001Okay. >> Yeah. Take you got a picture of our >> You have a picture of our family. So take Yeah, that's fine. And you want to take a picture of three of us, too? Probably. Yep. of my life. All right. Can I please get a motion and a second for the approval of the agenda for the organizational meeting? >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Balant, for your motion. Thank you, Mr. Harris, for your second. Mr. Burson, please call the role. Hi. >> Hi. And Mr. Burson, you need a microphone. >> All right. >> Sorry. I know it's kind of hard because we don't normally have microphones like this, so we're all used to just freely speaking and everyone being able to hear us. So, okay. So, the next item on the agenda this
002evening for our organizational meeting will be to nominate and elect our officers for 2026. And I'm just going to go ahead and start and just say that we need to elect a president and a vice president. And I would like to initiate this by just putting out a motion to nominate Victor Harris as our president of the board to the board. Can I get a second? Okay. Anyone else? All right. Mr. Burson, can you please call the role? Sure. >> Since there's uh only one nominee, then I will just uh I will call in alphabetical order. Uh Mr. Balant. >> Hi, >> Mr. Gosnell. >> Hi, >> Mr. Harris. Hi, >> Dr. James. Hi, >> Mrs. Bidder. Hi. And now we have the vice president. And I'd like to also motion for this one as
003well to nominate Dr. James to be our vice president. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Anyone else? Okay. Mr. Burson, can you please call the role? >> Right. Again, since we only have one nominee, I'll call this time actually in alphabetical order. And so, uh, Mr. Valent, Mrs. Ber >> I >> Mr. Gosnell >> I >> Mr. Harris >> I >> Dr. James >> hi >> okay so now we need to Mr. person, you need to administer the oath of office um will be administered to the board president and the vice president and then at that point well not not just yet but soon um the new president will preside over the remainder of the meeting. So I think we go through or do we >> do the oath I think first. >>
004Yeah. So you go through the oath first. Yep. >> And don't forget your microphone. Oh, she's got one. Keep going. All right. So, again, I'll go ahead and read everything and all you have to do is answer by saying I do. If you would raise your right hand, please. Uh, do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio and that you will faithfully and impartially discharge your duties as president and vice president of the board of education of the Sycamore Community School District Hamilton Hamilton County, Ohio to the best of your ability and will do so during your continuence and set leadership position until a successor is elected and qualified? >> I do. Congratulations. Thank you. Now this is the
005part. Do you begin now or do you begin after the organizational meeting? He takes over now. Okay. So now you take Sure. I know. >> All right. Uh first of all, I'd like to thank everybody for the responsibility that you've entrusted in me. Um this is I a responsibility I take very seriously. Um I've been in the Sycamore involved in the Sycamore Community School District for almost 40 years and that sounds like a really long time. just made myself feel really old by saying that, but it is a place I love. It's a place my kids are proud alumni of, my wife is a proud alumni of, and I'm a proud teacher and parent and uh office holder in the district. So, I will execute my duties to the best of my abilities, and I'm
006going to make mistakes. Um, I know I will, and but I know I've got a lot of good people up here that will help me and do those kinds of things. So, thank you very much. All right. Okay. We will move move on to board appointments. >> Mr. Harris, do you mind if I just say one thing? Sure. I think it's just important like >> you know uh Sarah is outgoing president, Mrs. Bidder is outgoing president. Just I think we all would be remiss to not say thank you because I don't think people understand two years in that role is a lot. Um it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort. you take a lot of phone calls from multiple of us up here and back there. So, um I would be remiss
007to let that go by without just saying thank you and thank you for your service in that role. >> Yeah, I think I think yes and I was sorry I was remiss in that. I think we owe a round of applause to Sarah for all she's done. Thank you very much. All right, so we have board appointments. These are the different board committees and responsibilities that each board member will have. Um, and so I guess we'll just go through and see what people are interested in doing. I think that's how we typically have done that. Um, so we have the first position is legislative liaison and that's the person who kind of keeps us up to date on legislation in Columbus. Um, is anyone interested in doing that? >> I'm interested in doing that. >>
008Thank you. Um, anybody else? All right. So, Mr. Gosnell will be our legislative leaison. Um, our student achievement leaison. >> I'm interested in doing that. >> Anyone else? >> Um, our policy representative who uh represents us on a policy committee working with Mr. Levelvel. I'd like to continue on that. Okay, >> Dr. James. >> And I don't think it's bad to have two people. I saw you looking like you were going to >> Yeah. Turn right. >> Yeah. I mean, I would also like to if that's okay. >> All right. Yep. We can do that. >> Yeah. Okay. Um, audit representative to help out with the audit that's done yearly. >> I'm open to doing it. If if anybody else is interested, that's okay, too. But I'm definitely open to doing it. Okay, >> can
009do it. >> All right. The Sycamore Advisory uh Commission representative. Anyone interested in doing that? That's a couple of meetings. Once meeting once a month. Once a month on Monday evening. Anyone? My last one. I promise. I'm interested. >> Okay. Mr. And and I'm I mean I'm I'm always happy to jump in if you're unable to go. I mean in any committee I'm also willing to help out. But >> okay, >> you do that, Mr. Gausnell, but I'll help you if you ever miss a meeting. You can let me know and I can jump in. >> All right. Um our foundation representative to help out with our new Sycamore Foundation. >> Yeah, I I would be interested in that. Okay. All right. Uh, our business advisory, uh, council representative, >> I'd be interested. >> So,
010the president of the board is typically on that. >> Uh, I will a lot of those are during the day and that is going to be a problem for me is having a full-time job and everything like that. So, I think I'm going to entrust that to Dr. James. >> Mr. Bon, do you still want to do that? I would like to continue on it as well. >> Okay. >> Support you with it. >> All right. And last, the Sycamore Bridges Steering Committee. Representative, >> I would like to do that. >> Okay. And I think I'd like to help out with that, too. So, >> Sure. >> Okay. >> All right. So, those are our board appointments, okay, that everyone's going to serve on. All right. Our next thing is to move on and to
011establish our uh meeting dates, times, and locations for uh the 2026. Um is there a motion to approve the meeting dates and a schedule for 2026? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh thank you Mrs. Bidder for your second >> for your motion and Mr. Balant for your second. I would like to um have a little discussion on this. Um you know, for the first probably half of the time I spent on the board, we always had our first meeting of the month be more of a work session meeting, less of a formal meeting. It's still a public meeting where the public can attend, but this is where we worked a little closer with the administrators. We had pres more presentations, more open discussion, kind of gave them direction. Um and I thought it was
012very successful that way. And then the second meeting of the month was our formal meeting to where we would go through the necessary approvals um and and we wouldn't spend that time. So it kind of split them into two different sessions. >> Um and I thought it was very effective. I thought it was more we had more time more interaction with the staff during um work session meetings. I know a lot of other boards do it that way as well. Um, I I would like to have a discussion, see if anybody else is interested in that type of format. Um, and maybe try something different this year. >> I do like that idea. We have a lot of big issues that we need to talk about, a lot of big decisions we've got to make
013in the year. And this will give us an opportunity to do those kinds of things and have those discussions um in an open forum where we're not so pressed upon so many other things that we have to do. So, I I would be in favor of that. >> What times are you talking about? I know at the first meeting, but is it still 7 o'clock or you want to >> I I would propose if we're on our like our work session even maybe to move it up an hour that gives the administration, you know, an hour back at home in the evenings. Um maybe start our, you know, uh work session meeting at 6:00 and then our regular public meeting in the evenings at 7. >> Okay. I was I'm now catching on. I'm finally
014understanding what you're saying. Okay. Sorry. Okay. So you're saying every so every meeting we split it up. We do a work session at the beginning. >> No, every the first meeting a month would be just a work session. Okay. There would be times we might have to have some approvals of things just from a timing standpoint, but the goal would be to keep the, you know, the formal approvals, you know, more towards the end of the month at the at the at the formal public and and, you know, uh, keep that more as a open meeting, a discussion, you know, talk about those high level topics. Um, and and really even start working soon on what that calendar would look like. you know, we have a lot on our plate for this year and and
015you know, we we could come up and propose what sessions the board wanted to talk about, you know, maybe for the next four or six months or something. >> Yeah, I think that's a I'm open to that. Sounds like a great idea. >> Great idea. Would we start in February? Are you proposing it? >> I would propose we start in February. >> Um, you know, and we might not even need executive session at a work session. It just, you know, depends upon what's coming up and what we need to do >> coming up. But really try to keep that more as an interactive, you know, uh, work session with with the administration. >> And we always typically shape the tables differently because here we're open having dialogue with the public. There we're we're having dialogue
016with each other >> and there still be, you know, we can still >> listen, but not engaging with the public typically in those work sessions because we're trying to get down into the work. Um the the only thing I would say about um you know it is tough for us to only have 12 times that we can get approvals for something. So I think Mr. Balance correct there's going to be things that we will need approval on if they're missionritical to our operation. Like >> obviously things like you know like if we need a calendar approval >> um but if we're going to continue to do like three reads we may need to do one of those reads like after the work session is over. So because we don't want to delay it for three
017months just to do a calendar read. I'm just using that as an example of something we probably wouldn't want to spread out that far. But >> overall I think it works well to have dialogue. Uh, the one thing I wanted to point out about February that this calendar does not have, we do not have our financial retreat on there. We may have that later on our agenda to discuss. I can't remember if we put it down there or not, but just while you're talking about the calendar, it's important that we think about what can we all give to time. And I don't know if people would prefer a Saturday. That's certainly an option. We've done that in the past. I think we also have looked at, you know, I think we've done them like a
018full day session sometimes. I think it just depends on what we think we need to cover that day. But with what we have coming at us, I do think we're going to need to dedicate some significant time. I can think of finances, I can think of staffing discussions, and then certainly the financial long-term picture. So, those are all things that I think >> I think it is on gonna take a while. >> It is on other board business to discuss. I think >> it is because some months we're just gonna maybe have to have three meetings in one month and it could be a Saturday or another day, but we do have to >> do that. >> Well, since that's coming up real soon. Um, well, we'll I'll wait until it's on the >> I
019will just point I point out if we if we approve this as is and we'll we'll go ahead and I'll ensure that the proper notice is given if we're going to go to a work session earlier. We'll we'll get that all squared away and make sure the public is properly notified. So, >> perfect. >> Also want to point out that the calendar is a little different for us. It's not the first and third Wednesday of each month. So be careful to look at that and >> yeah, we had to avoid a lot of holidays and >> really being thoughtful about our cultural calendar that we take a look at and I think it was a sack project a number of years ago that >> really gave us a very good cultural calendar to pay attention
020to. So, um, we try to take all those things in and sometimes it's unavoidable, but for the most part, we tried to avoid some of the major holidays that affects a lot of our families in the district. Um, who made the motion in the second on this item? >> U, the motion was made by uh, Mr. Balot and seconded by >> I think it was motioned by me and Mr. Balot, seconded. >> Oh, was it? Okay, I got the names down. Okay. Switched. I think just so we're clear in the minutes and for the public that you would have to amend your emotion and second just to include the changes that you made because what we're approving right here does not show a work session. I do think just to be clear if we're going
021to do that I think so that the public feels like hey you're being transparent because the motion >> yeah I agree but you know we didn't speak of a time yet because there's no times on this but but it should say you know like February 11th should be work session and then February 25th should be regular meeting. So yes um Mrs. Bidder would have to amend her motion >> and are youable to >> I am. Yes I am. I second that again. >> Which is funny that it's funny that February and March are the exact same dates. >> I was I just looked just to make sure that that's really true, but >> and then um so we'll do six o'clock then for the work session and 7 o'clock for the start of >> So
022is that the word regular meeting? Is that what's we're getting stuck on, right? Is that what we have to change or we have to approve? Does doesn't a work session still contain all the components of a regular meeting >> just to a a lesser degree? >> No. There are some things that you don't do in the work session. It's still a public meeting. >> Yes. >> And things like that, but there are some things that you would do in that work session that we wouldn't that would occur in a regular board meeting, not in that work session. >> All right. So, we're going to add a work session at the first first meeting >> meeting of every of every month, not today. Yeah. Got it. >> Okay. Uh, Mr. B, could you call the role,
023please? >> Mrs. B. >> I. >> Mr. Bal, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. >> All right. Now we move on to the approval of memberships for the year. Now help me out here. Do we have to approve each of these individually or can we approve them in mass? >> We can approve them in mass. So is there a motion to approve the uh for the approval of the 2026 uh memberships? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Thank you uh Dr. James for your motion and Mrs. Bidder for your second. The person is ready. Good. Please call the role. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mrs. Diller, >> I. >> Mr. Ballot, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Harris,
024>> I. >> All right. The next thing on our agenda is to establish a board service fund. This is authorized by Ohio Vice Code 3315.15 which provides for the setting aside from the general fund not to exceed $2 per student or $20,000 whichever is greater to be used only in paying expenses of board of education members in the performance of their duties. Is there a motion to approve uh the establishment of a board service fund? >> So moved. Second. Okay. Thank you, uh, Mrs. Bidder for your motion and Dr. James for your second. >> Um, is this something we've done in the past? >> Yes. And this this is pretty typical um to establish this fund and and what it does do is um just gives us the authority for in your duties to whether
025it be mileage reimbursement for something that pops out of this capital conference, right? Um, and items like that for training. Um, that's acceptable within within your duties as the board. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you for that, Mr. Buren. Okay, Mr. Burson, could you please call the role? >> Um, sorry. Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Balon, >> I. >> Mr. Gos, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. >> All right. Thank you. And is there a motion to authorize the treasurer to reimburse and pay expenses incurred by a board member elect for training and orientation from the board service fund? >> So moved. >> Second. >> And for people that don't know, we've got a couple of new board members. There is a board orientation is sponsored by
026OSBA that we like to send our board members to so they can understand what it takes to become a good board member. Um there's all kind of training for that as well. So all right. Uh who was that? Who who was that made our motion? Mr. B. >> I do. >> Mr. Balant and our second. >> All right, Mrs. Bidder. Thank you. >> All right, Mr. Buren, could you call the role, please? >> Uh, Mr. Balant. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Bidder. >> Hi, >> Mr. Gosnell. >> Hi, >> Dr. James. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Bidder. >> Oh, Mr. Harris. >> Hi. >> That'll take some getting used to, I imagine. So, that's okay. That's all right. That'll >> All right. All right. Now, we have a uh resolution for approving of standing authorizations. And if
027somebody could explain what these standing authorizations are, um Mr. Buren, >> I'll take the first two and I'll leave Mr. person to do the last two cuz uh the first two are uh standing authorizations to authorize my either me or uh the people that obviously work with me but my signature is on it to um allow for the employment of individuals and also the resignation for of individuals in between board meetings because we do need official board action which if we did not do this we would be having a lot of special meetings. So, this allows us to have the authority obviously in absence of those meetings to be able to do those things and continue the business of the district. >> However, there's still pending board approval. >> Okay. And also I I'm just
028pointing out because we've gone through this before. If if there is an administrator that's being hired, we would not announce it publicly until we have the board meeting. And that that was something that our board has come to terms with over time. So I'm just repeating that so that the community knows as well. >> All right. And the last two, Mr. Buren. Yep. Um so this would just give the treasur um myself the ability to pay the bills and to invest funds according to you know Ohio OC. Um and then the public records designate. Um that just means I'm I'm in charge of maintaining um all public records and any public records requests that I should log them and track a response time and um all that and that is also according to OC. So
029>> all right thank you Mr. Buren. All right, we have a motion to approve this resolution. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James, for your motion. And thank you, Mr. Balot, for your second. Buren, could you please call the role? >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Balance, >> I. >> Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. All right. The next thing we have is to adopt a modified tax budget. All right. And um I think we probably would do with a short explanation of what this modified tax budget this is something that we do every year. Um and Mr. Buren, would you like to explain what that is, please? >> Yeah, certainly. Uh so the the modified tax budget is required by um by
030Hamilton County. And what it does is it it shows them a need for um for the property taxes that we do collect. Um and that just is certifying that we that we do have that need. So that's what they they're reviewing and that's what we will submit to them. >> Okay. All right. Is there a motion to approve to adopt the modified tax budget? >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bidder for your motion. And thank you, Dr. James, for your second. Person, could you please call the RO? Um, Mrs. Bidder. I >> Dr. James. I. >> Mr. Balant. I. >> Mr. Gosno. Hi. >> Mr. Harris. Hi. >> Thank you. All right. And then our next one is an a motion to adopt a resolution to secure tax advances. And again, Miss Bur
031explain this one. I don't want to mess this one up either. So, yeah. So, with um with our property taxes, uh this will just give us the ability to ask for an advance on those before the settlement date, which just gives the district um access to those that have already paid their property taxes. allows us to get our funds sooner so that we can use them, invest them um rather than leaving them in the hands of the county until the settlement date. >> Questions? All right. Do we have a motion to approve the uh uh resolution to secure tax advances? >> Moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Balot, for your motion. And thank you, Mrs. Bidder, for your second. >> All right. And Mr. Bur, could you please call the role? >> Mr. Balant,
032>> I. Mrs. Bidder >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell >> I. >> Dr. James >> I. >> Mr. Harris >> I. >> So that passes. All right. With that we will adjourn our organizational meeting. And can we go right into our next one? All right. So the organizational meeting is over. Yay. All right. All right. Okay. So we'll go through with our district mission. Uh ah mission and vision. All right. And being new in that. Do I have a copy of that? >> It's on your if you click the >> is it on there? Got these people in here to help me out. >> All right. There we go. All right. Our mission and our vision, we like to start every meeting with this. Our mission is to create a culture of academic excellence through inclusive
033and innovative learning opportunities for the whole child. and our invi our vision is to empower all learners to reach their full potential in a globally competitive world. So all right so the first thing I'd like to do is um approve our agenda and a meeting and our uh minutes from our last meeting. So the first thing you have a motion to approve our agenda. >> So moved second. >> Thank you Dr. James for your motion. Thank you Mrs. Bidder for your second. There any questions um about the agenda or anything like that? Hey, Mr. Burson, please call the role. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mrs. Bitter, >> I. >> Mr. Balance, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I have been approved. All right. And then we have a motion
034to approve the minutes from our last meeting. Are there any questions about the minutes? Anything we need to discuss? Okay. Could I have a motion to approve our minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Ballot for your motion. Thank you. Mrs. Bidder for your second. >> All right, Mr. Burson, if you call the role, please. Mr. Balant, >> I. >> Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Mrs. Mr. Gos, >> do I abstain? >> No, you can vote. >> You could abstain or you could vote. >> Okay. I, >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. >> All right. Minutes have been approved. All right. Now, we're at the public participation uh part of our meeting. Mr. Mr. Burson, do we have any uh public uh participation? >> I did not have
035anybody, but in the transition, I think that we might have one. >> All right. And just generally our rules, uh, three minutes up there. Uh, try to keep your comments not specifically directed at a board member. I guess you're more or less talking to me, uh, when you're doing that. Um, Dr. James, if you could keep the time. >> Okay. Uh, good evening. >> And before I I'm just saying, uh, please state your name and your address, please. >> Uh, good evening. Uh, my name is Dr. Zishan. I'm a resident of 9886 Timber. Uh, first of all, I would like to congratulate our new board. Uh, and thank you for stepping up and taking this serious responsibility. I would like to start making a statement um today. Uh my name is Dr. Zean Pasha. I
036have been a bluish resident for more than a decade. I'm the parent of two Sycamore graduates and one current senior. I appreciate the opportunity to speak at the first meeting with the newly seated board. I am here on behalf of the community concerned members to affirm our shared commitment to the Sycamore school mission and to the prudent stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The community has raised a consistent concern while students are evaluated regularly and held to clear standards. There is no comparable transparent framework for evaluating the board performance. The board oversees more than a mill billion dollars in public assets and decisions. The absence of defined evaluation criteria and measurable performance metrics create confusion about how accomplishments are identified and attributed. Establishing clear criteria and publishing measurable results will reduce ambiguity, discourage self-promotion without evidence and
037align the board accountability with the standards applied to our students. I am proposing uh different recommended actions. Adopt board performance criteria, define responsibilities, measurable goals, and a simple scoring rubric for annual self-evaluation and peer review. Publish a community dashboard. Provide quarterly or bannual updates on key metrics so taxpayers can track progress and outcomes. Require brief vote explanations. Ask each board member to state the rational for their vote on agenda items to increase transparency and build the public trust. Reporting on training investments provide a final evaluation of the $20,000 allocated for development showing how funds were used and what skill or outcomes resulted. Record and followup. include these requests in the official minutes and schedule periodic town halls to review progress and solicit community feedback. This will be a pivotal year for Sycamore schools. These steps
038will move us beyond routine approvals toward measurable governance that honors taxpayers and strengthens the public confidence. Thank you for your service to our community and for considering these recommendations to enhance transparency, accountability and professional growth of the board. And I already um written down a policy um one page for a call board performance transparency and steward policy. I would like this one to be the part of the minutes. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Anything else, Mr. Person? Okay. All right. We will move on to the superintendent's agenda um with the first discussion of some policy. Mr. Levelvel. >> All right. Well, happy new year to you all. I mean, I'm excited to be able to talk about policy first thing in the regular meeting in the new year, right? I know. and congratulations
039uh to our new policy uh member. Exciting. Glad to have you. Um well, I just wanted to start off a couple things. Um we obviously didn't put any first reads on this agenda because it's the first meeting and so we wanted to make sure that we weren't putting in front of uh Mr. GZnell anything that um you hadn't had time to really review. Um the second reads on here will be able to kind of go through that over time. Um, one of the things that the board will need to do at the next meeting is set the policy meeting dates for the year. Um, I wanted to find out at the organizational meeting who'd be supporting policy on the board. And so what I'll do is I'll work with you, Dr. James, you, Mr. Dozen,
040to try to figure out what days work for you, um, for policy meetings. Um, we technically have one tomorrow, but we're that it's it's not a real meeting because it was never approved. So, we're actually not going to do that meeting because we have nothing to meet about. Um but we are still holding our Neola transition work meetings. Um so all that to say um I will be reaching out individually to you to kind of get you on boarded in all that work. But in front of us today we've got two things. Um first is the discussion of the policy of the second read. That's just the 4000s um which is our classified staffing um policy policies. And then the second one, item B, is the second read of the approval policies of the employment
041of administrators. And these were on at the last meeting and I shared um briefly about those. So um I can just open up to um if if it's okay just open up to any questions about those two areas and then we could always um ask for a vote for the approval on um the second read of the um five policies there. >> Yeah, I have a question. It's on the the second read one. Um the employment of administrators, not necessarily the the way the policy is written, but it's it's different than what we've done in the past. Typically, we approve two-year contracts for administrators. This is uh you know, this is ex this is giving us the option of >> uh three years for administrators, I believe. So, I I guess my question is, is
042this something that you're going to be bringing back to the board? I know we typically do it in the spring. Are we going to be transitioning to three-year contracts for our administrators or are we going to be, you know, just doing the standard two? >> I think it's um certainly something that we want to discuss with you. Obviously, the policy has to reflect the potential of practice. Um certainly we can't issue contracts to administrators without your approval. So, um, at a at a future meeting, it is our desire to talk to you about, um, you know, in the absence of more money and, um, other benefits that we may not be able to afford to offer, um, people that have proven over time to bring tremendous value to our team and have shown consistent leadership
043and, you know, high performance in their evaluations. and we will have a system that we will bring to you the how that would work. Um I think at that point we would we would be recommending to you that it is something that we could offer. Um because I think you've challenged us a couple of times to think creatively about how do we retain um good leaders and how do we get them to stay and um it takes both both directions, right? we have to show them a commitment of being interested in maintaining them in the district. Um, and I think showing them a commitment of a three-year potential contract is um, certainly something that would be of interest to our team. And again, there's usually a system of how that works and it's earned not
044given. So, uh, when I think about, you know, the a lot of our leaders in the team, many of them have been here a number of years and have earned that opportunity or potential opportunity to be offered a three-year contract from the board. So, certainly a discussion we'd like topic as we move into that is what we're thinking. A great work session or retreat topic. Yeah. >> And I will add to that as well that Mr. Lewis has charged myself and Mr. um person to really dive into the salary comps of our comparable districts as well which we're doing for classified certified exempt but obviously um administration and that's not just base salary looking at that but it's also look total compensation packages so you know obviously we want to make sure that we're in
045line with our other districts and making sure that um what we're bringing to you has data behind it as well and so I'm committed to do that um we're in the thick of it and so um I agree that would be a great work session topic at some The other thing I think you're going to see from our February retreat when we talk about staffing with you is um I also asked Mr. Levelville to dig into um I think people um you know say things sometimes and they don't have data or factual information to back it up. Um so one of the things I asked Mr. Levelville to do is you know we get accused all the time of well they're administrative topheavy at Sycamore. Um, in the other districts that I've worked in and
046the other districts that I've I visit and talk with, uh, we do not have near the administrative team size that some of my colleagues have. So, I just ask them to let's get that let's get those factual pieces of information um, so that we can be uh, to Dr. Pasha's point, we want to be transparent with our community. Like there's a ratio that we can say like, hey, this is our administrative to student ratio in the district or in the district office. Um we're a very lean district office. I visited a a neighboring district um this week and I can tell you our 12,000 square feet um with the same size of students, same number of students is nothing compared to their 30,000 square foot district office. and the number of people in it. So,
047it's one of those things where I think unless you're knowledgeable about what goes on in other districts, you don't know the comparison. So, uh we want to bring that information to you and and Mr. Levelville was he gets excited about projects. So, he was gets excited about this project and u we'll be able to bring you some factual information and be transparent with our community about what are we seeing in comparison to other districts. Any more questions? All right. So for a that is a second read. Will we approving that to Mr. Levelville? >> No, that's just a discussion and that will be part of that June. >> That's what I thought approval. >> Just wanted to make sure. So for we do have a second read and approval of the policies that we just
048talked about with the ad um administrators uh professional staff contract and classified staff and employment contract. Um do we have a motion to approve these? >> Second. >> All right. Thank you Mr. Ballot for your motion and thank you Dr. James for your second and Mr. Person if you please read the role. Sorry. Mr. Ballot. >> Hi. >> Dr. James. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Diller. >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell. >> I. >> Mr. Harris. >> I. >> All right. Uh, now we have our next topic is the air program review. And uh this is the approval contract with the American Institute for Research. And it's uh I think Mrs. Spencer is approaching the podium to give us some information on this. Mr. Harris, we should take a you should take a you get the motion
049in the second and then have the discussion. >> Okay. Thank you very much. All right. See, that's why you have these good people up here help me. All right. So, is there a motion to approve approve the air program review? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. James, and thank you, Mrs. Bidder for uh motion in your second. And Mrs. Spencer, uh please uh tell us about this. >> Right. I just wanted to uh briefly uh review this and Mr. Long I don't know if the slide is available. Um just one slide that's all. Um we um have an opportunity to engage with the American Institute of Research uh to conduct a program review um for um some very specific items. Um, and this would really be a uh comprehensive review
050of not only special education programming, but to address our state identified disproportionality um in addition to evaluating our system effectiveness. Um, to speak a little bit about um the why additional factors why we're bringing this um to the board for approval. Um the state designation of disproportionality is um related to um the data for the past uh year that we have um in terms of a ratio a risk ratio of overidentifying our black students as um having student as students with disabilities. And so, uh, the state identifies a ratio that you need to fall within and we are above the ratio, um, for, um, for Sycamore, for that subgroup of students. And so that creates, um, the need for us to develop a corrective action plan. Um, it also uh requires us to redirect 15%
051of our federal IDEIDA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding in order to uh address early intervening. Now, early intervening doesn't mean early intervention like elementary. It means early intervening in the process when maybe there's a student that's struggling and when a team may suspect that a child has a disability. That's what we're talking about in terms of early intervening. Um, and so when we conducted a root cause analysis uh related to that disproportionality status, we did see some inconsistencies in that pre-referral process um the access to um intervention for some of uh uh those students and then some like I said just inconsistencies with the process in general across the district when we're initially looking at identifying an individual student with a disability. So, we took an opportunity um Mrs. Lawson and u Mrs. Tommpkins
052and I um really dug into what um AIR and some other um agencies may be able to provide us in terms of a program review. Uh there's only so much that you can do uh when you're so close to it. um having an objective third party come in and really look at your data objectively with no emotion, no no excuses, no reasons why, no COVID this or no um you know these uh uh situations happened. Um so we do have this opportunity um to really um have a program audit that can be objective and bring us some outcomes that we can then take action on. Um so air being a credible third-party um agency they have experience doing this with spa both small and large districts um this will um uh be a very comprehensive
053uh review. It will include uh focus groups. It will include parent and staff surveys. Um as you all know uh we've had a lot of parent participation over the past year. uh our families of students with disabilities coming to the board uh and sharing uh some items. Uh I I believe that this would be a really good way to address um some of those concerns that have come up. Um and I would just want to clarify too that previously in the fall I had recommended that we conduct a group level assessment that we would run as a district. um this would take the place of that because one it's more comprehensive and two it's going to include all of those stakeholders and again be a third party um that would have an unbiased lens. Um
054I think that our um community would appreciate that. Um so uh just to to share with you the timeline um it would be if approved it would begin this month and last through September. the outcomes would be presented to us and then we could develop kind of like a mini strategic plan uh for special education really looking at what are we going to do the next three to five years um in programming and addressing some of the outcomes from this uh program review. >> Thank you, Mrs. Spencer. I just wanted to jump in uh to reiterate what a high priority this is for our district. How um excited we are to gather this important information and to share that we are committed to uh an action plan uh in communication with the board regarding progress
055on that action plan. >> I think it's important to note that this is not coming out of district operating funds. Is that correct? >> That's correct. It will be um coming out of those redirected funds uh from our idea federal grant. Yes. the entirety of the amount. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> I appreciate you putting that as a as a priority. >> All right. Thank you, Mrs. Spencer. Any other questions, comments, board members? >> Yeah, just uh just I know it says that the the timeline goes through September. I think September is where you're kind of strategically planning moving forward, right? because it says the the presentation of the findings would be in or near August. So is that kind of and is that is that an open to the public meeting or is that
056for us to then disseminate out to the public? What what does that meeting look like? >> Well, that's something that we will be working with our air team with and uh further identifying. I believe that's something that we can um identify what we feel would be appropriate. So we could certainly get the board's input regarding that. >> Thank you, Mr. Spencer. All right, so we do have a motion for this. All right, if there's no more questions, Mr. Burson, could you please call the role? >> Uh, Dr. James, >> I. >> Mrs. Bther, >> I, >> Mr. Balot, >> I. >> Mr. Gnull, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. Great. And next is the uh motion for the approval of an agreement with the Cincinnati Center for Autism. Uh do I have a motion?
057>> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh thank you Mrs. Bidder for your motion and thank you Dr. James for your second. And I think Mrs. Spencer is going to give us a little more information about this. >> Yeah. And and I just wanted to uh come to the board knowing that u Mr. GZnell is is new um to the board. And just as a rem a mid-year reminder, the bulk of our contracts for um student um educational placements typically come in the summer. Um some of them do come throughout the school year as IEP teams make decisions. But I did just want to uh to remind um the board that contracts for placement are brought to the board following IEP team decisions and team meetings. um that process for determining where a student requires services
058um starts with the IEP team and we look at the whole continuum of services which means gen ed uh general education environment all the way through homebound hospital and everything in between. Um and these educational placements are part of that in between. Um it does um uh really look at uh that the tuition for a specific placement is the same typically for student all students who attend there. But the services that a student requires may make that tuition or the cost of that placement fluctuate a little bit depending on if they need related services or additional services outside of what the tuition covers. It is an annual decision. This is not a once placed always placed. uh the IEP team has to meet at least annually if not more frequently um to make these decisions.
059Um so I just wanted to to remind the board of of that process and um also um share that although um costly uh these decisions aren't made very lightly at all. Um we really want to serve our own students but depending on the needs of the student that's where we really make that decision with the IEP team. We do have an opportunity for some reimbursement of these costs through something a process the state has in place called threshold costs. It used to be called catastrophic costs, but they changed the name. I think it's maybe more positive. Um, but it really talks about um it it involves the um uh additional services and costs that a district is incurring to serve our students with disabilities. And there's a very cumbersome Mr. Burson knows uh labor labor
060intensive process but it's worth it to go through because we do get some uh reimbursement. The state has one pot of money for that for all districts. It depends on how many districts are taking the time to fill out all that paperwork and uh make the request and then they distribute the funds uh accordingly. Um, so it it's been very beneficial to us in the past to go through that process to get reimbursement for some costs. >> Any questions? >> Thank you, Mrs. Spencer. All right, we have a motion on the floor. Uh, Mr. Buren, could you please call the role? >> Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Valent, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Harris. >> I All right. The next thing is the uh motion
061for the approval of the 2627 student handbooks. And uh these are student and parent handbooks. And Miss Lawson, first let's I guess I'm sorry. We've got to get our motion in there first. All right. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Thank you, Mrs. Bidder for your motion. Thank you for your second. Uh Mr. Balot >> like to thank the board for their feedback and thorough read of these handbooks. That was quite a bit of reading uh that you had over the winter break. I also uh wanted to note that there are u many handbooks here and one of them is a separate preschool handbook that has this year's school year on it. Um that is in response to um a review that we received where we recommendation was made that we provide additional
062information specific to preschool and that it um be noted separately in its own handbook. So, we'll be putting that as an addendum to this year's PK through 6 handbook and it will live as a separate handbook for preschool only beginning in the 2627 school year. >> Any questions about the handbooks? >> I I mean I think we I provided just some input like basic typo type things to you already. I don't know if we need to go if anyone needs to go through it, but if you have any questions for us, I guess please let us know. >> And just some spacing and formatting. >> That's a lot of work. Thank you very much for doing that. And I know just uh just to say it once again, I know I know you've brought this
063up, but we're referring to policy in the handbook um in all of the handbooks because that's where handbooks come from is board policy. So it must come from the board policy, but it's written in a different way. And we are in the middle of changing from Ohio schoolboard association policy to NEOLA policy. So we used to in every board policy handbook or excuse me in every handbook refer directly to the board policy but we're unable to do that now where because we're in the middle. So either take it out completely or my suggestion was to say something like based on board policy but not write the policy yet because we don't know what it's going to be and then later on fill it in if you're able to do that online. But I think whatever
064you do, I think you kept it pretty consistent and it looked looked good to me. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Mr. Burst, could you please call the RO? >> Mrs. Biddler, >> I. >> Mr. Ballock, >> I. >> Mr. Gothnel, >> I. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. All right. Next up is a um out of town field trip approval. Um there's several on there. Um so is there a motion to approve these out of town field trips? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you Mrs. Bidder for your motion. Thank you Mr. Gosno for your second. Okay. And um Mr. Ber, could you please call the RO? >> Mr. B. >> Sorry, Mrs. Bidder. >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, I >> Mr. Valent. >> Dr. James, >> I. >>
065Mr. Mr. Harris. >> I >> All right. Is there any other uh Mr. uh Lewis, any other things on your agenda? >> Uh just a couple of things cuz we obviously we just got back from winter break. So, welcome back to our staff and our students. Um I think our parents are excited for our students to be back cuz when you get two weeks with your kids, uh you love them, but you love sending them back to school. So, um I certainly was excited to send mine back to school. So, um, but it was great to have everybody, uh, get a recharge and, uh, really just said it to Mrs. Bidder before the meeting. It's third quarter, which is unbelievable at this point. So, it's the sprint to the finish. So, um, but glad to
066have everybody have everybody back, have everybody back safely. Um, just a couple of short things since we've had a lot of items on this agenda. Um just want to put a a a plug out for our Sycamore African Library project group. Uh they have come and shared information with us before. Um they are still working on collection of books, used books, donations. Um but this just tells you how generous our community is. Uh, I put out an email to some of our um friends of Sycamore, I'll say, that just, you know, have an interest in helping. And within probably less than an hour, um, of an email that they the kids had crafted for me, we had a a donor that was willing to match up to $5,000 of of whatever the kids fund raise.
067So, if they raise 3,000, he'll put 3,000 um through his foundation. and if it's 5,000, he'll match the other 5,000. So, it's just an amazing community to live in uh that people want to step up and help our students be successful uh with these projects and the global impact that our kids are having. I mean, the what they're working on will will furnish libraries in Africa. And our kids don't have to do that, but they they want to do it. So, um, and then just another thing I wanted to put out to the board, um, next Tuesday, I believe it's next Tuesday at 8:30, um, in this room, we have our AES culture and climate team meeting. Uh, Mrs. Lawson does an amazing job leading that team. And, um, if you remember, we talked about
068how much of a priority that needs to be. and uh she has done an amazing job of and the the people in that group are just uh fantastic from out from the community from inside our schools. Um they just care deeply about the topics that we talk about. Um so um I know I had mentioned it to Dr. James um just in passing, but if anybody else I think she's going to try to come, but if anybody else would like to come and check it out and if it's not this week, we have others. Um but just kind of put it on your radar. Uh, so it's next Tuesday at 8:30 in this room, but if that doesn't work for your schedule, um, certainly in the future, we would love to have you because I
069I would love to for you to be able to see um, not only Mrs. Lawson in action because she thrives in those environments, uh, really teaching and coaching others, um, but to watch the staff coach each other, uh, which is pretty amazing. So that's all I have for today because um we have a lot of uh really cool things happening, but we'll save it for the next meeting. >> Thank you very much. Okay. All right. Next, we will move on to the personnel consent agenda. Do I have a motion to approve the personnel consent agenda? >> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you for your uh motion, Dr. James, and thank you for your second, Mr. Balant. Any questions about the personnel agenda? All right. >> We typically don't do questions on personnel consent agenda.
070>> All right. So, no questions on the personnel consent agenda. We'll take that away. All right. Mr. Buren, could you please call the role? >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Balon, >> I. >> Mrs. Bidler, >> I. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. All right. Uh, we're going to move on to the treasurer's agenda. And on that, we have some donations. Um, and I don't think we need any action on those donations. Correct. Do we vote on taking those donations? Okay, we'll uh a motion to approve the donations. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bidder. And thank you, um, Mr. Gznell. All right, Mr. uh, person, could you call the role, please? >> Mrs. Bidder. >> Hi. >> Mr. Gosnell, >> I. >> Mr. Balant, >> I.
071>> Dr. Mr. James >> I >> Mr. Harris >> I um just a quick note about the donations. Again, we'd like to thank the people that donated. Um it does show how strong our community is with the donations that cons people consistently make for things for better opportunities for our kids and to recognize people in our school district. So all those people who donated, thank you very much. All right. Now we're going to move on to other board business. Um and the first thing on that list is the discussion about the formation of a financial committee to lead off with that. So I think last uh we brought this up a couple meetings ago and just to be clear we were looking at two different committees. One was a treasures committee and one is was
072a board committee. I think we're going to talk more that this is a treasures committee and not a formal board committee. Is that correct? Is that what we're talking about? I think we're I mean I think that's what we're talking about is it which what it would be and I don't think we would know just yet because it would kind of be possibly up to the treasur >> and and I did lean on some resources reached out and asked uh just about a successful financial committee. Um so yeah would I mean we could invite at least you know no more than two members of the board if if they wanted to you know participate in that and it could be members of the community could be members of the the admin team as well. Um
073but typically no more than around five to seven members and we could we could set some goals and objectives around that um that um the financial a committee and what what we're kind of after what kind of information we want to share talk about >> yeah I get I um do you are you saying that you think that we should create it as a committee or as a committee or as a so committee would be um like our policy committee or like SAC or our business um advisory council. So that would be it would have to have we'd have to notice it. You'd it would be open to the public. You'd have to take meeting minutes um versus an advisory just to the treasur. Um right is that is that sort of the that's the
074question. >> Yeah. leaning more towards the advisory toward, you know, to the treasur rather than >> is that something that you feel like as an interim for the next six or seven months, you feel like you need to to have that? Is that something you feel because I guess at the end of the day, it's really a board obviously a board decision, but >> the question is with everything we're doing um >> it's not a board committee, the treasur >> then maybe it's not a committee. That's true. the treasury, >> but is it a lot to put on your plate considering the other items that are very large at the moment that we have for the district, is that a priority of yours right now? >> Um, so I would think with, you know, what
075this what this interim role looks like for the foreseeable future too, um, obviously there's there's going to be some guidance from the board. There's going to be inquiries about our finances. We're going to have several work sessions around that. Um so maybe in the maybe in the interim role it may not be as of importance for that um you know for that committee or for the treasur to hold. >> Yes. Maybe we wait until weapacity hire the treasur >> unless you know directed by the board that if if the board does feel like that that is the route we would like to go then certainly we can we can >> I actually see it a little differently. I see that an advisory board to a to a intim treasur is probably more valuable. That'll give
076you an that would give you an opportunity to have a committee as a sounding board, you know, to to talk about some of the things that you're going to bring to the board or talk about, you know, headed into a levy, what do the finances look like, and get some feedback from some people in the community that are vancially savvy um that can then funnel that back to you and you can bring it back to the board. I I see it more critical with what we have on. And I know it's a lot to ask. I agree we have a lot on our plate, but I see it very critical because we have all that on our plate to to get some some very key individuals from our community and start to provide that feedback.
077That's my opinion. >> It but I think if we do, I would think that should be a board committee because you would want the board to be made aware of that because ultimately the board is the one making the decisions on this and we're working with the treasur directly. So I agree. I think we should do a I think we should really consider doing this. I'm just worried about the timing. I just feel like it should it should land like Octo like not maybe not October, maybe August or like later on in this I feel like we need to get through a period of time before we load this on to Mr. Buren. I feel like it's a really heavy do and I I I I just want to make a couple of points just
078because um I think we have to be cognizant of Mr. Buren's capacity. He does not currently have an assistant treasurer. he was made the interim treasurer and he has to keep an eye on all really all the things right now and he's he's doing the best he can as as he's making the transition but also still doing his old roles. So he's basically doing both roles right now. >> Sorry I'm jumping in for you. I'm so I I feel like I'm like talking for you, but I I think that's one one of the most important points. I I might make a suggestion of this is new for this board and I've been here 14 years and we've never had a finance committee. Um I you know, you have a vehicle by which to do some
079research on this and determine what you want because it sounds like uh we're a little bit all over the place on what kind of committee do we want. you have um and I just I knew that this was a topic of discussion. Uh I met with the leadership team of the Sycamore Advisory Commission uh Sunday night. Uh that's just our standing meeting that we plan for the next week's agenda. And I mentioned this to him and I said these are the kind of things that come up that I feel like you guys as advisors to the board should take and research like other districts are doing successful finance committees. Um, so I think if we could come back to you with some research and some options, it would allow you, I think, to make a
080more informed decision with Brody while Oh, Mr. Buren, sorry. Um, while he is and and while you're determining the process for hiring a new treasurer because obviously if Mr. Buren decides to jump in that that uh candidate pool. I think that puts him in an awkward position of is he making decisions as the treasurer, the interim treasurer if he's in the candidate pool and is and maybe he pulls out and does decides that's not a thing for his family right now? Is he really making decisions that the new treasurer should have to live with when it's complete? So, I think we've got some issues leading into it. I think the premise behind it, I think we all support the premise behind it, which is there are really talented people in this community that you could
081utilize to pull on their expertise to lend to this board to help us with our decision-m not only now, but many many many years into the future. I think this is something we should be thinking about long term and not just a short-term opportunity. I think making it a board committee at this point would be too much because that's going to make it too formal. I still believe and you know I still believe having a you know a committee to uh work with Mr. Buren of strong financial people in the community even in the interim and that would develop over time. It wouldn't have to be anything formal. I I strongly support that now but you know that's just my one opinion. >> Yeah. I was just going to throw in um I know we're
082not supposed to mention her name, but Miss Logan uh talked a little bit about this and I think I like this. I like sack coming in and giving input in and I also think it gives Mr. Buren a chance to think what do I need? What because I I think what Miss Logan was pointing out is this committee is very very helpful if it's strategic and it's clinical and it it helps you. it advises the treasurer on how we best move forward. So if we have a little bit of time to get some input, allow you to sit and process and think, you know, strengths and weaknesses and opportunities, I I think it is something that we can build once we've all kind of let it sit. >> Yeah. And I agree with the sack.
083I agree with I agree with having sack look at it and giving us a little bit more information and really making an informed decision because it's so it's so important. And I also want to point out that Mrs. Logan did talk about if you have such a group that you should have representation from your unions. So SCA that would mean that we would need the teachers union involved and we would need OBC involved and that's another layer that perhaps we may or may not want to take on at this exact moment considering that we have negotiations coming up this spring. So just more thoughts. I I I like the idea but I like the idea of a sack looking at it and giving us information. I think there's a long term and a short term.
084I agree with the sack looking into it. I agree with all of that. I actually think heading into negotiations, it's even more critical that that the unions understand where we are financially. So, you know, I know I'm a little bit different than everybody up here, but I think I think the need is now. >> Actually, I think we're and it sounds like we've got two different things on the table. One, it sounds like you're empowering Mr. Buren, myself, Mr. Levelville, Mrs. Lawson and others on our team. You're right. If if we want if we decide we want to talk to some community members and bring them in to have a treasures committee, it really doesn't involve the board at that point. I think if you're talking about board involvement and board advisement, more like SAC
085or business advisory council, I think that's a long-term goal that we need to set up with proper structure. you know, there's bylaws, there's there's things like that that have to be in place to do that. So, there's like it's almost like two completely different things, but I think we feel comfortable that we can internally as a team talk about how can we utilize some experts and people in the community to help our work and where do they think where does that fit? I think the long term sounds like I can empower sack to look at this as a potential long-term goal and bring back some advisory around what are you seeing in your research. >> We just want to know of other school district if this is a thing that school districts are doing which
086it sounds like they are getting some information to know how to do that so that we can do that too. But I think having that laying the foundation knowing okay these school districts are doing it this is who they include. this is their process because I think it's such an important topic that you would want your community to be very involved. You want that transparency. You need people to feel like they're part of this group and you want and you want to bring in that expertise. Absolutely. But not just and I don't I think it's fine. Clearly, you can always get advice clearly you can do that without us knowing it anytime. You don't have to ask our permission for that. But I do think our community cares so much about the subject. It just
087opens it up to transparency and making sure that the board is also informed is helpful as well clearly. >> So if we're looking at something much more long-term, I think that's what we want the SAC to look at. If we're looking at a long-term kind of permanent type finance committee, I think that's something that that having some research on how other school districts do it, what kind of people they have involved on it and things like that to make that effective because we don't want to put that committee in place and then it's not doesn't have a proper charter about what they're doing. Um, as far as the short term, I think, you know, of course, Mr. Burton is empowered to, you know, get people to help him and advise him and different things like
088that. Um, with the help of other people in central office and things, but I think for a long-term viability, I think putting this issue before SAC and letting them look at it and kind of studying it and see how other districts do some things, I think would be good. And then that way we have a nice stable financial committee that we can get some really good information out of. Would that be uh okay, Mr. B? with guidelines and um and also with the recommendation of whether that would be uh best to be a board committee or an internal treasures committee >> along with that um >> yeah we'll get you some I I think part of their research will give us like the statistics on okay and we have if you remember we've identified some
089like districts that we want to compare to I think we can start there and look at those like districts how many of them are doing How many of them have board committees, non-board committees? We can bring all that back to you. We're we'd be excited to do that work. And uh when I talk to the SAC members, at least the leaders. Now, typically the leaders are volunteering everybody, but they don't typically do the research. So, we want to make sure we find some people in the SAC group that are excited about doing the research. But we've talked about this. I think one of the things that I'm seeing with SAC is um they're more excited to take those projects from the board and run with those because they know the impact, the immediate impact they're
090going to have. So, you know, I think they like knowing that they are your adviserss. They're bringing back really good information to you and you know, they know that it's going to get put into action. So, um, if it if it's okay with the board and I see some head nods, I will have that conversation at the next meeting and remind me which one of you is the sack representative now, Mr. Gos. All right. We'll we'll Hey, we'll get them in we'll get them empowered. We'll get them charged up for this project. So, as long as that's okay with the board. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. All right. The next item on our agenda is team development with Mike Leeba. And uh this is one of the goals that the board made uh
091made to come forward and get some professional development to become a more effective operating team among ourselves and with central office. Um I think we have some things in the fire about looking at that. I think we need to figure out some dates and times for doing that as well. Is that right, Mr. Lewis? >> Sorry. Yes. He uh I talked to him today. Um you know he said when the board calls I'm coming. So um I think he's prepared. I think you know the biggest thing is um your comfortability with you know the proposed cost that he has sent to you just as like obviously he's coming in from New York. So um but and I want people to know in the community we don't typically go outside Ohio and look for people that
092are uh doing team development from New York but Mike Cleba has been someone that we have used um for multiple different ways in the district. Um he's an author of a book called Otherful. Uh I'm not plugging his book. I'm not asking you to go to buy it, but it is something that we invested heavily in as a district leadership team and as a uh um entire district looking at, you know, what does that mean to be an otherful leader. Uh so he and his colleague um really have invested in us and I they've been here multiple times. They were here just this past summer. Uh we did leadership development with our district um leadership team, our principles and our union leaders. Um and it was really wellreceived and people really enjoyed um and honestly
093I built relationships in that room that I probably wouldn't have had um without that development opportunity. So, um I I would encourage the board, you know, and I think he's thinking in terms of there's going to be some development just with the board. There's going to be some development with uh the four of us sitting up here with you. So, um you know, you you and you guys might want to get him on a a call just to talk about what are your expectations, what would you like to get out of it. Um, but obviously he's a a person that um I trust and I know that you've allowed him to be my executive coach this year and it's been going really well and you know he's had an impact on my career and my
094life that I don't think I'll ever be able to repay u to him because it's you know people that can push you outside of your comfort zone and cause you to do things and really reflect on things that are hard um you know they're important in your life and I I think he can be important for our team um to demonstrate to this community how committed the nine people sitting at this table are and and obviously the rest of our leadership team. But um I know one thing about everybody at this table, we are dedicated to Sycamore and we want to see this place thrive and we have so many good things going on that um that's our focus going forward into the future and we're going to do that together. So, um I we
095do need to select some dates and you know I don't know how quickly you want to get him here but he was definitely thinking like a Friday Saturday. Um Saturday would be the day of the development. He would come in on a Friday and you know I suggested it to him that we do like a team dinner and then do our development on Saturday and you know then obviously he would um be finished with us by Saturday afternoon. But >> no, I fully support um you know um any type of development for for the leadership team. So I think this is a great thing. So I think sooner rather than later, let's get it on the calendar. >> Yeah, I agree with that too. >> Sooner just this Yeah. Get some dates and >> Yeah.
096Um yes. So let's get some dates together. Um if everybody maybe look at your calendars tonight, tomorrow and we'll get some dates together and send them to you. >> Send them to me, please. Okay. All right. Um, and I think for the same thing for the Fi February financial retreat, we need to sit down and figure out what day that we're going to do that um, in February. So, like in, you know, by um, Friday, if everybody can let me know, give me dates for both the training and for the February financial retreat. >> And for the financial retreat, we're looking at a Saturday. >> We're probably looking at a Saturday. Yeah. I think we can just get much more work done on a Saturday than trying to do it after school or after work
097and things like that. >> Agree. >> So, okay. >> Yep. And then other We have other next >> I was going to give you other. Go ahead. >> All right. Well, I have one thing that um I know that Dr. James mentioned this, but um I received we received this as a board. Uh we have uh Mary Cleveland is um going to be the 2026 president of the Ohio School Board Association and she is at Princeton. So as a board member, we could go and support a fellow board member at Princeton and she's going to represent, you know, every one of us um and in Columbus. So, it's an opportunity and the it's actually this Saturday, January 10th at um it says there's an academic achievement showcase at 12 and then at 1:00 there's the
098presidential installation. So, if anyone would like to go and just, you know, support a fellow board member who's going to be representing over 500 school districts in Ohio, please join. And I'll I took a copy and I'll send you a picture of this or >> actually get it. Okay, good. Awesome. >> Right. Any other board business right now? >> Board pictures everyone. >> The picture. >> We have to get photos to get the website. I didn't tell you that uh Mr. Lewis. Um but we have been organizing ourselves to try to get some photos um so that we can get the them for the website updated. But we're still working on the timing of that. And once we have those, I'll make sure you have them. >> Right. All right. So, now the uh board
099is going to go into executive session uh to consider the employment of employee uh a public employee according to Ohio's revised code 121.22 G1 and matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or state statute. See Ohio Revised Code 121.22 G5 and FURPA. And we will not be coming back into uh session. So, thank you. >> Mr. Harris, let me correct you. We will be coming back. >> We will be for a vote. >> Okay. For a vote. Okay. We will be coming back for a vote. >> So, and we will likely have to amend the agenda at that point to make the vote. So, we need a motion to >> executive session >> per what you just said >> all those different things. So, >> so moved. >> Second. >> All right. Thank
100you, Dr. James, for your motion and thank you, Mr. Balant, for your second and Mr. Mr. Burson, would you please call the role? >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Balant, >> I. >> Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Mr. Gos, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. >> All right, the board will now go into executive session. >> I >> All right, the board is back in session. And before we start, I'd like to make a motion to amend the agenda to approve a uh settlement between a student and the Sycamore School District uh case number SE4309-2025 um on the docket of the Ohio Department of Education and Welfare, Office for Exceptional Children. Is there a motion to approve the to amend the agenda? >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Thank you, uh Dr. James
101and Mrs. bidder >> the role >> for the role for the >> yes this is for the amend amended motion >> amended motion could you call the role please Mr. Person >> Dr. Jings >> I >> Mrs. Bther >> I >> Mr. Ballot >> I >> Mr. Gothnau >> I Mr. Harris. >> I All right. Now, we've approved with the a motion to amend the agenda. Now, if we could make a motion to approve the settlement uh to the agenda to approve settlement between the students, Sycamore School District, case number SE4309-2025 that is on the docket of the Ohio Department of Education and Welfare Office for Exceptional Children. Is there a motion? >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bidder. And thank you, Mr. Gazna and Mr. Burson, could you please call the role?
102>> Mrs. Bidder, >> I. >> Mr. GZnell, >> I. >> Mr. Balant, >> I. >> Dr. James, >> I. >> Mr. Harris, >> I. That being concluded, our meeting is now adjourned. Thank you very much.