001I'd like to go ahead and call the meeting to order. Uh meeting has been duly called. Appropriate notice has been given. And we do have a quorum present. Um Madison, we had a meeting earlier and we decided the person with the most festive winter sweater would lead us in the pledge tonight. So we'll stand for the pledge. >> He is the last meeting he'll attend after that. [laughter] >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, Madison. Thank you. >> Next item on the agenda is our public comment opportunity. Jennifer, we did no signups this evening. >> Oh, can I talk? Is that where someone is? >> You had to sign. >>
002So, there is a process to do that. >> I did not know that. >> Okay. Um, we do have the forms that there's a sign-in sheet at the back in the back when you come in. >> And so, do I need to go sign that? >> Um, well, technically, or is it too late? >> It is it is too late. Um, but the there are extra forms if you just grab one. That way you have it. Um, and that way you just you can come in, you can sign up, and bring you up. No big deal. But at this point, >> what at the next meeting? >> It'd be the next next meeting. >> So, here's my deal, guys. So, I was working over at the high school and I got they did a background
003check. I was going to give you guys this paperwork to get a jump on trying to unfortunately that's not the time for that. >> As I was talking to some lady on the phone, she said she called me back yesterday and I never got >> I I did I left you. >> Was that you? I was wondering who it was. >> I left you a voicemail. >> Okay. I didn't I checked my voicemail. I didn't hear you on there. >> Yeah, I I did. I had somebody in the room with me to make sure as well. >> Okay. So, And so I just get that form and I have to wait till next time >> right outside. >> Actually, I'm gonna send you the information. Like I told you, I've got a letter. >> I
004looked at my email. I didn't see. >> You're gonna get the email in the letter. >> You're going to get both. I'm going to mail it to you as well. >> Okay. And I'll take one from here, too, just to be safe. >> Yes, ma'am. >> All right. Thank you guys. >> Thank you. >> Motion to approve the agenda. >> Make a motion to approve the agenda. >> I'll second it. in the minutes. Motion and second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Unanimous. Moving on to reports, our academic report, Miss Lawrence. >> Okay, we have some very special guests tonight. If y'all want to come on down, we have our district counselors. We thought it would be a really great time of the year to celebrate the work they're doing because they do so much
005behind the scenes for our students and our families. and we just thought it would be a great time for everyone to get to hear some of the fun things for you. Miss Hatman is gonna kind of lead the lead the charge here. Um, and before she speaks, I do want to point out that each of you um have your books from Miss Cler and they're signed and this is the book that she u that y'all voted on um >> so she could procedure for the school. So that is on Amazon. in the same >> she just Okay, I'll let you go. >> Okay. Um, we wanted to thank the school board and administration. We think this is the first time as a group we've been in front of the school board. So, thank you for
006letting us come. Um, this group works behind the scenes, so some of them are kind of nauseous even coming um and having to speak. Some of them sent me that the roads were hazardous because of the rain [laughter] today. so they could make it. But here they are. Um, so we thought this was pretty important though. This is a difficult time of year for uh kids, for families, and this is an important group um to make sure everybody kind of stays the course. Um, and there's no way for us to even touch the I mean anything that they do in the 15 minutes that we have or so, but we asked them to at least give um some tidbits because school counseling has changed so much. Um, for me, it's been a long time since
007I was in school. Um, but for um even some of us that have been out even a shorter amount of time, school counseling has changed quite a bit. So, we just wanted them to share a little bit. So, our first group will come [clears throat] up and share first. Come on up. >> Good evening, everybody. Uh, my name is John Guffy. I'm one of the school counselors at Hackler. Um, I'm here I'm representing K5 school counseling program. Uh, >> we're moral support. >> Moral support. I got a good group here. This is Katie Crryer, school counselor at Nelson Wils, Charlotte Patrick at kindergarten, and Teresa Eastston is with me at Hackler. So, it's hard to describe what a school counselor does. Miss Hatman said that well. And so, I'll just say it the way I
008say it to eight-year-olds. You know, we are our number one job is to keep kids safe. And we do that through all sorts of ways and helping students and we just want to be good representatives um for all the all the blessings that the community has provided us with. We have so many resources in this community and we just try to be our do our best to be good stewards of those resources. Um, one of the things that we do that we all take part in is classroom lessons and that's a very big important u part of our jobs. Um, we take social emotional learning very seriously. Um, some topics that we've talked about this year at Hackler have been coping skills, uh, dealing with things when we're not feeling our calmst. U, friendship, um,
009we've talked about responsibility, um, and just being a good overall student. um those are tier one supports that all students receive and then [clears throat] some students um need individual counseling and they can refer themselves to us or we can be refer referred from a teacher or administrator and so when that occurs we try to help those students with whatever they're going through. Um the number one thing that students usually say that they need help with is um their home life. Um we actually uh keep some data on that and that's our number one uh need that students see us for. [snorts] When things um are kind of go beyond our scope with uh students and we see that we're not um able to help them just a brief time that we have with them.
010We usually look into schoolbased mental health as another option. And so we're responsible for doing referrals. Um usually we u refer to hometown behavioral health and kids at Hackler. Um, we have some great folks that come into our building and we communicate with them quite often. We want to know how those students are progressing in therapy. We want to make sure that their parents are um satisfied with the work that's happening there. Um, so we collaborate with parents in that. And when those situations um unfortunately don't always go maybe the way that we'd like them to, we try to we try to find some something else. And obviously there's certain times where we have to reach out to DHS or juvenile court system for attendance or for other matters and we collaborate with those folks
011as well. So if you guys have any questions for us, they these people would love to answer your question. [laughter] >> Okay, I'll let I don't want to steal the thunder for everybody else. I'll let them talk too. >> Hello, I'm Carla Strad. I'm one of the counselors at home junior high. My partner Stephanie Dement couldn't be here tonight. This is Miranda Clott and Rebecca Cruz and they are at Pinkston. So, we're going to talk about middle level. Now, um as you can already see, school counselors wear many hats and we change those hats very frequently, usually a lot of times within one hour. Um and we can't really share with you in 15 minutes what we do in one day, much less everything we're responsible for. Um because we end up running to crisis
012situations, not away from them. Um so what we're doing oftent times has to halt for a moment so that we can take care of needs from for students and teachers. Um something that we have really focused on at the junior high this year is goal setting. Um, I took on a huge personal goal of my own this year and it taught me so much. So, I knew that if it helped me that it would help tons of other people. So, um, we have challenged our staff and students for all kinds of different healthy habits and goals that they can meet for themselves. Um, this feeds into what Pinkson is doing an amazing job at. Um, they are also doing SEAL lessons for staff and students and they're incorporating challenges and when they meet those challenges
013they're entered into a drawing for a certificate or something awesome like that. Um pouring into our staff is something that is very important to us. We feel that they have a huge responsibility so we have to support them and make sure that everyone is feeling their best. So, um, it's so important to us that we have reached out to local partners and gotten gift cards and things like that. Also, counseling centers have raised funds so that we can make sure to pour into our people. Um, we have a coffee bar at the junior high at a local church sponsor sponsors so teachers can come in and out and grab coffee. Um, we have sponsored a tailgate party, a chili and soup cook off recently and we th throw confetti a lot because celebrating people is
014so important to let them know that we really care about what they're doing and we're proud of the things that they're achieving. Um, we also counsel teachers a lot. um they have big jobs and they need someone to walk with them through um professional things and personal things. So, we not only help students, we help staff. Uh Pinkston also is doing a great job of highlighting different staff members each month and the great things that they're doing with their students. Um and then we just love to partner with community members who want to pour it into our teachers and our students because when we pour it into our students, they become better members of the community and are able to reach their academic and personal goals. >> Anything to add to that? >> Okay. [clears
015throat] >> Good evening. Good evening. >> I'm Sher Smith from the high school and this is Tracy Stevens and Stephanie Carol. So, Mr. Guppy and Miss D did a very good job really explaining a lot of the things that is done through all the campuses with counselors and tonight I just want to highlight some of the things that we do at the high school that looks a little different because of the age group difference. Um, Miss Straoud shared some things that is similar um between our two campuses um because of the grade level, like I say, the grade level piece, but they were talking about um classroom lessons earlier. At the high school level, the how that looks different for us is we do our lessons during the RTI time, those that top grade. Um
016our lessons are um focused around what students have brought to us on topics that they feel like is needed for um their age group. Um the RTI lessons that we do um a lot of times will partner with someone in the community or um schoolbased mental health will partner with us on some of those lessons. Another big piece at the high school is our LT thrift store. So this time of the year, we automatically think about Christmas project, right? Um and with the generous help of our community, we were able um to provide Christmas to 265 students, I think was the number um of students within our district this year. But the LT thrift store is a lot more than that. We're able to provide just basic needs um for our students, our high school
017students. Um and we partner with Bridges that too in our community um through the snack program as well as clothing and other basic needs. Um we also work um with our students at the high school um to make sure that they are ready for one of the three E. We've been seeing a lot of that, right? Um so employment, enlistment or enrollment. So what are they going to do after high school? So the we work together um with the college career coaches to make sure that we have met with every single student to make sure that we have them on track um to where they are ready um to move forward. And with that um that's where ASU Mountain Home has come in and has been a big part um for the um new scholarship
018program through the A2A money and the concurrent credit classes. um this year alone has really kind of stood out for the use of that money and um we worked really well all of us have um getting students enrolled in concurrent credit classes first semester I think the high school students completed 264 classes through ASU Mountain Home just in one semester. Um so with that along with everything else that the other two counselors have already mentioned I mean it's just a building block right on getting students to graduate. So graduation success I think is our ultimate goal for all of our students and it takes all of us with all the different things that was mentioned tonight to get there. So with that being said, this week between the high school and library, [clears throat] we
019have 16 seniors and one junior that will complete this week as a December early grad. >> What we think is pretty good for our our young kids. >> Any questions for us? If so, Mr. [clears throat] Matt and Heather will be happy happy to answer those. So, I wanted to take like just one second and tell you a little bit about what they won't tell you, which is what's happening in between these photos that you don't see and what's going on behind the scenes. Um, there's some of the most humble folks in the district. That's why they didn't want to talk about anything. It's like pulling teeth to get them up here. But, um, Miss Hapman mentioned the world of school counseling has changed. And some of you guys may know, but these folks are
020wired in a way that is pretty special. Uh somebody that will run to the crisis like Carla mentioned, somebody that uh will run to the chaos, run to the crying, um run to the hurting, open their doors to the needy and the broken um and and everything that is um behind the scenes that is that's even hard to discuss. And I wanted you to be able to see that to be able to do those things while then coming into their next meeting and having those smiles on their face is a pretty special thing to have. and we're honored to to get to celebrate them for a second today. I don't know if you've ever been able to sit in um the the discomfort of a mental health crisis, but that's a that's a tough thing
021to do. Um to sit with somebody who's been traumatized, to sit with somebody who's been um abused, uh somebody who's been um harmed in in unspeakable ways. And these folks do this on a regular basis willingly. Um folks that are having panic attacks, having mental health induced seizures. Um, these are things that are happening in between those smiling photos. Um, and I didn't I didn't want to miss uh the fact that they're capable of doing that. So, these folks stay late at night. They're um here waiting on DHS to respond to a a hotline call or a hospital to get us an ambulance so that we can get a student to acute care. or lately it's been to purchase and um sort and deliver um packages so that not one student in Mountain Home wakes
022up on Christmas morning without a a gift to open. Um so it's special stuff. They crawl into that trench willingly. They crawl out of that trench every day and they try to dust the the mud off that's left from that trench and then they go home to their families and often just emotionally bruised and battered and sometimes physically. and they do that uh with purpose and with passion and they do it the next day again. So I definitely didn't want you to not see that value that they're doing that they didn't want to talk about. Can you wrap up? >> Okay, I'm gonna That was a emotional thing. Um the last slide I asked our admin to kind of give me some words and it would be way too long for me to read all
023of it um about every counselor, but these were some words that kind of stood out to us. And then I'm going to read some phrases um about some of our school counselors. These are from admin that work with these counselors every day. Compassion and connection with others are unparalleled. Makes others feel safe, understood, and supported. The quiet strength behind the scenes. Compassion and connections with students. Safe and supportive environments where every child feels seen, heard, and valued. Keen awareness of student needs, strengths, and weaknesses to guide them. Champions the whole child. Helps students turn their uncertainty about their future into clear, confident pathways toward success. Thank you. >> Thank you. [applause] questions. [snorts] >> Thank you for sharing. >> Okay. Susan Gatewood is still part of your crew. I didn't hear I thought where is
024Susan? Yeah. So, >> somebody did not want to talk about [laughter] >> tell her she was called out. She'll know who did it. >> The uh the need for y'all in our district cannot be understated or overstated, excuse me. Um I've heard consistently just how fantastic and what a fantastic job y'all do. So, we really appreciate it. Um there there's such a need and there's so few of y'all really. What what what do y'all need? like what can we do other than I mean obviously we have personnel constraints so we can't just go double how many of of y'all there are but what else can we do to support y'all in what y'all are doing within our district? Anybody have anything on the top of their head? >> We all had a script so we
025didn't go rogue so [laughter] >> Matt better be the person here. No, I mean I think I I think one of the things, Scott, just like tonight, they didn't want to do this, but like being able to be recognized and and for us to get to to put some slides up for them. I think it was huge. They won't tell you that, but it was uh to to just be honored a little bit. Miss Hman jokingly said in her 28 years, nobody's ever done this. >> So, that was something really special to this. >> He told me I couldn't say that. >> Gosh. >> Wow. Well, we're glad you're here tonight. So, thank y'all. >> Thank you. >> Financial reports. Miss Connor, y'all aren't going to stay for the fun stuff. >> Good evening. We'll
026start with the statement of changes in fund balance for the month ending November 30th, 2025. We ended the month of November with $18,277,9853. Um, just to draw your attention to fund 4000, you can see where we made that payment. We talked about that last month because it made our fun tracking a little look a little bit different, but thankfully as I told you it would catch up, it did. There any questions? Moving on to the statement of changes in revenues and expenditures. We had total revenues of 9,546,65545 with total expenditures of4,113,683.81, >> any questions? >> Okay, moving on to our monthly operating fund balance tracking. You can see that our balance did catch up. Um, we had had a little, it wasn't a mishap, it just got paid in a different month last month for
027our um, debt service payment. And so that's a big chunk of money. And so it was reflected in this balance and and now for November, we've caught back up with that. So, >> any other questions? Next, we have the statement of changes in activity funds for November. We ended the month of November with $623,14.31 with all funds combined. >> The following two pages are uh graphs. Actually, is there one or two? >> Two. >> Yeah, two. Okay. The first one is for the month of November and then the second one is from just a repeat of last month for October. >> Thank you for that. looking at, you know, actual through November where, you know, you see where your percentage is like your purchased property services and stuff. Is that does that fall into like
028maintenance and operations um or what? >> Yeah, some some would. [snorts] >> So, like if if a heating and air unit goes down, that's I mean that's reflected in that amount. Okay. Any other questions? >> The rest of it is just your report. >> The following reports are the systems and check register for nothing. >> Thank you, Leah. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. refer to your board report for enrollment as presented. Ste, do you have any updates there? >> Um, this is the exact same number of students that we had last month, which is unique and a first for me. So, 3,656 students down still right getting close to 100 students from this time last year. We will have 16, I think is what she said, early grads. 16 17 early grads that you
029will notice we will not have next month. So hopefully we'll have several move in over Christmas. >> I've talked to a few. >> She has actually talked to student transfers. >> One in and one out. >> It's a wash. >> Okay. Okay. Moving on to our security end of year update. Mr. Helbert. >> Yes. >> Good evening. >> Well, hello. Merry Christmas everyone. >> Merry Christmas. >> Uh, okay. Okay, so y'all all have this uh move on here. Just read off of this right here. So I don't know if I mentioned this, but I started this some somewhere kind of in 25 at the end of the year. Uh see something, say something. It's anonymous tip line for our 6th through 12th grade. Uh and if you can you can open up the link and
030see how it is. It's uh uh you know where kids can come in and report risky behavior. Uh what I usually do, I'll get the email and I kind of look at it and see if I need to forward it to the principal. So it's just a way a kid can report something. You know, vaping. Uh I know Justin has gotten several of them. Uh you know, kids will just send all kinds of things to me. I kind of weed through them and if it's something that a principal needs to know, I will forward that to them. So it's kind of worked out. It's kind of getting out there. Uh we uh Jennifer really helped me get that together, but it's on what's it on? >> It's on our website and then it's also on
031Canvas. >> On Canvas, how kids can get to it. So anyway, uh that's going well. Matter of fact, I got one this week and forward it to uh the principal. >> You any questions on see something? Say something. >> No, that's good. >> Yeah. I think it's something good for our kids. Uh, our district-wide interior doorork knobs have been installed. Uh, as you can see, the key is on the, uh, on the outside and there's nothing on the inside where you can unlock it. So, if the door is closed, it is locked. >> Appropriate. >> If you walk down a hallway and you see a door open, it's open. If you see a door closed, you know it's locked. So, those have been installed and everything's been rekeyed to our new master. >> Good. >>
032So, that's that went well. I know uh Miss Dwey probably sent y'all the picture of the uh wrap. This is not a wrap, but the decals. But, uh I thought it looks nice. Thought it would looked really nice and I've got a lot of compliments on it. >> It looks great. >> Yeah. Thought it looked good. >> And this was quite the gift. Yeah. Yeah. So, and I think uh when I get with Clay, we kind of get together, we're gonna do a press release on that uh thanking him and uh for what he did to donate that. So, that was really nice. Uh our lockdown drills and our shades, our drills have been completed. Uh went well. We learned a lot. uh some not so well, but we're getting better at it. Uh so
033we're going to do one this next semester that's going to be unannounced and uh but they it is getting uh getting better. And so our lock down shades, if y'all can see that, it's uh you got a little rip cord right there and it's velcro and when you pull it, it just drops. >> So and that covers up the window just for lock downs. you don't, you know, if you're in there teaching, you don't have it down. So, those have been installed. Uh, all right. Our back gate, uh, got installed yesterday. So, uh, as you can see kind of where it's at, it's on the the aggite part of the parking the drive on the far end. Uh, so I haven't got it closed yet. I just did that to take a picture. But uh
034after Christmas, we're going to get the word out. Uh we did put up signs. No three traffic. Uh but how many people read signs? So we just got to get used to it. So that had that has been installed at the far end. Uh their next one will have to be I'm going to put it right there by the cafeteria where the CDI house is. Okay. So that will be completely closed >> and then during the day >> and that's just opened up then for buses to >> Yeah. So in the mornings it's opened up then during then it'll be opened up about 2:30 quarter till 3 to let them out. >> Okay. >> Other than that it'll be closed >> and they're closed at night. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So no no no
035through traffic no matter what >> at all. I mean that's a private drive. That's >> school property. I mean people don't need to be driving around it. >> Yeah. So, [snorts] >> any questions on the gate? >> Which I think it's a great thing. That's something that need needs to be done. It had it needed to be done a while back. Uh, other thing I wanted to mention that as you can see, our weapons detection system, that is a picture that I'm going to start. Uh, so Entry Shield, who we partnered with to get these, uh, they didn't donate these, but they're letting me use them an extra set at the gym. So, I'm going to start using them, uh, during games, uh, people coming in. So, you can kind of see where that's set.
036It's right outside the inside the entry. So, uh, I'm I think the first night I'm going to use that is Monday night, the 22. That's when I'm going to get those things out and start utilizing them. But entry shield, I when I went to them, I said, "Listen, I can use an extra set. I don't want to have to take them from the cafeteria to the gym and back and forth." And so, they were nice enough to say, "Hey, we got an extra set you can use." So, I just I'm just keeping those at the gym. And they also donated a couple of iPads as well uh for secretaries at the junior high and high school. What's really nice of him to do. >> All right. So, I'm sure Miss Dwey shared with y'all we
037did get the cops grant uh for radios, which is a great thing, something that we really need. Uh did get the RFP out. Uh and we will be doing seal bids on that. Uh I think they need to be in February 3rd. So, I've already met with uh three companies doing a walk through making sure everything how we communicate, make sure it reaches and what we're doing works. So, looking forward to that. I think that's a good thing for our district. >> Yeah, that'll be nice. >> So, instant communication. >> Yeah. Where I can be here, I can talk to Nelson Wils. >> So, anyway, y'all got any questions? Thank you for the update. >> You bet. >> All right. Good job. >> Thanks, guys. >> Thanks. >> Board action items. First item is request
038to approve related party disclosures. Board resolution. >> Don't eat all the cookies, Tommy. >> 6:30 board action. >> Tonight we're bringing a related party disclosure and um we wanted to bring this to your attention because it does involve Tommy Knight and his place of business. Um the resolution is related to emergency air service plans that we offer to our employees as a benefit. And we started this service prior to him ever being on the board. And so What happens is we offer this benefit to the employees. They can participate if they'd like. Uh the requirement is we pay the air med upfront for all of the employees that are interested or that want to participate. And then throughout the year we are payroll deducting so that it doesn't cost the district anything. It's strictly a
039benefit the the employee can volunteer to participate in. So um our payment does go directly to air med care network and whatever business they do with Mr. Knight is what they do. So we did want to make sure that the board was aware and the public was aware of these transactions that are occurring. Um he is employed by insurance marketplace and so the resolution says to do business with insurance marketplace but we're actually doing the business with air med. So you it may be something you might want to change the wording if you feel like we need to on this. Um the way the resolution's written, it appears that we're doing it directly with him and we're really not directly with his business, but we wanted to be transparent about it. >> We have a
040recommendation. Do we have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Have a motion. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Do we have any discussion? >> This is clearly just being transparent. >> Yes. >> There's, you know, there's nothing >> I don't see a conflict of interest since came as a prior to being on the board. [clears throat] Well, and there's no school money exchanging funds. >> Well, the school is >> the school deducted >> and the employee makes the decision to either opt in or not do it, right? So, yeah, >> decision. >> Okay. Any more discussion? All those in favor? >> It's unanimous. >> Tommy, you can come back now. >> Thank you. Thankfully, >> those cookies get to them. >> Yeah.
041>> Thanks for coming out, Madison. Next item is request to approve certified salary schedule addition. So, at last month's board meeting, the board sent to PPC a salary schedule amendment to add on the therapist salary schedule. And I'm just here because PBC approved it. Short and sweet. I ask that you'd approve the changes to the salary schedule as presented. >> Got a recommendation. >> Yeah. Um I I make a motion that we approve the certified salary schedule edition as presented. >> Second. >> Motion and second. Any discussion? I >> think this is a good thing. Um it's we're putting we are not hiring anybody. We are putting a addition to the salary schedule. There is no name tied to this at all. So this is just hopefully preparing for the future. >> Just hope to
042save some money somewhere. >> Somewhere. Yep. We we've got good relationships with our with our contractors, good symbiotic relationships. They help us, we help them, but this this gives us the opportunity to bring somebody >> in if if they want to work for the district. We have a salary schedule for them, which um it's a win-win, I think. >> That's right. >> Any other discussion? All those in favor? Unanimous. Thanks, Matt. Thanks. You love the sweater. Next item is request to approve a bus. >> Mr. Rose, good evening. >> Thanks for having me back. >> Of course. >> Um, yeah. Tonight coming to you, we got my glasses here. >> You want to borrow mine? >> Little new clicks. >> We call him Dr. Con. >> Yeah. >> Hey, so you guys know we talked
043about this a few months ago. uh trying to steadily build back our fleet. We we kind of had a lapse there for a little while. We kind of got slow in replacing some older buses, so we're still kind of chasing it a little bit there. So, uh first of all, um just want to remind you of that. Um tonight, just going to come to you, we've got a little background here. So, so with that being known, we're we are in need of a 28 passenger bus, one of the smaller buses that we utilize for a lot of different activities and stuff, but mainly for routes for a lot of our special needs students. Um, those things help us get in and out of smaller subdivisions, deadend streets, things like that. For instance, the one that
044this one's trying to replace right now, we're having to have a few families bring their kids out to the main roads because we can't get big bus down there and turn it around. So that kind of creates, as you could understand, several uh issues, but uh so we are in need of 28 passenger bus. This one would replace an existing bus of the same size. It has been held up really well, service well. It's it's pushing close to 250,000 miles, 240 over 240. Um and it's also picked up a couple new mechanical issues. We thought when we brought it in to fix a alternator, found out that number one, it was a really expensive special order alternator. But then once we did our other inspections to oil and everything. It also had oil and antifreeze
045which we knew means we got major issues. Yeah, we know what that is, right Jason? >> So, uh, looking at cost in that and what cost that thing's actually worth at this point. Paul, Mr. Bill and I have estimated if we take that to auction, it's probably going to bring about 800 bucks. So, I think to put eight grand in something that's that old and worn out is probably not the best idea. [clears throat] Of course, I went to my my boss ladies there and Miss Dwey, Miss Carter, Miss uh Miss Donna, they went and looked and did some things, checked things, and Miss Dwey gave me approval to go ahead and write this up, bring it to you guys tonight. So, I'll thank them for that. So, um um the uh this is going
046to allow us to replace that higher mileage. It's 28 past year. We're looking at it's a Collins Chevrolet gasoline powered bus and we have had good luck in forming reliability with them in the past. Um so we've located this one. This one's actually has already been moved down to um around Ozark up in Missouri just outside of Springfield there. Mr. Belnap's already went and laid eyes on it, hands on it, looked at it. It is exactly what we're hoping to to get and what we need. Um so it's readily available. We're not going to have to wait for this to be built or anything. it potentially could be done as quick if this gets approved as quick as when they come back in January. Literally, we'll need letters and things like that. So, so it
047could happen pretty quick and we can get it in our fleet almost immediately. So, um that's what we're hoping for and they'll get it fitted out with the Arkansas standards and equipment. So, the recommendation is to approve the purchase of a new 2025 Collins 28 passenger school bus in the amount of $105,900. Heard the recommendation. Do we have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve the bus purchase. >> Second it. >> We've got a motion and a second. Do we have any discussion? >> We have to keep buying buses. We've had this conversation before, but what do [clears throat] we have 52 buses? I mean, even if you replace two a year, that's 26 years a life cycle, and that's too much. So, we need to be budgeting for >> three to four
048buses a year to keep them. So, yeah, >> just a little bit off off this bus, but how many miles a day do you guys run? >> Uh, we've we've said in the past and and I had I took it off here, but roughly around 2,000 >> a day. Thousand in the morning, thousand in the afternoon on rough gravel, bumpy roads. >> A lot of it is on tough roads. anything as you guys know we head out north this way too. >> Is this a budgeted purchase? [snorts] >> Um yes and no. Um not really but like I said the ladies looked like they had some had some room there in in the budget from the beginning of the year that we >> could come from. >> Sorry Mr. didn't mean interrupted you. Um, we
049wanted to do this last year. Um, so we went ahead and left some in our beginning balance because I think y'all will notice if you look at the beginning balance from last year >> went ahead and left some there knowing our expenses could include a bus depending on how things were going and we think we're >> we're good to bring this to you tonight. >> Yeah. My recommendation be put in the budget every year for some buses because we know we need them. >> We did one we did one but >> one Yeah. one doesn't >> like you said >> and not budgeting it appropriately can actually cost you money long term as we spoke about in previous meetings you know with the maintenance of them. Yeah. So >> bus >> we've either >> not
050got to provide transportation or we got to do it right and this is this is required purchases to do it right. Okay. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Unanimous. Thanks, Mr. Rose. >> Just does just Can Mr. Mo share something? >> Yeah. >> Just real briefly. I'm not going to give you the full gamut of We did just get finished up with our state bus inspections last week. Uh the fellas came in. There's two of them came in this time. They stayed with us for three or four days. Um, as you know, we're a little short foranded around the shop right now. However, uh, Mr. Bellnap, which is a he's a mechanic at heart and and that's his skill and, uh, he along with Philip Reed and then we which is a
051we hired him as a permanent sub. However, he's pretty handy. He's a former FedEx driver, retired, and he's been he's been around vehicles for a long time, and he's just a go-getter. So with with with Paul's guidance and leadership in there side by side and Philip's desire to jump in there and help us, you know, we pulled in a substitute to come in and help some, too. Don't care to get his hands dirty. Justin Broadell um we uh the inspection come back pretty good. Still got room to grow, but they did say is much better than last year. His exact words were >> Much improved. Buses were in a lot better shape this year. Paul, Philip, and Justin are doing a good job. They're really helpful. Fixed a lot of the small things and things
052that they found through the inspections before he left that they were able to go ahead and pass and clear. So, it was definitely an improvement from past. So, I just want to share that. Give those guys all the credit because I'm telling you, they busted their humps over there for about a month and a half straight to put in a lot of hours. >> Good deal. Great. Thank you. Thank you for worship. >> Okay, moving on to board discussion. I've got a few couple little things here. Um I have noticed myself and some others and going back and looking at our video um where I have engaged in a little side conversation while somebody's talking or presenting um or I have talked over somebody while somebody is talking. It's hard to interpret on the video.
053So I kind of feel for some of those viewers that are trying to do that. but it's almost being disrespectful to my other board members. Um, so it we're all passionate. We're we're trying to get through these different things. Um, and they're good things. Um, but let your board members speak and finish so that we can let you speak and finish. Um, it we're all adults. We're all professionals. Um, so it and I hope it helps people viewing online as well. Um, we don't need to be talking over each other or just um, and I said like the the little side sidebar conversation, it's it's hard to get through. Um, and that kind of segus into the next thing is we are dealing with some very um, say passionate things that we we all love.
054They're near and dear to our hearts. some of these agenda items. Um, those can't they have to be discussed in here. As much as I would like to talk to any one of you about these things that I'm passionate about, it's not right. Well, it's it's it's against the law as much as it is right. You know, it we mean no harm when we do it, but it is against the law. So this is our time. This is our place to discuss these things and we need to bring it in here. Um and I I feel we've got a fantastic opportunity to to discuss these real issues or real things as they come up. I mean that's this is our time. This is our place. Um and that also um it also reminded me that
055this is a meeting held in public. It is not a public meeting. So, um, when we get outcries from the audience, that's not okay either. Um, I, you know, if we call upon somebody to discuss a specific topic, great. But to have audience members interrupt, that's not okay either. So, don't mean to rain on anybody's parade. I just needed to get it out there. That's all I have on that. We did have a have a great time in Little Rock at ASBA. Um it was very um I say refreshing. It was nice to hear from our education commissioner. Um and he brought quite a bit of data. Um and it was really awesome to hear that we are starting to move that needle. Um that as a state we are getting better. As a nation
056we are getting better. Um, I think our our our Department of Ed is is finally working for us um in assisting our teachers to make sure assessments are what they need to be and they have the curriculum needed to get things done. So, it was kind of refreshing to hear that from him. Um, overall it was a good conference. So, >> I think I think he made there was a teacher there that made a >> a point to say you can't just say third grade. It comes from kindergarten all the way up. >> And I thought that was a good >> thing. Yeah. >> On the note of the annual conference, sorry I wasn't able to join y'all. I did watch online on Thursday eye wateringly um stare at my computer monitor. Um so sorry
057to miss that. Um I believe you got an award, didn't you? While you were down there. >> I did. Okay. >> It's the pinnacle award for its 200 plus hours of contin Arkansas school board approved continuing education. >> Well done, sir. >> Thank you. >> Yes, sir. >> Um >> you also got an award, Scott. I didn't talk over yet, but you did, too. >> [laughter] >> Well, I missed that. >> Um, I want to just give a quick uh recognition. I went to the high school band concert on Sunday afternoon and I just wanted to give Mr. Cetnik, Mr. May, and the entire band just some recognition because it was fantastic to hear what they did. Um, if y'all didn't get to see it in person this year, put it on your to-do list
058for next year because it was just it was really well done. So, Mr. Chetnik, Mr. Maid, all the band members, well done. Um, congratulations on a really great great Christmas concert that they gave. >> If y'all remember in the uh lunch meeting in November, we went to Hackler and um we We Miss Goodwin presented um a a reading initiative and she needed some books and so um due to that meeting I was able to go to the education foundation meeting and I had it specific. Miss Goodwin sent me a very detailed list of the book sets and I had a $1,950 some odd cents and um the foundation board was so excited about the initiative that they uped to 2500 to buy some rewards and things to go with it. So that is the purpose
059of the Mountain Home Education Foundation and I hope other principles, other faculty, if they see a need that's really going to help boost their program, um give the foundation board a chance to hear it. Miss Goodwin came in at a moment's notice. I should have thought of that sooner for her to come speak and she stayed and did an excellent job and um it's exciting to support the schools financially with fundraising that's already been done. That's That's nice. You don't have to go back and ask the community for more. The community is already given. So, um I thought that was pretty fun that every book can be purchased. Now, speaking of books, I'll just mention this real quick. Um and I I probably should have said this even when Miss Carter was here, but as
060soon as this book I actually pre-ordered this book as soon as I got word that, hey, it was it was getting published. It was going to be on Amazon. I pre-ordered it. Um, and I got it and I've read it to my kids multiple times. So, it's a fantastic book and yes, you can get it on Amazon. Um, so to Miss Carter, very well done. A lot of folks don't know, but it's a very small small Marine Corps. Her husband is a Marine Dean Carter. We were actually deployed together in 2011. Before I ever moved here, before I ever knew them, we were on a very small deployment on the same ship together, uh, doing the same things and came here. It's like, wow, look at this. What a small world. But um this the
061the boy with a flower eye. What a great book and great message. So um make a great Christmas present. >> You brought up Scott's award, but you neglected to bring up that um we we are sitting in front of a master board member. >> So Molly did receive her master board award this year. So >> that $6 you can get a cup of coffee. >> Yeah. [laughter] only at some places. >> Where are you going? >> Any other discussion? >> You're up, boss. >> Well, I want to congratulate three of our board members for the awards they received at the ASBA conference. Congratulations, Mr. Booth, receiving the certificate of boardmanship, which I believe is 25 hours um of ASBA recognized um Continuing ed, Miss Molly Morgan, master board member, 50 hours. Is that correct? And
062then Mr. Jason Schmatzky, Pinnacle Award. He got to go up front, got a beautiful >> Yeah. >> item of recognition. And um super proud because these awards are based on training. And that means that you've been willing to go above and beyond. And I know all of you are well on your way to these um because you don't just do the minimum. You all do. you train and make sure you've got what you need to do the best job you can do on this board. So, thank you. Um Christmas is just around the corner. Um our students, our staff, our teachers, our administrators are ready for a winter break. So, just a a last minute shout out to them for the teaching and learning opportunities that they provide to our kids every single day. And
063um I hope they know how thankful that this community is, these families are, and that I am for the work that they do. As of today, the next official board meeting will be the next official meeting of this board will be January 15th. So, um it's early in January because I believe the first is a Thursday. So, it's it's right just a week after we get back to work. Um but that is the next official board event. Happy holidays. And that's all I've got. >> Next item on the agenda is employee hearing, but I don't think >> that employee >> we don't have to have that employee hearing. So now we'll move into executive session for personnel, employment, resignations, and transfers. Thank y'all. >> That out there.