001Thanks for coming. I'm glad you guys. [Music] Oh, very nice. We got cookies. Yes. Wow. Guys, waiting on you. All right. Sorry. All right. I'm calling this meeting to order. This meeting is a meeting of the board of education in public for the purpose of conducting the school district's business and it's not to be considered a public community meeting. There is time for public participation during the meeting as indicated in the agenda. And upon request of the superintendent, the district shall make reasonable accommodation for a person with disabilities to be able to participate in this meeting. Can you please call Mr. Alib Mr. Arnold here here. We have meeting minutes in our packet for April 14. I move that the board of education approve the attention from 28 as Thank you. We have a motion,
002a second. Any discussion? All those in favor of approving the minutes say I. I. Any opposed? Moving on to our agenda. Board policy provides that the superintendent of school shall prepare an agenda for all board meetings as directed by the president. We have a motion. I move that the board of education approve the agenda as presented. Second. As presented. Correct. Presented. I'll second. Uh we have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor of approving the agenda as presented say I. I. Any opposed? Can I ask the first? I'm sorry. That was Amy. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh, sorry. Failing the memory test today. Okay. Um, we have no school presentations tonight. So, we will start with public participation. Seeing no one in the room, we will move on to our administrative
003and board updates. Starting with the superintendent. We pass the $221.8 million. We'll get through. We were working this week starting work on the contracts for Ranger and TP for the uh construction management and architecture. Most of the time we usually subcontract through them or we can set [Music] up that process. Um bond sales will figure out that process. Um Christiey's meeting with um Baker Tilly to talk about that next steps. We're waiting for the the official sent official today. Um we'll go through and start working on the first list of the projects. We know what was put in first series. So it' be a lot of the external work at the high schools. those which is the wood shop and building [Music] area gym probably the gym and then the indoor athletic space. Um we
004have support do at couple athletics facilities. Um going to have bids going out soon for the restrooms at the turfs instead of just two two toilets. Last time I said 150,000 two toilets we're going to see four toilets um in separate bathrooms but with room for athletes to change a private change um we'll have to put the community together and start design there today and then start working on the order for instruments. your question. So, we'll get moving. It's gonna We'll have to facility committee. You're just It's a lot of work, but it it's great. It'll be It'll be really exciting. So, it's just thankful for the steering committee. I thank you today, all the parents and community members that help. And it, as you know, it's been a long process. And just think one
005year ago you set a goal for comprehensive facility study and here we are. We're going to go make that facility study happen. That's exciting. Really exciting. It's always great when the community supportive. Um it's it was overall was 56%. Um and when you really look at like we didn't most districts and most times you get an outside group works as like an advocacy yes vote committee and we didn't do anything we didn't have anybody we just gave factual information overall so people were able to get factual information real time and they support our school that's great um second thing is the elitz scoreboard there's a update in your in the packet um summary with the electrical. It actually fits within the contingency that was approved by the board. The steel comes in on Friday. It
006may not be done by graduation, but they're going to make a valant effort. So, um we have some local uh it was more complicated than we thought, but when we did it out, it came in about half. Can they not get chased whether it's there or something? Okay. And honestly, that thing kicks on. If you had any idea how many times we wire over the years, it'll come back on. So, there's probably but we plan to do the we thought we'd have to come back with asking for more money for the electric turned out. So it should be um and then in your pack on the consent agenda there's a resignation and in your packet is the sign separation agreement and the case withdrawal notice or feature that resigned that's only consent um just so
007that it's we had a public meeting and generally we get notification in the in the separation agreement does not uh Um, and then finally, um, I've talked to all obviously all about this. So, I am planning to retire at the end of February. So, last day would be February 28th, 2026. Been a superintendent for 17 years. It will have been almost 18 at that time. I will been a superintendent longer than almost all of our students were alive. Um, that's a good run. We've had uh 12 years so far in Dexter. came here with the family in 2013. It's been a great it's been a great career been a great person. Um not looking to uh actually just enjoy I've enjoyed every bit of it. I still like it but it's been a good run
008ready for the next phase of whatever my career is. So wanted to give you guys enough time to work in process. It takes a long time to kind of work with that process and transition depending how you go about it and give you time to kind of figure get input from the community and figure out what the next steps are. Get some overlap. Try to get things set up. You're great. You're the exact right to hire the next I was I was hired. They've gone through five to seven years. It was excluding interns. It was so I was hired. It was search was unique and it was uh I was given a couple charges. Provide stability, innovate, and make us the best district. We're not there yet. And we're one of I mean we're one
009of the best districts in the state. So we we've done some amazing and we have an incredible staff, great administration, community. Our kids are great and uh we're able to do a lot of things just with kids provide a great place to grow up and it's it's been extremely rewarding. Thanks for the opportunity. if I get you something ready to accept next board meeting. I want to verbally let you know and thanks for waiting till after I wanted to leave the place in good shape. We're in good hand. Thank you, Chris. On behalf of the board and the community, I mean, I've actually been thinking a lot about how schools work recently and thinking about the bond and thinking about the flow of the bonds. And I was thinking about schools is this just like
010giant relay race and it's just like everyone runs their leg and hands it off and you just hope that everyone keeps getting faster and better and I just really appreciate the leg of the race that you have run for us and it's really been fun to work with you and I think all of us would say that feel like our kids education was really wonderful and we'll be at home. So, thank you. And the the crazy people don't realize how complicated school district really is. I mean, we serve four or five thousand meals a day. We drive hundreds and hundreds of miles a day. We run a giant transportation department. We run a huge food service. We run an athletic department that's a million something dollars. Over 120 coaches. We run a u department. We
011it's almost 600 employees at any given point in the year, right? It's $60 million some years of payroll. We add in $5 some million dollar budget. It's it's not but you got to run it like it's a pop small town that's so it's always this unique balance. I commend all of you for stepping up running for office to oversee it all. Congratulations on you're definitely leaving much better shape than I was the academics shape staff. So we're all very appreciative and I'll still be your Well, thank you. I'm sure once the news starts spreading, it's be the talk of the town. just keeping up with with information here to to share. Um, so in light of that, I would like to um propose to amend the agenda to add a third discussion item so that
012the board has a chance to discuss a couple staffing issues that all those in favor of amending the agenda. Any opposed? Um and then just a final uh update. You all received the information. Um the WSB or sorry the WISD election um candidates are now set as of like yesterday or earlier this week. Um we will vote on those as a board at our next meeting. But I just wanted to acknowledge publicly that we have received health. And now moving on to our student updates. So, spring sports are at student regionals are next week on Wednesday and they're hosted here. So, you can come see them if you'd like. It's at Mil Creek and the high school and starts at 8:30 a.m. Um, we had our senior night tonight. A lot of other sports have
013either had their senior nights or going to have it soon. So, lots of different regional sectionals are going down. So, if there's any home sports, you should probably go check us out. Um, Senior Survivor ended last week. It ended up raising thousands of dollars for the charity. It was a really great effort. All of them raised a ton a ton of money and it was really great to see them all come together and do such good work. AP and IV testing has started. I've already had two, but I only have one more. So, but you can really tell the school there's a lot of chaos going on and a lot of like big schedules. Um, but hopefully that will go smoothly and everyone will take its course. Um unfortunately though with I think school coming
014to an end people are getting a little restless and today in the high school someone it hurt computer um I think that might be again seniors like getting restless and everyone kind of just in chaos hope again sent out a warning to everybody through 12th grade it's happening batteries different school yesterday. We had multiple school someone tried to do one of those fancy too. So yeah, we've told them we're proseens where it happened and it was very strong smell. I'll be at the loop for a little bit. Wow. Um, so hopefully it's already testing going on. Um, and then on the bottom thing, I've actually heard a lot of people talking about how they went out and voted. So, I think that's really nice hearing all the high school students that are 18 using their
015right to vote. And I mean, I've heard some that vote against the important. But I think it's great that our seniors are voting and being proactive. That's fantastic. Great. That's a great update. Thank you. Good luck. Charlotte's really sad she can't be here. Okay, moving on to our consent agenda. Um, this is the board of education and knowledge. A motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Moving on to action items, we have a list of policies for first reading. Um, we have five brand new policies as well as nine policies that are updated to meet. I move that the board of education approve policies 4113, 4105A, 4105, 5714, 5715, 3115, 3115 A U H 3118. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? So just from
016the policy um standpoint, there were um several ESTA updates um in here as well as title N and some brand new ones. So we we went through and kind of just looked at what need to come to you guys and guess my questions let us know but for the most part you know frankly did a great job playing out what's the new what's changes or it's all yes pretty obvious Arnold I moving on to discussion items. First up is the IB course proposal. This evening's packet includes a proposal for a new course at high school IB Sports and items discussion. Can I just clarify? Is this a new Yeah, sorry. Mislabeled it. Not a new course. It's a new resource. So, IB Sports is a IB Sports SL is a course we already run. Uh
017they IB has updated the curriculum and updated the test. So, we need to update the resources that we teach with. Uh we're going to try something new this year, which we're excited. Instead of purchasing a full class set, we're going to purchase five textbooks. The rest of them the IB has made available via PDF that we think our students would much rather access via the computer and the laptop than bringing home a textbook. But knowing that students still do check out books from time to time whereas asking the board for the support to purchase five. So new curriculum there'll be a new test coming in IB next year IB sports. Uh so we need to update the curriculum to match the test program. So it's pretty straightforward. Yeah. all 288. I I know and it's
018not the number, it's the fact that's a textbook we would like to put in front of the board. So, yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. All right. Next up is the WISD budget. Our packet includes 2025 2026 proposed budget documents from WISD and a sample resolution. Um I will just note for anyone who is interested and watching this online that the presentation is available um as a separate link for this board meeting. Um the board must adopt a resolution of support or indicate specific recommendations for changes 2025 and it for discussion this evening. Jennifer was our representative attended the budgetation. I don't know if you have any updates or summaries any I did attend this. It was about an hour some minutes of a lot of detail about the ISD budget. Um it is a very
019large budget. They have a about a 7.4 million general operating budget. Um about 1 mil and 5.2 mills roughly for 64 billion dollar um for the first 7 million 64 million so it's a large budget you know and it merits good amount of discussion and I think that they're very thorough um presented the case talked about the fun balance you know continuing basically the budget to great um they do a nice job I learned a lot about how much they um how much they support our district in terms of the whole process you know helping with a lot behind the scenes um like our school and just different um uh services. So that's a nice benefit that we get. And obviously um a lot of our students are attending um you know they they they
020take their students um that are not able to attend in our district and then educate them through point. Um and then we they provide a lot of different services um adults around So, it was a nice meeting. Um, and I uh I don't want to go through every single page, but that's the clarify this budget to us. Correct. Got it. Yep. Yep. So, yep. And I think that the the second mill which is 5.2 mills was passed in 20 2014. No, we renewed or we put it together. It was that was Yeah. So what happened is in 20 or Yeah. were on there. We did a increase or there was a village increase, right? And Then there was a renew of the original one smaller wind together. But the big jump was back in 2015ish.
021And so that got us up to this large amount which has been a very nice definitely has helped fund some of our our district. So I recommend so we do have to make a formal recommendation I guess in our next meeting that we will adopt this um this resolution and authorize them to spend as they laid out. So if anybody has any questions, let me know. But as said, there's presentation online. One thing that's our legally only local board can only approve or have a say on the general services. They allow they ask special education because it's really And so just to be really clear, Jennifer, as the chair of our finance committee, as person, so moving on to our surprise special item. You do not have to leave. I'm good with that. You can
022choose to leave if you want to. That's I I totally don't hear them. So I think I'd like to save a larger conversation for our next meeting. But I think there are sort of two points that if we can sort of have a little bit of discussion clarity on, I think it will help us make some better decisions. I can bring some information back at our next meeting that will help us like jump forward. So the first thing is I want to talk about the idea of using a consultant to perhaps coach and support important process. Um, none of us have hired superintendent before and I guess I just want to recognize that this is likely the most important thing that we need to do together and I want to honor that and make sure
023that everyone feels comfortable that they are doing a good um so I have done a little bit of research so that I can bring something here to talk to you about. Um, Dexter has worked with Michigan Leadership Institute MLI for 20 years doing various projects. um superintendent searches, strategic plans. I reached out. I had a phone call and a meeting council Barry just to understand more about what they do and how they could be helpful to us. Um I liked him. I thought he was had a calm and thoughtful demeanor. Um he walked me through what this process looked like, which helped me sort of understand what we're about to impart um on. He would do everything from helping us establish a timeline. He would help us conduct online survey. He would facilitate meetings for
024us, the board, as well as for our staff and our community and our students um to provide feedback. Um that way we could get sort of unbiased feedback. It would be people telling us specifically to share whatever was on their mind, which I thought might be a really valuable thing. Um and obviously it is a dexter norm to involve people in allies. So, I just want to make sure that we're doing that in a way that like they get good feedback. Um, he would help with application review and communication with candidates. He would help prepare the board for interviews. He would facilitate about candidates. Um, and then two things that I wanted to just highlight because I didn't realize this could be part of the process. I think certainly u a strong way to sell
025the service has really helpful for us. Um, but he His the contract would also include an orientation workshop for the new superintendent at the court help us sort of kick off our working together. Um and he would provide professional support and mentoring to the leader during the first year on the job. So I thought it was a really very comprehensive program to I think help make a district feel like they are making good choices. Um, so I did I can confirm the MLI is being used by other districts in our geographic area and the consultants they have are for superintendent so they know. So I guess I wanted to throw it to you guys and say what thoughts do you have about hiring additional support? Is this something? What questions do you have? My general
026roles have I'm sure it didn't be comfortable that process steps of us staff. You have a sense of depending on the process we choose that would change the cost. It seems like 5 to 7,000 is the the ballpark that all companies and processes fit under. So it sort of depends how long And that's why I say it includes quite a bit that I thought was valuable for us. That's far cheaper than just paid 20 or 30 survey. And and yeah, to be clear, this includes the survey, the type of survey we would want to put out to the community that everyone could take. and it includes him facilitating a couple in-person sessions with whoever we need as um informally I've talked to another another company and it does fall that same range. I would say
027from my review of things there are sort of two main companies that people use and I know a district and have talked to their other company and I verified that cost that person. So this is this is if you want more information or if you have specific but yeah I guess these are the services you mean yeah I mean with the number I mean you talked about a one year eventually on the way back. What is that pizza that five minutes, you know, I I'm just I'm just saying like five to seven I wouldn't expect. So curious about that. Um and then also the survey, you know, true survey that I would expect. But um but in general, I I I don't think they're going out calling people. I think they're providing the sort of
028apparatus that then complete the survey and then they result right so they might learn materials they don't have to you know promote so it's maybe it is that for us it's a value I totally agree I I I agree with what Brian said in terms of I like the um and what you said which is I think it's important to get feedback from the community and I think to keep us separate from that process is a smart move so that we can get you know honest feedback whether it's a community member um teacher staff member whomever I think that's valuable for us and I want my biggest thing is I want to make sure that um that we're listening and hearing the um you know the the input and have guidance so that we are
029carrying forward wishes. So, so I like the idea of having an outside person. Um, the cost is a question and so it' be nice just to have some sort of outline. I'm sure they have. Yeah. So, if if we are interested in doing this, um, I bring that a service contract. I did I did ask further about the you know the mentorship piece. It didn't seem like there was anything specific in terms of number of hours or whatever. Um so I'm assuming that provide references and resources if the person needs it. Um, but I think my understanding is his goal is to make sure we get a person is to be able to build and all all candidates will be supported resources but making sure that you have someone sort of best use those I
030think it's part of his goal as well and that's about and just this might be helpful information that I can share to um He walked me through the whole process and I'm only sharing at the very beginning with you. um the information that he gathers from the community both the survey and the inerson meetings. he will then help us build a profile of this is the person like here's what the community wants and then that becomes like the job description and right so so it helps people help translate what the community is asking us for the person that we think best so I felt like that was a helpful tool that we and measure anything. You said he was recently Yeah. Okay. So, people are interested in this. So, what I can do then is
031I will bring back the service contract at the next meeting, but I will also let them know that we are interested. Um because one of the things I talked about is clearly we're sort of hearing it and I think the court is going to want to capture quickly before it really on the summer. Um and so this will you're okay with it. I will say yes, we we are planning to okay this and he can start getting things ready for surveys that contract next ahead of time. Yes. I can share it and so we can put it as an action item maybe next. May 19th. Yeah, so I will get that and share it out and then have questions like email me back right away so I can make sure I'm gathering them. Are you
032saying no? probably not as a group as an information item that I'm sending to everyone and then they call myself question. Okay. I guess I just want to be able to bring back the answers to questions. Can people share questions? Why don't you share with Yeah. I'll make sure you know about I just want to make sure all the answers. Yeah. All right. Um, it totally would, but the calendar is not in our now with um his schedule and our schedule it just really wasn't working. So that's why I was like if I can figure out if people are interested then I can hopefully gather information. Um but but I will also bring back some potential dates for how this is rolling out and we will just sort of coordinate the same space as long
033as we value getting another provider or discussion with the provider Um I you didn't Well, so there are a lot of superintendent searches going on around the state and so I've had the chance to sort of you know there's a lot of open meetings and so I've had the chance to sort of experience some of it. Um, and while we certainly could, I guess I was tending I mean I will say that I was at SBA presentation ago and there was like two other districts that were so like it's it's not unusual right now. So that's an interesting point. So like obviously if you're getting a big Yeah, we trust you. I mean we've done a lot of work. I mean this company has worked with Dexter before which I liked. Okay. Um they do
034the surgery. Okay. And so it it I was going back to something that um and I guess I just want to make sure that we have someone really gonna help us process a good candidate and not just pick a top. Okay. So, all right. So, the second thing is as I said there are a lot of superintendent searches going on around and um Chris has given us a good amount of notice so that we can think about what kind of process we want to do and I have now watched districts do this a lot of different ways. Um but and obviously our first priority is gathering community feedback and putting together sort of the profile of meeting and so that's going to be happening current but what our sort of process looks like is going
035to depend on how we want to manage internal versus external candidates. Um I know that several of us have been in classes where we've been given advice on this. Um, and I think we should just talk together about what we think we want to do in terms of balancing the calendar and candidates and just how that all comes together. My strong feedback, but generally You have strong internal candidates start the strongest way to go obviously staff to our executive roles and [Music] also great hot shot experience. Superintendent So we're choosing to go external to hire somebody who's internal services. Does that Does it matter whe the cost the cost of the sort adjusted depending on what we're doing and it can change you know should we decide to start internal process we can still choose
036to researching and so we there might be something in there that should we choose to expand or adjust you know the change But but it's still in that range like for a fully external search it's still notice and is there anything I obviously don't know about but is there anything that requires you to open externally or is there are there any like contract like anything for teachers or anyone who submitting it or submitting internally you had to open it My understanding requirement is you need to interview people in public at a board meeting or a public meeting that it's set up to be just um an interesting thing is that candidates we don't choose to interview that doesn't actually applicants apply and then whoever we choose to interview but if there is someone we don't
037choose to interview that does not necessarily and that's I should say that helps protect us otherwise it's all material that's since these have become public I've been learning all about super um what do you guys think? Yeah, I just want to make sure that we, you know, the data that we do collect from the public, I make sure we do align internal, you know, and not try to do it backwards. Yeah. Don't try to make the internal fit. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. because you're want I mean there's a lot of change. So I see I see a value feedback but I also we are aware pretty closely that retirement lack of coverage and it's important to have especially with the bond and everything else. So I like the idea of continuation of knowledge you know so
038yeah keep it all alive so I think like the conversation we'll have at our next board meeting will be what is and in an ideal world John comment and do that with us but it's the calendar I think we're going to need to do it ourselves but I'm going to ask for guidance to make sure that they're answering questions that he want us to answer. So for the next meeting we should come I think I think that's um without preparing anything that's probably something we should be thinking about. Yeah, I'm gonna as I say I'm gonna go back to let's be really clear what kinds of questions should we be answering. I also just want to say especially with our timing now we are behind other districts only because other districts are looking to have
039a superintendent start on July 1, right? So we have a lot of time but also a lot of a lot of the external candidates are in searches right now already. Um and I have seen some where districts are doing external searches and they are still talking about searching rather than moving forward they have. So I guess I just that's the worst scenario. So, I guess I just want to say that because for us to know that like we always have the option of continuing our search that we can give our district staff a shot and decide if we think that's what we're looking for and we can decide to continue searching and we can continue we can make whatever decision we want under that too. So I I think right is there a different day
040that available or it's just between our um districts honor graduation memorial day um and other searches he's in the middle of right now like every that's what I was looking at dates like dates Um, so yeah. Okay. I think it'll be okay. I to I did tell watch our meetings. So, you know, as long as I have some good questions, we can have some good discussion and watch our and get a feel for. Does that feel okay? Sure. Okay. It's a start and I'll see more next time. Well, I I will say no. Honestly, thank you. I mean, I mean, this is we're volunteers. This is not our fulltime job, so we're not all available to interview on on the same Monday, right? So appreciate that and he will help us put together a calendar
041so that it's all the more we talk about this we need somebody to kind of guide us through this process two board members who are you know like months but frankly none of us have done this yeah nobody on the support none of us so we really do need somebody to help us and I know Chris will provide his input but I'm happy to stay away let me know what you want me to do I keep doing the superend. They went through a lot. Yeah. Had a long chat with But anyone else who wants to chat with everyone else in the in the district, feel free. done a bunch. I will say I this is a challenging process. I honestly feel bad for the districts, the boards, the candidates. It's very difficult to have. I
042appreciate everyone who does it. Thank you for all your work. Thank you. Okay, we are now to our second opportunity for public participation and has as no one has signed up. So for it all of the things Yeah. I'd like to say I never had doubts about it, but cautiously it was great. It's going to be great students, for academics, for the arts, for music, for everything that makes our school district so great. It's just going to continue to grow districts. Really appreciate the effort staff. put into this to this. Everybody put all the thousands of hours to study for the amount of information like how fast to respond to misinformation that was out there. But everybody that I talked to where I was able to talk to specific super maybe not against it but
043unsure of it at first when you walk through how reasoned it was and measured and fairly conservative. I mean the community wanted bigger start right weed down really the necessities for the repairs that we need and then upgrades that districts of our size and stature have. I think it's really proposal and get us through my kids. Very excited that we don't have that to worry about just we had to do both at one time and probably not be so happy. Yeah, I there's a lot to be said about and about stability and knowing understanding your funding stream over time, right? So, we have a long-term um proposal here which is very nice instead of having to come back to the community every five years. You know, you could have split it up into five different
044bonds and you know 80 million or 25 million, sorry. Um, and that would be uh just really time consuming and also you don't um just the the planning with the architects and the engineers and the construction getting as you said last week um on the list of of projects it just makes a lot of sense. So um I appreciate the long-term viewpoint here and district students just really excited about it. I know that there were some concerns about the dollar amount etc. But when you look at the length of the the item and the total uh you know the total village per community it's very much in line. I was at a softball game, baseball game, and a soccer game all within an hour. I saw a bunch of great stuff because our the way
045our district is set up and how cool is that you can watch that. So, it's I just it's really exciting actually sports. Wait, the other thing is Yeah. So, just along those lines, like we have not, and I don't know exactly what's still happening or not, but we haven't been able to have um fifth and sixth grade students in cross country or in, you know, some spring sports or some other sports. And so I'm hoping that with the expansion that we'll be able to provide those opportunities for kids to get involved because we know at least I I saw with my my girls that once they get to seventh and eighth grade they're kind of like worried about doing things because um but fifth sixth grade they don't have as many additions and so we
046can get involved with that time to that point the arts the instruments It's not just the theater and sports science and stuff actually. And then I was comparing our performance at before was renovated for Encore Theater. So you have to imagine it was a little 50s gym or 30s gym. It was 30s gym and it wasn't even I don't even think it was paint when I performed there. and that's where we perform. And then you fast forward to a couple years ago when they did fitler. It's like that's bond money. That that's the difference. And just looking at it, it's like wow, how different is that? I mean, and our performance is very very good. If you watch the video, you that's great. Um, okay. We have information items at the end of our packet.
047We have policy minutes. We have seab minutes. We have the AL alit schoolboard summary that Chris alluded to earlier. And we have the separation agreement for the resation. Um, we do not have a closed session tonight. So, thank you everyone. Thank you. I know. I never clear.