001Okay, it's outside. I'm doing bargaining. One. Am I in the right? Can you guys can you hear me? Okay. Yeah, we can hear you. Not your live again. Okay. So, we're out of executive session at 8:39. Um Mike, you have a motions? Sure. I've got a few of them. Uh okay. A motion to authorize the board of education chair Deb Sherman to sign new contracts for the maintenance technician as discussed in executive session. Second, Bobby. Yep. Okay. All in favor? I didn't call it yet, Vic. Hold on. We're not doing discussion. I realize I didn't get there yet. Hold on. Can we just do one one more time? All in favor, please. No, I discussion. Oh, yeah. Just go ahead, Shel. Discussion. Um, I have to think of this phrases. Um, I'm I'm concerned about
002the large increase the impact on our budget. Anybody else for discussion? All in favor? No, wait, wait, wait. After you do all in favor, are you going to go with people that aren't in favor? Just so I didn't. Okay, very good. I got it. Okay, go ahead. So, this is in favor of the first one, the the first one, the that was maintenance technician. Maintenance. Maintenance technician. Okay. Y I One more time. All in favor? I opposed. I oppose. You You oppose. Shelly. Abstain. Motion carries. Second, Mike, please. Okay. Uh motion to authorize board of education chair uh Deb Sherman to sign new contract for the chief operating officer as discussed in executive session. Second. Who is that? Vinnie. Yep. Hey, could you give me the discussion? I just wanted to repeat the same comment
003that um you know I'm concerned about any very large increases impact on um our budget. Anybody else? All in favor? I opposed. I mean we I opposed. Did you get I opposed? You're opposed. Yep. All motion carries. Okay. Uh the third motion to authorize board of education chair Deb Sherman to sign new contracts for the assistant superintendent for student and staff support as discussed in executive session. Wait, wait. I thought that wasn't the motion. We have to um vote for the position to be added, not right. First, we're voting for the position to be added before we um Deb, what's your what's your assessment? Is there a first motion to add and then the second one to do contract negotiation? Yeah, I would. Great. The position would need to be posted. You're breaking up. Shel,
004they would I'm sorry. I just want to finish sentence. I I feel like someone We can't hear you. Okay. Um I'm saying that first we will have a motion as to whether or not to add the position. the motion passes, then we would have to post the position. Then all people could apply and interview and all of that and then there would be um negotiations um on the part of the chair um for uh the contract from there. Is that is that the way it goes for is this a non-un position or is this a union position? The non-un position. So is is it do we have to open it up to everybody? No. Not according to council. We don't. Do we care? I mean posted it, but So we're going to make a motion
005to add first, please. Would you like me to withdraw the first motion to be able to make the second motion? Sure. Withdraw. I make a motion to withdraw my last motion about um signing new contracts for the assistant superintendent. Second. Go ahead, Mike. All in favor? Wait, hold on. Let me do the vote. All in favor? I I opposed. Abstain. Wait, is that just to remove the motion to do the withdrawal? I Okay, it was breaking up. I apologize. Go ahead, Mike. You know, pardon before anyone seconds it, make sure I get this one correct. I'd like to motion to authorize the addition of a new position, the assistant superintendent for student and staff support as discussed in executive session. Someone needs to second it. I'll second. Any discussion? Um, I would favor this position,
006but then I think we need to relook at the other two positions that we're adding because they seem to me that they overlap. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. All in favor? I I oppose. I oppose. Abstain. Motion carries. Okay. Do I get the the additional one about uh signing contracts, negotiating contracts for this position or is that not yet? Um, oh, Shelley says she opposes. Her resume is frozen on the last vote. Vinnie, I say we we go for it. We had opinion from council that we could do it. So, excellent. Okay. So, I I make a new motion to authorize board of education chair Deb Sherman to sign new contracts for the assistant superintendent for student and staff support as discussed in executive session. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Oppose. Abstain. I
007abstain. Motion carries. Okay. On to the next vote. Thank you. Shel did not vote. Her Zoom is frozen. So, she voted for the last one. I didn't get a vote for this one. The same. Okay. Report of the superintendent. Um, I'm going to be rather brief because of the likeness of the hour now. Just give me one second to put my notes up. Um first of all um foremost um I want to thank the board for the appreciation um recognition for our staff um based on the conversation we just had. Um recognizing and supporting hardworking individuals like we just did um is a way to promote um retention of high quality staff and um I appreciate all you just did now. So thank you so much. Um, in the spirit of of thank yous, um,
008our custodians typically work behind the scenes, um, and often are not thanked by staff and the general public because, um, we don't always see them. Um, but in days like this, like a snow day when they're coming in, um, um, driving through um, almost a foot of snow, clearing sidewalks of heavy wet snow so that we can open school in time the next day. Um, they did it and it was done before um, dinner time tonight and the schools are ready for tomorrow. So, I want to thank all of our custodians for all their hard work. Um, not only every single day that they do the work for us um behind the scenes, but investing on days like today. So, a shout out to all of our custodians um that did all their work today.
009Um if for those of you that were able to make it to our middle school um musical a week and a half ago, our students did a phenomenal job. It was so exciting to see the the large number of students that participated. It was so large that the cast was even split across the the the shows to give more students an opportunity to to shine. So, it was just it was a wonderful um showing and it's I think it's a great um um pathway um into promoting what we're going to be doing in the high school um when these students move up um to the um ninth grade. So, it's it's exciting to see the number of students that were involved in the process. Um and they did a great job. Um I addressed the
010snow just a few minutes ago. Um, this was our third snow day for the year. Um, that means that our last day of school is now scheduled for June 11th. We'll cross our fingers that that's it, but you never know what's going to happen with the winter time coming up. Um, and then um a reminder that Friday is an early release day. Um so all staff will engage in professional learning um and various different um things that they have been um planned with through PDK ranging from science to reading to the valuation um to um work that they are um engaged at the department level. And then um just a reminder that this weekend is a long extended weekend. Um all schools and offices are closed for the holiday on Monday and all schools for
011staff um teachers prior students are closed on on Tuesday. So it's a 4-day weekend um for students and staff this weekend. Um at our next board of education meeting we're going to be returning to the next attribute of the graduate um presentation. in the high school and the middle school will be presenting um about the collaborative learner um and they will also pre be presenting their midyear report to the board of education um that night and then the first meeting in March um it will be great oak and great farms I'll be doing the same presentation to the board so that is my presentation for you tonight thanks try to be short and sweet there thank you very much only thing I have to say is um I met with um Dr. Miller and the
012uh OEA president recently it's to start our dialogue based on the new union contracts with their consultation. um had a great conversation and I I thank the union for um their dedication to our kids and I really think that um we had a great discussion on the needs of the kids and the staff and I think a lot of the things that we talked about tonight and in our budget go directly to what our staff is really looking for. So, um hopefully we'll be able to keep some of those in the budget. And that's all I have. Um facilities, Mike. Sure. Our next uh facility meeting will be before the next board of education meeting at 5:30 on the 27th. So, believe that's going to be in person at uh the central office. Perfect. Curriculum.
013The only other update I will give you is at the next board meeting we will have um curriculum staff and we're also going to be talking about a program that um we heard about last night at the board meetings at the curriculum meeting. So those will be brought to the next board meeting policy and Nicole, I'm sorry. Real quick, Mike, did you say February 11th? What day was that? 27th. It was uh the 27th. Okay. 27th. Thank you. So policy, we have um one policy to discuss tonight. It's the use of private techn technology devices by students. As you may recall, on January 9th, 2024, the full board discussed adopting a new version of the policy, which largely mirrors one that we already have on the books. The main changes were that it would update
014the devices listed to more up-to-date things such as taking out references to like Blackberries and word processors. It's less restrictive and limiting where devices can be used such as there's no longer a prohibition using it during lunchtime or passing time or bathrooms. And it also addressed the issue of artificial intelligence. Uh when the issue came to the full board, there were concerns expressed about a paragraph dealing with search of privatelyowned technological advices devices and accordingly the policy was not approved. Um the policy was tabled so that we could take it up at um the policy committee to revisit the language of that policy. Uh we recognize the need to retain some form of this policy so that teachers and administrators have um guidance on how to handle cell phone and private um device usage by
015students while balancing the rights of the students. So, the wording of this policy has been re reworked to make it clear that a search of a student's privately owned device may occur without parental or legal guardians permission only if three criteria are met. The most important being that there um there's an imminent safety threat to the student population. Um, if all three requirements are not met, the administrator must contact the students parents or legal guardian for permission before a search of the confiscated device may occur. Um, the policy includes safeguards that are put in place in the event that there is a search of the of the confiscated technological device. discussion. This is a second read, correct? Yes. No discussion. Uh no, nothing changed in my stance uh on this policy. Yeah. I'm not for
016the, you know, search and seizure kind, you know, what however it's adjusted. Um I'm I'm not in in favor of this policy. Yeah, same thing with me. My my opinion hasn't changed. Um just to give you like without mentioning which child it was. Um I have had a phone searched by one of by police by one of my ch or that was one of my children's and I had to be present in order for that to happen. And frankly, I don't I would never condone a search of anything other than school property uh or board property um other than if there's probable cause by a police officer to do so. Um that's just that's I'm just, you know, that's just where I kind of draw the line in the sand. So, Bobby, do you have
017wording that you would that would make this No, I would just take it out search. Okay. The search. Yes. Like you follow, you know, follow guidelines of search and seizure by by law enforcement. I listen, don't get me wrong, I understand the ramifications of what I'm saying. I understand that there's there could be potential for people to stop stop a possible threat. I get all of that. And you're talking to the security guy. Okay. Um but at at at my heart in my heart I am a strict constructionist. I believe in the constitution as it was written and you know there isn't much more that that I would add to it to be quite honest with you. So you would be comfortable with I do want to re um kind of give bring forward the
018conversation that we had with our policy attorney um as far back as May of 2022 when this policy first came up. the first time. What she told us at the time was that this um permission to do this search is also in our search and Caesar policy. So this is not the only um location where we have the ability to do this type of search. Um there would be dangers in removing the provision. Um it we would need to prohibit us to search cell phones specifically and specifically word that in that case um we have um the responsibility to conduct a reasonable search. um that scope and in reason um um to find a violation. Um removing the paragraph does not restrict us from the ability to do this type of search. It is um
019governed by um case law. Um TLC is an example. The Supreme Court, this was ruled um through the Supreme Court that school districts have the ability to do conduct a reasonable search. Um and the statements in this policy do reflect what our constitutional rights are for this type of search. What we've done here is add additional parameters around protecting the individual, protecting the student as well as protecting the district. If when we would do the search, we've actually taken additional level layer there. Um, but this is protected by constitutional law. We had the similar discussion when we passed the policy last year. Um, and several of us were not in favor of it last time. Um, do you do you guys feel you want to table it and have um policy take another shot or
020if we t if we um vote vote for it and it goes down on the policy that stays would stay in place that's already there. Deb, if I could just chime in here. Um, please. I this was our extra shot. I really don't know what other language I could put in here that would make everybody happy. I mean, at this point in time, we're trying to balance what legal counsel is recommending that we need this policy, but also including the safeguards of this is how you're going to be protected. Um, and a search would only happen if there was imminent harm or a search would only happen without parental or legal guardians permission. only if there was imminent harm. If if there's not imminent harm, we can wait until we have the the parents are
021there and are part of the discussion about what happens next. So, I I don't know what other language to add as far as safeguards to balance the the competing interests here. Yeah. Okay. Anybody else have anything to say? Brian, I know you want to say something, but you can't. I'm sorry. Um, anybody else? Okay. Let's do a motion. Um this is the second read. So this would be a motion to adopt the um use of private techn techn technology devices by students um as put forward. Discussion. All in favor? I I opposed. Opposed me. Abstain. I abstain. So the motion fails. The policy that remains in is on the boards now stays and stays as the board policy until we look at it again. Okay. That's kind of like kissing your sister. Yeah, I know.
022Thank Thank you, Nicole, for working on that. I'm I'm dead serious about that. I know you work very hard. You did. I know you worked very hard. And honestly, the the addition, you had me thinking. Okay. It was It was a little bit better. It just didn't quite get us to where I think some of us wanted to be. So, and just to be clear, Nicole, that the existing policy that this did not take out is has heavier language than this. Correct. Well, the ex the existing policy has less protections for That's what I mean. Heavier language for Yeah. for the concerns that the board has put forward. So, we'd honestly be better off with what was just versus what what's on the books right now. So just Deb, am I allowed to speak hypothetically
023even though the motion's done or not? Yeah, go ahead. Sure. So theoretically the next if if this is not going to go the next policy would be X this section theoretically. Yes, you could come back. Okay. Um finance. I think we've done most of the finance stuff already. Yeah, we're g, like I said, we're going to have a meeting next week, date and time TBD to continue to refine, look at numbers, ask more questions. So, it is an iterative longer term process each year. So, feel free again to reach out, ask questions, or join the meeting. Okay. Leaison is on reports. Um, I can tell you there's a PTO meeting on Thursday. Sue, do you have any update from Booster Club? Um, yeah. Uh the goodie bags for uh midterms were all handed out and
024hopefully all the kids throwing them in their lockers because most kids I guess don't even realize they have lockers. Um uh we have our bingo set for St. Patrick's Day March 14th. We're going to be doing at the Riverside Fire Department this year. So if you want to sign up to play bingo, all the proceeds will go to our scholarship fund. And we had also had a discussion about a mural from Ben's Bell. Um I don't know if Dr. Miller was wanted was going to put something together to approach the board or if he wants me to do it, but we were discussing having it put in the high school but making it a communitywide event. Um we were looking at a tree that they do and then putting all of the um schools off
025the branches of the schools and we were looking at ways to raise funds for this. So that's where we're at. And I absolutely love the idea. Um this would be a donation. It would be something that is hung in the school. So the the value of this exceeds the board of education policy on donations. So the proposal would come to the board um to accept it once it's ready to be accepted as a gift. Sounds good. Bring it to us. Yeah. Um anybody else any questions for Sue? Okay. Next motion Mike or somebody in our packet. Uh make a motion to uh end the meeting. No. Oh, sorry. I didn't scroll far enough. I was like, I I guess I got a motion. We have one more motion to enter into executive session to discuss
026superintendent's midyear evaluation, inviting superintendent Dr. Miller. Second. Discussion. All in favor? I I abstain. Motion carries. Renex.