001All right. So, it is February 12th. We're here for our regularly scheduled board meeting. We're going to start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. And now we're going to follow that moment of silence. Amen. All right, Mr. Martin, we're going to turn it over to you. Yes, ma'am. Um, welcome to the February board meeting. First up on the agenda is the consent agenda. Are there any questions? Okay. Okay, with that, I'd like to make the recommendation that the consent agenda, financial report, and board minutes of the regular board meeting held on January 22nd, 2024 be approved as submitted. All right. So, we have a recommendation.
002Do we have a motion? I'll make a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Second by John. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. All right. Up next, we have student achievement success. And we have some very special visitors at our board meeting today. And I'm going to turn it over to Coach Clark. Not sure where he's at, but I know he's in here somewhere. Yes. All right. Hello everyone. Thanks for having us here tonight. I'm very pleased to uh have our Pers High School competitive cheer team with us. Uh we've had a busy couple couple months in athletics since I've been here last. I think uh we're sitting on four state championships this year. We got cross country boys. uh cheer took care of business at Hot Springs. Our boys indoor track
003team won and then most recently our bowling team won a state championship. So we're sitting on the number four, but this one is a little bit unique even out of those four. Our cheer team went down to Hot Springs like they always do. The second week of December went down there and just did a tremendous job. Uh won the state championship rather handily. Uh, and then it was a stressful day, but when it was all said and done rather handily. And then by winning that day, they qualified for nationals. And nationals was down in Dallas. And I had the uh good fortune of being able to go on the trip as well. And we got down there and it was a huge event. Like more teams than than you can even guess. But our kids
004never blinked. Not once. They went in there. Uh, their first performance was incredible. And they followed it up. Their second one was even a little bit better than the first one. And then when all things were said and done, they were the national champions. So, congratulations. I'd like to turn it over to our two cheer coaches. They do a tremendous job. I I know uh they they spend so much time with these these uh young adults in here. Takes a takes a lot of effort and love and they do a great job with it. So, uh Coach Hurst, Coach Harrison, if you would please come on up and say a few words. Okay. You guys go ahead and stand up. Go ahead and stand. Yeah. Look at their [Music] jacket. Show them the back. So,
005show the [Music] back. Um, so just over the last couple of years in the cheerleading program, there's just been just a steady incline of athleticism and success. And so uh like uh no other year we went down took care of business at state but we we won state big and uh whenever that you consider the last time we won state by um 4/10en of a point and then this time we go down and we win by 8.3 points like whole points then it's it's like go time. So with uh much help of the parents and the school and the community, we literally pulled together the funds that we needed once that we just decided that we were going to go to nationals and nothing was going to stop us. And I do need to give
006a quick shout to my husband because I had a couple nights where I was tossing and turning like I don't know how we're going to raise all this money. And he said, "Focus on the team. We'll take care of the rest." And sure enough, everybody showed up. We made the trip to Dallas. We experienced Bies and In and Out. and we got a VIP tour of the AT&T stadium. That was our team outing and we were in the media room at the time that the results from day one came through. And so I was able to make the announcement that we were in first place by 4/10en of a point when we were in the medium media room up on this podium. It was really like a cool deal. And so we did that and
007uh made uh memories at the local Italian restaurant. Um, so where we called the products were the uh the owners and they just thought that was great and then they went in, they took care of business. Um, on the nationals platform, I had never been there before, so I didn't know what to expect, but um, from the coaches that had mentored me and had been there before, they always said, you know, hey, it's going to be really, really close, like really really close. So, you know, you might win by like two ten of a point or one ten of a point, so you're going to have to go and give it your best effort and all this good stuff. And so at the end of the day, whenever we did win, we actually wound up
008winning by almost two whole points. So they showed up, they had an incredible run the first day, we made some minor changes and some deductions that we got. And then right before we went on to finals, we were going to take um a stunt out and I called that group over and I said, "Hey, like this is it. I got to know, you know, because you say, "Hey, we're going to take that out." And their faces are kind of like, you know, it's like talk to them this group. And I was like, "Are you going to do it or not?" like are we going to do this or not? Like you tell me like what's best for you and your team. And they all the group were like no we're going to do it. We're
009going to make it happen. Like we can do it. Trust us, we can do it. And literally I said hey listen because it's 75% today. Like let's crunch those numbers real quick. Like no we're going to do it. We're going to do it. And then they they did it. We had zero deductions. They did all their stunts that day and then one of my little girls came off and she was crying and she said I'm so sorry I missed the foot. And I'm like girl you missed the foot but you got the whole ankle. like she caught that sucker over there and it was just amazing. Um and so we're on to something really really great here for sure. And so I foresee the next several years of us um having much success at this
010regional, the local and um the state and national level for sure. So um do we have time for them just to go through and introduce themselves really quick? Yes, please. They're great. Yes, they're great. Okay, so we'll start down here. Uh, I'm Carson Payton and I'm in ninth grade. I'm Katie Jones and I'm a senior. I'm ACL and I'm All right, I'm gonna have to interrupt. You're going to have to speak up louder so everybody on Facebook can hear you guys. You guys are cheerleaders. I know you got it. I'm Haley Star and I'm a sophomore. I'm Sandy Young and I'm a sophomore. I'm K Piper and I'm a junior. I'm Riley Randall and I'm a freshman. I'm Miley Her. I'm a junior. I'm a Biffany. I'm a junior. I'm Connor Walker. I'm a sophomore.
011I'm Bridget Clark. I'm a freshman. I'm a sophomore. I'm Jason. I'm a sophomore. Jennifer Burus. I'm a freshman. I'm Emily Bur. I'm a sophomore. I'm Grayson. I'm a freshman. I'm Catly. I'm a junior. I'm Haley Phillips and I'm a sophomore. I'm Andy Roberts and I'm a sophomore. I'm Clark and I'm a junior. I'm Lacy Williams. I'm a senior. I'm Kenny Williams and I'm a junior. I'm Abby Kennedy and I'm a senior. I'm so we're going to be pretty solid for the next couple of years because you didn't hear very many seniors. We're going to miss our seniors tremendously. Um, Lacy Williams is also named All State again this year. And she doesn't know this yet because I just got the email, but she has also been invited to participate as our representative in the Allstar
012game. Wow. But we do thank you for all of your support and the opportunities for uh you all to allow us to take these adventures and just kind of uh push them to their athleticism because it really they are phenomenal young adults um and they have risen to every occasion. And so we're going to finish out the basketball season strong with tournament play and then we're going to rest for a little while and then have triyouts a little bit later this year. But super proud of them and all of their hard work and dedication and their parents support and getting them where that they need to be. So thank you all for everything. Parents, thank you. You're the best. So I think we want to get everybody up here for a picture for a congratulations.
013But anytime kids Our student athletes or students come up here, you have to take a picture. So, we need you up here to get a picture. Well, they know how to line up for pictures. So, y'all go ahead and do that. [Music] What are we going to do? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you guys. [Music] Congratulations. Thank you. [Music] Correct. We gotist. All right, on to the next. And Miss Harrison is not done. She is also our GT coordinator, our director of GT, and she is going to talk a little bit about the success our GT program has had over the past year. Yes. So, we were recently awarded um best growth scores. Um we came in at third um for districts of our size um a,000 to 3,000 students. that was given by the
014office of educational policy. They look at Aspire and MAP scores and put it in this fancy formula and we came out with that 85.32. Um so we were very very close to that one and two spot. Um our highlights from that data um we were in the 98th percentile at the intermediate school in math and then the 95th percentile at the middle school in math. Um, and then in ELA, we're the 79th percentile at the intermediate school. Um, I serve 189 students. Um, basically grades 3 through 12. We serve all of our students in K2 with pull out enrichment. Um, that is a 25% increase since 2022. I only was serving 152 years ago. Um, that's the number of students per grade in um, in each building. As you can see, the younger we get,
015the bigger they get. The classes are getting bigger. We have a bigger a bigger pool to pull from. Um, in level one, K2 students, they receive whole group enrichment lessons 30 minutes a week um in their keyboarding class. And then Miss Ferguson also comes in and provides an additional 30 minute lesson a month since she's our certified GT person. Um level two are grades three through six um for pullout services. Um they are done during wind time um for a minimum of 150 minutes a week. Um these are some of the topics that we touch on in that level one and level two. Um in K2 we focus on creative thinking and being flexible and how to add details and elaboration. Um, in grades three through six, um, Miss Ferguson and I have created curriculum
016that goes along with the topics that they're doing in class with wit and wisdom. Um, so in third grade, it's the sea and the solar system, trees of Arkansas, art and creativity. Um, so whatever they're doing in their literacy class, I'm extending in reading and writing and science and math um, when I have them and when Miss Ferguson has them. Um, we also focus on critical thinking, creative thinking, deductive reasoning. Um, we still are doing quiz bowl. Um, we look at their scores, we make goals, we look at their growth. Um, they also do have some free choice time. Um, and we're currently working on robotics. Uh, level three will be our junior high and high school students. They receive their services through their advanced coursework that is differentiated and rigorous. And they also um
017have free choice during their blackhawk time club times. We do have quiz bowl at the junior high and high school level. Um they are both getting ready to go compete at state. Our junior high quiz bowl team um has won state the last two years, hoping to get number three next weekend. Um these are some of the topics that we um do within the junior high school. They're really geared in junior high. How can we be a better high school student? What do I need out of my high school experience? And then in high school, they meet once um a month in addition to their um coursework and they um focus on college applications, scholarships um and an extension of what they're doing in CCR. Um so these are a few pictures. Um this year
018I started um challenge days. Um I just feel like 30 minutes um every day is really enough time to get in depth and have them work on projects. So about every six weeks we pull them and each grade level comes for the entire day except for their lunch and their auxiliary time but it really gives us time to get in go deeper work on some projects do some more collaborative stuff. So these are the things that we worked on at our first challenge day. We sewed buttons and then we our pictures all together and it made the famous painting called the wave. Fourth grade learned to cross stitch. Fifth grade made journey sticks and um how to sew a bag. Um and then sixth grade they made glass and so um made a garment. The
019second nine weeks we focused on what's offered for GT students at the co-op. So we taught and practiced some quiz bowl and chess, Rubik's cubes, micro bits with coding, and then we took that also full day to take fifth grade on a field trip to the Native American Museum. We just finished our third challenge day last week and we started with the basic robot and how to do basic coding driving forwards and backwards. Um, we do have another upcoming challenge day. will be traveling to the Walton Art Center. Um, third and fourth grader are going to watch The Boy, the Crab Wolf. Fifth and sixth grader are going to watch North. And then I'm taking ninth graders to Tetris. Um, Walton Art Center. We um actually were chosen to do this stage to studio um
020with our third through sixth graders. The Walton Art Center provides us lunch. We watch the play and then they take us over and they create some type of art based off of the characters or the theme of the play. We've never gotten to experience that before, so I'm pretty excited about that one. And that's all I got. Yes. Yes, sir. So, one of your first slides you showed increases population you increase in student need that we need to add to help. Absolutely. That's actually in about That's later on tonight. Yeah. When we hired our first one, it was two years ago with 151 and we've added a full classroom. So, yeah. Any other questions for me? Thank you so much. This is, you know, um, we see the growth, you know, we've been through the
021primary school, always at the high school, seeing the great things that they're doing. This is just another example of how we are growing academically in our district, and it's it's wonderful to see, and thank you so much for your leadership. Yes, sir. Thank you. [Music] Yeah. Up next, we have a CTE review for y'all and Miss Markell. So, Also, before Miss Harrison leaves, I want to say this is my fifth year here. When we started talks five years ago, she's like really she was stuck with it. I'm like, let me learn more. She's connected with Miss Taber consistently and really through their partnership, they've really been able to um really grow our GT in ways. So, she's done an amazing job of taking the initiative to do this very when I first met came here
022and met her, she was like, you got to do these things. I'm like, okay, let me learn. but she really um persisted and so I really appreciate that helped us think differently. But today I'm excited to share with you I gave you a handout and I have a few extra um about the great things are happening in career and technical education in P Ridge and just to give you a little bit of background um with the Learns Act and some exciting things that happened. I was asked to sit on a statewide committee with the Learns Act um and a work group on the um college diploma on the career ready diploma. So, it's been exciting to see and share with districts across the state through the learns work group the fabulous things that we're doing
023in P Ridge and we're really able to take some of the things that are coming out through learns that are going to come out in rules and really highlight and showcase our students and some things that we've already been doing in our trajectory for growth that really launched started with a great foundation with PRAA and now moved forward with um evolution of our new high school and it's allowed us to do some great things. So just to highlight a few things that are going on in career technical education. This is just a one pager that talks about some of the great things. I want to highlight in the last two years we've started internships and practicums and when you work in a bedroom community or have a school district in a bedroom community sometimes finding
024jobs and internships is a struggle. So I want to compliment some of our programs um that have hired inside. So the school district has become this um without in the right way to say it has become the employer of the apprenticeship opportunity. We have students working at our prek. We have students working in the technology department. We have students who are working on our media team doing some great content and we just across that way are seeing some neat things happen as well as some students that are going out and doing some internships and practicums outside of of but it's really hard when you're in that veteran community and not a lot of industry folks. So we found some great ways to bring it inhouse and teach students about career technical education opportunities in house.
025But I want to highlight that our A program is going strong. They had a great fall and they um had some good showings at the Bitten County and 4H show. They earned um some grand champion and some great placements that kind of launching them. FFA really kicks off and hits hard in the spring with the individual competitions. the things in the fall are more of a launch and a practice for those um competitions. Our FCCLA program, Miss Jacobs actually was awarded an apprenticeship um excuse me, a fellowship through our national um the national um our um I can't say the word this career and technical education association. She earned a fellowship um this year. She was unable to go last minute to the national conference because she got really sick. So we sent Miss Whis.
026Miss Whis pitched in and did all of the obligations so that we wouldn't lose that spot for Pidge and Miss Whis did such an outstanding job they automatically invited her around for next year to be a fellow. So that's exciting that we've have two teachers who participate in our fellowship program. Um I know you can easily see the culinary program and the neat things that they're doing and some collaborative. Um keeping on at that with the nest and miss has um done some great job expanding some of that. never seen a real growth in our product and our creativity and the hands-on experiences um that our students are getting. When we went, we were luxury to get to go to the national conference, Miss Taber, Miss Jackson and I went to as a leadership group
027and then Miss Whis was there for Miss Jacobs doing a fellowship and how the national vendors, Miss Whis had already reached out to them and they knew her some of the opportunities to increase for our kids with some of the great equipment she has. If you haven't met Mr. Bobbit. He's a new medical teacher this year. I think he was there when you were touring and you saw injured students and to treatment. So, we're really getting use of some technology that we've had in there, especially with our anime table. We're seeing that grow. And you'll see in a minute, we're actually going to ask for another health professions teacher. So, we're seeing all these programs really take off. But, um, our computer science, Mr. Hannah is going to talk about adding some equipment to help
028our computer science program go. So, get their equipment up to grade. I think you're going to be hearing a lot from our um CTE programs as they really grow. The most important thing I want to stress though about a CT about CTE is the student organization opportunities and I know we've had a great participation in DECA in the last few years that Pra has been known for that. We've had state officers but I want to shout out to we have over 25 HOSA members and that's the largest chapter we've had in years I think since Prima. That's for the health and science and they're going to start competing. Our FFA numbers have rebounded and are I mean I think they're in the hundreds in their membership. Um our skills USA is taking off in some
029pieces. Mr. Davis, our new a teacher is going to take a spin off and take some kids I found out today to compete in the welding portion of the Skills USA competition. Um we also have Miss Jacobs and Miss Ivy who have just taken off with our family consumer science. So like to see our students participating that's what engages them and really prepares them going back to that career ready and um it's exciting to see that happen take off. So just want to highlight some things that were happening in career technical education. Um CAT conferencing is coming up. So for everybody that's home listening those important decisions we encourage kids to really look 8th to nth grade to get your level one so you get to those fun things you're up for grades. And also
030our upper classmen don't think you can't try other pathways and programs too. So it's just exciting time. Any questions about education? Well, have we thought about doing forensics or mock trial or Well, actually, now that you say that, our thesians, that's that really runs through speech and debate, runs typically through your theater and thesbian program. We actually had the first time um Miss Elmore, she was Miss Man, took a team and the duet I think it's brain is speaking or something like I can't remember the exact secretary. So I think that that debate and forensics are probably on our trajectories but they're not necessarily through career technical education but inside of each CTSO there's parliamentary procedure like an FFA and skills USA opening and closing ceremonies. So each of those organizations have opportunity for students
031that might be interested in that area but I see that with growing with our forensics but they went to their first um forensics and theater competition. So, I think those Awesome. That's exciting. Anything else? That's a great question. Thank you for your support. Those can those can seem expensive pieces and programs, but the outcome on the end for students is really worth it for sure. Yeah, they they sell firstand foot of the stairs at the fake entries. Thank goodness. But we're ready just in case. Yeah. Serious's eyes did not look like they were taking it out. He got there on delay. Hey, um, up next on the agenda are action items and to the a revision to the 23 24 academic calendar and inclement weather calendar waiver request. And what that's about is um you
032know over the past month the state has experienced some inclement weather um and DESI is allowing districts the opportunity to revise their calendars for the 23 24 school year. Um they're allowing us to switch to an alternative calendar which is hourbased instead of instead of daybased and we're required to to provide at a minimum,68 hours for all students at our K6 buildings. That's not an issue because you know recess I mean to be honest with you recess physical activity counts. There's no transition times. The only time during the day that basically doesn't count is lunch. At the 712 level we have lunch but we also have passing time. Well when we when we dig into our day um the state minimum for a day is 6 hours even. We go 6 hours and 15 minutes
033a day or 6.25. And when you do that off of 78 calendar day you come up with 1112 well let's see 5 hours so almost um which means if if we if y'all approve us switching from a traditional to an alternative calendar um Jesse will allow us to have seven days that the students do not have to make up now county today we would be at at five but that would still give us two and the students will still be with students last day would still be mainly H2 week and everything. So with that comes um you know our teachers are on 190day contract and law says that they have to fulfill the 190 days. So we will be working with them um to provide professional development during those times. It could be you know
034after hours where they could do work on their own to make up those times as well or or come in um so that they can make up their so they can not make up fulfill their contract make up their contract. is not the right word. Fulfill their contract. Now, there are some some steps to that. And the first step is for the school board to approve on on the waiver request right here for the school board to approve the waiver request and the revised calendar. And then it goes back to PPC. This isn't this is kind of out of order for the way we usually do things. Even though we've worked very closely with PPC in developing this, technically the school board has to approve it first and then this week in the beginning of
035next probably the PPC votes on it to approve approve it. If they approve it, we send it into the state and um post it to our website, let everyone know. So, we still have a couple of steps, but I think this is a good opportunity for us to um you know, still still get the required hours in that that we're required to by law, honor everyone's contract, and honor taxpayer money with that as well. Sure. Are there any questions? Okay. [Music] Okay. All right. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we approve the revised 232 24 academic calendar and inclement weather calendar waiver as presented. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Jessica. Do we have a second? I'll second. Second by Sarah. Any further discussion?
036All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. All right. Up next, we have act 1240 waiver request for the 2425 calendar start date. Um what this is is our co cooperative as a whole. They're going to provide they're going to request a waiver to start school not on the 19th that Monday but back moving forward I guess is the right word or back it up to um August 14th that Wednesday. Um right now we have pled our teachers and our community. Our teachers are in favor I believe of starting on the 14th. our community isn't just based on that blanket information, but what we what we're asking for. It's just permission to request this waiver. If it's granted, it will give us the option to present a couple of different calendars to people. Without us having the
037waiver, we can't we can't present anything because we have to start on the 19th without the waiver. And we do not know if the waiver is going to be appropriate or not at the state level. So, what we're voting on is to submit for the waiver request. Yes, ma'am. What is the purpose of the waiver? Like what is the thought process? Well, it allows us more days before instruct before assessment and it's about getting as many days in. It allows us to balance out the semesterers. Um right now you will have um you may have 80 something days in this fall semester and 90some days in the in the spring. So it allows to because you want your semester to end before Christmas break as well and so it allows to balance out those days
038as well. Um you know there are different types of calendars that you can apply that you can do now. There's four day alternative um traditional and year round. Um we're looking for next year that alternative means where we can count hours and everything and to make sure that I believe the superintendent in Arkansas said that the minimum is not the maximum and we need to make sure that we abide by that that it's not the minimum that we're going by but it's having enough time to pro provide a quality education for all our students. Is there any negatives from pushing for the waiver for the 14th? Uh there's there's no negatives to it. It gives us options. Okay, that that's all. Um just because they approved the waiver doesn't mean we have we have to
039use it. But for us to provide options to even look at we need to know if the waiver is approved or not. Sounds good. And so later come back an option proposal for Yes sir. Yes sir. But this gives us we don't Yeah. The option piece without this we have no option. No, we'll start on the 19th without this. Okay. All right. Any other questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we approve the act 12. Hold on. This is a resolution, so I technically need to read this. Sorry. Okay. Go ahead. Um, so it says, "A resolution to the board of directors of Pearidge School District authorizing the district to request a waiver, whereas the Peridge board of directors is committed to providing a high quality education to all students within
040the district. Whereas certain circumstances or regulations may require the district to seek waivers to better address the unique needs or challenges faced by the district. Whereas um whereas the regulation or requirement to pertain to and for reason seeking the waiver now there be now therefore be resolved with the P Ridge board of directors of Peridge School District hereby authorizes the district administration to formally request a waiver for the student for the first student contact day of the 2425 school year to begin on August 14th, 2024. be further resolved that the superintendent or designate is authorized to take all necessary steps and actions to submit the waiver request, including providing any additional information or documentation required by relevant authorities. Be it further resolved, the board of directors expresses its support for the waiver request and acknowledges
041the importance of flexibility in addressing the unique needs and circumstances of the district. The resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption with the adoption date on there. But while the resolution does, it still has to go before the state board to be approved. Okay. So, we have a recommendation as stated. Do we have a motion? I'll make a motion. Motion by John. Do we have a second? I'll second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. All right. Up next, we have boardto board transfer. um this has slowed down considerably. We had one request for um to transfer out u a fifth grader and I believe that fifth grader was currently going to school in Rogers. Um the parents relo family relocated here and they want to continue to go to Rogers. So with
042that I would like to make the recommendation that we approve the transfers the board to board transfers as presented. All right. So we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Jessica. Do we have a second? Second by Ryan. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Um up next we have approved by outstate travel um and spin it and the second grade teachers are requesting to go to Rivers State Park in Cville, Missouri on May the 10th. I know that is just a little ways from here, but they're technically crossing state lines, but it is a wonderful place to go. whether they're going to the nature center or to the hatchery or or just simply going through the trails. It's a wonderful experience for the kids and a wonderful place to
043have a have a field trip. All right. Are there any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation to approve travel to Castville, Missouri on May 10, 2024. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion. Motion by Sarah. Do we have a second? Second by John. Any further discussion? All in favor? Up next, we have curriculum and instruction. Um, Miss Taber was kind enough to apply to help the district apply for a high impact tutoring grant through through the Learns Act. And Miss Taber, would you like to talk about this a little bit? You want me to? Okay. We were approved to purchase a resource called BookNook that provides virtual tutoring um high impact. So it's three times a week for 30 minutes each uh for grades three
044through six. And so this is just a request to purchase that resource. It exceeds our threshold. Um total grant was for about $59,000. It includes face to face as well. But this is the virtual component that we need to purchase. And this will involve no district operating funds. Any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we purchase BookNook in the amount of $43,600. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion. All right. Do we have a second? Second. Second by John. Any further discussion or questions? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Um, up next under business and finance, we have the 25 the 2025 2026 budget. I know that sounds a little off, but it's for the proposed budget of expenditures with our tax lab tech
045tax levy. That that didn't come out right. um beginning July 21 July 1, 2025 and ending on June 30th, 2026. This is a requirement by the state for auditing pro purposes. And this is not our actual budget for the 2526 school year. Um we haven't y'all haven't even approved a 2425 budget. It's just something that's required by law based on our mill rate. Are there any questions? With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we appro approve the proposed budget of expenditures um with tax levy for fiscal year beginning July 20 July 1, 2025 and ending on June 30, 2026. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? I'll make a motion. All right. Sarah second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Um up next we have
046some technology purchases. I believe Mr. Han's here. He is going to walk us through this. Our first one is our um firewall protection. Mr. H, do you want to add anything to that? For our network firewall uh for the district, you know, it's basically sits on the outside keeps bad things out. What we have is really old. It's at least 10 years old. We can't update it any further. So we're looking for something new. This will provide next day business replacement. If something happens for five years, support for five years. The equipment will probably last a few years after that. So after that first five years, we'll do a yearly support contract with keep that going. The cost you're looking at this is going to be -ate. So there's 42% of the purchase uh with
047ineligible for what - is the the 50% we get off from the NSLP numbers we have for free to reduce lunches. Um so of the eligible portion we get 50% off that. So see your package total cost 35,18375 pretty much 5. Any questions on firewall? Okay, with that I'd like to make the recommendation that we u purchase firewall protection through next step in the amount of $35,183.75. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Do we have a second? I'll second. Any further discussion? All in favor? Okay. Um, up next we have um battery backup. I I can speak a little bit more to this when I know what batteries are. And um we have about 20 21 closets that our batteries for backup are aged and they need replaced. So
048Mr. Hans worked very hard to um find the the best rate for us. Um I believe they're lithium ion batteries that will um sustain longer than what we currently have as well. Is that amount under what we have? It is but we get so close to that number. that if a shipping or handling thing changes or tax rate changes, it can bump us over that 20,000 mark really quick. So, yes, sir. I'd rather go ahead and approve it. Um, any questions? Okay. With that, I would like to make the recommendation that we purchase battery backup from Heartland in the amount of $18,8105. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Jessica. Do we have a second? Second by Sarah. Any further discussion? All in favor? Okay. Up next is
049our network control. Currently we use Aruba for our wireless access points and we would like to bring in Aruba for that as well. Um it allows us to you know provide better service for our for our faculty, staff and and the students that we serve and everything. Um it's something that's needed as our need for technology continues to increase. Anything else on that? It's just it's an additional piece of network equipment. Over the past two years used funds to buy wireless wired network equipment. This is another piece of wire that will work for wire and wireless equipment to help us better secure the network and better manage wireless wireless access that we have. Any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we purchase um Aruba NAC controllers from Nextstep in the
050amount of $48,4153. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? I'll make a motion. Second. All right. Second by Sarah. Any further discussion? All in favor? No. Okay. Um, up next is Chromebook rotation. Um, as our population grows and Chromebooks become outdated, we need to continue to replace it. Hans work very hard on um, and his department making sure that we that our Chromebooks are good, our students have access. And with that, every year we need to purchase additional Chromebooks for our students growth, but also to replace the aging the aging um, devices. And with that, this is a request to purchase 500 Chromebooks, including the cases and licenses and all that stuff, um, from DCW, um, in the amount of 152, 38,5.68. And we will never print anything this small again. I'm
051struggling here, reading this. So, um, are there any questions on that? What are the white glove services on this one? Uh, white glove service, they It's an additional service that we tack on. What happens is when I buy the product, the product goes to a warehouse. They open every one of them. They add them to our Google domain. Okay. For a small fe. And then once they add that domain, as soon as I get them here in a box, I'm ready to put them in a card, put them in a hand, they're ready to go. Okay. So that so that we aren't doing that on our end. Okay. Thank you. All right. Any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we purchase Chromebooks from DCW in the amount of $152,38568. So,
052we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion. Motion by John. Do we have a second? Second by Ryan. Any further discussion? All in favor? No opposed. Okay. Our last technology purchase that we're requesting is for our high school computer science lab. That's Mr. Pereira's classroom. Um devices computers with 26 machines. These machines will also be able um they're infinitely better and they'll also be allow our students to do their esports programs competitions to them as well. So to serve two purposes. Okay. Any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we approve the purchase of 26 um um desktop computers from Bite Speed in the amount of $49,348. All right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Jessica. Do we have a second? Second. Second
053by further discussion. All in favor? Let's pop on up next is personnel. Do y'all see? I have no need for it. All right. Our first item is additional staff positions for next year. You know, last month I told you there'd be more than one. Um and we're at six right now. there. We will probably bring you some more in in March that may include um traditional classes like at the elementary um some classified staff as well, but these are in special education, but right now we know we need these to get started with and the sooner that we can start advertising um the better off we are. Um every one of these are to meet standards of for creditation for next year based on um student um increases in enrollment. You have a health science
054um teacher. Um what that will be is to right now have classes of health and health half the classes with health science to to feed into what Mr. Bobin's doing at the at the at the high school that y'all saw him. So and his students earlier. The next is a a math science teacher at the high school to help with numbers. Um a counselor for our district um to help with increase numbers. We are at a 450 to1 ratio um for counselors. Um right now we believe it will only be six that are required next year, but this will move us to seven to make sure we stay well within that. And it it's just about providing service to kids. And I believe that we can never have. That's just something that we need more
055of and and to benefit our kids. Our AL program to have a full-time FTE teacher in our secondary AL program that will also relieve two of our teachers who are spending a little bit of time in there to go back into the high school and junior high to provide more service at that at that building as well and provide more services in the AL um with the full-time AL full-time AL teacher. our ESOL program. Um, you know, our numbers in Esau are are growing. Our demographics are changing and we need another staff member there to help to help with that demographic. And lastly, um, we had Miss Harrison here earlier talking about her numbers to add another, um, gifted and talented teacher within our district to help with those numbers and continue to provide the
056the excellent service that that we already do. This is a great, you know, pain. This is a good thing to have. It's the opportunity to offer more services and more programs for our kids, and that's what we're here to do. So, are there any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to make the recommendation that we add the six FTEEs as presented. Right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Sarah. Do we have a second? Second. I'm going to go with John. Second. All right. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. All right. Thank you so much. Um, up next we have resignations and we have two. Um, we have Miss Ashton Mundy. Um, and Miss Strickland that I'd like to make the recommendation that we accept their resignations with regret. All
057right. So, we have a recommendation. Do we have a motion? Motion by Sarah. Do we have a second? Second by Jessica. This one makes me sad. It does. But Miss Bundy, she's moving on with her life getting married. It's a good thing. I know it's a good thing. She just went to school with my son. So I was really excited when she came here to teach and this one's just going to be a personally it's going to be a hard one to swallow. So Oh, I get it. They live beside me for I know years. I know. All right. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? And um next is hiring and I'd like to make a recommendation that we hire Leon Laughlin as bus driver. All right. So we have a recommendation. Do
058we have a motion? Motion by Ryan. Do we have a second? Second by Sarah. Any further discussion? All in favor? Okay. Does he do like the long trips or is he just going to be local? He's going to be a driver initially. Okay. And then if he wants to pick up extra shifts, he'll do so. Okay. He's going to start on that. Awesome. All right. Thank you. And last, we have approval um for renewal of administrator and director contracts for the 2425 school year. We always do those contracts in February because they do evaluations and help make the renewals for all of our teachers and staff members as well. So, are there any questions? Okay. With that, I'd like to um recommend the renewal of for our administrators and directors for the 2425 school year
059as presented. All right. So, we have a recommendation. We have a motion as presented. Motion by S. We have a second. Second by Jessica. Any further discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Make a motion to journ. I second it. Thanks, guys. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.