001Okay. Thank you. This is the February meeting of the Wyoming Board of Education. We have already begun our meeting because we went into executive session to consider the employment of a public employee. We are now out ready for recognition of the public of which there is none. All right. So now we will go to a presentation. Rhonda's going to talk about the five-year forecast on kind of a different schedule. I won't do it today. >> Thanks, Genie. Well, uh, we are going to speak a little bit about the financial forecast tonight. We've called it the five-year forecast. We've called it the three-year forecast. We've called it the four-year forecast. I think we just landed on financial forecast would be the the best uh the best title. Uh this is the new February edition. So there
002was a recent law change uh the bianium budget process last year also made a many many policy changes one of which which changed the timing of the financial forecast. We used to be on a um October November uh fall edition and then there was a May edition and that lined up nicely with the closing of our school year and our income tax payments. We get our final income tax payment in April. And um so the new February edition has some challenges for us as we we think about really just kind of being in the middle of our of our school year still. And uh you know we have a number of postings still up. So hiring is very we're very very early in the hiring season. Uh we haven't even started kindergarten enrollment yet. So
003we have uh a lot of things that are normally wrapped up by the time that we see the May adoption of the forecast are are really in the preliminary stages. So, we don't have a ton of changes in this version and uh we will likely see another version in May or even in June to wrap up the school year uh just to get things um to more accurately reflect how we landed at the end of fiscal year 26 uh and then before we roll up into next fiscal year. Just a reminder that this is a general fund only. This is an operating forecast. So, we have a number of other funds that are not included. So none of our building funds, our primary facility, is there any student activities or the permanent improvement funds? None
004of those are part of this forecast. It is an operating forecast only. Uh we do model based on historic trends and current law. Current law is really important as we are going to talk about uh and highlight some areas of risk when we think about where there could be potential law changes. Uh so this is a cash basis document. uh we start with beginning cash and we are in fiscal year 26 the 2526 school year and so we start with beginning cash we forecast revenues forecasted expenditures and then uh we also uh have either note there either a surplus or a deficit and then ending cash so pretty straightforward uh in summary and so you will note that we are forecasting to deficit spend um which means that expenditures are higher than revenue uh our
005revenue growth is forecasted to be about 1.74% but we're forecasting expenditure growth of 2.67% 67% which means we are eating into our cash balance and um when we talked a lot about cash balance during the bienium budget uh debate and um we here in Wyoming for many years have had a cash balance policy and our cash balance policy tells us that $5 million is our minimum threshold that we need in order to meet our cash flow needs. And so we are creeping towards that $5 million. And and as we get closer and closer, that is what triggers us to start to either uh do one of really three things. Raise revenue, reduce expenditures, or probably some combination of both. Uh so um just again some very slight changes in this February version compared to the
006to the version that we adopted in the fall. So, uh, when we think about revenue, uh, we are, uh, just shy of 75%, uh, locally funded. And the local funds come from real estate taxes, uh, property taxes paid by, uh, 97% of those paid by our residents, 3% of those paid by our businesses here in the community, uh, about 2.3% public utilities, uh, and then 34% from income tax. on the state side about 18% uh that number has been flatlined since 2019. And then all other revenue that really small um sliver of the pie that is uh investment revenue, fees, those sorts of things. And when we talk about um areas of risk and just making sure that we know where those areas are, uh property tax is certainly one of those areas. There were
007a number of changes in property tax policy during the most recent bianium budget. Uh none of those impact us in a an extremely material kind of way. Not like some of our neighbors. We weren't at the 20 mil floor. Um that's a big deal. Um uh the the county commissioners haven't approved that piggyback. Um we we have very small inside millillage. So, we were a little insulated from uh the m the material property tax reform, but that doesn't mean that it's not going to impact us. Um our our greatest area of risk is in cycles of reappraisal. Uh we did we did um earn some additional revenue when values went up on our inside millillage, but now that I'm just going to get super technical here. Now that revenue is going to be capped by
008the GDP GDP deflator. So uh so that external analysis and a cycle of reappraisal we will actually see um our inside millillage potentially reduced which is a phenomenon that is brand new to the to the property tax collection. So uh we're a few few years out from that. Actually the state of Ohio pushed Hamilton County a year out in the reappraisal cycle. So um that will have a really small impact as well. Um just a reminder that we've had two operating levies in the past 21 years. district passed an 8 mil levy in 2005 and another 8 mil levy in 2017. Um so property tax reform is one area where uh a little bit at risk if we continue to see enhanced property tax reform that might impact our collection. Uh the other one is
009just uh property taxes in general. There is a consideration across the state. Uh there's an anti-propy tax group who's gathering signatures to abolish property taxes at the state level. Again, just a reminder, this is um almost 40% of our general fund operating budget. I mean, those numbers are not small. We would have to find a replacement for, you know, by the end of this forecast almost, you know, 11.8 million in revenue. Um and so the at the when you think about doing that statewide, the alternatives are a statewide property tax or a statewide income tax that would then be collected at the state level. And we know here in Wyoming City Schools that when things get put into the state funding school shaker, we are not winners ever in that formula. So what we have
010always loved about property taxes is this element of local control. All of these were approved by Wyoming voters, not and then not sent to the state and you know pluffed in some formula and then maybe sent to us, maybe sent to vouchers may who knows. local property taxes voted here in Wyoming Wyoming come to us and then part of our operating budget to meet the needs of our students. Um so that is an area of risk and one that we are very carefully watching how that effort from the anti-propy tax folks continue their work. that deadline is uh July 1st and so we'll be monitoring that and um you know be thinking about depending whether or not they hit their targets for July 1, which would then put that on a November statewide ballot. We
011will be monitoring if that happens. We will be in full gear advocacy. We've already started a little bit of that advocacy. If you follow along on Finance Friday, this was the topic of Finance Friday, not this past week, but the Friday before and it got quite a bit of attention. Um certainly some some energy around it on both sides. So, um I think on the surface if somebody just walked up and said to you, "Hey, how about we just get rid of property taxes?" You're like, "Well, that sounds amazing." Until you start to understand really what that means in terms of servicing your local school communities and your other local governments. So just continue that advocacy and help folks understand what that looks like. So um uh 37% of our of our operating budgets um
012no no real change in this number over the life of this forecast but is an area of risk in future um legislative consideration and then also monitoring this um advocacy the anti- anti-ax group. And then um the our next most material revenue source is income tax. And this really since about 2020 coming out of CO we've really seen some strong collection here. And this is one of those uh areas again of risk that if this takes a turn um this this would impact our cash balance uh sooner rather than later. And so again we've seen some pretty healthy collection. We've been able to absorb those small dips um because we do have cash balance. But um we've seen historically in recent history, we've seen some pretty strong collection and we're continuing to monitor that. We
013do have, you know, 25 years of data that tells us that this strong collection does not continue year after year after year after year. And so we continue to have a very conservative 3% in the forecast. Um, but something that every time we get one of those quarterly payments, we look at that at finance committee and we would, you know, bring that back to the board if we think that we need to make a a change to those assumptions. And then, um, state funding, there are a lot of colors on this on this page. Uh, it's about 18% of our general fund revenue. And again, we've been flatlined, uh, at about $5.9 million since 2019. And as you can you can see the shape of this curve forecasting out. I'm not forecasting any increase in
014state funding. And in fact, if you just look at those little blue bars each year, you see how those blue bars are growing. That's the portion of the guarantee. So Wyoming, again, we kind of go back to the state funding shaker. They put in all of the inputs into the school funding formula and they kind of they shake it out and they say, "Okay, how much of this is going to Wyoming?" Well, we we would get only the the orange part only the orange part of that that graph, but we are on the guarantee. So, there's this guarantee provision that says that we we don't get any less than we got in 2019. >> And so, that's that blue section of the bar. And so, there was in the last bianium budget, there was significant
015conversation about phasing down and eliminating the guarantee. And that was a major part of our advocacy during the bienium budget debate. And so I I don't doubt that we'll continue to be in those conversations. Yes. Silia, >> do I understand that means in 27 we would not have within the blue. So we would not have almost 3 million of that 6 million. >> Yes. So the red box is the current year bianium. So we're all set for current year and next year. But look at the purple box. >> The purple box is the next bianium. So that's what we'll be fighting for in the next bianium. budget debate. And so the blue is is the guarantee. And again, we've been on the guarantee since 2019. >> And so, um, I don't see any measure that
016that results in in Wyoming city schools receiving more state funding. Our job is to hold on to our guaranteed amount. And so again, this is a a more material area of risk for us because we saw significant energy around this during the last bianium budget. One about just the level of of of state funding towards public education in general and then also how those dollars are distributed. And for a district like Wyoming or for anybody on the guarantee, a lot of a quite a bit of advocacy on our end to be able to keep those funds as they continue to make modifications in the school funding formula that by no doing of our own just end up with a calculation that sends us less revenue. >> Sure. Sure. >> So that that's what we're trying
017to protect. >> Hey Scott, I know you're on the Zoom, so if you have a question or something, either just wave or come off mute and say something. Sometimes I'm on the other side of the camera, so I just want to make sure you know you got something there. >> All right. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> Okay. So, moving on to expenditures. Now that we've learned where the money comes from, where does it go? Uh, well, we spent about um 80% on salaries and benefits. We have uh about 230 staff members that serve our 1,800 students, teachers, classified staff, administration. Um and that is right at the benchmark of public education um statewide because that's what public education does. We hire staff members to serve our students. And and so then the next the next
018biggest bucket of expenditures are purchase services. And so if we are not hiring our own staff to perform some of these services, then we're purchasing those services from others. And also included in that bucket are are things like um a fixed cost on your home like utilities shows up in purchase services, insurance shows up in purchase services, legal costs, things that are just a regular part of of the a fixed cost of running the district. And then uh so purchase services is where we would have our outsourced transportation, our outsourced technology support, our outsourced uh we we send um uh students outsourced for preschool services. So there's some student services in there. There's some staffing services. Uh and then again the fixed costs that that come with running come with running the school district. And
019then the yellow uh is what's left about seven and a half% and uh that that includes um I like to call that kind of the stuff. That's what our our our staff members uh use uh in terms of materials and supplies, textbooks, technology, things that um you see in uh in student classrooms um that that that teachers and students are working with as part of their as part of their learning. And so I am forecasting a little bit higher growth than uh historical in in this line item again because as I'm sitting here today, I'm more uncertain in February than I am when I when I do this work in May. Again, we have I I don't want to put Erica on the spot, but I think maybe seven or eight postings out there, all
020of which that we are in the early phases of hiring. And um you know, we we talked about a little bit about this at the board meeting, at the board planning meeting. um you know our work while it is very cyclical, we are still um you know assessing and working with students and then revising our plans on how to meet the needs of those students next year. And and so that that pivots for us and so there is a little bit more of a conservative estimate in these expenditures more so than I would normally just know I would know more in May and I would be able to make a more informed estimate. So there's some conserviveness in the growth here. Is there any chance, I'm sorry, foolish question, but that that the treasures can
021say to the state legislature, this really isn't helping us by having this crazy February date. We'd like to go back to the May November. >> Yeah. >> So, we did say that. >> Okay. >> Um and we are continuing to say that. >> So, um we'll see. I mean, it it is very difficult to to have some sort of reasonable change from the fall version until now, especially for school districts like us that have an income tax. And, you know, I just think about, you know, the the the clarity that we have in a smaller district on staffing in May. I just think about what that looks like even in a larger district. It's just it's a better tool. Um, even if the state pulls down the data, it's better data for them if if
022we wait until until April or May. So we will continue that advocacy. Um and so this just kind of speaks to um how how I'm forecasting the expenditures. And so um again I mentioned last slide that I am forecasting a little bit higher rate. So historically uh in on the past five years we've had about 4.3% inflation. our revenue has increased just over 2% and our expenditures have increased about 3%. So um a little bit less than inflation. So when you think about that so that was historical in this on the historical side of this forecast. Moving forward inflation is projected to be a 2.26 revenue forecasted at 1.74% increase and I'm forecasting just higher than inflation of 2.67 67 again because a lot of uncertainty as I said here in in February with um
023with some unknowns. So we'll continue to uh continue to monitor that. And so going back to the cash, it all kind of comes back together in in the uh in the cash chart here. Thinking about where we are forecasting to end fiscal year 26. again, deficit spending at just under $700,000 eating into that cash balance, a little bit more each year as the expenditures outpace our revenue estimates. Um, but we also know that um all of those risk factors that I that I identified early on on the revenue side could impact the numbers and the shape of this cash balance curve um you know as as soon as April when we get our next. So small changes this time. um not not as many changes as we normally see in the May in the May
024version of forecasting. All that being said, if every single number on this chart were accurate, this would this is pointing towards running an operating levy in 28 to collect in 29. If every single number on this chart was exactly accurate, that's where we're pointing towards. Again, the last levy 8 mills in 2017. So pretty solid 10 11 year run. >> Rhonda the bianium budget then where does that the next one come in on that? Well on >> 28 would be the first year of collection. >> Okay. So there are changes obviously that was that's going to get >> Yeah. Um, so in the middle of this bianium budget cycle, the state will also elect a new governor and um, I think that that could have a material impact on how public schools are funded in
025Ohio. >> So that that happens inside the red box >> and then would certainly impact how those numbers look in in the next banium budget in the purple box. 28 January through Marchish would be the budget mess. >> 27 would be January through March because we're going to start it on July 1st 28. >> Okay. All right. All right. So, if you had to run a levy in legislative primaries in May, >> the governor election doesn't come till November. >> The governor election is going to happen in this November 24 plus >> in 26. All right. >> And so, well, I would imagine I mean, they're they're very different platforms >> on their beliefs of public education in Ohio. >> And so, I we're going to get a pretty good a pretty good understanding of
026what what the next banium budget cycle will look like as soon as we know Ohio's choice for a new governor. And that actually might be the most most other than just abolishing property taxes. >> That actually might be the mo the biggest area for grass public schools in general. >> Both from a revenue standpoint and a a mandate expense standpoint. I think both of those things are going to look very different depending on who's elected. >> Okay, any questions? When you were saying we were going to be in a spot of deficit spending, it sounds like why would you do that? That's not really a good thing. It's funny you talk about 2005 2017 to 2027 28 or whatever. It's like it does give context on how fiscally responsible it's been, you know, because I
027think what I I remember running in 2017 and it was a discussion that the levy would last for five years or that it would be into the range of say 2022. Uh so we'll be a bit beyond that by the time giving it back to >> and and we know that certainly our income tax has helped us do that >> right and and um it could still help us but the but the the uh the window is is shortening as we continue to eat into our cash balance. It would take significant income tax growth to keep us off the ballet in the next two years. I mean like very unprecedented impact for to keep us off the ballot for some reason >> and even that we have had very health healthy collection even this year
028but there is no piece of our 25-y year data that tells us that that is repeated I mean we can hope that it does but hope isn't nearly the best in I guess you got it in line. >> Yeah, hope. We hope. >> Good guesses. >> Yeah. >> Well, we'll see. >> We'll have to see. >> Thank you. >> Giving credit to Madira. They deserve it. When they ran their last levy, they um to try to explain deficit funding, they talked about it as if you're driving a car. the cars to school and and you're driving along. And when you have a full tank, you're fine. You you can go up to Dayton to see your mother and you can, you know, you can drive around, you're okay. When you get a half tank, then
029you're still kind of doing okay. You know, there's nothing wrong with the car as in there's nothing wrong with the school district. >> Yeah. >> But then you get down to that quarter tank, the cash balance kind of place where you go, fill up. >> I need to fill up again. You know, no real problem with the car, no real problem with the driver, just that's the way it goes. >> You have a car that tells you you're at 12 miles left and you just kind of fill up, right? >> Well, your cars don't approach. >> His cars don't tell him things, but we all have to worry about him driving up to Northern Ohio without proper gas. All right. Thank you. um uh committee reports. We'll go into those. The belonging and inclusion, no
030report, but citizens advisory did meet on February 10th. You want to chat about that? >> Yeah, we um this was our final meeting before we begin um each of the groups presentations. And so the next time we meet in March, the young alumni group will be presenting to the CAC at that at their CAC meeting. And then they'll be coming here for the March regular meeting to present to us. And then in April, the homework and best student study practices based on best practice research. Uh that'll be reported out to CAC in April and then coming to our April regular meeting. So excited. Uh we'll see what they'll have to say. >> Yeah. um district leadership team. We met February 19th, just last week. >> We did um and really calendars were the big topic
031uh for the DT and really taking a close look at calendars especially as they relate to the construction process. And so in the 2728 calendar, uh, which we're working with the draft right now, um, what we're we're focusing on is the fact that Hilltop and Elm will be finished that summer. Hilltop earlier on in the summer, Elm will be later on in the summer. And so we have to be mindful of um when students will be able to move into Elm. And so we're we're looking at um trying to be creative with the start of that calendar to try and stay in the in the typical routine that we have within the district. uh when we set the calendar up and we might have some unique options for for ELM in particular. Um and so
032we're continuing to work on that. I'm hoping to bring a first read to the board potentially in March. My next step is going to be to meet with primary school staff. I will be there on Wednesday um meeting with them and then we'll meet with pack teams throughout the March time frame and again hopefully be able to bring the calendar to you later in March. >> All right, great. Uh facilities I you don't meet too often, right? >> No, not at all. >> What are we on? Core team >> 36. >> Is it 36? >> 36. >> All right. What's happened? >> So lot but please jump in. Um we did have a core team meeting and again our core team meetings are focused specifically on primary facilities construction and so a few of the
033topics that were covered during that included the environmental graphics plan. Uh we've been talking about ELM environmental graphics are the graphics that are found within the building and so I'm trying to uh continue that planning. Again, we're trying to make sure all of our buildings are connected through a common vision but unique um to the building building individual buildings themselves. Uh we talked about the retaining wall that is between Hilltop and the water reservoir and uh we are continuing to work with the city um on the plan for that specific structure. And we also took a look at the Verite Vermont site um plan and uh also looked at the exterior design of Vermont. All in preparation for another design workshop. Vermont design second design workshop is coming up March. >> I've got it coming
034up March 9. Um so excited about about that. Um, still connecting with primary facilities. Uh, city council had its third reading of the Hilltop development plan. That was on February 17th and that that is passed. You could say was it was approved which is really exciting. That means we can make the turn and now begin physical construction at Hilltop and we're just right around the corner for that. So very excited about that. And as I said, the Vermont design workshop is coming up on March 9th. We are going to have a walkth through, a tour if anyone's interested at 6 PM. So we'll say that starts at 6 PM and that's with anyone who wants to take a tour of Vermont and that's going to be followed at 6:30 with the design workshop. Um, and
035again, that's the second one. So community members will be able to see how the feedback from that first workshop has been used to modify and change plans. Um excited about that conversation. And on top of that, our I'll call it the regular facilities committee also met. Um and what we're trying to do is just think about facilities outside of the primary buildings. And so the group met this um this past month and we we spoke about the program improvement funding plan um prior committee work over the past several years that committee's been focused on um HDAC work a third phase at the high school um room for placement plan at the the high school that's been playing for this this summer and starting to think about athletic facilities. So lots of things happening facilities. really
036miss >> athletic facilities in general or >> Yeah. Just thinking about where are we with our athletic facilities alto together and how do we how do we make sure that the athletic facilities are part of the greater discussion on facilities in general and making sure that they're part of >> the district conversation. >> Okay. >> And when you talk about facilities, we did have a city school meeting. We meet um three times a year and that lately has been the the number one agenda item has been our building and their roads >> and how the two will sometimes hit up against each other. >> All funded with property taxes and mention and property taxes >> they they property taxes >> they would be terribly affected as well. So, >> all right. Uh, finance, you met
037tonight. >> We did. I'll I'll do it if that's okay, >> please. >> Okay. We um we did a few annual or routine items, some monthly items. We looked at the salary and benefit analytic with no material notes or changes. We looked at the primary facilities cash reports. Um there's a lot going on from a facility perspective in the facilities and the core. And so we just uh take a peek at the financing side of it just to make sure we keeping everything on track. Uh we did highlight the um the lease agreement with the uh Presbyterian Church of Wyoming. Um and just so appreciative and thankful of our partnerships with both Friendship and uh the Friendship Methodist and Presbyterian Church of Wyoming. When we uh ran the bond issue, we had a placeholder for
038the swing space of $6.5 million. And um through our our uh lease agreements with both Friendship and the Presbyterian Church, we are saving um about $4.5 million that we've been able to repurpose into square footage and instructional spaces at all three primary schools. So just a remarkable opportunity and so just very very very appreciative of both of those for those. >> Wow. So it's wonderful. >> Thank you community. It is wonderful. Um, we uh hit the highlights of the forecast that we just uh talked about here in the meeting. >> And one thing, >> oh, please. >> I thought this was important. The rent being paid to the Presbyterian Church is going to be approximately the same as the rent being played paid to President which is good because we're not out of balance on
039either one of those. And partnership with both. >> Yes. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Thanks as much as they do the Memphis. We like the present change as much as we do the back. >> Yes. >> Uh we looked um at the uh Tim mentioned that the regular facilities committee was looking at the high school phase 3 HBAC and the roof project the high school. We just reviewed the financials of those uh quickly on the finance team. And then we have been uh taking a deep dive into the district profile report or the cup report that was released a few months ago. Um last our last meeting we talked about expenditure per pupil and this month we did sections A and B which were uh demographics and and demographics and oh Nathan >> you're
040looking for this one. >> Yeah I'm looking for this. >> Oh >> demographics and thank you demographics and the personnel data. So um you know we're looking at our own Wyoming's data statewide data district like us and then we were benchmarking against three school districts that are were often compared to Madiraa Marrymont and Indian Hill. So taking a deep dive into the categories of the cup report and that's been an informative conversation. >> Due to that state law change are they also seeing retirements larger than the usual number? Well, I think so because um you know, Jen made a wonderful observation that um in the in the personnel section that Indian Hill for one of the first times that we can remember has uh a percent of teachers with zero to four years of experience
041at 23%. >> And so that feels higher. >> Yeah, ours is nine. >> Oh, feels great. So yeah, I think it does seem like others are seeing they're seeing it as >> the other thing I noticed the free and reduced lunch seemed to have balanced out from previous years >> from previous years. >> I wondered I mean there's no answer there. We actually looked at um a historical perspective on that and uh we looked back to 2010 and that number from 2010 to I would say around 2021 we were hovering around six or 7%. And so this is important for folks to know that um we we went upwards of 12% in fiscal year 24 and um or about 10 and a half now. And though we are seeing a shift in that number, um
042it again it was it was between six and 7% for 10 years and we have seen it tick up and it seems to be sort of hovering hovering around the new uptick and so that's measured by you know a number of different ways where students and families qualify but it's a consistent measure right and so um but we've seen the others come up a little bit. Well, that was the thing too. You compared to the Indian Hill and Leaders and the others, it's our 10% is not out of, >> you know, that >> it's just it's it's higher for us. >> For us, right? It's also ticking up and others. But we were asking whether that means >> um people's income was about where it was and the what it costs to pay for your
043life is more. And so there's more people now asking about ways to solve for that across all these neighborhoods. And we just we just talked about ways that that way that that shows up in um in the day-to-day student experience and just uh continue to be mindful of our our students and our families. Yeah. >> Talk some other things about just the interesting differences. You know, it's like Madera and Marmont are about the same size of three mile square and any of those much larger space-wise, but the amount of students per pupils per administrator, you know, is a uh a number that is notably different in our district. And so we talked about the intention that we run lean, you know, relative to that number. I'm looking at Erica, you know, kind surprise, like really?
044But we were highlighting >> highlighting, you know, that being one of those ways that, you know, folks are looking to serve and use the dollars to >> manage the students and it's it's not unnoticed. So >> I like the fact that everything that Erica doesn't do, we get Gina. So a lot of >> No, and in serious, >> there's your middle level right there, two people. We joke about the fact that it's possible to do it with the number that we have is partially because of the team that he is here, their experience, but also their interaction and partnership with each other. And the question about how long and for how many years can you be that lean, you know, and keep the folks healthy and uh excited to be here and all the other
045stuff. And if you had turnover in certain spaces the other, there may be some places where you have to invest and have some additional administrators that cost some money or whatever. But if we ever got to that point, the history of wise financial management confirms ideally for our districts that those choices would not be willy-nilly or sort of, you know, without real understanding about what happens to serve the students. >> So well said. >> Thank you. >> Um policy review committee, I presume you want to just wait till we get to the board of education report. >> All right. So now we're at the board of education report. Yeah. First first item here is the the membership in the OSAA, Ohio High School Athletic Association. And this is an annual membership that we approve and
046it allows us to participate in all of the OSA events which many are happening right now and people are paying attention to because our students are highly competitive >> and if we weren't to get involved then our kids could not compete. That's >> right. That's >> okay. First read of the following policies. Who's gonna do it? Anyone want to start? >> Well, I wasn't think. And I hope Lauren missed me, too. >> Sure he did. >> Um, do start with that first one because that's a brand new one. Name, image, and likeness. and that gets in the news all the time and I I'd like to know how we're going to handle. >> So, um the the language that's in this policy is the same language that is actually in OSAA. Um >> I I
047don't know that we actually had to have it as a policy. I think that was part of the conversation, but we chose to include it as a policy so that it it's transparent >> and people can see um what this is all about. I think um the the big piece of of what this does is it helps people understand what what students can't do when they're part of an NIL of a factor. And so in this policy, you see several provisions that are laid out uh that mention things like, you know, they can't um engage in in rec recognition during school hours or there can be no payment that's connected to performance within within the the sport that they're they're participating in. But that several factors that kind of guide um what students are are
048not able to do. And that's why this polic It's important to have written for us >> or joining a uh joining a school just because >> right >> taking the money. >> That's right. >> The other one I noticed there there's some kind of a control over groups and I presume that's like packs like booster organization type thing. >> Why is the school going to be responsible for that? How do we how do we control that? >> Yeah. I think it's actually trying to work in partnership with OSAA to to identify ways that you can monitor that. I don't know how often this happens. >> Well, that's it. I don't know that this is a Wyoming situation. >> We know it exists. >> It's not right. >> All right. >> Am I doing this? I
049no I will I >> I can do it. 34440 4440. >> Yeah, there are a number of those. >> 3423 and 6460 are all the same thing. >> Yes, those are for different classifications of employees with the same policy. And this is a change in a longstanding auditor of state interpretation that um you can't uh you couldn't earn um frequent flyer miles or hotel miles or Kroger points or anything like that if you were making an expense uh on behalf of the school district. And so, uh, quite frankly, that was a nightmare for my office to manage to chase people down and tell them not to get their fuel points and their Hilton rewards if they were going to a conference. And so, this is a gift from the auditor of state that this goes
050away. I mean, nobody is um nobody is uh going to travel for the rest of their life around the world on the miles that they're getting from a conference. So, I think the auditor and state finally realized that and and removed this um quite frankly a ridiculous burden >> for government. So, we're it's a welcome change. >> Okay. All right. Um the next ones, Jeie, um the ones about transportation, there were some recent uh law changes in relation to van drivers and uh we're a small district and so we do have some van drivers and so we needed to have some policies that uh lined up with the new requirements of the law and uh we reached out to Peterman for their guidance on how they handle these sort of provisions with our our bus
051drivers. And so we were just modeling our policy choices against uh what Peter was doing on the bus drivers. >> Okay. All right. But that would that would affect our van driver, our in-house people. >> Yeah. And we have two for contacts. Yeah. Two drivers. >> And then you had some other bus things. >> Uh >> or do you want to stay going in order? We can keep going in order. Uh and we're down to the new kindergarten one. >> Yeah. So 5112 is connected entrance requirements and that is connected to the change around kindergarten. So the law changed um and the law now states that kindergarten students must be five by the first day of instruction. Uh and this policy was um modified to be in alignment with that that new law. >> Okay.
052And then the next one after that is procurement and use of of the the Next on the go. >> Yes. So, we've talked about this one a few different times in in policy conversations. Um, we, you know, we've had in one of our our meetings, we had a community members speak to the importance of this. And so, we are uh introducing this policy as a first read. I think the important thing about this is to understand that we're we're focusing in on high school use at this time. uh just to make sure that we can really monitor how we're implementing this and and getting it right um to help protect students, to protect staff. There are some language changes that I think still need to be made here just to make sure that it's reflected
053that it's its focus is high school right now. And so we'll make sure that we we make those changes between the first read and the second read and approve um when we're able to do that. But um that's the big change with this. >> You did it. >> Yeah, there's some language. We did have our our district nurse review it um and you made a couple recommendations. So, we might continue to just tweak that, but again, it's only to make sure that it's very clearly focused on the high school. >> Okay. >> All right. Um class rank. >> Yeah, I'll I'll take this. Um, so this policy helps determine a process for selecting the top 5% of students uh in our high school and the top 10% of students in our high school. And it's
054and that is all connected to the governor's merit scholarship and Ohio guaranteed admission. And a big question about what happens when there's a tie. Um and so we work very closely with our high school counseling um team and our administrator to identify those components that are to be used in the case that there's a tie for for the those awards. >> You have to break the tie, right? >> Why can't they both get into >> uh because there's only a certain number of of those that are awarded to students. So yes, you do have to. And and some districts actually what we learned during the policy meeting, we did not do this. Um we landed on a coin flip, a coin toss, which you didn't make a lot of sense, >> right? >> No, no,
055>> no. Better than wrestling it out. >> Academic. >> Yes. >> Okay. I guess I I'm not a how this is working. Okay. All right. um budget preparation. >> So again, another gift from the banium budget was significant influence of the county budget commission and the tax budget. And so this policy just aligns with what came out of the benial budget bill in terms of compliance with the c your county auditor's requirements for the tax budget. So this just says that we're going to do what our county auditor would like us their process and their forms. >> Okay. >> Right. I think you have a bunch of them coming up for you. >> I do. >> Um purchasing and bidding. Um uh the competitive the competitive bidding statute. Um there's just one small change in
056here in terms of words, but it's a significant change in terms of competitive bidding. When a board looks to build, repair, enlarge, improve, or demolish, the law used to be a school building. So if you were going to build an athletic facility or transportation garage or a board office, you didn't have to follow the statute. Now it is any building or other property. So they basically said anything that you're doing is now part of the competitive statute. So we're in compliance. That just makes us compliant with the law. There was some discussion that some schools reclassified older school buildings as warehouses and then they got to do whatever they want wanted with them without competitive building >> because remember there was also this this rule of That's exactly why because if you you had to
057give it you if you were going to close a school building >> you had to give it to a high performing charter school you had to give them the first right of refusal and so so if it was a school you would empty it and say it's not a school anymore it's a storage facility and Now I can do with it whatever I want. But you can't do it anymore. >> Okay. >> You have to offer your storage facility to a highly high performance storage pool in the area >> at at no price. I mean at at low to nothing expense too. >> Yeah. >> Giving up your building. Anyway, sorry. Go ahead. >> Uh and so the next one is 6325 procurement and federal grants. And so there was a change in the federal
058threshold for u there was a several places there's a $250,000 threshold that was raised to 350,000. So we made those changes. Um this doesn't have any impact on us and our and our day-to-day work because we don't get this much federal money. So we don't have any federal program that is over uh $300,000. So this doesn't impact us in any way, shape, or form. But um if if the federal government starts raining money on Wyoming, then we'll be in compliance with the law. 6423 is about um the use of credit cards. And again, this lines up with the new allowance that um if if if we're using procurement cards or district credit cards, then we're not having to be the mileage uh Kroger point police anymore. >> Uh so 63. Um I think both of
059those are the same. They're just one credit card and one the procurement card. Yeah. So, um same same sorts of same same changes in theory there. Um 6425 is also a good one. Um so if I'm if I'm a teacher and I'm, you know, I'm I'm leaving school right now and I'm thinking I have this lab to do tomorrow. Um I have to go buy some supplies and I'm going to stop by Target on the way home or Kroger's and I'm going to get those and then I'm going to get reimbursed by the by the district tomorrow. Well, that's fine except for that we would never allow to reimburse you for sales tax. And so now I'm not only am I chasing the points and the mileage, but I'm chasing down the 45 cents to
060get back from the person. And so this now says that we're deeming that cost of doing business. It's immaterial and it's fine. So it's going to save everybody. Um 6460. Um, again there are this this whole um mileage point thing shows up in a couple different policies and so it shows up again in 6460. Same concept. And then 6465 um is new. 6465 says, "Hey, we've said that you can we're not going to chase you down on the points or the mileage, but you can't make a choice to um you know, I I as the treasurer can't say, "Hey, I'm going to make the reservations for the entire board on my own personal credit card because I get the help point here." So, there are >> there are still some restrictions. So, 64 65 lines
061up and these are very common sense. They're very normal. Um then 8600 um uh we're back to transportation and uh this this again is about the allowance for using um bands. They call them alternative vehicles. Uh but this is just spells out the usage and the allowable uses of school vans. Okay. >> Free transportation ones there. >> Okay. Sorry. Um, so again, 80, so 8,600, uh, this is another one that talks about the law change and there was an allowance to reduce the age if you wanted to be a van driver down to 18. We did not make that selection. And I think that the rest of this is just u language changes to to speak to alternative vehicles. >> Okay, cool. So, a few little um important choices and then a lot of semantics.
062>> And I will say there there are two policies that will be coming soon but are not part of this list um just to have some continued dialogue on. One of them is grading practices. Um and actually our our department chairs are engaged in a a powerful conversation around grading practices and um communicating academic progress to families and this is really wrapped around that same conversation. So we wanted to take some some additional time before completing that. So that will be coming in the future. And then artificial intelligence um again more dialogue just to focus on the work that we've done over the past three years and think about how that informs our practices and and we need a little bit more time to to go through what some of the options might be for
063that AI. That one will be coming up sooner sooner than the grading piece. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. Realizing this is just a first read. May I have a motion to approve the board of education report? >> May I have a second? >> I have a roll call. Mrs. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barkski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lee? >> Yes. >> Mr. Promise? >> Yes. >> Thank you. Treasures report. >> Thanks, Genie. Item A, approval of the minutes from the February 2nd regular meeting and the February 10th planning meeting. Item B, approve the statement of revenues and expenditures for month ending January 31st. Item C, accept with appreciation, the list of donations and that is a healthy list from the foundation and PSA and boosters. Again, very, very, very thankful for our
064support organizations. Item D, the appropriation adjustments for the month of February. Item E, approval of the financial forecast. And item F, approval of the report, please. >> Thank you. Can I go back to donations? What What is the high school science department going to do? experience. >> They are um so they're they're focused in on biology right now and just looking at um specifically how to prepare students for a biology assessment that they're going to be taking. >> Okay. Y >> great. Thank you. And and my goodness, thank you to the boosters and the PSA. >> Those are incredible. >> All right. May I have a motion to approve the treasures report? >> So move. >> I have a second. >> I second. >> Roll call. Mr. Barkski. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lee. >> Yes.
065>> Mr. Thomas. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Superintendent report. >> Okay. I have six personnel items uh to recommend for approval. Number one is for unpaid leave and you can see the the dates uh for that request. Number two is recommendation to approve these athletic supplemental contracts. These are all spring sports. Again, thank you to these individuals who are supporting students to be engaged in great ways outside the classroom. Uh number three is recommendation to approve additional hours for home instruction. The staff member is is providing home instruction and this will increase the num the number of hours that they're able to support the student. Number four is a recommendation to approve additional home instruction for these two teachers to provide students with that need. Uh number five is a recommendation
066to approve middle school uh ELA teachers to um really they're working to write book rationale. These are books that are read as part of the ELA curriculum and these rationes provide background on the books that students are reading the instructional value that they have within the educational program. Uh and so each one of those books takes about an hour to complete that. So these uh that recommendation is to allow them to do that and and be paid for that work. And then number six is a recommendation to approve these two job descriptions. And um the main change within both of these is really the title of the high school college and career counseling position. Uh that is the the adjusted position name and anything in the college counselor andor testing coordinators role is just how
067it's how it is communicating with the high school college and career counseling position. >> Okay. That um that one position up until now has not been a full-time position. Do you see anything growing there or >> not at this time? >> Okay. Um, the other thing I noticed in the information, they put together an end of the year report on the student, the senior class of that year. >> That's one of the job requirements. >> Could that be shared with us at some point? >> The profile >> that would be awfully interesting. I think >> what 12 years did to these children. >> Okay. Um, may I have a motion to approve the superintendent report? >> A motion to approve. >> And I'll second. May I have a uh Mr. Lee? >> Yes. >> Mr.
068Thomas? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dollarer? >> Yes. Mr. Barkski? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> And your update, sir? >> Yeah. I just tried to compile a list of all the exciting things that are happening. This is really an interesting point in the year where we're we're ending the winter season. It didn't feel like that this morning, um, but we actually are. Um and so just a lot happening in athletics and the arts and academics. Um so I'll just I'll just share a few of these. I promise you I am missing things um because the the number of things that our students are engaged in is absolutely amazing. So winter season compet uh competition is happening right now. So winter sports, wrestling, swimming, basketball, bowling, cheer, indoor track, um all of those are at the
069end of their season. And so they either have just finished their competition or they're really going into that right now. So a very exciting time. Um and we actually have a swim a swimming state sendoff tomorrow, no Wednesday. So that's exciting for for our swimmers who are going to state. In the arts winter concerts are coming up in the next couple of weeks. The week of March 2nd uh and March 9th. You'll see high school and middle school concerts coming up. Uh just this last past Saturday uh one of my favorite events, the WSMA Winterfest um was was held which is a phenomenal showcase of just incredible student talent. Um the High School Musical is coming up this weekend. You're good uh good man Charlie Brown Friday and Saturday. I think there are two shows
070on Saturday. So if you haven't gotten your ticket, you probably want to do that soon. And then in academics, um, our students might not be excited about it, but we work very hard to make sure they're prepared. Our juniors are taking the EC test tomorrow. >> Yep. You know that. We know that. Yes. Our families know that very well. We've probably sent the same prepared text to to kids. Uh, so that happens tomorrow. Um, just recently, our high school students held their Black History Month assembly and it was focused on the history and contributions of H.B.CU. CU's um just amazing demonstration and um connection with the students, the student audience. Uh we we were talking about how dialed in our kids were on that content. It was really tremendous. Our high school mock trial um
071just recently had state competition. Um our eighth grade students went to a freedom center and um primary students they recently weeks ago celebrated their 100th day of school. So, we're well beyond the 100th day of school right now. And just a little staff note, too, I'd like to bring this to your attention. We just had our most recent impact award winner, Katie Gotch, intervention specialist at primary primary grades. Um, so it's nice to celebrate her. Lot lot going on. Busy time. Good time. >> Cool. Good times. >> Yep. >> All right. Great. Thank you. >> Anything else? If I may add one thing in the middle school arts, um the school play, the school musical is coming up and the set looks incredible. I cannot believe the kind of set work they're getting together for
072middle school theater production. Uh what an astounding group of uh designers and artists and uh dedicated construction bros got together on that little middle school stage at the Bay Auditorium. So I hope >> you can make it to see that show. It's going to be a lot of fun. >> We also had the middle school grindy show. >> Oh my god. >> We had we had an amazing performance. Several amazing performances. It it was it was awesome. And there was a particular board member who had a member of their family performing and >> she did an amazing job. So >> very proud of that. Good. >> Awesome. >> Terrific. Wonderful. Good. Good. Good. That's a good thanks to her. >> Yep. >> All right. Well, in that case, may I have a motion to adjourn?
073>> So moved. >> Second. >> A second. >> And a roll call. Mr. Thomas. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Yes. Mr. Larsky. >> Yes. >> Mr. W. >> Yes. >> You are complete. center for you.