001Good evening. Welcome everyone. We are glad you're with us for our April work session. And as our call to order, Jesse Warren will read our equity statement. >> In Asheville City School, we are committed to equity and anti-racist policies for all students and staff to learn and thrive. We recognize that our positions come with power, responsibility, and public service for the entire ACS community. We will model our commitment to equity through our practice and decisions. During this meeting, we invite a pause if harm has taken place, a moment to name the harm, and space to practice repair. Thank you. Thank you, Jesse. Um, board member Amy Ray is not able to be present tonight. Um, but the remaining board members are here and we have a quorum. Um, before we vote on the agenda, I
002would like a motion to amend the agenda to at the very end add a discussion about a possible letter to the North Carolina legislature about a constitutional amendment they are considering about property taxes. So I will explain more about that. I just want permission to amend the agenda to add that item. >> Motion to amend agenda as stated. >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor of approving the amended agenda. >> I >> Thank you. Okay. >> Any opposed? No. Thank you. Um, at this time I'm going to turn it over to our superintendent and she is going to continue leading us through our courageous conversations about race. All right. Good evening board members. Good evening everyone in attendance this evening. Um, for the last several months the board has been reviewing the courageous
003conversations about race protocol, particularly reviewing the four agreements to stay engaged, experience discomfort, speak your truth, and accept and accept non-closure. And then also going through the six conditions and this month we are on condition five out of six. Um so the first condition was about focusing on personal, local and immediate. Condition two isolating um isolate identity and lived experiences. Third normalizing the social constructs and multiple perspectives. Condition four which is monitoring agreements and conditions and establishing parameters. And condition five is to use a working definition of race. And as we've been going through the protocol, we know that tier one are conditions that help us just begin to engage in conversations about race. Tier two are conditions that help us sustain conversations about race. And tier three are helping you deepen those conversations about
004race. So, these last two are probably some of the most critical and kind of hard to really hold and use in an ongoing basis. Um, so I shared a handout with the board summarizing the fifth condition. Um, and it talks about the difference between your ethnicity, your citizenship, and your race and how those different things can combine. And the really the working definition of race is where the three of those things come together. If you can think of three circles kind of overlapping. Um and then what I also had shared with the board is a little scenario to give you some practice using the six the first five conditions including our newest one. Um and the condition just to the scenario just to summarize for everyone is a board member goes to an event at
005a school overhears a conversation between a family where a student um an older child of the or older student in the family who doesn't go to this particular school says something that is inappropriate and um the family you know reacts to what the student says and then the family realizes that oh that's actually a board member sitting next to me and asks you for your opinion and what they to do. So thought that that would be a good scenario for the board to just go through and process the six conditions starting with focusing on personal, local, and immediate. Um what you know, what you don't know. Um and then being able to isolate race and understand what does race have to do with that. Um normalizing multiple perspectives, uh monitoring the agreements of what you
006agree to in a courageous conversation. and then thinking about using that working definition of race where it is kind of the co the confluence of your culture, your nationality and your race. So, um just want to hear from the board on how you process that and what you might recommend to this family if they ask for your advice. I'll share that when I read this, you know, we've been doing these Thank Thank you, Maggie, you know, month by month. And this scenario was by far the most sort of like, oh, okay, you really put us in it this time. And so I it wasn't as easy to sort of say, oh, what would it be like out there? You made us stay. What would this be like for me? and the idea of our positions
007and interacting with parents when parents are struggling and um and it made me grateful for the first condition. I'm always so grateful for their first condition to ask myself what what do I don't know that I don't know in this situation there's going to be a lot here's a family processing a moment that's very difficult and anything that I can do to be supportive to them will need to not be about me being an expert on anything or knowing a lot more than they do but just honoring that there could be so much happening here that I just don't know about and and let that be a way to be present and calm and and ask and and just be more curious with them and affirm, you know, what what they're trying to do as
008parents. Um but then feel grateful also to have some ways of representing that in our district you know what we know. We know some things and we've decided to share in our values some things around valuing everyone's perspectives and valuing people's experiences and recognizing that we can't wish away um history that is true and real. um and and using the ability to say like when we honor when we show up to events that honor, you know, African-Americans during the month of February, right? Like it's it's not any one thing. It's a way of being here and acknowledging real true history and that um we can all benefit from that. And that's not enough, but that was sort of my initial thought when I read it. Megan, can you repeat the question? >> I mean, it
009was hard for us to hear. >> Sorry. Just for you as you were processing the scenario and thinking at the very end, the last question is, you know, the parent looks at you and says, I don't know what to do. What recommendations do you have? So, putting you in the space of a board member at this event saying, what what would your response be to the parent? using the protocol to help work your to help you know process what you might say to that family. >> And the meaning of the word is race. Correct. >> And for our audience, um we have some acoustic issues when we're up here on the dis with the air conditionings going and sitting at the end. So we may ask the superintendent or others to repeat themselves. Well, I
010would probably tell them that race is both positive and negative. Um, and then I will um ask them to um join the community as often as they possibly can and to um and be part of the school. And I know the biggest thing that we have with race and if you look around you right now, if we look around each other right now, we see who is involved within the school system and who's, you know, because of reasons. And my thing here is I'll be glad to bring my neighbor if my neighbor has a kid in school and didn't have transportation and my neighbor is of color. I said, "You know what? Bring her, you know, bring her. Invite her." Because in order for race to in order for the kids, in order for teachers
011to to work together, they have to realize that there is a stretch between the grades of white and black. And the more that we get our kids of color and our parents of color involved into a learning process, whatever they say will make a difference. Whatever they do will make a difference for their kids and for the community. Um, and I just say just stop by at the uh board meeting one evening and just sit and just listen to us and see how it is and see what it feels like and bring a friend. That's that's what I'll tell her, Maggie. Um, um, I think I would start with gratitude. Gratitude for this family for showing up at an event like this. um as a white family recognizing that um Ira Jones at this moment
012is isolating race and celebrating black excellence. So I would start with gratitude. The other thing I would um you know there's there's advice I can give as a parent uh as a school board member I would I would say that it's never too early to start talking about race. This is something that that we've talked about as a board for a long time. Uh and that I'm not as a schoolboard member, I'm not the person to have that conversation that there are folks within our district who have been there are educators within our district who have been not only going through the courageous conversations, but even before that have been understanding what it is to isolate race, what it is to speak about um what it is to celebrate black excellence at appropriate grade levels,
013right? And so for me as an adult to sit there and have a conversation with a a seventh grader, I mean there there's other things I could talk about, but in terms of talking about race, there's going to be educators in the building who can say, "Here are the conversations you can start having with that child." Uh, and so my advice would be go to your school and and talk to the administrators. Um, there are people there who can give wonderful advice about how to propel these conversations. And I guess the other the only other thing as a parent would be to say it's a seventh grader. They're going to be exploring different ideas. Um we are not here for perfection. Uh we're doing ourselves and our community and especially the black community um and
014our own families a deserve us if we're all if we're expecting perfection in these conversations. It is about growth. It is about um it is about deeper understanding. And that's going to be many many conversations, many opportunities to come to events like this. And similar to Jesse, encourage them to come to lots of events uh where this where we can continue to have conversations. >> Um yeah, I mean being asked for advice would initially make me feel very uncomfortable. Um, but you know what what struck me about this scenario is that they they asked for their child to apologize. And to me, I didn't I didn't feel like that child had anything to apologize. They were speaking openly and speaking their truth about their working understanding of race and racism. Um, and you know, just
015continuing the conversation with that family about, you know, their their experiences and, you know, how to engage in in anti-racist work. I don't mean to jump back in but condition four I realize like always felt condition four is monitor the agreements conditions establish parameters feels so like oh in these conversations that are very like we're going to sit down and have a courageous conversation and that is not what has been presented and so the idea that if we want to use this for real that There there are ways like this also feels to me like a way of acknowledging we may not get to closure like that's okay like these conversations are hard and these topics feel really difficult they make people uncomfortable and that in a way would be bringing in the parameters to
016put everybody like we're not getting to a solution and it's okay for us to talk about it is a way to say I can be with you in this discomfort and that that would be like a a parameter that I think could be helpful Thank you, Maggie. Really appreciate you're leading us through these each month. Um, next on the agenda is uh student releases to Bunkham County. You all have the report from Miss Tanya Pche. Do you have any questions for her? or do you have anything to tell us, Tanya? >> Good evening, board and superintendent Dr. Maggie Ferman. What you have before you are the annual releases um from Bunkham County School to from Asheville City to Bunkham County School. Do you have any questions? Yes. Um, I would love for the board to
017um get an update perhaps monthly with this report or separately um on our out of district enrollment um because I don't feel like we've got a good handle on those trends. I know you have been doing a lot of great work uh um supporting uh increased out of district enrollment and I want for the board to understand um what a huge role that plays in our um positive financial position and then also in it may affect our policym moving forward. Okay. >> So, that would be helpful. Um, and it would also be helpful um to just get a regular um update on the impact of charter school enrollment. >> How many students were were um uh are enrolling um in charter schools that are from our district. >> The I'm happy to do that. Um
018the last question I would need to partner with our CFO um Heidi on the charter school. Um we don't sign off on those um through um the enrollment office. Um but our CFO and Dr. Maggie has that information. >> You just email Dr. Maggie and I'm happy to get you the information that you requested. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. and and this report is really helping us understand >> and I'm sorry for the delay but I had to request access to a state data system um since these are technically not our students. So that's what took so long this time. >> Okay. Thank you. Please don't please don't apologize. >> Well, >> also can I just shout out those boots? >> Oh my god. I mean I mean really, >> huh? >> Those boots. >>
019I mean, we're supposed to be talking about student releases, but those boots. >> Okay, folks. >> I mean, >> any other >> Look at those. Look at those. >> Any other questions about the report? >> Oh, one quick question. the last year you kind of would put a you would demarcate the last approved one and then just add it to the list every time. So the board will build on this report every single time we have more students that we're releasing to Funkam County and it's like the list in total. So this is the new list for 2627 and additional students that are released will be continued to be added to >> correct. I separated out by yellow line. So, if any additional come in, which they will, it'll just roll down from there. >>
020Okay. >> I love that. >> Thank you, board members. Is everyone good with this being on the consent agenda on Monday? >> Okay. Thank you. Um, at this time, we will turn to uh the contracts and memorandums of understanding that have been shared with us. And there's only one contract with um Ashual Contracting Doing Business as Ashual Fence that is an possible action item. Board members, do you have questions? >> Um, I just asked that this be pulled from the consent agenda. Um, >> okay. That'll that'll happen next week. That that would happen. >> Other questions about the um information in front of you or about the contract with Ash Fence? I guess um are you you want to pull it from the consent agenda um because you want more information? I guess I want
021to make sure that if we're going to vote on it, if there's something that you're concerned about now, maybe we could learn. I'm concerned about uh um what has happened with 441 Haywood Road and um uh having to use additional resources because of the um condition of that facility. >> Mhm. >> And so that's bigger than approving this contract or not. And I'm I'm like this looking at a $40,000 >> expense to put a different fence in a different location >> because of the condition uh that 441 um Haywood Road is now in. >> I'd just like to say that I share those concerns. So, just so I'm clear, your concerns are more about what's going on at 441 Haywood, not about this contract. Let me just focus on the contract. We already had a
022contract with Asheville Fence for 87,000. And what is before us is providing a fence at central office to hold machinery for safety. I mean, there is nobody I I I don't want to open this up unnecessarily for conversation tonight because we need to hear from our um superintendent and staff on this, but we've all known that we can't continue at Haywood and there's a need to keep this equipment safe, thus a need for fencing. So, I'm trying to figure out if you have a problem with the contract or you have a concern that we're doing fencing at central office at all. We haven't as a board discussed how things went off the rails at 441 Haywood Road. And for me, I would vote against this contract with the information they have right now. >> So,
023just to be clear because >> and so I don't want it on the consent agenda. >> Understood. So, 441 Haywood is not before us in any way. I'm sure Maggie can give us updates on it. I guess I just want to be clear because it involves 441 Heywood, you're not comfortable voting on this contract next week. Is that the scope of it so the rest of us understand? >> Hey Sarah, maybe I can help. >> Yeah. >> Can we just get a little bit more information about this fence contract? >> Yeah. >> Can you tell us? >> It's a lot of money and we're just curious. >> I'm happy to share some more information. And as the board is aware, not only were we did we have to relocate the operations department from 441, we
024are anticipating a large impact with the DOT project of I26 corridor, which is going to impact where we currently store some of our equipment. Due to us having to relocate, we as a team decided that the best place to do that would be up up here in this upper parking lot where we could safely secure it um and have access to it to use on all of our campuses. the contract that we already had already established with Asheville fencing, we need to increase it to cover the cost of this additional project. >> So you're saying that the fence that we are going to put here is the price that we looking at right now. >> No, the price that you're what we what I'm asking you to do is increase the contract to $47,000 more.
025Is that correct? Is that the right number? >> 37 Sorry, 39,000 more. And the total amount is what we are looking at to put a fence right up here. >> Yes, sir. But do please understand that we already have an open contract with Asheville fencing to fix our other facilities. We have we always have to do repairs to our campuses across the district when a tree falls or if a fence is damaged. So I had already we had already established a $90,000 I'm sorry, what was it? >> I can't see it. Okay, I can't remember the original amount either, but I'm asking for an additional $39,000. >> And then once in about two to three years from now, that fence would still be here if things changes and everything else, right? >> I am sure
026the principles in the room will remind the board that PR the fences do get damaged and we do have to fix them. Ideally, that would stay there and that would be a secure location, a fenced in location for our district to utilize. But I can't promise that we won't have to fix it along the way. >> So I think the the other piece to add is it's as Miss Doery shared, it's twofold. So the I26 corridor is coming in and taking away a significant portion of our ava a availability to park equipment. So, we do need some additional space to store equipment aside from the need to relocate offices from 441 after the mold outbreak. And the reason we need to relocate the equipment is with no staff on that property, there is some different
027types of behavior in the community that will come in and damage that um any of our equipment. So in in in the idea of safeguarding our equipment and our investment, investing in the fence is to me the most affordable way to make sure we're protecting our equipment and that we've provided a safe central location for for the operation staff to to use that and gets it away from the 26 construction that's going to be coming through and taking a big part of that um front parking lot. So, can I ask a procedural question? If a single board member wants something pulled from the consent agenda, does that just means it sits out there in limbo and so we just park that equipment with no? >> No, I think procedurally all that happened is Pepe signaled
028that next week he's going to ask that it be pulled off that it I guess he's asking that it not be on the consent agenda at all. I guess that's a better way to say that because the consent agenda we approve we assume everybody approves it and he's indicating he doesn't approve this. So it'll just be a standalone action item for a straight up and down vote. >> Okay. >> So yeah, >> as as an action item, it it also affords us the opportunity to discuss further the contract and ask questions in the meantime before next week's meeting. Correct. >> Yes, of course. What kind of just give me the nature of the kind of questions you you would anticipate? I'm sort of just asking that into the room just for clarity that you know
029if we come to Maggie with some additional specific questions around the contract as it as it pertains to this equipment and to this fence um then we can revisit those publicly in the in next week's meeting before taking action. Correct. >> Yes, absolutely. I think what you're saying is can any of us as board members reach out to Maggie with questions, more context, more perspective, bigger picture, get information from her? Absolutely. And I would think that's fantastic. And then if that gets shared out next week by you or Maggie or whoever, then that would be appropriate. Is that what you're asking? >> Yep. That would be a great way to do it. I think if there's specific factual questions about the contract, those, you know, are going to get directed to April or her team.
030But yes, feel free to reach out to Maggie with questions. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Can I ask a question of April right now? >> I'm sorry. >> Can I ask a question of April right now? Or two questions actually. >> It's a work session. That's what we're >> So weird. >> Right. So making the assumption that it it fails on action item. What would we do with that equipment? Still parked it up there with but without a fence. >> Yes. >> Okay. Do you have an idea of the value of that equipment or a single piece of that equipment? I I can provide the board with an idea of the equipment that would >> Yeah. If something got damaged, what would it cost the district to repair that equipment versus the fence? >> I
031do want to uplift what Dr. Maggie said. It is it is becoming increasing difficulty for us to secure our equipment across the city, >> not just at 441, not just at Asheville High or Hoff Fletcher. And it is something we have had to do. We brought this to the board because it exceeded the 90,000. And I just want you to know, hey, I need to add this to do this more secure fencing. It is becoming a need. I do not see the need going away. >> Are we going to put it underneath a building or you going to put a tarp over the uh equipment? >> We are in the process of working with local government to secure some of our equipment that needs like a pole barn to get under to park underneath. Um,
032we are going to put a module system, a pod to store equipment that our ground crew needs to get access to relatively so we can store winter equipment when during the summertime and have access to our summer equipment during the summer time. >> And that's going up there in the parking lot. Yes, sir. >> So, you're taking my parking lot away, right? Or it's going to be in the back of it. >> It's going to be in the very back. You're going to park down here at the bottom. >> Okay. >> Not at the top. >> I have parking lot, too. >> Okay. I'll park. >> We also want to secure as much parking as possible on the Montford campus. We want to honor the work that's been done on that campus and not take
033away from any more additional space that they need for parking. So, we made this decision and Dr. Maggie supported it. >> And for clarity, because I wasn't sure when you and Jesse were talking, it the current contract was 87,000. This brings in an additional 39, but the 87 is unrelated to a fence in the upper parking lot. >> Yes, ma'am. We do not we do not do not use >> that fence is the additional 39,000 but the other 87,000 is other fences >> and historically that has been about what we've asked every year from actual fencing. >> Okay, just wanted to track that. >> Yes, thank you. >> Okay, other questions for April. Uh last thing and $40,000 is a lot of money to me um and it wasn't expected. So is there anything we're
034losing out on by needing to do this now? We had already pivoted some of our projects to wait to the completion of the facility needs assessment. Um, so we we are we're not going in the red to do this. Thanks. >> Any other questions? Yes. >> Is there a fenced in area at uh 441 Haywood Road that you've been using? >> It is. There is a fenced in. I know Tim Hulk is behind me or he was. There is, but we have had increasing problems with people getting and and stealing our equipment, damaging the equipment. It is a it is a very interesting part and hard to secure. >> Thank you. >> Great. If you'all have more, Jesse, do you have another question? >> Okay. All right. Yeah, please reach out to Maggie for more
035information. Um we now have in front of us uh turning to a pol the only policy on second read which is policy code 3000 our most recent reform policy. Um just as a reminder we looked at this last month. We were down to mostly editing changes for clarity and um Maggie has um and her team have worked on this and the most recent version was emailed late morning I think. So, are there questions about the final version of policy code 3000? >> Yes. >> Um, I would welcome this being moved to first read. I think we're closer, much closer. Um, I am seeing that there are two um items that are referenced in the document. One is the theory of action, ACS theory of action, and the other is a portrait of a scholar. And
036when I'm looking at this, I'm wondering whether if that's part of the policy, whether we want to embed the portrait of a scholar in this document or have it as a separate policy or embed the theory of action in this document or have it as a separate policy. Um, and this is remarkably wonderfully more developed than it was when we last looked at it. So, I appreciate all the work that has gone into it. >> We can definitely link um those documents here, but we those have already been approved by the board. So, I don't know that we need a separate policy for those, but they already are documents that have been approved and are part of other um pieces of what we've been working on over the past three years. >> Maggie, did I
037hear correctly? You could make a link though. You could just >> Oh, yeah. We can definitely link them in there for sure. Yep. >> Yeah. I know. I was particularly glad to see both the theory of action and the portrait of the scholar as part of this. That was from the beginning. I know we've we've struggled and the last time we discussed it, it was around grammar and wording and just feeling like it didn't read smoothly and understandably, but the the re correct me if I'm wrong, the references to the theory of action and the portrait of scholar are not new. Um, and we've we've already reviewed those. We um what and there's the most recent email and what's linked in the agenda is not the markedup copy. There's an email that has it from
038today. um that has the >> the fixes the email that I sent to the board this afternoon at 12:54. There is the markedup version with the last grouping of changes that were sent in. And this is the policy that I had also sent to the board I think last week to get some final edits. Um and Rebecca made some edits that I got but no other board member had asked for edits. And Maggie, will you remind us this coming to us as a reform policy? It has been >> just give us the quick down and dirty of who's had their hands in this over the past several months. >> Yeah, this has gone through extensive input and revision. So started with an initial review from the board, what you liked in the original policy, what
039you wanted to see changed. Then that created a draft that we took to the educator advisory council that got their input. It went through another set of revisions from the educator advisory council. Then that version they were issued a survey where they showed their level of agreement with which what was what was written and then that was then what triggered it being ready to come to the board for first and second read. I mean, it is before us on second read because it's been in front of us many times and it may be that we don't vote for it to be approved and I'm hearing you say you're not ready for it to be on the consent agenda next week either is what I'm hearing. So, there might be and that's fine. It along with
040the >> I do appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it thus far. Uh and I think it's close. >> Okay. And would you mind sharing because I didn't get an email from you with any recommended edits. So, were there things in particular other than the comments about the theory of action and the portrait of a scholar? >> The the acoustics are are fighting me understanding. Um, you're pointing out that I did not email you with edits while we were receiving new versions. I'm just saying for me there's been enough changes where another month of of review won't hurt it. That's my perspective. Okay. >> I think what we'll do is this will it's on second read for next week. It will not be on the consent agenda and we can see if
041others also feel we should take more time or if others are ready to approve it in its current uh state. Does that seem acceptable as a proposition? Okay. So, it too is moving forward but not on the consent agenda. Um, let's see. At this time, we are going to get, just to let folks know, we're going to hear from Heidi twice. This first time is about the current budget year, fiscal year 26. I don't know if we're hearing from you, Maggie. I don't know who we're hearing from. >> Good evening. We just have the uh standard every other month budget amendment expenditure report and explanation for you this evening. There's nothing really noteworthy in that except you might have noticed there was a fairly large adjustment in the capital fund and that was because of
042the item Mr. Whiteside brought to you about preurchasing next year's laptops in this year in order to um take advantage of that huge cost savings because those prices are going up significantly. So, we had to do a budget amendment to match up our um budget to that purchase. >> Are there any questions? >> Is that the ancillary services >> or where is that uh listed? It's on section four capital page which is let me make sure at the top you'll see uh it's the third one from the end capital outlay fund $525,000. >> Thank you. >> Other questions for Heidi. There will be another amendment in June and then one in at the close of the year to wrap everything up. >> So Heidi, the board votes on the budget amendment which is we've got
043the cover sheet, we've got supporting information. Um board members, are we okay with that being on the consent agenda next week? >> Yes. >> All right. That will move forward on the consent agenda. >> Thank you. Okay, next we're going to go back to April to hear about a request for a letter about an ordinance. >> Yes, thank you. I believe the board has gotten Apple information regarding our request to work with Buckham County Schools and Buckham County government and local government along with law enforcement to implement a bus stop arm citation. And what we need from the board is simply a letter of support advocating that you agree this is a good idea to actually give citations for individuals who illegally pass stopped buses. >> Yes, >> it's crazy that we have to >>
044it is insane that it is in fact something that I have uh I would like to take a moment opportunity to thank Amanda Riggsby and her team for working so hard to even get this uh to you. She's worked with Buckham County schools and Buckham County's government for a very long time to even ask you if we could please support us in writing a letter to give citations to individuals who pass stopped buses. And just for context, if approved, and again, folks, it would go on the consent agenda for next week. There would be a letter from us to the county commissioners or to county management where we join other voices in support of this ordinance and then they will pass the ordinance. >> Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And then the city government will either
045uphold the ordinance or they will make slight changes, but we do not anticipate any issues. >> Great. >> Okay. A county governance. >> I'm sorry, >> you said city, but county >> county will implement the ordinance first and then city will either keep the same ordinance or they might make minor adjustments. We do not anticipate that they will. >> Oh, so it will take both. But >> it does take both. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uhhuh. >> April, can you tell the board why we doing it now instead of 20 years ago? I I cannot, but I can tell the board again, thanks to Amanda and her diligence, we don't have to buy any additional equipment. We're ready to roll. We could start tomorrow. I'd like to also point out that the companies that you've
046been talking with would do a roll out period >> where they would send warnings before sending out citations and be part of a public relations campaign to support this and that it wouldn't be something that would suddenly surprise the entire community. Um, which is also crazy, >> right? I mean, I hear you, Pepe. It's also crazy. Like, I I can't I can't think of any anyone who has taken or that original driver's test that doesn't have that question on the driver's test. It's like >> Anyway, yeah, I I hear you and I'm not disagreeing. It's just >> we're just in this situation where the district attorney's office has constrained resources and it can take 2 years to prosecute. And this is an immediate way to send out >> um a photo citation based on the
047equipment that we already have on our buses and be able to take care of this and change behavior quickly. So, it's a really exciting positive thing. >> Yeah. So I think given that the knowledge base is with you two, will you help craft a letter to send us for us to vote next week? >> Yes, we are happy to do that. I do want to add that we actually do receive the revenue the sources from we will receive money from the citation. So that is another little plus. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Knowing that we'll see the circulated letter that we're voting on next week. knowing that we'll see a circulated letter to vote on next week. I guess are folks um in agreement with this and it can be on the consent agenda.
048>> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Great. It will move forward on the consent agenda and we'll circulate the letter. >> Actually, Sarah, can I ask a question about that? Would it have more impact if it was an action item? >> It's fine. >> I don't know. Like I just a No, you don't think Okay, that's fine. Just Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Georgeo. >> I like that thinking. >> I like to have some efficiency in our meetings. Um, so I think we'll keep it on the consent agenda. Okay. At this time, everyone has gotten the link to um an update on the feasibility study. I don't know who I'm Are we staying with you, April? >> Actually, I'm going to pass it to Aubrey. She is go um from Milan Patson Smith and she's going
049to go over um updates. But while she's coming up, if you serve on the leadership team, will you please stand up? Kim Robinson, Shannon, Jeremy, Sean, Tim, and many, many others who actually support this work and has been leading it. So, thank you for hours and hours of time. >> All right, I'm quite a bit shorter than April over here. Uh, good evening board. Thank you for having us and Dr. Maggie. Um, as April mentioned, I'm with McMillan Pasant Smith. My name is Aubrey Donalan. I'm a project manager and assessment lead for this. I'm out of our Asheville studio just downtown. And then also with me is John Clayton. If you'll raise your hand, he's hiding in the audience. Uh, he is also on the assessment team and he's been in all of these leadership
050meetings as well. Um, so I guess the big why are we here? And that's to assist the district with developing a district-wide facility needs plan for your future long term. Um, and then what we're doing here today is to briefly review what we reviewed last time, which is the ratings for each facility or each campus, and then also go into the cost estimates we've developed for each of those campuses. So, we'll continue answering this question which we brought up last time is how do we keep our schools up to date? And a big piece of that is understanding and documenting all of your current facilities and then we need to start assigning costs to those and then determining does this need to be addressed 2 years, 5, 10, 20? And then after that, we'll begin
051overlaying that with your current capital improvements planning and kind of merging those together. And then this slide looks familiar to you, but just wanted to briefly briefly kind of remind you of the scoring chart that we used. Items rated a one and two are typically higher priority. A three would be kind of your typical wear and tear for the age of an item or of an instance. On the right hand side, you'll see the five primary categories that we look at, which are site, building envelope, interiors, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, which could also include IT, and then health, safety, and security. And it's important to note that we do assess your facilities based off of current codes, current standards. So, while you may not have to upgrade them now, if you do any renovations in the
052future, that may trigger, you know, upgrades. So, it's good to account for them now. Okay. And then so this also will look a little familiar to you. And what we noted last time was we were doing a mechanical, electrical, plumbing review specifically for Claxton central office here and then over at the district operations facility as well. So that has been included. The overall scores really have not changed that much based off of off of that. And what you're looking at here, these are all your elementary schools starting with your highest rating down to the lowest. And then anything you see highlighted in orange, that's just simply telling you it falls below a three. And this next one is the rest of your educational facilities as well as your two non-educational facilities. And then so since
053we've done that mechanical review, the number of instances has changed a little bit from the last time. So now we're looking at 4,644 instances. And then 58 of those or percent of those are in or rated a three, which is I mean really great. We see a lot more ones and twos at at districts. Uh which really is a testament to your maintenance team and how often they have been updating materials. Um so well it looks like the numbers are a little aren't showing quite on the screen but I believe you guys have printouts I'm assuming. Okay, fantastic. Uh so on the right hand side that is by category and the largest category is interior at 45%. Um, what you'll see in some later slides is that although interiors may be 45% of the category,
054once you start assigning costs, you're not going to see 45% interiors. You you that could be down to 13. Um, just because interiors aren't as costly as, you know, larger larger systems, I guess. Any questions before we get into into the costs? All right. All right. Well, not it's not showing up on the screen, but you guys can can see that the value of those 4,000 644 instances is approximately $61.8 million, which may seem like a lot, but as I guess for comparison, I've done a study where a high school alone was $40 million. So, you guys are doing pretty great in in comparison to that. And this is across 10 campuses. So that's I mean that's a lot of a lot of buildings, a lot of land to cover. And to break that a
055little bit more by facility, your largest at about 30% is the high school, which is expected. It is by far your largest campus by quite a bit. Um coming in second would be the district operations facility, which is, you know, an older facility, and then followed by Claxton. So kind of the common denominator is those are your campuses with some of your oldest facilities. Um and then looking at you know broken down based off the the ratings about 50% of your cost is for items rated one and two and the other half is items rated a three. And then if we look at that broken down based off of your categories, by far your largest at 47% is mechanical, electrical, plumbing. So I mean these are big ticket, these are infrastructure. I mean these are
056long life cycle type items. So >> can I ask a question about the previous slide? >> Yes. So if half is threes and fours, does that mean that half that dollar value is something that is needed 5 10 years down the road? >> Potentially. Yes. So a lot of your threes could be interior finishes like carpet. So it's it doesn't affect the way you know the facility functions, but it does affect the way it feels, the way it looks. Um. All right. And then we did want to point out that your health, safety, and security is about 13%. So it's only about 8.3 million out of that 61, which is a pretty low number. Um it's you can tell that as upgrades and renovations have occurred that health, safety, security items have also been upgraded
057along the way. Um because we typically see a much larger number for health, safety, and security. And to get a little bit more granular, we're going to kind of go over each each facility. Starting with Isaac Dixon. While health, safety, and security may look like a lot. I mean, the overall number is is fairly small, but for this particular school, while doing interviews with the principal, talking to district leadership, they brought up the concern about perimeter security. So, they asked us to factor in kind of more robust perimeter security. So that's why that number is is higher and why that percentage is a bit higher for the health, safety and security portion. At Lucy Herring, it's primarily mechanical electrical plumbing which is related to the planetarium. Um HVAC upgrades have happened kind of throughout the
058remainder of the school. That's kind of the last piece left for mechanical and electrical upgrades. Um, we've also been told the PA system tends to have some issues. So, they would like just like a full redo of the PA system, which is why that that MEP number is high. The other number that's high is interiors. Um, which it's an older facility, which is pretty typical. Um, and then looking at Hall Fletcher, that is kind of overwhelming interiors, and that's flooring to ceilings to the casework. That's one where there's a big desire for furniture. that seems to be a school that has a bit of a hodgepodge of furniture throughout. So, they requested I mean, can we get brand new furniture for the whole facility? So, we did factor that that into that number. Um, then
059IRB Jones again is a lot of interiors as well as MEP. Um, I know there's a boiler that you know is is due for replacement at that school. Can we go back to Lucy Herring for a moment just to clarify that MEP number does include the work that was done over the last year and a half or is in addition to the work that we are just wrapping up? >> It does not include anything that's been upgraded recently. So it is only new things that need to be Yeah. which is really primarily just that planetarium section. All right. Then for your last elementary school, we have Claxton. That is heavily MEP related, which again, it's an older facility. Some mechanical equipment has been replaced over the last few years, but the big bulk of it
060still needs to be done. Then along with that, there's some aged electrical as well. So, the electrical engineer recommended upgrading the electrical to kind of go along with that with that mechanical. Um, and then interiors is another big one there. And then your building envelope, specifically kind of restoration to that cornice. And then your exterior windows. They're still older, single pane, not very energy efficient. So we'd recommend replacing all of those windows. Um, and then Asheville Middle School, one of your lowest costs. Again, with health, safety, and security, this is one where while doing interviews and, you know, talking to leadership, they requested additional security cameras. So that's kind of the bulk of that cost is security as well as more perimeter fencing. And then looking at Asheville High School, that one again is a
061big mechanical, electrical, plumbing. So we do understand that mechanical was replaced for the majority of the school in 2018. The old gym has kind of lagged behind a little bit, so that still needs to be upgraded. And then the electrical and the plumbing systems at the old gym, cafeteria, and arts building. And then specifically that CTE building is due for some kind of electrical and plumbing upgrades throughout. Um, and then a lot of interior upgrades as well. And then looking at William Randolph again being an older facility, mechanical is is a big one at at that school. Um, and then a lot of interior as well. portions of the interior have been upgraded as it is used a bit for educational use but the full upgrade hasn't occurred yet. Okay. Then going into our last
062two, central office, largest piece is mechanical and electrical. And then this one we did also look into it as well because it was requested that we look specifically into it. And as you all know, there's a bit of a nice hodgepodge of mechanical equipment. Uh that's been kind of up upgraded and added as you know the use of this building has changed throughout the years. So we'd recommend kind of doing a more centralized just revamp of your entire mechanical system, adding ventilation. The other big chunk you'll see is the building envelope, which is really your windows and your metal panels. If you look at this building, it's probably 75 to 80% metal panel and window. So that makes up kind of a big chunk of that. Um, and then lastly, for district operations, we're showing
063two numbers. The bottom left is return to an educational use facility. The bottom right is non-educational use. And you I mean you may have expected to see a larger difference in those numbers but really this this building needs a lot of mechanical electrical upgrades as well as some plumbing. Um we have factored in the most recent environmental report that was received as well as the quote for cleaning the facility. So that is incorporated into this. So no matter you know who occupies that facility, those mechanical upgrades really need to be made and you need to bring in fresh air into that facility. It still needs a new roof. It still needs new windows replaced. And that's really the bulk of the cost for that facility. When >> we um when we're considering the mold in
064that building, does that fall under uh health, safety, and security or does it fall under interior when we're just when you're just talking about mold or >> the mold? So that's under health, safety, security under hazardous materials more specifically. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yes. So, I guess some important takeaways is that 40% of this cost is mechanical, electrical, plumbing. I mean, they're they're big infrastructure upgrades, but once you once you do it, it you're you know, you're pretty good for a while, thankfully. Um, so this shows you an order of most mechanical, electrical needs kind of down to William Randolph, so your top five essentially. Um, >> and that mechanical, electrical, plumbing, that is taking out what's there and putting in all new. It is. Yes. And then specifically with your older buildings when you
065start replacing mechanical oftent times your current electrical cannot handle the newer equipment. So it also will need to be upgraded. And then 441 specifically has a variety of electrical services that the electrical engineer really recommended kind of combining for a safer system. Yeah. And so and then you'll note about 29% of that cost is for non-educational buildings. So really your operations facility, then your central office. Um so you're looking at about 44.1 million for the educational facilities. And that's just kind of a brief list in order of most costly to to least costly. Um >> question. >> Yeah. >> This estimation is it the higher end or the lower end or the middle end when you got estimated? I mean which contract which contract you know the higher lower end which who developed all of
066these estimation. >> So we hired a cost estimator. >> Is she is she a higherend person lowerend person or what? I would I would say probably middle. And what these numbers also include are like conting design contingency or it's contractor contingencies. It's considering all of those like smaller fees that you wouldn't. It's not just straight, oh, it's this much for this floor and that's it. That's the only number that's included. It also includes those kind of backup. >> And he will keep the numbers if if it takes us 15 years to do it, right? So that's one that we add when we get to that 10 year, 5 year, 20 year, we'll then start adding es escalation to that. So say it's not happening for 10 years now, you're going to need to escalate it
067for every year it's it's not done. >> So uh I do appreciate that the square footage was put into this report for the different facilities. Uh, I know that a prior superintendent had estimated the replacement value being 23 million for the building. looking at the for uh the 441 Haywood Road facility. Um the math on replacing the facility like for like if we went with a $400 square foot number, which is what I understand is typical with schools right now. Could be higher, could be lower. We're talking about $24 million to replace the facility, not including land, demolition, cleanup >> or any ailaration of of site. So, I look at the upgrades which could be done incrementally versus the cost that it would take to to replace a facility. >> Yeah. So even though those
068numbers look high, there are ways that we could if we chose to schedule um an orderly uh return to service that would be cheaper than replacing the facility outright. >> Just a quick review of kind of our our next steps is we've started looking at your enrollment and capacity. Uh we're also looking at your demographic projections. I understand you had a previous demographic report. We're kind our demographers kind of doing their own kind of study of that as well. We're also going to look at educational adequacy, which is how are your buildings functioning for 21st century learning? You know, are they on par with what we're seeing today? And then more getting more into the operational cost analysis and start getting into options and prioritization on, you know, what are we going to do with
069this information? What's the plan forward? and then continue to to meet and report to the board as well as meet and engage the community as well. But >> on that last bit with the demographer, are they going to consider choices that we could make or choices that we could make as a larger community and how that would impact the demographics? For example, if we expand access to early childhood education partnering with Bunkham County, would that impact kindergarten enrollment, which I understand is dipping this year? Like what are the things that we can do or collaborate with that would have outcomes that would help enrollment? >> It's currently not in the scope, but certainly worth I mean discussing as an overall. Yeah, >> I appreciate that point. Yeah. What's the time frame for the next steps?
070>> So, we'll be meeting with the leadership committee actually this Wednesday to start going over some of the initial preliminary enrollment data. Um, so we're I think we're looking to present to the board again. I believe in June is what we're looking at. And by then we should have the enrollment, the demographics, the adequacy done by then, as well as being able to present some options as well. Yeah. So we should be pretty far along by by then. Yeah. >> Okay. >> George, do you have a question? Oh, >> board members, other question for our consultant while she's with us. >> I would hope that your demographer could take into account um some of our outofd district enrollment trends and and what we've done to improve that and that may impact the um the enrollment
071projections. I know that our superintendent has looked at the past study and has increased enrollment projections based on what we're actually experiencing on the ground uh with uh good leadership in our enrollment office. >> Right. Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay, folks. We are back to Heidi and now we're in fiscal year 27. So we're looking ahead. So uh Dr. Maggie asked me to please update um our presentation from last month because we have had not a lot of changes but we have gotten some new information. Um, excuse me. Wrong button. There we go. All right. So, um, back to our comments from last month. We did have some exciting news again to start this year with our new local funding formula. We've gotten some information on what those totals exactly are from the county,
072and I'll touch on that in just a moment. What do we know at this point in time about our state uh budget? Oh, nothing as usual. Um, nothing at all. Um, we have preliminary aotments, but those were not done very well this year. Um, the state honestly is running a little scared on those and hesitant to put out the full aotment amounts due to a lot of the headlines you've probably seen across the state where a lot of districts are struggling and over drawing on those aotments. So, they're going at the very bare minimum, which I understand taking that position, but it doesn't help us get a good grip on what we think those numbers actually will be to contribute to our budget. But I have a a fairly good estimate on that. Um, assuming
073none of those a lotment formulas change in the next upcoming budget process as well, if we like actually have a budget this year. So, but I guess in all the things that I've heard in the last few weeks, the most disappointing part to me is that after 32 years, the Supreme Court threw out the Leandro case. And for those of you that don't know what that is, that was the one hope we had on the horizon all this time that has gone back and forth and back and forth between one court and the other court and other situations, the legislature. and we were told a couple years ago that it had a strong chance of actually coming through even if it might be a phased in approach to increasing our funding and it just got
074completely thrown out on April 2nd. So, having worked on that Weststead um group that made the recommendations to the legislature um for about 2 years, I was doubly disappointed. But the fact that that wasn't a pie in the sky approach to funding education in North Carolina. That was getting back to them funding strictly a sound basic education. And so I was hugely disappointed with that news um that came through in the last couple of weeks. Um, most of this other information we covered last month. We are going to continue to apply our aotment formulas and look at aligning our budget now with the strategic plan you'll hear more about this evening. Um, we did have good good news basically for ADM where some years as you know we've lost kids. We did only lose 23
075students this past year compared to almost 600 that uh Bunkham County Schools lost. And our charter school population back to Mr. Sibo's question earlier has stayed fairly constant over the last couple of years, but we can provide you all with more detail on that uh at a later meeting. Um local revenue. So that is the new information that we received. Uh we were promised this information based on the new funding formula by March 15th and we did get it on March 13th, much sooner than we ever get it. Um, and part of that reason is because now the county is not dealing with estimates and projections and trying to struggle between what all of their agencies and departments will get and what we will get. We all worked out a formula, meaning we, the Bunkham
076County Commissioners, the Bunkham County School Board, and the Asheville City School Board to agree that from now on, moving forward, at least for a three-year period of time initially, and then we can always go back and evaluate how it's working and how it um may be beneficial or may need adjustment in coming years. that each each the each district will receive their share of 37.76% of the actual total property taxes and sales taxes collected in the prior year that aren't already designated for other purposes. Say for example our capital fund. So, that is a huge question mark type of situation that's been taken out of the budgeting process, which is very exciting to me because that's been one of the more difficult things that we deal with. Um, of course, that's still subject to the
077split between us and Bunkham County Schools. So there is some uncertainty still, but that new initial formula was guaranteed um by the county based on what they had assumed the unrestricted revenue growth would be to be at least a couple of million dollars more in total than what we received this year. Well, to much to our surprise, um, instead of the $17 million to the $119 million that they thought it would bring in, it's actually now brought in $128 million. So that was a 9.4 in% increase um to the school districts and the associated charter schools. And so the unrestricted growth rate actually was 3.14% up from 1.89% which was their estimate. So that should bring Asheville City Schools a minimum increase of about 1.6 million. Again, subject to the split with the other school
078district. Um all our other components of taxes stayed the same. Um of course though, this is a reassessment year. So, anytime um there's a reassessment year, any of the millage rates across the county are subject to change in negotiation and and adjustment based on what they consider is what is needed to run the county government. And then, of course, we actually have a small portion that belongs to us, just us directly, and that being our supplemental property tax. Well, anytime there's a reassessment year, the initial well, actually they're required by law to provide a revenue neutral supplemental tax rate or millage rate for any of the taxing entities in the county. So, what happened was over the years, each time we've seen that tax rate that we have for our supplemental rate come down, that's
079what's happened. It's been in a reassessment year and those rates have been adjusted. So last year, you know, there was a great grassroots campaign. Many of you in this room participated in that to try to get our tax rate back up. And even though it didn't go all the way back up to 12 cents, it did go back up to 11 cents. Well, that new revenue neutral proposal from the county based on what they know about assessment right now before all the appeals are completed is 8.1 8.14. So, that would still, according to their estimates, generate about $200,000 more in revenue than it did last year. Um, but in much discussion that our board had at their last meeting, they did decide that the proposal we're going to bring to the county on Thursday would
080be for them to restore that rate back up to 10 cents. That would generate about $2.8 $8 million more revenue than last year and also hopefully insulate us from any potential um appeals on those assessments because as you know in this room, those that live in the city and the county, those went up significantly and there are a lot of appeals being made at this time. So that is what we will um know more about later um once that presentation's made and the county has an opportunity to review that. Um, for those of you that aren't that familiar with the supplemental tax rate, um, as I mentioned a minute ago, uh, where the conversation went with the board, I think last time kind of focuses on and what the counties asked us to bring to
081them Thursday is what are we going to use that money for if that tax rate goes back up? And and what we have to understand is a very complicated way of getting that tax money to Asheville City Schools here. We're different than say a county that doesn't have two entities in the same district. We're the tiny fish in the big pool. So the most we get of any revenue that's brought in from the county level is 15%. Well, you can just imagine how many students would have to swing or come into the county in order to generate a couple million more dollars at only the 15% rate. What that supplemental rate allows us to do as we continue to advocate for that is that money comes straight to us. I mean, we can say, you
082know, we're suggesting this project is going to cost X dollars and this much tax revenue will provide that to us and that comes straight to us without getting split amongst other agencies. So, it's a way to actually target the needs that our actual school district has versus getting filtered through other entities in order to receive that same funding. So, right now, um the good news would be is that we look like we would have about $1.6 million total uh new revenue come in for next year, which should cover an average raise in French benefit increases. Um, the scary part right now, I'm just going to tell you, is uh the governor's got a really nice idea that he wants to pass a budget right now for the current year and give everybody raises. Well, part
083of the reason our fund balance and our our current funding situation is as positive looking as it is, is because we all know we didn't get a raise this year. So, if something happens in April and they make that retroactive to the first of the school year, not only is it a significant amount of work, and I'd love for everybody to be able to benefit from that, but that totally changes our perspective in numbers for next year as well. So, we're just going to have to see where that proposed legislation goes and um keep our eyes and ears open as to where that might be. um because not only then do we not know the cost of the raises and fringe benefits to estimate next year's budget, we don't know what they might be bringing
084in in this proposal for the current year. So always that is the big component that drives all our budget decisions because about 85% of our budget is tied to salaries and benefits. So that's what we don't know. Um most of the rest of this we covered last month. Um we don't have a lot of information new on that. I think our board chair mentioned she's going to talk about this proposed legislation about property tax reform at the state level, which concerns me significantly. Um, and we do currently still have our eyes out on the uh impact of the new virtual charter schools that are expanding in our area because I don't know how many of you have followed that, but virtual charter schools used to get a fixed $790 a student rate because they're not
085a brickandmortar establishment. they're a virtual school. Um they don't have to provide all the same support that we do, etc., etc. Well, a couple of years ago, um the legislation got passed to give them exactly the same local funding as any public school receives. So, if we have students that opt to go to these new virtual charter schools, just like a regular charter school, they will get the full funding. If they're out of the city, they get the funding less the supplemental tax. if they're in the city, they get the funding plus the supplemental tax. So, that could be a significant impact on our budget if our students decide to take advantage of that. Um, we covered the potential cost of the raise. So, I hate to have question marks this time of year, but
086this is the time of year for some question marks. And what happens in the current legislation will have a lot to do with what kind of decisions we can make in the in for the coming year. um where I feel good about it compared compared to some of the new headlines we're seeing right now in the news. There's been actually three more districts um that have been uh out I guess called out for financial distress in the last two months. So, the fact that we do have this stable fund balance that we can fall back on to um uh be able to work with any of these adjustments and all these new initiatives and um capital needs and all the things that we're seeing in our strategic plan and feasibility study. This makes me feel
087as a finance officer a little bit more comfortable in us being able to move forward and get all those things done for our students that we would really like to provide. So, um, does anyone have any questions at this point? Just for clarification, that 2.8 million extra that we would get with the 10 cent mil rate, that's based on nobody appealing their property taxes. So, that number would be lower, right? >> That's based on their current assessment totals. Yes, sir. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. And just as a reminder, Maggie presents the 10 cent the request for 10 cents on Thursday. >> All right. Thank you. >> Would you say that again? >> Maggie presents to the county commissioners on Thursday about that. That's when they've asked her to come present. >> Um, any other
088questions for Heidi who's walking away like >> I do have a a quick question. Well, I think it's a quick question. Um, I realize that this is a awkward question, but um, with 70% of our state paid staff in position aotments, are we required by the state to provide the same raises for locally paid positions? Thank you. That is an awkward question. The answer to that would be no. The only thing the state mandates when they say that this, let's use last time as an example, everyone gets a 3% raise. They're only addressing that to state paid employees. You the board could always make an option not to pay everybody else. Um, and in the situation that this district's in, you know, that's kind of almost a half and half situation. And you could easily
089have people working side by side then one would get a raise and one would not. >> And so most districts have never that I have seen even as bad as some of their financial situations are I have never seen one opt to draw the line there just because of that situation. But the would present an opportunity for the board to look at which which positions are being locally funded and how those compare in in our student outcomes if that makes sense. >> To to a point um without getting in all the weeds um part of the problem with that is that like right now I still don't have a budget. So in the beginning of the year we we put people in places where there is money throughout the year as the money is adjusted
090we move those people. I could move someone from state to local or local to state because that's where the money landed for that year. So what do we do in that situation? >> Do we give it to them and then take it away? Do we not give it to them? Yeah. it it if if it were cut and dry again it would be something that I think it would be that the board could look at if they wanted to but it would be very difficult with no more information we get in a timely basis to be able to even tackle that I guess is the way I would look at that. >> Thank you. I this is a question, but it's also building on that and just making sure I understand cuz this a I
091love that you just keep bringing us you're it's really helpful that we see it and then we see it again and you're building as more information comes out and that the slide about the cost of a 5% raise or a 10% raise. This is not based on the slim chance that a budget comes out this year. This is for next year. This or Dr. Ferman had gone to a meeting where they said considering at the time we had missed all of this year's arrays. Could it be that they will pass a larger than normal raise in order to make up for that >> last year? Right. >> Yeah. But now that there's a conversation that there might be something happen this year, I'm not sure where that would be. >> I think that's what I
092want to make. >> The MCC group brought that up. Would that be a two-part process? And very often, you know, they'll say in the news headline, we're giving teachers 10%. Well, that's 5% this year and 5% next year or 2% this year and 2% next year. So, it really just depends on how they write the legislation. Oh, now and now you even added cuz I that happened in a bienium where the it's a big raise but it comes in two small chunks but you've also raised the idea that if somehow a budget were to pass it would be retro to July one of this year >> which I will have to take my payroll person physically off the ledge and put her back. >> Okay. Cuz I that's I thought that seems incredibly unlikely but
093it's put us in this weird situation where we couldn't give raises because we have no budget. much more likely that a raise comes. The last time it came, it came in two bytes. Year one part of the raise, year two part of the raise, but they call it one single raise. And these give us an idea of what it would cost. You've given us 5% and 10%. And this is to Liz's point following our pattern which is it's for everybody. So it's not just the 70% like we would get money from the state for the state positions to pay for this but this is what it would cost us to match for our local >> right because even though the position allotments in state are funded at 100% no matter what they cost as many
094as they give us they fund that unlimited right >> so you could have a bachelor's degree or a doctor degree doesn't matter they will pay that 100%. All of those formula a lotments are not like that. So when I say local cost, it's local cost for some state positions, local cost for some federal positions, and then the local cost for all the local positions >> because we are not 100% funded ever for a a state raise and benefit increases ever. Only in the position allotments >> in the position aotment. And then we cover the cost of the raise for our locally paid people because we have parody. That's just how we've done it is. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, would you remind us where we are with discussions about a fixed supplement versus a
095percentage supplement which I think is also impacted by this. >> Right. Last year when we passed the budget, everyone still receives a percentage supplement except that amount has been frozen. So when we get a raise for this coming year, people will go I'm trying to explain how that will work. We're we didn't release new salary schedules this year because there was no raise. So when we release the new salary schedules, you'll see each component, not just in the hourly pay table like we have it broken out now. We're going to break it out that way in every salary schedule so everybody can see it. So the salary schedule based on this year, let's say someone made $1,000 and has 10% supplement. The supplement column would have $100 in it. next year is still going to
096have $100 in it, but they'll go up to the next step because they have a new year of experience and they will have an increase in the supplement, but not an increase in the percentage. It will go up with the tiers just like always. People that work here longer have a bigger amount of a local supplement, but that amount has been frozen as of last year, which is this year because we didn't get a raise unless the board decides to change that. So Heidi, you're watching and waiting like everybody else. And it feels so great that the county piece we know earlier than we used to know, but practically speaking, do you anticipate we're still going to be just watching in May and really getting something useful in June? I I'm just trying to get
097a sense of I I realize you don't know, but >> Well, they're still coming back this month to work on this year, so I'm not clear on when they're going to actually get any constructive work done on next year. Um, >> but regardless, we have to have a budget by June. >> Correct. So, and we make our best estimates and >> yeah, move forward. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you very much, Heidi. We really appreciate it. >> Um, and now we are on our last sec, excuse me, second to last agenda item. Um, but one of our most important agenda items, an update on strategic planning. I don't often come over here to present. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever have except for the very first time I presented to the board.
098um but felt like this is a very important presentation. I want to make sure that we do give it all of its reverence because this is a a next big step for Asheville City Schools and for the outcomes we're going to see for our students. So, we are sharing our strategic plan draft with the board this evening. We will also be sharing this with schools the rest of this week and gathering feedback as well as hosting a community input meeting uh later in April. Then we will be bringing all we'll take all of that feedback. We'll look at the plan, make any adjustments based on that feedback. And then in May at the strate at the next work session, we'll bring an updated presentation with any edits to share with the board with the hopes
099that the board will be ready to approve kind of the board pieces of this plan at the May regular meeting. So, first I want to set the context for our plan. Asheville has not had a strategic plan since 2015. And what I learned kind of through the history is that there was a strategic plan kind of built but never implemented because a superintendent left. Like the superintendent said, "Hey, here's our strategic plan." And then left the district and it just kind of sat there. Um so really since 2015, no plan but no active plan in place since the previous one before 2015 expired. And I think all of that change, all of those um kind of just the way the the changes and turnover that we really saw the community lose trust in our school
100system and specifically looking at our black community, historical harm that has still yet to be repaired and continuing ongoing harm in our black community and specifically naming the achievement gap that we have in Asheville City Schools between our white students and our black students remains to be the largest in in North Carolina and that is troublesome. And on top of that, we have a hugely disproportionate number of our black students that continue to get suspended outside of school. So, we see um lots of harm that has happened that hasn't been repaired, continued harm. And we wanted to set that as context as we built this plan and hold that. and you'll hear a little bit more about some of the steps we're going to take to try to deliberately work towards repairing um that harm
101and improving those outcomes that we are seeing with the students that we know we need to fix. Some of the big areas that we noticed, as I mentioned, unstable leadership in the highest level positions causes a lot of turmoil in a school system. So, as you said, there was a strategic plan built back in 2015 to go through 2020. because there was change in leadership, it just sat on a shelf and nothing happened. Um, but also no accountability systems have really been set in place that as we've gone through this and looked at data saying how do we hold ourselves accountable as a school district, as a board, as an administration, as teachers and making sure that we make as we move forward putting those things in place. Just a reminder for the board, there
102is kind of this balance in a strategic plan between strate strategy and operational. And the board is heavily involved to the left side of this graphic on the mission, the vision, guiding principles, looking at the data. Then there's this little bit kind of in the middle that's admin and the board, which are our growth goals, and our objectives, which we're going to present tonight to the board. And the other part of the presentation is highly administrative which are the tactics the implementation of the plan. So just to help the board remember you're really involved on the left side of the graft and a little bit in the middle and then admin really takes over and implements the plan that we're going to present. I have been reflective on what are key qualities that it takes
103to be a high quality organization. And we know from research and studies of high-quality organizations, there's some really key practices that help an organization become highquality and stay highquality. And not surprisingly, stable leadership at top level positions is one of those um things that helps an organization remain and stay high quality. Another is to identify your core business. What is our unity of purpose? Why do we exist? What are we here for? And the board has done a great job working on the vision and mission statements. We have our three promises, our portrait of a scholar and building on all of that, our strategic plan that will help implement us towards that vision. Core purpose, why are we here? Why do we exist as an organization? Another quality is establishing highquality practices that actively and
104actively implementing them. So, another area to really focus on in our strategic plan that we've already started with our district and school work plans is what are these highquality practices that will shift achievement for students and close the achievement gap. And not only are we implementing them, but we're actively implementing and monitoring those to make sure that we're seeing the outcomes we want to with students. Having a culture that's committed to continuous improvement is another huge quality. We could say, hey, we get this data. We look at the data, but we're like, you know, that was the best we could do. Can we do any better? I don't know. We should always be thinking as an organization, how can we do better? What can we do the next time around to improve practice so that
105our students are doing better? And that being the core business of what we do, which part of we've already started to use and look at that through our theory of action, our school and district work plans, and now really kind of putting the cherry on top with our strategic plan. Next one is these key performance indicators almost progress monitoring. We ask our teachers to frequently do assessments on student learning. How are your students doing towards mastery of this standard? We need to do that as an organization. We can't wait until the very end of the school year to get our summit of assessments back from the state and say, "Oh my gosh, we really didn't hit our mark. We really missed or we're seeing our achievement gap grow." We need to establish what are those
106kind of formative assessment checks that we can do in an ongoing basis to say the strategies we're implementing. Are they working? Are we seeing results? Yes or no? Yes. Keep doing them. No. What do we need to change? Do we need to deepen implementation? Do we need to increase training? Do we need to make sure that we're engaging with our families more often? So establishing those key performance indicators so we can do progress monitoring on ourselves throughout this plan is another quality that we've really built in this ongoing plan. And then just this idea that we're becoming a learning organization. If you uh or I was an organization, if you're just staying static and you're not changing with the times, are you going to be a highquality organization? And I ask that question when I
107talk about this is would you go see a surgeon that hasn't been to some kind of training in 20 years? Ask yourself that question. Would you go under the knife to get an operation if you know that surgeon hasn't had any updated training in 20 years? What should we expect for ourselves when we're working with children that we're continuously learning and striving to do better? I've shown the timeline lots of times through this process. Just a reminder that we started this process um with Dr. Lavender and Julie Kanki back in 2024 in December with a comprehensive analysis of our data, gathering it, finding trends. What do we already know? What kind of data can we gather and what kind of high themes can we get from that data? Then we moved into the building and
108sharing of our portrait of a scholar. And then we moved into updating our vision and mission core values for the board. And then our team, our action team, which was administration and school staff, what is that plan going to look like? And then looking at 2000 in July and beyond, implementing and monitoring that plan. I think an important part of this process was taking time to identify priorities for the action plan. So, as I mentioned, we had all this data. It was a lot of data. There were lots of things to do and lots of calls to action on things we needed to address as a school system. But one thing I can tell you, you can't do one thing well if you're trying to do everything. So, we really needed to take time and
109look at the data and understand where is our biggest areas of growth. Where are we seeing progress and how can we as a school system use the resources and opportunities we have in our community to help bolster the strengths that we have as a school system to address those weaknesses. So through a very extended kind of data analysis process, our teams looked at the data. We sent out surveys to our community. We analyzed and prioritized all that information in our SWAT analysis to really lift up what are the most key areas to prioritize. What are the strengths we know we have as a school system? What are those high leverage opportunity points in our community that we can use? Another piece that we knew we needed to hold on to as a school system is
110how are we ensuring equitable outcomes across all areas in our school system. And we approached this by looking at what we do and how we do this. We know that equity is important. We knew it had to be part of our strategic plan, but it couldn't be a standalone plan. So if it rested with one group doing that work, we knew it would be more difficult for that to transfer across to the other action areas. So we wanted to make sure every action area took time to look at what are the structures, policies and models that we have but then also address how we do the work. What is the culture? What is the ways that we work? What are our mindsets and behaviors so that we can deliver on our promise of equitable outcomes
111for students? And we identified three pillars in this systematic approach to equitable outcomes. First is accountability. What how are we holding ourselves accountable? So, we're moving from compliance to commitment. We want to move from I'm just doing this because I was told to and I'm checking a box to I really believe that I can make a difference with student outcomes and I'm committed to doing this work. And then coherence. What we noticed as we were building this plan is lots of people were doing work but doing work independently outside of connecting with other organizations or other departments and we were wasting a lot of time. So we needed knew we needed to look at aligning our efforts and our vision to move from silos to systems. We work smarter when we work together. And then
112transparency again that leads me back to the accountability. If we are hiding our results and we don't have ways to openly share those with our community, we're not being accountable to our community. So we needed to make sure that as we built the plan, we were considering what are ways that we can move from gatekeeping to opening doors for everyone to be involved and a part of our community. So the big part of strategic plan is getting your mind around all of these logistical things and trying to organize it in a logical way. And that's typically done through building what they call a strategy map. And that was one of the big outcomes that you're going to see tonight. And it's a just a visual diagram to organize your thinking. It's a quick way for
113you to have a one pager to look at is this part of our plan, is it not part of our plan? And that can help us with decision-m as we go forward to know, okay, we want to do this. Well, let's go and look at our strategy map. Is that included on our strategy map? Yes or no? Yes. All right, let's invest in that. Or no, maybe that's something that needs to wait until we have freed up capacity to take that on at a later time. So, what you'll see in a strategy map is a kind of an overall focus, a theme, and then a long-term objective, and then what we call critical initiatives, which are sometimes referred to as those levers and the action steps for how we're going to drive change. So so
114excited and thrilled that we are launching this plan as this theme of you can get it all in Asheville City Schools because we know that with this plan in place and the experts that we have in our classrooms and buildings, regardless of your background, regardless of where you come from, of what you look like, you can have a successful um education and do really well in our school system and we can create those equitable outcomes. So for the board, you did a lot of work on the vision statement and leaned into and really recognized the work that the students did and the students crafted this amazing vision statement for our board. And I really love that first sentence. So I'm just going to read that one um and you can read the rest um for
115yourselves, but our vision is to build a joyful, innovative district that supports individual successes and strengthens our entire entire community. And then I also love that the next line is our cougar pride is evident. So I love that our students leaned in and said here's what we want to see as a school system. And I also really appreciate that our board recognized that the students need to have voice and took that as um accepting and hopefully approving their vision statement. Our mission statement, that's one that I think took a little longer to come to some consensus on, but I'm I'm very happy with what we have right now is that our mission statement, which is what how we do our work. So your vision statement is often where are we going? What are we wanting
116to achieve? And then your mission statement is how do we get there? How do we get from where we are today to where we want to be in that 3 to 5 years? And our uh mission statement for board's consideration is our unified mission is to ensure that every student feels they belong, engages in meaningful, challenging and relevant learning experiences and graduates on time with the skills, knowledge and characteristics to pursue their passions and create a positive change. Before we get into some specifics, just want to paint a very highlevel picture of things that you should know about our strategic plan. And I've talked about this already and you'll hear more from the presenters when they uh present their specific areas is that this plan was developed with our community and with our staff. There
117was so a lot a high level of engagement and input gathered particularly with our students having voice to create our vision statement. Our goal in this plan is that every student is prepared for life after high school and to live that life successfully. And that we're going to build and expand on opportunities for real world learning for students and reimagine what it looks like to have a thriving learning environment and strong teaching and learning in every classroom. But for me, number four really resonates is as we went through that priority prioritization process, we took time to understand what are those really quality programs that we have in place. What are those traditions that we have in Asheville City Schools that we need to lean into and build on? Think of programs like AVID. Think of
118our U magnet themes. How are we building and recognizing the work that our we've already done as a system so that we can build on those strengths? We also wanted to define what does success look like at a really quick overview. If you're someone stops you in the grocery store and they're like, "Well, how will you know if you're successful?" You have some really easy talking points that our graduates will be prepared for what comes next. We'll have high quality teaching and learning in every classroom in every school during every period. Not it happens here, it might happen there. But this is an approach to make sure that we can guarantee to our parents regardless of which teacher your child has, regardless of what period or school they're in, we know that they will have
119a high quality education and that all students will have access to engaging in hands-on learning opportunities and that of course every student will feel safe, supported, and connected at school. You're going to get a deeper dive into the strategy maps from each of our teams. Just to orient you to that, there are four focus areas, culture and climate, student outcomes, operations and finance, and staff recruitment and development. And then each team has their focus area. They created a strategic theme which helps them set the focus on the work and how we're going to achieve our vision and mission. They also created a long-term objective which is a broad goal that will support us in achieving our vision and mission and then they identified critical initiatives which are those prioritized activities so that we can move
120things forward to achieve our vision and mission. So a quick overview of what our strategy map looks like and we provided handouts for the audience as well as handouts for the board. did want to take a moment to just let the board and our um community know that we very much looked at the state strategic plan and wanted to make sure that all of our work would be aligning to the eight pillars identified in the state plan. And as you can see, of course, student outcomes will address be addressed in all of those areas, but some of the different areas are linked. So, we know that we can collaborate with the state. We can uh identify resources at the state level that we can utilize in our work. and that was really important to our
121team as we were building our plans. With that, I am going to pass it over to our climate and culture group. Thank you, Dr. Ferman. Um, I would like to introduce um our team um this evening. We have Tanya Pchet, we have Melissa Hit, we have Kim Jones, Leette Campbell, and Blair Johnson. So, we're going to walk you through um the theme, the objective, and the um critical initiatives through the presentation. I'm the short one of the group. So climate and culture our team initially met and we calculated that between all of us we had 130 plus years in education. However, even with that experience across the district in education and our community roles, we know that based on our expertise, we did not have all the answers. And we had a lot of gaps
122that we needed to bring together to help us determine the climate and culture of our district. To bridge this, we conducted several surveys and an in-person session. We were very intentional about reaching out to to the black community, past and current parents to get their voices heard. And so we individually met in person with them or we did a over the phone conversation. We strive to make sure all voices were heard as a true representation of Asheville City Schools. And with that, our stakeholders acknowledged that the board of education has created an equity statement. They express deep desire for their own voices to be heard and valued in this work. I will now read a complete statement that lifts up the work that our stakeholders did. Asheville City School recognizes that trust has been broken
123through the years of inequities, power imbalances, and decisions that left some families unheard disproportionately our black families. We are committed to rebuilding that trust by listening, learning, and acting with fairness, consistency, and empathy. Rebuilding will take time. I'm going repeat that. Rebuilding will take time. But through honesty, accountability and shared purpose, we will restore confidence and ensure every family feels valued, seen, providing students with the highest probability of achieve of achieving lifelong su success and well-being. So, I would like to ask for a moment of silence to honor their voices and acknowledge the harms of our past in Asheville City Schools. Thank you Tanya for that moment of silence. I will be sharing the theme and objective for climate and culture. Our theme, stronger relationships, stronger public schools, stronger community. The objective, Asheville City Schools
124will foster a culture of belonging through clear professional communication, consistent expectations, and authentic trustbased relationships that engage and support students, staff, families, and community partners in strengthening student learning and well-being. Multiple themes were created. Um, and the one that we have chosen, uh, we got state holders input. Um, and this is the one that they felt was the best that represented our district. So, we wanted to let you all know about that. So, our critical initiatives, we have two. The first one is trusting relationships. The second one is communication. And you'll hear more about both of these initiatives um throughout the presentation. We conducted a SWAT analysis both as a climate and culture team and also in our stakeholder sessions. Um we listened to students, staff, community members, parents, alumni, etc. across all the stakeholder
125groups, folks agreed that one of the greatest strengths of Asheville City Schools is that we're we are well resourced. Um, another strength that everyone agreed on is that we have excellent programming. In terms of weaknesses, folks felt that the culture of trust was a a top concern and also the academic disparities and the relationships with black families. In terms of some opportunities, communication was cited specifically by students who feel that although we have great programs and resources, they are not always in the loop about what there is and how to access those resources. And then a key threat to our district is the loss of diversity. Uh we know that many families staff have had to leave the city of Asheville for a variety of reasons and we're seeing that in our demographic data that
126we're losing diversity both in terms of our families and our staff. So to echo Dr. Ferman's opening remarks about accountability, a strategic plan is not something that's created and then put on a shelf. And with that has to come accountability. And so when we looked at our culture and climate initiatives, we know and recognize that we have to be very intentional engaging our stakeholders as part of that accountability that we need to have a very like a systematic process that engages students, staff, stakeholders, all of the outstanding nonprofits that we work with in order to have that continuous imp cycle of improvement to get their feedback and to listen and make changes. The other piece is coherence. And so consistency in data collection um in order to make sure that we're meeting our benchmarks with
127our strategic plan and having a platform to to like mark those improvements and our progress and also that this plan is an alignment with the EL work plans at the schools so that the two are working together and very complimentary of each other and also again in that coherence piece that feedback loop with from our stakeholders is critical. transparency, having a data dashboard to collect the data in order to give reports um and updates not only to our community, to our staff, to our students who we heard from in our meetings, but also to be um transparent with the board and also to have accountability to the board on our progress. So our first critical initiative, trusting relationships. Asheville City School will build a co culture of belonging and fostering fostering authentic trustbased relationships among
128students, staff, and ensuring that every individual feels valued, heard, and supported in a safe and inclusive learning environment. When we look at our tactics, we see that town halls was a biggie from our group to keep us in the loop, to keep everyone in the loop. uh professional learning, uh making sure that we are being intentional about our relationship with our community partners and definitely incorporating Crew to change the culture and climate because that was one of the initial uh successes of Crew was to change the climate and culture. So, we want to maximize that program that's already in in place. So, when we look at the KPIs, how we're going to measure all of this, um we're going to look at qualitative data through surveys, um specifically engaging our black communities. Um they want
129to see us more visible with programming uh out in the community. Uh we want to attract positive staff and and teacher um home to school communication. That was another huge piece that came up when parents have three or four kids across our district, how communication is not streamlined. So, it becomes a lot and it's overwhelming to a lot of our families. Um and definitely our uh again our stakeholder group, we bonded so well that uh we want to be held accountable for the awesome work that we did. And so we want to meet uh annually and bianually um to make sure we're doing what we said that we were going to do. Um so when we look at some tangible things as far as the success and how the board can support us um we're
130looking at stipens for professional development for our staff and protecting that time for professional development student center events that promote course offering and clubs across our district K12 and definitely celebrations as far as learning not just in within the schoolhouse but within the community. So it is a true partnership in in a child's education. And finally, this was the one that they said was a non-negotiable. Be consistent with your presence in the community. Don't come one month and we don't see you till time for enrollment again. So that was mine. Um, and especially the schools and district admin. And so that was uh what they brought up about trusting relationships. Our second and final critical initiative is communication that promotes alignment, trust, and engagement. A key tactic for this initiative is going to be the
131development of a written communication and engagement framework. We also will ensure that this framework aligns to the ACS mission and vision, the three promises, etc. I'll let you I'm not going to read all of them to you. You can read on your own. Our in terms of key performance indicators, we want to look at evidence of frequent and positive communication from school to families from each school. Families uh lifted up that they experience some wonderful communication from schools and that sometimes they don't feel as in the loop um from each of their school teachers. We want to articulate communication expectations for each level of service so that whether you're um on a leadership level at the district or a classroom teacher, school principal, etc. is very clear of what should communication in Asheville City Schools
132look and feel like and again with a special emphasis on the families and communities who have been excluded in in the past. Um successful implementation. What do we need from the board to do this? We need your support obviously financially in communication and data systems um and professional learning for staff on effective communication practices that are culturally responsive. We realized through our conversations and work that that type of professional learning has not happened here in a very long time. Um and then the support of the creation implementation of our communication and engagement framework. >> Thank you. Good evening. Before we begin, I would like to um introduce our amazing team. And as I call your name, if you stand up with your sensational smiles and provide a wonderful wave. Uh, and I'm going to read
133the list. So I don't because we do have a large team and some our team members are here and some of them are absent today. Uh, so let's start with Dr. Ivory Cheeks, Dr. Rafika Cobb. Oh, I got to look up Ian Nelson. Corey Simons, Dana Ker, Molly Peoples, Annne O'Brien, Laura Lane, Ernest Cessums. Did I see the smile? Tiffany Delh Hagen, Marta Alakala, this is Shannon Bagot, and I'm Kimberly Robinson. Welcome. A concern in Asheville City Schools District has been equitable student outcomes. We acknowledge every Asheville City School scholar is supported to grow as a whole child by mastering important knowledge and skills producing highquality work that they can be proud of and contributing to a better world. During our countless hours of working as a team and connecting with our stakeholders, staff, families,
134students, we identified students. We identified the following gaps through a strengths, weakness, opportunity, and threat analysis. Specifically, I got to get used to that. Specifically, we identified some weaknesses. We discovered a decline in mathematic growth, an absence of a shared vision and model for instructional leadership across the district. Also, proficiency gaps between student groups compared to white students as you can see noted in this presentation. and significant disciplinary equity concerns. And based off of all of our data and information, we've identified three critical initiatives. First one being character, the second one, mastery of knowledge and skills, and the third one, highquality work. And so in order to have equitable outcomes, we have to um require that we have some solid structures in place and that we have some changes in the ways that we work
135and some changes in our culture. So the things that we say um that we are going to do is that we're going to have solid district and school work plans. I think we're on a really great path right now as far as initially developing those plans and those plans are going to include student learning plans with high expectations and that have a shared vision and it's all connected back to this strategic plan as well as our portrait of a scholar and also our theory of action. All of that's going to be very transparent by based on data and that will eventually lead into some trust and building some trust back in our transparency of our data. And how we're going to do that is through accountability as Dr. Maggie had mentioned earlier. We want to
136make sure that we're moving away from just being compliant to making sure that we're all committed to the work that we're doing for all students and not working in silos and that we're collaborating together, which is also a part of our portrait of a scholar. And then also being very transparent with the work that we're doing and holding ourselves accountable as well. And one main way that we're going to do this, as Dr. Maggie had mentioned earlier, is having those formative checks along the way. We definitely don't want to wait until the end of the year tests to see how we did with our students. So, one thing that we have implemented this year so far um are learning walks and walkthroughs and our mid-year reviews. We have just completed all of our mid-year reviews
137with our um schools. Those mid-year reviews included not only our CNI team, but also school administration, school leadership teams, and teachers. And we learned a lot through that process. Our first critical initiative is character. Every Asheville City School scholar will develop habits, mindsets, and skills necessary for lifelong success. We will implement a shared character framework aligned with aligned to the portrait of a scholar have common language and expectations and have a clear process monitoring. This would change from a a reactive disciplinary pro uh to a proactive skill building approach. It will increase consistency in how character is taught and reinforced across schools and it will embed character development into daily classroom instruction. Doing these things will enhance building staff capacity to model, teach and reinforce character skills, strengthen alignment of existing supports, and expand student
138voice and leadership opportunities through platforms such as student advisory teams and committees, student facilitated learning opportunities, relational practices, and other such platforms. arms. We will measure by monitoring school climate data, discipline disparity reductions, and growth in habits on schoolbased rubrics rubrics along with student attendance. Our long-term outcomes will result in becoming effective learners, ethical people, and contributing to a better world. I want to lift up what successful implementation requires financial investment of course and time. We often when we're trying to support teachers through trainings and such uh even with the financial component available but at the same time we can't find time. Teachers can't be away from campus for a day, let alone most of the trainings and coaching sessions take multiple days over time. And it's really difficult trying to build that in into
139a teacher schedule. Districtwide staff student crew framework framework anchored in the portrait of a scholar. Enhancing mental health supports and relational and restorative practices. also using early warning systems, student facilitated supports and accountability boards. As I mentioned earlier, our second initiative um which is mastery of knowledge and skills, every Asheville City School Scholar will demonstrate achievement through critical thinking, problem solving, and clear communication. Something that our student advisory council said in that mission statement and vision statement that you read earlier is that our students wanted an innovative and creative and engaging learning experience. So, we're very committed to changing and redesigning our instructional framework to include that innovation and creativity to make it more challenging inquiry and project based and experiential learning based. We want to make sure that students become more leaders of leaders
140of their own learning where they're not just passive learners. They're very active in their learning. We want to make sure that our grading practices really reflect on what students know and are able to do and not just like a oneanddone type of thing where they're really being very thoughtful and reflective of their work. And we know that teachers are that first line of instructional leaders. We're also bringing in our uh leadership team, our principles and assistant principles and giving them the agency and the support to be leaders um of instruction in their building as well. And the way that we're going to measure that, as I mentioned before, is these learning walks and walkthroughs have had a huge impact already. Um there's a lot of folks sitting here that have been a part of those
141walkthroughs. Our schools have set up their own indicators and we're walking into almost every single classroom when we do these walkthroughs and we're looking for equity equity of student voice. Are those tasks alert uh that the students are doing are they aligned to learning targets which are ultimately aligned to standards? Are we checking for understanding? And are all students engaged? So that information that we're getting is informing that school leadership team along the way so that we're not waiting to the very end. So we're putting some of those key performance indicators in place to make sure that we're holding ourselves accountable and successful implementation is going to require as you've heard before a lot of professional development and time. That seems to be the theme so far. But we are committed to doing that work.
142Uh we're committed to an engaging and a creative and innovative instructional framework which also includes um some strong math core um instruction because we have found according to our data that we need a new math core uh framework. Our third initiative is high quality work. We want to make sure that not all not only are our students performing at grade level but even beyond. So, we want to um to do this, we want to have some public exhibitions of student work. We want to make sure that students are connecting what they're learning in the classroom to outside of the classroom. We are going to be launching some signature pathways in our CTE program and really promoting these industries that are important to Western North Carolina. And we want to move away from, like I said
143before, kind of a oneandone, just turning in my work to turn it in. We want to make sure that students are really reflecting on their work using the engineering design process of I'm building it, I'm testing it, I'm redoing it, I'm changing it, and I'm making it even better. And we also want to expand our career exploration um to kindergarten and beyond. So, we have an amazing plan um in our CTE department to start at the kindergarten level next year to do that career exploration. And we want to engage our community by making them authentic audiences. So when students are performing um and and and um having these performance skills that our community is being brought in to make sure that they are an authentic audience. And once again this requires some training. We want
144to train our staff on what a high quality work protocol looks like. There are some protocols where our staff can bring student work to the table to norm. What is that high expectation? What does it look like, sound like, feel like? And we want to make sure that we have strong career development plans for all of our students so every student graduates with a plan and incorporate more experiential learning and project-based learning. Thank you. Good evening, members of the board. Dr. Ferman, um I would like for members of my group to stand just to acknowledge you. Doc Miss Sutter, Dr. Keep standing. I want to I won't call you by name. Please remain standing. Uh Miss Sutter, Dr. Dr. Buucy, Miss Swalllet, uh Mr. Whiteside, Dr. Frank, and Susanna Smith. We have others who are
145not here today. Uh they are watching Miss Miss Wallet and Miss the Whites Side. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. Um we have some that are watching online and I just wanted to acknowledge them as well. My name is Mark Dickerson. I am your assistant superintendent for human resources and um is my honor and privilege to represent the sta uh staff recruitment retention and learning group. A group comprised of district and school leaders, classroom teachers across grade levels um and community partners. Through multiple meetings and deep analysis, this work reflects both data and lived experiences across Asheville City Schools. Our strategic theme is clear. Asheville City Schools aspires to be the premier district where exceptional talent is intentionally recruited, supported, and developed to thrive. driving outstanding outcomes for every student. To achieve this,
146our objective is equally focused. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse highc caliber work for force. One where we not only attract and hire exceptional ed uh educators but also create a culture where every employee can grow, lead and advance within our district. However, our data and stakeholder input surface several persistent um and emerging challenges. First, our longstanding challenges. Financial pressure remain significant. North Carolina continues to rank among the lowest in educator pay while cost of living, inflation, and student loan debt continues to rise. We are also facing recruitment challenges including fewer applicants overall and limited diversity in applicant pools. Preparation gaps persist as many educator program preparation programs are not fully aligned with the realities of today's classrooms. And attendance remains to be a concern as educators weigh comparable salaries in adjacent
147careers and a perceived decline in support for public education as a whole. In addition, we are navigating navigating new and intensifying challenges. Working conditions and overall job sustainability are increasingly impacting the profession. Many educators are hesitant to recommend teaching as a career due to challenges supporting themselves and their families and broader societal factors. As you know, political division, we have increased scrutiny of public education, uh we have racial tension and global instability are influencing both perception and experience in the field. If unressed, these challenges will continue to impact our ability to recruit, retain, and sustain a high quality work staff. This slide shows again our equitable outcomes and they are grounded in the three pillars that Dr. Maggie mentioned earlier ability accountability coherence and transparency. Under accountability we've established clear structures that define expectations and
148measure impact. This includes compensation models with targeted incentives, formal lure pathways and leadership pathways. Most importantly, accountability is shared at the district, the school and individual level and driven by data and continuous improvement coherence. We are moving from isolated efforts to a fully aligned system. Recruitment, compensation, professional learning and leadership development are all connected and reinforcing one another. Our focus on grow your own is a pathway and it's aligned coaching models ensures long-term sustainability. Transparency. We are committed to making all opportunities and expectations clear and accessible to every staff member. This includes openly published compensation packages, lure pathways, and professional learning experiences. This level of transparency will build trust and ensure equitable access to opportunities. It's about creating a culture where every staff member is supported, informed, and empowered to grow. So in response to
149the challenges, we have identified three critical and interconnected initiatives. Attract, advance, achieve. It's that simple. for attract. Our goal is to strengthen recruitment pathways and make Asheville City Schools a destination district. One of our biggest attractions already, Asheville City Schools pays the highest local supplement in North Carolina for every Asheville City Schools employee. Developing more robust and differentiated compensation package is another way of enhancing our recruitment efforts. We are proposing stipens for teachers who take on additional responsibilities such as co-eing, multilingual learning instruction, and gifted education. We will continue mentoring stipens, mentor sipons for beginning teachers in their first three years as well. as targeted incentives for hardto- fill positions. In addition, we would expand innovative recruitment strategies partnering with our or organizations like Teach for America, engaging state engaging in instate and out of
150state retirees and redefining and clearly communicating the why the why for working in Asheville City Schools. We will also invest in teacher pathways growing our own talent through uh high school to career pathways, residency models and alter alternative alternative lensure programs. Success. Success in this area will me be measured through clear uh key performance indicators including in improved fill rates and reduce vacancies in hard uh staff areas. Um stronger retention of beginning teachers in those uh in their supported roles. increase applicant volume and diversity and long-term indicators such as lensure completion, placement and uh three-year retention. So successful implementation will require intentional investment in salaries and benefits also in recruitment efforts and partnerships with institutions such as our historically black colleges and universities and regional universities. It will also require us to think creatively about
151community partnerships, including affordable housing solutions and positioning ourselves as an employer of choice. That was a mouthful. Advance the initiatives focus on creating clear and meaningful career pathways that connect professional growth, leadership, and compensation. We're proposing expanded teacher leadership roles at both the school and district levels such as grade level chairs, department chairs, and district content leads in areas like literacy and math. Equally important is the establishment of universal shared decision-m uh structures ensuring that employee ensuring that educators have a consistent and authentic voice in decisions that impact impact their work. We will measure success through increased participation in leadership pathways. Um higher retention rates among teacher leaders, improve staff satisfaction related to growth opportunities opportunities and voice and a greater diversity and leadership roles across the district. To implement this effectively, we will need
152dedicated funding for professional learning and stipens along with a clearly defined leadership development pathway that allows us to identify, recruit, and support teacher leaders over time. And lastly, achieve. This initiative centers on elevating professional learning and instructional excellence across the district. Our focus is to create a coho co cohesive high impact professional learning system that supports all staff and strengthens classroom practice. This includes differentiated professional development tailored to roles and uh experience levels, improving overall working conditions, developing a new teacher and staff evaluation system, and strengthening recognition and celebration of all of our educators. We will monitor progre progress through participation and satisfaction in professional learning, improvements in instructional practice as measured through observation and evaluation tools, retention data, and working condition surveys, and ultimately and ultimately our student achievement and growth. Successful implementation requires
153sustained investment in professional learning, substitute coverage, and critically protected time within the school day and calendar. It would also depend on strong instructional leadership at both the school and district levels as well as leveraging our teacher leaders to extend our capacity. In closing, the work of attracting, advancing, and achieving is not separate. It is a comprehensive strategy to ensure that every classroom in Asheville City Schools is led by highly effective and wellsupported educator. By making intentional investments in our people, we will directly in we are in directly investing in our students success. Now thank you. >> I don't think I should have to follow that. Okay. So, I am Heidi Kern, CFO again this evening. >> Hi, I'm April Dockery. I'm the chief of operations. Our team also includes Principal Benfield, Principal Edwards, and Principal
154Dr. Jeremy Gibbs. If you guys will please stand just to acknowledge how fun our group is. It was a lot of fun. A lot a lot of fun. We are here to share our work with you. Our work in the operations and finance is centered around on sustainable stewardship for student success. This part of the plan is about creating structures, processes, and supports needed to ensure our district can operate effectively, respond strategically, and improve over time and is not dependent on one person, one department, or not one moment in time. At the beginning of the presentation, Dr. Dr. Maggie shared with you that we are moving from silos to systems, compliance to commitment, gatekeeping, gatekeeping to open doors. And we think we can do that. Our district can operate effectively, respond strategically, and continuously improve
155over time. Success means for us that we are consistent and scalable. Back in November, we brought a larger group with uh teachers and other district leaders and we worked really hard on our SWAT analysis. The analysis this analysis grounded our work in honesty and opportunity. It helped us to identify our strengths that were we already have some very clear priorities, strong leadership and a strong foundation to build from. Our weaknesses included that we see inconsistencies in our practices, reliance on individual or historical knowledge and aging infrastructure. And these point to the need to stronger systems and standardization opportunities. We have we have the opportunity to build shared systems, strengthen our training and improve our data use. This is where we can create consistency and scalability across our district. Our threats, however, do include staff turnover,
156uneven implementation of processes, and enrollment shifts that do present a real risk to our district. Without strong systems, these challenges can impact equity and sustainability. This analysis directly drives our strategy, moving us towards a more consistent, transparent, and sustainable operations. We this led us to three critical initiatives. Strategic resource alignment, safety infrastructure and security updates and taking what we learned from the facility needs assessment and implementing it properly. We spent a lot of time talking about what equitable outcomes looks for finance and operation operations in general. Equitable outcomes are the result of strong systems and consistent practices and not just good intentions. We are building clear structures, policies, processes, and tools that create consistency across our district. This ensures access to resources and support that is not dependent on a school or any given circumstances.
157We are strengthening accountability, alignment across teams, and transparent communication. This helps us operate in one system and not just in silos. When strong systems and a strong culture work together, equity becomes part of how we operate every day and is not left to chance. Our first uh critical initiative then leads us to strategic resource alignment. That's going to be our first priority. We touched on that uh at several other meetings and tonight in that we are going to align now our resources with our strategic plan and make the priorities of our strategic plan all align with those resources and then keep that as a living growing document. This is not something that's just printed and thrown in a drawer. In order to make this plan successful, the resources have to align to those initiatives and
158we have to keep that moving and changing and growing. So, first we would look at making budgeting more transparent, strategic and connected to our student outcomes. We would also align the budget code strategic plan in order to strengthen the process that we're going to build in order to develop the budget. And then our goal for financial decisions will be data driven and more timely and more clearly accountable in spite of those little roadblocks like a state budget. Like I said, we cannot let that kind of obstacle uh detract us from the goal of this work. That's something we have to incorporate and work around. So in order to have successful implementation, we would have that transparency in our budgeting process, a balanced budget aligned to these priorities, equitable distribution of resources, and then as you
159can see in this middle section and the outside section in more detail, we would have regular KPI monitoring in order to make meaningful adjustments in real time where a lot of times financial information lags behind, we would work toward keeping those KPIs current so that we can make real-time decisions. when that's necessary and all of that's going to lead to more comprehensive sustainability. Sustainable decisions are critical to making this entire process work. So the initiative for us would ensure that those financial decisions are not just operationally sound, but they're strategically aligned to what matters most for our students. Our second critical initiative is um safety system security measures and facility protections. So every campus has equitable access to safe and secure learning environments. We are strengthening both our infrastructure which includes systems, facilities and equipment
160and our practices by providing high-quality training protocols and implementing them appropriately. This includes comprehensive safety audits, updated district safety plans, clear district-wide protocols, and defined and trained safety teams. Successful implementation means that we have clear communication protocols, strong district and school safety teams, reliable systems and infrastructure, timely responses to safety needs, and continuing to create a strong relationship with our school resource officers, including APD and first responders. This initiative is about making sure safety is not uneven or reactive, but dependable, proactive, and equitable across our district. And that leads us to our final critical initiative as you heard a lot more about earlier this evening and Miss Dockery touched on already and that is the facility needs assessment. So this facility needs assessment the goal of incorporating that now and with the strategic plan would
161be able to drive long-term equitable and sustainable improvements to our facilities. We want this to lead us to a clearer understanding of where our needs are and how to prioritize those future improvements. We want to ensure that those facilities and operational decisions are made on documented findings rather than assumptions or squeaky wheel kind of uh decision-making processes. And we also want that to connect to our capital planning, operational planning, and equity across the district. Decisions um should be consistently guided by this assessment. Our investments would also align to documented needs and priorities. Our long-term plans would show measurable progress and success. We don't want this to be a dead end. Uh facilities will become more reliable functional function. No, I had trouble with that word doing >> functional and sustainable um and in the long
162run and then our students and staff across the district would have more equitable access to the safe environments that um Miss Dockery just touched on and then also looking forward to being more highly functional and current in our um opportunities that we provide our students. What this initiative really needs to be is a clear roadmap in order to make very intentional and proactive decisions rather than reactive responses to facility decision issues when they arise. Um, and at the heart of this work is the simple belief that every space in Asheville City Schools should work as hard for the students as the people within those spaces. So in closing, this work is about building trust through transparency, accountability, and consistency. When operations and finances are strong, schools are supported, leaders can lead, and students can thrive.
163Ultimately, the plan ensures that our district is not just functioning, but positioned for long-term success and continuous improvement. And every dollar we spend aligns to the strategic plan. Thank you team. I'm going to give a big shout out to the presenters. They really leaned in and did this work. When we say that a strategic plan is developed within a community, they did lean in engage with our community. I was kind of the orchestrator on the side kind of guiding and giving reminders and helping them extend their thinking. Um, but this is a plan that was developed with our community um with students as the focus and I am just immensely proud of the work of this team and the and the plan that they have have put together. So at this point um first want
164to start out if there were any clarifying questions from the board and then um just as board members if you would like to share your initial responses. Was there something you think we left off that we should have included more deliberately and also things that you saw in the plan that you like. So questions for clarification. What did you see in the plan that you liked and was there something missing that you think we needed to include? So those are kind of the three prompts for discussion. So just let you kind of >> Well, let me start. One of the clear statements is uh is S sw is S sw taking the place of the achievement gap. >> No, SWAT is a SWAT analysis is a an data analysis tool that helps you understand your
165internal strengths, areas of growth and then also looking at your external threats and opportunities. Okay, my second question here is u every most of everything that was said was about equity and I have not seen nothing about how most of our staff or educators are going to receive something that will help them with equity like going to REI like uh going to uh courageous conversation classes and all of this because believe it or not I think we have to have a denom denominator ator a common denominator. And if we all understood the reason that we are having these gaps and everything else and the reason why students are the way they are is because a lot of our students don't know their kids. And by having that courageous conversation, they can have a better understanding
166of what black kids are going through. And my last I'm going to read something real quick and this came from the fifth condition that we were started working on today. Uh Jackie is black. Most of the staff in her school system are white and at the same time the student of color population in her district is doubling every few years. One of Jackie's responsibility is to train teachers and reach which stand for respect and cultural heritage. The purpose of this program is to help the primarily white educators in her system begin to understand the racial differences that exist between them and their students of color. That is in the book and there's no conversation. I mean what I heard is good but how are we going to have the common denominators so that you know
167if you said that in two years every educator will have some type of crazy conversation some type of acne work and whatnot I can understand that because I know that in two years and our new staff that comes in will get the same type of training but when you mention training and you want us to support what type of um classes that the teachers are taking. It's like you need to be taking something that we need to know more about as a whole and that is how do we train and work with our color our our students of color and that is something I did not hear now I might have it might have went through but I didn't hear nothing about that within this whole >> yeah and yeah let's um thank you for
168pointing that out and let me address that. So first of all, the professional learning is aimed at culturally responsive teaching strategies. So one of the measures that we're doing is looking at student engagement in the classroom. And in order for a teacher to know how to engage every student in the classroom, they've got to be trained in culturally responsive teaching strategies, which is part of the student outcomes professional learning. So while we didn't specifically name specifically typed professional development, as we look at our outcomes and know what kind of training is needed to address those, it's embedded in there and specifically even in communications, they address culturally responsive training for communication and family engagement. So it's in there. We didn't specifically name like this program or this strategy, but as we looked at building equitable
169outcomes across the board, every single group looked at how are we addressing the achievement gap? How are we closing that and involving all of our families and particularly our black community in family engagement and particularly addressing inequitable outcomes with our students. So what I heard that somewhere somehow every educator will reach some type of equity training so that we can all have some type of common denominator >> not maybe and go back to professional development. It has to be also differentiated. So not every educator needs the same type of training. So we need to meet our staff where they are and say what do they need to help support them on their journey to equitable outcomes. And that could look very different for someone like me or someone like you, Jesse. So, it is a
170differentiated staff development to make sure that we're meeting our teachers with what they need. A one-stop shop doesn't work for our students and it doesn't work for staff either. >> If we going to have parents of color as a community and we bring them in, I think somebody read about that. I think uh Miss Tanya, that was her section. How are they going to be comfortable enough to be able to talk to people to parents of color without knowing a little bit about how to do it? I mean, that's I mean, that's the problem we having right now. And that's the reason why no one's only a few people of color is in here right now because we don't go out and have a discussion, you know? I mean, >> it bothers me a lot.
171>> It's only a few people of color. It's in here right now. nothing this important and there's not a lot of what's in here because either we didn't invite them or we didn't go I mean we >> but that's the problem that we have right now also doing the town hall at the grant center at the end of the month >> and we probably won't see none either. Okay. All right. Let's let's give it a shot. Let's try it. Come on. I'm good. Um, thank you for bringing that up. Um, uh, you know, I want to be hyperritical and what I'm seeing here is a really wonderful framework. Um, and my tendency is to be hyperritical, uh, and pick things apart. And I'm really impressed by what I'm seeing. I'm impressed by um what was
172presented by all the presenters. Uh the things that stood out to me are on in the details. I'm not seeing the details. Jesse has named some. Um, another detail I've I've been concerned about us putting so much money into EL and having that oneizefits-all professional development. I know years ago when I was on the calendar committee um uh I brought up the need for staff to be able to choose professional development and we had flex as an actual item that was scheduled and that flex those flex blocks were professional development blocks on our calendar for the staff to choose what was most important at their school and to have that grassroots Jesse used common denomin minator I might use common language but so that staff can have time to work together to come up with
173a common language or learn a common language so that they can work through issues that are specific to those developmental groups. And when I look at um uh the um the access to um appropriate education um I'm aware that our legislation that the legislation that impacts us begins with an obligation at age three and above and be below that uh it's health and human services obligation for um uh developmental delays um uh and uh um educational learning differences and I keep you've heard me say it like the way we solve so many things is having a more robust whether we're doing it whether the whole community is doing it um early childhood education and I'm not seeing an actual plan in our strategic plan yet Um, and so that stood out to me. Um, the
174other thing that I've, um, uh, noticed for years is this use of the word proficiency. And you've heard this before. Um, uh, Shannon Bagot pointed out to the board that yes, many of our tests that 50 50th percentile, that average student is the cut off between who we shame and who we applaud, who we worry about and who we celebrate. And that definition of proficiency at the middle um as that you know median child it for what we're measuring is who we're measuring the disparities but we're also dividing it by who woke up on the right side of the bed or the wrong side of the bed and how that impacts our students coming into our schools and you know what um what supports they have beyond education And so I would like for us
175to be more granular than just proficiency when we set goals because having everybody above average doesn't seem like a practical goal. So if we can develop that and I know I had a long conversation with um uh Ian Nelson about it's more complex than 50th because some of the tests are are not even um measured in that way. But I just want us to to look at who we're actually failing and have more information about that. And I don't want us to tear down our success because we've got success here, problems here. I want us to be yes and and and have a mission that doesn't destroy what's good because we've got deficits that we're not always deficit focused. So that's a lot, but those are the three things that stood out to me. Other
176board members, information you want to share? >> I just I really appreciate all the work that has gone into making this a an easy to digest comprehensive plan. Um that's, you know, it's unified every step of the way. Um and I particularly appreciated um Dr. Maggie your your mention of the arc history with strategic plan lack thereof um and the the history of unstable leadership in high level positions um because that history is really important to take into account in addition to our our racial disparities as well. Um, I I really I I also noticed that the lack of of detailed and naming specifics and sat with that as we move through the presentation and I found it to be helpful because I think that when we start naming all of the wonderful initiatives that
177we have like the letters training, if it's going to change its name in 2 years, we're going to be calling it something different and then we have to go and address that just like you know if we're naming specific programs that we have in place that are working like Avid you know then we have to if we change the name for some reason we have to then go back and change it um so I I really appreciate that it's a comprehensive like overview yeah so thank you thank you everyone >> Maggie I've said it a few times when you presented to us that I I recognize the position this board put you in when we hired you that we had we were without a strategic plan. Hearing the presentations, I realized that what I forgot
178to say all those times is that it also meant the staff of this district was without a strategic plan. uh and what that must have meant for anyone working in this district to um notwithstanding the turnovers that we had at administrative levels that a somewhat rudderless um or very siloed experience. So, I am um I'm I'm pretty awed by the work that the staff has put into um going deep recognizing the you know the challenges that the district faces. so impressed with the uh with what the culture and climate team came up with with the learning from our past statement which I um hope can we we can revisit and just as a reminder for ourselves and for our work. Um, I also I I keep going back to that third slide, a reminder that
179we as a board our role is not the the deep granular things and recognizing that because we haven't had a strategic plan for a long time, I think we can sometimes default to that because we, you know, things have felt somewhat out of control. And so in a way to kind of build the trust or what I hope would be that trust that what what the staff here is doing the the commitment they have to those granular things. I would hope that our agendas from here once the board approves the strategic plan look different and every single agenda item that can then reference back to one of these pillars of the strategic plan. And so that I hope can start to build some trust from the board in what's happening um at the administrative the
180operational level with the district. I do want to uplift what what Jesse said. I hear you Maggie that we you know every educator, every staff person comes in here with different needs, different lenses and I you know Pepe brought up the word shared language um common language. Jesse said common denominator. I do think it is important that everyone here on staff and the board uh has the same lens. Um so I'm just throwing another word out there for that same thing. Um because that will become critical especially because of how much especially the beginning of that presentation focused on the real challenges that the district continues to have visav the um the growth of our black and brown students and especially our black students and the disconnect with families. Um, I also would really encourage
181in whatever way that is possible, if there's some way to give me, and then if other board members agree with me, I hope they would, something that I can look at every single time I'm sitting here or down there at a work session, a reminder of what these goals and pillars are. Whether that's some sheets of paper that I can continue to refer back to, this is a lot of information to digest. And um so if there's some ways for for me to have whether it's flashcards or something to say, "Yeah, this is what we've worked on." I understand there's cost to that, but I think it would be extremely valuable to my role as a board member and the support I would give this district. Uh and then finally, I would love I mean,
182this has been a community effort. I would love for this strategic plan to go out in the community in a variety of ways. Um you know, our local media, I think, should have access to this. I think going in front of city council with this, I understand the city council doesn't fund this district. However, the policies that they make as well as the county affect, for example, a lot of the things that I heard about recruitment and retention of of educators, right? um the expectation that they would share the similar values that we share that we're uplifting public education. We're uplifting the work that these educators do, our staff does every single day for the families of this district, the families of the city, and to Pepe's point, families within the county who are also
183coming to district. Um, I would hope that this is shared and deeply shared with city council and county commissioners to say how can we be working together to make sure that um we are able to achieve the goals that we've set out through this strategic plan. I um I'm sure there will be other things that come to mind later because again this is a lot to digest, but just appreciation, gratitude, applause for all the work that's gone into this. Um the amount of time um and the uh the real honesty that I think that I trust went into these conversations. So grateful for that. So, thank you. >> Yep. just to address a couple things and um also touch on what Liza said is it was in it's that the plan is intentionally broad but
184also directed. So like all those individual tactics each group has a very detailed action plan but that is really in the weeds that is beyond what we would share with the board on those action steps. That's why we kept it at a high level. It's designed to be that way because that's kind of how the board should be looking at a strategic plan. um and absent of particular programs at this level because the work is the work and we know we need to to do the work in these general terms but then find the right tool that matches the need when that need is being met. Um, so thank you for that. But also George, when you referred back to slide three about, you know, where the board is with vision, mission, that's kind of
185the the role of the board. And then there's some mingling between what are our objectives, what are our goals, and then those deep implementation um stuff resides with the with the superintendent and the admin team. And that's my evaluation is am I getting the results that you want? And if so, hopefully that's a good sign. And if not, that's reflected from the strategic plan into my evaluation process. Um, and yes, we are creating kind of a placemat that the board will have at your places with the new vision and mission, portrait of a scholar, all these key elements to tie them all together. Um, so we are working on that and yes, we are also getting ready to do kind of a short video to summarize the plan, reaching out to news organizations and our
186local government to make sure we're getting facetime to share this plan and what we're working on. For sure. May I >> um >> that spec specificity that is theoretically not the board's level but that in my imagination could be a presentation from a group at a board meeting. Not all of the details but some of the details and that would help us to understand what this actually means when it's implemented. >> Yes. And there will be quarterly more quarterly in-depth updates for the board. >> Fantastic. >> And then also like George mentioned, you know, alignment of board decisions to what supports strategic plan. >> Rebecca, I just wanted to share deep gratitude. We don't sit up here at work sessions because there's not usually so many of you and you're here because you did all
187this work and put this together so that we could see the vision. and I really appreciate what you've put forward. I think for me and my understanding of what this plan is going to serve is I see a a really nice balance between specificity and general aims that have to allow for change that have to allow for you to make decisions in your professional expertise around how to implement ongoing. This isn't for today and then it's over. It's it's to carry us forward. And I think this represents a vision of a district that operates in a way that honors families and students. So, thank you. And I'll just um add in closing that I too echo um for 18 months y'all have been working on this. I mean, that is a lot of time. Um,
188and I'm excited about what you can now all do with that time when you get it back because you're not on these committees. Like, think of all the work you can do. Um, I want to say that it is I love the cohesiveness in the visuals and everything else. I think you're hearing from board members about some details they'd like to hear more about and you will now keep us informed about that. I think there are um some understandable skepticism. People are jaded. Um, but this is an opportunity for us to finally have a strategic plan and see and get the feedback and the accountability. So, I'm excited about that and I just wanted to say thank you to everybody. >> And what I've told the team is actually building the plan is the easy
189part. Quality implementation and accountability for ourselves is the hard part. So, that's the next phase is now we've got to do the action plans, implement the plans, look at our progress, and focus on that and be ready to report out. So, the easy part's done. Check. Now, we've got to do the actual change piece, which is affecting student outcomes, and that's the really hard piece. >> All right. Thanks everyone. I really appreciate it. Um, we have one more short agenda item. I know it's it's late. Um, it is board members. The thing that we added, I want to bring you up to date with what I know and we're going to start real specific to see if there's even board appetite for this and then we can discuss what we want to do about it.
190Okay. So there is a house legislative select committee which to the best of my knowledge means it was created to focus on particular issue that the house the state house wanted to focus on. And this select committee is specifically looking at a constitutional amendment to our state constitution to limit the ability of counties and cities to increase property taxes by levy. Right? to increase tax rates or increase taxes. So, it's um going to be heard on April 15th, which is Wednesday, by this committee. So, I first heard of it on Saturday when the chair of the county commissioners emailed myself and the chair of the Bunkham County School Board and said that the county commissioners are going to be talking about this tomorrow night when they meet. I I can't speak to what Bunkham County
191Schools is going to do. I didn't have a chance to catch up with Rob, but um the request was that we consider submitting a letter as well. So, let me tell you a little bit more detail and then I just want to find out if we want to even do a letter. Okay. But what the there is a group who knew called the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and this has been a resource to the county commissioners across the state. They've drafted a letter. I don't know exactly what Bunkham County's letter is going to say, but I would assume it would follow this sort of model and it is very respectful, but it's pointing out that the state legislature is encroaching on local government's um rights. Um it focuses on the importance of local
192decision-making, right? need for local flexibility, um unique local needs, and it also just which I found interesting, it echoes what we spoke about um at our last meeting, um lots of places where there could be reform in the tax code, right? If you're looking for reform, let's find homestead exclusions, talk about reappraisals, let's close statutory loopholes. So, I don't know that it speaks for school systems, right? It's but it's the letter that I was sent that's being sent. So, let me pause here and say we have a technical issue and then I wanted to just sort of take the pulse of folks. Um, we didn't um notice this as an agenda item that we're going to take action on and so we can't really vote to do this in the this traditional sense of the
193way to the extent it's a letter written by the board chair with the consensus of the board. We could, you know, proceed in that fashion. We've done that before. If we felt it appropriate, we could vote we we could go ahead and send it and vote on it um you know retroactively next Monday or we could sit this out. It is a very short timeline and we are not going to take a lot of time to talk about it. So what I want to start with is do you think we should send a letter to the House Select Committee about the proposed constitutional amendments? >> Can I just get a quick Are you nodding? Are you shaking your head? Jesse, you got your light on? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Others, what do y'all
194think? >> I got a yes. >> I think we should. >> Yeah, I'm inclined to say yes. >> Okay. >> I'm comfortable sending a letter or if there's a political reason not to send a letter. Um but I'm comfortable with it being at the chair's discretion. So, >> okay. Um, if you all will then just trust me and I'll write this in the morning and I can circulate it to you. I saw a lot of heads nodding that we like the idea of local control. Um, we, as we all know, we're not a taxing authority. We have Zippo control over levying taxes in the first place. Um, I think we could speak to how the county's flexibility as we've all experienced in taxing help schools and I will refrain from staying saying and raise the
195state does not. Um, so anything else that you all would want me to emphasize that comes to mind. >> Okay. If you think of something tonight, email it to me and I'll circulate something in the morning. So, I'm hearing this as board consensus. I'll draft a letter. I'll circulate it with you all and if we need to retroactively approve it next Monday, we can do that. >> Are are you able to send us what was provided to county commissioners? Is this a draft letter? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Just because I don't have enough details at this moment to really give you feedback. >> The email I got uh from Saturday to everybody. >> Thank you, sir. >> Anything else? And you can s Are you about to speak, George? I can't tell. I understand it's
196the time and you know we we we've been here for a long time. Do you have a sense of why like like what is what what's the argument the state is giving to take away that ability from counties and municipalities? I and you might not know maybe we can get that later again. I understand it's 8:00. We've been here a long time. But I'm just it's it's fascinating to me that there's enough people maybe saying this is important enough to make it a constitutional amendment. Like it's maybe it's just wacky and that's all it is. But I I'd be curious if there's something you could share with us later. >> I don't have any background other than what we all read in the news. Okay. I'll work on something and get it to you all
197in the morning. So, thank you all. Okay. Um, hold on. I'm so sorry. I got to read my statement. Um, at this time, I will entertain a motion for the board to enter into a closed session pursuant to general statute 143-1811 for the following purposes under subsection A1 to prevent the disclosure of privileged and confidential personnel information pursuant to general statute 115C, 319 to 321, and under subsection A3 to discuss matters protected by the attorney client privilege. I would like to make a motion make that motion uh with the addition that you read the announcements before we go off the air. >> Okay. >> I'll tell you what, I'd be happy to do that. Is knowing that I will Is there a second to that motion? We move into close session. Is everybody in favor
198knowing I'm about to read the announcements? >> Yes. >> Okay. And we're going to take a fivem minute break just so everybody knows. Um but the announcements listed in the agenda posted everywhere is our next meeting is next week, April 20th. We have a work session on May 4th and a regular meeting on May 11th. Uh Friday, May 22nd is early dismissal day. Memorial Day is a holiday. And that was all the announcements. Okay, we are um out of we are moving into close session after a fivem minute break. >> Okay. >> Thanks everybody who's still >> Everybody's got to say I or I. I I >> I I >> I