001Welcome. This is the regular schedule meeting of the Garden School District Board of Directors. We'll now call the meeting to order. Madam Secretary, can you satisfy we have a quorum present? >> Okay. With a quorum present, we will be we will be able to conduct business. Brother Andrew, can you lead us in a word of prayer? >> Yes. >> Heavenly Father, thank you for each and everyone that's here today that takes the matters of this district to heart and seriously. I pray that you would guide every conversation that you would bless this school district. We pray for our administrators, our teachers, and our students. Pray for your guidance in the business of this uh district. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. We all say amen. >> Amen. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag
002of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Special recognition. >> We don't have any special recognitions, no public comments. So, we do have some personnel issues. So, we'll now enter into executive session. >> We're now done with our executive session. We'll now call the meeting back to order. >> Move that we approve all personnel issues, discussion, and session. We have a motion. >> I'll second it. You >> have a motion and a second. All in favor of that motion say I. All in descent same sign that motion passed. Our next items are approval of minutes from our previous board meeting. Make a motion to accept as we have a motion and a second. All in favor of
003that motion say I. All in descent same side. That motion passed. Next item is our financial report. Lana, can you help us out with anything on that? >> Only thing is this month we made our bond payments. So that'll finish those up for the 25262 school year. So you'll notice our expenditures were more than what they normally would be, but that's the reason 27 not too far away. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor of that motion say I. >> All in consent at the same sign. That motion passed. Next item is our business legal finance consent agenda. We have our Aurances. >> That's Wendy with our federal programs. >> Asurances are our AR apps that we do every year. Um and the insuranceances that go with it. So, our
004ARF is like our comprehensive plan that um outlines our strategic goals for next year, our operational plan, and then our budgetary um allocation. It's kind of like a one-stop shop that this state did to put all of the programs that are state and federally financed together. Um so, we've done the AR app and then the asurances uh just certify that we're committed to following regulatory compliance, spending our money correctly, and that's So we have to have the insurance signed by the word is uploading submit that they are at the state. It's already been reviewed by Dawson. Um and so that's just the next step we're approval for the asurances. Is there any changes that maybe we might not understand for this year? >> By 2026 2027. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion in
005a second. All in favor of that motion say I on descent same sign. That motion passed. The next item is our door prop alarms. >> Yes. That's also windy because this is something from our cops grant that we got some more safety. >> This is the last >> cops and I are very happy about that. Um we have $28,559 budgeted from our cops grant to install um door prop alarms on our main exterior doors. And this is at primary or high school and elementary school. Um What these door prop alarms will do is it's pretty self-explanatory. If the door is propped, it will send off an alarm. Once the door is shut, the alarm will stop. Um, I did get three or so three bids for that. Unfortunately, door prop alarms have to be um
006wired into our electronic access system. So, two of the bids that I saw um we would have had to replace the entire electronic access system districtwide would have been outrageous. But Genesis Datacon that does our current electronic access offers door alarm pollution and it's all integrated and stood together so we shouldn't have a lot of technology issues with it. Um, they also said that when the alarm had sounded, a report can be pulled by admin to see what doors were propped and when. So, we can go back to our security system, look at that door, and see who propped it. Um, it's going to be 31 door pop alarms on the main doors, exterior doors at high school and elementary school. The total price of the project is 27454. So coming in a little bit
007below the amount that we have budget hit in the grant. So cops is going to pay 75%. So that's 20,5950 and the school district will be responsible for our match um which is a 25% match of 6,86350. >> How how many exterior doors will not have this? You said the main ones uh >> almost every exterior door will have it. I think that there's a couple like on the back of the gym and things like that that nobody really use >> um that will not have it, but we can always add that later when we get more money. >> Why did we choose not to do those just because the cost or >> Yeah. Are we going to go over the amount we had budgeted for the grant? >> So, are you saying so not
008just like the main campus like the Agra building, the >> That's right. the cafeteria the gym, >> wellness center, gym, >> all those name. >> So alarm just happens at that location or alarm like happens at that location and it goes off somewhere else. >> I think it happens at the location and then also you can have an app that admin can have access to >> to see see what's alarm. >> Yeah. >> Well, you're going to be woke up to go work out the gym. Well, you know, when we first got those other systems that had the vape sensors, the ones in the gym kept going off at 2:30 in the morning. That's why I turned it off on my phone because I kept getting notifications that the humidity was high in the locker
009rooms at the gym at 2:30 in the morning. >> Nobody just the humidity. >> You think police was just immediately hot. >> I can say to now that I think about it, the doors that are going to have door props are the doors that have electronic access. And we have electronic access pretty much consistently across the entire district except for doors that aren't ever used. >> So because they tie into that >> system >> kind of more like the panic doors like at the back that you just have to have for >> That's right. One thing of our system. >> Yeah. That are locked that students aren't using that. Gota access. >> Any more questions? Can we move on that? >> Motion that we approve. >> We have a motion in a second. All in
010favor of that motion say I. >> All in descent, same sign. That motion pass. Next time there's our 20 26 20 27 schoolbased mental health contracts. >> Again, >> Mr. President, can we make a note at 7:20 is stepped out of this meeting for >> conflict. >> This is the approval of our 2627 schoolbased mental health contracts. We have therapeutic family services and experience counseling clinic. Um currently school providing schoolbased therapy. Um this will be the same contract that we signed last year. Nothing's changed on it. So this is just approving that we continue services. I've been satisfied with everything. Hadn't had any problems. >> Question you want to move on. >> So not really >> Oh my only question. Um so where like when like I know a lot of consolidate in like primary
011school like smaller area for them to have private >> we have already Wendy and I have already been on that with wellness center we have room in the wellness center >> so like little brought up almost all counseling services really all which is going to be annoying at first um until we get ghs fenced off because of that gate that's locked. Um but it's just an annoyance. It's not something that can't be overcome. It's just having that walk down there and open the gate that um when GHS has been stopped, which we're hoping that this um school safety funding I think they have what was in appropriation >> in the appropriation bill. Um, and so we're hearing from Desi that we're going to get more money next year for school safety if that passes. Um,
012and our first priority is going to be able to fence off the high school. That way we're all enclosed into one little campus and I think that's going to make it a lot easier. Um, the behavioral health agencies are going to have to be more flexible than they have been. I mean, we've had a lot of space in the past and we're not going to have as much Um, but there is room for them to provide services. Might not be what they're used to. >> So, will that somewhat even help with like your area like for PTO speech or >> PTO speech? I believe that's still going to be >> and M can answer that, but I think that's still going to be um at elementary school. We've got a classroom that we're going to
013use because I mean starting in August, you know, they'll be seeing more kids than they register over there, but they're going to be able to use a classroom and they'll probably be in there all day every day. But we do have additional space at the high school, not just in the wellness center. If some of the counseling services need to take place like in the conference room and not in the front office and different places like that, which they already use at some times, um, I think we're going to be able to accommodate it. I think it's just going to be a change >> to start petitioning off in this auditorium that gets us for so much. >> Yeah. Yes. Well, there's a look, there's a closet right over there that has nothing in it
014that can be used. I promise you Britney cleaned it out last year. >> Philadelphia. I was like behind the stage at Goza and and some of the therapists will tell you they've done like broom closets and everything else. So although they might not have what they're used to having, it's very nice. I mean we have the whole schoolbased health center clinic >> and each agency has a dedicated room that they can use in that >> let's say compared to other districts our size. >> Yeah. We have excellent facilities but you just want privacy in those situations for sure or like I I can imagine like for speech therapy you're teaching sounds and then there's 20 other counts trying to do other things too. So, this school has gotten very expensive, but I don't want to
015sit too much. >> No, we're we're going to be able to accommodate. We've been over that. >> I make a motion here. The mental health. >> All right, we have a motion in a second. All in favor of that motion say I. >> All descent, same size. That motion fell. Next item is our audit review >> and that's Rhonda. >> Well, happy first. You're back. Anybody have any questions on it? >> Is my understanding everything everything's fine. I mean that's that's kind of what I got out of >> good. Um things is you kind of always want to watch for a management letter um because that will tell you things that are not good and There's not one in there. So, that's always a really good thing. Um, let me back. If you brought your
016audit on 24, there's some little boxes back in there. They just have little check marks on them. And right now, all of ours have no >> that page right there. Yeah. If you're happy, then you want to really want to look at why that yes is right now. They're all they're all nos and no are good and we have a modified opinion that is the best you can get. There is there is a thing that says adverse opinion and that is not a good opinion but it's because of how we we follow the law in doing our books. There's different there's a cash basis, there is an acral basis and we use the regulatory which is required by the state of Arkansas. So when they're doing an audit, you see that and you see oh
017you are not going by gas. That's because we're required to go by the regulatory basis and so but everything's a good clean audit great audit. So >> congratulations. >> It gets tense around here during audit time but for the 2020 legislative. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor of that motion say I. All in descent, same size. That motion passed. The next item is our quote for AC unit repair. >> Yeah, this is me. So, as we know, during ice and snow, we had a lot of heavy ice and snow falling off of our buildings and it devastated a lot of our AC units, all of these out here outside of the auditorium, those around the high school, some of those at Cabes, some of those at the primary
018school. And so, we had Kendall had um Justin Sees and Evan come out and look at everything. and unfortunately the condition is such that they cannot be repaired. They're going to have to be replaced. So he gave us our quotes and as you can see if you went through them I know that Jerusa and I had so much fun. And every time one of these came through in the email from Kindle, I was like, but we do have insurance through the state. And yes, we have our $25,000 deductible. But if you look at the prices of some of these, $25,000 is not going to be terrible. This is a new insurance system that we're running through now that we have state captive insurance. What they have required us to have. It's not don't get a
019choice on it. You have to be part of state captive insurance. So, it's a little bit of a different process. So, it's happening a little slower than some of us would like, but we've got all of our information sent in to the state. What's probably going to happen, which how this usually works, we start paying and then the state will send us our money. Like Rhonda said, because of the sheer amount of this, we will pull this from the building fund to pay and then reimburse the building fund when we get our reimbursement from the state. So I did inquire about this just because you were saying how bad it was and some pull up somebody. >> Yeah, that's the thing. They couldn't get parts for it. rayons change. So you try to get a
020put an outside unit to mix with the old side unit that's inside and just >> well and even I mean this is the newest building out here and it's 17 years old. So and those units have struggled with this building since it was built anyway. And then some of those at the high school are really old and the ones around the campuses, some of them Kendall and Scott have been working on steadily. I know the past four years just trying to keep them going anyway. So that snow and ice was way more than they could take. >> It would be a net benefit to the school district even though it's been difficult and a pain if we can get updated system. >> Yes, it will be a benefit. One question I have on as big
021as this is, can we operate just on one bid essentially? >> I think so because we don't have another option. There's not been another >> nobody nobody put in another bid. >> Well, they're the ones who've been working on these things and they're the ones that have come out and you know, we had another group that we did work with for another project and we know that that's not in our purview. So, Do we have to put I mean we're at over half million dollars. Do we have to put these out for three bids or we just thought we had to have three bids or and try to get three bids? >> There's a difference in construction >> and replacement for >> do we have a contract with sees or would it be marked to
022write one up for the future for like direct work like problem work? We don't have a contract with them because he's gone to strictly commercial now and he's the closest commercial person. He's who we have used for everything because they're quick to get here. >> We cover our tail back. >> We don't we don't have to have one. No, >> I mean you you think we'll be fine if we voted for this? I mean, you don't think it would come back to buy us >> because it is not a new project. This is not anything new. it. And I'm pretty sure that it does because there were several clauses and several things that came out of the state facilities department over it. So, >> have the insurance sent out an adjuster to look this over?
023>> Mhm. And the adjuster told us to get our estimates and send our estimates in. >> Yes. >> Ducha has a file that she has shared with them with all every time she's gotten one of these, it's gone to them. So, >> they've come back and agreed to pay this prior >> that said, "Send us your estimates." We paid our bill. >> Yeah. No, we've >> according to our facilities person at Dawson, they will cover like for like. >> So, if that's the if it's our entire outside system, then that's what they're going to cover because we looked at like with those facades that go around the units, the brick, we talked about not replacing them with brick because the brick just kind of fell apart using chain link instead. They won't let us do
024that. We have to do the brick because they're replacing like for like. >> So, so do we, so we have a second estimate for that for the brick work to come in? >> No, because again that's a repair. So that's what as far as insurance has gone. It's get your estimates for your repairs and get those to us. >> But is doing the work? >> No. No, that's a different person. We have all of those estimates, but that's a much smaller cost because we've got those. We've got a an internet cable that has to be replaced that was smashed on top. And we've got um the softball cages. We've got all of those, but those are much smaller. >> Yeah, this is what we need to work on first >> because this is going to
025be the biggest project and we need to get it because it's it's going to take a while anyway. It's going to be summer before they get this done. But the faster we can move on it, the faster they can get going and hopefully >> have us up and running because we know we don't like to wait on air conditioning. I mean, they have the school set up now. I mean, do they have any air conditioning? >> Yes, they do. They're just one or two units that they couldn't get running, but if you go out there and watch them run, it's a little sketchy to watch it because the fans don't exactly sit level. And but Kendall and Scott have worked on every unit out here to try to make sure everybody at least has some
026air moving in their classrooms. >> Yes. The auditorium was the worst. >> Yeah. So, is there anything for us to do to try to prevent that? I mean, or is it like the epic ice storm that's >> We've t I've talked to Nab Holtz about possibilities of some things that that we can do. I know on the new building going forward, but I don't know that there's anything we can do from here. It just wasn't expected. And I mean, we've had snow and ice on these buildings before. It was just never expected to do what it did. >> No. And it was very wet and heavy when it started melting and coming off these buildings. We we we made money on this deal. >> I mean, getting all them units replaced $25,000. >> Yeah, that's
027pretty good. >> Pretty good deal. >> Make a motion that we approve Heat and Air to replace our AC unit. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. >> We have a motion and a second. All in favor of that motion say I. All in descent same sign that motion pass. Next item is our beta club travel >> and that's Miss Russell. >> Um our request is pretty simple. Beta club wants to raise our own money take our own trip out of state and we just need you to say yes we can go out of state. very >> our only option. >> And where are y'all going this time? >> Nashville. We have two students. It's going to be a small group. So, we have one girl that qualified at state convention in
028on-site art. They put a still life in front of her and she had two hours to draw it and she did excellent and got second place at state so she can go present that at nationals. Um, and then we're also going to enter her animation. She's animating animation. Um, so it's going to be a smaller year than last year, but we're excited. >> Make a motion to approve uh the glass state. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor of that motion say I. All say at the same time. That motion passed. >> Congratulations. >> Should have question. Okay, the next item on our curriculum instruction consent agenda. First item is our ELA amplify. I just you know what subjects and what grades we use for and this
029is nothing different from last year except for it's deeper. We really tighten that up some. Um, so, uh, we use Amplify, BKLA, that's English, and that's K4, and it also entails some science and social studies in there. And then our in our 56, that's the other class. The next one, if you guys want to do all of them, it's your choice unless you have a question. >> Would y'all want to put them together? >> Sure. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, and then high school for their ELA, 7 through 12, AU status. And then math, we use K12, imagine learning. And our admin is used for our AL program. We've used all of these in the past. And our social studies, um, we use Malill very well. Um, the difference is is that we are spending, we're
030saving $4,964 compared to last No programs have changed. Everyone's fully using them and we're still working to provide support um when we see that there's support needed. >> What do y'all actually get out of these programs? Is it anything that can be retained like once you get gain the knowledge that you would and and I know you probably know where I'm going with this is year after year we continue to pay >> these subscriptions digitally year after year. unfortunately. Um but >> so years several years ago we purchased big chunks you know we were looking at like $30,000 $40,000 and that was I can say that from a girl hill we purchased textbooks so we have classroom sets of those that we aren't purchasing again but yet we are purchasing the digital use um and
031that's for the teacher to be able to use the program digitally and the kids to also use it. So, it's kind of an added resource, but they can use a blend of both. Um, in the Edmondum for our AL, that is our credit recovery. That's all of our courseware used for our AL kids. Um, what am I forgetting for? We also use that for when we have students that come into the district that we have to place if they come in if they are homeschooled or coming from a school that we can't get specific records for them. We're able to pull those tests from admentum and test them to see where they and that's digital. >> So we have to purchase that from year to year. Everything that you see is it's because it is
032a digital license for student and for teacher. So that has to be a year subscription depending on your numbers that you have. Um CKLA we have readers in the classroom um classroom sets of some things that we purchased years ago. We'll replace here and there on occasion, but it's not a lot in cost. But this will be pretty much a reoccurring cost every year for us. Um, it just all falls down to I think last year we used what they called copy leaks and it was across the board and we realized we weren't utilizing that the way we needed to. So why do we need to pay for that? And so we took that away and we really just try to hone in on what do we really have to have and we reach out
033to our teachers make sure that they're happy with that digital access. If they're not using it to the fullest then we try to get them support in and we all have been trained in some portion of that curriculum or some curriculum so we can offer that support too. Um there's nothing training related that's attached to these quotes. It's all just straight digital as access for teachers to plan with and also for students to work with. >> And it's all the state approved HQIM that's required. >> Yeah. So make their like lesson plan type thing like if it is like all state approved like high quality. >> It doesn't really make their lesson plan but it gives them a guide to follow to plan those lessons. So they can tell >> and it has all of
034the different dos level one, two, three, and four. It helps them pull to differentiate for students. >> They have a wealth of resources that they're given with these. Um, and some they may not use, but it's all part of that one package. Um, and where we have found that many have benefited is that differentiated instruction where they're able to pull some extra resources there. Um teachers don't just go in and just you know plan straight from that. They have to take their standards and that curriculum and plan accordingly. And they use blueprints that they use as a guide that the state brings down or sends to us that hey this is what the kids will be tested over and from that they take that with their curriculum and then they plan for the year. So,
035they do have to do some planning there to make sure that we are covering everything that our kids will be tested over. Um, am I leaving anything out? And that also helps to familiarize them with that curriculum when they have to go in and work with it. >> Teachers that come in because if they're going through a a program in college, they're just getting the basics of lesson planning, not with specific HQIM. This helps them guide through and helps them with time management while they're teaching. um and you know extra resources. So they're not teaching what they think they know. They're teaching what the the standard is specifically telling them our students need to know. So it's good and it I'm thinking of I am just because I've spent a lot of time in there.
036If a teacher is struggling with teaching a certain skill, it offers support videos for that teacher and how it it should be taught. So that's very to me so beneficial to someone that may be struggling with how that needs to look and then that gives them that extra support of how they need to go into the classroom and work with their kids. >> So like with the new learns and this like all the new standards that have come out what is probably like a teacher's average like time that they probably spend on making lesson plans and doing that like how much I feel like it's a lot. >> It would just depend. It depends on the content area. It depends on the teacher. It depends on the grade level. >> That's one of the reasons
037that we have our teachers come in in the summer and work with those specialists and work on planning for the year. Now, is that document going to stay the same? Probably not. It's a it's a living document. They can go in and change it, but it gives them that time to really sit down and look at all of it and dissect it and start on those plans. So, they have a starting point when they start the year. And if they do that, then it's just kind of as their lessons grow, they just kind of organically happen. >> To me, it's like studying for a test. You're not going to study the night before. You shouldn't study the night before. You should be working throughout that chapter or throughout that content or that specific skill in
038how that should look and plan for the unexpected and things like that. And if you know your kids, then you're going to internalize that lesson plan and spend a lot of time with it. So that's why we try to hone in with our teachers in the summer to give them that opportunity to use their PD time that they have to get and use it towards planning for our kids for that next school year. And I was just having a conversation with a math teacher last week and um he was telling me, you know, I ran out of time for this and I noticed on this skill that it just didn't the kids didn't do as well. And I said, so what are we learning from this? I've got to go back and I've got to
039change my pacing up and I've got to make sure that I get that in there. And I that's exactly right and that's what we want them to be able to do. Um we want them to change it if it's not working. Um and we want to provide them with that support and that time to be able to do that. So that's what we spend our summers mainly doing. And then they have their prep. So if something happens, you know, and something didn't work out that week and they have to go in real quickly and revamp a lesson, then they have that opportunity, too. They get time every day. >> And they have those PLC days that we have built in that are the half days on those Fridays that they can they come in and
040that's what they work on is, okay, where am I on this? What do I need to go in and fix? What do I need to change? And it gives them a chance to ask questions, too. So >> plenty of time. They just have to get some. >> But does look look like y'all are paying attention to thoughts versus reward in in these things. >> This is not like a pardon me the capturing kids hearts deal that you never hear from any >> you know >> this is this is definitely an investment for our commission a lot of money. So I think it's important that we invest in it. The state's making sure that we stick to that investment. Um, and we are not going to change this every few years. Um, we're going to stick
041with this and keep building up our teachers and their knowledge and their expertise to help, you know, >> and some of our teachers that work with it and work very well with it are helping some other teachers work with it too. And we've got even some of our administrators who have worked with some of these programs because I'm no McGraw Hill backwards forwards all the way around. >> But we've we've got people who have really got in there and they really know how to use that and they're able to help their co-workers as well. >> Great question. I wish you'all want to move on all this collectively and I approve uh the curriculum instruction consent agenda. >> I'll second that. >> All right, we have a motion in a second. All in favor of that
042motion say I. >> All in descent the same sign. That motion passed. Uh our director's report. >> Our district data update is simply that we have almost finished two more >> testing at the high school. Miss Kender and K2 is happening. K2 is winding down literacy. Some of them are starting on math already. So, and then we'll the 36 test next week. >> And then we're wrapping up other lingering tests in the district that aren't as, you know, known about, but DIM, Ela, all >> and then AP will also be happening coming up too. >> Then the week after we finish testing 36. disclining. >> So, will we have testing results in by next school board meeting? >> Um, our window, it will be official when the window closes, which will be in May. >>
043Um, we have test data. It's it's considered preliminary right now, but we don't have it for everyone. Some components are being pulled for like K2. a lot are being pulled for hand scoring because they have AI scoring them that we talked about last meeting. Um, and they're just seeing how AI is comparing to hand scoring to see if that's going to continue to work through the testing seasons. Um, and then they're pulling some from high school that they tested in writing and handcoring those two. And that's pretty typical across the state right now. So, we've got some data and then others we're waiting on. Um, but when the window closes, which will be about miday, we'll have >> final. Yes, it will be closed >> because as we were told last year that we would
044have letter grades in July, now we are being told August, September. Well, that's that's just that's we were we were expecting it when they said it in our superintendent meeting. We weren't no one was surprised. >> Yes, >> they'll be able to see. Okay. >> They'll know where their kids are. >> What did I So, great. Great at plan and they can use that. So, that's a good thing. >> So, with the holding back of third graders if they don't meet, >> we'll know that um immediately. >> Okay. >> And then given a window of that in June >> um of when they can come in and retake. >> Okay. So, they have a chance to retake >> and possibly not be help by that if they do better on that test. >> Correct. um
045we'll have an opportunity to intervene with them and work with specific kids and then we get them ready and I retype that test and then after the retype then we'll have immediate scores from that. >> Okay, >> sounds good. So really you won't know if any have to be held back till June. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. any future business? >> No, graduation is May 8th and you know you all have a part in that, right? You you remember to be there for graduation. >> It will either be at the football field or in the gym. That is going to be a closer to game time decision because we have to see what the weather is going to do. If the weather cooperates, if the weather cooperates, it will be on the football
046field because that's just the better space. But if we have a another graduation year like Victor's senior year over there, uh when there's a tornado and coming over the gym, then we'll be in the gym. >> But yes, it's it will be May 8th >> next board meeting 19th question. You want move to adjourn? >> All right. Have a motion. Motion and second. and all