Asheville City Board of Education Work and Closed Session 6/2/2025

001And we are going to start with our equity statement which board member Amy Ray is going to [Music] read. 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. And during this meeting, we invite a pause if harm has taken place, a moment to name the harm, and space to practice repair. Thank you. Um, all board members are present except Liza Kelly who is on her way, but we do have a quorum. At this time, I would take a motion to approve our agenda. So moved. Second. All those in favor? Uh, I would like to

002um ask if we've got time to talk about our uh budget request in uh this evening's uh agenda. Um, it are you referring to the email you sent earlier? Yes. So, I think my plan uh Pepe was in the budget agenda item wherever that is. Sorry, I'm not 2.5 2.11 2.11. Sorry. That I think he's I'm sorry, Pepe. You're not you're talking about amending our request to the county. That was in your email or having some clarification on guidance or some conversation. So I think that's more in 2.5 and my plan is when we get there is I will gauge the board's um interest in that motion. So it is I I feel the motion would come up organically in 2.5 if at all. Okay, that's fine. That sounds great. Thank you. Okay. Sorry. Okay.

003So we have a motion and a second. Are there any other questions or comments? All those in favor of the motion being approved? I I I Any opposed? Okay. Thank you. The agenda is approved and at this time we will move to our feasibility study presentations and I am going to ask Maggie to talk first to remind us how we got to this point. Yes. Good evening board members and everyone here this evening. Um so we um last year started collecting some data about our school system enrollment projections was one of the studies we completed. We also started to look at facility usage and um the next phase which we're naturally moving into now this year is what how do we plan longterm looking at enrollment projections looking at the building capacity and footprint that

004we currently have. also looking ahead into what are the best decisions that the board can make and that the superintendent and CFO and operations can make recommendations to make sure that we are making the most out of the current facilities that we have as well as making sure we are being good stewards with the money that we are in um provided from our taxpayers. So, the the point of this study um eventually will be a final report that shares for the board. Here's all of our facilities based on what we know about student enrollment and projections of student enrollment that we are able to say here is some potential restructuring ways that we could um maximize and be most efficient on our current footprint. whether it's changes in where we have um services provided, whether

005it's a change in consolidation of services and some support with Bunkham County. So, this is just the initial propos um we went through the RFP process, those were scored, we selected the top three. Um we'll hear those tonight and the board will have an opportunity to hear those and then after that we will um you'll have an opportunity to provide some feedback. So, you also have a scoring sheet. We can't change the numbers. So, you're going to evaluate these. I will collect these from the board and use those recommend use your feedback as I recommend what um which firm I think would be a best fit for us to sign a contract with to move in through the feasibility study. Once the feasibility um firm is is selected, then we'll start really digging into more

006specifics on what the scope of work is. Um and the board will have an opportunity to provide some input on that as well. Um and just for clarification, we did share with all three firms that two things we are wanting to look at going forward um and get some um input or some of their feedback on is our early childhood education um what does that look like going forward? Is there capacity and do we have the capacity to implement um and grow our program? And then also what are those combined services that we could potentially uh partner with Bunkham County Schools and to decide, you know, what do those look like? How could we potentially maximize resources that way? So that's kind of the where we've been, where we are, and and where we're going.

007Any clarifying questions before we move forward? I'm wondering if there is a requirement that we move forward with the hiring of a firm once the RFP has been put out or is that still a board decision? Okay. Good evening. So, the uh as the superintendent has stated, she has put out an RFP for this study. um the decision to approve the contract it will be in excess of the superintendent's authority to contract. So the board will have to approve a final contract. If the board doesn't want to move forward a majority of the board doesn't want to move forward with any study then that would it would not move forward. So the the board will still have the final say as to whether or not a study is actually conducted by voting on the contract

008that the superintendent brings back to you. So, and these, of course, she's just asking for your input right now. Uh, these would be a public record. So, keep that in mind when you're kind of filling them out if somebody wanted to see them. And she'll collect them. And then based on your input, she'll bring you a recommendation. This is a service contract. Service contracts do not have to be bid to the lowest bidder, but the superintendent is seeking input from the board and making a re recommendation to you next week. So, yes, the board will have to approve whether a study is conducted at all. All right, with that I think we are um beginning with McMillan Pardan. Also today is Aubrey Donalan to my left. Uh Aubrey is a architect here in Asheville. Um

009she works on K12 projects specifically here in the Asheville region and the western North Carolina region. Uh also with me today is Hamilton Court. Hamilton and I work on facility uh planning. Hamilton's been doing uh K12 education for uh from an architectural standpoint for uh all of his career. So, I'm glad to have him here. He's also a Nashville native, so he'll talk a little bit about that. We've got a little bit of technology um going on here. I'm going to scroll down. Um hopefully you can see that on on on the page. Uh but what I wanted to share first and foremost is that McMillan Pasden Smith uh one of our key differentiators uh that we feel like is important to you in this process is we not only com know the architectural components

010of it from a K12 standpoint but we also understand what you're asking for what you're looking for. We've helped other districts in the same way know what those outcomes that you're looking towards in the future to really put a path and a plan forward uh to make the the greatest uh and most uh economical impact for for your constituents uh overall. We have on our team uh in addition to the three of us, we have a series of facility assessors. We have data analysts uh that are involved in our process uh as well. And we certainly uh have uh engineers within the area uh that will be added to the process as we go along and really uh anal uh analyze your your facilities uh kind of overall. Uh just briefly on McMillan Peasant Smith,

011while we are located here in Asheville, uh we are also located uh in in eight other spots uh in um in the Carolinas and Georgia. Primarily what we focused on in our 70-year history is K12 education. So we've seen it not only what's going on regionally uh with K12 currently, but how that's developed over over time. We've continued to grow uh through through the years as well here in Asheville specifically, but overall as an organization uh we're about 350 uh architect architecture and planning um advisory service uh professionals here to serve in any number of capacities when it comes to the building environment uh for schools uh in in the southeast. Right. As as as Ben mentioned, um we've done a lot of K12 architecture around the region uh in North Carolina and South Carolina

012and Georgia. Uh locally, the projects you might uh uh recognize for Bunkham County uh community high school out in Swanoa. We're currently doing some renovation work for them as well. Uh and we just finished up the Asheville High School uh auditorium renovation that we're really proud of the um the results there. Uh we know your facilities really well. I personally uh attended prom in this room in 1995 for the uh finale of the Lucy Herring pro uh school uh tenure here on the campus. So that's an interesting fact. Didn't learn that until today uh actually. So that that's great. So you know you're you're in your RFQ. you've asked for a lot of um a lot of information, a lot of uh advice on how to how to move forward and I think that's uh

013and you've had a lot of studies done uh as well to kind of lay the groundwork for what what's next. So, how do we look at what's next? And that's really how we categorize that in three major steps. First, we want to make sure uh not in using all of the information that you have obviously, but really diving into the weeds here. We want to understand what's going on in each one of your facilities. We call that uh discovery, but what that means is we're we're asking a lot of questions. We're boots on the ground. We're we're getting into each one of your facilities. We're looking behind that curtain uh and behind you guys. We're popping our heads above ceiling just to understand the entire environment uh when it comes to the facility. Once we

014do that, uh, we give you a a a true baseline on on what your facilities actually, um, encompass, uh, and we're able to appraise, uh, maybe what those next steps, uh, might be. There are any number of ways to solve improvements for for schools. Um, so one thing that we ask and we go through with boards uh, and with facilities committees is what is the best option for this board, for this community? uh knowing that there are a number of ways of of solving uh uh problems uh kind of overall. So as we appraise those, we give you those options. We give you those options for improvement uh and and hopefully you can make very dra data-driven uh decisions off of the information that we're providing you. At the end of the day, there are

015two major outcomes uh for any facility assessment and plan like this. First and foremost, a maintenance plan. you need to understand what you have and what are those high priority items that you you have in your control to take care of right now. The assessment uh allows you to do that. So we prioritize uh those give you a plan for your maintenance departments for your facilities departments uh to move forward. The second thing that usually comes out of these is, like I said, that overall long-term plan on what uh the future might look for overall as your organization specifically specified around your your building footprint. Uh that might mean some in some cases consolidation, sometimes that means additions, sometimes that means just renovations, sometimes it means new schools. We're trying not to be subjective at

016the very beginning. We're trying to be as objective as we can be uh so that we give you the right information and you can see the you can see that information taking shape into uh a true plan for the district overall. And to give you a little bit of an idea of what this might look like for any facility conditions assessment, we do a rating system for all major categories including your building and associated site work. And with these ratings, we provide recommendations as well as knowledge of your current conditions. And two of the main goals is one, the big one is you have a detailed record of your existing conditions. And two is to assist your staff with maintenance planning and line by item improvements. Um, this is it looks like a simplification of

017what we do. There is a lot of behindthe-scenes work that happens. For an example, each school will note approximately 250 to 300 deficiencies per school. So there's a lot that goes into these individual ratings. So even with that being said, you guys have had a population and demographic study already complete. You've talked a little bit tonight about your utilization study. Um all we do in that regard uh when when you've already done the prerequisite work to to get to the point where you are is marry the condition with the utilization of the building so that we can provide both of those uh factors uh in in the assessment and maybe the options uh as they develop over time. We also look at um and you may have this included already in your demographic study, but

018if you don't, we have a resource uh within our firm to really look at your community profile overall. And I don't mean just the outline of Asheville City School. I mean by each enrollment zone so that you understand whether you're where you're growing uh and by by what measure you're growing within that uh individual zone uh overall. So, this is a graphic that kind of shows the the process as we as we go through. And what we want to emphasize here is that uh it's it's really kind of a layered process. Um we start off with with a engagement with you, the owner, and uh usually you'll set up a a a team, a task force or a committee. They'll kind of oversee the process, but it's not the type of thing where the committee

019meets and then they come back at the end and kind of look at the results. It's really an interactive process. You can see here in the graphics, the facility assessments kind of start. Um, but there's a lot of information that's layered in. You've got the demographic information that's layered in. You got the utilization uh information that's layered in. And as those things come back and as those things are layered in, uh, we're constantly meeting with you on a regular basis so that plan can kind of evolve as it goes. So when the when it really comes to the end, a lot of these a lot of these are are really a team effort between uh between us and and your your team as well. All that process kind of starts with data collection from from

020y'all. Um that may include some of your um facility uh cost uh energy cost um numbers and costs. Um, it may also include the the bell schedule. A lot of times adjustments to the bell schedule and uh trying to make sure your utilization rate uh can can be utilized uh throughout that. Um this in this example we were showing Cleveland County schools. So Cleveland County consolidated Shelby, Kings Mountain, and the county district all together. Uh and they ended up with 30 schools. Uh they still have pretty close to that many schools now. Uh but they have a uh but they have they've consolidated a few. They've figured out um uh how how to um become more efficient. And what we did, we started we did a facility assessment of all these schools and utilization rate

021of all these schools and put those into into the equation. Looked at the demographics. This is a graphic that shows by grade the student population. and you can kind of see where it goes from past to current to future and kind of start to recognize trends and bubbles that are coming through your system. And at the end, these are graphic representations of each one of those high school zones and the available seats in each one of those. So uh we can graphically present to the community uh exactly how many seats are not being filled and what kind of efficiencies would be uh resulting from from being able to to consolidate some of these. So there's a there's a lot of data back behind all of these and that that's an important factor. Um we want

022you to be prepared for any hard questions or just interesting questions from from anyone in your schools or in your community. So, our goal is to provide that baseline of information to share with you. Uh, as Hamilton mentioned, uh, engagement, this is a team sport. Uh, we don't want to surprise you at the very end. We want you to be part of it, uh, as we as we go along. In the example of Cleveland County Schools, uh, we were able to take two of their underutilized facilities that were in the the worst shape, as the assessment put it, um, in terms of value to renovate. um take those uh uh shutter them and take those populations, consolidate them into an un another underutilized uh intermediate school. Take that intermediate schools population and then shift that

023to an under underutilized middle school. So you see that there are multiple steps that had to occur so that they operated more efficiently and it was part of the planning process to make that decision with them uh along the along the way. they couldn't get uh all of this information at one time. We really had to share this along the way to make sure that they were aware and that they were making uh the best critical decision for that uh for that school district uh overall. And in this last side slide, we're still looking at Cleveland County schools. So, in addition to what Ben and Hamilton have talked about, we provided a maintenance plan with budgets, which is that's that's the big part with budgets to allow the district to not only plan for the

024future, but begin improvements immediately. There's so much more. Um, if we could if we could spend hours here, we we would um telling you about all the exciting things. these actually turn into very transformative um proposals and projects for you uh as a standalone and what our goal is is really to point you in the right direction to make you uh to help you make wise decisions for the future of your facility. So with that um love to take any questions uh explore any additional information that you guys uh need to to move forward and thank you for your time. Um, thank you very much. I'm going to start with a question. How do you engage the community in your work? I didn't see so much of that written and I'd love you to talk

025about that. That's a good point. We So, community engagement can take a lot of different forms depending on what you're trying to get out of it. Um, I can tell you what we did in Cleveland, as an example, Cleveland County. Um, we actually, uh, did a web-based survey with all of their teachers looking at each one of their facilities and had a series of questions where we talked about the educational environment, their perception of that educational environment. Um, and then we took that also to a select number of of students. So we got that baseline information about confirming what we were seeing in the field from a physical condition standpoint. So that started that baseline discovery information where we're compiling all the information uh together to make sure that not only were we aligned with

026what's going on in the field but teachers were also seeing the same things and using using those uh um pieces of information uh together in tandem uh to understand to understand it more fully from there. Um, as uh Aubrey or Hamilton mentioned, there's usually a committee of um of folks with you guys that go alongside of us um every single um uh either bi-weekly or every single month where we go through just what is the status of the uh study, where are we, what are the findings thus far. So that committee actually had a lot of access to the understand and understood what we were finding in real time so that they could begin to qualify each one of those um uh surveys that we put out to to their teachers um in in addition

027to the the what we're finding in the in the field um also. So, building on those two things going on together, um we were able to uh put together a joint session of the um school district um and the county commissioners uh together to share that information. We did that at separate points uh along the way um so that county commission the county wasn't surprised, the school district wasn't surprised um and certainly the teachers and staff um weren't surprised. Now, that's just one example. it it differ and and one reason we don't prescribe that is because it really differs on how you want to interact with your community. Um here it may take a similar form. It may take more town halls or or it may take u more outreach uh as far as web-based

028surveys to communities members. Um so it can take different different forms. We've done that kind of work um with a lot of our clients. It just really um depends on how you guys see that uh moving forward. I think that's one of my critical questions to ask day one is how do you want to structure communication planning? Um how do you want to structure interaction with um internal and external folks? Thank you. Other other board members questions? Um, did did I I So, there's been a lot We've been reviewing a lot of materials, so if you've already given this, I apologize. Did you give an estimate, a cost estimate? We did. Okay. It's inside the RFQ RFP. Gotcha. Can you tell us what that was? Do you know? Uh, we gave a bunch of line

029items. Oh, that's it. You're the one that Okay. So, I didn't add all that up. Can you add all that up for me? If you were to add all those up, it would be $282,000. And uh $282,500. And that's And so I guess following up on that a little bit, there were a bunch of those line items were things like this would be the cost per hour or per unit of some thing. So I'm curious about how you because that was one of the sticking points for me as I was reviewing. It was kind of like, well, I don't know how much time that's going to take or what you know. So, how did you decide on that number? Was that just your best guess? In general, those numbers come from from a typical district

030that we've worked with. So, we we've got some districts that uh have done similar uh studies and and it kind of depends on the amount of information that you already have as a district that we're not totally up to speed on and how much interaction and time that your staff has to spend with us. So, we have some districts where the staff is very interactive and we get a lot of information from them. uh there some some districts where uh we have to do a little bit more leg work on our end. So there that's why there's a little bit of of uncertainty in there. Okay. But that's kind of Yeah. Thank you. Um my other question I think was um I think you're estimating an 8month timeline. Is that right? We've we've shown a

031graphic with a with eight bars there. Right. And and so it it kind of depends on where that that's where uh that's kind of our sweet spot as far as um a good amount of time to process the information. It's not so much how much time it takes us to get the information in, but as far as uh getting the information in, talking about that in information, uh coming to conclusions, developing options, and then and then getting to a final report. So that uh usually that's about an eight-month time frame. Okay. And if it needed to be a little shorter, could it be? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Other questions? I'm sorry. Did you have a question? Okay. I do. Me and Liza each have a question. Liza, you go first. Okay. Um, I just wanted

032to thank you for putting together this really comprehensive overview of what you all offer. Um, I wanted to ask about the the slide about facility utilization in particular. Um, and I'm curious how you balance raw data with the the human factors that are involved in facilities utilization, you know, student needs, teacher ratios, etc. Um, I'll start and Hamilton you can you can add on to onto this is um, so we do it in two ways. Um, one is really looking at your academic environment specifically and uh, in that academic environment there are either um, state standards or your particular district's uh, standards on studenttoteer ratios uh, for each type of academic space uh, that's in there. That can be special education, first grade, art. There are a number of um um, student teacher ratios that

033go alongside of that. So, and you either have the space or you don't. So we associate the number of the number of possible students available u in a school in that way. So that's the first way you need to know that number as a baseline. The second thing that we also need you to need everybody to be aware of is the bell schedule. Schedule just like in all of our lives uh makes a difference as far as how you use a space. Um so really understanding um if that space is being used throughout the day uh or in part um throughout the day makes a difference as far as how many students you can actually enroll in an individual school um or an individual classroom. The best way to to kind of think about that

034is um if your first grade teacher um has most of her students in there uh all day long. However um at one period of the day those those students go to art. So, so there's a there's a period of time within that schedule that um that that school or that classroom is not being utilized. So, that's one way to kind of that's the second way to kind of understand it. Um overall, both of them um are looked at from um from what you would can consider from an EP uh in MPDI um um standard. You might want to talk a little bit about that. Yeah. Well, and I I'd just add that, you know, when you're when you're looking at the utilization of the school and you're trying to figure out what's most efficient and

035you're trying to bring in the human element, you also bring in the educational component, too. I mean, a great example is that NCDPI will tell you that an 800 student elementary school is the most efficient way of doing everything. But a district may just say this, you know, we can't go over 600 for our community. this that we we know that 600 works for us and that's the commitment that we need to make uh from an educational standpoint and uh and so that's those are the parameters that you work around and and there's going to be a lot of tough decisions that are going to have to be made uh and a lot of it involves that human element and so uh we try to give as much data supported information as we can uh

036we do the community engagement that's appropriate uh but a A lot of it's going to come down to to tough decisions that leaders are going to have to make. I think Pepe will be our final question. Uh I have a few questions for you. Can you hear me? Okay. Okay. Um thank you very much for coming and presenting this. Um the idea that every that we got a lot of tough decisions is a little horrifying for me because we have just been through two um difficult closures for our school district. Um and when I look at the numbers, what I'm seeing is that our demand for enrollment is elastic. um you know from an economist's perspective that when we close schools we wind up alienating families, teachers and staff and that um an architectural perspective

037is you know this facility in a moment does it work but we're really what I'm looking for is how do we address the dynamical equations you know the last result feeds in to get the next result and how these cycles interact. And I want to know first off um how do you evaluate from an economist perspective um looking at um economists look at choice and how you make choice with a finite number of resources or options. At this point we have uncapped enrollment in North Carolina for charter schools. One of our schools when we closed it actually spun off a charter school that's now as many students as were in that school. Um and so you know we don't necessarily see savings because the kids are not widgets and the teachers are not widgets. How

038what part of your study or is this in your scope to look at the impacts uh in a not closed system on um uh enrollment choices? I think a lot of that have has to do with grade distribution and I think prek plays into that as well. So, uh, as you're looking at utilization and you're looking at how to how to make sure you're utilizing your schools, we've had some districts that have contemplated a consolidated or a centralized prek campus. Um, that centralized prek campus has some efficiencies built into it. Uh, but it also has a lot of, uh, transportational issues. Um, and if you think about it, if if you disperse those pre-k services across the county, uh, it does give you a little it allows you to kind of occupy some of that

039excess capacity. Um, maybe not in the most efficient way possible, but it makes you a little bit makes some of these districts have found that they're a little bit more dynamic for for their growth in the future. One thing I would add there to in the Cleveland County example, one thing that we did there is we actually took a we took the board's pulse on that, we took the facility and the administrator's um uh pulse on on that too and and actually stated and put out guidelines or guides that that this facility any improvement was meant to um accomplish or or handle. Um, and I say that because I I think it starts to answer your question is you have likely as a group um and the administrators as an educational group have a set

040of information or a set of goals that they're trying to uh accomplish. So, if we state uh what those goals are in terms of whether it be cohort size for a school um or programs uh for an individual school, if we state those out, when we look at the options to improve your school, not in the short term, not in the maintenance side, but in the long term, we're looking at how does the how do those goals fit into your individual um schools. Now, part of the the overall capital plan, the options that's are selected goes into not just what do we do to replace or add to from a demographic standpoint. A lot of it goes into how do we change so that it's more relevant to what you're trying to accomplish outcomewise. That's

041usually an economic um outcome uh or an educational outcome. So you're either um in the in the community, your schools are being used um by the community um after hours or they're being used during the day at you know obviously um from an educational side. Um so really the the the plan any plan that you try to to do that with should have that component baked into it. That that's what I would say about um your question. I think that starts to answer it. Um if if not I can I can go further on that. Well actually um I'm really asking do you have an economist as part of the group who's going to look at the the impacts on demand elasticity based on school closures or keeping schools open and not just you know

042moving the kids around as widgets. uh we do have a a demographer on there that that handles the economies of that and yes they can provide information uh on that specifically to this area. So that that's the short answer on that one. Great. Thank you. In the interest of time because we have two other groups that are presenting. I'm going to encourage any board members that have additional questions to pass those along to Maggie and she can pass those along to the presenters. I have two more questions. If you could just send those to Maggie, that'd be great. We have two other groups we got to get to. I understand. But this is an important decision. Pepe, I understand. But we have two other presenters that are going to be here, and I'm just asking

043you send your questions to Maggie, and she will ask them of them, and they will get back to you. I mean, you can, you are the chair. You can cut me off if you want. Thank you. I Yes, we are going to move on. I really appreciate y'all being here and for your presentation and taking our questions. Thank you. Thank you. At this time, I'm going to call on the MGT group. Good afternoon. Can Can you hear me? Can hear you, Lance. Good afternoon, everyone. I am Charlie. I'm with MGT Impact Solutions. Uh I am a Boone, North Carolina native, so anytime I get to come up here to the mountains, I am extremely excited. So, thank you for giving me the honor to be here. Um born and raised in Boone and actually go

044about eight generations back. So, just love the the air, love breathing the air of these mountains. So, thank you for giving me an excuse to do that. Um, I also currently live in Ashboro, North Carolina. So, I also like to come to the town that everybody thinks I live in. Um, every now and then when I introduce myself and I have to say, uh, oh, no, I'm actually from the town with the zoo in it. That one, not the pretty mountain one, but the one with the zoo in it. Um, but anyway, that's me. Um, and I'm just really honored to bring our team in front of you guys uh to answer your questions about this great work. Want to give my teammates a second to introduce themselves. Lance and Nerissa, it sounds like you

045guys are ready to go. Believe. So, all right. We I'm hearing an echo on that end. It should stop in just a second. Okay. We don't hear an echo on our end, Lance. So, you'll just have to battle. I guess I'll take this chance to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Lance Richards. from a uh former school superintendent, teacher, elementary principal, director of operations, transportation, all those types of things. Uh from southern Indiana, you're on mute. I am sorry, coin in the jar. Um I am Nerissa Sparks. I'm a former maintenance director for Duvall County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida. I'm also an APA certified educational facilities professional and I specialize also in maintenance management plans as well as facility master planning. Awesome. So, I believe you guys have our materials. Um, you can pull

046them up and scroll through them as you want. I'll try my best to kind of follow along as we present some of this information to you. Um, and also of course excited to get your questions at the end. Um my job is to introduce a little bit about who MGT is. Uh and so I'll I'll say a few words about that and then of course we want to spend the majority of our time talking about uh our response to this RFP and and this comprehensive facilities study that you guys have asked for. Um, so MGT um is a group of over a thousand of employees that work all over the country and as you heard when Lance and Nerissa introduced themselves, we all are kind of considered ourselves experts in our different areas. We've got

047experience working in schools. Um, we're working in all kinds of different state and local agencies. Um, and while we are all over the country, we do believe that it's important to have a local focus. So, you'll hear a lot about our national experience and the context and all the different um things that we're able to do, but you also will hear that we all like myself uh take a lot of pride in doing work in the communities uh that we work with. Uh we know that state, local, education, government agencies are the center of uh communities and that really at the end of the day communities are just made up of people trying to have happy lives and trying to help their loved ones have happy lives and that government actually plays a big key

048in that and that schools especially play a big key in helping people have happy lives. So that's our kind of common centerpiece and all the experience that we have across academics, finance, fiscal, um, human capital, all these different areas of experience that we bring to the table at MGT. The common thread is our understanding that we impact people's lives and that we want people to have happy lives and we have a huge impact on that in the daily work. So thank you for doing the work you do um, and the impact that you guys make. So, we uh really enjoyed reading through the details of your RFP. Uh our understanding is that your goals are to really try to figure out how to get your facilities to match the needs of your community. Um that

049is the one of your big goals and we are big believers and everything matching the needs of your community. So, we are excited about helping you figure that out. Um we know that facilities have a big part in student success. Um, we are school culture people, school climate people, and we know that the overall facilities plan is directly tied to whether or not our students are successful and and set up to have these happy lives that we talk about. Um, we also know in the RFP it talks about some long-term planning and making sure that we are looking way out years ahead and how we can be most responsible um, not only within the city of Asheville but also, you know, what kind of opportunities we might have uh, with our larger Bunkham County to

050really think long term um, about some of the needs of our community. Uh and then we also really uh respect that you continue to uh ask for an equitable roadmap and that we understand that it is very important to build equity into all of our decisions and we take that uh extremely uh to heart and want to make sure that uh we do all that we can to help you guys develop the plan that is also equitable and powerful for your students. So I will now turn that over to uh Lance who is going to talk a little bit more in detail about the plan and then we'll take some questions. All right. Well well thank you for this opportunity to be with you this afternoon. We're taking a look at at our next slide

051just talking about the the process and the procedure beside our behind our work. So this is an iterative process. We're going to take the data. We're going to take a look at it. We're going to bounce all this information back and forth in a true partnership and we're going to see where the data leads us in terms of your numbers, in terms of your capacity and utilization. We're going to we are going to look at your um your programs within those facilities. I think a question earlier kind of dealt with the services and the programs provided within those facilities and making sure that your capacities and utilizations are reflective of those of those community needs. uh we are going to do a very comprehensive facility assessment and looks at your condition. We're going to look

052under the hood and you're going to have very specific uh reports by school, by subsystem with specific costs associated with those facilities and understanding how those facilities meet the needs of of student learning in terms of educational adequacy as well as technology readiness. Community feedback is really at the heart of what we're going to do here. And this is I think we're going to talk more about this in just a moment. But the key element I want you to take away from this slide is the fact that transparency, getting out in front of this, sharing this information with your community early and regularly and then allowing them to provide feedback to make sure that they understand the scope of the challenges or the scope of the needs of the district and all of the students.

053is again making sure that you're providing equitable services and education across your entire uh district. Making sure that people understand the needs behind that. And then we're going to have uh prioritized planning for you. We're going to have developed budget estimates and we're going to talk more about those in just a second. But we're also going to have uh actionable phased recommendations for you to understand uh your path forward. Uh we talked a little bit we've talked uh you've talked a little bit in your meeting here about demographics, but we're going to drill down into where you are, where your students are, break it down to the into the uh study areas and bring this information back around to you so that you can see your 5year and 10-year forecast, but you'll see this information

054building by building and campus by campus. So, and we can review the data you have, but we can also in uh create our own forecast in terms of uh demographic need going forward. And then in looking further into that, we're going to review your capacity and utilization. I know you have some of those numbers. We'll drill into those as well to make sure that your the numbers you're using have this functional capacity that we can understand the targets behind all of that so people understand the buildings you have and how they're being used efficiently across the district. And then finally, you will get very um concise reporting. We we talk a lot about creating ambassadors for this information through our community engagement. And so you'll have sample building. This is a sample of that capacity

055and utilization information. It'll be colorcoded. It'll be very easy for everyone to take a look at the information, reference the information, and then share uh that information going forward. Um and then in Oh, I'm over to uh to Nerissa now with slide 16. Um okay. with facility condition assessment report. Um when our team conducts the facility condition assessments um the uh we use our basis our basis program and we put all the information into there. Each report is customized by building and um covers key categories such as structure, mechanical, roofing and interiors um and so on. And with this um element, we each building receives a condition rating or a score and then an associated repair cost estimate. Um and additionally on our building um condition assessment reports, it includes comments on anything that is

056below the good category that shows the root causes of deterioration such as water damage or worn finishes. Um and then next slide, please. And on the next slide, we take the scores from our building condition assessment and develop this heat map. Um, our facility scoring system evaluates campuses across uh four key categories, building condition, educational suitability, grounds condition, and technology readiness, which also accumulates an overall average score, weighted average score. Um the the heat map uh then provides a tool that will highlight high performing areas in green and areas that need improvement in red and yellow. And this information in this diagram is all makes it easier to provide information not only to the community but also assists leadership um in identifying uh facility equity gaps. Um and to the right you'll see the cost

057estimates. Um our cost estimates reflect the deferred maintenance and modernization needs across the campuses um basically by by each um category that we mentioned before building condition grounds technology and educational suitability. Um and then I will hand it back to Dr. Richards. So the the scores that you saw on that prior slide that information is information that is shared with district leadership but most importantly it's shared with your community. So, as we come forward into community engagement, we're in a situation where we're going to share everything. Transparency is key. And so, we have on-site community engagements. We can do virtual engagement. We can do additional polling, but we're going to live poll in our meetings. So, our our community engagement sessions, review all of the data, everything behind capacity and utilization, the demographic analysis, where

058the students are, uh building building capacities, all those kinds of things, and the challenges that that are presented there. We'll present all the facility information in that color-coded reference so that people can see it and understand it because our our goal in our community engagement is to create ambassadors going forward that they can because not everybody can come to these meetings. So when they come to the meetings, we want them to be able to report back out to their communities, their perspective communities about what's going on and what the challenges are. We can we can drill that down into PTO groups and in school site uh committees. We've done uh these sessions with uh political leadership within the region or with the uh with the with everyone involved. A key element I have I have

059on several occasions uh presented this information in joint sessions of the school board and county commissioners not only in North Carolina but in Virginia as well. The important part is getting this information out so that people can understand it, digest it and share it back within their community so they understand some of the challenges going forward. Um similarly um we will then create a a facility master plan through RS means all this information all this data again is shared through a transparent means so that we can see the information. RS means is a is a regional it it analyzes building costs regionally but in your particular situation with everything that's gone on post to lean we'll have to use some other methods and methodologies reviewing current and ongoing projects there to gauge some of those

060inherent building costs because it's important when we provide you with a plan later and we provide our recommendations later. It's important that we don't um when you when we give to those that we don't overwhelm the market in terms of some of the work that's going on there because school systems taking on additional work can change that kind of kind of back to the economics of things. They can change the market a little bit in terms of construction costs. We have worked with any number of schools within across the nation. I have been with MGT now three years after u retiring as a school superintendent. All these are schools that are kind of in in your neck of the woods in terms of we're presently working in Cumberland County, North Carolina. Danville's just across the

061way. Lynchburg schools, we've been in Nashville. And then we have a lot of uh some larger school districts here in our footprint, but many smaller and rural schools as well. So, we are again kind of that that national company with a local focus. It's important to us that we help school communities make informed decisions and that people understand that information going forward. And then back to Nerissa, I would also like to add to Dr. Richards. Um, our facility master plan, our final deliverable does include not only the overall plan, but it includes individual site profiles where we um provide information on capacity and utilization um and building conditions and individual u mini master plans so to speak for each site. Um, on to the uh the uh prek slide. Uh for universal prek, uh we've

062had a lot of experience in working with districts in expanding universal prek in other states. Um our methodology includes um conducting evaluations of school facilities to determine their suitability for prek programs. And it includes looking at class sizes, looking at restroom accessibility, do the classrooms have restrooms, um outdoor play areas, and also compliance with North Carolina standards such as uh maintaining the 1:9 ratio of um staff to students with the class size at I believe 18 children. Um we then we're going to take that um enrollment projections and utilization analysis and develop a plan for what how many of these spaces do you need? What do you need going forward um to support the community? Um then we'll um map and assess existing programs such as Head Start, Title One, or any other private programs

063to identify um where we're not overlapping or where we can align and align programs with existing programs and make sure we're not getting um developing an overlap. Um and then it becomes down to capital planning and finding um efficient ways to retrofit facilities or um if needed construct new facilities to support the um expansion of prek. And I believe I'm handing it Oh, I apologize. Um our next topic uh we're uh aligning um Asheville City Schools with Bunkham County um school system. Um we believe that uh both districts uh can um benefit from uh um supporting each other. basically each has operational strengths and where where they can improve um finding major cost drivers between both systems and the community expectations of the needs of each. So um working together we can work with the

064two uh both each school district yourself and Bunkham County to rank and package facilities across systems um create scenarios and plans that will meet regional goals and explore possibly even co-investment projects um such as uh sports facilities that each could benefit from and then we would publicize it um in a community uh setting. Uh again, like Dr. Richards mentioned, transparency is key. Um we make sure that uh the the pro the scenarios actually meet the needs of the community and expectations of the community uh community. And then also one key point would be to coordinate messaging around uh not only post Helen recovery but any future disaster. coordinating each district with one another to um uh handle disaster recovery not only currently but going forward. And some examples of uh collaboration would be shared use

065agreements, possibly joint transportation routes, emergency operations centers, um and other maintenance resources. there's a lot that we can explore to help um not only um bring down costs for both districts, but to make things more efficient in the area. So, this is a this is an area that we worked in. We've got Alpine's uh label there as a nudge to me. Uh we've been working with the Alpine uh school district outside of Salt Lake as well as Provo and some other places there in this area in terms of shared use and trying to find ways for cost savings, operational savings going forward. Um and I think we're at time though. I don't want to I don't want to take up more time than we're allowed for, but we are we like to call ourselves an

066interested third party. Uh we are, you know, obviously we don't have a dog in the fight in terms of your local community. We're there to help you make informed decisions uh going forward for all the students in your district. School people helping school people, we like to say. Exactly. So, thank you guys um very much. I know that was a bunch of information, but would love to take any questions if anybody has any. Thank you very much. I'm going to ask board members to ask their questions and if you could for the interest of time ask one question and just go straight to the question. um you said very early on the word equity. I'd love to hear your definition of what equity means in the context of this um possible collaboration. Well, equity from

067our perspective is creating opportunities, equal opportunities. Uh making sure that those are available to every student within the district regardless of what school they attend. Thank you. And I would I would add voice too, you know, making sure we're getting equitable voice into decisions. Voice and opportunity are big for us. Question. Um, okay. I'd like to ask you too about the fees. I think I see um a prediction of $122,331. um how um you know I I guess what are the variables there and how likely is it that the fees do you do a certain contract price or is it adjusted I assume in this kind of service fee contract it would be adjustable based on how much time is needed to perform it what is the range of variation do you think ma'am is

068as long as we stay within the scope that is the price. Okay. And the scope defined by our RFP or by something else? Absolutely. By the scope, the scope defined by RFP and our uh response to proposal. Okay. Thank you. Happy do you have a question? Okay. Go ahead. the previous group, it sounded like um they need some policy work from us to be able to determine appropriate um uh utilization and I'm wondering if you need guidance or policy from us uh to determine appropriate utilization. And of course, I'm still interested in how you deal with elasticity of demand, how you deal with correcting data, or whether you just take the data you're given and how you deal with unfunded mandates like unfunded mandates might be outside of our purview just in terms of looking

069at the capacity and utilizations as determined by your district. We are going to take a look at every square foot, every classroom within that building and we were going we we are going to generate capacity and utilizations and numbers for that. Now there are capacity is a choice. Let's be honest about that. If you're bringing in additional services and programs, then they require square footage. So we will take a look at your building map. We will look at every classroom. We will then come back to your district leadership and say, is this the correct usage of these facilities? Now, let's be honest with one another. Nature abhores a vacuum. No school ever has an empty space within it. But we have to look at those spaces. We have to look how they're used and we

070have to be appropriate in how we assign. We call them loading factors. So for example, a special needs classroom might have a loading factor of 10 just as a number whereas a general education uh second grade room may be 22 depending on now that's policy your you know they talked we we talked earlier a little you had conversations around policy. What is your the policy we will need from you is is what are your loading factors in terms of those classrooms? If you have set aides for instructional coaches well those those rooms come offline. They're no longer part of that capacity because those folks have to have room. So we will we will we won't dive into your policy. We will we will our capacity and utilization will be reflective of your policies. Thank you

071Jesse. A question here. Are you mentioning about ACS and BCS facilities and service? How are you going to determine the BCS portion of it? That would be a collaboration. Um uh first finding out, you know, we uh did uh submit a proposal for their master plan as well and gain some understand for the um the uh joining of the two districts. And um we gained a lot of understanding of of the key issues there when we built that proposal. And I it would come from first finding out how open they are to some of the ideas. And we can't really develop any kind of plan until we know what each um individual district what the strengths are and where they need more support. Um for example, say um for transportation uh you know home to

072school transportation. Um I'm just using this as an example. Um if one district has more capacity with buses and bus facilities than the other district, then maybe they can pro help provide for um like McKenna Vento or or homeless transportation, things like that um that they can you can cross collaborate with. But it first comes down to them being open to discussion. Um, finding out what they're open to discuss and then ranking each system that they're willing to possibly uh collaborate, you know, whether it's transportation, maintenance, custodial, or um, you know, or facilities such as, you know, um, athletic facilities. find out what they're open to and then rank each system for each district based on um you know which one can we build upon or possibly looking at uh co uh co-investment for uh

073projects that would support the entire community such as a I'm using this as an example such as a sports facility and then also looking at um uh shared use agreements or possible maintenance resources that each could use. It's just taking a deep dive into the operations of each district and pulling out what can be jointly used and um save money for and resources for each district. You know, where could we save money for each each district and then um you know, joining those things. Thank you. Sounds good. Um, board members, if you have any additional questions, please send them to Maggie and she can pass those along. Um, but MGT, we appreciate you all being here virtually and in person. Thank you guys very much. Thanks. Thank you very much. And at this time, our

074last group, uh, the Perkins Eastman folks are welcome to come forward. Never mind. All right. Well, thank you so much for having us. Hopefully, we're not too repetitive on the third one here. Uh, but really excited to be with you and and really excited to share about our approach and the work we uh we do around the country. So, if you go to the Actually, I can do that myself. Uh so just quickly introducing ourselves, we've got a full team, but uh here with me is Annne Namer, who will introduce herself in a second. Um I'm Patrick Davis. I'm a principal with Perkins Eastman. Uh so I lead our strategic planning practice around the country, exclusively exclusively working with K12 districts. Uh my background is a little bit different. I was the former COO of

075the DC public school system. So have been in your shoes and understand the complexities of projects like this. So, we bring a empathetic approach to the work. All right, there we go. Uh, Annie Ramer. Um, I, uh, run our K12 practice, uh, for the North Carolina studio. We have offices in, uh, Raleigh and Charlotte. I'm also an Asheville native. Uh, so happy to be back here in my hometown. Um, we do bring a full team as Patrick mentioned. Um, photos and names are really small up there, but we, uh, have a team of in-house data analysts and, uh, researchers that will help, uh, with all of the, um, processes that we're going to speak to in a moment. We've also partnered with Axius uh, for the facility condition assessment as well as cost estimating. and

076uh they're a really um great team with a lot of experience as well in schools um in in both of those areas and they've recently um completed a facilities assessment for Transennsylvania uh county schools nearby. So happy to be teamed with them. Uh we you know as you've seen in our from our proposal we are a large firm. Uh we do have our our North Carolina offices here. Um, one of the things that uh we are really passionate about and and sort of love about the K12 practice in particular is that we have the benefit of all of our whoa all of our other maybe I should hold this too all of our other offices so that we can uh really gather ideas and expertise from our colleagues around the country and around the globe.

077Um we have a lot of experience not just in the architecture side but as well in the facilities side. Going to go ahead. Uh we also are a researchbased practice. So uh this is something I think our school's team is extremely passionate about. Uh we find it really important to learn from everything that we do. Uh but we don't want to just gather the data and set it on a shelf. data is um only useful if you synthesize it, analyze it, and put it back out there in a way that's useful not just to us, but to folks, you know, in your seats uh to the greater community. And so these are these are some of the papers we've done, but that's something that we'll talk about as well um in the coming slides. Great.

078So, just a little bit on our facility planning background. So, we're lucky enough to work around the country. I will say if you're looking for someone just to say which roof to replace or which HVAC system to replace, we're probably not the best group. There's a million people that can do that. We really specialize in complex challenges. We work a lot with urban school districts. So we've been lucky enough to work with Boston public schools, Milwaukee, DC, Colorado Springs, all over the country. And to Ann's point, one of the things we learn is every place is different, right? We want to understand the local context and how to really deliver a plan that works for you and your communities. But we can learn from those projects and learn about approaches and learn what they're doing

079uh to really think about how to set Asheville City Schools up for the future. So I'm going to talk walk through our approach. I'm going to go through this quickly obviously with time in mind but obviously happy to circle back if you have questions. Uh so we go through a lot of uh different approaches to analyze information and data. So like a lot of folks we start with enrollment. Uh but we look at a few different lenses. We look at a district scale. We break that down by socioeconomic status, racial status, ethnicity, um even down to special education populations. We're seeing rises special education around the country. What's the down downstream impact of that in facilities? So, we look at that districtwide, regionally, any different ways you you would want to. Um but it's also

080important to look at individual schools. So, we look at school changes and enrollment. Are there geographic trends that we're seeing? uh we bring in birth data and are there census data and population data to understand are these sort of sort of blips in time or are these long-term sustained changes that are happening from an enrollment standpoint. Uh so we look at it from a number of different vantage points. Uh we look at uh capacity utilization. Obviously enrollment is a key factor and and input into determining the utilization of buildings. So we will go through the process of understanding what's happening in your schools. um develop capacity methodology with you. Um but also reflecting the programs that exist there. So that's not a uniform approach. Typically typically programs change from school to school. One school may

081have an increase in special education population. So we need to think about they need to use their resource rooms a little bit different than uh other schools. So we look at a very sort of focused approach to develop building capacity, but then that helps us understand utilization both in the current state but also in the projected state. Um and then you know as part of the the cope the scope we're going to work with Axis to really understand building conditions. So as you'll see we think about building conditions really in a holistic sense and a lot of this is pulling from that research that Ann mentioned. So we'll start with the sort of nuts and bolts assessment. So we'll have engineers looking at the roof and the HVAC systems looking at their current condition projecting

082out the remaining useful life. That's really sort of the assetbased uh approach. Uh and we've partnered with Axius to to do that. So they'll go through every single one of your buildings with engineers and really give you that sort of fine detail, you know, under the, you know, above the roof ceiling, you know, down to the uh the boiler rooms, understanding the conditions of all of the systems and assets, which is critical. This is work they do around the country. It's really all they do is facility conditions assessment and cost estimating, but really that doesn't give you the full picture that tells you very sort of specific asset replacement costs and things like that. But obviously a school building is much more than that. So based on the research we've done with Drexel School of

083Education that Anne mentioned, the Latro Prize, which is the largest research grant in the field, uh we've developed a a tool to really assess what we call assess what we call educational adequacy, which is really trying to understand how well does the building and the architecture and the layout of that building support teaching and learning in 21st century. So it's not looking at the HVAC system and roofs. It's looking at are the classrooms big enough? Are they organized properly? Do students have access to counselors? Are there windows and natural daylight in the room? is the furniture flexible and adaptable. Is the entry safe and secure? So really thinking about that whole experience of a child uh and the staff in the building and then we can uh you know slice and dice that data in

084a million different ways. It really gives us insight in terms of the conditions across the whole portfolio portfolio but also really down to the details. So the key of these these studies is you know getting an aggregate score. Everyone wants to know where a building lands from a A throughF or whatever. But for your implementation perspective, it's really critical to know with limited resources, how do we focus our investment in areas that make the biggest impact. So we get very specific uh room level detail, question level detail so we can see, oh, we're deficient in furniture across the whole portfolio. You know, maybe we need to think about a portfoliowide furniture investment or maybe this school is lacking in resource rooms. We need to have a targeted project to increase some resource rooms. So we

085get tons and tons of data. It's not just fun to look at. It's really informative into how we um how we do our planning. The other thing we do, especially with capacity development, as I mentioned, every school's different and unique. We want to understand how space is being used across the building. And that may be uniform. It probably will not be uniform across your buildings. Um so what we look at is, you know, what percentage of the square of the of the area in the building is used for things like classrooms. What percentage is used for support spaces? And that's probably going to vary across the schools. So, we can see, are there some schools that have an overage of big box spaces? Maybe their gym is bigger than it needs to be. Whatever it

086is, um, that's an opportunity for us to think about repurposing a space like that, or maybe they're deficient in classroom space or deficient in support space. So, we can really get a really detailed understanding of how they're using the buildings. The other thing, it's it's critical, we'll talk a little bit more about this in the future, in the next few slides, is we're not just planning for today, right? We're thinking about what's happening in the future. So, we have a dedicated sustainability team. So we're thinking about not just climate today. Obviously I think hopefully we all know that climate is warming um and we're thinking about the downstream impacts of that. So this this plot is actually showing Asheville specific forecasted uh temperature um and it's where we call the sort of heat stress areas.

087So we can see that we're getting hotter. That means buildings need to respond to that in the future either through passive interventions or through mechanical adjustments and improvements in the building. So we're not just planning for a point in time. We're thinking about what's happening in the future. We also have forecasted rain data. So we know that rain precipitation is protected to increase. So again it's trying to protect against the future climate conditions. And then you know I mentioned the sustainability element but it's really critical that we're not thinking about this as a project for today. Often these are point in time assessments and point in time studies. We really think of this as a dynamic um activity. So we create interactive tools to really help with that and we leave these tools with you.

088Here's an example of a interactive web-based tool we built for Boston public schools which is evaluating their um alternative education portfolio. So what this does it's going to run here and what it's showing is uh the the sort of geographic coverage of school location. So green areas are one mile within a school, yellow is 3 miles, red is 5 miles. So we can start to see are there oversaturated areas or underserved areas. Then we can layer in student population. So it's probably hard to see on the screen but as those bars increase there's a higher density of students in there. So we can start to see our programs located uh in the right locations. Then we can model the impact of what happens if the portfolio shifts. So they're thinking about a realignment of their

089portfolio. This is a hypothetical example. But what it's going to do is say what if one of these buildings closes and moves to a different part of the city in real time. We can start to see the impact of those decisions both in terms of students covered travel distance impacts. Are there disproportionate impacts in terms of student population travel distance impacts? Things like that. So this is a very customuilt tool for them. This is very not much what we'll do for you, but it's just an example of how these tools can be used. And then we leave this with them. They can update the backend data. They can update, say there's a new enrollment file next year, a new building condition file. All of this is stuff that they can plan without us. Uh you

090also asked us about uh the you know potential benefits or uh areas where working with Bunkham County Schools u may be beneficial. Um in in reading the report uh that was issued earlier this year um clearly they did identify several uh several possible benefits on the particularly facilities and operations side. Um as well as you know things like uh food services um you know we understand there's already some uh some cooperation around fleet maintenance and and that facility. So we would certainly want to look at and study each of those things further. Uh but also think about occup you know some other opportunities that there might be. You see a few examples here. Um you know there I think it it may also be about not just Bunkham County schools but thinking about um some

091benefits in communicating with the with just Bunkome County or with the city. um and you know if there's any sort of shared um functions, shared services that might benefit the school system, either just uh Asheville City Schools or or perhaps um both school systems together um with the county or with the city. So um definitely a lot of opportunities, other things to dig into there as well. Um Oh yeah. Yeah. So the other thing uh is the potential early childhood expansion was was raised as a topic. Uh it's something that's near and dear to our heart. Uh both Ann and I worked in DC for a number of years and DC in many ways has been a national leader in terms of early childhood expansion. Um so I was actually boots in the ground and

092and actually was the one implementing a lot of that and it's had a huge impact in terms of enrollment growth. Um it's been very focused on targeting communities that don't have access to uh to daycare. So it was very focused and targeted. Um and it's recently through the work that we did expanded down to sort of birth through three too. So it's infant and toddler programs thinking about the whole experience of a family uh through the school system and there's long-term beneficial impacts of that. We've also done architectural assessments in Culver City, California. And the bottom one on the right, I'm going through this quickly uh is some work we're doing with Oakland Public Schools uh where they're trying to um figure out how to expand their they've had historic enrollment decline. Um and what

093they're trying to figure out is how they can use EC to expand that. uh and expand their enrollment. We've we've done a lot of work to understand where the demand is uh where the need is and start to try to align the need with the demand. So often unfortunately demand is tends to be in higher higher income communities. Um but often the need is not. So how do we align those two things and think about strategies that uh that really work for the whole community? And just to give an example of how we could do that here, this is a very hypothetical madeup uh sort of tool and example. And again just to show the power of some of these uh planning tools. So what this is doing is uh it's a tool again we

094would leave with you in a very madeup example really not the one we would look at but we can pull in uh census data and start to understand the community population statistics the median income the poverty levels the demographics and we can run scenarios and say what if we want to expand by 60 seats how do we do that how do we you know we value distance or we value so economic status all these sliders on the bottom we can start to change here how we here's how we think about the importance of these categories then we can run a scenario and say give us the optimal solutions based on these inputs which again are very customuilt. We can figure out and then just magically we get uh results but we also understand the impact

095of of those decisions. So is there a capital cost involved with that? Do you make modifications to bathrooms and room sizes? Uh what's the impact? So now we're serving in this example on this that we ran was uh the median income was 63,000 student or $63,000 for the 2-m radius. But what if we change the soio economic status just to give an example which we would never do and say we don't really care about socioeconomic status. Now we're over you know overemphasizing uh sort of location in more affluent areas where the median income is now 79,000. So again just sort of dynamic tools that we can start to understand impacts in real time. So we're close on time so I'm going to keep us going. Really key to any of this is how we engage

096with all of the stakeholders. Uh so um you see some of the examples of that up here. It's it's internal stakeholders um within the school system um you know yourselves, the principles um people directly tied to that, the parents, the neighbors um the community, but also looking beyond that as well. Um so thinking about um you know perhaps the health department or parks and wreck, other interested parties. I I we think it's really important to engage everyone in this and you know when we think about utilization and capacity you know perhaps someone has a really creative idea or through this engagement we realize there are other needs that might fit um the shoe so to speak of an a space that's perhaps underutilized in another way. So maybe it's a health clinic that is needed

097in a particular zone a school has capacity. So we I think we get a lot of really interesting information about this. Um some these are some of the tools that we use. Uh this would be unique. We would work with you you know from the beginning to develop an engagement toolkit that is right for this study and right for this district. Um we can do a lot of you know different you know types of engagement whether it's surveys or town halls um workshops with different groups. We think it's really important to meet people where they are. Um so it may be tagging on to existing events if there's a game or there's another community event you know being there and being part of that to get that um casual interaction and and um give people

098the greatest opportunity to participate in the process so that we really um hear from all stakeholders. So one of the challenges with engagement on a plan like this it often stays at sort of a 30,000 ft view and often when we get really local uh input. So, here's an example of something we did in Milwaukee, which is a customuilt engagement uh tool, which is embedded on their website where users can come in, learn about uh the data at their school. Um, but more importantly, what you'll see here is they're able to really leave hyperfocused local feedback uh to us on a map. So, you can actually go through, it's just showing the stats of a school, but this example that they're exploring closure uh scenarios in Milwaukee. Um, and obviously there's huge impacts of closures,

099right? It impacts how students travel, impacts how families get to school, impacts allocation of resources. But here we can run through a scenario and a community member can go in and say, "Well, I really want you to consider the safety aspect of of closure." So, they can go in and leave a mark on a down to a block or a street and say, "I'm really concerned about the safety. If you close this school, um students will have to walk across this very busy street." That's information that community members know that we don't always know. So, how do we start to pull that out of them? and tools like this do it uh where we're able to in the back end capture all of the survey responses and the results get it geographically tied. Perhaps more

100importantly though the map on the right is showing where people are clicking on the map. So these are literal click events how people are engaging with the web tool. It's you get a pretty map like this. But it's also really important to understand where people are not engaging with the tool. So how do we figure out how to get targeted engagement? So here's an example in North Milwaukee which is typically the underserved portion of the city. Um they're not engaging with the digital tool. So, do we need to think about a tailored approach to engagement so that we're really getting to those people so they have the same access to information, the same ability to give us uh feedback. So, the tools are just, you know, ways to communicate, but also we get a lot

101of backend information to really tailor our approach. And then last slide or two more, two more slides. Uh we're going to go through a lot, right? There's a lot of data. There's a lot of data you already have. You know, it can be confusing. We want to make sure we're processing the information properly and organizing it both qualitative and quantitative and finding those through lines between the data. what's it telling us? So, how do we stack the data on top of each other, both qualitative and quantitative, so that we're getting uh insights, you know, the and uh well, I won't play it, but um ultimately we want to understand the impact of decisions, right? It's important you're if you're making a long-term decision about investment, expansion, ECE, consolidation, whatever it is, there are downstream impacts.

102So, as we think about those tools, how do we build this in real time? So, you understand what are those impacts on people and programs? What are those cost impacts? That could be a capital cost or an operating cost or an equity cost. Um or what are the impacts on operations? So, we're not just saying go do this. We want you informed of the potential downstream impacts, short, medium, and long-term uh from an impact standpoint. With that, I think we are at our time and last slide. So, appreciate the time and looking forward to questions. Thank you very much. Board members, do you have questions? Okay, I'm consistent. If nothing else, um, can you tell me what because I know I saw it somewhere. It was the what was the contract price? Uh, we had

103a not to exceed of 335,000. Say that one more time. Uh, we had a not to exceed of 335,000. Okay. 335 is a not to exceed. Correct. But we're also happy to talk about that. That was based on our assumption of scope, but if there's other areas that we included that may not be needed, we can obviously have that conversation. Okay. So, like for example, one of the things that talked was the enrollment study. we've already done some enrollment study maybe that okay yeah we could bring that down I mean there will be some validation of it we don't want to just take your data and say here it is we want to validate it so there's probably some scope left in it but um certainly areas we could find to to to trim okay

104thank you of course um how same sort of questions unfunded mandate ates correction of data that you get from previous studies. You've kind of answered that. And how do you deal with an environment where demand is elastic and we've got all of these choices and expanding exponentially? Choices. Yeah, it's they're great questions because we live in a dynamic world, right? We don't live in a static environment. So hopefully as you saw there's just a few examples of some of the ways we start thinking about it from a a tool development standpoint so we can understand the impact. Like I said we leave those with you. So if enrollment shifts you can update that in the back end and everything updates with it. So it's a thing we leave with you so you can continue planning

105even after the point in time contract. The other thing I would say is we do our best to project the the future. We have data scientists on our team. We have economists on our team that really help us try to get our best understanding of the future. But the reality is things change. We don't know if there's going to be a war 3 years from now. Um there's just no way we know that. That has a huge impact on costs. So a lot of what we do is we don't give you a static PDF. We give you dynamic tools. So if there are massive cost increases, you can change the escalation factor yourself and say we're starting to see higher local costs. We were assuming a 3% compounding escalation rate on cost. It's now closer

106to six. You dial that up and we can start to see the real-time impacts. Um in terms of the the choice element, we didn't show it. We've done some really really interesting work with uh New Haven public schools where we're building a actually a student choice model where we can start to un try to understand better understand student behavior uh in a choice environment. So if you are considering the the closure of a school or merger of a school or even just understanding future behavior we can start to say you know in this part of the area we think students really value distance to school. So let's really wait the importance. We have a weighted randomized assignment model that we built or we also do an approach called simulated annealing which is a data science

107approach to really sort of model impact but allows you to start to say here are the inputs that we think are determining choice it's proximity it's program it's school quality it's building quality how do we build those into a model and allow you to adjust the importance of the waiting so we can start to say if XY if X happens we think Y will happen because of these inputs and these students are going to make these choice uh behaviors it's hard to try to explain without showing But essentially we would try to simulate uh that choice environment. Uh if there's a new school coming into the environment, we can now add a location to the the maps and say what happens if this school here goes here. What's the impact on the surrounding schools? So

108really try to create a dynamic environment or a sandbox that allows you to start to sort of play with those the variables yourself. Sorry, I'm not sure if that answer your question, but um mostly yes. Yeah, we're in a magnet school system, so choice is a big part of our uh DNA. Yeah. Anybody else? Okay. Thank you very much for sharing your presentations. Thanks to all the groups that were here tonight. We really appreciate you being here. Board members, um when time, if you can give, um information to Maggie, that would be appreciated. At this time, we're going to move on with our agenda. Um, I'm hoping to get us to close to seven and then we can take a break if folks need to use the restroom, but I'd like to just keep plowing

109ahead right now. Um, at this time, I will call on Miss Pchet to talk about student releases. Hi, this is this is our last board next to the last board meeting and I thought I'd make you happy and show you show you what our enrollment as far as the ACS releases will look like for the upcoming year. You have the spreadsheet of all that all of the student releases that you have approved for the 2526 is in that spreadsheet so that you can see a running record of everything you you have everything that I have. So I thought I'd make your night and we're going out with a bang. So this is what you will be approving what it will look like come August moving forward. And so before you tonight, we have just three

110that need your approval. And I know the question is going to come, what was it last year? Well, we had 90 last year. So, we're halfway there. We had a little over 90 I think it was 92 that we that you all approved for last year and we're halfway there this year. So, we still have some DRS that are out past the deadline. So, Tanya, just so I can interpret this, you are starting a running list starting in February. Mhm. That's when we start. And what you're showing us is the last three rows, four rows have not yet been approved. And so, that will be before the board on a consent agenda for next week. Next week. And then I will put place the date there. and we'll just keep going so that you all

111can go back and see what the first all the way to the current. And just so I can interpret what you said, if we follow this through to a full year, we would typically or at least last year saw about 90. So you're sort of saying I haven't done the math whether we're on course for that. Yes. Or not, but that's what you're offering to us. Um board members, do you have questions for Tanya about what's in front of us? I guess my only question is interpreting what you just said a minute ago. I hope I'm not repeating what you just asked, Sarah. I'm sorry. I was focused on something else. But am I to glean that we'll likely have many fewer transfers to Bunkham County this year than last year if we're only halfway

112there? I can't say that just yet. We're just halfway there from where we were last year. So, how far how long though do we have? We can I can parents we have a due date of May 31st and that's for Asheville city and Buckham County. Typically parents never meet that deadline and so we could do DS all the way up until August okay of this year D discretionary release that you all are approving tonight. Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to ask for clarification. Um I see on this running list that is so beautiful. Um there's one that I see that is listed as a V. Is that virtual enrollment? Okay. Thank you. [Music] Yes. Other questions for Tanya or Tanya? Anything we need to know about the second attachment? What's the second attachment? 2026

113projected enrollment that was asked uh by a board member. Okay. Board members. And that is not the current year. That is the 2526 coming up in August. Okay. Well, thank you Tanya. Tanya, how how far are how much in line with previous years is this projection? 3,879? I can't remember. I should as a board member usually run about that. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Thank you very much for that information, Tanya. And board members, the again just the three or four now I can't remember will be on the consent agenda next week. Um at this time we have uh Kim Dean and we'll start with policies on second read. So policies for second read um you have had a chance to read over those for first read. So are there any new questions on second read? Okay.

114So, you'll see that there are two um items that you'll need to take action on at the uh board meeting next week. And the first one is student fees. Um so, in policy of 4600, there in the second paragraph, there's a statement that the board must approve all fees prior to the next school year. So, the principles have had um several weeks to update this fee schedule to reflect the fees that they foresee for the 2526 school year. And just for context, board members, we did this last fall, I think, and it was a little late in the game. And so, we're trying to get ahead of the school year. That's the timing of this. Um Pepe has a question. Um, I would just wonder about um out of district fees and uh when we

115look at and approve those district fees and can you give me an example of what you mean? If a student is in the Bunkham County Schools District or multiple students and they are enrolled in our schools, um at what point do does the board look at those fees and should be those fees be on this list? These are student fees and so that would be a different that would the board would need to bring that policy um to the table and you would need to have discussion and you would need to have a consensus on how you would want us to revise the out of district um tuition. And I'll just add we did look we brought that information to the board a couple months ago. I don't have the exact date and from my

116recollection I have to go back and look at the minutes. I don't remember that there was any the majority of the board was not interested in changing the fee structure for out of district students. And that was before I was elected. Correct. No, I remember that we put that on the agenda, right? Sometime in the spring. Just to keep us focused, what is in front of us is a particular policy about student fees. And the question Pepe is raising is not about student fees under policy code 4600. He's asking a different question. I do recall, Pepe, since you've been on the board, we asked and in my mind it was Tanya that brought us the information and I recall that we didn't do anything with it. There wasn't the will of the group was not

117to do anything. I can certainly go back and look and remind us all of that. Um, but I think for tonight's purposes, that is not relevant to policy 6 4600. So, we I will look into that and circle back with you. Can you tell us if these if there's anything here that's different substantially different from how it's been in the past? So, I'm going to defer to the principles on that one if they made any significant updates to that one. We're having some serious problem. I'm also just going to backtrack. I did not mean to step into that's okay. So, I'm getting this no from the um no from the principal. So, does generally the fee that that students families have been seeing? Yes. and the fees that are on in the policy that are

118are to be presented are for courses or activities that students would participate in. Uh with that in mind, I just would ask for next year so we're not putting the principles on the spot if we could have uh if there are significant changes that they would just come to us and say this is wildly different from the year before. Yes. Thank you. I have a just a real general question. Um and it could also be in the next year when this comes to us. But it's my general understanding that if a family could not pay these fees, there are um resources available within the district or within schools to to help out. That is accurate. In the policy um it says any fees imposed will be waved or reduced for students who demonstrate an econ

119economic hardship. So board members, I'm assuming we are okay to move this to the consent agenda next week. There any concerns about the student fees? Okay. Hearing sorry Sarah, forgive me for this um because I know we want to move on and I know it's a policy. I do think at some point we might want to look at the language of that policy because when I hear economic hardship, it just feels like there might be some better language around that. Um, again, I know that's not what's in front of us today, but if we could consider that down the road. Thank you. Thank you, George. Ego, does every club have a fee? Only the ones that are outlined in this student fee schedule. So, uh, principles were added any fee that was like connected to

120a club. And so you can see like for the high school for speech and debate, um, they have entry fees that they have to pay. um t-shirt costs for robotics or interact club but there are some clubs that's not listed on here right or is there then they would not have a fee okay that's what I wanted okay okay I think that will move forward and we'll go to the next one so the next one um policy 50 30 community use of facilities we have to bring forward every year the facility use fee schedule. Um, again, we're we're really trying hard to stay on top of what the expectations are in the policies. So, we are bringing this back. Even though you approved it what feels like just a short time ago, it has to

121be done every year prior to the school year. So, there are some changes that have been made to the facility fee schedule. Um, April Dockery, the chief of operations, worked collaboratively with Principal Edwards to make some updates and changes based on experience over the past couple of months. So, the high school auditorium charge per hour was 200. That has been increased to 250 and that's to take into consideration the um upgrades that have been made in the renovations. Um in the previous facility fee schedule, the gyms were one um were combined. So through some discussion and based on the renovation to the U varsity gym floor, uh those have been separated out. So old gyms will be will have a $50 per hour charge for nonprofits, $100 an hour charge for profits. The varsity gym

122um has been separated out and will be $200 an hour um for nonprof both both nonprofit and for profit. And then after um I guess reviewing some of the facil the utility cost, the field lights were um previously $50 um were sorry $75 per day and the field light cost has now been increased to $50 per hour because of the expense to run those lights. So, those are the only changes that have been made to the facility fee schedule. Go ahead. One question. I know most people might know this answer, but I'm not sure if I know it. Where's all the money goes to all these fees? Are they going to general funds or do they go to the athletic fund with the if it's a athletic event or do they go in different funds

123or do they go all in general fund? So, it's my understanding from Miss Dockery that all of those funds go into our local pot um into the to local funds. They're not designated to the specific school. They come here to cover the cost of these expenses. So, it's a general fund, not the local fund, right? Yes. Okay. Um quick question, but I hope it's I don't know. Anyway, um why are some of the fees different for nonprofit and profit and others the same? That is a question that we would need to ask um Miss Dockery. Thank you. I believe Amy I Oh, sorry. So, just going to say I will get that information um by the Friday this week and send that to the board in your Friday followup. I appreciate it. I doubt that

124it would um change how I would vote. I just really am curious about why we're not um charging higher fees for forprofit for anything. I we we have Leslie and I are remembering just to shed a little light potentially but thank you Maggie um that where appropriate to make entry easier for nonprofit partners was a priority but for some of these spaces the expense is a lot so therefore it's even the nonprofits would pay the same rate you know like their new auditorium yeah I understand that thank you I' I'd still say Yeah. I mean, honestly, as someone who works at a place that rents out their facility, these are um these are really good rates. I I mean I think and so I respect to all for-profit organizations out there, but I feel like

125they could probably pay a little more. Yeah, that was what was animating my concern or my question at least is we we're in a we're in a budget situation right now trying to figure out potentially having to make some very painful cuts. Hopefully not, but we might be. And I know that none this isn't going to change that, but it would be good to know if the market could sustain a little bit higher for the four profits on those where it's equal. Right now, I have a comment just as a board member. Um, given that this is the first time we've charged for profits, I'd be interested, not that they weren't going to track it anyway, but to see how this first year goes, um, are forprofits even willing to pay these rates or not.

126I mean, I'm open to suggestion about charging a higher rate for for profits. I'm also noting that it's the first year we're doing this and we could just gather information and take it up again next year, but I don't feel strongly I guess. So now I'm speaking as the board chair. What do you all want to do with this? If we want this as presented, it would go on the consent agenda. If we wish to say we want it to be higher, I think we just say so. May I ask additional questions? Yes. Okay. Um, can you clarify the maintenance fee? Does that apply to every single user or how is that? I I'm I'm seeing the first line that says $150 per site per month. I would need to get clarification on that. I

127know that we do have um facility use agreements with um standing partnerships every month who use our fields and so that could be um pertaining to that but again we'll get that information and Dr. Ferman will get that to you on Friday. Okay. So um and that is for [Music] um uh sustained use. So, if somebody is serving our students for and they're collecting a fee, but they don't have a 501c3, would they fall into the forprofit amount or if they're serving our students, is that a judgment call about whether it is forprofit or does for-profit always mean 501c3 in this context? And don't feel like you have to answer today. I I would need to get clarification on um and refer back to the um the waiver form I think says 501c3 but let

128me get clarification on that and I'll share that with Dr. Ferman to share with y'all as well. Okay. And and so um I see that um the alumni center is not included in this. So, is that just independently managed or how does that or I'm not seeing it on the list? We've just not included it as one of the spaces that we would rent. Okay. And then if hypothetically um one of our famous local uh uh actresses or actors wanted to film a movie at Asheville High School, is that a whole other ball of wax or is that if that was the case, then we would defer to legal counsel to come up with a contract and there would be lot there would be more that's that's outside of the scope of this. Okay. I

129think that would be exciting, but uh I thought yes, we're we should Yes, we need we need a reboot of Fast Times at Richmond High or or the Breakfast Club or something. Um I'm going to try to just address your question, Sarah, about whether I could move forward with these fees without additional information. I could. Um, I imagine that at any point if if we got additional information and we wanted to alter these fees, we could do that. That is correct. And so the the board because this is something that has to come to you to be approved. If you want to charge um us with going back and increasing these fees or reducing these fees, then that's that's what we can I mean, we'll do that. So, I'm comfortable with it still being on

130the agenda uh consent agenda, even though I do have some questions and curiosities. So, I gota I don't understand the answer. So, if this shows up on the consent agenda like this, you would approve it. You just have questions in general as we go forward and Okay. and and I would ask that we keep it on the regular agenda for now and maybe at the beginning of the next meeting if we are have consensus we can move it. [Music] So if there are open questions for me right now correct and we have heard that um April Zachary will bring us back some information. I here's where it's coming down for me procedurally. I think it probably won't be on the consent agenda. Maybe it's just going to be on the agenda. We'll get more information.

131We'll talk about it. We'll take a motion. We can amend it. Does that feel like the way to go? Sure. I think that'll give us a way to get the information back. Okay. So, that particular um fee schedule not on the consent agenda, just an action item. Everybody go with that? Okay. Excellent. Um I note there are information only procedures there. Um, if you ever have comments about procedures, it's appropriate to direct those to Maggie. They're otherwise not really our purview, but they've been provided for information. There was a for information only policy. Those are coming. Those are coming. Okay. Thank you. Any we all good on the four information procedures under 2.3? I think we are. I'm just stalling. George, you good? Okay. Um I was on 2.3. Just information procedures. I think we're

132ready to move to the AIG plan. I'm just looking. Jesse, did you have I'm good. You're good. Okay. Um, at this time we will turn it over to Shannon Hunt. Thank you for being with us. I feel like I'm in a congressional hearing. Welcome. If you need legal advice, just let me know. Always good to hear from you. Um, so gosh, this is hard to get used to. Um, every three years the state mandates that we revamp our plan to serve academically, intellectually gifted students, our AIG students, and that was this year. So, how do I do that? Should I go up there? I can go. So this year the AIG team along with an advisory group has been working on that all year. So the first slide is just our team. There are six

133of us down from seven last year and I think at one time we may have had eight. I was trying to figure it out but we have six full-time people now. Um, it's just like going now. No. Can I just go up here and present so I can control it? Oh, sorry. All right. Here we are. Here are the people on our team. So you have a highlights page and I link that on this slide also. Um and on that highlights page on the back it lists our AIG advisory group and we met four times this school year. It was a pretty good reflection of our stakeholders. We had three students, two middle school students and one high school student on it. Um parents, teachers, lots of different staff. Dr. Ruffen from UNCCA and we

134did good work and it was great to get their input. The back to Sorry y'all. I feel flustered. So, back to us um having to redo the plan every 3 years. It seems like a lot. It feels like a lot but it's actually really good because it gives us ch a chance to be continually improving. So we have done a lot of work in the AIG team and I just want to really make that public promote it that we have changed through the years. So like right now a high school senior would have been identified four plans ago in the AIG world. So like what our elementary school students experience now is very different than what those students experienced and the way they're identified is very different. And I think that narrative isn't always in

135our community. We're constantly changing what we're doing. I want to say about more than anybody um because we're mandated to do this every three years. So, just know that like if you had a child in our program, things are different, you know, if they're in high school or graduated. So, here's just some demographic information. So the first table is just identification by race race and ethnicity this year and four years ago. So 2021 would have been in our previous plan. Now the other thing to remember about the three-year cycle of plans is it takes a while for anything new to move because we're never going to ungift a child or take away their identification. So right now only elementary students have been initially identified under the plan we're currently under and we're about to change

136it. So it just takes time to see the effects. But you can see here um we have increased our black student identification quite a bit in four years. Um, so some things we need to do better. You can look below and see our percentage currently and that's still not where we want it to be, but we're trying new things to move it that way. We also want to make it clear that we serve these students and we identify students. We're mandated to do that, but we also serve lots of other students. Students who show promise and potential. We teach whole class lessons. We support teachers with increasing rigor and differentiation in their classrooms. This is just really a small part of what we do, but it's the part people fixate on. So the plan revision

137process is we get feedback from the state. We turn our plan into the state. Um we'll we write our new plan. We submit it to you. You approve it hopefully. we submit it to the state and then they give us feedback. They don't really approve or deny it. They just give us feedback on what they think is good and what we could improve on and then we work over the three years on those things. So the plan is always quite lengthy and feels overwhelming because the state gives us these six standards and there's practices under each standard that we have to try to meet. So it's very structured. The way we do it is up to us, but they give us certain goals that we have to try to meet. And these are those standards.

138So now I'm just going to go over the big changes in each standard. And you have the whole big plan. Um, and I'm happy to answer questions at the end, but I'm just going to go over the big changes. So in standard one, a huge change is we are changing our universal screener. So, first of all, Asheville City Schools is rare that we give a universal screener screener. We give an aptitude test to all of our third graders, our second graders, end of second grade. It used to be third grade. Um, and we're going to switch that to the Nagaleri general abilities test. And it is a research proven more culturally unbiased test. It's al also completely non-verbal. Students look at a computer. It literally we sh we saw in the demo like it shows

139the student sits at the computer then a thought ble bubble and it shows what them what to do with no words. So that's really good for our ML students. Um we're also going to add universal screening in sixth grade. We used to do this. We don't anymore. We're only going to do the nonverbal section. So, it will not be a very big interruption. It'll be like 30 minutes one day. Um, because one of the ways we're identifying students is by the top 10% of subgroups on an aptitude test, but if we only give them one shot, we need to give them another shot. So, we're going to um and a lot of places don't do universal screening. It also gives great informations for family and teachers. It aptitude is your brain's learned ability to reason

140versus achievement which is EOG's and that's have you learned what you've been taught. So in ideal world you want your aptitude and achievement to match and if they don't that's worth investigating and that's good information for teachers. So it's a good a good thing to give all students thus it gives us great information. We're also going to say there's just two windows of time when we can administer these tests for students who are lacking the data. Like a lot of times a kid will move in in third grade. They didn't have this in their district. We need to give it to them. But we can't be doing that all the time. So we're going to set some parameters for us to be doing referrals. Our identification is going to change. So our last plan cycle,

141we really were using one superior score on the Kogat. You could also get in over time with your EOG scores, but it would take time and it was very tavy. We're moving back to multiple criteria, which is research best practice, researchbased, where we'll use aptitude testing, achievement testing. We also have um we're using a point system. So students need two points to be identified. So they can get a point if they have early exit on the ML access test. So they show quick acquisition of English. Um they can get a point from a committee. So if they have one point on one test, they can get their second point from a district committee with evidence of giftedness. Um the only single superior score that will get them in is the composite on the Kogat if

142they're in the top 10% of their subgroup. That will give them two points. All right. Standard two is all about service. How do we give the right service to identified students? So right now our groups are very advanced reading, advanced math, which is great. A lot of students need that. And we also look, you know, any student that gets a five on their EOG is going to come. We look at other data, anecdotal data. But one group that we um don't feel we're meeting the needs of is kids who show an intellectual giftedness, but they might not be achieving in reading or math. So, we're going to have a new service that's going to be like executive function skills, STEM things to get them excited about school and able to achieve. We're going to continue

143our talent development through flexible grouping, which is when we have identified and unidentified kids coming for advanced content. Um, as the district has a strategic plan, we're going to align our goals with those goals. And we're also really want to um are going to require our specialists to have time to present this new plan to the staff, their staffs at their schools. Standard three is about different differentiated curriculum. And the big thing there is that we have a curriculum hub now and we are going to spend some real focused time putting thoughtful resources for teachers on that hub. Um, standard four is about our personnel and professional development. Um, so we're going to plug into beginning teacher training to really help beginning teachers. One of the things they often struggle with is meeting the needs

144of their advanced learners. And also any teachers that have a cluster of AIG kids are going to be required to meet with the specialists in their school to just more a like how can we support you? Not really a requirement for them. More so we are being sure we we support those teachers. Standard five is partnerships. We're also going to create a resource bank for caregivers on our website with a list of like books we have. We all have a wealth of information and we need to be able to get that to parents who would like it. And then standard six is accountability. So, we wrote in our plan that if I'm still in this job, I or whoever is will do some site visits to monitor what we're doing to see what our strengths

145and needs, some self-reflection. Um, and we also learned this year about something that's really exciting to us. Um, Donna Ford is like probably the forefront higher education person in gifted and equity. And she has this allowance that she developed after some court cases about underification of gifted students called the 20% allowance. and Daniel Withrow and I went to a workshop about it and we've like applied it to our data and we're going to we have it in our plan that we're committed. We're going to do that every year to our third grade data to be sure we're in. And what it does is it um says like your under reppresented groups need to have at least 20 gosh 20% within within their subgroup. And your over represented groups shouldn't be over 120%. So you're keeping

146it like tight. Um I have a whole article I can share with you if you're interested in that. But it's it's an exciting way to look at it and you can apply it to lots of things, not just gifted. You could apply it to suspensions or behavior data or anything really EC. And that's it. Those are the major highlights. Um, and I'm happy to answer questions. First of all, I would like to say thank you and if possible, I would like to know more about the AIG. So, when it does come up, could you inform us or Shannon, could you get with me and say, "Hey, I'm being test. I would love to see the testing portion of the AIG." and they say, "Hey, it's it's about that time. Just let me know and I

147will try my best to schedule myself to come and attend your testing. I would like to see it." Oh, just to observe. No, we'll have we'll have to find out if you can do that. Maybe you can be a proctor. Well, I mean, whatever it takes first time around. Whatever it takes. I Please let me know. Okay. All right. Um, I also wanted to say thank you. I think that, you know, the AIG world with the three-year um, plans, it is it's a it's a lot of work and I appreciate your perspective that, but it's good because I think AIG is it's not a neutral topic and you know, the data you've shown us on our subgroup representation, it's still not what we want to see. And so um like I think I have this

148idea that going back to anything feels I feel trepidation because I know there were times where there were ways that you know this is highly sought after. Many families want this. They think that it represents something that they want for their kids. And so how over representation in particular of white students starts to seep in. And so I'm incredibly appreciative that you have such a thoughtful approach to monitoring that and taking action so that we don't go backwards in this new plan. Thank you for that. I too want to say thank you. I'm really excited that you're going back with the to uh or continuing the flexible groupings which includes AIG identified and non-identified students that really expands the equity of having interesting stimulative educational programs. Um and I think that that's really a huge

149tool. I love that you've got additional points in time for identifying students who are coming in and out of our district who may have missed a testing window. Um, and I'm I'm Yeah, this is this is very exciting to me. And it seems like we really were pioneering something a few years ago, implementing a lot of these and maybe we hit a snag when we went back to, you know, one identification and I'm really glad that this is getting reintroduced. Um, yeah, thank you very much. Tons of work. um question about differentiation and um I know I think that if I'm correct that there's some coaching that is offered for differentiation for students who are struggling. Do you also or do we offer teachers um maybe coaching on differentiation for AIG students? because I've heard

150a lot of teachers say that's just as challenging, maybe more challenging in some ways because that those students aren't always the students that are really um how can I put this? You know, asking for differentiation through their behavior. Yeah, a couple different ways. um the AIG specialist all sit in sometimes in grade level PLC's and it just depends on the school the structure of that but that's one way also it's kind of one of those things like a lot of things in teaching that you're going to get a class eventually that you're like oh my goodness I need help or a student and that's when the real coaching comes in you know like a teacher will come to one of us like I really need help and you really dig in with them and then

151they apply those things for the rest of their career. Um, but by hopefully maybe getting in on some BT training will get that a little earlier. Um, but it is, you know, teaching is a skill that you craft over time and teaching your advanced students. Sometimes some people have a natural knack for how to go deeper, how to go, you know, wider, whatever you need to do. some some teachers need a little more and we're happy to do that and we do do it in a variety of ways. We've al also um a couple of us have led like books book studies in our school. We did culturally responsive teaching in the brain at Jones and Claxton. I think they might have done it at Dixon. They pro probably everywhere just AIG staff involved those

152places. Um, and that's that's been really good. When we can get in on a school level project as leaders, it's it's really effective. And who supervises the AIG staff? Is it you, Shannon, or somebody else? The the teachers are based at certain schools. So, their direct supervisors are the or the principles. The principles. Okay. Mhm. Shannon is the AIG coordinator, so she's kind of like coaching the team itself, the AIG team. Um, yeah, I just I wanted to thank you for all of the work that went into this presentation and also to um acknowledge the the value of the the resource bank for caregivers um and acknowledge the the challenges that come along with having a student who may or may not be identified and um just how you know that's that's a really valuable

153thing to be offering. Yep. Another subgroup the state tracks for us, but our numbers are less than 5%. So, they don't I didn't put them on the slideshow, is twice exceptional students, but we really do have that growing in our district. And that's something our team has been seeking out some training in so we can help teachers. Can you define that, please? Yep. Twice exceptional is when a student's identified as gifted and EC. So it could be lots of things, dyslexia, autism. I um I I will admit that whenever we talk about AIG, I get really uncomfortable. I understand that this is a state mandate and I appreciate the work that y'all do within that state mandate to make it um as equitable as possible. Um, I I always worry when I see the numbers

154of the the numbers of white students who are part of AIG versus the number of students of color who are part of AIG and what that might mean for our um historical inequities in this district. So, I really appreciate standard 4 and and um the incentive to train all beginning teachers and ways that AIG and this and I'm interpreting here so tell me if I'm wrong. um where educators can use the skills that AIG specialists are using with all of the students in their classroom because that's what worries me the most about AIG is that we are providing quote unquote enrichment to certain students where other students might not have it. So, um I just I guess I'm getting clarification from you that that's what that means when you're training all beginning teachers in these

155practices that that means it's for all students, not just for AIG students. That is correct. And one thing that that I just, you know, recently taken my principal hat off with is the AIG teachers over the past handful of years have done a really good job of when they're working with with projects or these book talks, they're inviting kids that are nonidentified. So the kids don't even know who's identified and who's not. It's kind of like sometimes teacher recommendation or sometimes it's just interest. you know, I've seen, you know, my AIG teachers say, "Hey, I'm working on this particular project. Who wants to join in and whoever wants like comes along or some are strongly encouraged to attend?" And so, um, they're serving kids that are not identified as well. So, I really love that

156there's a lot of co-planning um, together and then co-eing. So, a lot of times it's happening right there in the classroom with all kids in a room. Yep. We do all of us do whole class lessons for sure in the primary grades because that's in K12 that's mandated, but we we do them in the other grades too. Thank you both for being here and for that presentation. Um I don't know. I think our approval of this goes on the consent agenda. I'm looking. Maggie. Okay. So, this will be on the consent agenda next week. Thank you both very much. Um board, I think at this time we should take a five minute break if that's okay. Six minutes for Jesse. Um but no longer than that and then we will come back and pick up

157the budget. And then I went Yep. [Music] Hey. Okay. Right. Okay, folks. I know it. I know it. Okay, at this we are at item 2.5 on our agenda, which is the fiscal year 26 budget. And I'm going to turn it over to Maggie and Heidi. Good evening again. Um I there's still a pending question on the budget. The county commissioners will vote tomorrow. Um but what I provided with the board a couple handouts um that are are linked on public agendas with the county and it's their um Bunkham County ordinance for the fiscal year 2025. It was just posted. I also sent the board an email. They have just like right as we were getting our meeting started posted their presentation. So I shared that with the board as well and just wanted to

158talk about some of the highlights. Um the handout I gave you is the county's um budget ordinance. And of note, I mean, I think right off you see very clearly that there is going to be less revenue this year than they anticipate um than they had last year. And they're also raising they're anticipating raising the tax rate, the millage rate for the county to 54 something. Um and then as I kind of looked at the pluses and minuses there, you know, the county has cut a lot of their budget lines as well. Um public safety has gone up. um economic and physical development has gone up and then a small increase in the culture and recreation. Um but decreases this year in the county budget for general government, human services, education, debt service, and other

159financing um sources and uses. And I think for the revenue side, what's to me the biggest difference between last year and this year is last year they appropriated $11.7 million of their fund balance to balance their budget and this year they're only appropriating about $7,000 to balance their budget. Um on those two handouts, the second page, um if you look at section six, that's where the county is listing their millage rate. Um, and that's on section six for this year and it's section seven for last year. So, they are levying recommending the county manager I guess I should say is recommending a tax rate of 54.66 um cents per $100 across the county. And then you'll see on this year's um that she is still not recommending the um restoration of our 12 of our

160supplemental sax tax to the full 12 cents. Um, so that is the current budget that will be presented tomorrow. Um, so it will will remain to be seen what the county commissioner's discussion is and if any motions are made to make changes or adjustments to that and that will happen tomorrow at the county commissioner's budget meeting. Um, so in anticipation of that, what I worked on is some updated options to start to look at how could we even if we don't get all that we're asking for with the no cuts budget and option one, where can we start preparing to to make some changes? And um what I've done in that updated um budget option is some of it's the same um so central office recommending the same cuts um to central office. I had

161eight positions but that was a a miscount. When I went back I was like the total didn't change but the number changed. So it is six positions um to co not eight but the total value didn't change. Um when we go down and we look at the gray box which is the decreases due to our um aotment formulas. Um at the middle school I did not change their electives aotment reduction but I did leave four core teachers instead of reducing that with option two. Um at the high school the only reduction there is a half of an elective teacher and they have a math teacher that's retiring. So, I just added to that option that we wouldn't replace that math teacher. And then in elementary, as I said, we're looking at updated numbers. And at

162this point, we have four. I was initially projecting to reduce elementary numbers by five um based on the um aotment formula, but we have four retiring teachers. So, those would be the four positions that we would not replace um in the elementary levels across the board. Um, and then there still is a reduction in days and months for admin and other positions. I do recommend with option two, if we have to go this route, that we do go ahead and change how we assess the local supplement um to save us that money while we're still preserving um our teacher salaries at where they are. That we do go ahead and reduce the school nutrition to 202 days um and that we cut to um digital lead teachers. Option three is the exact same. Um as

163you saw the only change in option three is the number for elementary is um from last time is the four teachers instead of the five. So those are the the budget recommendations that um I think we need to be prepared to discuss on Monday. Um, so the kind of thinking ahead, the calendar is we've got Monday, if we aren't ready to make a decision on Monday on which budget option or where we're going to make cuts, if we don't get what we asked for, um, then we have that meeting on June 26th to then do a final approval of the budget. Um, we still don't have the state budget. That's still I don't know if Heidi has a an inkling of when that change when that budget might be approved. I'm still hearing it's a

164ways away. Um, but that's that's kind of where we are with the budget and ready for the board to give some feedback or ask some questions. What else do you want to see? Are there any other options you want us to kind of play around with? I felt like option two, um, we still would need the restoration of the 12cent tax. So, if we don't get that restoration of the 12-cent tax, then we really have to go with option three. Um, so that's just kind of where we are. question here. Okay. Nope. Go ahead, Jesse. And then go ahead. Uh before we uh before um next Monday, is it possible for you to go into all the um find out about all the uh retirement people that are leaving and everything in that category. And

165then just if we have about 30 people with between resignation, retirement leaving because of some reason or whatsoever, can we just can you just put that in there before Monday? Uh if it's already been Yeah, I can definitely add the number of retirements for which positions. Yeah, because a lot of the position that people are retiring and everything else, we can use that as not fill and then we can just change stuff around a little bit. Yes, to a point. But if we need if we need four kindergarten teachers and a kindergarten teacher's retiring, we've got to refill that position. So even though a teacher may retire or a position may retire, some of them we do need to refill or we can get them from another school if that school if that school has

166surplus. Yes. Got surplus. Yes. And that's what we've already gone through and looked at. And that's as as Tanya does a great job updating our enrollment numbers. She gives me a list of who's in the queue and how many we're waiting for. I'm also watching those numbers to determine where can we shuffle teachers if we need to shuffle teachers. Um so yeah, we look at all options couple times a day. But yeah, we can bring a list of which positions are going to be vacant that we're not replacing and those that will be vacant that I am planning on filling. Appreciate. Thank you. Yes. Just before we have other questions because I I told Pepe we would do this and I want to be fair to that. I first want to just start with context.

167We made a request what we called a no cuts budget. That's what the commissioners have in front of them. That's what they've been talking with us and with each other about. Um Maggie is saying to us that if we do if that budget request is not fully funded, we will be back here next week and on June 26th because we are obligated to come up with a balanced budget. So keep that in context. Board members, I I want to now allow Pepe. He's going to give a brief explanation of the email that he sent everyone. And I'm going to let him say this, but procedurally he's asking if we are interested in amending the request that we've made to the commissioners that Maggie made a few weeks ago. Um, and so I'm going to let

168him explain that and then if the board is interested in that motion, if there's consensus to move forward, we will talk further about it. But if there is not enough support from the board, we will just keep moving forward. So that's where we are procedurally. But I'm going to let Pepe address the topic just very quickly. I've heard some um confusion from some of our county commissioners about um the difference between the Bunkham County Schools request and what that would mean as far as funding our budget based on the county's well they'll adjust this but the current uh split is based on ADM of uh 84 62 versus 15.32 or something 38. Um, but it's a 15% 85% split which makes our request for the baseline budget before the supplemental tax about half a million

169dollars high. Um, it is what we need and I'm wondering if we want to ask them as the baseline to support the Bunkham County Schools budget and break off 500,000 for us to apply for, example, early childhood grants or other funds that become available just so that they have a more simplified ask to vote on. And that's it. So board members, I'm looking for consensus if we wish to modify the request we made to the commissioners. I don't think we should modify our request to commissioners less than 24 hours before they're going to vote. Can I ask Maggie a question? I'm sorry. Can I ask Max uh Maggie a question on this? I know we spoke about it once before. Have Have you changed or is there a real reason why I mean is this

170one of support help us better or what I mean what is the outcome of Pepe proposal that you feel? I'm not really clear on your proposed change. So, if you could explain that again, we're making what I'm suggesting is that we make the same request, but we suggest to the commissioners that if in order to make their numbers work because they've got a from what I understand a statutory or policy limit on how much they can give us based on how much they give Bunkham County Schools. and we our ask is about half a million dollars high if they approve the Bunkham County Schools request. So, I'm just suggesting that we simplify things and and break off the half million dollars for um a separate grant request which will help them get their budget passed

171at a level that will help us. and then we can fill in the half million dollars with a grant request when they see additional funding or through an ECE grant. Liza, can I ask Yeah. So, are you suggesting that we lower our our request by $500,000 from for their vote tomorrow with the expectation that we would still ask for that $500,000 but through a different process. What's the real purpose behind that? Right now, I'm having county commissioners who have told me that they can't approve our request because it means giving Bunkham County Schools an extra $3 million or something like that or 2.5 million. So, if we go down to 500, it if it doesn't get approved, even if it still doesn't get approved, everybody would be out, right? If they don't approve our if

172they approve the Bunkham County request, we get what we asked for in regular funds minus $500,000 and then separately they have to decide on the supplemental tax and then we would have to go back to them for $500,000 for ECE or additional funds depending on whether uh article 39 funds become come available or EC funds or revenue replacement funds. It's just a way for them to not have two competing requests for uh military change. But we lose 500. They gain what they want, right? We delay the request for 500,000. Delay. It's just an idea to help get them to a yes, but you know, it's just to simplify things. And if it doesn't simplify things, then we drop it here. Then we drop it here. Any I mean, Amy's expressed her opinion. I don't need

173to belabor this. I just want to know if I'll acknowledge that I I can understand from a long-term planning perspective that any effort we can make and I think there was effort and it's it's real life to align the two asks knowing how the money gets split up is a useful goal. Um but I don't think in this moment to try to do it now would actually simplify. I think it would make things more complicated. I'm I'm not hearing consensus from the board to move forward with that at this time. Um I put it out there and that's what I wanted to do. Thank you very much. Thanks. Um may I ask Maggie? Uh you just sent us that email. Can you tell me um like is this something they've just released I gather? And

174so is this the county manager depart department giving the kind of update uh presumably maybe after a conversations with the commissioners or is this just the county manager giving what's going to happen tomorrow. Are there are there significant differences between there's I didn't see any differences in her re in an updated recommended budget. Um what I saw in there is the a more clear introduction of using article 39 funds to balance the budget. Um so that is more clearly outlined in there kind of where it is in the senate. It's through the house was back in committee looks like. Um so it looks like they are counting on that to allow us to do a no cuts budget. And what that means for us is then we have several capital projects that we'll have to

175delay. Um, so that is a significant concern for me that we're kind of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Um, and we'll be behind on many of our capital projects and just regular building maintenance. Um, so that's one reason I'm not in support of using those article 39 funds um, in that way. And we if we would also have to share those funds with charter schools, am I right? As it was currently written. Yes. my update. I've received um some word that there was a a recommendation for it to go back into committee for edits so that they could exclude it from charters. Um but I don't know if that made it through or not. Thank you. And can I clarify, I may have misheard you, but that the attempt is to use article 39

176funds to fund us at the dollar fordoll level of last year, not to fund a no cuts budget. Is that Yes, that's my understanding. That's my understanding as well. Okay. Yep. Yep. And then the other major difference is on slide seven where they had actually proposed a 3.26 cent increase and they have decreased that to 2.9 and this proposal decreasing the revenue coming into the budget by $ 1.9 million. Okay. Maggie, will you remind us? Many of us will be there tomorrow night and we will know what is decided and we'll share it with those board members who can't be there. I'm trying to find the parameters of where we make a decision and then where you implement it. Um, you know, I don't know that we get in the weeds of each teacher and

177those sorts of things. So, ultimately, what are we approving next week or the 26th? Um, next week, I don't know that we'll be ready next week. Understood. So, go to the So, eventually the board will have to approve a balanced budget and it's just then where do I find the pluses and minuses to balance the budget? trying to protect student facing positions, seeing where we have open positions that if there is an employee that's qualified can be moved into a new position. Um, so those are kind of the the pieces that are coming. Um, and I think it was even like I think it was last Thursday, a teacher that hadn't planned on resigning is resigning. She got an opportunity to work for the Bill Gates Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So, she's taking that

178opportunity. So, those will continue to come up. So, as those just come up between now and either next Monday or the 26th, like we have opportunities to to move folks around and try to maximize saving positions. But ultimately, is there a line item that says personnel? No. So, ultimately next what you what you approve is what you see kind of in the bud in the for the budget amendment that's linked later in the agenda. It's like here's what we get in this fund. Here's how we allocate it between curriculum and instruction, auxiliary services. You don't approve the the personnel line items. That's what I was looking for. Thank you. But as far as personnel cuts, if those had to be made to current personnel, then classified and certified staff all have reduction in force rights,

179right? So, we'll need to meet with the superintendent and look at that. So, if it becomes, right? So ultimately you're approving you have to approve a balanced budget if there are positions that have to be cut that are currently filled by people. That's a reduction in force and there's full due process that applies to that and potential board hearings. So, um, following up on that, Chris and Maggie, um, let's, for example, and I the middle school obviously is something like it's in my top of my head, but, um, if the four positions, if we had to go to option three and we needed to reduce the force in the middle school by four positions, but those positions turned out to be empty anyway because we had attrition and the we don't actually have to remove

180anyone from their position, that would not be a reduction in force that would have to go through the procedure. Um, but when I I did ask about the we're getting a lot of questions about the orchestra program. So, why do we I mean, I guess because that's a program that we would be potentially having to cut that that has to go through us. Is that right? actually not weird if the board has to approve a program cut like because I think I asked and I I think you or someone told me yes you would have to vote on that. I'm just curious do we have to vote on that? So legally speaking, the what the law protects is people and not position. So he's so so for example, if you had vacant positions that hadn't

181been filled in a program, the superintendent could eliminate that program and not make it part of your budget. But if there are people in positions, they have due process rights, right? The superintendent will do everything she can to eliminate vacant positions, but in the end, if actual people who are employed had if their positions had to be eliminated, they would have due process rights. And ultimately, the board would have to approve that as a reduction in force. And something as specialized as the orchestra program likely would be one of those positions where we have a teacher who's in that position. Um so even if we were reducing the electives by one and we ended up with one less elective teacher who had left somebody had left because that's a particular position we would still have

182to do a red those are all the considerations. Yeah. So once the superintendent knows the budget Mhm. she'll have to look at where she can shift people, where she potentially can't shift people, and then bring you a plan. Okay. And that will not be next week. I've just been asked uh multiple times, does the board have to approve the that kind of decision in terms of the orchestra program? I've been asked that specifically. Um and my answer is kind of like, I don't know. Um the simple answer is no. The board doesn't have to approve the elimination of a program, but the board does have to approve the elimination of people who are unemployed. Okay. Thank you. So, basically, like last year in prior years, we will likely only still be voting on an interim

183budget at the end of June because we will very likely not have a state budget, but Dr. Ferman needs approval of the plan to move forward to implement those things that Mr. Campbell just outlined as far as personnel related things that have to take action soon versus the grand total of a budget. Yeah. Thank you. The the due process rights, does that mean that the staff person has the right to appeal and a subcommittee of the board hears it and then they have an opportunity to appeal to the full board or how does that work? So with atwill employees or classified staff, the riff is actually a board decision. So there is no appeal. It comes directly to the board. With someone who has a contract, the superintendent re makes a recommendation to you, decides

184for reduction in force, decides who is then impacted, and let's say Chris Campbell's impacted. Chris Campbell then has the right to a board hearing. So contracted staff have a right to a board hearing. Classified staff do not. But you're making the decision on classified staff to begin with. So it all comes through the board. And that and that um when you say contract, even though it's a one-year contract that's only renewable, that would still that employee is still subject to the if they've been given a contract for next year, they'd be a reduction in force. But if they haven't been given a contract for next year because it's a year-by-year contract and they just haven't been given a contract. I think is Mark still here. I think have y'all done the teacher contracts for next

185year? We have to school by now. Yeah. You you've already approved teachers for next year. So they would be reductions in force. Well action next week. Yeah. Okay. Gotcha. Thank you. Yeah. and we can other questions for Maggie or Heidi at this juncture and I know I speak for everyone clarify the the what you've given us is similar to what um the county manager has given the county commissioners you have a suggested framework your recommendation but we don't have to pick option one two or three, we can come up with a different solution in collaboration with you and the other uh board members. So, nothing none of this is a done deal. We've got we've still got latitude. There are still uh solutions regardless of how the the board votes. Am I accurate? I I

186mean I yeah I'll take the board's input into consideration as I balance the budget and then I will bring you that option as my final recommendation. So just to say this we are hopeful and I know many of us have been in conversations with county commissioners that at tomorrow's meeting they will do this differently. um they will reallocate their resources which are scarce. I mean we understand what they're forced to deal with also but ultimately we will know more tomorrow night. Next Monday will be an opportunity for us to talk more to give Maggie input. Ultimately, it is her responsibility to come up with a a proposed balanced budget which she brings to us for approval and it will be um very difficult for us with these decisions because they affect our students and our

187staff and no one wants to approve anything other than the zero cuts budget we ask for. I just want to acknowledge that. That will be our job in the coming weeks should the commissioners not fully fund our request. And if you don't mind, Madam Chair, just real quickly, just for the board's information, the the responsibility to split the local appropriation 85 and 15 is statutory. It's 115 C430. So, it's a requirement. The statute explicitly says, I think as the whole board knows, that supplemental school taxes are excluded from that. So the easiest and best way for the county to allocate more money to just you would be the local supplemental school tax. Right. Okay. Um we will move on to our every other year consideration of the state salary supplement. Uh, I wanted to bring

188this item to you this evening um in order to help resolve some issues we're seeing as far as uh overp payments um for current staff members. So, a couple of years ago, I just to give the background to folks that may not have been at the table at that time, um the resolution you passed are on the pages two and three of u the item in your packet. And um what happened when this uh oh okay what happened um when this was passed originally is this teacher supplement provided by the state was loosely based on the lowwealth formula. So the very first year it was given out Bunkham County was not included. Neither were the other four large districts in the state. But by 2223, I guess there was an outcry about that and so

189Bunkham was included and ever since then we've been providing this state teacher salary supplement to our teachers. As far as I've heard that's going to continue. I've heard no um indication that that's going to end anytime soon. But what what it is is highly unusual as far as the money that we receive. So, as I stated in here, um, $399,96 was the amount our district received this year. We're told what the cap we can give each teacher is on that amount. What this district decided to do those years ago is to divide that amount equally amongst all eligible teachers and everybody get the same supplement amount. Some districts chose to differentiate that more for early, more for veteran, you know, not an equal amount for each teacher. But we decided like most districts did to

190give the same amount for each teacher. Well, the problem with that is when we normally get an aotment, we pay a salary and whatever happens to come out of it comes out of it. If we need to move more salaries there to spend it all, we can do that. Well, in this particular case, this amount of money can only be spent just for this purpose. So, we have to actually back into this amount of money based on the number of teachers we pay and it has to come out exactly right or we'll have to take some local funds to supplement that or we have to pay some of the money back to the state if it doesn't come out to the penny. So, needless to say, my folks go through this multiple times every year.

191So what happens this time of year with teachers is we have a lot of folks that might not decide to stay right till the last of the school year. They might do that the right way or they might do that the wrong way, but regardless, we have people leave before their last day of work. So what that does is not only cause chaos on their normal pay because a lot of those folks that choose to leave have no leave time left. They give they give us notice, some of them do, but they still have no leave time left or they don't even give us notice and they just don't work those final days. And as you know in North Carolina, we're required to prepay teachers. So they get their first full full check in August

192and they get their last check in May. So look how many days we have left to work from payday until the last working day in June. So there is a lot of opportunity there for um staff to be overpaid. And we have two situations we're working on right now actually in that regard. So all I'm asking here is if it's um agreeable to the board is that we just consider the way we pay this teacher salary supple supplement just a little differently in order to try to help us make sure that we don't have any teacher leaving that owes us money and us try to have to hunt the money down and or not get that money back for the district. and that way we are the best stewards of taxpayer dollars. So right now

193um our criteria says that if they're qualified as of May 1st, they're fully entitled to the supplement and we will pay that on the May payroll. So all I'm suggesting is that we shift that slightly so that we qualify them as of June 1st to make sure they are going to work either most of the way or all the way toward the end of their contract. and then actually make that payment in June instead of May. So that way if they do leave before they're scheduled to leave, we have some opportunity to recoup any overpaid days that they may have at that time. But that is the only way we have an opportunity to do that this time of year. It's problematic even if they leave in the middle of the year, but it's way

194worse at the end of the year because we just have no other options by that time. Heidi, can I ask a question about um just clarification for me on time frame? So when you say May one and then you said the May pay period. So I know that we what a couple years ago shifted from um pay date on the third the third Friday of the month. Correct. So, if you're saying May one and I'm a I'm an educator and in the the current iteration, I would be paid that extra $800 and whatever dollars on May 21st, let's just say, right? If they're still employed as of May 1st, they qualify and then they would receive it on May 21st. So, this would now be if they're still employed on June 1st, it would be

195on the June 21st, correct? Okay. Roughly June 21st that Okay. Yeah. Thank you. And then we can be sure we also pay each person the correct amount because we'll have an accurate count at that time. Would it be any type I'm sorry. Go ahead, Jesse. Would it be any type of stipulation like uh sickness is not going to count and then they I mean it's not going to they would have to not be here in order not to get it. Correct. Right. And they would have to go through the process in order to not get it. In other words, the process would have to be before June the 1st. As long as they're still employed and working as of June 1st, they would 100%. Now, they could be out sick, like you said, a day

196or two if they have sick leave to cover that. They could that's fine. So, what's the real issue? Why it Well, I'll give you an example. So, someone is supposed to work, let's call it through June 5th. That's their last day of work. when they don't show up anymore as of June 1st, they just decide to go ahead and leave. But they'll take sick leave. They'll take any type of They may not have any. That's part of the problem. Most of the folks that are brand new that have taken all the regular standard leave days during the school year and they decide not to come back, they have no leave balances left. So, we have no way to recoup those funds. and they've already received their last check in May. So, there is no way

197to like if we knew about it in May, you know, we can make a deduction off their May check, but we usually do not find out about it in time. Well, does it hurt if they don't get it in Well, it well like this are the people that want their money in May instead of June. That's the only downside to this. But it will also help some of the folks there because as you know we have a lot of folks that have difficulty making it all the way through the summer. So this actually spreads their money out a little bit into the summer where it hasn't done that before. Can I ask someone in the audience how they feel about it? Miss Tanya. Well, it's only teacher. This is only teachers. This only affects teachers.

198So true. You're welcome. And if it's equal per teacher, how much are we talking about? Well, this year I think I got it dark. It went in um it's a little 827 this year. Got it. Okay. Thank you. That's not chump change. Thank you. No. And it does go up a little bit every year. And the fewer teachers we have, if it continues to go up, the larger that amount will get. And this currently doesn't apply to instructional assistance. This is a an aotment the state provided to provide additional teacher salary supplement. Okay. Teachers only and instructional support certified staff. I think everybody's okay with this. So, I'm looking for Sorry. Um, everyone appears to be in favor and this would go on the consent agenda next. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Unless I hear

199an outcry in the next week, but I'm not expecting that. Um, at this time, Maggie is going to talk more, give us an update on reform policies. All right. So, we were kind of wrapping up our input on the um, reform policies and I've just included all the same information that we've been discussing as we've talked about these policies. Um, just for a refresher, I'm not going to go through all that. I want to focus on the input that was received via the survey. Um I didn't get quite the response on the survey that I was hoping. Um we've sent it out several times individual kind of through schools through the parent square and was hoping to get a better response but I have what we have. Um so 61 responses the majority of which

200were parents. and the first couple slides of the results. I just wanted you to see the bars and then we'll look at the specific questions, but wanted you to see the the the large number of either strongly agree or agree on the questions just so you kind of have the visual on that first grouping. Um, this was about our grading procedures being accurate, being timely, reflective of those five core principles. And the last one was where there was the most disagreement or the the least amount of consensus was around assessing the skills that support learning. So our habits of scholarship and those being separated from the actual grade. Hey Maggie, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Where can we find this? Yeah, because it's not in the It's linked on the agenda. It is because I'm

201pull When I click on it, it pulls up a very different report on the work session agenda under 7 2.7. If you click on presentation. Yeah, it's a different it's a different No, scroll up. Scroll down. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. But you have to scroll down to like slide. All right. Sorry. 14. 14. Thank you. Oh, sorry. Yes, I clicked all the way down through to 14. I jumped through this. The the first slides th those were just a review of what we were talking about before, what I've discussed before. The second um set of bars is um about setting high academic standards. Student having all students having the opportunity for high quality education, an accountability process and um that that district accountability process is set. So you can see high level of agreement for

202those four statements. And then the last couple statements were about um setting the clear standards and then what do we use to determine those standards? Would they be academic grades? would they be standardized assessments, a mix, or a portfolio? Um, so if you go down to where the the text is, what I did is created an average score for each of the questions and the the the highest score possible would be a four. The lowest would be a one. So, you can kind of see the level of agreement on those questions um for your review. And then there was some open-ended input as well. Um, and the three themes kind of e emerged from the open-ended input was that there is a need for improved communication and transparency around grades and promotion. Um, the parents

203shared frustration about grades not being timely or clear. Um, not having information accessible to what their students were learning, how grades were determined. um and they wanted some more consistent um kind of rules and processes for homework, how we're updating parents on grades and progress and easier access to see graded work. The second main concern from their open-ended was about grading practices and academic standards. And what the kind of concern seemed to be is that the grades aren't always accurately reflecting the student mastery of the standards and that grades are sometimes given um with an overemphasis on tests. Um and they wanted to they share that there's a desire for grades to focus on the individual for growth and critical skills but with that opportunity for remediation. And the last um input or um from

204the open-ended was um really holistic student development for teacher resources. And what that means is really thinking about the whole child including work ethic, executive functioning and those um kind of soft skills more so than what are your actual like you know how to add, you know, how to subtract. Um and wanting a need or repeated calls for um also they just added all this in there. the teachers need more compensation in because the what they're asked to do is very difficult. Um teachers have a huge job and it is challenging. Um so they're just acknowledgement of that as well. Um so any questions or discussion? My recommendation is that the reform policies go on the consent agenda um for approval next Monday. May I ask a question? Yeah. Um, I may have missed it

205in that that first slide with the survey results. Um, but I was just curious, um, if you knew I I see that the majority of respondents were parents or guardians. Is there a sense of what grade level those responses were coming from or if there was a trend there? I didn't collect that information. Um, so I don't really have I can't provide clarity on that. Yeah. And of course, you know, it wouldn't apply if if parents had students across the grades, but I'm just curious. Yeah. No, I didn't ask any demographic information other than what was your connection. Thank you. something that I want to uplift and I think a I want to say how much I appreciate that with everything else that's going on that you've made this a priority because I do think

206that these particular reform policies are the way we're not talking around an issue but we're moving towards what will make for a really highquality education for kids in our schools. really really appreciate that. And I'm looking at that last open-ended survey. And then I like that this is up here, the one. So this this where there's the most disagreement where I think we as a board said, "Wow, Maggie, this we're feeling confused too." and the journey that we're going to go on as a district around habits of scholarship and then proficiency and achievement, how those interplay and how they're separate, I think is a really challenging concept because your open-ended feedback includes things like evaluate the whole child, their work ethic, their executive functioning. But what we don't want is really compliant children getting really

207high grades while really kids with mastery of the content but who are maybe behaviorally difficult getting low grades. So it that feels difficult and I look forward to how we all explore that together. But I think these survey results further highlight how challenging that is. other feedback for Maggie or are we good with these um going on? Yes, Pepe. I I do have some hesitancy in and I know this is subject to edit the draft procedure in the use of the word proficiency because in North Carolina so often we use the word or the state uses the word proficiency to mean um a percentile and I don't want us to not be promoting students because they're scoring a percentile or they're being ranked as a percentile on a test whereas they may actually have mastery

208of the subject. And I my recollection is that many of those tests they statewide define half the kids as being non-proficient based on a percentile or roughly. So, I just some clarity when you get to that. Um, so that we're not pigeonhoing a huge number of kids as non-proficient. And that's why we added the grade piece in there. So, if they aren't scoring at the level three or higher on the end of course or end of grade exam, that they are then looking at their grades to say, okay, did they at least score a 70 on their grades? If they did, then they get an automatic appeal and they would move forward. I appreciate that clarification. Any other questions for Yeah, I just wanted to note in the survey results um that the lowest score

209uh lowest average score was the standard side assessment was like a 2.18. And I think that speaks very much to Rebecca what you were saying. Even Papy what you were saying is like um and in a state that demands quite a lot of assessment, how are we as a district making sure that we are compliant, I hate that word, that we are working within those boundaries, but also recognizing um and you spoke to this very eloquently the other day at the um attainment summit with with my future NC that we as a district and education in general must start looking at how we're developing the soft skills of our students, right? Because eventually they are graduating and what what we are preparing for them, what that we are preparing them for. We actually have no

210idea what that might be in the next decade or so. And so I'm grateful that folks, not just um not just those of us around this table, but folks out in the community also recognize that that's really valuable. So thank you. I also appreciate that that kind of echo e echoes the sentiment from the AIG presentation that you know our our high achieving kids may not be the you know for lack of a better word compliant the easy kids they maybe they are most likely the kids who struggle with executive functioning and just the importance of looking at the whole child. So I really appreciate it and I do want to add like I want to see more of this Maggie. This is fantastic work and fantastic uh progress for our district. I can't wait

211for this to be implemented. And I also want to acknowledge that our teaching staff, if we're moving away from penalizing students for when they turn in work, that that's a big transition for our staff. And I appreciate you moving forward with this. So, Maggie, procedurally, is this on the agenda? Could this be on the consent agenda? Yes. Yeah, we can just put them on the consent. Okay. Great. I think we're all in agreement with that. Thank you, Echoing. Thanks for your work on this. Um, next on the agenda is 2.8. And I just wanted to say to folks, this has been updated throughout the day. Um, and so you have the most recent one. It's I mean it's on the agenda but it's also printed. I'll now let Maggie talk about this. Yeah, I printed

212the most recent um updates. Made a couple tweaks to it. So, and this is just an at a glance. This is always changeable as we move through and we see where the pacing is and we need, you know, to bring something back to another meeting. But just to really outline some of the big buckets of the the topics for us to dig into next school year. Um and just starting always in August hopefully the you know the general assembly will have concluded and we'll have legislative updates to bring in August. Those are always pretty in-depth and timeconuming. And then also as um a board member requested starting to look at our desegregation order and really talking as a board on where we want to go with that into the future um in September really bringing

213back the next round of reform policies which are around curriculum and then I'm also looking at student behavior policies as well to look at how are we looking at at the high level and what are some changes we can make to our student discipline. um and codes to make sure that those are aligned and with the vision and the um mission of our school system. Um uh we'll also have our mental health report and plan and then September we'll probably have be ready to have the first round of some updates on where we if we if the board approves a contract for the feasibility study um updates on that and just so as I kind of as you saw in their presentations using this opportunity with the feasibility study and working through strategic plan is

214that's where we can really get some expert input on prek early childhood education and how that could potentially look going forward um for to meet the needs of our community in those areas. So that's why that's not pulled out separate that is kind of embedded in that feasibility study. Um and then I've just kind of plotted things out on the agenda. I did add the facility usage for PTO's FTO's um you've got in there several updates for strategic planning to bring those forward. Um January is when we start digging into the budget already if you can't believe it. Um, Heidi did have a recommendation on the March. I had the preliminary budget presentation, but her recommendation that we go ahead and move that into February just to get ahead of the game on budgeting. So,

215we will change that. That would be my one recommendation on this change is to move that back to February and kind of back everything up a month um and give us some extra time to really work through budgeting. Um, and then again, you'll see June we've got those reports on facility fees and student fees. Hopefully this calendar is something that we can then just update annually and say hey if this is working we know these are regular cadence of the work of the board particularly as it relates to spending probably the first half of the year on reform policies and the second half of the year on budget and then just regular updates on strategic planning and reports on progress. Um and then what you'll see is there is the two board retreats and just

216a quick um list of some things that I would plan on reporting to the board at those retreats. Um for September retreat, we'll have a report on this current year school data so we can update the board. How did we do? Did we meet our goals? What are we looking at? Um and those are goals around student academics, student behavior, mental health, all the the kind of the whole picture. Um, and then give you a review of what we're setting as our goals for the upcoming year, that current year when we're in September. Um, and another thing I've added for all departments next year is to develop co key performance indicators. Um, and updating the board, they'll update me monthly on their key performance indicators, but the board I would bring a report to you

217on those twice. Um, and those are things like like for AIG, I want to know in our AIG group, what are the percentage of students demographically in AIG and are we seeing a shift in that over time? I want to see percentage- wise for students in AIG is are they not just achieving high but growing to high growing high. So, picking out key performance indicators for each department. I gave them a draft of ones I was considering. uh they're reviewing with their teams and setting their KPIs and how we'll report those out to the board. So twice a year I'll report to the board here by department the key performance indicators. A easy one for technology is like they submit a ticket if they need a tech thing fixed. How fast are we fixing those

218tech tickets? If there's a maintenance issue, how fast is the maintenance team responding to a repair request? So those are some of the key performance indicators that I will bring forward um and be reporting on to the board. And then as I was talking with um and kind of thinking through this with the chair and vice chair, we it made sense that we align the superintendent evaluation with these really retreat dates and can do all of that in one meeting and kind of talk through everything because to me those are really the big updates that share the work of the superintendent and the progress being made. Um so that's kind of where that's how we really plotted out those two retreat days. any feedback, anything I missed that I didn't get on the at a

219glance that we should u make sure we try to at least if it's not on this, put it on our more um detailed work plan. I just wanted to acknowledge that we've heard from county commissioners very much about our um racial achievement gap and opportunity gap. And so looking at I almost feel like page two is getting buried in the we're buried in the lead with like looking at data. Um and I can't remember which facility study group it was to say that data is pointless if it just gets looked at and put on the shelf. So making sure we're connecting whatever however many data we're looking during September and March and how that might influence the conversations that are happening across the calendar year in terms of academic um in terms of student success.

220Agreed. Yeah. where um where would discussing our legislative agenda so that we can tie in with the schoolboard association fit in this best? Can I just put that out there and leave it to you to find a slot for it? Thank you. I'm I'm gonna say something while Amy tries to remember her point. Um, I I want to acknowledge the moving the budget to February. Um, I know many of us have heard from county commissioners that they hope not to have this be a year after year crisis situation and there's a lot of appetite for doing this better. And I don't know what that's going to look like. Um they uh Amanda Edwards and Ail did reach out to Rebecca and myself and Maggie and Rob Jackson, Rob Elliott and Amy Churchill and we have

221a meeting scheduled in July and I think the intent is to have quarterly meetings with that group and I'm assuming that out of that will come perhaps some um better ways to do this because again nobody likes this way. So just offer that and now I will let you talk Amy. That's that's half of exactly what I was going to say, which was that I'm thinking that this schedule's going to change. It sounded like there's a real appetite on their part to to change it. But the other half of what I was thinking about was the meetings that we've had with them, the joint meetings. Um, that's not in our regular meeting. So, it's probably not important to put on here, but at the same time, I just don't want to forget completely that ideally

222we're going to be having some joint meetings uh with both boards and the board of county commissioners along the way. I'm sure the county will commissioners will lead the planning planning on that, but and I just about the budget. I agree. Um, but I think yes, keep these conversations going, start them early, and I think it's about how public schools are funded through the county commission. Um, because we're if they are only going to fund us at a growth rate, then we're never going to get where we really hope to be with certain strategies and plans. So, it's a different way to fund. talking with the county commissioners on their appetite for what I've recommended or what I proposed many months ago about creating a separate school tax and the commissioners assessing a tax on

223our behalf. Um, so because if they're going to fund us only at a percent of growth that they see, then that's we're only ever going to get that percent. I assume that that would have require state legislative change. No, there is the option for um if the commissioners and we and Bunkham County agree, we can enter into an agreement and yeah, and they could levy a tax for us on our behalf. That sounds fantastic. I'm going to keep us moving if that's okay. And next on our agenda is the annual discussion of use of yellow buses for summer programming. And I do think of Jim Cosby and he would say Yalabus or whatever else. Yalabus, but um I think this is Shannon. Thank you. Um so um there's a policy that says that anytime we

224use yellow school buses over the summer that it needs board approval. So what you have in front of you are all of our programs that we have from elementary all the way to high school credit recovery. And we do plan on using yellow buses. We're working in conjunction with the CNI department and transportation to make sure that transportation is provided for all of our summer programming and the dates are listed there. Do you have any questions? Board members. Okay. Hey, how you doing, man? I assume you do have your bus drivers. I'm sorry. You do have bus drivers already appointed for each and every one of these. I I got a question. Do they get pay extra or do they come out of the general fund or do they pay I mean how do they

225get paid? Please, we're required by the state of North Carolina when you use a yellow bus. That's why this is before us today that we reimburse the state for the mileage and the use of the bus. And then we also paid have to pay the drivers. And so the uh CNI department whatever funds each of those programs operate off of those funds they've budgeted to pay the school bus drivers. Are these bus drivers volunteer to come in and do it or you pick volunteer to drive a yellow bus? That's a state torque claims insurance piece. They have to be paid to drive a yellow school bus. No, I'm talking about the bus drivers. our bus drivers who choose the bus drivers in the summer. So, they had uh application sent to them by curriculum instruction

226in February and we had four apply and those four that applied were placed um in positions. Okay. And they're paid through various funds from grant funding to local funding. So, it just depends on the program, some federal title one funding as well. Are they okay with the pay? I mean, they must be okay with the amount they get. Can I renew my license? Please do. Yep. Is that realer? Hey, let me read. Board members, are we okay with this being on the consent agenda next week? I think we are. Okay. We are going to move on to contracts andus. So, you have a list to the um contracts andus that are before you and do you have any questions about those? I just want to point out we um we talked about this earlier in

227the year, these contract cover sheets to give you just a highle summary of the contract. Is it a renewal? What the amount is for? If it is a renewal, is it a change in value? Just some outlining just to help the board kind of see quickly at a glance. the contracts that are up for renewal or new contracts being executed. Looking at board members, I have a quick question that Tim is going to laugh at me, but the thing at Claxton that goes on the roof, is that the same thing we saw a picture of about a month ago and y'all were saying these two are going out and this one's about to go out. Is this to do all remember what I'm talking about? Is this the same thing or is this a new

228issue at Claxton? I think what you were referring to about a month ago was the ground unit that's outside. These are rooftop units that have to be lifted with a crane. Yeah, it is. Okay. Thank you. And just to give you some reference, those units are about 13 years past their lifespan. The rooftop units. Yeah. We've just banded this. We just can't do more with them. I mean, they're just chopped. And Tim, is that coming out of um our personal capital fund or is that coming out of capital fund commission? Personal or personal, you know what I mean? Okay. Tim's personal. Um I just want to acknowledge that EL contract recognizing the the the budget conversation we just had. Uh, and so just want to get clarification and um what I mean I know that

229we're in the middle of that contract, so I'm not proposing we break it, but I just want to get some clarification on that amount and where it comes from. The the EL contract is our investment in our staff. Um, we need to invest in our staff and just as we were talking about helping our support our staff change their grading practices, change how we are monitoring our student progress. That's the support that EL has been layering in all this year and that we're hoping to enhance as we move forward next year. Um, so the EL coaches meet with their principles at least monthly. They look at their student data. They talk about what progress is being made, what kind of professional development might be needed and then layer that in and support that kind of

230in a secicular process with the principles and the school staff. Um, so my recommendation is that we continue our work with EEL. has added a great value to our school system. Um we are making a lot of progress and are on the precipice of making even greater levels of progress with that support that structure and that focus. Um and I've asked the principles if they're also um or any other members of the staff here to kind of share their antic, you know, kind of anecdotal um comments about the e contract and their vision for that. Could I offer something, Maggie, that I've heard you say, and you can correct me if it's wrong, but I think would be helpful. That part of our budget is professional development for teachers. And so, this is how Maggie

231is choosing to spend the dollars. And if we didn't spend it on EL, we would be looking for to the extent we think it's valuable to provide professional development. And so, this is actually a very cohesive way to provide the professional development we want to provide. So, it's not an additional cost, right? This is like taking that PD money and investing it with this um organization to help support our teachers and grow our teachers and our leaders, but it would be PD money we'd be spending for professional development in some other way. Yeah, I'm glad I'm glad that's kind of the what I was pushing for because I think right as soon as this goes out into the public that I I imagine that some of the public be saying why this amount of money

232and so I I want that to be on the record that that's clear that this is money that's we know we'd be spending anyway. This is sorry this is a putting it all under one under one umbrella. Yep. alignment, cohesion, and progress monitoring al together. One additional clarifying question just I wanted just to get into the room that that that funding can't be appropriated for any other reason in the district. I mean, technically we don't have like a a hard number that we would use to like say, hey, we're always going to invest X percentage of our budget in professional development. That's not a number, but we do need to invest in our staff and their training. Um and I think this is a really um strong and smart way to do that. Could it

233be transferred to fund personnel? Yes, I mean there is funding for personnel. I mean the way where this comes out of is not like a state allocation or another allocation. We are using general fund to pay for this contract. Okay. Thank you. Y just I I was I was actually just going to see that Shannon had something to say. Um, but also I'd love to hear from whatever principles or because I think it's important for the public to hear and I'm curious too. Yeah, I see that the work that we're doing with EL is like the framework for all of our school improvement. I know this past year we we focused a lot on crew, but we are just now really getting into the weeds of true school improvement with these grading practices, the habits

234of scholarship. For example, on our June retreat, um, one of the things that we're going to be looking at is can we create a rubric or a system, a different system of measuring those habits of scholarship that's different from a student's grade. That's just one example of what we're looking at. But from a CNI team, we are working with our coaches almost on a daily basis. It's like uh every other day I'm talking to the coaches and we're talking about the work that they're doing with the principles, the data that they're sharing with the principles, the work plan, the professional development that we as a CNI team can offer. We're planning for this June retreat. So this next year we're really looking into student achievement, not just the character, but student achievement and the grading

235policies, habits of scholarship. So, I really from a CNI lens really see value in it and the coaches have been amazing in focusing in on all of all of the things that we have going on. Our strategic plan, um, individual schoolwork plans, it's it's the way that it's all coming together. So, I see EL is that framework that makes the work happen. So, the way that this was characterized before I joined the board was that we're going to take all of our professional development funds, not do these other things. I think that was an maybe an overstatement. I think we still do some other professional development. What I'm really curious about is something that I've been advocating for years is having um grassroots uh training within our schools in approaches to discipline in how you

236know school culture and how to address the needs of the whole child. And I want to know that we've still got funding for classified students or excuse me, classified employees so that they can participate in some grassroots development or or how are we doing that so that everybody in the school can be on the same page with approaches to discipline interventions and all of that? Definitely we're definitely doing other professional development as well. But honestly, the professional development that we're doing if it's not like standard space from DPI for example, everything that we're doing is is aligning with this EL work plan. And we've been doing I say we school leadership teams, curriculum and instruction teams have been doing walkthroughs at every school. like we've literally been in classrooms every month at every single school

237and the EL uh like some of the protocols um that we're using are like instructional strategies. We're looking through that lens to see are these protocols or strategies being used in a classroom and we're giving feedback to the principles and so it's a continuous improvement model. It's not a gotcha by no means. It's this is these are the things that are just good teaching, good instructional practices and we're supporting teachers in teaching them and the assistants as well, the classified staff as well. We're teaching them those protocols and practices and then going back in and um giving them some feedback along the way. So, schools still have the opportunity to delve into love and logic or conscious discipline or some of those resources or is that um eclipsed by this training or is that something

238that you have to get back to me on? Those specific ones I'd have to get back to you on. No one has asked me for any funding for those particular programs but there there are other um there are other programs um like SEAL programs for example that we are supporting too. I was just going to say that I think Kim Robinson and Ta Williams are the best people to maybe ask that question to. Um, I know they write grants continuously like in some of that work and it really just depends on what each school administrator believes that they need for their students. Um, and then they work with us to develop a PD plan for that. So my school may look differently than Dr. Cobb's school. So um, again, Kim Robinson and Ta Williams are

239working really close with administrators on those pieces specifically, especially around discipline. Thank you. That's really helpful. I'd love to hear from the principles if they're willing to share. I can go ahead since I already have the microphone on. Um, so Corey needed to leave early, so I'm just going to he asked me to kind of share some of the things over at Claxton. So, as you know, um Corey is new to our district, came in in the middle of the year, and he um said that first of all, if you have a lot of questions, you feel free to email him any questions, and he can tell you all the things that Dr. D Mateo has done for him. Um yes, so Tiffany D. Mateo is our L coach for elementary schools. Um she has

240met with Corey personally out of school hours all in the evening to go over the work plan for him to completely understand it. So he feels like that's professional development for him personally. But she's also led his PLC's on high quality work PD for all of their staff. Um and those were just a couple of things that have been specific to Claxton. I'll stop and let someone else talk. [Music] I can go next. Um the part I have appreciated is when Dr. Maggie originally said that this would be professional development for not just our teachers but also for us as instructional leaders. Um, and so I have looked at EEL through those lens and it has been it's been very good professional development um at our school. We've used first I want to say the

241e coach Dr. Tiffany has been a very good thought partner. So that's been helpful in terms of having someone to think through different changes and structures um that we're looking at in in our schools. So she's joined our PLC's. She has joined our school improvement team meetings and has been very willing to get in with us to help us with doing some of the more challenging work. Um we had several new teachers at our school this year and um the assistant principal Craig Shimemer and I were thinking through how can we provide some robust support for our new teachers and new teachers not necessarily brand new teachers but new teachers to teaching. So maybe this is their second year teaching, their third year teaching, and they needed some sort of support. And we were initially

242looking at the Harry Wong first day of school, you guys familiar with that book. Those of us who've been in education for a long time, we're like, yes, that was the book that we all read, right? to help us understand with classroom management, how to organize your day, how to make sure that you have a place for all the different things in your classroom transitions. It was just and we looked at that book and we're like, "Oh my gosh, how are we going to take this and create some sort of support system for our teachers?" And it dawned on us that we had um the management in the active classroom that was very updated and had all the information in there that we needed. And so it reduced our workload in terms of trying to

243come up with a professional learning series that we were able to do over time at our school for new teachers. And so we used the evidencebased strategies that were very helpful and there are still strategies that we're incorporating throughout our school and we are seeing some changes. Um I think culturally we're also starting to see changes in the sense of belonging that we talk about often that is important in our district. And we're not 100% there yet. However, we are starting to see some changes though. Um, learning walks have been very helpful in terms of, you know, walking into classrooms to look at engagement strategies and if students are engaged versus the teachers aren't doing something that they're supposed to do. But we are using um the strategies to be more of a coaching model

244for our teachers. And so from that perspective, it definitely has been very helpful in terms of rethinking instruction and student engagement at our school. Um, not to re I feel like I'm very loud. Um, not to reiterate what Carrie and Rafa said, um, but a little bit different for the high school campus. Those things have been happening. But we also um started every other Friday um half of a planning period staff come together um each Friday for faculty staff crew um and it was a we had a full semester sequence on what that was going to look like. Uh and we kind of marched through that ultimately leading up into grading practices and um kind of vision for the district. Um, but the big lift for us, as you all know, we've had fifth period,

245which we had kind of started before Maggie even got here with this idea that lo and behold, ended up being what student crew was going to be. So, we've spent a D has Maggie talks about they meet with us once a month. It's really for us, it's a lot a month uh on the high school campus because we've been really been frontloading what student crew is going to be. Um, in fact, she was on campus today and we have a um full day on Tuesday to start kind of rolling that out with the staff in preparation for next year. So, that's been really our heavy lift in getting there, front loing what um faculty crew looks like, faculty and staff crew look like um in addition to some of the walkthroughs, but really with that

246heavy heavy hand on we're heading towards student crew. Check check. Um, lots to add, but I'll try to be concise. I think the thing that stands out for me is that e and the coach process is like a comprehensive system that really addresses all parts of what we do in school. Um, so at the middle school level next year, there is a revised crew curriculum for students that has an emphasis on practices. So, we'll start our day every single day in a 30-minute student crew session. Um, but what the coach does for me is that she takes she helps take like these big ideas and really focus in and train staff so that we can be the ones that are really training other staff. And so, it's not this flash in the pan. We're going

247to use this product and then we're going to have a PD from this thing and then we're going to do this other thing. And in theory, they're all connected. Eel like connects everything really nicely. And because our coach is experienced in leading this model, she's just able to coach me and other staff members about how to implement it in an effective um way. So those are the things that stand out most to me. Um without overstating it, in my first year as a principal, it's been a lifesaver. Agree. for Hall Fletcher. Um, one of the things that they've talked about learning walks and you were asking about classified staff. We have incorporated not just the leadership team, but all teachers and all non-certified staff. So, our classified staff in those learning walks so that everybody

248has that same vision and everybody can see what we're looking for. And it has also helped to solidify our staff crew and everybody feels like they have input and they're always looking for what's next. So it's it's a it's a positive thing for us because everybody's forward looking rather than what what are we doing and confused. So that's what's been real helpful for us. One other one other quick note just on the data piece like that's another thing I've appreciated is that they bring in some systems that when we're doing these learning walks and walkthroughs um like there is a method in which we are you know notating certain things and then compiling that data so we can actually see improvement over time to see if the things that we are trying to implement through

249these professional development cycles are actually taking root and if they're leading to any kind of substantive change in student growth. I was just gonna say too um I appreciate it because it's whole district and so like we have our professional development as leaders and a lot of times Dr. Maggie is running those or it could be some people from EL or it could be some central office staff. Then we are able to take what we are learning, we can do professional development with our staff. It just it's really nice to finally all be on the same page and the direction that we're going. Um and so even going from Hal Fletcher to William Randolph, I've been able to take everything that I've learned from the coaches from Dr. Maggie and apply it also at William

250Randolph and it just feels really good and just really seamless and so I appreciate it and the coaching is huge for us as administrators because I can I do class observations all the time right but they push me to look at my classrooms not just teachers but at the classrooms in a different way for example um at the beginning of the year at Hall Fletcher like Erica and Sean and I were like everything's great in that classroom, everything looks great. And you know, Dr. Tiffany said, "Well, let me just ask you one simple question. Where in that lesson could a student opt out? Quietly opt out, right?" Like, yeah, the lesson was great, but what about the kid in the back who's sitting quietly? Are they really engaged? And so, for that, that was huge

251for us. And so, this year at Hal Fletcher, we really focused on engagement and where could students opt out? Because our curriculum is not perfect, right? And so our teachers need to think about that. And it made some big changes. So just little things go a long way. In our last learning walk, there were no optouts because we focused on it so much throughout the year. There were none. And I made Dr. Tiffany look for them. I said, "Look for them." Now, thank you all for sharing. Um, for the board's purposes as we move forward, there obviously there was a list of contracts for information. There were two for approval and they would go on the consent agenda unless folks have anything else they want to say. I would like the E contract not to

252be on the consent agenda. Okay, we can have a vote on that separately. Otherwise, are we ready to move on? The Dacon Dyken contract would be on the consent agenda. Thanks, principles. Yes, thank you. That we really do appreciate that input that you brought. Um, okay. We are moving on to 2.11, the budget amendment and expenditure report. Heidi, thank you. Um these are the standard budget amendment and expenditure report we bring every other month. Uh we will bring the final at the late June board meeting. So some of these numbers are subject to change. Um nothing unusual in this amendment. It was mostly as far as actually dollar amount of change, largely the summer school aotment that came through the hurricane relief funds and then just some things tweaking line items between line items. So,

253um we're we're continuing to uh adjust our estimates and the revenue and expense totals. I'm I'm going to take a much harder look the next couple of weeks at how the revenue has actually come in. Um we were I was trying to give it as long as we could give it because um I don't think we'll have to make really any other subsequent adjustments to that from where we are. So um but like I say it it changes a good bit this time of year because there's not as much that comes in and uh fines and forfeitures as Mr. Campbell knows are way down right now. So I've uh like I say been trying to get as many months in there before we work on that final amendment. Thank you, Heidi. Board members, any questions?

254Are we comfortable with this going on the consent agenda next week? Okay, excellent. Thank you. Um, we now move on to information items. First, we have policies on first read. So, all of the policies that are on first read were on the North Carolina School Board Association spring update and are minor changes. Um 2302 um takes the votes taken by roll call has been added and the voice vote has been removed. Um in 2342 um they have added the roll call vote and in policy code the technology responsible use they've added um guidelines around students and staff using uh Wi-Fi. Um 4023 pregnant and parenting students and employees has added the terminology false pregnancy. uh 4240 the child abuse again that's just the um catching up on the duty to report. Um so if somebody

255you can't just resign to dodge you know having your license revoked by the state if you've had inappropriate relationships with students. Um 6330 um added leased or rented to that policy. And again the 7130 the lure policy again is it's holding everyone accountable for reporting to the state that an employee has done something inappropriate. Do you have any questions about these policies or the updates? My question that I've got that I think I shared with the board earlier um relates to uh 9210 and I think it would be timely to add um or wait can I yeah we're can we I'm gonna Pepe that's information only and so it's separate from these that are here on first read and what will happen after we deal with the polic policies on first read we will move

256to information only which are only before us because of a a small um I can't think of the word a not substantive revision and we will have to decide if we want to move those on to first read or not but I'm but those are separate procedural avenue so if folks could just focus on the ones through 7130 30 and I'm not hearing anything. So I think those are good to move forward. So next um you have three um policies for information only and those are um 7100 has a legal reference update, 7340 has a legal reference update and 9210 has just a cross reference update. So, procedurally, and I hope Chris or Maggie will correct me if I get this wrong, these are nonsubstantive revisions, and so they don't require our approval. If we

257wish to see changes to these, it would require a motion and a vote of this board to do something specific with it to give it back to Maggie to look into something and then it would come forward on a subsequent day of first read. the the way these are procedurally, we're we don't need to get into them unless the board wishes to dive further into the policy, in which case all we're doing is sending it to Maggie. Is that accurate? Okay. So, Pepe, I know you shared with us about 9210. Why don't you give us a brief summary of your issues and we'll see if the board has any desire to move forward with that. the the brief summary is, and I believe Tim will remember this, um we purchased a great deal of crumb

258tire mulch, which then we had to remove from the Isaac Dixon playground um after um uh parents, including attorneys, did research and found that it was a um a toxic and an ongoing hazard, even though it's sold this as um suitable for landscaping and sometimes sold for playgrounds. And so it just seemed timely to add that to the list so that we make new mistakes and not the same old ones. So board members again procedurally if we as a whole board have consensus that we want to expand the prohibitions in this policy for the issues Pepe raises or other prohibitions. We can send it back to Maggie for further investigation. If there's no real if the folks don't feel that's necessary, then we don't we just we have it the way it is now. It

259prohibits what it prohibits. I'm just looking for the will of the board as it pertains to student health and safety. I'm in favor of putting it back to first grade. And what we would do is we would give it to Maggie with instruction. She and her staff would look into it further. Okay. Yeah, I'm in favor of that. Yeah, I'm I'm fine with that. I mean, you know, if it's student health and I mean, I I I want to be careful that we're not like going to start creating this laundry list, right? However, we've already got one on there. So, um, and if if we've if we know of another substance that has caused problems, can I as we decide what's the next move around student safety as it relates to this policy, I'm always

260thinking carefully about policies that come to us rooted in statute because SB, the student school boards administration has said and where we decide to change those or add to them, we create kind of levels of bureaucratic challenge down the line which I don't want to do to staff. So, I'm wondering if there's another option maybe related to local procedures or something along those lines to document this safety issue that we don't want to repeat rather than necessarily using I I'll be honest, I see this a little bit as like one of the many ways that the general assembly micromanages schools. Um, and so I don't know that I want to use this particular policy to achieve something like this. And does that make sense? Yeah. And just to to summarize, so if it's the consensus

261of the board, then Dr. Maggie would look into this issue. She may or may not bring you a policy change. She may bring you a policy change. She may say, "We can handle this a different way. What do you think?" So really all you need to do tonight is sounds like you do have a consensus that you would like for her and the staff to look into this issue and come back to you with everything you've been saying taking into account all your comments. I mean I appreciate the concern and I was part of the parent group that pitched a fit at Isaac Dixon. Um however what I remember about it is that it was Can you imagine? I'm sure you can't. Um, but anyway, I will say that it, you know, there was enough

262information to be concerned, but it also was not close to conclusive. Um, but it was enough that we were like, why would we expose our babies to that? Fair enough. And I feel like that process actually one I can't imagine that the school system would ever use that product again because one parent we've managed to force its removal or succeeded in getting it removed. But also I do fear um the proverbial slippery slope that if we start adding specific PE products to this policy then what happens is if something's not on it that turns out to be dangerous then you know we're um somehow responsible for not anticipating that. So I I feel like we should leave well enough alone and work it through procedure if anything as opposed to policy. I feel like the

263policy is as specific as in really oversp specific already in identifying one toxic sub substance but obviously it's one that everybody agrees on and I don't think there is scientific consensus on the rubber mulch stuff and I can add to that it's in the general statute. I figured it probably would be. One of your duties is to address arsenic treated wood in classroom and on school grounds. You shall prohibit the purchase or acceptance of chromated copper arsenic treated wood on future school grounds, etc., etc. So, the general statutes require you to single out that one thing. So, but I I think your administration can take this and look into it further. Yeah. And I Tim, do you still have that binder that was prepared by the folks who did the research or do we need

264to go out reach out to the parents for that? That was under a different administration and if you'll remember that was uh that must was actually put down by the folks that built the new Dixon Elementary School. Um that was part of the contract that that's what they used. Um I'm not for sure if that binder still exists. I can look for it, but I don't recall seeing anything lately on it. Okay. And I also had a conversation with the small business arms budsman at the uh consumer product safety commission and for them it's an ongoing issue. They just haven't been able to. Nobody has funded getting a decision made and so there's all that bureaucracy. I would say that I don't think we should go to the parents and try to find a binder

265that's 10 years old or whatever it is. How how long has Dixon been in existence anyway? About eight years. Yeah, eight years. Like that's outdated research. So, I feel like let's update it if it's necessary, but I don't think I would bother trying to recreate the wheel on that particular bit of research. So, board members, if you think on this topic, if you have other input for Maggie, feel free to email her, but I think we have a plan. She'll get back to us um about this. So, at this time, I think we are ready to move forward to close session. Um, I will entertain a motion for the board of education to enter into a close session pursuant to general statute 143-318.11 for the following purposes. Under subsection A1 to prevent the disclosure of

266privileged and confidential personnel information pursuant to general statute 115 C-319 through 321. under section A3 to discuss matters protected by the attorney client privilege. Is there a motion? So moved with a request that you read announcements before we go to close session if or that we do any announcements beforehand. Okay. Tell you what, let's vote on the motion to adjurnn and then I will read the announcements. Can I do that? Second. Second. All right. All those in favor? I. I. Any opposed? Okay. As certain folks are leaving, please note, last day of school, in case you didn't know, it's Friday, June 6th. Graduation is that evening. It will be a beautiful evening as always. Our this board is meeting next Monday here at 5 PM and we are now in close session.