Board Meeting - 2-10-2026

001All right. Good afternoon, everybody. And I just looked at the clock and I said, "Where's our student reps?" And they just informed me we're still in session at school uh for some of them. So, I'm used to a 5:30 meeting. So, my apologies. >> All right. Good afternoon, everybody. And I just looked at the clock and I said, "Where's our student reps?" They just informed me we're still in session for some of them. So, I'll give you the 5:30 m. >> There you go. >> Thank you. >> Sorry, I hate hearing myself reverb again often. >> Yeah. Yeah, that was that was all right. If I had me a little puppet, it' have been good. I can done well. But uh >> so the board has been in close session for a hearing before the

002board about uh school placement and then also we talked about some other items concerning safety. We're back into open session for the board. So we're just going to jump right into things here and turn it over to Dr. Cox for comments from the superintendent. >> So wow, I'm so excited because we are actually back in school uh today. So thankfully, let's hope that this warmer weather trend continues. Um that's what I'm banking on. So thank you all for your patience and um oh well it took a lot of patience over the last couple of weeks. Um but winter's not over. So uh we uh need to anyway we we we need it to be over pretty soon. So anyway, I I mean I feel like uh our teachers and our principles and our parents uh

003students I I know we had students uh uh who were cheering yesterday when they got the call uh to be back in school. So that was nice to hear, but I think we're all ready to be back to some normaly. Uh but despite that, we do have some things that are going on within our schools and planned and hopefully not cancelled. Um but this Thursday we have our um uh EC community night. It's it's between 6:00 and 7:30m and this time it's uh specifically on autism and uh supports for students. So we're really proud of our EC department who continues to uh bring new learning. There's a guest speaker that'll be uh there on um on [clears throat] Thursday night and this is at Mountain View Elementary School. So like we did uh several uh

004last year, this year uh we're trying they were held mainly at the early learning center. Um this year we are uh making the venues a little bit different to be more con convenient for some families too. Um Blue Ridge Elementary School, Mountain View Elementary School, and West uh and Westwood Elementary School. Um, I'm going to ask you all to come on up as I have a certificate for you and Ash County Early College. [clears throat] All right. So, can you all hear me? There you go. So, every year, uh, schools are honored for academic growth and they're honored for graduation rates. And so, uh, Westwood Elementary School, Scott, congratulations. Westwood Elementary School was honored for exceeding academic growth based on last year's test scores. So, congratulations. >> Mountain View Elementary School um was uh recognized

005for the academic growth award, too. Congratulations, Blue Ridge Elementary School also recognized for academic growth. Congratulations. And Ash County Early College High School uh was um awarded a certificate of achievement. Um and this is for um graduation. And I want to say this because this is really something. To have this many schools receive an award in a year that we had last year is absolutely extraordinary. 47 days of in-person instruction is what we did not have. We did not meet uh the hours or the days last year. They had to be forgiven. Um so the kudos to our teachers. We have outstanding teachers. Kudos to our administrators who uh kept it together under so many different circumstances. And then kudos to our families and our students who uh despite all of the odds excelled. So

006congratulations. Now, our Ash County best of Ash County awards that are with our newspaper. We had several that were recognized as well. Um I think you were able to have a lunchon on January 19th. I don't think we were out that day. Um but best school was um voted on was Mountain View Elementary School. Best teacher, Angie Miller of Westwood Elementary School. best principal, Dustin Farmer of Bash County High School. Um, kudos to all of you uh for being voted um the best of the best. And of course, uh uh Mr. Farmer coming up in May is going to be honored. When is your interview coming up soon? >> Uh March 18th, I believe. >> Okay. So, coming up in March, he's going to have his interview for state principal of the year. And so,

007he is one of the eight regional finalists and we're very excited uh for him as well. Um, Mrs. Brooke Brownwell, exceptional te children's teacher at Westwood Elementary School, and Lisa Sabaha, um, the ESL teacher at Mountain View Elementary School were selected as January's employees of the month, and so kudos to them. And, um, we also have um, had some books selected for February already. I don't know [clears throat] if I wrote it in here or not. I guess that'll be next time. Katie Rodriguez who's a social studies teacher at Ash County Middle. Uh Mr. Dean Roupert, maintenance technician at through our um county through our entire district and our entire Ash County Schools custodial staff were chosen as the February employees of the month. So I did have it written there. Um I I'll tell

008you our custodial team really worked hard at clearing that ice and snow unlike any other. And not only that, our principles were out there trying to clear the ice and the snow. And I think we had some teachers out there helping uh as well. That was a heavy lift. I know just digging out of my driveway uh was a heavy lift, let alone our entire school driveways and the sidewalks were especially difficult this time. So, um kudos to all of all of them. Um our central services team, they work no matter what. So 12 months whether they can get out or not, they're working because the the job goes on even when we don't have students in class. Um administrators the same. Um so I just want to commend all of you all who were

009here day in and day out um trying to get us back to school. So uh thank you. Um we've celebrated last week uh even though um our counselors and students were not in school for most of the time. Um it was National School Counselor Appreciation Week. You may have seen some of our school um and district social media posts. Um we are so appreciative of how they support our entire community. So, from our students and staff, uh, but also our families and we're grateful for the difference that they make. So, thank you to all of our school counselors. February, the month of February is CTE month. And, um, CTE month, we're proud to recognize more than a century of preparing students for hands-on real world skills that lead to meaningful careers. And oftent times that

010is our CT classes. And so from welding to um uh engineering, uh we have uh construction, we have a little bit of everything in our CTE uh courses to offer our students. um automotive. Uh they even help to do some routine maintenance on our fleet vehicles for our districts and they're doing handson real world work and are all available there at Ash County High School and we have great partnerships with our community college as well that all that allow us to offer a wider variety of um courses and pathways for our students. Um just a reminder um to all of our high school students, you it is time to start registering for classes here coming up in the next couple of weeks. And um I know Mr. Pennington has put together a full ETE booklet

011uh this year of this year's courses. Um the high school and the early college high school um both have a huge selection of courses. Um but really take a look at that. I encourage our community to um go online to the high school and early college websites and see what's being offered. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what our students can choose to learn while they're in high school. And many of them are earning uh college credit while they're doing so. So, please get on online and look at it. Maybe we'll do a social media post and put it out there so anybody can look at it. Uh so you don't have to go on the high school or early college website to do so. So, um it's really amazing what we're able

012to offer being in a small school district. Uh school resource officer appreciation day is coming up at the end of this week and we certainly appreciate our school resource officers and and they do so much more than helping to keep our school district safe. Um they are they know our families, they know our kids, um they know our routines here within the school, but they teach kids, they mentor them, um they build strong connections, and we are just very thankful um for all of our school resource officers. Um Bustler Books. So Mountain View has something really exciting happening and I I don't remember the actual context of how uh Mountain View was selected. Um but um kudos to the media specialists at Colleen Dixon is uh fantastic in Mountain View and was instrumental in bringing

013this to Mountain View. Um Mountain View is one of only 12 schools nationwide that is going to get to participate in this uh event. And uh they have a colorful bus that's going to come and bring free books to a lot of different kids. And this is because we are title one um schools, but Mountain View was one of those 12 in the nation selected to be a uh um have the author and um [clears throat] excuse me, have the author and u be able to enjoy um a visit um by the author and illustrator. So real excited for that to happen and that's coming up [clears throat] on April 2nd. So, not too far away, but I wanted to say that so that kids make sure that you're in school on April 2nd. This

014is also love the bus month, and boy are we thankful for our bus drivers and anybody who gets behind a um school bus to drive kids home. Kudos to them. Now, we're also looking for bus drivers. So, if you want to uh join our team, um I tell you, we have the best kids around. And I think any bus driver will tell you that. Um, but I'm so um thankful for our bus drivers. They know our kids. They know our family, know our families. Um, they make calls uh sometimes in the we hours of the mornings and say, "Hey, we can't make it up your driveway or, you know, up your road to get the driveway. Meet me here." And they do. And so, we're very thankful for all of our bus drivers. Um, I

015can't say enough great things about them. And so, it is Love the Bus Mon. So, if you want to show your love for our bus drivers, um, please give them a shout out. Now, one thing I'm really excited about. So, you know, some days some days you think when you're sitting behind a desk and doing a lot of administrative things and you you just get underwater with some of that and kids are not directly in school. So, if you you can't just go escape to a kindergarten classroom or a third grade classroom or, you know, a special needs classroom, you know, sometimes that are our happy places when we know great learning and they're going to be excited to see you. Um, last week we had um some student athletes on our day off that

016um not day off, it was a uh well, it was I don't think it was even a remote learning day that day. um who needed to make it to compete for uh their last chance to make states. And so we were able to get some waiverss in place. Um so the families were able to take them to uh compete when we couldn't put buses on roads. And we had four additional students who made states because of that. So I was really excited to do that. It's always nerve-wracking, but um thankfully uh everybody was uh um excited to be there. But we have Gracie Finley, Addison Dollar, Caroline Parsons, and Lauraai Overcash who all uh made states for the 4x two. Um Gracie Finley also long jump and pull vaults. Natalie Carpenter, Khloe Henderson, Abby Miller

017all made it for shot put. Lauraai Overcash for high jump. Cultter Rollins for pull vault. The boys 4x4 of Saw Green, Logan Deour, um Coulter Rollins and Hayden Beamer. Um Jude Tilly for shot put Sawyer Green and Logan Deboard for high jump and Sawyer Green for the 55 meter hurdles. That's an outstanding number of athletes who made or who qualified for states which is coming up this week I believe. So congratulations to all of them. I've also included um the newsletter that has some things from January. We'll have some coming up for February. Um but in addition to the EC community night that we have coming up, the Beta Club induction for for Ash Early College um high school is this Thursday at 5:30. So um uh just before then you can go right over

018to the EC night. They also have an open mic night following that event. Ashley County schools will participate in the celebration of America's 250th. Um there are going to be lots of different activities coming up starting this month and you guys will get a full list of those here um later today and we keep adding to them. Everything from writing contests to creativity. But I did include a document um in the supporting documents that you can click on and and read about. Um but from now until summer school the entire theme will be surrounding America's 250th. So everything from innovation and science and mathematics uh to learning about historians and uh historical figures. Um we'll be doing all of that with uh within Ash County schools. A reminder to families, this Friday, February 13th, is

019now a full student day. So we've had quite a few days out, so this one will be a full student day. Um Ash County Early College High School um has their visit on February 17th at 9:00 a.m. and we're excited to join them and see what they're learning. And then uh Westwood has a showcase on February 27th and this is a showcase of student work. So we're excited about all these things that are upcoming in the next couple of weeks. Um and hopefully you can get them on the on on your calendar. I'm sure there will be more uh that we will uh make sure that we announce. I also wanted to say um that I think as you all know Ash County Schools does our best to um develop partnerships and write for grants

020and sometimes the grants are with other people. Um but um this one um thanks to Jamie Little um again for uh this grant um we have a partnership opportunity for suicide prevention in schools. And so there are some specific things um that from youth uh aware of mental health or yam and SOS, signs of suicide and um who will be getting some professional learning um and uh partners that we we have um from this are the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill um as well as um several medical institutions who will be helping us to um implement some of this. So, um, more information can be made available from Jamie. Um, but we were just notified, um, of this, uh, grant award and potential for us to have, um, this training for our teachers and

021staff, um, at each of the schools, um, available. Jamie, do you have anything else to share about that? >> Um, we are excited at the possibility to be included. Um, I think it would be a really really good thing for us to be included in and we're really early in the project, but it is a fiveyear, so there'll be more information. >> Thanks, Jamie. >> I have a It says a research grant. Will our information go into what kind of research? >> Uh, not identifying student information. It would be specific to the number of students that would be be, you know, taught a lesson. Um and then they would do some surveys and I know that happens without parent permission. Um and so really just looking at gains in knowledge about certain concepts that >>

022it would happen with student or parent permission with >> I don't know what I said but yes >> clarify. >> Yes. Um so it's it's not identifying student information or anything specific to Ash County. It's looking at rural schools as a whole. So we'll be lumped in a brief as my understanding. >> Okay. Thank you, Jamie. >> As soon as we actually have the details of this, we we just know that we have been selected. We will bring that to you um to be able to make some uh more informed to be more informed about I guess. So, but right now we don't have all those details. We're just going to notify that we were one that had the possibility to participate. >> Awesome. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Pugs. Thank you. >> We'll

023move on to new middle school update. I see Miss Allison Kent Sullivan there. >> Sure. She's like the weather >> and she was on a two-hour Zoom while we were in close session. So, >> change a little bit. >> Yes. Um so I tracked mud and I apologize. Yeah, we were on a job site today. Um so um they contractors remobilized yesterday because they have been they've also been on snow delay. So >> [clears throat] >> um but they're back today. Um they had three different contractors um working today. Um in January um prior to the ice and snow, the utility contractor was able to um set uh grease traps on the kitchen waist lines. Um the concrete retraining wall has been prepped for in installation of waterproofing membrane. Some of that actually was installed.

024Um steel placement continued over the second half of area A and they actually working on that today. Um and the mockup panel which is a demonstration of the materials and how all that goes together on the exterior walls that um is in progress. Um there was not any work to really show for the last two weeks. >> [laughter] >> shortly. >> Oh well. >> But but they're coming back and we have more more contractors that'll be here tomorrow. >> If we schedule another day all of us to meet up there like we >> go tomorrow [laughter] when the weather gets a little >> of course. Yeah. >> Has been what a month or two? Couple months actually. Or longer. Yeah. Yes. I would not recommend it. No. Not that weather dry of course. Yeah. Because

025I drove up by there and it looks really good, but I don't know what I'm saying. >> Yeah, of course. Yeah, it's safer is what? Yeah. >> Right. Okay. >> Yeah. Mud slides like ice, doesn't it? >> Yes. >> Thank you so much. >> After public comment, we do have the next after >> after. >> So, we've got next public comment. So, in accordance with policy 2310, the board chairperson will recognize speakers in the order of which they are signed in. Each speaker will receive three minutes to present comments. However, the public comment session will not exceed 30 minutes total except by majority vote of the board. If a speaker is unable to present all of his or her information within the specified time limit, the speaker may provide the board with additional information in

026written form. Please refrain from addressing specific employee, student, or board concerns as a part of public comment. Concerns may be directed to the district leadership as prescribed in policy 2310. Board members will not respond to individuals who address the board except to request clarification of points made by the presenter. The board chairperson has the authority to speak on behalf of the board and refer concerns to administration. Except in cases of emergency, information received during presentations will be not be acted upon at the time it is received. That's a mouthful I have to do every time. So sorry there. So we do have one person for public comment and we have Miss Emma Howell. >> Afternoon. First I would just like to say thank you for giving me the the opportunity to be here today. Um

027my name is Emma Howell. I'm a student at Ash County Early College High School. Um, and I'm here for raise awareness about the internship and job opportunities, job shadowing opportunities through the high school that are available not only to high school students but also to the early college students as well. There are so many students that graduate with strong academic knowledge but are rarely exposed to real life jobs and careers. And too often the value of these experiences are very undermined because it is so difficult to grasp what the career actually looks like until you've experienced it for yourself. Without these opportunities, students wouldn't be able to see real life careers in action. And they also wouldn't be able to explore their passions or really understand what they're interested in. There are also a number

028of leadership programs that prepare life prepare students for life beyond high school. For example, I'm a part of the Gear Up leadership program that actually inspired me to be here today. And I'm also shadowing at Ash Memorial Hospital to get a better understanding of what working in the medical field is truly like. Um, and I am so thankful for both of those opportunities. I also believe that all students deserve a chance to gain those opportunities, gain that chance, um, if they have the desire to. I also think that working to highlight and promote these opportunities is very important since not all students understand how valuable they can be and also even realize that they exist. So again, thank you guys for supporting these opportunities for our students to grow beyond high school and thank you

029for giving me the opportunity to talk to them. >> Thank you. It's It's really nice to have students that come and talk about things that we need to hear. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, now we'll go into action items. So, we'll get Miss Allison Kimpson back up for change order with the new middle school. >> Yeah. in your packet of information. So, um this is actually uh called change order number two. Um the original contract was for the early site package. Change order number one was where we incorporated GMP for the total projects. That's why this is called change order number two. It's a little bit confusing because it's the first time I've actually come before you for any changes at all. So, um there's actually 14 different items um that we've been

030working through. We've actually it says the last one's number 19. Um there's many more that I haven't even included on here, but we'll be coming to you at a later time. Um it just happens to be at this time that there's a credit coming towards you. So, got lucky. So, [laughter] but um I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. >> Of course, I always have a question. Uh but I was wondering why that the um cast iron would even considered if we're changing it already to the PVC plumbing. Um >> so cast iron is is very traditional. It's used for waste underground waistlines and um it was PBC was offered as a um a credit back to us from the um contractor and the um credit was was good enough that we um

031considered it and accepted it. It's only for the underground. It's nothing above the slab and there's really I mean they can put it in it's f they can put it faster but there's really no negative to it. Cast iron's kind of a traditional um waistline installation but um as long as it's under the slab there's no issues with it. You can't use it by the slab and it was kind of a win-win. We didn't see any negatives to it. So that's why we decided to go with it. But it's not traditionally used in um I'll call it institutional buildings. My question >> I want folks that have had trouble with cast iron. >> My question was >> what is the strength difference? So the life time uh expected life expect the life expectancy of the

032two different products. Are they equal? >> I would say PVC is probably better. >> Probably better. >> Yeah. especially in our environment >> and and the uh huge drainage issue we had at Mountain View. Was that cast iron kind of pipes that we had damaged over there? >> I don't know anything about Mountain De. I'm sorry. Was that storm grain or was that wast? >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, I mean I can speak from experience in years past. So, a lot of times cast iron will fail over time because it does I'll say rot because it just deteriorates over time and you know PVC as long as it's glued properly it holds up pretty well. I I didn't actually talk to you about that but I don't have any issues with it. Do you see

033any problems? >> No, I think it's you're going to get more life out of it. >> It's schedule. >> Yeah. As long as they don't have, you know, the corrosion is an issue with water and metal. anytime that start happen. >> Is there any difference in uh amount of time to install it? Because >> goes in faster. >> Yeah, it goes in faster. So, >> so why was it suggested in the first place? It's cheaper. >> That was sort of like, >> you know, we all are setting our ways and engineers or some of our engineers are older like myself, >> you know, you just repeat. >> You do what you think you're >> You do. That's right. Yeah. Again, it's an institutional cast iron is sort of an institutional product. You put it you

034use um PVC a lot more in light commercial, but it's an industry that you see changing. So, but again, you can't use it above ground. And that's another thing is um you kind of stick with the same product overall from everything. Um above slab, we have to go back to cast iron. So, it's only used in one application. You can't use it anywhere where you it's called plain spread where it could be exposed to um heat. So only in slab is where we're going to be able to use it. That's another reason just consistency of materials. That's another reason why they probably didn't even suggest doing it because you have to switch product when you get slab. >> Okay, that makes sense. Makes sense. >> Okay. >> Well, I'm excited about the plus mark. Okay.

035Well, don't get too excited because I'll be back. That's a lot. [laughter] >> There's going to be some other ones. >> There will be. Yeah, there will be. >> We'll take what we can get, >> right? And as we go through shop drawings and, you know, just refine systems and drawings and ideas. You know, today we were looking at a system that had two different waterproofing. I said, why were we doing that? Why don't we look at one system? So, if something fails, there's only one one vendor we could have to go back to. It may or may not be more expensive, but we're just trying to make the system and building better. It's just a process we continue to go through. So again, it might, you know, we continue to make system and everything

036better and we might come back. It might be a nice house. I don't know. But it the whole process continues to evolve. So >> and this is out of contingency. So it'll be back in and then that'll be back and forth. >> That's right. We do have um funds for this. we have contingency that comes out of that. So, the budget does not increase for this. >> I'd like to see C18 the um portable line management for the cafeteria which gives more flexibility to the space I think. So, yes, that was another big plus I see. >> Yeah, that's something Tammy and I talked about now before we even consider that. Yeah. Yeah. >> Any other questions? Now, do you need our I'm noticing on the contract it's the owner's Ash County, not the board.

037So, do you need our approval as well? >> Well, yes, but um because the contract was originally signed by the county, that's why it has their name on it. But yes, you >> Okay. >> We need your authority to >> Okay. All right. Hearing no other questions. Do I have a motion to approve the change order? >> So move. >> I've got a motion by Miss Eldrith. Do I have a second? >> I second. Thank you, Miss Ward. Any other questions, comments? All those in favor, raise your hand. Right. Motion carries. We got one online, too. We're good to go. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Keeping with pipes and water and all that kind of good stuff. We've got Westwood Water next on the agenda for Madern and Craig contract. >> So,

038while Jody's coming up, you This has been a long time coming. This has been a long time coming. We've been working on this with a group of people from uh the city and uh engineers and others. So go ahead J. >> Yeah. So what we are here to do, we've got some contracts from Mron and Craig. They're our engineering company we've started to work with who is going to do the design uh for the West Water system. Um and again like Dr. C was saying we're working with the town um uh some other groups that give impact that have worked on the sites and fire marshall. >> Yeah. Josh as well fire fire marshall has been involved in this um to get this project rolling. So this would be kicking off them getting a site

039survey completed and then starting to get a design together so we can get it u in front of a vendor for bidding. Um, no, we will have to get it through DPI and and I'm working with this engineer. They're going to help us on other regulated agencies. We may need get it through DEEQ, which is the water state uh management group. So, we're clarifying who what areas we need to get it through. Um, local fire Josh feels like it's pretty good. We probably will need to take it eventually through the town of West Jefferson as well because it will go on their property. the building that we're putting up there. Um, so yeah, this is just kind of kicking that process off. Uh, which is good to say we're finally here. Um, but we would

040like to to get your approval on that. Feel free to ask questions before we go. >> Well, I I have a concern. We got I read off 83 pages. I did not understand 82 and a half of a [laughter] Okay. Uh, but here's my my concern. Um, this is the same group that designed it to begin with. Correct. >> It is. >> I'm older than dirt, so I know this. So, um, why are we I'm a little bit concerned that we're going back with this design. And I know that they put the water in the tank at least twice to make it work before when they were consulting with us after it wasn't working. So, why do we I mean, why do we think this is going to work at the third time? Well, in

041the contract, we've we've written out that we will be we're requiring for it to pass through our regulated agencies. So, it's going to have to work through Josh before we can finalize the project. >> So, that that should be our you know, we understand that going into the contract. Um we I wasn't here on the project. I've consulted with some of the other other groups that were on on the project. Um, none of us were here on the project many years ago. >> I I I from from a management and a personal level, I >> can understand the concern there. I think there's value in that they were there during that. >> Um, >> there's been discussion that they weren't on the project for the school when the school was built. So, there was a

042divide. Now again I don't mean to >> my understanding was that that that's who we contracted with to begin with to do the water. >> It was it was there was a separation though when the school was built they were not held from my understanding they were not held all the way through the project. So they were they the project was started with him. >> Oh >> but it wasn't completed with him. So there was a grade of the school. This is conversation that I had. I've not seen it in writing or I didn't go back and look through they were detailed but they raised the level of the school and I'm not sure if that's what's causing it but everything that we've tried to eliminate blockages in the line it's not it's not meeting

043what the original numbers were supposed to be. >> So what we've had them do is calculate numbers that should meet the flow rate. we do the upgrade, we'll have it tested and if it doesn't meet test then we need to it'll have to be resolved. >> Is that in our contract that I saw in the contract that if we have additional work and we pay 1.15% of the extra cost and uh are they not liable or accountable I guess is the word I'm looking for if it doesn't work. Well, again, some of that's some of the legal understanding that I have and I'm and again, I'm not a lawyer either. So, um I I would feel that their reputation as a company is online and we we work closely to make sure that we provide

044the product. So, you know, I'm I I'm taking faith in their their design um with my with my experience with them and I I feel like that's their stamp and we're moving forward with it. I I understood the risk that I was taking, but the concerns overweighed my risk on the impact that we want to move forward with this project to go out and try and educate another engineering firm on the property didn't outweigh having project knowledge of the current property. I think I'm mostly concerned, Jody, because we got burnt with an architect contract not too awfully long ago. Yeah. >> And so I really want to be um sure that they are taking responsibility. I didn't see many timelines in this. I'm hoping that's coming. But once we grant this um what are our

045safeguards in this contract that number one we'll get the product that we want and number two that we're not going to have to fix a bunch of stuff at additional cost. Is there any any um guarantees in this contract? Any reassurances in this contract? I didn't see them but there again I didn't understand what I was reading. just you know >> well from my request from lawyer standpoint and I'm allow lawyer to move through it but communicating lawyer it's been requested that we have support through the regulatory agency because that's our hurdle right you know you can have you have water run through a pipe but the the role is how fast does it have to roll through the pipe and that's got to go through our regulatory agency so we need the engineering team

046support to get to that number and that's what we're going to rely to them to do is the and the safeguards are potentially payment dispersement and other possibilities that we would work on our lawyer our legal team on if we came to that now in all the projects that I've been a part of since I've been working here and in previous places we've not had to take those options uh we are able to provide a system before we get to the point of having to make major changes which we've built in a design from the motors standpoint to exceed the flow rates that we may we'll need. >> So we've tried to design it in a sense that yes we're going to be above and beyond what we need to give us that those places

047to where it doesn't become a legal conversation. We hope it never has to become that. That would be the I'll try and do as much from my engineering facility lens to prepare us for success as best I can in that in that sense. The contract sense, I'm I'll be honest with you, I'm not going to be as strong in those areas to prepare us with. But the the project management and the design, I've I've really feel like we're in a good spot walking forward with a design that we're going to have based on the group that we pulled together and for what we asked for when we designed the pro the system because we asked for a motor that is is able to push beyond the gallons per minute that is required. So if we

048have something that's not pushing the water that we need, then we can change the we can work on the motor and where it's pushing. >> Okay. >> So again, that's that's what we've worked to design. >> And Fred did review this contract. I was just getting ready to ask how they >> you know I'm glad he did but I'm I'm still a little blurry about you know uh these contracts seem to benefit the engineers and the architects and those folks more than they there's more safeguards for them than they are for the school system and I was a little bit concerned that we're going to pay them 75 cents a mile to come and confer is that extra or is that is there a number of is that not included in the price that we

049were quoted that we're going to pay this this group. >> So there's two different prices on there. One of them is a lump sum for basic services. And so that's not an addition. I think it's um J is that the >> Yeah, it's the exhibit J replaces some of the others that would be under that section. Um so um >> it's also in J under uh article three >> and so Jay if you look so if you look on page five of 24 which is actually the eighth page of the document um which anyway just the way they're numbered under the basics um services under article one exhibit A that's a lump sum amount and that's where Jay I think had replaced it. So then when you go down to the resident project, I actually

050asked this question to um Diane, make sure we want to overpay. There's another hourly um rate for resident project representative services which amount to $52,500. >> And I was like, I'm not paying $52,500 an hour for anything. >> Um so the hourly rate, that's actually how it's build underneath to get to that amount. So, some of them are hourly services, but they're listed out on the bottom of the hourly services that they can charge. >> Obviously, I went into the wrong profession if I'm getting paid $350, >> right? Exactly. Well, 500 No, $52,500 an hour. >> Right. >> So, but that's not the way it reads. It's actually it's paid at an hour hourly rate as listed in the chart below >> to get to that amount. Yeah, I understood that part I could go.

051>> Yeah, we did we did follow up to clarify that and it is >> explain >> where where will we get the funds for that? [laughter] >> So the funds are coming from the public schools renovation whatever whatever that both the county and we would have to now we've set aside about $500,000 um for that amount. So >> we we have we've updated the spreadsheet with that amount that the engineer has provided. >> Okay. >> So it's in the calculations for what we have left and publish the bill. And I can assure you if Chubby's not happy, I'm not paying bill. >> Good. >> Yes. >> No, I'm not afraid to tell somebody. [laughter] >> Well, I mean, Jody, I don't mean to I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I just know

052that we ended up paying some money that I didn't feel like we should have paid because we were not diligent in how the contract >> long before any of us >> long before me included. >> I was going to say were you there? [laughter] >> I'm older than her. Um, >> no, I I I can understand your concern. I definitely think that's one of the values that you bring to our community and I appreciate your questions about it. I did take all that into a lot of that into consideration when we did this and I slept many nights on that thought as well. Um, I think though the time outweighed the tit of trying to educate a new a new engineering company on the ins and outs of our community as well as that school

053didn't outweigh going to try and bring somebody else in new because of what I've started to see through the FEMA contracts and how slow people are to come and work in our community. And I don't want this this to be an issue when they're talking about finding people to come either. >> Allison, can I ask you a question? And would I be putting you on the spot >> about asking about this firm? I wasn't around when they did Well, I was, but I wasn't part in this role when they built that. Is that is this a good >> Do you have good things to say about this engineering company? >> Yeah, I don't know which engineer you're working with. I've worked with Matthew about I've had good success, but I mean it always comes down

054to who exactly working. >> Yeah. Who's the engineer? >> So I don't but I have had but it's like every firm you work you got to say will be make them account. I'm sure >> Yeah. Um I think we've got a a lawsuit pending right now of a company that we didn't do that with as well. That's another of my concerns, Jay. That has nothing to do with you, but uh we don't need to be trying to fix stuff if we can prevent it. >> I agree. >> We agree. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions, Mr. Judy? >> Do I have a motion to approve the contract? >> I move we approve the contract. >> Thank you, Miss Ward. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Calhoun. Any other questions,

055comments? All those in favor, raise your hand. All right, motion carries. >> Jody, I really would not like to see that long of a contract again, but I know you can't help that when they get it handed to you. But that was a lot of reading. >> There's a lot in there >> and I know you read it, too. It's been a lot of hours you've worked on this. >> Yeah, I appreciate you. >> It's the closest we've been getting hopefully resolved. Many >> maintenance update. Is that next? >> No, you're still you're on down. >> Okay. You got a little bit. You can go sit down. >> I need to refresh it because I didn't put it in the right place. >> Participation still. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, next we've got the consent

056agenda which are the minutes from the past meetings of because January >> everything else is >> Yep. So, do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> Yes, I make a motion that we accept that. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Calhoun. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you, Miss Eldridge. Do I have any other qu comments, questions on the minute? Comments? All in favor? Raise your hand. >> Motion carries. Next, we've got the emergency landing zone for West Jefferson. So th this particular item um we've had a long-standing partnership relationship with our lo local and county emergency services and um uh West Jefferson uh uh fire department approached me a couple weeks ago um about signing a formal permission to use schools in West Jefferson primarily would be

057West um Westwood Elementary School and the high school as an emergency landing zone for helicopters. They've done it before. Obviously, if somebody has an emergency, we want to ensure that um we're doing our part if we can. Um but when I asked Fred about it, of course, um he had some uh language that needed to be added into a formal um uh a formal agreement. And so that is what is below. Um that one is specifically for um landing zone uh four. Um but there would be for any landing zone they um some of the things of course would change um depending on the actual address and what that looked like. So um again that would be filled in for Westwood Elementary School with their coordinates and um the location and then same way with

058um the high school. >> Right. Do I have a motion to approve the emergency landing zone? I move we approve the emergency landing zones. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Ward. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Calhoun. Questions or comments? >> Uh, I had a question about what happens at the high school if it's during the school day. There's cars everywhere. Where would they do we know where they land? >> So, um, I I still needed to talk with him about what that might look like. It may end up being that Westwood is the closest place. It's very close compared to the high school. Um, but it wouldn't be on the high school um field. Um, I don't know that that would be the best location. Um, but that that

059needs to be worked out before it is actually before they put the coordinates on. But those are the two they've requested. I've only known them to use the Westwood site. And that was um what a couple years ago somebody fell through their deck. So, >> yeah. I had a question on the football field, the new with the new turf if that would >> I think they'd landed in that little grass area at like safety days before >> they could use that or they could probably use the soccer the old >> soccer field. The old field. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, but anyway, they would have to they know the how wide their helicopter is and what that would look like, but it would it would not be on cars or football [laughter] field, right? >> Yeah.

060I figured it was this playing field at the Westwood as well, but I will clarify their coordinates um specifically so we can put that in words and inordinance. >> Any other questions? All those in favor, raise your hand. Motion carries. Next, we'll go into the personnel. That also has the addendum to the personnel for the board. Any questions, comments for that? >> I make a motion that we accept these. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Elder. I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Calhoun. Any other questions, comments? Um, since we may be meeting soon, next week maybe, if you have any additional ones, I'd like to see those done before we actually put them to work that we can, you know, and I know it's the weather

061and it's the delay and all that. And I appreciate you doing the job you do, but if we can, if we need to address that in the next meeting, could we please do that >> between meetings? So, um we can for um staff especially when we need people in there put them in place by policy and then um you guys can not hire them after that. But we do our we make sure they have background checks and drug um testing and all that before and reference checks before we even make the offer uh to bring them to the board. So, I I request that we still have that flexibility to um be able to hire when when the need is there. Our schools depend on it. >> That's not what I meant. I meant that

062that would may be an opportunity to get something in that we have not had. >> Oh, you mean bring personnel to you on on that agenda too if we have personnel? Absolutely. I was thinking you were maybe not hiring them. I thought that's what she meant. >> I just I thought that might be an additional opportunity for us to get some of these people in. >> You're saying we have more. >> Our crackers are running out. >> So, okay. So, all those in favor of the personnel in the addendum. What was that? >> No. Huh? >> Yeah. Everybody good? Raise your hand. I've got Mr. Jones hanging on its screen. So, thank you, Miss Jones. >> Wave. >> Next, we've got the board board work session for the budget. I didn't want to say two

063beans together. I make that bad. >> Okay. So, I don't want to kill you all with meetings, but this is a, you know, this is the time of year that things happen and um we've got budget coming up and trying to get things uh in order. And I knew that next week we couldn't talk about budget because Amanda and her team are not going to be here because they're going to be learning about future budgets and um other very important things for finance um going on. Um we do have a calendar um uh session suit is scheduled for the 16th. Um, we could schedule it on the same day to do budget and then work on some uh calendar and then skip policy for the next month if you wanted. Um, that's just a suggestion

064so we don't have too many um dates at once. But >> do you need it in March? >> 16th is when we're gone >> in No, no, no. That's what I'm saying. We already have a calendar on February 16th. >> February. So this should be >> you're talking about February 16th or March 16th you'll be gone. >> February 16th. >> Correct. So I was suggesting maybe moving um moving that to the 23rd um and and skipping the uh policy out of that. So, we could actually um do the calendar um which we'd like to have, you know, that u before the board um and do the budget so that we can have time to make some decisions before it's taken to the county and then um wait until the March um uh 16th to do

065policy again. >> So, you're saying scratch February 16th? scratch it and move it to the 23rd because Amanda and her team will not be there on the 16th of this one. >> And would it be starting at 400 p.m. again? >> Whatever time you please. >> How many hours are you wanting? >> 3:00. What? Wait a minute. We had policy review on the 16th. >> Have budget. >> That's what I'm saying. The president, right? What we need most um will be the budget for the budget decisions. Um we h we have pretty much them ready. We've had our our meetings with our principles and directors. So that portion is ready to bring to you um so that we have it in time to bring it to the commissioners. And um we haven't gotten a date

066from um from the county yet to meet, but I know last year uh we learned of it just a couple of days beforehand. and we want to make sure that we have your eyes on it and have the opportunity for the board to make decisions on that versus it being rushed and then brought to the county right away. >> And what is your expectation of the length of the meeting? >> More than three >> three hours and that that would include that would include calendar. >> I don't think so either. This one's a little bit easier. We don't have a whole lot of money and [laughter] oh well >> and simple >> I mean it is more simple and um we do have a little bit of relief while we haven't gotten the actual numbers

067yet or our title funding um looks like it's coming through from the feds. So that's that gives us a little bit more breathing room. >> So then we wouldn't do policy at all this month. >> I would wait until March to do it because if not you're going to be bogged down with a lot of meetings. >> That's fine. And that's just unless you want to. >> Well, and for those of us that are >> running for election, it's nice to not have too much. >> Well, it would put a It would put a lot. And if not, it would Yeah, it would put a lot on you all. >> I need to do earlier on the 23rd than later. >> Whichever you want to do. I mean, I'm working out of the way. So,

068>> now we're talking February 23rd. >> February. >> Yep. February 23rd. >> That's a Monday. >> You can do whatever time you want. like any wine or something. >> We have not putting a plug in. We had to reschedu our coastal trip auction to the 23rd due to weather. >> That's a That was supposed to be yesterday. >> That was supposed to been yesterday and that's why we're meeting on Tuesday. Thank you all. Anyway, but >> um on there. So, we bumped that to the 23rd for that. But I that's the afternoon. So, if we can do earlier, I don't know. We can do anytime that day. It's fine with Amanda and our team. And then so it would be a work session. And this would also give you time because Earl um >> did

069you say 10:00 for you? >> We made last night for the calendar and there's some changes based on the calendar calendar committee's recommendations. It'll give us another day to uh get that to you all. >> Miss Jones, how's the 23rd look for you? We'll come get you if you need it. >> She may still be frozen in. [laughter] >> You're You're muted. >> I have a doctor's appointment, but I can change it. >> No problem. I have a doctor's appointment on the 23rd, but I can change it. >> What time is your appointment? >> 1:00. That's okay. I can change that easily. It's just local. That just speed us up. [laughter] >> We could be happy. >> Go ahead. I'd prefer to come early. >> I mean, just to tell me what you want to

070do and I'll change my appointment to match your to match what you want to do. >> She wouldn't have to change your medical appointment if we go 9 to noon. >> Well, 9:00 work for you, Holly. >> Change. >> Yeah. I mean, whatever y'all want. It doesn't matter to me. I can do either. I mean because it's no problem changing. It's just a check for my >> blood nine o'clock. Okay. >> Yeah, I think I can make it. >> Okay. So, we'll do 9 to 12 on the 23rd. >> Okay. Unless it snows. >> Don't say that. >> I'll put you back on mute. [laughter] Take your microphone away. >> Yeah, it's not melty. I We must have got more snow than you people because it's still not melting a whole lot down here. >>

071It's not melted at my house either, Paul. >> Not mine either. >> You're in a cold spot. >> I've got I bet we have four inches of solid ice frozen on our road. >> So, we don't really need a motion for that. >> No, because we'll send out notice like we do for any other meeting. That was just to make sure everybody's on the same page. >> Okay. And so rather than the 16th, we'll move it to the 23rd. We'll have budget and calendar that day. And then um we do meet on the second. That's our regular board meeting. And then um the 16th um is for budget for policy. >> Yeah. >> So we're meeting on the 16th >> 16th of March. >> February. >> And actually the the the days and the dates

072correspond for February and March. Yeah. >> Every year. >> So, the other piece to that, I know that it's not in there, as long as we're setting dates, um we should on February 26th have the um we should as long as we get enough bids in for the current middle school roof, um we will get those back on the 26. So, we'll have to go through them and se and um make a recommendation to the board. But because this is joint funding, we only have 500,000 from the public school building renovation funds from the school district. It will also have to go to you all and to um the county to um approve or for consideration. And so, um, my recommendation to that is to have a joint meeting because we can't fund it all.

073We'd have to ask them. So, um, I don't know whether you want me to work on a date with Adam that would be best for, um, everybody or do you want to try to suggest something that day? Um, it would, you know, the earliest it could be would be the March 2nd board meeting, but I know you guys are covered up until, um, anyway, that's that's a that's a tough that's a tough day. So, you might want to push it to a after that day. >> We have had so many delays with this project. I'd hate to see us delay it anymore. Well, on the second there's no early voting to be at and the third, you know, would be is going to be a tough day. But the second I could do the second.

074>> I'd like to put it on the second. >> Just do a second. >> Okay. Well, and it may be if it's a joint meeting, we're going to have to coordinate times. >> I just didn't want since that's a lot. Um there is no early voting. So, I guess it wouldn't matter for you all if you wanted to be okay. just see what they can do on >> I'll see what they can do in in perhaps on the Saturday >> the first Monday for the commissioner they'll be meeting at 9 >> they'll be meeting at 9:00 and we meet you know in the in the evening and so it'll probably be a time in between there um but I don't know what your calendars look like for the second to be able to coordinate some

075times with Adam if that's okay it's a lot of people to coordinate with I don't have >> it might be you know a new meeting right after theirs Um, okay. So, nobody has anything on there. So, you're okay with whatever time meeting is up. >> That work. Okay. Next, we've got permission to contract with ASU for Research Triangle Institute for MHSP funding. I see Miss Little coming up front. So, >> and Miss Cold Iron >> didn't know. >> Well, I hit I hit funding funding and it's mental health and >> um good evening. We are coming to ask um permission. We have received our funding for the mental health uh service professional grant through the US department of ed and um we are hoping to do that work in conjunction with Appalachin State and research

076triangle instit institute again um and same two groups we worked with the prior grant. Um and we would like to ask permission to start the subawward process um to go through that agreement with them. So under uniform guidance, you have to um send them notification that they'reing their sub award and that's what kicks off their process to create a contract. We'll bring those contracts back to you once we have them approval on those if they're over the threshold and they should be over. >> We just need approval approval to start the process. >> Why I make a motion that we approve it? >> I second. All right. So I got a motion and a second from Miss Calhoun and Miss Ford. some questions, comments. >> Thank you for arranging for this possibility. >> We're super

077excited. >> Jamie, how many how much of this money I know we spent some money in the fall, but that was last year's money that we spent or this this money? >> Yeah, that's a that's a Department of Justice grant. We have been out of the first mental health professional grant since 204. >> Okay. So, this is another round and we're starting fresh with that. >> Okay. >> And this one is a fouryear, so it's a little more condensed. >> And how much how many extra personnel are we going to have to actually work with our professionals and our on with this grant or is it all that we be developing some modules? So there's two kind of parts and RTI helps us with the technical assistance um and sustainability. So the sustainability plan is

078to train our employees um and in different practices and they'll we'll work out all of that. None of that's developed yet. They look at our where we are, our our current needs, what we need to do. Um and so that's one part of it and that's what we contract with RTI is to do that piece and the um evaluation piece. And then um Appalachin State works with us to provide the interns and you know the students and then the oversight of those students. But this screen in particular, we wrote in um some personnel for an additional school psychologist which is posted. So if you know anybody um and um an additional behavioral specialist, which um or [clears throat] funding for one if we were to have funding for one uh who else did we write

079in? We did not have funding for the ask center coordinator, Miss Dumbar. So, this will continue her funding for more years. >> Sometime in this process, we've got to figure out a way to make her more solid in her funding because we cannot do without the position. >> Oh, I agree. >> So, this is the $2.3 million grant that I shared at the last meeting. Um, so these are the details that have to be worked out um, in order to be able to solidify that grant in writing. >> I'm going to add the elementary schools again is some of this money. I mean, typically we've we've funded the ask center, we've funded the Dunar, which is necessary, but I am always concerned about um the younger students and and what we're seeing there that we've

080never seen before or and it's getting worse. And so um how much of this grant would >> well these positions would be except for Elizabeth's which >> she supports all. >> So I know that but her direct [clears throat] >> service students are at the high school and they're really yes 100%. But she supports all of our counselors, social workers, mental health workers. We currently have a grant with AppP Health that has provided um three additional behavior specialists that are working um in all of the schools but primarily in our elementary. Um we have one that's working part-time at the middle school too. Um but they're providing services, mental health services for students um especially some of our kids who have that written into plans. Um and then currently we are contracting with Jody Province

081for individual students as as needed if they go through the process using the school safety funds um >> that have not come through yet this year >> but we had a little we did that right off then I apologize. >> I don't know right off hand I can get that to you. We get a we get a invoice monthly. um Jody with that. So I'll look to see how many that is. >> And the Terry also within her has hired a behavior specialist that think has worked out phenomenal. >> Yes. And additional um teacher assistance um for each elementary school, middle school, and high school to be in the general classrooms. >> They're going to be there. I'm sorry. >> They're already there. Um, I have hired additional one additional TA to help in general

082classrooms at each school. >> Great. >> And I'll just say this, as much as uh we talk about school funding, it's a shame that school districts have to pursue grants in order to get basic services that students need. And I will advocate that although we are primarily teaching and learning and we should be that's what we do and we do best we also have to support our children so that they are in a place where they can learn and even kids who can come to school and function um do need additional supports and so um you this $2.8 $8 million for this grant. I mean, we we put tens of millions of dollars in grant funding toward helping our students in the mental health area and towards supporting teachers and additional personnel. Um, anytime we

083have an opportunity to advocate, I think we do it well when we get the funding to do it, but it needs to be consistent. So, >> Jen, I have a lot of gray hair. >> Yeah. Not being consistent. Yeah. Can you do you know how many staff personnel we have currently that um is funded through grants? >> We can get that for you pretty easily in the morning. >> Okay. >> All student services staff except school counselors and nurses essentially >> and not all school counselors are funded through >> one nurse. One nurse. >> Yeah. So money >> I mean there there are a lot of personnel that support students and mental health um that are not funded through through traditional state funding >> and are not a lot of our vice principles >> oh

084assistant principles you know we don't even get a full assistant principal for each school and we know that's impossible um to uh run a school with only one person and I have some of the best right here in this room. >> Thank you, Jane, for all your hard work. >> And for the anybody at the state level that's listening, we need a budget. >> It includes the safety monies that some of this could be used for. >> I think this one needs a motion. >> That needs a vote. Got a motion and a second on there. All in favor, raise your hand. >> Thank you. >> Motion carries. Last for action that we've got on here is superintendent participation in the AASA cohort in April. >> So, thank you for adding this. Um I did

085get an invitation yesterday from um this is a school superintendent association. They have invited 48 um superintendent to participate in a symposium uh that will be focused on new basics, real skills for real life. And so essentially um uh prioritizing student centered learning new basics of the real skills for real life mentioning things like the McKenzie report and some of the traditional skills that students are often lacking uh whenever they go to get their first job or even go to uh school. Um uh how to hire and retain and reward the best people. Building highly engaged family community and business partnerships and measure what really matters. And obviously, you know, we know reading and writing and mathematics and science matter in schools, but so do some of the skills and especially the executive functioning skills

086that many of our students are lacking uh from the time they come to us in prek all the way through uh when they leave us. And so this is to bring together um people. It's completely paid for. It's the durable skills um especially that they need to thrive in college, career, and real life. and um things like memory and cognitive flexibility and self-control and some of the things where we're writing grants about kids getting that just aren't in our traditional curriculum. So, I know we talk about it all the time, what we really want in school. Um hopefully this um if if you guys are willing uh to allow me to go, it's a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. It's in Tempe, Arizona, and everything is covered. Travel, lodging, meal um for this opportunity. So, I'd love

087to be a part of this cohort and help to bring it back so we can reshape what school really looks like in the right ways. >> Well, do I have a per a motion to grant permission? >> I move that we grant her permission to attend. I think it's an honor that she's been selected. >> Thank you, Miss Ward. Do I have a second? >> A second. >> About two seconds. That'll work. So, any other questions, comments? >> Bringing back a Sunundevil t-shirt. >> A Sunundevil t-shirt. Okay, you you can tell me what size you need a little bit. I'll ask her because she has the bliss. >> My daughter used to work for Arizona State. So, uh I gave her my shirt. I want my >> Or if you need a staffer to go

088with you, I could go and have a staffer. >> I'm familiar with the area. No time to >> I'm going to vote before everybody goes on the trip. All >> your hands. Everybody's good. All right. >> There. It's outside the company border. >> Everybody's got connections. I don't I'll stay here. Y'all go ahead. >> Stay here and work. >> Yeah. Next, we've got updates and discussions, considerations for the board. We've got inclement weather. >> Last thing I really want to talk to you today about inclement weather, but um we're at the time where we really need to talk about inclement weather and what impact that has had on us so far. So, um Earl and uh Brandon have been uh really and Leaken have been um really helpful over these last couple of months as

089we have navigated all kinds of winter weather. Um ice and snow and um other decisions and thankfully we were able to get back in school today. It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow with some rain. So hopefully that'll get some of the slush and ice and other things that are off of there before it gets cold again. I'm not going to hold my breath for that because there are some areas in Ash County that just stay snow and ice covered. And so, you know, we do the best that we can. We um talk to our bus drivers and people who live in those areas to make sure we're making safe decisions um for our buses, our staff, and our people. Um so, what we have so far, we have been out of school 19 days. 10

090of those were remote. Now, I know you all feel the same way as I do about remote. It is not the same as being in school, but it does allow us to get comply with the law and be able to not have spring break and extend the school year for too long away up until a certain point. So, we're navigating around that at this point in time. Um, ours do not equate butts and seats. So, you know, our inclement weather days that count as a day in school, um, you know, at best we get four hours of student learning, um, maybe five depending on, but most of that is not the same as the day that you would be in school, which is 6 and a half hours of student learning. So, we're losing time

091there, but the state counts it as a day in school. and they count it like we would count an hour of a day in school. So, um it would count as six and a half hours even though our kids are not getting in school six and a half hours. And part of that is me. I do not want kids on Zoom for 6 and 1/2 hours. I don't think anybody wants that for our kids. So, you know, some of that's compromised, but we we lose a lot of hours in that time. um we have built in our calendar so that we can comply hours so we're still okay correct Earl on the number of hours to meet instruction but again if we get too close that's why you know this Friday is you know was

092scheduled to be an optional teacher work day because we've had so many um days out we made that a student day because we know we need kids in school. Um so we're balancing that on a regular basis. Um down to 162 from 180 is our start time. So we didn't start off meeting the number of days required. That's why we go by hours. Um we have hours built in. That's why we don't go by days just because it gives us more flexibility. But any two-hour delay takes two hours off. um any um uh any day out takes that day off. Now, we were able to move some days around spring break so that students and potentially teachers and staff members can still have that time, but it also gives us flexibility to change it. If

093we have another snowstorm before then and we have to be out, we could start taking those days. Um same way with the end of the school year. We've moved days so only teachers have some optional teacher work days for the second week. Um keeping graduation still on the 5th which is a Friday. It could be pushed out if we have more to be um on the 12th instead of the 5th. Um what I would like to talk um get some discussion around we could also Saturday school. So um I just don't think that is a productive use of our time. I've done Saturday school before as a teacher. It was awful. And you have less than less attendance than you would have um at any other time. I I know everybody's saying no. So I

094it's an option, but it's not one I think that we would ever find benefit in unless if unless it was just one day, right? You want to get it over with and move on and you don't traditionally have inclement weather. Um I just don't think that's an option. But spring break and pushing it out at the end of the year to, you know, for to make them student days instead of teacher days could be an option. Before we come to a point where we have to make that decision, I'd really like to know what the board's sentiments are on that so that um we can, you know, maybe announce it earlier than later. I I don't really want to push it out unless we absolutely have to. And I think it impacts summer school. It

095impacts families. Right now, if you don't if you plan on going somewhere with your family, you have to make reservations and plans now. >> Spring break. >> June. >> For June. >> Um spring break. Yes, definitely. You should have already done that. But even for June, we have to make plans very early. And and and you have to make deposits that aren't always refunded either. So, I think it hurts families if we don't know for sure as soon as possible when that might be. Um I I need to know because of project graduation and all the stuff that we have to do for that, but we we're flexible. We can make it work either way, but um we're going to plan on the 5th and if we have to do it on the 12th, we

096can. But >> it makes a long year. It makes a long year. And then we have all these things that we want our teachers to do and our um summer school and and programs there that benefit kids that are not necessarily in seat programs. Um so I would like to know as soon as we could. I know from my experience um taking Easter you know even if you take just three or four days so that they still have Easter Monday and Good Friday even though parents are told in a do not schedule for Easter they do anyway. So whether you do Saturday or you do Easter as makeup days, you have lousy attendance in both in my experience in both circumstances and the kids that are there are unhappy that they're there. [laughter] >> There

097are so let me share with you what we've done so far and it's to protect family time obviously and trying to in our best interest of our teachers and staff as well. So far, we've been able to move days around because before annual leave days were all through spring break. So, we moved it to make some optional teacher work days. That way, teachers who were younger could have opportunities to earn days um to get there. Um and so the 8th, 9th, and 10th instead of being annual leave days are optional teacher work days. So, you can take an optional teacher work day um during spring break for those three days, but they could be t they could be student days, which I was trying to avoid to do, but I wanted to make it to

098this point so we can make that decision and maybe we just make it from here on out as long as we have flexibility because, you know, March isn't here and it's still February. um at the end of the year um we have the 8th, 9th and 10th again of this time of June that are still teacher work days. The eth is a required teacher work day right now. The 9th is an optional and the 10th is an optional. We can move those days around to push out for to make them student days if we needed to. But because also currently graduation date um is set for the fifth loosely. Um the fourth was supposed to be a uh an early release day. The fifth was supposed to be a required teacher work day. We can

099shift that so we can make that a full week which would be testing anyway for the most part. Um and you know from a high school standpoint, you know, you you don't have a whole lot of kids in the building um during those last couple of days especially of testing. And so we could make them student days, but that LA, you know, the 10th and right now the last two days, whatever that ends up being, whether it be the 9th and the 10th or if, heaven forbid we get more inclement weather and we have to push it out to the 11th and 12th, those would still only be um we'd just have a shorter week unless we got into into a desperate situation. Um but they could be teacher days and not student days. and

100then graduation would still be on a day when you have access to Mountain View without anybody else. Um, I mean, we're really trying to keep that in mind. And then we'd still comply with a calendar law and that gives us opportunity for teachers working summer school to have a couple of days before summer school would begin, which would be the next week. I like what you've suggested because it has it impacts a minimum number of people and so we'll just pray for no more inclement weather. >> As of right now, when's the last day? >> As of right now. >> So, as of right now, the last day of school currently for students, and Earl, correct me if I'm wrong, will be that Thursday, June 4th. >> Okay. And how many and when would we

101know is the is the qu and after the snow because we could have snow through March, April. >> Yes. >> I mean, I've seen it. >> What I would what I would I would tell people is please don't schedule anything until Saturday the 13th. >> I mean, that's what I would just tell people just in case. I'm trying to hold on so we don't have have to continue it into the next week. Um, but I don't know what I was gonna do. I wish I had a magic eightball that would just tell me or a crystal ball or something. >> Well, now last year, if I remember correctly, didn't we have some students graduating at the 11th hour >> to make it to get across because graduation was boom boom. >> Yep. >> Right after.

102I I personally like that extra cushion for graduation on the 12s. >> Yeah. to give that then that also gives you a little bit of time elders with project graduation because I know last year was pretty >> last year was was pretty tough having schooled half the day and I appreciate Mountain View and and Mr. Greyel and and all of their faculty made it work for us and they were so generous with us about that. Um, I'm very invested in Project Graduation and I think this county is and so I would like Yeah, that would be helpful if if they knew that we were graduating then and and not ha and have that little bit of time to get it ready. It it's an enormous effort to get all that stuff redone so that we

103can do the things that we want to do to keep them there all night. It It's a real effort. >> So, I don't mind the cushion. I just think that if we let folks know is the is the key there and if we plan for the worst case scenario, maybe that's a good thing. I don't know. >> So, we would need two more no days. Correct. And which doesn't affect anybody's pay or anything like that except for child nutrition and um >> and buses. However, they're using their days right now. they're getting a consistent paycheck, which is something that we've talked about a lot to make sure that remains consistent for them. And that's not something that other counties do. I think we're one of the only ones who does this for their people >>

104because you got a lot of new people. >> So anyway, I mean, we do really try to take care of them. So, we would need two more no days. And we may have some options in that if we just want to go ahead and say graduation's the 12th because if not right now the teacher calendar u the 10-month calendar goes through the 10th and really um it could go through um rather than having them come on a day that they're not really working which would be the 12th for graduation. Um, you know, we other districts do it and they just have their people come in for graduation and everybody wants to see the the graduates, but I'd rather them be working on the day. You know what I mean? Getting paid for that day. Um,

105>> I've heard from them they'd rather be paid that day. >> Yeah, me too. >> So, so what this means, we have five days that we could use as remote. >> So, we have five more remote. >> Five more. We have five more remote days that we could use. I would reluctantly use them just because I know that the [clears throat] further we get into the semester, it does break routine and it counts as a school day, but it's not the same. I'd rather have them in I'd rather have them in school personally. That's my opinion. So, if we called two more, if we get others uh no days, everybody's paid the same. It gives two more days for a remote day. our cafeteria bus have to use a day of leave. >> But five

106more days though, we'd have to go to longer. If we didn't have five more remote days, our year would be ex longer. Correct. >> Well, right now it was just extended to next next week, which if we have any more days, we're down to us only right now we're down to 162 in-person days. 185 is what if we went by days, we go by hours, >> not saying, right? But if we um 185 days is what the state requires. We start with 180. >> But could we still use our five remote days? Hopefully just use them to where we could still get out earlier than going into the next week. >> So well it would be through the 12th is what would the next week be? So >> right. But I'm saying if we use

107our remote days, we might not have to go. >> The problem is is then child nutrition and bus and we're losing money every day. Okay. $10,000 a day is what we lose in child nutrition because they're not feeding people. But >> $10,000 a day. >> Yes. It's personal cost and Yes. >> So, I mean, we're balancing a lot. I mean, people are asking, "Oh, why isn't that easy?" I'm like, "Well, it's because there's a lot of things to consider. $10,000 a day, we eat it because we're still paying our people. Um, you they're still taking their leave days and other things. They still get their normal paycheck, but we have no money coming in for reimbursement for child nutrition. Same way with um uh our buses, a little bit different, but they still have to

108use their days because they're not driving kids and we can't pay them when they're not driving kids. Wow. >> But we do because they're taking their days. I would rather have them have be paid for work and then um than because some of some some people they don't have enough days they have to take they have to take a day without pay or a day without >> yeah I'm down to I think I have like 18 out of my 30 that are days without pay I think it was an email that I got >> so they are >> most are legal pay status >> yourself >> and we build in days at the beginning of the I don't think anybody else does that, but we build in days at the beginning of the year so

109that they can have extra similar to what we do for our teachers over the summer. So anyway, >> I have them work on those remote days, then that adds to my loss because, you know, I'm having to pay them out of my budget that's not there. So that's 10,000 plus whatever. We end up paying them that day. >> I'm almost positive that we're not done with winter yet. Yeah, >> almost positive. Here it is. What? The second week of February. When has Ash County not had inclement weather after the 1 of February? I can't remember when. There's going to be at least a day or two that we're going to have to >> think helps you with that cushion. >> I do too. I'd rather take a no day. I think it helps everybody, especially

110our our our people don't realize our classified staff, especially busing child nutrition. Um they are a tough working group. They work really hard for us and I certainly don't want to see them taking days without pay if we can help them. >> Well and with with um that makes it more important to advocate for an earlier school start with our legislature and especially if you look at it now >> that we've received word that our highway department is no longer salting secondary roads >> and only doing main ones. That that makes it even more pressing to have more time in the classroom than at home. >> Agreed. >> I live on the mountain and this is the worst winter we've ever had of getting out because of the lack of salt because it is in

111the sunshine. Part of the hill or the mountain is in the sunshine. But if it's minus 4 degrees, it's not melting anywhere. But when it does get up and warm enough, it's still not melting because the ice is so thick. So that salt does help. So we really need our salt. back. And I know Brandon, I know you're about to pull your hair out with trying to figure out which roads we can run on and which we can't. And and I look out here and I look in my I don't live far out, but I look in my backyard. I still got 11 inches of snow in my backyard that's got ice on it and that's why it's not melting. So there are lots of our folks that are in in that situation. So we

112need to advocate for that salt notch. We really do. whatever we have to do if we have to go to Raleigh and speak to somebody that needs to happen. >> So, so two things two things to that point. So, today I spoke with David Wayne again and he is our um engineer who's who is over um well I think Lance who you speak with is uh reports directly to David. um we worked together um trying on transportation and getting roads back in place so that we could uh for the hurricane. Um so I spoke with him today and um I called Brandon afterward. He's going to have um bus drivers because they know our roads best um to help come in and advise on um specific roads um so that we can get a better

113system um for communicating with DOT because they are willing um to consult um roads that were not included on that initial list. that initial list >> was very limited and so like Ben Bolan Road for example that's just one that was not on the primary um paved roads uh document but Benolan is a widely traveled road in Ash County that has access to several neighbor neighborhoods and if we can't put buses on it because it is solid ice and snow and they've just scraped it which makes it even more ice um and it doesn't get solid stays for longer. And so we need to make sure that we're advocating for roads like that. So in the next couple of days, um uh Brandon's going to be working on that along with uh some drivers and

114then give me some um uh feedback on priorities so we can get the most roads cleared um that we can with salt. Now, obviously um this is a request. It's not a yes, we're going to do it, but I think if they have a prioritized list, they share that they would be more likely to get to it um for us. And then if we have spaces like there's some roads that get cleared pretty well, but then you go around a corner and it is solid ice and I can't have a bus sliding off the road. So, um there are some areas like that that we'll have an open communication stream once these other major roads are actually salted um that I think will help. It's not a guarantee, but hopefully that'll get us I mean,

115if it gets us back to school a day earlier, um that's helpful. So, that that is our our goal in all of that. That's one. Um the second thing is um uh what was the second thing? I don't remember. That's left when it comes to uh roads. Oh, no. It was the calendar. So, um there is a group of superintendent that does not include me um that we're talking today about um uh our calendar what we really need and I've I've already communicated this with Ray Picket and hopefully the Senate will want to entertain it. They did not last year because remember we asked specifically um to have a uh an option to start at least a week earlier. Ash County Schools um misses an average of 15 days. We calculated that and that was

116without even the hurricane. We even would left that number out because that was an anonymally I hope. But we miss an average of 15 days out of school every single year due to snow and ice. So it only makes sense instead of the winter weather waiver being one week needs to be at least two. I would advocate for three. It gets us into school before our winter months. Um first semester, we could actually get an entire first semester in that would be extremely helpful for um high school and early college um and even matching. You know, we have over 250 kids that take community college classes every semester and they're always off. they never get a break when it comes to um winter weather because and then our calendars get off and then we are

117anyway we need to have at least two weeks instead of one but I would love to have three weeks start earlier to give us the chance to get our days in kids in seats and in school before we are out then we can call the time um you know that we have out and not have to make up so much at the and um you know we're doing that and still coming close to uh not meeting the expectations of the state. So it's not really flexibility although flexibility is much desired. Um it's our reality in the number of days that we have every single year dating back to what the early 2000s that we had data for. Um so this is not a new thing and it's really Ash and Waga and Avery counties that

118have that winter weather waiver. We comply with the counter calendar calendar law. Lee Sash County Schools complies with the calendar law. I think that's really important to say to our lawmakers. We do try to do what is right >> and kudos to the board for doing that, but it's making us um putting us in a very difficult position in educating our kids for families who have to work. It's it's challenging and and those remote days while helpful um in some respects I'd much rather have them on the front end and not have to use those. >> anyway, well, I think we all agree with that. I don't know, a teacher and administrator. I think we all agree with that. Um and then it really does help out with our classified staff because they don't have

119to worry about using or having days without pay throughout the year. And that means on a sick day, they really um anyway, they can't use sick days all these days anyway. But um anyway, they can't use their annual relief days for anything that's >> I would just like to put in that I also have lost an employee over this too. So she I've had one put a notice in. So >> yeah, >> and even though she's getting paid, but when you're down to no days left and you think you're going to be losing a paycheck, which is true, because we can't pay people for the days they're not there, it's really hard. >> They don't make that much >> and they don't go to work. >> Yeah. >> The same thing. >> Yeah, >> I

120know. It's heartbreaking, but it but it is our reality. So, um, anyway, I've asked for the opportunity to speak to some members of the Senate, um, when they're back in session. That's not until April. >> All right. So, I think we're up to date there >> on that. We talked about the board meeting. So, already >> I can take that off there because that's not going to be on the 16th, right? >> So, we'll go into maintenance. Jody, you got anything you want to hit on quickly? >> Two things. >> All right. That's okay. >> Yeah, >> that's the last money. You're you're bringing up the end of everything. No pressure. >> I'll make it short and sweet. If you don't mind these down my email, I had an update on there and some of

121this is already spoken about. So again, it'll be short and sweet, but I thought as as we share um I think it's important to gave that to Dr. Cox and Dr. Moken already. so they have one. But just kind of showing some of the things our team's been working on over the last month. Uh we've done a really good job continued work order uh tickets and again I just want to kind of praise you and as I come to share more about what the team does when we have a work order it's it's not just always going and pulling out a light bulb. It's it's it's it's more in depth than that. So it's while these numbers might just seem small, there they're there multiple components to a work ticket or a job task that

122that we're capturing through some of this. So we're we're doing a really solid job, too. We're completing about 85% of our tickets monthly and um most of the time, this was last month and more often more than that. Um, anything that we take out of that would be uh 95% because we might be waiting on parts and we're only snapshotting like a month at a time. Um, hopefully we'll get a better system eventually and be able to share how long we have a ticket waiting in Q a lot of times. Those are the ways maintenance departments share how how their proficiency works and how solid of of a team that we were able to do. But I still feel like we don't get a whole lot of negative feedback from our teachers or principles. I

123feel like we have an open door there. So just like to share it on both ends and call out how how good of a team that we have and share that. So kind of screen on the on higher notes there. Um for for just uh some highlights uh again Dr. Cox talked about the bid opening on the 26th. We've got that one coming out. Uh you approved the Westwood Lur contract. I appreciate that. Um, I do have uh really tight uh I have dates close to being scheduled for the CTE bathrooms at the high school. Um so we'll hopefully get those scheduled this this summer. That's pending where we're setting those dates very soon. Um a couple of updates on smaller things. We've heard about the weather through a lot of all this. We've had

124some hiccup well some paws as every every project has in the chiller project at the high school. We we've not done any work in the last month or so with that. We're waiting on letting that that thaw out so they can come up and finish installation. And there's been some pause with the um soil wall embankment project that we've had at the middle school because when you can't do a survey when the gra's covered nice and the engineer we work with has just not been able to get up the mountain to come and assess that. uh some state funding updates. We have submitted for request funding in four different areas for the middle school um underneath uh the building that we're looking to try and do or two components of that were submitted. Some of

125the athletic equipment that we've got going in almost for the fourth one for some reason >> the fieldhouse roof that we did. So trying to cover the cost of that. Um let's see. Uh we're in the middle of working with the state rep. We submitted some language from our paper to submit this language to the DPI team uh for funding for that. So that's in the middle of like what that hopefully will cover. Um we're still waiting on the facility assessment update. That's uh been uh kind of on repeat from the state where they've said it's going to be ready in January. Well, now we're in February. It's still not ready. I'm eager and um really want to be a connection to you guys and share what that looks like as we make these wise

126budget decisions moving forward because I think it's going to be real important for us to continue to look at what what our uh facility assessment looks like and then going forward and making the wisest decisions for the the use of our facilities. Um projects upcoming in the next few months will come in in the summer. Uh we'll we've got it scheduled to put the playground in at Blue Ridge Elementary. That was approved a while back and that's scheduled this summer. We have that set up. Um and uh the Westwood um we've got it coordinated with Scott and his team to start planning to install the partitions at Westwood. Um so those are kind of a lot of what's going on. Not every piece of it. We've uh done a really good job, I think, over

127this winter break, too. And even with being out with guys here and there, we've done really well with keeping projects and tasks moving forward. Um, I didn't pause much. I try to remember to give you time for questions, but Josh, you said make it quick, so I tried to >> All right. No pressure. No pressure. >> Feel free to feel free to ask any questions on any of these areas. I'll continue to continue to appreciate being invited up to to share our information from our team because we're we're a support service to this to this community and this uh this district and and I do I do like to share what we do. So when we ask, you know, it doesn't go um just fades away. Um I think uh we've done some things that

128I'm really happy that we've brought into the system and continue to hope to do more. Um >> I was at the middle school. Um, couple weeks ago before all the snow stuff started, I had about B out battle the books and I noticed that we have new ceiling tiles that have more uh damage on them. I I'm hoping and praying we don't have any more delay on that roof. We We need that roof. Our kids deserve that roof. Our our faculty deserves that roof. So I'm hoping that you know I thought all the asbestous stuff had been discussed before in that meeting that we had with the commissioners with that that group that came in but um you know >> just to make it aware. Yes. So it it has been discussed it is it

129is under the scope of the cost. So what we've experienced now is we've brought in roofing companies to replace the roof. what they generally do is bring in a sub to do the uh containment underneath the roof. So, that's one of the reasons we wanted to give the the sub an opportunity to come in because the roofing company will sub that that company who comes in and does the underpin down underneath what actually in the classroom or the gym or the cafeteria to create a barrier in between what falls down there. So that was and as as we want to make sure we're providing the best outcome for this, >> we don't want just a halfway done underpin. So I I I felt like it was prudent enough to give the subs. We did have

130two other vendors that were underpin companies that came up and measured spaces to to give ourselves a better quote than just kind of guessing off of some drawings. So, I I do feel like it was worth it that extension for this. That way, when the roofing company includes their quote, because they'll they'll figure what the numbers are, they'll include it into that. So, I mean, as as long as we um you remember how many showed up, five, seven, five. We had six. six show up to the opening day and we need three. We did we did have one withdrawal, but that's still five. >> So, we need three. >> And what he's done um rather than a pause, I think it gives us a better chance of having three versus not um quotes at the

131end. So, by doing this pre-work and getting somebody who know um can give us a good idea of what that cost is going to be with them. It should make the numbers come back better for us. >> Understand? I just want to >> Yeah. And I want a good roof. So that's why we want to make sure that we do it. We don't want to get >> we don't get caught in a situation where before will be happening to chase that down. >> Our first meeting about that Ruth was six years ago. >> It's been that long ago. I guess that's right. >> So that's my you know getting a little impatient here. >> I think it's I think it's coming. >> Actually I think the first meeting about the roof was >> probably before

132that >> long before that because they were patching it for years. That's >> any other questions for all. Thank you so much. And before we we got a journal next on there, but Dr. Cox, I want to say a little bit about your road team. >> Yeah. >> I appreciate the pictures on Facebook of the ice that's on the road to let people know, you know, when you're in Jefferson or West Jefferson, you think it looks clear when >> West Main Street's clear and down through 88 and all like that looks good in town. It's not always that way in Ash County. So, I appreciate them getting out and taking pictures and it gives people something to see why we're not in school. Absolutely. >> So, I want to put that out there. So, my

133apologies for delaying us more. So, do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> I still move. >> All right. Second. >> All right. Got a motion and a second. All in favor? >> Thank you, Miss Jennings.