Asheville City Board of Education Work and Closed Session 10/6/2025

001Welcome everyone to our October work session. Glad to see everybody. Um I am going to turn it over to Rebecca who's going to read our equity statement and remind us about our courageous conversations protocol in Asheville City Schools. 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 practices and decisions. During this meeting, we invite pause if harm takes place, a moment to name the harm, and space to practice repair. And to support that all board members have a copy of the courageous conversation protocol as a reminder. The compass invites us to consider where we are in our own thoughts believing, thinking,

002acting, feeling, noticing. Are we in one quadrant only? and looking at how to join into the center to use all aspects of the compass as we work through our topics. The four agreements invite us to stay engaged, experience discomfort, speak our truth, expect and accept non-closure. And the six conditions which are more complicated and require me to remember the training that not all of us have been to. But the six conditions are one focus on the personal, local and immediate. Two, isolate race. Three, normalize social construction and multiple perspectives. Four, monitor agreements and conditions and establish parameters for our work. Five, use a working definition of race. And six, examine the presence and role of whiteness. Thank you, Rebecca. Um, George Seabourg is not able to be with us tonight, so we miss his presence,

003but we do have a quorum without him. I have two changes to the agenda to propose and then we'll seek to approve the agenda. Um, at the end of our meeting, there'll be a possible consent action item. we need to elect voting delegates to the schoolboard association annual conference and that's a process. So I'll explain that at the end. It will not take long. Um but that's something I need just a minute to talk about and then I will have brief board chair updates at the end. Um any other revisions to the agenda? Is there a motion to approve the agenda as modified? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? Second. >> All in favor of the agenda as modified. >> I >> Okay, thank you. It's unanimous. Um turning now to policies on

004first read. Um I Kim's not here, but I can cover those if there's any questions. >> And also um Anna, >> we can work together. Okay. So, we have Maggie and Anna to answer questions that you all may have. Again, there's five policies on first read. >> Yes. >> Um I was wondering if we could add for um policy 3320. Um, there's a sentence in there, the superintendent must approve in advance any school trips in excess of 300 m round trip, overnight or out of state. Um, I'm wondering if we can add and inform the board or notify the board or something like that just so that we're aware of trips that are going a further distance away. And it's not a strongly held opinion. I just am putting that out there. >> Just looking

005to other board members to have an opinion. >> I mean, I personally wouldn't put that in policy. I think that's a nice practice, but I, you know, anything that says must given the kind of really um extensive work of a superintendent and what those days might be at any given moment. I don't know. I just kind of think must um can create even like legal liability and certain circumstances. And I just I wouldn't I wouldn't put that particular because I I I don't necessarily need to know about them all. But it's nice to know. I agree. But I don't I wouldn't put it in policy. >> That sounds really reasonable to me. So maybe I'll just request that you let us know, you know, and not have it be a policy. Uh the other thing

006I noticed is policy 7262. Um and this is not anything about changes. It is just that I know I hear so many times so and so has been out with CO, but in the policy it looks like we're never supposed to say that unless we have specific permission. And so I just I'm asking for guidance about, you know, how our staff communicates somebody being out with COVID or something like that. And and how we as board members keep our mouths shut and, you know, I just uh want to be respectful and to follow the policy. I mean, I was I mean, our protocol is that no, they're not supposed to, you know, share that someone has COVID or the flu or anything. Um, so if staff are doing that, we can send a reminder that

007that's not something they're supposed to do. >> And that would be aligned with general legal obligations on that. I mean, you know, if somebody says like, "Yeah, I don't care if you say it." Then, you know, like if you I don't care if you share that information, then we're kind of like, "Okay." But generally, yeah, that's best legal practice >> with this. Is it problematic to say somebody's out sick or is that >> No, that's fine. >> That's fine. Okay. Thank you very much. 3620. Uh the athletic directors, do they have any comments or any information or anything else on 3620 that we may know of? >> I'm not aware of any. >> Okay. Is it appropriate at this point to ask about the information only items? Just give me a second. Is there any

008other comments, questions about the policy? Because I do want to look to see if we're in agreement that those would move on to second read, but I want to give people a chance to Okay, I sense that we are good with the um five policies. They will move to second read as is. And so, yes, questions about the procedures presented for information. >> I'm curious, maybe somebody can answer it later. Um, the reason for excluding GPA calculations from GPA calculations, grades from courses taken over the summer. >> Which procedure are you looking at? Um that is um related to Okay, let me open that up. Shoot, [Music] I'm having some technical difficulties. Um it is related to online instruction. Um, >> is it just a question you want clarification about me? >> Yes. Yeah. >>

009Um, >> oh, there we go. Um, and then, um, >> online instruction is about e just so I'm clear about this, it's e-learning. So when the kids take the virtual public school classes >> or if they take a college course over the summer or a special course, they're allowed to do pass fail and it's excluded. I'm just wondering, >> but is it online what you're talking about? Because this is just about e-learning, just to be clear. >> There's also um information about taking classes at other institutions, >> right? And what was taken? I'm just trying to get to where you are. What was taken out was the virtual public public school course GPA. So like my kid took French in the tower through the virtual public school and that I mean that's to me what

010that was about and it's been taken out. >> It my question is is it it's tangential. It's basically there's a mention in there of not including any courses taken in the summer in grade in GPA calculations. and I'm curious about that. I don't know if it's a legal requirement or a standard practice and so I can talk to somebody later. It's just something that I noticed. Um and um I also noticed in the school trips procedure that the link to the pre-trip checklist appears to be broken. And that's all that I've got for that. Um I'm cur the I mean so the 3102 going to the online part of this um okay never mind I see exactly what's happening here. So is your question why they're not the GPA is not counted if it's taken

011over the summer and it doesn't go into the GPA instead it's >> it's a curiosity question. It's not an important question. It's just something that I wanted to be able to understand and explain to others if it was needed. >> I think we can gather clarification on that. Oh, Shannon, go ahead. Yeah, there's um I I'm not sure how long that policy has been in place, but after talking with the counselors um they have they have said that there's been multiple situations of students taking online classes um over the summer which you know can't when it's pass or fail they are able able to still take courses that'll go on their transcript if they're AB courses or if they're NCBPS courses, it'll they'll still get credit for those courses. But there's been some talk about

012students taking lots of courses over the summer. If it were to go towards their GPA, then for lack of a better phrase of playing a GPA game, to be honest. But there's a lot of there's some further discussion too as to is that a bad thing? Is that a good thing? I don't know. So I I have been asking our principles and our counselors to to really dig a little deeper into that and what are the pros and cons of just a pass fail over the summer. Like I said, they still get credit for like on the AB Techch transcript, it shows up, their grade shows up at ABT. it just does not get calculated on the high school end of their transcript. But >> that answers my question. Thank you very much. >> Any

013other questions about these information procedures? All right. Uh at this point we will move to our first discussion item which is a SSA update from Jeremy Gibbs. >> Woohoo. >> Yes. Um Dr. Gibbs is going to present um an update on where we are with looking at the um our application for the um cooperative high school cooperative innovative high school model and some tweaks that could be made to that application which is we're currently under the small schools. >> So yeah, >> I'll let him explain it. He knows it better. Well, um, thank you for some time to share with you a little bit about kind of what we see are some next steps in our journey. I'm going to move this right in front of me. I'm not the loudest talker. Um, so a

014couple of things to give you some background and context that may help. Um, we are in our 20th year. Uh, this school has served Nashville City Schools. This is the 20th year that we are in operation. Um, there a couple of people sitting around this table that have been involved with that from the get-go and know kind of the that evolution and how that's been a process. Couple of things that are important to point out. We are already a cooperative innovative high school in the state of North Carolina. That's the designation we operate under. That's what the statute says. That's what we are. That's not a change. That is who we are. That is how we operate. Um I shared with you some resources and we can talk a little bit about that but cooperative

015and innovative high schools are essentially by statute those that op they have no more than 100 students per grade level. Uh they partner with an IICE an institution of higher education. Um and they are usually located on their campus. We're unusual in that we are right next to it and just as easily accessing the campus as another cooperative innovative high school. Um what is interesting is Silsa's journey started way before the rage of cooperative innovative high school for sure and in fact it was part of that iterative process that built and grew that movement. So that's really commendable to the district for doing that. However, when some of those other funding opportunities came along during those courses of the new laws being created and new processes, SILSA did not access this particular one. So PRC55

016funding um is a supplemental fund funding stream for cooperative innovative high schools and as has been shared with me it it's twofold TPI state board of community colleges the general assembly approve cooperative innovative high schools to operate and then there has to be another process for the general assembly to eventually approve making appropriations for that supplemental funding. Those did not happen together. Silsa existed before those things happen. And we're not the only one. We've learned through our research that it looks like there are 13 or 14 other cooperative innovative high schools in the state that kind of fall in this unique category of that are not receiving supplemental funding, meaning there are 120 that are. So in looking at that we are thinking about okay grounding that in what is the legal basis for this.

017Um cooperative innovative high schools exist primarily to offer early access to college courses for students and they have very specific mandates to target very specific student groups. So, in thinking that through, the statute governs the purpose of any cooperative innovative high school, again, which we already are. But the three target populations are students at risk of dropping out of school before attaining a high school diploma, uh students with parents who did not continue education beyond high school, and students who would benefit from accelerated academic instruction. So, in thinking about why pursue this particular supplemental funding, it's actually spelled out for us in the aotment policy manual. You're given very specific directions of what you would use the funding for. And so, those are kind of in order or prioritized there. first a full-time college liaison

018which would be an AB techch employee who would work to help make sure that those pathways were clear that those communications went smoothly back and forth between the two institutions and also would help that academic advising piece you know as students go we of course have a good school counselor we have a great school counseling program but that's on the high school side and making sure that we see that other end of the partnership we do have liaison services from AB but it's a much smaller amount of time it's a much smaller um programmatic component. Then as funds are available, you would work your way down that list. Community uh program coordinator, community coordinator, and the remaining dollars would be available for all those other uses, travel, professional learning, supplies, and materials. To be really

019careful, this is not a complete toptobottom total transformation redesign of Silsa. This is more of an refinement and improvement of practices and quite frankly building on a lot of the visionary work and discussions that they've been having over a course of years. This is not some guy plop down three months later he's up here bringing you this whole thing. This is really kind of next steps iterative process. Where do we go from here? How do we serve our students well? But it's certainly much more of an intentional focus on that postsecondary alignment. what does that persistence towards an associates degree look like for Sulsa students uh and aligning more closely with the early college approach but not necessarily that's when you when you work with the early college folks or cooperative innovative high school folks

020they'll say if you've seen one early college you've seen one early college because they vary so much as they should because they have a lot of innovation and flexibility and they're small they're nimble they should be able to move quickly so we are still working internally ly with ABHC our partner as well as here to finalize that application. We do have the most recent draft as of 511. I have one signed by the AB techch board chair. So that's good. But that's that's where we are in the process. But we still are working through this week to finalize those details, make tweaks and improvements and what we offer up thinking through that. The main application components consist of and this is all just listing them out for you. um some of the general information, those

021main components there, program information, and some of this is projecting, some of this is capturing what we already do. Some of it's projecting some of the planning that we think we can do or we would do as we refine and make improvements to the pro program and then some of the operational details that flow out of that. Dr. Dr. Ferman did reference the school does receive a different aotment small specialy school funding aotment and that may have been referenced in some of your previous discussions which goes all the way back to the original 2005 when that was the that model at that time was the breaking apart. So large comprehensive high schools that the theory of action there was to break them down into three or four. That model did not work across the country

022for the most part. But what it did serve is kind of as a guiding piece to how a lot of these other cooperative innovative high schools rolled out down the road. We're very unique in that we are colllocated with Asheville High School and all of our students are cross-enrolled and they have all those continuing opportunities. Unique and good and we should keep that. looking ahead to share that the application is due to the department of public instruction and they have been supporting us, working with us, providing us just general technical assistance, answering questions. It goes to a joint advisory committee which is made up of staff leaders from the department of public instruction and in our case the community college system office. They review those things. Then they would send those the ones that prevail

023at that level onto the state board of education, then onto the state board of community colleges and then eventually work their way over to the general assembly to be considered for actual appropriations in the next state budget. If appropriated, the lotment policy manual tells us that because of us being in a tier three county, we receive $180,000 annually to support those uses that I shared earlier. Now, you can do the math on that. you will not be able to hire three people for that. You're directed to hire three people, but you will you cannot do it. And so there's certainly the prioritization. Um and the the college liaison would be an AB techch employee and we would work to build that partnership out, but then we would get as far into those other uses as

024possible, if that makes sense. So, kind of wrapping up, just planning ahead, thinking about what we do. Um, how can we moving forward with or without this funding? Because I think we need to be realistic. This is a legislative pro process. This is appropriations we're seeking. Um, how do we meet our obligations to enable students to um earn associate degree or get as far as they can in that process within a 5-year window? preparing students for the workforce or their participation in college after high school. Uh providing consistent counseling and advising that follows through to the college level. And then methods of early identification, identifying students in the middle grades to make sure that they are aware and that they can be brought into that programming. So our process is is rolling forward with our

025ongoing school improvement work, our school's work plan, continuing to do the work that we do in alignment with the district's work plan, but also thinking about refining and mapping what do those courses look like and moving more in this direction is certainly the consensus of the school staff and we believe part of the viability and sustainability of the school. but also being respectful of the legacy, the purpose, the place of of the school, keeping what works, valuing the partnership with Asheville High, um that unique sense of place, the ability for our students to do something that in a lot of those other early college situations, they're not. They actually have to give up on those things and they're gone. You don't have to do that with us. You can still be the cougar. You can

026still take eight semesters of band. These things are still possible and would not be left out. Um because we're all still cougars. That's part of being this, but it's just offering a viable option to our families and students within the district. So, I've talked probably more than I was supposed to, but happy to try to tackle questions. Um, and I'll invite both superintendent and Miss Bagot to cover anything that I may have missed or hit highlights. >> Uh, who want to go first? >> Uh, a couple questions. Have any other principles from Sela ever brought this up that we may know of? Sha or >> Dr. Gibbs has given some light to the situation because as far back as I can remember I remember that we were given some initial funding to get the school

027started but then that funding went away with in about five years and just we after that I I can't really remember what happened in between but we never applied for this funding specifically that I believe they only give to three is my clerk three schools across the state per year. process is they can recommend up to three. So there's a couple of things. There would have been probably some gates and other funds that would have come that would have been temporary. There has been and continues to be thankfully um a small specialty school aotment that goes specifically just to our school that supports a couple of you know couple of funding categories primarily principal and clerical assistant but that has continued um through all that. This is another funding opportunity to layer on top of

028that. I must I think I might be thinking of the gates. >> You're thinking I mean there would have been gates funding as well which did dry up. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Right. And >> correct. >> Yeah. Right. And we're looking at ways we can think about that as well, including just looking at the policy man a lotment policy manual for school building administration, which could potentially that could work itself out. A school is allotted a principal. Call it what you will, locate it where you will. A school of the appropriate size is going to be allotted 12 months of employment for a principal in the state. >> All right. My second question, >> I'm sorry, Jesse. Could I follow up on that because Heidi, we >> I know we have no idea what's really

029going to happen, but were you saying the current funding we get that pays for a principal because we're a small school is slated to go away. I I I think I missed what you were adding. >> Right. Jeremy said correctly that we had been receiving it and we thought we would receive it this year, but they actually did away with it. But in one of the minivvilles they brought it back through the end of this bianium >> ostensibly temporary >> and we do not know after the end of this bianium where we will be on that. >> I just that got past me and I want to thank you just >> we will have to work towards addressing that but we we have Heidi and I have spoken a little bit about thinking through that

030but that is something beyond 2027. Yes, I need to ask. >> Okay, that's it. I'm sorry. >> To clarify, there is still funding for principles for any school with 100 or more students. This is just additional funding for principles and some other support. Correct. >> That that's my inter >> for the small school. Okay. And then there was um some additional funding that we get from ABTE for instructors who are teaching AB techch coded classes on the campus. So there are some things that were put in place um >> before Yeah. >> That's a usual customary practice to pay for those instructors. >> Yeah. >> So I'm sorry because Pepe I think I'm hearing it differently than you so I want to make sure I'm understanding. If we pay for the Silsa principal and administrative

031assistant because we qualify as a school, then had we been is it true that Silsa was getting some extra money because it was a small school? I think what I heard Heidi say is that is the money we used to pay the principal. So if that goes away, I heard Jeremy say, then we will go take out our lawyer hat and say, "Hey, but we're a school and we will come back with reasons why our principal should still be paid." But the source of the principal money is changing. So Pepe is that I think that's what I heard and I I don't know that you and I are hearing it the same. >> Yeah, I'm not hearing the same. So the right now any school over a hundred students gets an aotment for principal. >>

032It's >> and that's separate from this. >> Right. So that's what I'm saying. I think there's a way to navigate that process. Heida is correct that for many years that came through that small specialy schools aotment. It was a direct to for this purpose that was taken away but then restored in one of these recent mini bills, mini budgets, HB 358 I believe. But then the next thing that I would think down the road is because there are more than 100 students and more than seven state paid personnel attached to that school. PRC5 should then all lot you 12 months of employment for principal >> then but you could be short a clerical assistant position. So there is there's something there that we will have to navigate over the next couple of years for sure.

033So it's a good question. >> Uh my second question here it states it just put us on the radar for the legislature to consider adding us to that funding aotment next year and beyond. Now we know that funding is being taken away from everybody. So if we did go with this program and they take it from us after maybe 2 years who would be responsible to continue the program. >> I think you that would be the same inevitability that you would face in any situation. So if they were to and what we have seen since they have added schools to this category over the years they have not those have been recurring funds and so they've been built into the base budget and they just keep happening. So, it's not like a timebased grant where

034we'd have to keep reapplying. What we have seen historically since they have done this since about 2017 is they would then put those schools in there and they were built into recurring state budgets and so they would continue. But you're right, there's always some uncertainty as if if appropriations were reduced or if there was a change, you would always have to react accordingly. >> Okay, last question. How this is for SISA. If ASA high school student would like to be in this program, would they have to be a SISA student or could they be asked for high school and receive the same privilege as a SILSA student? >> So, Asheville High students already do have access to CCP or career college promise courses and dual enrollment courses. And so they have those opportunities. The difference

035between the two school designations is cooperative innovative high schools may start as early as 9th grade on those college courses whereas a traditional high school student with some exceptions needs to wait until 11th grade to do those things. And so at at present they a Nashville High student absolutely has opportunities to take AB courses and they do and they have a pretty robust uh participation. Um, but this is a little bit more structured in that the way you would proceed through the five up to five-year program, it would primarily be the Silsa pathway forward for most of them. Yeah. >> So it so astro high school student would not be able to get a associate degree unless they take college courses from ABTE. They can't get it if they went your route in SESA. >>

036Well, it makes sense. Maybe. >> No, I think No, I think what you're saying is a Nashville High student who really wanted to either make significant progress toward an associates degree or pull one down through CCP absolutely has the ability to do that. Still in this what we're talking about kind of mapped out and structured out. It would be, you know, part of the program to either get that associates degree or get much closer in the context. But they have that ability. But it is more much more challenging to do in that if you don't start until 11th grade, you just don't have as much time to do that. But that's why there is a a s a difference in the programmatic options. And that's why you would let people help kind of choose back

037and forth like which is the best option for you and your family. >> Okay. I'm I'm good. All right. Um, thank you very much. I appreciate this information and I was especially interested to see the three target groups. Um, it seems to me and Jesse's question kind of speaks to some of my questions about accelerated learners. There are a lot of accelerated learners at Asheville High School. We are not lacking for accelerated learners in this district. what we are lacking is effective programming for the other two target groups. So I question um a little bit Silsa's even marketing or being or trying to get accelerated learners when we desperately need a a an innovative program in early college for first generation students and for our students who don't and so I really um it it

038disturbs me that and I understand that's part of statutory framework. So, I get that, but I'm really curious to know or think about whether it makes sense for us to really be targeting those students in middle school. Who are we targeting? Who are we recruiting? Um, and um, you know, with Principal Kush's absent or departure, she did successfully recruit a fair number of African-American students who I think wouldn't maybe have gone to Silsa otherwise. Um, I want to make sure that those are the groups we're targeting. At least that's my opinion as one board member. The other thing I would love to know about is at one point we were talking about making Randolph an early college or an innovative school. I'd like to know how Randolph fits into this because if you want to

039talk about a group of students who are at risk of dropout, they're at Randolph number one. So I would like to know how uh Silsa intends to intersect with Randolph and how we can collaborate and make sure that whatever is available at Silsa is available at Randolph. And I don't because I know that Randolph is not its own school. It has to be underneath another school. Currently I think it's a program of Asheville High School. And so we might need to think about whether it becomes a program of Silsa. And I would like to see Asheville High School allowing students perhaps to to access I don't know what the rules are and why Asheville High students can't access AB Techch in 9th grade or 10th grade. But I just I don't see any purpose of

040Silsa for an acceler I'll just say this. I don't see any purpose in having an accelerated learning program at Silsa. I just don't for me that's not a reason to have it because we have students graduating from Nashville High going to Ivy League schools every year. We don't need Sulsa for that. Um and if we're going to invest and ask for more funds, we do desperately need it for these others. So that's my pitch and thank you. >> I would defer some of that to the superintendent, especially things that are outside my school because I wouldn't want to comment on those. I think what I can say is there's notwithstanding that there's a statutory framework of which we operate a school that already applies to us. I think what we can think about is how

041do we have a low barrier non- selective you know enrollment process to where we do bring people along build them up you know instead of exclude include what's the scaffolding needed to get you know the student who really can benefit the most and some prioritization which if you go through the details of the um application documents and some of that it is prioritized like that. So like if you had more applicants than seats, you would then go to firstgen, then you would go to you see what I'm saying? So I mean there's some of that you and I would probably disagree on some of those things about because I don't see some of that the way you do. I think that there's also a very robust AP program at Asheville High and we uh we

042access the college credit opportunities much more through dual enrollment to ABT as opposed to those AB tech uh AP courses. And so it it's about having some different choices for students and families in the district. And I think it also gives us some time to build out what that looks like. But I think all of us on our team, the consensus is for sure that we don't want some elite academy or anything like that. We want to make sure that we nurture students, get them to as far as they want to go. And what does that look for like for them? and and while also meeting our already existing statutory obligation to get students as close as possible, if not out the door with that associates degree, which I mean to to answer your question

043about Asheville High or any comprehensive traditional high school, it's just the law. They don't have access to dual enrollment prior to 11th grade except in certain AIG cases that are very specific. And so that is that piece of that, but I would defer to the superintendent on any other interactions across schools for sure. Um, thank you. I mean, I think that the AP offerings is probably the it's a big contract >> the parallel and and I that's part of my thinking about this and I do appreciate that there's a statutory mandate. >> But I also think that if you have access to that many AP courses in the traditional high school, I just personally see the need elsewhere. But I got you. No, and I understand I guess what I would say is I see

044that and respect the AP program and there's a lot to that. But I also have seen and you can see in some of the data I provided in the EdNC article that was attached that um across the state cooperative innovative high schools actually haven't widened that gap. They've actually done better, >> right? >> But they also I I think that when you're talking about a dual enrollment community college course, you you know you you pass that, you're successful in that, that's guaranteed. That's not paying College Board to take an expensive exam at the end. That is investing in the community college system and getting that through. And we're not knocking AP. We're not saying we're not going to teach any AP courses in our program, but we're going to try to really design that smart

045and in very small staff. And then where's that kind of handover point, but these courses continue on AB Tech campus or or what have you. So, a lot to still work out there as far as the programming and the mapping, but it's it's something that we've needed to do in the past and it's not been as clear because we want to be able to show that student in eighth grade you can do this. You can in five years you can have that thing in your hand and you're ready to go to that same IV league with that associates degree from AB Tech just like you could from that diploma from Asheville High. So, >> work through that. How does the um requirement that students that there are only honors classes as I understand it at

046Sulsa right there are that you have that's kind of the >> we have no standard level course >> right so how does that mesh with the mission to teach those at risk of dropping out or and and and for one I love it right because we raise the expectations and we let folks know they're capable of this Right. >> And that inspires effort and all of that I get and I really appreciate. The reason though that I think there's a lower achievement gap at Silsa isn't because of Silsa necessarily. I think it's because of the students who attend Silsa versus the students that attend Asheville High. They are not the same group and they historically they have not been the same students. So I'm interested in having SILSA working with all of our and I

047understand you are too. So that's just I'm just observing that you know that requirement of honors level classes. I just think we have to make sure that the mission to serve that group of students that there are no when you say barriers we want to make sure that that that's not a barrier. So we want to see how we can get them ready for those classes or supporting them and also in really working to assure them that they are ready that we will do whatever supports we have to to make sure that they're capable of passing those courses. But um okay thanks no I think in your comment you made some of the case for why you would do that at the honors level and how you build the scaffolding and design to that. >>

048Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I get it. And I also though will say that I think that has been a barrier to some students attending Silsa. They didn't think they were a c aable to do that, capable. And I dare say that that may be true of some of our Randolph students. And so I just these are thorny, difficult questions. And I I just hope that I hope that we can use this program for the purpose of meeting those students needs cuz that there there is not I really don't believe it's something innate in Silsa that has the lower achievement gap. I do agree the innovative small school should do that but I also think there's been kind of a process of selection in this district that has happened organically that has helped that. Thank you.

049>> Thanks Amy. I want to um pull us back to what you need from the board tonight. And so I have a specific question which is I think the um application is due October 10th which is before we meet again. Um, and so would you talk to us about what you need from us tonight and sort of what the danger is if we say go ahead and then later with more conversations we I mean help help me see where we could head tonight. >> Sure. I think the the long and short of it is what the application requires is the signature of the board chair and the superintendent to offer their leadership support in moving that application forward. as I mentioned kind of even in the materials I sent from you, you're not I mean

050there's there's no obligation. You're simply asking for this consideration, right? And so the worst case scenario is I guess in that model the worst case scenario is is you would be funded at $180,000 annually. I mean I think that's that would be a legislative process way down the road. I I think you we don't want to conflate these two issues too. There's program improvement and school improvement and the design and the enrollment and all those things are are necessary vital parts of just school improvement and how we do what we do and how we fit not just within our own little ecosystem but the broader one of Asheville High and the broader one of Asheville City Schools. I think right now what we're seeking is support to advance this application so that it can go

051through these multiple levels of review so that it hopefully by the time it hits you know April May it winds up in the general assembly as one of those possible three of who could be considered to possibly be added to that funding stream. But again that's a subject to our state budget process. >> Thank you. And that was what I needed to know. I think thinking through the questions this board has asked tonight and the limited time we have tonight yet the time constraint. I was more for our board trying to say do we have consensus with moving the application ahead if we know there might be you know on the agenda in December or January further discussion and if it turns out we are not aligned with the moving forward I mean I'm I

052was more thinking you could pull the application back if we had this massive um redeliberation about whether this was a good idea or not but basically I am looking at you board members who are here because it is something we're going to need to vote on tonight if we want the application to move forward. So, let me start with I'm sure we all have lots of questions about what this will look like. >> Sarah and it's really more just that they write at this point give you consensus that you can sign the application to move forward. >> Correct. Knowing that you all have questions that will not be answered tonight. That's what I want. I'm looking at you, Amy. Right. And Pepe, you guys have questions, but we're not going to have time to answer

053them. We We just have too much on this agenda tonight. So, are you all comfortable with me signing the application to start the process? I'm seeing not. Okay. So, do I have to have a formal vote, Anna? Nope. You guys are okay with me signing the application? Okay. >> I am. >> All right. Well, that was easy. And >> Dr. Gibbs, you should expect me to come and ask about my kiddo and all these opportunities and what 13th year might look like. >> Well, and I I you know, I know we're ready to move on, but I want you to understand that we we are certainly on in our team committed to trying to really explore this thoroughly what this looks like. Whether you get this funding or not, you still need to do that

054work. this is work that but I guess the question is is would you like better personnel support and resources to do this work that is the true question and if you could have a full-time college liaison and perhaps another position maybe two I doubt it to support you and whatever the next several years brings us why wouldn't you do that that's my kind of look at it I think to that other end also is working down into the middle grades and saying this is what you could do. These are the capabilities that we have. This is the programming that we have that could really change your life. Um especially when it's kind of prioritized and this and the process is prioritized where if you're the first generation in your family, that's huge. And so, absolutely,

055we're thoughtful of that. We're absolutely putting this in the context of the district and the community and the equity conversations and the long history here. Um, but just thinking about this piece of the process is simply could we access more staffing and resources to do what we think we need to do or build what we need to build? Why wouldn't we if we could now then it goes to the general assembly and we see where it goes from there. >> Thank you. We appreciate all that you brought to us for consideration and we will move the application ahead >> and I want to thank you for all this great info as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. And and and more to come, but it it's also a part of the growth and evolution of

056any school. You should have those conversations, >> right? Thank you. Okay, we now are moving on. And just so folks, not that you didn't notice this, but in this discussion item segment that we're in, Heidi is going to talk about fiscal year 25 that has ended and then we're going to talk about our retreat followup and then Heidi will be back on to talk about fiscal year 26, the current year. So just orienting people. All right, Heidi, thank you very much. Um, so this evening I left at your place uh a set of three handouts and I did that not in on the screen version because this is a draft. This is a draft part of which I only received today. Uh the draft of the audit report this year um and for last year

057and then um just a little bit of conversation to talk about where we ended up last year so you can understand why I prepared the budget resolution uh as I did in the next section for this coming year. So um the first page is a summary of our local revenue with some history. um tried to keep all the formats the same as you've asked me to do in the past. The second page is state and federal um revenue. And then the third page, the question everybody has been asking for some time now, a little discussion about fund balance. So, um, it it never ceases honestly to amaze me how I can I can want to do a budget one way or the other and then something always comes up in the middle. You know, this

058year it just happened to be a hurricane and then the hurricane response by the county to change the way they changed our funding stream. Um, a lot of the projections we received we responded to not knowing any better. Um, that they were going to be significantly worse than they were in the past. Well, I I I kind of wanted to start with a like a political opening like you know you do on when the president comes on and he says, "What is the state of the union?" You know, the state of the union is good. I I'm I'm very delighted to report tonight that most of those projections did not come out nearly as dismal as we anticipated. So I don't often get to share with you good news. So that is my tidbit of

059good news for this evening. And then I'm going to also talk how that translates into our state and federal projections. So for this year and last year what we did basically is uh have a trend of about a 1 to 3% loss. depending on the line item. So coming into this year, that was very positive for us because the county did give us a slight increase and then as you know, we'll talk a little bit more in a minute about how they tried to restore the money that they took in the middle of last year. So we did not see a big change um in our revenue streams except from a range of 1 to 3% on the local level. I can't give you all the details on how that will lead into this year

060exactly because of course we don't have all the ADM counts in yet. As you know, everybody's been migrating to Infinite Campus and then none of the charter schools. I think we actually only had two um first PMR reports from them so far. and Bunkham County has to get in all of theirs and we have to get in all of ours before we can put all those counts in together and for the county to determine that final split for this current year. We don't expect it to be greatly different than the prior years. But once that information is complete and I have the final numbers, I'll bring this back to you for some more information. But I just wanted you to be able to have that historical perspective for when we talk about the current year

061budget. Uh the second page and part of what will lead into our budget discussion for this year um is the red lettering at the top. Uh part of what we've talked about since I've been here and before I got here was how this district was losing kids and we were losing kids at a pretty significant rate. Well, if you look at why we might be in a better position la ending last year and coming into this year, um, look at those rates. So, from three years ago, we lost at 7%. A couple of years late, you know, the next year we lost at 4%. The next year, we lost at 3%. We only lost at almost 2% rate coming into this year for funding. So, where if you look at those bottom line numbers, each

062year it was a half a million dollars loss. It was a $400,000 loss. It was multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost aotments from the state level this year. And I'm not really sure why, but I did tell you at one of the prior meetings that they have changed the way they did aotments this year. And we're not all still sure they're done with that, but it's good news at this point. So, we don't have a decrease at all. We actually saw an increase. And part of that is due to the fact they have funded fringe benefit increases, but they did not fund the bump as we talked about at a prior meeting. And so where we've seen those big losses of state revenues, we did not see that this year. So that's very

063positive. The other thing um along the bottom is the federal um summary where normally that's been a somewhat of a decrease. Um this year again we're seeing a slight uptick in what federal funds we're going to have available when they finally release them. Obviously we've had some struggles on that. Right now on hold is our actual CTE federal Carl Perkins funding because they're change they changed that funding from the US Department of Education to the US Department of Labor. Um and they have not quite figured out how to get that money yet. So um that is still things that we're um having to negotiate and trying to figure out how it work. That is overall positive news on the revenue side. So that brings us to our final page and again I kept the format

064the same as last year so you could see the trends. Um what has happened is not only were the revenue projections not as bad as we expected but you know through all the meetings we've had that Dr. U Maggie has implemented her staffing aotment formulas. I had explained to you last year how we've been more aggressively investing the funds we do have available to earn better interest. Uh because we do have a fund balance, I've been able to do more strategic um moves in position allotments to make sure we maximize the use of our position allotments. We've made cuts across the district. Not just my hands again, not just staffing, but um the prior year we did a 10% supply aotment across the board. This year we had various contracts, software, all the things that

065we could look at, we've cut, we've we've done without, we've tried to when we have vacancies, we let those remain open, review if we actually need that position. I mean, it's just been on and on and on all the things that we've implemented to try to save money. So, that has worked. I mean, that's the good news tonight is those initiatives have worked. So, if we look at that column that is marked red in a draft, um, what we're seeing, if you go down toward the bottom, um, I'll talk a little bit more about why I'm including some of these numbers in the next year's budget, but basically, we had a gold standard. If you go to that dark gray section, the last dark gray section at the bottom, that's that gold standard two months

066of operating that we wanted to maintain as our fund balance. Last year, that total was $13.8 million. This year, because our budget, we'll talk about in a minute, is smaller at $12.9 million. We ended up this current year at $14.2 million. So, we did not actually have to use a significant amount of fund balance this year in order to operate. And that will carry us into next year, which will keep us in a in a situation where if we continue all the momentum that we've brought in to the year and those initiatives that we've we've prioritized to make sure we stay on top of staffing changes in relation to ADM and all those other things that we're doing, we are in a very good position in order to maintain that fund balance that we said

067we would like to maintain for operations. This is the 14.2. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, that was actually between fund two and fund 8, that was a $284,000 increase over the prior year. So as you watch that line, that line that goes uh right above there where we talked about last year we were a loss, then we gained a little, gained a little, lost a lot for a number of years, then we gained a lot during ESSER. You can see where we gained a good bit the last two prior years. We're down to almost a net zero, which is kind of where you want to be if we are trying to maintain that balance but not overspend every year. I got a question. >> Yes, sir. >> Help me understand. Uh,

068the negative were school health, instructional support personnel, career technical uh, education, teacher assistance. >> Where I'm sorry, where are you? >> Oh, I'm on the second page. Uh, yeartoday aotment. >> Yes. where I'm showing the negative in teachers assistance, academic, intellectual, gifted, classroom material. What is what's that negative for? >> So in any of those allotments, um those are based on our student count. And so every year depending on which way the allotment is calculated, some are increases and some are decreases. So we we that's a normal process. And as I said, this is just a draft. Well, this has not been finalized yet. So, >> is it good or bad? >> Well, bottom line, we're up $221,000 this year. So, that that is a good thing >> right here. >> And that highlighted number

069I'll talk about more in a minute. That's the one that is a little troublesome. So, Jesse Jesse, would you mind if I join you? >> Go for it. If you're looking at this page, >> looking at the second page and looking today a lotment where are the negative >> looking at the negatives which are positions not dollars. >> Yeah. >> Right. That's what you're asking about is reduction in positions. >> Right. >> And so if we >> So we did have if you look we had a we had we dropped from 3,900 students to 3,824 students. So there are going to be some position aotments that >> that was because you said something earlier that I wanted to go back to which is we've begun a process of implementing a staffing formula and we're rolling

070it out. Sometimes forces push us to roll it faster than maybe we had planned, but that we'll see in these we see it in these two years, the last two years that Jesse's pointing out, but we will see that go up and down with ADM. That's where we would see that, right? >> Exactly. >> Thank you. So Heidi, I guess I want to ask you about that negative 399,000 on the on the second page. >> Okay. Well, I have that to talk about a little later, but >> Oh, that's later. Okay, never mind. I didn't I thought you meant later in this conversation, but you >> I can go ahead. >> You mean at the next in the next part we talk about That's fine. We can wait. Thank you. I don't want to disrupt

071the agenda. Other questions about this? And Heidi, this is just information for us. >> This is just information on how we closed tenatively have closed out last year. Like I say, we do just have the audit draft today that we still have to review. >> Yeah. And I I I know we really appreciate this information and we'll likely all dig into it um after the meeting. So folks, um, thank you Heidi. We are now going to move to two things we need to follow up with that we were not able to finish at our retreat. And one is a mission statement. Excuse me, it's the vision statement. That's on there wrong, but it's the vision statement. And the second is our discussion of the data that Maggie shared with us at the retreat or in

072slides. Um so for the vision statement I think Maggie has a presentation. I'm just going to turn it over to her. >> So good evening everyone. Um before digging into the vision statement, I found this graphic and I think this will help the board understand the strategic planning process as well as the balance in who is doing what between the board and the administration. And what you'll see on this is there's some buckets. There's strategic and operational. So the board is that strategic body. Um, and you'll notice on the far left there's the box for mission, vision, and guiding principles or core values. And that is really the heart and the core of the board's work is to create those, set those, and uphold those in the strategic planning process and going forward. And then

073so the board's really high on that area where administration is much lower. This is that's the work of the board. And then looking at research and analysis, that's where you start to look at, that's where we were like, what questions you have? What do you want to know about? What data do you want to see? And we presenting that data to the board. We start moving down the where the the work shifts from the board to administration and staff. In the middle is part of where the data piece comes in. And so understanding from the board as you look at that data, as you look at the findings, what are those strategic goals, what are the objectives that you have and then that we can use as a as a administration to say, okay, we

074know the board wants to address these areas from the data. So then we're going to take those, create some very rigorous goals, some smart goals, some big buckets of work that we want to address, and then bring that back to the board and say, "Hey, are we on target here?" And that's kind of this like a little back and forth between administration and the board. And then the next phase of strategic planning is very much heavy on staff to develop what are the implementation strategies, what are the solutions and how are we going to implement. So just wanted to give you a visual to help you understand the parts of a strategic plan and where the board fits in and then when stuff starts really getting taken by the staff for implementation. So, we spent

075some time a couple weeks ago working on our vision statement and we ended up with um we got four drafts based on what you all crafted and then I also took the opportunity to try to combine all those um into one kind of picked what I felt was kind of highlights out of each of those. So Sarah, I didn't know if you really wanted to look at each of these and then also to look at the draft I came up with trying to pull all that out and see on a discussion if we're one really stands out is this is the one. And then the next part of this vision statement is that we will share a draft of this with our stakeholders, gather some feedback and bring that to the board on hey are

076we all headed in the same direction? and are we all on the same page here or are we not even on the same planet? Um to kind of help bring that alignment. So, you're going to vote on the one that gets sent out to stakeholders is what we're hoping to accomplish and then getting some feedback on that. Maybe there's some tweaks here and there. I know we have very talented, gifted writers in our community with our students and our staff. So, they may have that perfect adjective that just makes it even more brilliant. So, We had four different board members, all of whom were very clear. This is just an offering. It's not perfect, but you can see I'll just want people to read those and then without comment, we'll go to the next slide

077after Maggie gives us a minute and see how she pulled it together, but then have a a brief board conversation. up. When you're ready, I'll move to the next one and go ahead and go to the next one. So, this is Maggie's attempt at compiling what she saw. Okay. Knowing that um sorry, Maggie, are we going to come up with something that would in theory be on the consent agenda next week? We're going to vote tonight. >> No, there's no voting. Well, I just need consensus on which one do you want me to send out universe for feedback. Once we bring that back with some edits, then we'll have one that the board will really have to vote on. >> So, understanding we're not taking a lot of time to rewrite this, you know, from

078the beginning because we had a retreat where we started on it. We've had offerings. We've seen Maggie's attempt to pull it together. Um, let me just have specific comments that you deem would be helpful to this conversation. That is what I would like. >> Yes. I thought we had one where it was uh equity was involved in it. Uh, community leaders community was involved. Didn't we put those words in in one of those uh statements that we were trying to put together? right now. There's it's um I wish I had >> and I'm Jesse, I'm pulling it up. Rebecca had taken pictures. I think I think what you're remembering is group two was focused on who do we serve and that had some of that community piece. I don't know. I'm pulling up the pictures,

079Jesse. Um, >> and for members of the public, uh, the board met at a different location and there wasn't a video recording of the meeting, um, which is concerning to me, but nonetheless, uh, there are some images um that might be available of our intermediary work. Um, I would say looking at the statements, and I haven't submitted one yet, so I'm partly to blame, is I I don't think we're quite there yet to send out something. And I think for me personally, I want to know more about why this piece now and then how this I mean I know we discussed a little bit at the um half-day board retreat the difference between the mission and the vision. Um, but I'm just um it's I almost think like this kind of thing needs a community

080cheret or something that is more engaging and participatory than just a couple of board members trying to wordsmith something. >> I I think the engagement and participation happen after this. So, it's going to happen. It's just a we're we're throwing out some ideas so that then everybody else gets to absolutely have their input and bring back to us what they think we should have. Um I can't answer all your questions, Pepe. Here's my reflection. I mean, but that's that's the gist of where I think the participation is going to happen. Um, I I don't I have It's This is weird because we the the presentation you gave us earlier today doesn't have some of this stuff on here. So, I'm trying to like Anyway, I I appreciate your effort to do this on Maggie on

081your part. I don't like the so they so they and I know that's just an awkward phrasing. I I I don't love that. I appreciate the effort, but I wouldn't say that for me that necessarily speaks to um to the that I I want to respond though, Jesse, to your question about equity. I think at least for my part, when I drafted one, I didn't use the word equity on purpose, partly because we already have that in the current one, but more importantly because I think that that's a word that unfortunately over time has lost its power to some extent. and what instead I think what you see in all of these is each and every student or um you know we see the whole child and like there's a lot of nods to the

082the point of equity which is making sure that we see who we have and how we serve them and make sure that we're but that doesn't mean we can't have equity in there. I'm only speaking for myself. Um, >> should we give it power back to equity to statement? Because seems like in this world today, we losing every powerful word that is possibility that you can ever think of and we're letting other people just take it away from us. But if we lose it today, we'll never get it back. >> I don't think that's true. I I mean, I would respectfully disagree. I don't think we that mean it doesn't mean that the next vision statement that's made by a board in 5 years or 10 years can't have the word equity. I think right

083now what I would reflect for me anyway is that the word equity has become a little bit watered down. It's like when you when you use and you see the same word so often it tends to lose its force for me. >> So what have the same meaning of equity that people are looking for right now? What what word could be used? Um >> I mean I I don't know that there's one word. I think it that's kind of the it's more nuanced than that. And so at least for me there's there's lots of words that come together to mean that. But anyway, >> I'm trying to be productive and I'm not sure how to do that. >> I participate a little um >> Maggie, will you remind us we when we met for our

084retreat, we grounded in sort of the progression of vision to mission to values. So this is not the whole thing. This is part and I'm not remembering and would like to be reminded. Do we currently have a vision statement? >> Yeah, >> there is a current vision and mission statement. >> We have both a vision and a mission. >> There are not core values. So the the we reviewed the I think the vision statement and is that does it need change? and you all participated and came up with, you know, the answers to some of those questions and worked through the activities with a facilitator and what came out at the end was you all had much different language to put in a statement than what was currently there. So then the homework was draft

085a statement and that's where we are tonight. One of the things that I'm remembering from it is that then the the vision that we have includes the words excellence and equity. That's our current vision. Correct. So every student can thrive. >> So that every student can thrive. Thank you. Because I couldn't remember that part. Um, I I know the offering I made was very brief and I I invite some reflection on brevity and the and the power of it and what we don't lose by having a tight short. You know, I think that in in thinking about what the words are and what they what values they tee up that mine is I don't and I don't love it but it is to prepare each and every student to pursue their passions and life's possibilities

086like when we saw examples of think people should be able to remember it. People should be able to say h you know like it's inspiring and it makes me want to be part of that. Um, and I agree with Jesse that if our if our values aren't represented in it, then we probably should rethink that. Are we locked in? I guess I also want to to Pepe's point that we're working right now and we're working towards a vision, a mission, and core values. We don't have to make one perfect before we move on to the next. >> Okay, that feels important for me. Um that reminds me of two two things I wonder. So for me minus obviously I mean not surprisingly I should say the longest but um part of that was my thinking

087that you would take a longer one and then come up with a slogan or a you know like excellence with equity is what we've got right now that doesn't include the whole thing. So, I didn't limit myself very much. And also, I figured the editing by others was more important than trying to give them a short version. It was here's a lot now go for it. Winnow it down, edit it, and help us come up with one that's, you know, slightly smaller. But my my wondering is why can't we send all of these out and let folks I don't know. I mean, is or or pick two or three. I I don't know that I'd be surprised if we agree on one tonight and find consensus because I can look at all of them and

088identify flaws >> um that make them not the one I want to send out um including my own. So I just wonder about that. Um, so food for thought. There is an ongoing strategic plan. There is an ongoing refinement of where we're headed. This is one chance for the board to give input and then it will not be ours. community groups, teacher groups, student groups, they will make this much better. >> I ask all of us, I'm going to say this respectfully, to put aside our pride about this. People will make fun of this. Okay? I assure that will happen. And we just need to let that go. Our job is to convey because we have taken the time to dive into this and found some agreement. So, I personally would take mine off because

089I I mean I was just trying to come up with something and I'm just going to say mine doesn't add anything. So, we're down to three. I do also agree with Jesse. The word equity wasn't those lists that we came up with didn't end up on there in that way. There was words about diversity and I do think it's what makes our school district so special. So, I am completely open to somebody offering us the words, but we could Thank you. Um, that was super efficient. Um, we could just I mean, let me just say Amy's is just a bunch of semicolons and thoughts. Let's just add one more on there and then we could just send this out for feedback and people to do better. Okay, that is where I am right now. And

090so I do want to give Jesse a chance to talk, but Maggie is at a I know it's not what you asked us for, >> but >> it's fine. I mean, I can take all this, review it with the different stakeholder group, send it out a survey. I mean, if one or three, that's fine. To me, it doesn't matter. >> Okay, >> I agree with Amy. Let's just let you handle it from here. I think your your brains right there could come up with some some some good statement for us because we all asked for city school >> and we just give it to you and let you uh >> throw it to your staff and see what comes out and we can't complain about it now if we give it to you and whatever

091comes out we just have to deal with it. >> Well, and it won't be Maggie. Right. It'll be what other people tell us, >> right? >> Do we want though I I want I don't want to let this go past us. Do we wish to add a clause and for lack of a better way to do this, Jesse, do we want to add in one of those something about equity is important? Equity is essential. Like I I want to capture something to honor that. And again, this will go out from us. I I just I'm trying to look to the board. I've heard different things about including equity. There's no doubt in my mind we all know it's important. So, how does it get up there? >> What if we I I'm taking you from

092like mine the idea of the longer one that everybody then has some What if we said instead of we embrace the whole child, we embrace equity and diversity? I don't know. I mean, I'm just some some >> or we can add some other phrase or whatever. I just we could >> um >> Maggie, who's typing? >> I'm taking notes. >> Um well, who is making changes on the screen? >> Oh, I mean I Yeah, >> I'm so sorry. Do you mind just so we can see it? Take out the words the whole child. >> It was in the second one. >> And what is it, Amy? >> Um yeah, I said we embrace equity and diversity. We could also say instead of embrace um um well I was going to say we honor but but

093that doesn't really we could say we honor diversity instead of embrace equity and diversity we say we honor diversity foster communities of trust but if that somehow that leads out the equity piece if that's important then I think um um >> can we say that we continue to build equity and >> I I don't think we've built equity in the past. So, I don't think we can continue to do it at all. Sorry. I just think it's got to be um you know, it maybe it's we we commit to uh to equity and value diversity. I was thinking the word value is coming to me as well which is I'm I'm happy to sit in it knowing that core values are coming and that may be a place where we find we can really define

094our values but that as you were talking Amy to me it feels like thanks for this offering like we value equity that's what we value and let's hold it here for now and you know the I don't know that I don't know that I think diversity needs to be here in this one, but that to Jesse's point of like where we've been like at Ash City Schools, we value equity. We foster communities of trust. We, you know, like we we've got a lot for folks to work with. We've got a lot of naming. Some of this we think this won't all end up in the vision statement, but we're telegraphing our values. We're we're putting out there when we did our sheets of, you know, we're we're we're we're giving it here. And that's that's

095what my proposal would be to to say at Asheville City Schools, we value equity. We foster communities of trust, joy, and inquiry. We build meaningful relationships. We develop creative and confident learners able to think critically. Imag Oh, I love it, Amy. I think that it's You're right. It's all there. It's It's There's a lot for people to work with. That would be what I would put forward that we should try. Okay, Liza, I'm putting you on the spot because you're sitting there nodding and thinking. Just so we're clear, what Rebecca has said is take out the word embrace and use value >> and and take out >> and diversity. >> Yeah. M I I like that what I was chewing on prior to hearing that out loud. Um I was thinking about the the last

096line um pursue passions and create a just and equitable world. >> It's a lot of words. But we're going all in on a lot of words because this is the I agree the call for today isn't the perfect statement. It's the makings. It's the building blocks. Can I ask a question since I wasn't present at the retreat? Can someone flesh out the the difference between the mission and the vision which is like is one supposed to be longer? Um, the vision statement is where where we see ourselves in however long. The mission statement is how we're going to get there. I I will say that the reason I didn't say just that that because I I wrestled a little bit with what we would want them to be able to do >> and I think

097we have students who um you know might be scientists and in other kinds of like I didn't want to >> confine it. I just thought positive change as opposed to a just and equitable because they're just that's going to be that is our value as a as a district in terms of how we relate to our students. Um and I do think we want to create learners who will serve. I thought about that word. Um so >> and who are creative and innovative and all the things. >> So it's kind of a lot. Um but that but I I'm open to whatever you guys want to do with this. The other last piece maybe that I'll say is I like we value equity, but I like better we commit or something more active than just

098value. Like we commit >> um to we we I I don't know if that's exactly what we want to say, but I I I want something stronger than we value it. value. It just means, oh, it's good, but I want us to commit um to equity. Um I don't know if we need to say anything more than that or if we want, you know, if we have to commit to equity in education or just, you know, I don't know. I guess I'm I'm leaning more toward pairing it down with hearing you say out loud what I was thinking that the vision would be shorter, mission could be more wordy. Um, that being said, I don't I don't know how to pull out the the nugget here. Um, >> um, go ahead. Uh, I just emailed

099all of you. Um, Asheville City Schools provides opportunities and inspires excellence for every student to thrive. That's my stamp. So, we can add that to the list. Um, our task today is to move this forward. We've given it time at the retreat and again tonight. And Liza, although I agree it one shorter statement is where we want to end up. I'm having watched us all commit to this process and knowing all of us, this may be the best we have is to offer this up. Some of it says the same thing. >> There's no question. there was this, you know, chat about aliteration which people tried to throw in there and at the end of the day that's not important. So would we be okay asking Maggie to move this forward to groups as examples

100of the board's input of a vision statement. Not perfect. Looking for feedback. Could I check in too that realizing that the vision, the mission, the values will hang together. They're not meant to be disparate and separate from one another. And that as much as we're trying to key up a vision statement, we're also just trying to put out with this much longer statement something that encapsulates where we're headed with vision, mission, and values. And then we can say this, look, this is where we're headed with those and and we'll keep working on it mission and values, but people don't need to wait and they can see where we are. And that's really what we're offering at this point, not an actual to your point, Liza, which I appreciate. This isn't an actual vision statement, but

101it it's representative of our work towards getting there. I feel good about that. I would suggest when if you're providing this to groups that you also provide the current one because it may be that the feedback that we get is that that current one has something that the community is invested in that somehow we may have missed in other statements. >> Okay. Excellent. Thanks everybody. >> Okay. I'm going to let this now move away from us. >> Okay. Um, and thank you also for looking through the data and kind of creating your big list of things that you felt were celebrations, things that you felt were alert items. I reviewed that and summarized the highlights from your feedback um, on a couple big things. And what I felt I was trying to do is summarize

102what I felt like you were trying to say in some, you know, big buckets. And I think um the bright spots that were pointed out a lot were the third grade reading scores just really exceeded um my expectations. They're above the state, they're above our county. Um and the decrease in the achievement gap of reading for our students um between our black and brown um black white and black students went from 59% difference um or 59 percentage points difference to 50 um for third grade reading. So that decrease of nine points I think is significant. Um student attendance and staff attendance was also a highlight across that um staff absences and students decreased. I've just put some numbers behind it. So between the last two years, our staff absences decreased by 11,114 days. That's significant.

103That is worthy of saying, look, you're coming to work. You're doing hard work. Thank you. Um and then our average number of student days missed per student went from just under 13 to 9.3. Again, significant change, positive change when it comes to attendance. um ACT scores and closing the achievement gap in the ACT area was another area of celebration that was a theme across um the your reflections. Um so having 68% of our test takers score that composite of 19 or higher was a huge gain. um the achievement gap um between our white and black students also decreased from 61 um% to 47%age points. And the other celebration that came across was some overall proficiency um gains at the high school, closing the achievement gap in the high school um and some selected areas. Were

104there any did I miss a bright spot that you felt was like, hey, we need to shout that out from the rooftops. Okay. So then alert areas. I really tried to comb through these um to see what your main areas that you feel these are the what we want to see you working on in regards to student achievement in our strategic plan and what we're heading towards. Um, and first and foremost, I think while we're seeing some decreases in the gap um, in achievement between our white and black student, that remains significant um, and needs to be addressed. Um, we're also seeing some trends particularly in math overall decreasing achievement rate overall. Um, and that as we look at our students reaching those college and career readiness levels, um, which is level four and five,

105that is decreasing across the district. So needing to address not just getting students to proficient but making sure we're pushing students to those highest levels um for college and career readiness. And then the last one um was the disproportionate outcomes um in discipline continued to be pretty significant. So there was a lot in there on what you touched on. And as I looked through the the themes of what you you shared, these were the three themes that really came up that are very clear and ones that we can then link into the strate next phase of the strategic planning process to draft very clear goals and objectives that we would then bring back to the board um for your review. >> Say that last sentence one more time. So if these are the the alert

106areas that you think are the highest priority, this is what we will create goals and objectives on for student outcomes and then bring those back to the board. Okay. Uh the only thing I would say I agree that the reducing of the achievement gap is I mean I I want to be careful about that because what I reflected was that the achievement gap was often narrowed because the white student scores were lower. >> Mhm. Yeah. >> And I think therefore that saying we narrowed the achievement gap doesn't feel >> well in some areas we did. to third grade reading. The white students increased, the black students increased, but we saw a much more significant increase in our black student group. >> Right. I agree. >> That's what we want to see. Some, you're right, it

107was like some up and some down, and that's what we don't want to see, which is why we've got to address decreasing overall proficiency rates. >> Yeah. So, I I guess my my point is only that um I'm always thinking about what the naysayers are going to say. And so if we if we um celebrate too much the clos the the reduction of the achievement gap because I think what I first got was an email saying we've reduced the achievement gap and then when I looked at this I was like >> yeah in a couple of places but mostly it was reduced and so I would just be careful of the messaging and and because you've had got up there somewhere you know um reduction in achievement gap app. I'm like, "Yeah, in very strange

108interesting ways." >> Yeah. >> And this is goals moving forward. >> Yeah. Right. >> Well, I don't know if that's a goal moving forward. If if if we reducing the achievement gap because white students are I don't think that's moving our goal forward. >> Exactly. But I do agree and I just want to be really nuanced and careful about communicating that because I wouldn't say that reducing the achievement gap in most of our measures where we are saying it's lower is actually moving us forward because it is the result of a decreasing proficiency among one group now because it's if it were the other I yeah and in those areas where it is I celebrate it. Yeah, it's just a comment that I would share a gloss. >> Okay, hold on. Um I whenever I

109look at these, I remember that most of these metrics as far as who is proficient is based on who's just above the median or higher or just below the median or higher. So when I look at these, it's one of those things where I don't believe I'm seeing the data that's really relevant and I would love to see in the future what our gap is between um the I want to know more about the bottom quartile or the bottom quintile so that I know who we're actually failing studentwise and what that gap looks like um right now if you assume that the average child is proficient then the kids just below that median are being called non-proficient and that doesn't do well and if you assume that the median child is not proficient then it

110also skews the data. It's just looking at at what they call proficient and that 50th percentile or close or the level one level two that is approximately everything below the 50th percentile and then level three, level four, level five are stacked on top of that. It's just really hard to see where we're actually falling short because I feel like I believe that we have students who are proficient who are not defined as proficient in these tests and somebody else may look at it the reverse. Um, and so figuring out what's going on with with our level two and our level three um, students is or our level one students is more important to me than where we're currently looking at the line. I understand that that has to do with No Child Left Behind and

111its legacy. I understand that it's related to funding and being penalized and we have to look at this data, but I also want to know like what's going on with the level one learners and what our gaps are there. Um, the other thing that I'll just point out is that some of that reduction this past year in absences has to do with being out of school for a month and so and reduced numbers of staff and so that's a little skewed there. So when we look at this, I kind of want to know more about the ratios of absences compared to the number of students or that excuse me, the number of students in that case or the number of staff. >> Do you is it do I need to clarify any of that or

112>> um I understand the the data piece when you're talking about assessment scores. I'm not quite sure how the average number of days absent for a student would depend on the number of students. >> If we have fewer students or if we have fewer staff members, then we would expect the the discrete number of absent days to go down without any changes in an individual students or the average student's attendance. Um, and if we are not including a month of school, then that's an additional thing. So, I think Hurricane Helen may have actually once we reopened improved attendance, but we're not looking at the Hurricane Helen days miss and the absences. Correct. >> No. No. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. >> Other comments, questions of I think I'm reflecting some on what Amy was uplifting about

113when we think about where we're seeing gaps change. Um, and I really appreciate the like thinking about that carefully. Um, what I hope to see when the alert areas get turned into strategies and actions is time looking at why we were successful in some places. Like not jumping straight to what to do, but help us to understand what did you learn when you looked at, you know, in places where we saw white student achievement increase and other groups increasing at a higher rate. What what was happening? What do we think was going on? Who was involved? Who were the key informants that can tell us this is what was going on? I think that'd be really cool to hear more about. Uh I just I wanted to uplift one thing that I didn't see on

114the alert areas. Um and that was for the NC math one composite. Um noticing that there was a 30 I think it was 33 point drop among Hispanic students. >> Mhm. um where all the other subgroups reflected growth, however minor it may be. >> Yeah. Um and that was kind of a a singular one that I was going to try to capture in proficiency rates. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Y >> I was wondering with respect to that, was that a function of how many students were Hispanic students are in math one? like I wasn't sure if how many what the numbers are so that a change in just one student or two students >> could cause a dramatic decrease simply because there's not a lot that doesn't mean it's okay never okay >> yeah

115I haven't looked at the individual numbers >> thank you >> can I make a statement okay let me see how I want to say this um could it be that we are trying to educate the staff more than we are the students. Is it possible that we can maybe slow down on crew a little bit and probably give the teachers back their opportunity to spend more time and concentrate more with these students within the classroom. I know um I know the students are tired. I'm no well I know the teachers are tired and I know they they go through a lot and they are handling their development coming from the staff >> and then they are trying to teach the students here >> somewhere somehow things are not going because if we actually look to

116all of the data pretty soon we might find out that it probably could be probably could be the educator ers because of we are being pushed so hard. They are being pushed hard and we should be able to just let them >> and staff should be pushed hard. If we want to see exceptional outcomes from our students, we have to accept expect exceptional outcomes from our staff. >> Yeah. But see it seem like we are trying to it seem like most of our staff is already educated know how to teach especially if they have spent 10 to 15 or 20 years in that classroom and they are making progress but if their progress are somewhere somehow are dropping it could be because they don't have the time no more to actually put in to that

117student because of we are trying the staff is trying to educate the educators instead of the educators educating the people that they supposed to, which is the students. Now, I mean, I'm not saying this is a process. I mean, I'm processing this, but I'm not saying that uh I mean, we need to just see how hard the teachers are working and ask them >> to be honest. And I expect that from the staff and I invite you to join me on some walkthroughs so you can see what I see when I go into classrooms. I see educators doing a great job, but I also still continue to see students that are completely disengaged in the classroom. And the idea of crew is that you're building relationships with your students so that every student is engaged

118and no student is left sitting in the back of the classroom sleeping. So crew is how we're building a sense of belonging and that's why we're helping our staff understand how do you do that and what does that look like and then our teachers have to be experts in pedigogy and understanding how to best differentiate and provide engaging lessons so that every student's engaged in learning. That's all we're asking them to do through their natural job embedded professional learning. Is there is there parts to it where they do a part they go back they evaluate themsel you ask them to do this particular part then they go back and say okay this works so let's work on something else because >> exactly what they're doing >> okay I >> I'm hearing good questions and good

119conversation And in terms of the data discussion, I want to make sure we've given Maggie our feedback. But what I think I'm also hearing is at when you come back to us the next time, these are places we want to know more and maybe there's a way for you to build into a subsequent meeting more information. I mean, I'm I'm hearing what Jesse is saying and I'm hearing what you are saying and I don't know that it really fits into I mean what I think you're looking for us tonight is to say are the >> Oh, sorry. >> That's okay. Yes. >> Are the alert areas and so this is me talking to the board. Are these the alert areas that deserve the focus of Maggie and her staff? Knowing that we have questions about

120how that happens in classrooms and why it happens and how could we help teachers. I hearing all of that and knowing that would be part of a future conversation. I want to call the question with the board on are these places to focus the staff I mean I think based on that particular set of data yes I think there's other data course related to behavior in classroom you know there are other things that teachers are struggling with and that should be on alert areas but yeah based on that data set >> I I do want to understand it looked like more than 40% of our black students more than 40% of the individuals who are self-identified or family identified as black students have discipline actions in any given year. >> Yeah. >> Am I reading

121that correctly? >> Yes. >> And it is just below 11% of white students. >> Correct. >> Okay. And I'm understanding that that can be because of a student's actual behavior, but it can also be disparities in application and can also be structural racism. >> There's a long list. >> There's a whole list. Okay. Okay. that that is that is something like I know that we have teachers who are struggling with the absence of discipline and balancing that with um overdisiplining and I think that that's that's a um a difficult working edge that really needs as much focus and input and collaboration as possible. Is that fair to say? >> Yeah, agree with one of the >> Yeah, but this data is from K to K12, correct? >> It's all of and it could be just

122a few students that is calculating out of this data. Correct. >> In which data? The academic data, the attendance data, the discipline data, >> the discipline data. It could be just a few. >> It's individual students. it it >> not counting duplicate students. So if one student had like seven discipline incidents, it wasn't counting that >> student the number of >> 40%. >> And I I appreciate that because in the past we've looked at incident reports and seeing it this way is really um alarming and >> I think probably for me the the top thing. >> Okay. Okay, thanks everybody. We need to move on. Um we are going to turn it back to um Maggie and Heidi to talk about fiscal year 26. >> Thank you very much. Um I did give you a

123bit of a background on how we found ourselves um coming out of last year and starting our new year budget. Um as always uh section one is our state budget and that is somewhat actually let me make a disclosure blanket disclosure for the whole thing. So understand that this year's budget is lower for a number of reasons. We have decreased the number of employees that work here. There are no raises in the budget right now because the state has not approved one. Uh it could be that we would come back with an amendment for that later, but right now we're hearing that there might not be any further action taken by the legislature until at least April. So right now the budget is what it is um with just those bumps we talked about at

124the last meeting. So the state budget um at this time of year is always somewhat incomplete because they still have a number of aotments to get out. It's a process for them every year, but this is our starting place at $30,12,716. Section two is the local budget. We talked a little bit about the revenue projections a minute ago and because we are unsure at this point what the split of the revenue will be between us and Bunkham County Schools, whether we will have raises or not and a number of other still to be determined factors like the final state a lotments, that type of thing. I am I have put a placeholder in there to use up to $2 million of fund balance at this time, but I do not think we will probably need

125nearly that much, but as we get those other numbers in, I can update you on that information. So, right now, this the local budget stands at 31,782,468. Section three is the federal budget. Right now, um it is not complete yet. uh they we are currently in the process of beginning all the federal consolidated budgets that just got finished and there will be other aotments there but right now we're at $3,942,351. Um the capital budget is slightly higher than it was last year at $6,721,92. As you know, the hurricane interrupted a good bit of work that had been planned to be done. And then of course we have projects that got started last year that are not finished that will be finished in this year and those carry over. And then we of course have all

126the insurance and FEMA receipts and dispersements that are still blended between last year and this year that are going to be timed between the excuse me two years. So that budget will be a little bit different um than last year and we may still have to amend that. Uh section five is our best estimate at this time for the school nutrition budget at 2,213,000 dollars. Um we are certainly optimistic that we will see an increase in revenue this year for that program. Um then the last section is our special revenue budget which as you know includes preschool, any other grants, donations, those type of um budgets that we have to maintain our Medicaid reimbursements and all of that type of uh restricted funds. So that's $9,717,160 for a total budget resolution to start this year

127of $84,389,687. And the accompanying expenditure report is in the packet as well to show where we are as of now with our spending compared to that budget. And Heidi, this is to us for information. No action is needed on this, but just a time for questions. Is that correct? >> Right. The action would be next. >> Yes. Just pausing here. Questions of Heidi about this fiscal year 26 information. Is this what I'm allowed to ask about that >> line item? >> The next item. >> Okay, good for you. Amy, I forgot about it. >> It just seemed to fit. But are you ready? I'm sorry for the next item. >> Yes. Um I mean, hold on a second. Was her line item about the the action item? I'm I'm What was your question last time?

128>> Her question is about the $399,000 elimination of the supplemental teacher funds. >> Okay. >> And that ties into the recommendation. >> Yes. I'm fine for you to go into the recommendation, please. >> All right. So, >> is there >> I'm sorry. Before you skip ahead, is there anything on the expense side that has been unusual or is this pretty much what you predicted? >> It it is what we predicted andor um coming in better than we predicted. So, >> thank you. Mhm. So, um, as I alluded to on the state, uh, aotment page, part of the reason, um, and then on the fund balance page, um, we did finish in a better financial position at the end of last year coming into this year. And, um, there are a couple of considerations that I

129asked Dr. or Maggie if we might make this recommendation tonight because it is an unusual year on a lot of levels. Um first of all we talked at a prior meeting how they passed a bump but no raise. Um the line item um that is in question and the state aotment page is under bullet um number three on this recommendation. So I want to talk about that for just a minute. So, um, part of the reason that we wanted to see if this is something the board might want to consider is because the last several years, rather than increase the teacher pay schedule anymore, the state decided to make a separate allotment of PRC71 funds to give teachers supplemental money each and every year. We've paid it in May. Last year, we voted to start

130changing that payment to June. Well, I think I described then that Bunkham County is actually above the legislative level to receive those supplemental funds, but Bunkham County among several others have always received legislative action to go ahead and include us so that our teachers could see the benefit of those supplemental um funding increases for their pay. Well, this year with the way they've handled the budget, that action did not happen. So that $399,000 is not coming to us and our teachers would see an equivalent of at least $826 less in pay this year because they would not receive that payment in May or June. Um so between that and we've already heard from our um local ACA BCAE groups and um their comments about the state health plan increases. Um, we talked about that a

131little bit at a prior meeting. So, those increases in bullet number four on this recommendation are summarized for you where the employee increases are ranging anywhere from $10 to $110 a month beginning in January. And then on other levels of coverage, it could be up to $140 a month. What they've done at the state health plan is they have changed the structure not just to be based on your plan is what your premium it is that you pay but also on your salary. So twothirds of our um employees are on the lower end of those increases but still a significant increase based on their income. So those are the two main reasons we wanted to bring this recommendation um to you at this time. If we were in the same financial situation we proposed we

132we projected we would be at the beginning of last year, we probably would not have brought this. But in consideration of that loss of income for our teachers and the fact that the bump did not um provide an equal or um even any compensation to a number of our employees and then the addition of this state health plan premium increase that hasn't happened in over seven years to all happen at the same time when we did come out better than we expected to come out um financially. we thought it might be a good time to entertain this this type of proposal. And the reason it is worded as a retention bonus recommendation is because we also still have that concern um that we shared back when the local supplement increase came and now we've frozen

133that because anything that's paid as a raise like right now I'll give you an example when um the year that the raise didn't was it two years ago when the raise didn't come until January um one of the districts decided to go ahead and do the right thing for their employees and go ahead and give them a Well, when the raise was passed, then it had to be a payment on top of that raise. So, it was basically by trying to do the right thing, they ended up having to double the raise for their employees this year that year. So, that's another reason why this is framed as a one-time incentive bonus is because if it's a retention bonus that could help our employees get through this difficult year, pay the increased premiums. Also, us,

134you know, show that they're they're valued and we understand the difficulty in having a year without a raise. This would also still benefit their retirement, but it would also not encumber the board in an added burden in future years for budgeting purposes. So, that's where this recommendation came from. >> Heidi, could I ask you a question about the last paragraph of your memo about the timing? >> I'm not sure I understand the options you're presenting. >> So, at any time, any any board could decide to give a group of people a retention bonus. You could do that today. You could do that at the end of the year. Um, if you wanted this to represent a payment in lie of what raised it appears they will not be receiving or in lie of that teacher

135supplemental pay they may not be receiving, then I'm suggesting that it might be beneficial to wait until the middle or end of the year because we really don't know if the legislaturator is going to take any other action or not. So, if you wanted to to replicate a raise but not take a chance on doubling it, it might be that we still need to time this for distribution at the end of the year. But I was hoping that if you did think this was something you might want to do, we might let everyone know that though so that they don't think they're going to take that burden of the state health plan premium increase and all on all year without a way to pay for it. when on the first part of the memo you've

136identified where they're going to feel the pinch right with the um um healthcare insurance I got a little lost in all that when does that hit their >> the state premium the premiums change on their December check for effective January 1 have to be taken out a month in advance yes ma'am >> and of course right at Christmas right so Yeah, that's the only reason I would suggest you might want to consider midyear, but at the same time then we have to understand that the legislature could still take additional action later in the year. >> I have a question. Is that okay? >> Um, which I think I know what I'm delving into, but I'm going to Anyway, does the bonus have to be paid out in one payment? >> No. Because if what we're

137trying to do is address the fact that premiums are increasing, their premiums increase every month and the waiting for a payment when they have to pay their bills, you know, and on this new family budget that has been restricted. Like could we >> Well, the only reason I'm saying that is that if this is approved as a one-time retention bonus, you could, let's just say you decide to do that in December. >> Then if the legislature takes more action and actually passes a raise, you would pay this and a raise. So there would be more than one payment to employees. Not to say that's unreasonable or not not good because we definitely, you know, came out better than expected in our our projections last year. But just to understand that if you wanted to do

138one or the other, you might have to wait to know for sure because we don't know what the legislaturator is going to do. >> I see what you're saying. Thank you. >> Great. I I I recognize that I'm about to step in it here, but my first thought here is that these impacts are going to be felt very differently depending on how people are compensated for their work each day. Um, and my question for us to discuss is how could this potentially be implemented more equitably so that it has the most significant impact on the people who need it the most. And I don't I don't have a a proposal there, but would >> to potentially flesh that out. Um, would it make sense for anybody who is paid below a principal salary to benefit

139from the bonus and perhaps um uh a bonus of some amount um uh and this is really stepping in it um uh of $500 or $1,000. go to each of the Chartwells employees and each of the um uh custodial employees um so that we're looking out for the folks who are the most vulnerable. Is that the type of thing that you're talking about? Okay. >> Yeah. So, first of all, let me just clarify. Chartwells is not subject to any of this. just our school nutrition employees would be Chartwell's employees their own under their own benefit structure. So they would not be affected by that state health plan premium increase >> unless the board were to take a a specific separate action from what you're proposing. And so I'm just like laying it out there. >>

140Um a question you said it averages $820 something dollars, right? the supplemental. Um, back before I came, uh, every district had an opportunity to decide how those funds would be distributed. 99.9% of districts decided to divide that evenly across all teachers, even though they had a chance to differentiate pay. Most decided not to. Okay. >> Um, so it depends on how much money the state sends out every year. And it depends on how many teachers qualify to receive that. And we have to actually do the math right up to the minute on how many people qualify in order to spend those funds down. And last year it was $826. It's gone up a little bit every year. >> Okay. And your proposal is to give $1,000 to every employee. Is that right? Yes, ma'am. Okay.

141So I guess my observation would be for whatever this is worth that $1,000 actually will impact folks who learn earn less more in some ways than who it just it will feel different if you earn you know $20,000 a year to get a bonus of a th000 right or wrong just feels different than if you earn $80,000 a year and you get $1,000. I I don't know. Um and your premiums do they depend on they don't depend at all on do they depend on how much that's the new change. It's based on salary tiers this year. So the lower paid people will pay far less of an increase than the higher paid people. >> And then additionally most of our folks on the lower end of the pay table also did not lose the 826

142debt. That's what I was thinking. >> Right. And I I'll be honest with you, I picked $1,000 kind of out of the air because, you know, there's there's that $826 for 500 people. Then individually, some people are only going to get a $100 increase. Some people will get over $1,000 increase on health insurance. And those don't necessarily match up based on those tiers. >> Okay. So, that's that's what I'm thinking is that that's why I was asking if it was just the average or whatever. So, but because that is money that only the teachers will actually lose, at least for the supplemental funds, >> right? >> Then our classified staff, most of them wouldn't actually be losing anything. This would be a bonus for them. And those those lower paid staff are also probably not

143going to lose $1,000 in benefit differential payments, you know, whatever. Okay. So, I think $1,000 across the board is therefore more equitable than it may seem at first. And then if we go back to the fund balance page, just so you know that it it it is reasonable, we had about a little less than $1.5 million to play with between your goal and what was over that goal. And this was proposed to cost around $850,000. So, it's within that, >> right? And I like the idea of doing it midyear. I mean, how often, this is another question. How often do we get um a budget in March or April that changes the salary for the past year? That happens. >> We have never yet, but we had never yet had one that affected it in

144January either. So, I hesitate to ever say, >> well, I hear that. Uh I think though that it's a it's a kind of a sa it's not a safe gamble, but if there is a gamble that's ever safe, this is as close to it as we were going to get. if we don't think they're probably coming back until April. Um so I don't know. I would like to give it to them when especially some of them start to really feel that pinch um from the insurance rate change. I I take your points Amy and I thank you for for delving into that. Uh as far as when to give this out, are you recommending with the November paycheck or the December paycheck? Does it matter? I I don't think I think Heidi has deafly avoided

145a recommendation on timing looking to us to be clear. That is what she is saying. It is a risk. It is a risk that we spend $826,000. I will speak for myself. Everybody gets $1,000. I'm not sure any of us will regret that. The issue is will our budget hit take a hard hit if the legislature comes back with a pay raise makes it retroactive. We may have that regretted our large s, but it doesn't really even feel like large s because it's pretty modest. >> So I I I mean that's just where Heidi is not going to make a recommendation to us. We are going to have to say when is this paid? And Sarah, what I think I want to make sure I'm understanding you is that in the event that we a

146raise is passed that's larger retroactive and generous, we will match it for our locally funded staff. So therein the budget complication because it's not just paid for through a state allocation. We we apply it across the board. So that's the sort of risk that you're addressing. >> Now a 3% raise with benefits generally averages about $1 and a half million dollars. So are we still out of the realm of reasonable if we end up doing both. We would likely come out still close to the way we came out this year. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Heidi, one more question. They will receive a,000. Not 840 or not. They will receive 1,000. >> You're trying to hurt the finance office. >> Okay. So, just just like someone that has a teaching stop. Just like someone that

147has a teacher salary schedule that says $50,000, that's their salary. This would be $1,000 added to their December check with all the taxes and everything that have to come out statutoily. So net pay will not be $1,000, but gross pay would be $1,000. >> Okay. >> It's compensation. You have to tax it. >> Yes. Retirement will come out, which will benefit >> everything will come out. So >> taxes will come out. Social Security will come out. Yes, sir. >> So would it be worth a while if if it's not a thousand bucks? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. $500. Sorry. >> Oh, okay. >> I mean, any >> No, no, I just want to make I just want to make sure that >> Yeah. Everything >> you see a thousand. They're going to save less than a,000.

148>> Yeah. Even raises are subject to that, right? So, you can get a $2,000 raise for the year and you're still only actually getting depending on your tax bracket, >> right? You know. >> Okay. Now, could we if we add taxes to that? >> Okay. Now, I want them to get a thousand. Oh, hey in Christmas. >> I know, but let me speak. I defer to the mercy of the board. >> Hey, hey, shut it down. Shut it down. >> Amy's point. >> Okay. >> We have no idea what each employees income tax bracket is. >> I know >> we can make an assumption that a person in a lower paid job has a lower paid income tax bracket, but we have zero way of knowing if they have a ton of other income. Right.

149So, we don't know. Jesse, I would if we make a broad assumption that people who make less money are in a lower income tax bracket, they may not even owe income taxes or not many. So to Amy's point, it may be beneficial, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you there's zero way that Heidi has time >> I know >> to figure out how people would net $1,000. I appreciate the sentiment, but >> okay, 500 >> really hard. But if we if we said that we wanted to cut off this bonus at a certain income point then people could get more that >> but you he said principles and below. >> But if I may the the concern I have with that is those are the folks who are going to have an even

150bigger hit from the increase in health insurance benefits. I don't want anybody to have to experience a lower amount of money in their bank accounts this year than they did last year. I don't care if they're a principal or our superintendent. Like, I just think that this across the board should be something that we try to prevent. We can we can argue about, you know, we can have differences of opinion or maybe the same opinion about whether what folks are paid is is appropriate, but no matter what, folks spend based on what they have. And I don't think anybody we don't want anybody to be in a position of having less because we, you know, and I mean, I think it's going to hit a lot harder on those who have more. But anyway, that's

151my thought. I mean, people that are living paycheck to paycheck though and showing up for students every day, the $1,000 and the increase in the health insurance cost, that may be enough to break them. Like the $1,000 isn't it whatever it is after taxes is not going to go very far for them, but they're not the ones who are even getting the $825 now. They're not they're not losing anything. They're gaining only the only thing they're losing is some of the health insurance premiums, which even for them is lower than for the other ones. So, the only people who ever got the money that I, as I understand it, Heidi was describing from the supplemental funds were teachers, >> right? >> They're not classified. They're certified staff. So, the classified staff are still receiving exactly

152the same rate of pay that they got last year. The only difference is that for them the insurance premiums are going to increase but still increase less than they would for those who are paid more. And I will also note that a lot of our teachers and certified staff and are living paycheck to paycheck. So I I just think it's, you know, I hate to I I don't think that I think the only thing they're losing is that little bit. So, $1,000 is going to make a big difference because they they're not getting that $1,000 right now. >> While we'll take a motion um next week, right? >> Is that right, Heidi? >> No, we we have a we're in a work session. We didn't do a special called meeting. >> Sorry, let me rephrase

153that. What is it we want to vote on next week? I'm comfortable with the with this recommendation. It's a maybe a $100,000 more or $150,000 more than what I I am truly comfortable with, but I think it's appropriate and I appreciate both the concerns that um Wiza Kelly expressed and the clarifications that Amy provided and I agree with all of that and this proposal makes sense. I'm also comfortable with either November or December and but probably when what pay period wise is there uh >> premium change will happen in December >> effective the January payroll she said >> it's it's the change is effective January 1st but premiums come out starting in December >> got this >> so if this goes into the December check that would be helpful Yes. >> Okay. >> For November.

154>> How about this? I'm trying to find out if this can go on the consent agenda or not. I'm I'm I'm not sure if Liz is comfortable with it yet, but I think we've we've talked about it and I'm just trying to >> Do we have to decide timing or is that something that you all can decide? >> Yeah. Okay. Christmas All right. So, we're good. Okay. Thank you, Heidi. All right. Miss Kim Robinson and board members, we have all had a chance to send our questions to Kim and it's important that she make her presentation. We need to um still, it will not take us long, deal with policies on second read and consider two contracts. I think that's all we're going to get to um in our open session, but just be mindful

155that you all had a chance to send Miss Robinson your questions ahead of time. So, here she goes. >> Good evening. Can you hear me? Okay. So just to uh provide a little historical context, each year um North Carolina districts are required to submit to the state a mental health and social emotional learning plan and report. Uh this evening I'll be providing just a snippet of what you all already have access to is the complete report. And before I start, I do have some of my team here, team members here. here. And I just want to thank uh um Marta Ta and Leette's back there as well. So, thank you. And there's other team members who help with this. I did not do this alone. So uh some of the things that were asked of

156us is our why and prioritizing students social emotional academic interest to create a sense of belonging leads to their success by implementing a multi-ter system of support. We ensure the well-being of all students catering to the unique character and experience of each student. Another area that they asked us to address is to identify some of our strengths and areas of improvement. Uh we looked at three v uh three platforms and the first one was the shape assessment. That's the school health assessment and performance evaluation. uh strong some of our areas of strength, strong integration of trauma-informed practices and school-based mental health staff that includes licensed social workers, counselors, and partnerships with external clinicians and agencies. a area of improvement uh to expand student and family voice in shaping mental health initiatives and ongoing support from

157licensed mental health providers, especially bilingual and culturally diver diverse staff. Panorama, our universal screener, is another platform we looked at. Uh although Panorama is exposed to grades K through 12, um we looked at student perception surveys 6 through 12. emotional regulations there was no increase. Positive feelings 1% increase and supportive relationships a 2% increase. These surveys were conducted in the uh fall, winter, and spring. Mental health and supports. Ashford City Schools has partnered with six mental health agencies that provide school-based supports. Uh, I'm excited to say we're in the process of partnering with two more to provide school-based mental health supports and mental health behavior support training coaching opportunities to classified staff at the end of the 2024 25 school year and ongoing during the 2526 school year. And the that was this is a

158live link here. And what was asked uh this year was to provide um coaching and training uh dates and and and opportunities. And these won't just be for classified staff. The some of our certified staff have also participated in these services and they will be for this school year. a area of improvement allotting time for staff to attend trainings and coaching sessions and more staff are needed to provide more one-on-one behavioral supports and interventions. It was asked what are city schools existing social emotional learning mental health prevention initiatives via instruction curriculum and environment. We're happy to say that we have trauma-informed practices, preventative awareness coaching that uh sort of goes to um the absence and discipline or classroom management that I think someone spoke on earlier. Restorative practices or MTSS processes and that's a live

159link right there. Wellness Wednesdays was something we picked up at the beginning at at the end of last school year and we are hoping to enhance it this year where schools will be sharing what they're doing and promoting student and staff wellness bullying prevention initiatives. Um we have our um see something say something CPI um restorative practices character education. The whisk is our whole school, whole childhood community model and rising for resilience. And that was something that Ta worked with high school students on last year. And Tima, do you mind just uh elaborating a little bit more on that? Um it was actually um came from a high school student who um felt the need for her own mental health um to really know, you know, a little bit more about how to regulate herself

160and then felt, you know, felt like she wanted to share that with her friends and then kind of started gathering and uh some other students. Um and in the spring, uh we had hoped to start last year, but we had a hurricane. Um so it was February before they actually started and they um sat down with us and some community partners were partnering with the Bunkham County Child Collaborative and Vaia is um a part of it and NAMI is also part of it and they show up um with the kids and um we've provided training in from Western uh Western Carolina University provided training for um suicide awareness and prevention for them. And we also um provided some uh listening circles through VA and through the Bunkham County partnership um through the child collaborative. And

161students created some action uh plans through that some um student voice projects that they're going to be working on this year. uh they're going to be joining us for the wellness Wednesdays and uh in November we have a wellness Wednesday that is um specifically requested by them and it's around teen supports and mental health supports for teenagers and for their families and for their teachers and so all the um community partners that will be coming on uh in November will be focused on that. So, we'll have um lots of different options for families and for staff around that. And for teens, um that group is is pretty u passionate about advocating for um their wellness and safety and they're excited about um partnering with community partners this summer, I mean this year, and um continuing

162to do some some trainings that they hope to bring to their high school um campus. And so they are looking forward to working with their administrators to make those things happen as well. Yeah. Do we have any questions? >> Yeah. Just quickly, what's the name of that group? Does it have >> Rising for Resilience? >> Oh, that's Rising for Resilience. Sorry. And then is that a club >> at the high school? Okay, that's what I figured. Okay, thank you. >> Thank you, Tyler. We were asked how are we evaluating school mental health efforts uh by design by defining goals and key performance indicators. Uh student outcomes we looked at those reduction in behavior incident suspensions and absenteeism improvement in social emotional learning competencies and increased student access to mental health supports. We also looked at

163staff capacity, the percentage of staff coached in SEAL, trauma-informed practices and mental health awareness along with staff confidence and identifying and supporting students with mental health and behavioral concerns. Uh, another thing we looked at was system performance, the timeliness and fidelity of mental health referrals and integration of social emotional learning and mental health practices into classroom and school culture. What I ask for city schools interventions supports for students with negative behaviors. We use our multi-tered systems of support, our tier ones with the universal supports, tier 2 or more targeted supports, and tier three intensive supports. Uh staff involvement. Our school counselors and social workers, mental health clinicians coordinate interventions, and educators and support staff monitor progress and implement level one strategies and interventions. And of course, we can't leave out our family and community. Parents

164and caregivers are included in planning and community. Mental health resources are leveraged for support. What are Ashford City Schools mental health efforts for treatment, referral, and reset? Of course, our treatments that school and our community-based services as we refer out and have structured referral pathways, community partnerships, reset support, whether it's individualized reset plans, staff preparation, improving access to services and transitions. And that reset protocol is a live link that states um when reset meetings should be happening and the process to follow for reset uh meetings. And again reset meetings the state asked for re-entry and we prefer to use reset. Here there's an additional request for report links uh in this report. I don't know if that is that going to open up. And these right here are additional things that um was asked of

165us to sub to submit to the state that was included in the report. Thank you. Do you guys have any questions? It's >> a ton of work. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah, it was such a huge lift to put this all together, but getting to look at it and all the links in the report. So to be able to read about it and then go myself, it was really informative and comprehensive. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I will say, you know, that creating this plan helped us to enhance and strengthen what we already had cuz some of the things, some of the questions they ask of us, we didn't have those things in place. So, um, this did help us to enhance our whole student services department. >> Board members, this will be

166on our consent agenda if everyone is comfortable with that. Okay, thank you Kim Robinson and the vet and everybody. Um, we appreciate all the work that went into this. Okay, policies on second read. We saw these last month. My recollection is we were good with them last month asking folks if they have any new questions or concerns. If just telling you if we are good with these these two would go on the consent agenda next week. >> Yeah. Okay. Excellent. Those will all move forward on the consent agenda. And so the last item of business we're going to take up before we go to close session are the contracts and memorandums of understanding and there as you all know there are two contracts that will need um our approval and then there are a number

167of memorandums. So I think without Kim Deckant any questions please direct to Maggie. I'm just curious about the 14 passenger bus. Tell me what we're what's excit That's exciting. So, what's what's it for? So, the purpose is to ensure our district provides uh safe, legal, and cost-effective student transportation by expanding the appropriate use of these state approved mini buses. Um we stay away from the word van. Uh this is an opportunity for us to um provide equity and access to some of the smaller groups that we have struggled with. And then moving forward not not with tonight but in your this will come later is a conversation um whether with the legal council and then with operations if we want to um you can drive one of these without a CDL. So, this opens up

168um because we are still short with CDL drivers. So, it does open up an opportunity for our district to allow nonCDL holders that are vetted through the DMV motor vehicles records check to operate one of these and that further increases the opportunities for these smaller groups. example, um, CTE, the FFA, for example, uh, Miss, uh, Tracy Bricker, usually takes about 14 kids. And of course, we can't fit 14 kids in an SUV, but we can in one of these. And we try to rent things, but they're not always accessible to rent. And with our enterprise uh, rental agreement that also we have to follow a local insurance policy. Um, and so this will help offset some some, not all. And it will also help our aging fleet. We have about three activity buses down right

169now and two that are not going to be able to be re-entered into our fleet. The last time we bought a bus was in 202 uh bought a full-size class C 72 passenger. It cost about $125,000. That same bus today cost $150ome,000. and they're going to to go up because we're now everybody's scrambling to get things because of tariffs and such. So, um this particular bus though is an expensive um request, but it is a very much needed item for our district to provide to our students. >> Thank you. Other questions of Amanda about the bus just before we leave that. Yes. >> Uh would you tell us a little bit about the different procurement um solution for this that it's coming from a something source out of what is it? Minnesota. >> Sourcewell. Yes.

170>> Um this is my first experience with source. Um, usually our state contracts because these these minivans are just now coming on and being used. They're in Cabaris County. They're used a lot there and Cwell County and um Hanover, New Hover County is using them. And I learned through the vendor that we could purchase through Sourcewell. So, I presented it to Miss Karns and I think she did some work for me to help support that and I don't know a lot about that. I just know that and the state you'd have to read all that all that stuff. It's in there that talks about source well and the state contracts and that doesn't really answer your question. That's more of a I think a a deep dive. I'm I'm not real versed on that. I'm

171just making sure that we're doing things legally. So, it it's a cooperative purchasing agreement and there's several of those across the country gauged for governmental agencies to use and that's one of them. So, I did review that information with our legal counsel to make sure we can use that source. And the only only time we will have to take extra care if we want to try to use one of those um cooperative purchasing agreements right now Matt Whiteside and technology uses one fairly frequently is if it's federal funds because the burden still falls on us that the procurement requirements were met and the federal requirements as we all know are much more strict than the local and state ones. So, we would have to review those purchases a little more carefully if we wanted to

172try to use one of these services. >> And one of the advantages is that it's a faster purchase cycle because you don't have to send it out for competitive bidding. Is that >> They've already done that. >> They've done all of that. So, >> thank you. Mhm. >> Other questions about the bus or the ESS Southeast contract or the items on the memorandum of understanding contracts information only. Board members, are we good with the two contracts going on the consent agenda? Okay, >> I do have some questions about ESS. Um, I know that we had somebody who has been substitute teaching for our district for about 20 years, um, off and on have some concerns that he brought to public comment. Um, about um, the ability to to turn down part of an assignment or

173get bonus pay if working the full day. and I've heard the counterarguments to that. I'm just wondering um if there is anything extra we can do for our uh substitute teachers. Um so I mean that's I I I heard his concerns and I I feel like they're valid. Um, and I also want to make sure that anybody who comes to us, um, I understand he's still substitute teaching at the middle school, um, but is no longer, um, uh, being selected at the high school. And so I just want to make sure that when somebody brings a concern to us that there's not any retaliation and that we look at it sincerely and we talk with the vendor about what can be done to improve compensation but just to confirm you're okay with us approving the

174contract. Can are you in agreeing that we would approve the contract with ESS Southeast LLC which is what we are doing is contracting with them. The contract as it is makes me uncomfortable. I understand that we need or we we use the services all day every day and so I'm torn. Did >> it go on the consent agenda or not? >> I guess for the time being yeah. Um, >> thank you, Pepe. I'm just trying to figure out where to put it to be dealt with next week. Um, anyone else with the contracts for information or otherwise? I think the only thing I'll just in response to your comments, Pepe, my understanding is that did happen. We may disagree, but in other words, there was consultation with the vendor and there was working through that

175issue. Not to say that the employee that the substitute teacher was satisfied or that you would have made the same decision, but I think there was a deliberative response. That was that was my understanding as I received things in responses. >> I I agree that there was there was some investigation into that. I'm just looking to how can we better support our um substitute teachers. >> Um board members, you may remember we amended the agenda to add two items. So I'm going to move on. One of these would be on our consent agenda. This is real quick. The five board members are attending the North Carolina School Board Association annual conference in November in Greensboro. Pepe, Jesse, myself, Rebecca, and George. You can have four voting delegates and an alternate per school district. Those of

176you that have been before recall, I feel like we had a buzzer or something and you vote on things. It is our impression there's not a lot of action that every other year there's there's minimal things to vote on but there will be a delegate session. My proposal is that Rebecca, Jesse, Pepe and George be the voting delegates and I will be the alternate and that would be on our consent agenda if you all can live with that. Excellent. And it has been our practice to >> We only had one last time. >> Well, yes, but everybody talked with one another. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um I lost my notes. Oh >> Yes. So we will put legislative priorities and the facility use policy on for another month. Um just last thing from

177board chair, that's what I can't find my notes about. Umay I many of us got an email from Chris Gordon and I had breakfast with him and that we had a great meeting. That was number one. Number two is we do continue to hear indirectly from state legislators and others who are paying attention in Raleigh that there's still talk of consolidation. So that's just an FYI that that topic is not dead. Um, do you remember my third thing? I'm so sorry, y'all. Um, oh, this is just for information. I am just sharing with you. I am getting a lot of calls and emails from the Boys and Girls Clubs about the property on Haywood Road. From what I am gathering, the Boys and Girls Boys and Girls Club is a national organization in certain areas

178of western North Carolina's very strong chapters. The Asheville Boys and Girls Boys and Girls Club died during COVID. So, there is a movement to reinvigorate it and they're very interested in the Haywood Road space and I have said to them what I say to the developers and other folks who reach out to me, which is we are doing a feasibility study looking at the use of all of our property and we are not we're not talking about any use of the property at this time. I'm what I'm saying to you is I'm deflecting that. If you all felt differently, you could certainly email me and let me know. But if anybody talks to you about the Boys and Girls Club, they're very interested in the property. Um, I think that's it for me. Sorry, I

179was disorganized on that. Um, at this time I think it would be appropriate to have a motion to take a fivem minute break and then to come back in closed session to discuss personnel matters. And the chair will entertain a motion for the board of education to enter into a closed session pursuant to general statute 143 318.11 for the following purposes. under subsection A1 to prevent the disclosure of privilege and confidential personnel information pursuant to general statute 115 C 319 to 321 and under subsection A3 to discuss matters protected by the attorney client privilege. >> So moved second. >> All in favor? >> I excellent. We are having a break and we will return in close session. Thanks everybody.