the intention of the board members, but as I've shown you right now, what we have in that um in in in that language says discussion should remain within the scope of professional responsibilities. And I've just shown you what the professional responsibilities are. And it does say that it is the professional responsibilities of those people that we mention here

209that they have to be able to talk about gender identity. So they have to so so they're not violating the policy. Can you stop the timer real quick? Okay. Dr. Shepard, are we follow So if we have this in this policy, are we following this definition? So no, there are um this is the American School Counselors Association. there's the American Library school, you know, librarians association. It it doesn't mean that we follow those. Um, so we could have our own definition, but we don't have a definition right now. So that that's throw number one. Uh, the other problem again is, you know, we're putting it in an area for instruction. And I mean and I would like after I'm done with this my comments ask of our board members is this not addressed already in

210the YN um model policies as I showed you right here um and you can go and see it yourselves. Um again we're not saying that students are not going to get help. Students aren't going to get help. They are already getting help. The question is who can talk to those kids about gender identity? And if you don't think that kids who are in that situation know what teachers to go to or what counselors to go to, then you don't know young kids this day because they are going to photoshop and they're going to be able to tell, you know, I'm going to talk to this teacher cuz I know what she's going to tell me and then she's going to send me to this counselor. What we're saying is if we're going to follow the

211young policy, the young policy again designates an administrator or counselor and we already Dr. Sheper and I already talked about that that we already have this designated people. So the question is what can those original people um talk about? In this case, what we're saying is they cannot talk about gender identity. They have to go if if a kid comes up to them and says, "Oh, I have a question about my identity. I think I'm a girl when I'm really a boy." Then they have to go and talk to that designated person. Part of the reason why Young did that is because we have a lot of people who are not trained in this. And in fact, most of the people that we have in this list right now that we um included in here

212are not trained in that. they're not trained to be talking about that. Even our counselors are generally just um there to help our kids with academics and all that kind of stuff. So that that's number one. What we're doing is we're opening up to um having this uh discussions uh inadvertently. The other uh point that I wanted to h to make is um with regard to the executive order, it doesn't have to come from the Commonwealth. I mean, we already know. I mean, I hope all my fellow school members know that the Trump administration is already investigating Lowden County, Prince William County, Fairfax County, and then Richmond schools on this very issue. They are already doing that investigation. It didn't have to come from the state. So, there's a very good chance that those uh

213schools could lose their federal funding. And again, it comes to what districts they can or cannot do. So, this is not about federalism and all kind of stuff. Yeah, we can talk all about federalism and say that we're going to ignore it, but then we're going to have to be willing to lose that federal funding. Um, so if we want the federal funding, then we have to kind of uh follow what those executive orders are. So if we vote uh to include this language and we vote to put this to basically change the yunken policy into the instruction policy, which is just a complete mess. And I understand some people get confused, but that's just the way policy is. You have a policy about instruction. You have policy about counseling. You have policy about different

214areas. And if what we're saying in here is this is about instruction. If you want to know about guidance, then you have to go to the section and the policy on guidance. Um it's not very difficult and they can come to us and we can tell them, yep, go to the model policy. Uh that's just the way policy usually is done. So again we are um I would like to know to know from my fellow school board members I mean does the young policy when it says that the request of parents county school should designate an administrator or counselor to speak together with the students parents regarding questions um pertaining to gender. Do we already are we already addressing that or not? And why do we need to then change it in a different section

215to include people other than that designated administrator? That that's my question. I don't know if it's a misunderstanding with regards to what we're we have here. Um but we have this that we passed. We have two policies that we passed. One about instruction, one about this um counseling. Now we're trying to pass a third one that actually goes against this one and then it's in the wrong place with the first one. So please answer me. I mean does it not how does this not address that problem? That's just a question I would like to pose to my fellow school board members. Thank you Mr. Carenio. Mr. Barlo. Yeah. So um the first thing is um it is interesting to see Mrs. Carolinio's evolution of her view of the Ynan policy which she said barely does

216anything and left too many decisions to the parents and spent the last over Oh, that's fine. I I still don't. I still would like rather change it. I'm just saying it's what we have already. It's not about evolution. I'll take the time back on. So um so suddenly um I've always been favor of the Ynan model policy and think that it gives us as Josh Hler and others have indicated AG Mayaris have said um and um that that this is a safe place for us is is with the Ynan policy. I've always I've always said that. So, so the so our transgender policy has ste has stood the test and it um we are not being sued by the federal government or anybody else. Uh and and so we we've done well if we want

217to weigh in to the issue of and I'm glad we did to instruction in the classes. We have to at the same time realize that students are going to have questions and and they're going to be confused and they do need some guidance. We need to provide clarity for them and clarity for our teachers and clarity for our staff and clarity for our whole administration. And so this what we've added here which is passed muster by our council by the way is is that we're saying we want to make the concept of making sure anybody gives that guidance who's selected by the superintendent and the staff and administrators is clear it's clear that they cannot promote a personal belief or advocating for any particular viewpoint and Mr. Gut made made the point perfectly well that

218now we have sharp delineation what you can do and what you can't do if you're one of these trusted servants educators in our school system. Uh and and I I want to work with the superintendent as we develop the regulations just as we did for library policy. But this this protects parents, it protects students, it protects our staff, and it it makes things clear. Uh it's not out of line. It doesn't Mike said it was no supervision. This is where we actually have supervision just like we do for the library policy. So, um it's these these uh these are to me are common sense ways of allowing our own um our own uh teachers who get asked these questions, by the way, and and other support personnel within our administration or our schools the ability

219to deal with it without putting their fingers and running away, which is which is not what Virginia Code allows us to do. Thank you, Mr. Marlo. Anybody else like to go? Can I have a just a point of um information on that? Again, I would like to know how does that not address that already? because it doesn't it does not say it does not say that when you give that that that kind of advice that it has to be um without any advocacy or or pointing it to to a viewpoint. It makes it stronger. It's a it's a clear difference. But the number four says, you know, should designate an administrator. counselors. What you're saying is you're going to have this large group of people who are not going to be able to talk to

220at every single school. So it clearly goes against the whole spirit of the YN policy which they meant to do this because they were having these problems at other schools where you know there any counselor could talk about this or any you know any um social worker could talk about this and and I'll tell you more in many of them like Lon County the parents are not allowed they're not even allowed to tell the parents here at least we take care of that. So the issue of parental um consent is not even an issue here. That that's just completely irrelevant here. This is what I'm talking about. Well, you asked the question. I'm answering it for you. That just says designate administrator counselor. It doesn't tell it doesn't tell that administrator or counselor what their

221what their frame of reference has to be. And their frame of reference is that they can't advocate for a position that they that they can't have a viewpoint that they're foisting onto this this job. Something I know you're interested in is making sure that these that these people don't use this situation to groom a student and so this would preclude that. So you you asked the question twice and I've answered it twice. That's what it does. That's what it adds to. The question is why isn't it amending this existing policy and it's instead putting it in the instruction because and and again the second question is regarding the whole professional responsibilities as I already said several of those organization so you know we because because it was brought up in January we passed it and

222we went back to do some modifications to clean it up that's what we've been been involved with I personally think that we have a we the I think we a stronger case if we have three policies that address this. Um, one is instruction, one is the is the Ynan model, and the third is this teaching about controversial issues. They're like bricks. They reinforce one another. It it it also makes makes it harder in another administration wants to take one down to take down all three. So, I I think with uh I I think that they work together. Let me give the others, Mr. I'm sorry that kind of confused me a little bit. No, no, just I want because I need to understand now because now you said there's three different policies, but I thought

223this was the instruction policy. It is the instruction policy. Okay. Teacher, we have a controversial issue. Mr. Vice Chair, I'm going to ask a question. Mr. Tree, I got a question for Dr. Shepard. Did our school lawyer examine draft number two in the legal matters? Yes, she did. um at your request she examined our um draft number two um not with the um modification that Mr. Barlo just made discussions or other activities and cross out um guidance activities or programming but before that and she actually wrote that last paragraph she's someone who wrote it. So she modified what was there before she didn't write it she modified it. Mhm. Can I have a So to me, just my personal opinion on the school board here, what supersedes all this discussion? If our school lawyer or

224if our lawyer analyzed this and took all this into account, then to me, I have to go with what our lawyer um approved, looked over, approved, and however you want to say it. To me, that supersedes kind of our discussions. Well, I have a question for you. I mean, does it matter what her um political bent is? Because as a point of information, as I passed before, this particular attorney, and this is directly from her bio, says that she excitedly touts the new Biden Harris Title N regulations and recommendation. So, she is all for the Biden Harris um protransgender regulations. She she is an advocate for that. So, we asked an advocate for Biden um Title N uh regulations to tell us how to regulate, you know, how to change our regulations. So, you don't

225think she's going to do it in order to make it more progressive? That's exactly what she did. That's who she is. I've already cast all this stuff up for you guys. So, no, I would absolutely not follow what she has to say. All right, Mr. Vance, do you have anything before we continue on? Uh, two things. I may be wrong, but I think in Lowden County there was actually in-class instruction as you noted without the knowledge or permission of the parents and that's why Lowden County is being investigated. Not because they had a safety net for students. No, it was more than that. It was a lot of other stuff. It's also with the stuff with the um that student that was actually transfer out among themselves. They have a lot of issues, not just

226this one, but um but yeah. And then uh Mr. Gutshaw, there are consequences when school personnel violate policies. And then with respect to the American School Counselor Association, they might be an advisory group, but they have no legal authority over the uh the staff and personnel of the school. So you're right about that. That's all I want to say. All right. Any other thoughts before we put it to a vote? Well, can I have a question then? What does it mean? Can you please um or can somebody please define what that um professional respon uh where is that? What does professional responsibility mean? I think it I think it uh means an adherence to uh school policies. But what's what and and and if they violate the school policies, am I right or wrong, Dr.

227Shepard, they are subject to being insubordinate? That's correct. Does that give us the right to terminate them because we heard how hard their contracts are to get out of? Depends on what the infraction is. I mean, if that's the case, then you're going to have to before you pass this actually define that because right now, like I said, if I were the attorney for somebody who's trying to to promote this, this is exactly what I would tell them. I'd say, well, it is within your the professional responsibility of your profession as a counselor, as a social worker, as a psychologist to promote something that I mean that's right now. You said you think is this. It doesn't ever anywhere say so. So, where is that? Where's that phrase? in the um discussions should result within

228the scope uh should remain within the scope of proficient responsibilities. Yeah. So there are job descriptions that we have for each and every person who we hire and we we know what we expect from an athletic director and what we expect from a history teacher and and there are professional responsibilities that we're evaluated on and what we evaluate others on. That's pretty clear. So within each of the roles that they play, they have to remain within the scope. So there you go. I don't know. But beside that, that's um where's where's that where's that quote from? From the uh original um uh the proposal that um Kyle or drafted draft. Okay. And so this is why is it is it there? So it's not is it is it in draft two now? Yes. Yes. Okay.

229Yeah. So, discussion. I mean, if I'm a history teacher, I'm supposed to be teaching history. If I'm a guidance counselor, I those are my perviews. I'm not supposed to be a janitor or bus driver and telling somebody what they should be doing. I mean, that's pretty clear to me. You stick to your job description. Anyway, well, then why is there not Well, then let's just uh get rid of that whole entire sentence. I would agree with Gloria. We're going to have to define that. No, that's I think that's ludicrous within the scope of professional responsibilities. Professional responsibilities. Yeah. you know, for example, my professional responsibilities as an attorney may be completely, you know, may sometimes go against what the school would want me to do or what the board would like me to do. So,

230if I'm going to be within the scope of my professional responsibilities, that's what that means. It means what my profession dictates that I should be doing. Same thing with doctors. Um, and that's why we have, you know, so many differences with regards to doctors and right now the American Pediatric um association. So, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to call for the question. All right. Calling a question now for All right. Calling question doesn't necessarily force a vote. You can move the previous question which will end all debate and it takes two3 vote. Yes. But just to yell question that's all that's signifying is that you are ready u that you personally are ready to vote. Okay. So doesn't carry it. I got it. So if I call for the previous question. You move the previous question.

231I move the previous question. It takes a second and 2/3 majority. All right. And no discussion. Non-debatable. Mr. Barlo moves to call the question. Previous question. Previous question. Is there a second? Second. Second by Mr. Street. Roll call vote. No. For clarification. Yes, it is. We're voting now on You are voting to end debate. Yes. End debate. Okay. End debate. Only voting on end debate. Okay. It takes 2/3 of majority which would be four to end debate. Then you immediately move into voting on the question at hand. Thank you, Mr. Street. Yes. Miss Caria. No. Mr. Bance. Yes. Mr. Rickard. No. Mr. Barlo. Yes. Mr. Gutshaw. Yes. Motion to pin discussion and call the question passes by 4 to two. 2/3 majority. So now we'll move into the original motion after read and the original

232motion was by Miss Carino to adopt policy number policy draft pol draft three policy IMB and the second was by Mr. Rickard. Miss roll call. Mr. Mr. No. Miss Carennia. Yes. Mr. Gutshaw. No. Mr. B. No. Mr. Rickard? Yes. Mr. Bar? No. Motion on draft three fails two to four. Do I have a motion for Do I hear any more motions? I make a motion to adopt draft number two. on this matter with INB second. Second motion to approve draft number two INB has been moved by Mr. Street and seconded by Mr. Barlo. Is there any discussion? I pass hearing none. Roll call vote please. Mr. Street. Yes, Miss Carennia. No, Mr. Gutshaw. Yes, Mr. Vance. Yes, Mr. Rickard. No, Mr. Barlo. Yes. Motion to approve draft 2 policy B passes by a 4 to2

233vote. Mr. Barlo. All right, we have one further action item. And it is 6.5 math textbook adoption. Though I have a motion to adopt middle and high school math textbooks as have been presented this evening. So move. Thank you. Second. I'm sorry. [Applause] The motion is to adopt the um math textbook as presented. Okay. And do you have a have a second? Second. Okay. Any discussion? Um, roll call vote. Cheryl. Mr. Street. Yes. Miss Carinia. Yes, Mr. Gutshaw. Yes, Mr. B. Yes, Mr. Rick. Yes, Mr. Bar. Yes. So, the math book adoption process has passed unanimously. And we are ready to hear from Dr. Sheepard with your monthly report. Thank you. This is teacher appreciation week, a time to recognize the commitment, passion, and impact of the educators who shape the lives of our students

234each day. And I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our teachers for all that they do and laying the groundwork for success for our students, not just in school, but in life. Um, once again, we saw year-over-year improvement with our attendance rate with a 94.56 attendance rate across the division in April. Um on um April the 26, our special education advisory committee hosted the SCPS Community Care Fund Fair at Central High School. This event connected vendors and resources with not only our special ed families, but also members of the community in need of support. Uh a few weeks ago we celebrated 29 seniors um who were Shannidoa scholars with at the American celebration on parade. The seniors received a $1,000 scholarship and were selected based on their character, academic achievement, school and

235community involvement. And then um recently we had our staff recognition banquet and I'd like to c congratulate Dakota Stra who is our signal knob a teacher and FFA advisor on being named the 2024 2025 SCPS division teacher of the year. Mr. Strad was selected from the 10 teachers of the year nominees um from each of our schools and was announced at our staff recognition banquet. We also recognize the division new teacher of the year, Stonewall Jackson High School's Deborah Dominguez. Our division team of the year, WW Robinson's behavior specialist, Paul McDaniel and Karen Byer. And then our division employee of the year was Stonewall Jackson High School um principal Mike Dorman, and we are going to miss him when he retires here at the end of this year. Um, also I would like to wish

236everyone a successful end of the school year. It's hard to believe we're there again. Um, now our graduation ceremonies are just around the corner and we would like to congratulate all of our our high school seniors who will be walking across the stage. Triplet Tech students um have their celebration on Thursday, May the 15th. Mountain uh Stonewall Jackson High School, Friday, May the 16th at 700 p.m. Central High School, Saturday, May the 17th at 10:00 a.m. Strawsburg High School, Saturday, May the 17th at 700 p.m. And the last day for students is Friday, May 23rd. And let's finish our school year on a high note. Best wishes to our students and families for a safe and enjoyable summer. Happy to answer any questions. What? You know what time trip at text is? It is at

2377 o'clock on Thursday, May the 15th and it's at Stonewall Jackson High School. Yes. Any other questions for the superintendent? Then we'll move into um board member comments. Does anybody want to kick it off? I just want to say thank you to all the teachers and our school staff for everything they have done this year. Um and we look forward to seeing the ones of you that will come back and the ones that are not coming back will miss you. Uh and also congratulations to all our students. Uh we wish them a great happy uh summer and for those who are graduating uh good luck in all your endeavors and uh we look forward to seeing great things from you guys. Thank you. Next uh two points Mr. Chairman. Um, the retirement reception perfectly done.

238Y'all just get so you get better and better. We're going to have to have more of these cuz we just keep climbing the ladder. A second point is Sunday is Mother's Day. It was proclaimed in 1914 as a national observance. It was originally um noted not in our not too far away community of Grafton, West Virginia was the first place to have a Mother's Day recognition. So remember mom on Sunday, her day of recognition. And if you encounter anyone who is uh indifferent to that, tell them to look up the lyrics to a song recorded by George Jones called Flowers for Mama. It might change their opinion. Mike, go ahead. Uh, first of all, I would like to extend a congratulations to all the kids and teachers uh the kids that were recognized in Strawsburg

239High School's academic awards banquet tonight, including my son, Logan, um, for their high GPA AB honor roll. Um, so to those students, I congratulate each and every one of you. To the teachers that had a role in that, I thank you. Um, I didn't realize until Miss Carlinio spoke that this would be our last board meeting before the end of the school year. So to all of our teachers and staff, I thank every single one of you for the hard work that you've done this year. Um, hopefully we see you back next year. To the kids, each one, I wish you the best of luck. Um, never stop learning. Um, the second thing I've got is I was at a meeting recently with a fellow school board member from another area and he brought to

240my attention a thing called the uh youth data survey or pride survey for short. And apparently if uh if you receive federal funds, you have to participate in that. Well, I looked at him kind of strangely. I said, "I've never heard of this survey." He said, "You need to look into it." He said, "Because if you receive federal funds, you have to opt in to the survey." I said, "Okay." So, I went home from that meeting and I asked my son, I said, "Hey, have you ever participated in a survey where they asked you about gang activity or bringing a weapon to school um or this, that, and the other? Some pretty wild questions." He said, "Oh, yeah. We did that last year. So then I started delving into it. It was done by JMU.

241It's done in their eighth grade, 10th grade, and 12th grade years. Um I I'd like to delve into that a little bit uh if we could sometime in the future, whatever meeting to find out why we don't have optin on that or opt out, either one. Um to me, the parents should be playing a role in that survey and knowing what their kids are being asked in school. Um, and my final thing was I got an email this past week uh from Robin Lama about staff contracts going out and it says in there to please sign your contract by May 21st. It seems like every year we've got somebody that has signed a contract that wants to get out of that contract. If you guys are having any reservations at all, take your time because

242once you sign that contract, if it's after June 15th and you change your mind, you're not getting out of the contract. Take your time. Make sure what you're doing is what you want. Um, do not feel pressured. You have until the second week of June. Um, so take your time, especially if you're having any reservations. Other than that, I hope everybody has a great summer. Enjoy it. Thank you. That's all. Um, yep. Here we are again at the end of the year. Uh, Dr. Shepard, I want to thank you and your staff for the great job you all do. Uh, it's the teachers week and I apologize. Normally, um I'm off on school board meeting days, but I was am unable to get off work and I was really looking forward to going around the

243schools. But a big thank you to the teachers um you know for for all you do and and this week is for you. Um anyway, you mentioned it earlier. It's a sad moment on the south end with Mr. Dorman not going to be around after this year. So I want to you know send a big thank you out to Mr. dormant for I think 17 years. Uh the leadership there in that school and uh I don't know Mr. Hines is anybody been there longer than 17 years as a principal? I remember. Anyway, big thanks to Mike Dorman and and and all he's done uh there on at Stonewall High School. So anyway, that's all I have. Yeah, another great school year. Um to kind of continue what Tom saying, Mike Dorman, a legend, OG some

244would say. Um great leader in the school system. Um so he'll be greatly missed, but you know, a lot of high expectations for Mr. Lennox. He's done a great job there uh learning under Mr. Dorman. So I expect that the good things at Stonewall will continue. Um you know, big thank you to all of our staff members, our teachers, bus drivers, Dr. shepherd, everyone down here that makes the everything uh work properly. I think we continue, you know, you look back a year ago today, I think we're continuing to be in a better position than we were a year ago. Um, you know, each year we're making a lot of progress um academically when it comes to discipline. Um I think as a community as a whole now we continue to try to regain the

245faith in the school system that I think a lot of people um had lost not really because of our employees but more because of leadership uh in other areas. So I think the community continues to to be more confident in what we're doing. They're seeing results from us and uh I think we we continue on this path and continue on in the right direction. uh we'll you know see our academics get even higher and improve and uh you know just try to develop as many college students as many workforce individuals in the workforce as possible. Um and that's all we can ask for. So just another great school year and uh looking forward to next one. Thank you. Uh for our um discussion tonight on u budget and surplus, I wanted to especially thank u

246Dr. Shepard for getting those alternatives uh those four together. It's pretty tough to balance and trying to find something that comes up. Kaylin, I know that you were instrumental in doing that and it will give us I mean I know we were making sausage tonight, but um I do think that uh having those building blocks and things we can move around a little bit might help us at that at our at our work session or or special. But thank you. I mean it really it was as I say it was ugly. Um but it was I don't I don't mean what you did. I mean what we did with it was ugly. But um but those are the building blocks we need. So I I appreciate all the hard work that that you guys did.

247Is that is that a bear or is that a pig? I'm not sure. Um and then don't show me that. That's good. Um this is what happens when you sit at Dennis Morris's uh Oh, I don't I don't even want to know. I don't even want to know. Um, but I um I'm as a classroom teacher, I'm I'm really uh one of the things I really wish I I could have done more uh is to go to the classrooms because I love the classroom. I spent my for first 14 years uh in professional life as a teacher and I really miss classrooms. So, I wish I'd gotten into more classes and known more teachers. But um what I have been able to do is work closer to the to the central staff. Uh and having

248experienced in the Pentagon, I've got a lot of respect for people who can uh run a staff well. And this staff has run well. And uh I I just thought in my life, uh one of my first mentors was somebody named Jack Marsh. And I don't know if any of you remember him, but he was a congressman from this area. And I met him uh when I was in uh I was in special ops and so was and he was a guru pretty pretty and he he took me under his wing and he was just a fine gentleman, Virginia gentleman and he's the first one of that ilk I I met and so I tried to pattern myself after him and then eventually wound up working for Colon Powell and and he was he was

249a gentleman to work for and um so um but I I wanted to give a shout out to another uh prince among men uh tonight uh and that's uh Dave Hegardner uh because uh we have worked together on I've worked closer with you Dave probably than anybody on policies and and just getting along and finding ways of doing things and your positive attitude toward everybody and everything uh really meant a lot to me uh over the last three and a half years and uh I I really respect you what you did and I think um working with I don't mean for but working with the superintendent has been just a marvelous model uh for for anybody in those positions. So that that's meant a a lot to me and I we we were fortunate in

250having people like Deb Littton and Tim T who are such professionals. Uh and having said that I want to start writing other names down and decide I better stop. Uh but uh we we have been blessed with some awfully fine people. And um I I'll I'll finish off by saying this. Sometimes I think people on staffs uh get short shrift because they're not in the trenches, right? They're not in the trenches out there, you know, like I used to do with potty controls in the bathroom or getting the kids. Never mind. I don't want to go into it. But um and people think somehow the central staff is living in some rarified air. Um but they're not. They they do key work and without that kind of management and top spin things just wouldn't get

251done. So I um as much as I kind of missed the trenches, I I also is the first time I've been close to uh senior u education management that is in public schools. And uh I'm really uh impressed with the dedication. So um for those of you who are hanging in there, great. Looking forward to more great things and those of you who are moving on, my best to you. And u on that note, I'm going to uh M real quick. I I did forget I did write things down, but Dr. Hindartner, thank you. [Applause] Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Move to adjourn. Thank you, Kyle. Second. Second. All in favor of adjournment, please say I. I. I. We are adjourned at 10:03. 10:03.