001We're going to begin our Columbia County School Board meeting uh for June 9, 2026 at 6 PM in the Keith Hudson Auditorium and Uh we will start with our mission statement through resiliency, professionalism and perseverance. Columbia County School honors achievement and innovation values a commitment to safety while providing integrity within ourselves and our community. We're going to start with the invocation and pledge of allegiance by our superintendent. >> We all will please bow your head. Dear heavenly father, thanks for allowing us to gather today for such a great occasion. Thanks for allowing us to be here to celebrate the two teams that won state championships and these five special educators that we will recognize tonight. Bless us all who made decisions in the best interest of our children and we take care of all of
002our employees in our system. God, make sure we do the right thing at all cost. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. >> Please stand. Join me in the pledge to the flag of United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. It's opportunities like this that our board get very excited to be able to recognize the achievement of our students as well as recognizing educators who have impacted our lives in such a very very special way. Um, we don't have these opportunities all the time, but we are so delighted to see each and every one of you. At this time, we're going to welcome any visitor who would like to um make a public comment in reference to our action item. We only have
003one action item and that's personnel issues. Is there anyone who would like to address the personnel items? If not, I will entertain a motion to close and adopt our agenda. >> Madam Chair, I so move with the agenda. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second that we close and adopt the agenda as well as the the addendum. All in favor say I. >> Any oppose? The eyes have it. The motion is carried. At this time, we're going to start with our presentations and we're going to ask the principal of Columbia High School to come forward, Mr. Trey Hosford, to introduce the teams. >> Thank you, Miss Smith. Thank you, Mr. Coo. Board members for having us here tonight. Awesome night. Uh, celebrating two of our student athlete teams that won state championships, teacher
004of a lifetime. Just all of it going together. It's pretty cool to be here tonight. So, at this time, I want to haul uh bring up the head tiger, coach Allen, so he can talk about the boys weightlifting team, introduce his staff and the the athletes that won the state title. >> Good evening, everyone. Um, for the second time been put on the spot. didn't know I was going to be speaking, but it's but it's all good. First, I'd like to thank our board um school board members for again honoring us with this achievement. Want to say congratulations to our softball team. Um it's been crazy at the month of May for sure to be able to have two state champions in the same month. Um it's an awesome feat. You know, one thing that
005I'd like to address immediately is uh honoring Coach Register with this championship. 1996 was our first state championship. Uh my senior year, Coach Register was ahead of it. He had a vision a long long long time ago. And uh to see it coming into fruition then with three state titles before he retired and left us and passed on. And then now for us to be able to bring one back um 20 plus years later was awesome. this this group of guys, you know, I left five or so years ago and was gone for two years. Coming back, this group went to work immediately. I mean, it's it's amazing. It's in the testament to to their dedication, their hard work. Not only this group, but that first group uh when we came back, all the time
006and effort that they put in to belief, we don't really like some programs do weightlifting to win weightlifting championships. For the most part, our weightlifting team is our offseason and conditioning program. We have some special student body uh athletes that join our our weightlifting offseason program with the football team. Uh they dedicate themselves and dive deep into it. Uh and their hard work paid off tremendously this year. I'm going to I'm going to introduce uh them. I'm going to introduce the staff. Coach Whley unfortunately uh is is not here. He's out of the country right now, but Coach Callum, one of our assistants. And then I'm gonna go through the through the weight classes. Come up, Coach Callum to the middle. We're gonna take a picture in a little bit. Um, I'm going to go
007through the weight classes that helped us achieve this feat this year. It started as district champions uh against Swany. it moved on to being regional champions. Uh same place at the Swany venue and then those guys taking it to Lakeland this year and and winning it in a big big big victory. You know, it's crazy how the FHSA works. I I often complain about some of the things they do and it doesn't matter. They're going to do it anyways. But this year they conflicted myself and this staff with spring football being at the same time the state weightlifting championship was going on. So in our second week of practice or our first week of practice, the state championship was on a Tuesday as the head coach of the football team and the head coach of
008the weightlifting team. I was conflicted. Do I go to the championship or do I stay my butt here at practice? Well, I was hired to be football coach first. So I was at practice. But coach Woodley and coach Callum took this group down at Lakeland and fortunately enough we were able to come back home with a with a humongous victory. So I'm going to start with our weight classes that begin with districts to regions to our final group that was in the state championship. And a lot of them are here. It's summer time. I've already worked their butt off today in summer workouts. So, not all of them are here today, but I'm going to introduce each person that was a part of it. Our 119 class was Rajan Beasley not here tonight. Um, and
009our 139 class, and they're both of here. I saw them come in. Mecca's Turner. Come on up to the podium. We're going to take a picture tonight. Also in our 139 class, Jacob Bell and our 154 class. Both of them aren't here tonight, but Connor Robinson and Maurice Campbell and our 169. I see one of them. Cameron Stevenson and Jaden Simmons. And our 183 class, it was uh Jonathan Jordan and uh 83 was Jerome Horn. and our 99 class, Bryson Ginstead and Alfonso Curry and our 219 class. And he probably likes it but doesn't like me to brag on him uh with this. our our state champion, Garrett Shipley. You guys probably read the article that Kroger uh >> did this year. Probably read the the article on this young man. He joined us two
010years ago and in his third year this year, he he broke every record that has ever been set at Columbia High. All weight classes, >> including my 219 weight class bench press that was there for 30 years. So, it's awesome feat to see your your your players that you're able to coach go out and and break break records. So, it's awesome. Also in that 219 class, Xander Satderfield. in our uh 238 class. Neither are here today, but Josiah Rosen and Joshua Jones. And then to close it out, we had another state champion. I I'm I'm sorry. I must go back to our 169 class. We had a state champion in our Olympic division and Cameron Stevenson. But in our unlimited class, uh, Emanuel Jones is here today. And Henry Camille was our other uh, state
011champion in the unlimited class this year. Again, super proud of you guys and thank you guys for recognizing us tonight. What an awesome job for our young men. We are just so proud of them. And and I was um listening to Coach Allen. He said he was caught on the spot. He wasn't expecting this, but he wasn't lost for words, was he? No. But that's what happened with coaches and preachers. Ain't that right? But boys, we're so proud of you and thank you so much for your hard work. I know that this not come easy, but just know when it comes to our students and your accomplishment, this board is here to support you. So, thank you so much. Let's give them another round. >> All right, Mr. Hosford, would you please come up and
012introduce our next honores? >> Thank you, Miss Smith. So, girls softball, obviously state champions as well. Uh just something real quick about them. Um they saw this happen before it happened. Uh they're I want to thank their parents, booster club. They did a lot to to prepare fundraising and stuff and they actually organized a sendoff through the community that I read about on Facebook. So I found out the same time the community did. But um it was the parents doing that. And then right when I got back to the school after the sendoff, the SRD said, "All right, so Saturday when they win it, the the coaches already asked, "What are we going to do when they come back?" So before they ever left, the coach knew they were on a mission and they were
013going to win this. So that was it wasn't arrogance, it was his confidence because he had seen them play all year and knew what they were capable of. So coach, come on up. Congratulations. >> This is not a speech because as BA said, I did not know I was going to be speaking in front of everybody tonight either. Um but thank you uh board for having us here tonight. It's been a um a great three weeks, right? It's been we've been to county commissioners meeting, city council meeting, now school board meeting. We go back to city council next week, right? The overwhelming support of this community is second to none. Right? Anything I get emotional talk about it. The girls are going to laugh. Every time I talk, I get emotion, right? As a lot
014of people know, I I haven't I don't live in Lake City, right? Trey, Steve, the administration at CHS hired me to come in here and do a job, right? They saw something in me, hired me to come in here and do a job. Opening my eyes to what this county is about and what this community is about is something that I tell everybody that I can get a chance to, right? I mean, from the time we kicked off our season till the time we came home from Lakewood, right, it was just what's needed? What can we do to help? Here we are behind you. Um, BA, I haven't got to see you since we won that state title. But with but without your boys Thursday and Saturday, I don't know that we get it done
015Thursday. I honestly don't. We loaded two buses. Trey organized it. We loaded two buses of students. Got on that bus at CHS. Now, I know they wanted to get out of school, right? It was last week, right? $14. I'd have paid to get out of school, too. Right? But you can ask the parents that were there. We trailed. If y'all were probably following along, I'm standing at third. There's a picture. One of the students got me head down probably fourth or fifth inning going, "What the hell? Where did we go wrong here? This ain't supposed to happen in the semi-final game." Right? We were down and those students were down in left field underneath a canopy, right? It was hotter hotter than 80s out. It was it was 110 degrees on the field. We're we
016used to playing at 7 o'clock at night. It was 1:00 in the afternoon. They have us out there throwing. Um but at some point those boys from the football team and that student body came down behind our dugout and it changed immediately. Did it not ladies? Right. >> It they're still laughing at me for getting emotional about it. But it it was like a light switch went off. My wife told me about it. The other parents told me about it. Me, I get focused in between the lines, right? It was when those boys came down there, something special happened. And that's why they came back Saturday and they had a huge part in it. So, I thank you for having those boys the mentality to support the other teams around. And these girls that are
017with us, we'll be there Friday night supporting. You bet your butt on that, right? So, thank you again. Um, but our season 29 and three, best record um that I know of that I was told it was the the best record at at CHS since we've been playing softball. The other state title team in 2013, we know a lot of those girls that were on that team, right? We even leaned on some of them to come out and provide inspiration to us as we started our playoff run. They went 29 and four, right? So, we we got one up on them, right? We uh we played a schedule that had us prepared for what we are. We went out first game of the season and played Trenton at the time two time now three-time defending
018state champ. We lost four to one and I told coach Beatles we came off that field that night. I said we can play with anybody in this state. First game of the season, right? We saw it leading up to practice before the season even started. I sent a text message to our board I think or something. There was at one point our girls were together for about 15 days in a row. We had practice. We had a kids camp. We had picture day, we had practice, then we had field day. So it was 15 14 or 15 days in a row. They went to lunch together on that 15th day, right? A group of them. And when I saw that, I went they like hanging out with each other, right? They there was no animosity
019between the girls. They were they just they locked in. Um after six games of the season, we were four and two. So we lost to Trenton that opening game. We had a couple of wins there. Then Santa Fe comes in and beats the doors off of us, right? It was not a pretty win. I think 13-2 in four innings, something like that. From that point on, something changed. Something clicked in them. We won 26 of the next 27 games, right? Um, including that last one. When we beat Trenton, the second time we played Trenton, at the time, Trenton was 19ame winning streak. Nobody had touched them, right? They came into our place. the environment, the baseball boys, the football boys were the student body was starting to get behind us. They made it loud that
020night and uh I told the girls, I said, "Trent was just on a 19 game winning streak." That's what happens when you win a state title, right? Well, we're on a 16 game winning streak, right? So, the target's on our back for next year to to give our best. Um, one of the things we used as our kind of motivation, nobody talked about us. We we had girls transfer out, right? Nobody mentioned us. I I joked with the girls before we started practice. I Florida Times Union, you they send you this big list of things to fill out of who's coming back and all this kind of stuff. You spend an hour doing it. Then they don't publish any of it, right? They had us at ranked like number 10 in the city of Jacksonville.
021And the only person they talked about was Josie because she hit five or six home runs last year. Did not talk about a single other girl. And I listed every one of them, the stats from the previous year. When we won in Saturday, I did not know it, but when we won that Saturday in Lakewood, I thanked Jordan for being there with the Lake City Reporter because he's the only one that had written about us all year long. And I said, "You I wish the Times Union was here so I could tell them about I I told the girls if you're the last team standing, they'll have to write about you." And that's all they've done. And little did I know, the guy from the Times Union was standing right next to Jordan when I
022told him. So, I guess that's what he meant. Um, but yeah, it's been a great year. We had uh eight now to the girls, we had eight um eight seniors, right? So, a pretty good senior class. Um I think we have five or six juniors that will now be seniors next year, so it doesn't get any easier, right? But uh I'll start calling them up by seniors. So, um second baseman is Anna Dansby. Left fielder is Ammani Tunel. Third baseman is Lauren Lee, the center fielder, which we talked about, BA talked about records. I think if I'm not mistaken, Lou, Louisa Taylor is our center fielder. She moved up to the third in all time hits on CHS's list since we've been able to keep track. 10 110 11 career hits, something like that. 110
023111. The record was 107, I think, and we got past that, I believe. But uh what other uh first baseman Ava Christie, >> catcher Rayan Langer, catcher Emily Delgado that had the big triple down the line in the state championship game to put us up by two. Uh, left fielder Addison Sherman. We have called her Addie the walk-off Sherman as she won the game for us in the semi-final game and against Brford and scored the walk-off run against West Nassau at our house during the season. Um, juniors we have first baseman LV Beatles, outfielder Brooklyn White, pitcher Jo pitcher and third baseman Josie Rollers, pitcher Kinley King, and we had two freshmen. We had pitcher Riley Stone. And we have the 4A state player of the year, shortstop, Elena Lord, which I I have not
024conf I have not confirmed, but I have been told that she is the first freshman to win player of the year honors in the state of Florida. I don't know if that's true or not, but I have been. And then our assistant coaches, we have uh head varsity assistant Brandon Beatles, we have Alexis Blair, head JB coach with us is Andy Jolly. And then last but not least, John Sherman. And again, it's Thank you for having us tonight and recognizing us. Thank you. >> Yeah, we can do that. girls, we are very proud of what you have accomplished and I know that all the parents and uh relatives are so proud of your um accomplishment. We we of Columbia County can't say enough about what you have done and how hard you have worked and
025I can see that your coaching team is just as supported. So, thank you so much. Thank everybody who worked together to accomplish this state championship. Let's give them another round of applause. Now, we want to recognize another group that is so near and dear to our hearts. We're going to ask assistant Superintendent Hope Journ to come and read about our teachers of a lifetime. Good afternoon everyone. Welcome to our school board meeting where we're having a great time. I'm loving this. This has been a wonderful night. Um and so I will begin with recognizing Miss Joyce Tonsel. Um do we want to go ahead and have everyone move to when I begin their section? Is that the best We have to come up. >> Okay. All right. So, and Miss Tonsel as she comes forward
026um her birthday is what was it? July 12th. >> 99 years old. And as we recognize Mrs. Tanzel, she actually has a great grand on the softball team. So we are very excited to see both of them together. So we are fortunate to have m the opportunity to recognize Miss Tonsel as a Columbia County Schools teacher of a lifetime. Miss Tonsel is the only person that has been nominated for this role so far. Um, who was a part of Columbia County Schools prior to the integration of schools. So, she's got a lot of history that she's bringing to the table. Um, and so, Miss Tonsel started her career with Columbia County Schools in 1946 as at the Coyota School that was in the south part of the county. Um it was a segregated school for
027African-American children um in Columbia County schools and she worked there for one year. Miss Tonsel then went to the segregated Columbia City School for one year and then to King's Welcome for one year. Miss Tonsel graduated with a teaching degree from Bthoon Cookman College in 1950. She settled in as a teacher at Richardson High from 1950 to 1959. Teaching social studies and reading. From 1960 until her retirement in 1986, she spent the rest of her time in elementary education at Mini J Nlack. She served one year at Melrose Elementary and another at Summers Elementary. And during that during that time, but ultimately retired from Mini Jay Nylack. She decided after about 10 years of retirement to come back to Columbia County Schools to help um by serving in adult education as a teacher from 1996
028to 2001. Thank you to Miss Tonsel for your 45 years of dedicated service to our students and community. And if there were any words that weren shared by the family or Miss Tonsel herself. >> I am so uh glad that my mom is still here and my dad passed away some years ago. Um, every now and then somebody is called to do something very uncommon and difficult. It's good when the crowd is here and winning championships and everybody's in your corner, but every now and then in this world and in the history of this country, you have some difficult things to do. In 1958, she had been with the system. It was segregated. uh about 10 years already and Brown versus Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas had passed and we all know about that. That
029said that the school system the segregated school system in the country was not of the best benefit to our children. And sometimes when change comes in our lives, uh we don't want to make a change. It's very difficult, very uncomfortable. And so my mom had grown up in a family that was just tremendously blessed. She had gone to Bthoon Cookman when Miss Bthoon was still there, >> you know, walking around. So you know, she had a very rich upbringing. She married my dad in 51 and you know, they had a good life farm and both of them were working in the school system. Uh but the school board made a decision in 1958 that was going to adversely impact uh the black teachers and the children of Colombia County. Still segregated, but that decision was
030to marginalize black teachers. And my dad told my mom, and this was the truth, you don't need to get involved. You know, we got a good life. We're farming and we're working. And my mom said, "Oh, you know, this is not for me. This is for the children of Columbia County, and this is going to be coming to be a a a female in an all male society. The the the politicians, the judges, everyone was male during that time. You know, it wasn't any girls softball team to be crown champions." Make a long story short, uh the school board um unfortunately decided that they were going to uh marginalize these teachers by assigning a lot of them out of their area of certification. So when job openings came, those jobs would go to white teachers,
031not to black teachers. And my mom prayed about it, talked to her parents about it. They're very devout Christian people. went down to Bthoon, consulted with her former professors about it, went around the corner and hired one of the three black lawyers within 100 miles Horris Hill, filed suit. Suit went before uh the third circuit here, a judge uh at that time in Jasper, whose name escapes me uh right now. But to make a long story short, shorter. Oh yeah, speed up. Okay, sorry. Uh he ruled in her favor. They he asked for a randamus and that means to make these politicians or leaders do a certain thing and they the judge ordered that she be returned to her position or certification which was at Richardson at that time and not sent to Nivel. But
032they spent the next eight nine months haggling about that. Eventually she was fired and my dad was fired and several other troublemakers. Uh but by the grace of God, the judge would not relent. And by the end of May, they were all hired back and it made things settle down and paved the way for the integration, the desegregation in Colombia County. And myself and about 20 other black kids uh went to the the junior high, which was here at the middle school, they call it now, and the Columbia High. And that's why this auditorium looks like it does now. And that's what we want to preserve. We want to preserve love and kindness. And sometimes it's tough. And Judge Johnson will tell you when you're on that bench or you're in your teaching position or
033you're the superintendent, sometimes it's like it's just you and you got to make a tough decision. Parents even do that. So, let's not be afraid to make the tough decisions that are always grounded in love and peace and kindness. They really are. Thank you very much. So now we will um recognize the family and any of the family for Miss Joanne Torrance that would like to come up and receive her award. We will recognize Miss Torrren now. Miss Torrren graduated from the University of West Florida in 1972. She started her career with Columbia County Schools at East Side Elementary where she taught and served on many committees and published the East Side newsletter. She then transferred to Columbia City Elementary when it opened in 1994 and taught in the classroom as well as serving on
034many school committees and roles such as the school advisory committee, school improvement team, volunteer coordinator, and parent teacher organization. She left the classroom and took on a role of curriculum resource and parent involvement teacher in 1997. She served in this role until she retired in 2011. Thank you, Miss Torrren, for all of your service to us and I know she hears that message right now for her 39 years of dedicated service to Columbia County Schools. Thank you for watching. just the impact that she made and the legacy she leaves behind from everyone from us as a family but also the students and teachers that she was able to touch while she was here. Thank you. Next, we will recognize Mr. Coach Bobby Simmons. and so his family would make their way up to the front.
035Coach Simmons graduated with his bachelor's degree from Jacksonville State College in 1964 and then with a master's degree from Western Carolina University in 1971. He started his career in Somerville, Georgia in 1961 as an assistant football coach and teacher for one year and then he became the head football coach in Rome, Georgia until he came to Columbia County schools in 1964 as the assistant football coach and teacher at CHS. He became the head football coach and athletic director at Columbia High School in 1971, where he faithfully served and led the Tigers to many victories until 1986. He then became the dean of students and later an assistant principal at Lake City Junior High. Mr. Simmons then took on the role of principal at Fort White Elementary from 1989 to 1999 and then transitioned to middle
036school principal at Richardson Middle School until he retired in 2003. We are thankful for Coach Simmons and his 39 years of dedicated service to the students and comm community of Columbia County. I know somebody wants to say something. How did I know I was? I just want to thank Mr. and board members. Daddy Bob was special man. Um honoring him having it tonight when Brian Adam state championship was coach of all time spoke at his funeral. So kind of all kind of goes together. So, thank you so much for the family. He loved this school district. He talked about it nonstop. So, just thank you. Our next teacher of a lifetime is Miss Joanne Chamberlain. Miss Chamberlain graduated from the University of Georgia in 1970 with her bachelor's degree and from oh, excuse me with
037she graduated in 1970 with her bachelor's degree and from Nova University in 1990 with her master's degree. She started her career as a teacher in 1970 in Georgia before moving to Abundale, Florida, where she taught for six years. She started her teaching career with the Columbia County School District in 1978 and at Columbia High School. The following year, she moved to Lake City Junior High where she taught for 11 years before returning to CHS in 1990. She became the dean of students in 1992 and assistant principal in 1993. She became principal of Columbia High in 2001 and retired in 2006. Miss Chamberlain decided that retired life just wasn't for her and she came back to work in 2010 at the adult education department to help students with um receiving their GED and their certification testing.
038She tutors students as well and is still serving Columbia County schools to this day. Thank you, Miss Chamberlain, for serving Columbia County School District for over 44 years in counting. I've been a teacher and I've wonder that I graduated not the same school but 1966 I was a classmber graduated. I still love teaching and I still love tutoring and I appreciate everybody, especially this board. Thank you. And last but not least, Miss Carla Hatcher. Any friends, family, and students of Miss Carla Hatcher, come on up. She wants you all to be recognized. And I probably should stand in the middle, too, because I learned some things from Miss Hatcher myself. Yeah. Why don't we go to the stage? You're welcome. >> You're welcome. >> How is everyone? All the kiddos and all the friends. While
039everybody takes their moment to get to the stage, I would just like for everyone to recognize how a teacher can reach so many different people and to see the generations and and how one person can reach multiple generations. Everyone's influence needs to be appreciated. And I love how this is turning out right now. So, while you guys are posing, I'm going to go ahead and read Miss Hatcher's bio. Miss Hatcher graduated from Valdasta State College in 1986 with her bachelor's degree. She started her career in Columbia County Schools in 1987 at Nylack Elementary where she made a giant impact with our special needs students as a special education teacher until 1990. She then moved over to Columbia High North where she continued her work as a special education teacher until 1992 before the program moved
040over to Lake City Middle School where she stayed until 1994. She then moved to Lake City Kindergarten Center where she taught prek handicap until 2000. At that time, Miss Hatcher took a brief leave of absence from teaching to care for her terminally ill mother and she returned part-time in 2003 to Columbia City as a reading remediation tutor and returned fully in 2005 as a third grade ESC teacher. In 2006, she became a pre-K handicap teacher where she again excelled with special needs students until 2013. She then became a VPK teacher where she served faithfully until her retirement in 2024. Thank you, Miss Hatcher, for 34 years of dedicated service, especially in the area of special needs students in Columbia County Schools. I think she's coming for all of our um teachers of a lifetime and
041your families. We wanted to make sure that you knew the pictures are posted in the center hallway. So when you leave, make sure you take a look at your photograph. It's beautiful. Um and we um will have those posted for the duration of the next 365 days. Thank you for everyone for being here tonight. And I'm going to now turn it over to Mrs. Hatch. I'll wait just a second for everybody to to sit. I just wanted to say thank you the best way I could. Thank you so much from all of us for such a distinguished honor. Thank you to whoever nominated me, voted for me, and remembered me. I sobbed the the whole conversation when I got the phone call. It was a wonderful surprise and an even better blessing. I'm so grateful
042for the mission field that I was given in 1987 when I began my teaching career in Columbia County. I chose the same career path as the most influential person in my life, and that was my mother. I'm pretty sure she was thrilled that both my sister and I chose to become teachers. And I loved being a teacher. I loved it so much. And while the place I worked changed a couple of times, my mission was always the same for every group of students entrusted to me. And that mission was to love, serve, teach, protect, progress, persevere. I always said, "Lean on me when you need to, and then we'll walk together until you can stand on your own." I found great joy in being around little ones. To me, it was lifegiving. And to be
043completely honest with you, I grieved the loss of that joy and excitement the first year I retired. The children I taught and the people I worked with were a huge part of my life's song and I loved that song. Now I could hand hardly stand the thought of August coming with no class list, no school supplies and no new littles to teach in love. One day I was closing out my final year in the classroom and I decided it was time to tell my then current students that they would be the last children the class of children that I would ever teach. I told them I would soon be retiring and I explained the definition of that word to the best of my ability so that they would understand me. Some of them smiled, some
044asked me why. And then the question came, why in the world are you tiring, Miss Hatcher? Are you old? You know, I didn't say yes or no at the time, but that was the moment that it hit me. My career was about to end. And so much of my life had been spent teaching little hands how to write and cut and serve. Teaching little beautiful minds how to think, to actively learn, to read. How did life pass so quickly? My goodness, time it truly is a thief. That evening, as I was getting ready for bed, the question played again in my mind as I looked in my bathroom mirror. The lady I saw in the mirror only somewhat resembled the young girl who had come 38 years ago asking for a job. My hair color
045had evolved from blonde to gray. I was now wearing progressive lenses and using a magnification mirror to put on my mascara and somehow my aging knees had earned an endorsement or sponsorship from Kelloggs because they snapped, crackled, and popped every time I moved. And while the outward appearance reflected that time had come to steal my joy and my good knees and my youth, I reassured myself that that was only what the naked eye could see. Somehow in the throws of 38 years in the classroom, teaching children, raising my own three children, supporting them and my husband and their lives, it just kind of happened. Life happened and one of the most important parts of my life would soon be changing forever. The thought of creating a new normal was a little disconcerting and I have
046to be honest, a little sad. And yes, my heart was older in years, but it was definitely bigger and stronger than when I first began this journey. I guess that's what happens when you choose to hold the heart of those you love and serve more tenderly than you hold your own. Teaching was my calling and that is what called teachers what we just choose to do. Looking back, I wish I could go answer that question. My answer would be a resounding not yet, sweetheart. Getting old and being old are two different things. And I would purposefully leave out the part that two things can be true at the same time. In five days, my husband Keith and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary. During that time, he has loved me far more than I have
047ever deserved and supported me tremendously in my profession. Throughout my career, he never said a word about the huge amount of money I'd spend every year on my classroom for my students. He always said, "Honey, just make sure everybody has what they need, including yourself." And so I did. In his support role over the past 40 years, he's dressed up as Santa Claus. He's been the sound guy for many years of EPK graduations. And he accompanied me to school, numerous schools, on many nights and weekends to put up bulletin boards, hang things from ceilings, fix things that were broken, and videotaped me for required teacher of the year videos. At times, he graciously walked away tears and helped me mend when things or situations broke my heart. Not every wife and not every teacher wife
048gets that blessing. So, thank you, honey. I would not be here tonight for you. When we leave here tonight, we will talk about this moment that means so much to us with our family and our friends. We will remember times and people that impacted our lives in beautiful ways. And we will wish that this moment could somehow last forever. We will continue to hope that our story will never die. So, I want to leave you tonight with thought and the lyrics of a great song. In 2017, songwriters Tim Rice and Alan Mention pinned the lyrics to their original song, How Does a Moment Last Forever? It was written for the live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. A small section of the song was sung during the movie. But as the film's ending credits
049went by, Selene Deion sang the whole thing. And while the tune in her voice are beautiful, it was the message that touched my heart and made me listen over and over again. How does a moment last forever? How can a story never die? It's love we must hold on to. Never easy, but we try. Sometimes our happiness is captured. Somehow our time and place stand still. Love lives on inside our hearts and always will. Minutes turn to hours. Days to years, then gone. But when all else has been forgotten, still our song lives on. Maybe some moments weren't so perfect. Maybe some memories not so sweet. But we have to know some bad times or our lives are incomplete. Then when the shadows overtake us, just when we feel all hope is gone, we'll hear
050our song and know once more. Our love lives on. Minutes turn to hours, days to years, then gone. But when all else has been forgotten, still our song lives on. How does the moment last forever? When our song lives on. Fellow teacher of a lifetime rest recipients both present here tonight and those who have gone on before us. Let this night serve to remind you that your song does live on. And that is because the children and many times your co-workers we loved and served along the way helped us write the music and the lyrics. I'm so grateful for a season in their path. For those still in the classroom or serving in other capacities in our school system, you're still writing your story in your song. Make it a great one. You may not
051realize it now, but while you're busy living your life and doing your job, you're writing your own life song. And for you, too. Minutes will turn to hours, days to years, and then they'll be gone. Make sure your life song lives on after you turn in your keys and you sign your letter of intent to retire. And years later, when you see or even just remember the faces of the precious children you loved and served, your heart will once again hear the beautiful song and story that you wrote together. Thank you so much for to every person who made this possible. Thank you for those who came tonight to support us. And I think I can say for every recipient, we are truly honored and humbled to know that our song made a difference in
052this world. Thank you. >> Thank you. We're going to do something a little different tonight. Normally, we wait till the end to make our comments from this board, but because of the specialness of this occasion, I know that every board member wants to say something. So we're going to um allow this time for our board members to make comments to our honores. Mr. J, >> what a fun night this has been. I always look forward to this night each year, but I noticed that there were some familiar themes throughout tonight. Did you notice hard work, persistence, pursuit of excellence, passion, and love? I noticed those themes over and over again. And then, Miss Hatch, you nailed it when you said heart. Kudos to all the recipients of honors tonight. And I I recognize that all
053those themes flow together to get you where you are tonight. So, keep up the great work. Thank you. Yeah, I'm gonna be just a little bit longer. Um, yeah, I know people laugh because you know I start to get emotional. >> Um, first of all, weightlifting guys, congratulations. That's an amazing time. Um, who who was it that beat BA's record? Good job on you that, too. I'm I'm gonna give him a hard time about that. So, good job on that. Girls, congratulations on the softball um championship. I was there. I watched it and I think that last play I think you could drop a pin. Everybody was, you know, puckered up and quiet and scared and then all of a sudden the whole place went nuts because you guys, you know, caught the ball one
054and it was an amazing thing. And I wanted to also mention uh Mr. Hosford sent me a a text and let us know he he forgot to mention something that uh coach that you were the coach of the year as well and we want to congratulate you on that. Congratulations. I uh to our teacher of a lifetime. You know, this is it's an amazing honor to see this every year. I I was sitting out there the very first year they did it and the next year I was on the board and it's always an amazing time to see this happen. And uh m Miss Tonsel, what an amazing life that you have, you know, to be I think it's next month she'll be 99, correct? You'll be 99. That's amazing. And happy I'll tell you
055happy early birthday just in case I don't see you before. But you know and um Coach Simmons, he was I know he put an impact on a lot of people's lives throughout the years and and uh you know you girls Mr. Hosford all of you you're lucky to have him. Uh Miss Mona I know you know we always think about you Miss Chamberlain we think about you as well. you um you know I had someone mention it to me before about how you know I thought Miss Chamberlain retired and it's kind of the same thing. I don't think you can quit. That that's the thing. So you know thank you for that and and Miss Hatcher you know I I think it goes without saying I got you know there's a there's a lot of
056peelers in this room. Some have already uh run off, but you I our family I know you put a touch on and and I think I can speak for for my family to say that you're the you're the sunshine on a cloudy day and and we we we adore you and I uh all of you are great and but I'm I'm happy to see you up here now and and with that and I know you both are enjoying retirement now. I I heard a lot about it the other day, but I want you to know that our family adors you and we always will. But congratulations to all of you. It's an honor and and I'm glad to be a part of the board that gets to uh push this through and and have this
057taken care of and see such the uh remarkable and incredible people we have come through this school district because people nowadays they knock on the public system and you know and I I just don't think the the public school system is as bad as they think it is and I never will and that's why I like to fight hard for it every single day and tonight is living proof on how The public school system is an amazing place to be. But not only that, but Columbia County school system is an amazing place to be. And I know you guys are this fan and you went to the University of Georgia, but I'm still going to say go Gators. >> Usually when we have a crowd like this, there something controversial, but not tonight. We got
058a good full house. We're celebrating champions. House full of champions. Our teacher teacher champions record our girls champions. I I was watching you play one night and I left there and I thought there's no way that you could lose. There's one thing that stood out about you and that was it was it was all for one for all. You you were a solid team and I was watching you online and when the bases were loaded and it did it didn't look good and I heard the crack of that that bat. I could barely look up that and it was just a long out. You are you're all champions and we're so proud of you. Public school system often times we take we take a rough bum wrap, however you want to call it, but we
059do a good job. We do a good job. We got good people doing good work and we're so proud of you. Uh let me start off with the way that you I got the privilege of hiring Quinn. I got a privilege of coaching BA basketball back in the day. I was about 150 pounds less than I am today. Um, and the men you turn out to be to make those young men behind you turn into men is truly an honor to all. Congratulations to the softball team. You got me up early on a Saturday morning. You made me pick up my son in Gainesville. That's not good. We rode down there and I will tell you now when bases were loaded I was sweating bullets. I couldn't see down but I looked at Mr. Hosford
060and he had tac the grass. There was no more grass in his tracks. He faced a hole of dirt and I felt kind of better and then the ball was hit and then I watched the right fielder made the catch and the girls go crazy. But what was the most amazing thing to watch was the coach. It took him a minute to realize he just became a state champion. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in the girls and the family you create, you forget what greatness truly is. And both of you guys and you over there, y'all created and that is an honor to all of us in this building. And then I walk in here tonight and we have five beautiful people. When I first went to Nimble, I hate to say back in
0611986, there was a lady there named Miss Tonsel and I met a man named Mr. and he taught he taught me a lot. Taught me how to be a man and took care of me and a friend of mine named John. So to him and his family, congratulations and thank you to the Torrren family. I I just can't get over seeing Mr. Torrren. I remember when I was a kid, I get to go see the Torren family, Miss Torren's teaching, and it meant a lot to my family. So Mr. Torrren, thanks for being here tonight and your family. Thank you. Um, I'm going to go to Miss Hatcher next. Um, Miss Hatcher, the first time I really met you was at Nibble, but more importantly, I met you because of a young man named Gabriel.
062Um, he loves you unconditionally. When I travel with Gabriel, he talks about you this day and you know, I travel with him a lot. His love for you is unconditional. And that means to me more than anything you'll know because a lot of people try to use that young bug and um everybody knows he's my son and I'm not letting anything happen to him. And for you to teach him how to be a man once again it's not easy teach a person like Gabriel to be a man and have respect for himself and you did that to Miss Chamberlain. I've known since I was a boy and Ray and the daughter. I won't say much about that. Get going. Um, your husband was special to me. I remember many nights at Ocean Palm with him
063back in my younger days. Miss Chamber, what you did at Columbia High School for all those years and more importantly what you do for kids today. We let you walk the night at graduation because you tutored eight kids that would not have got to walk without you. People need to know you're still giving to people and you don't have to. You could be enjoying life and instead you give it to us every single day and you just smile and keep giving and you've given to us for a long time. you given to me for over 60 years and I appreciate every day. And then to Bobby Simmons, I first met his son when I was at Rich, but I met Bobby Simmons when he was the principal at Fort White Elementary. Um, I was a
064dean. Bobby Simmons didn't know who the heck I was back then. We had deans and I became an AP his first year at Richardson. me and a guy named Danny Owens. And he took us under his belt. And Bobby Simmons was a guy, very quick words. He'd call us in every morning, have like a meeting with us. But after about two minutes, when he had enough of us, he turn around, go right back to his computer. That meant get out. But he taught us how to be administrators and he taught us to care about our kids. Not matter. It doesn't matter where they come from. Guys, there's kids out there that struggle every day. Our job care. And that's what the school system does. And the minute we forget that as humans, we forget what
065life is. You know, we all go to church, but you go to church and you pray and you don't help a soul. You just give a little money up and you come out. But when you come out, what you do for that person you just talked about matters the most. Pray for everybody, but take care of the ones that need it. There are people that need it. To all of you who came out, I love you all. Thanks for coming. This is my favorite night so far. I've done this twice now and it only gets better. And I got to say this not shut up. The guy I was talking about a minute ago, John, that Mr. Tonto taught last year. He got into the hall. He got into this. It's your lifetime. His name
066was John Brown. Um, two weeks ago on Saturday, he had a stroke and he's not doing so great right this minute. Um, again, you never know what's going to happen. Take care of the people you love. Take care of yourself. and God bless you all. Thank you. >> I want to conclude by um saying again to our softball team, thank you so much for what you've done and how you have made us so proud. Um I would start with Miss Torrance. My daughter had the opportunity to cheer with my daughters. She opened her home to us. I was able to break bread with her. Every time I saw her, she was the same lady. And u she was just a special person. She impacted the lives of a lot of children. And we are so
067honored that we had this opportunity to recognize her. I know you all are proud. It's one thing to be able to That's my mom and be so proud and I know you are. That's my wife to Miss Chamberlain. I met your husband before I met you. Steve and I worked together right here on this campus. And when I met Joanne Tor, I mean Joanne Chamberlain, I thought to myself, now how can such a sweet native Steve aggravated us so bad. But I love Steve Chamberlain. And one thing we could do with with the children is we went this tough. We could say, "Well, do I need to call Mr. Chamberlain?" But you're a wonderful lady and um a Christian, one who's real. My heart broke when I heard about But I know he's all right
068because you you going to make sure he got his his hips in heaven. So we thank God for you. To Bobby Simmons family. Bobby was my principal. He was we were here together. And it was something about him. I guess it was his coaching spirit that made us feel so um much like we were winners. And by us being winners, we gave our best to our children. He was just committed. And as um the superintendent said, it didn't matter about ethnicity. It didn't matter whether they were rich or poor. He cared about children. So thank you for allowing him to impact our lives to Miss Hatcher Wilson come from God and all the words that you said tonight. We're inspired by him. Thank you for what you said to us. It touched all of our
069hearts. We really appreciate your commitment. I have a son, I call him my son, grandson who has special needs. And when I meet people who have the love and compassion for special needs children, it touch my heart. So, thank you for what you have done and continue to do because you'll always be a teacher. Joyce Thompson, I walked in I have tried to walk in your steps. When I first started going to knee black to serve on the sack, you were on the sack with us and you and your sister would be there always before I got there because everybody know that I have a issue with punctuality. Okay. But uh but the things that you did and how you inspired us made me want to do some of the great things that you have
070done. Thank you for being that role model. You worked with my daddy. Daddy was at Kingsville and then you were in the system when I went through Knee Black Elementary. And I will always respect you and honor you. for being that giant in our community. Thank you so much. Now, at this time, if you would like to dismiss, you may do so at this time. Most people like to leave because they don't want to hear our wonderful business. So, if you would like to leave at this time, you may do so. >> Thank you. You want to come back with us? Hi there. Nice to meet you. Not as far as it all of it. Friday night. >> Cheers. Absolutely. I tell you, not all of us have always been watching South Carolina. We're about
071Good. Thank you. What a night. Good night. That's interesting. Make it sense. He has a lot of history. He has a lot. Sorry about that. brother is I think he might be 101 by now. You don't know. All right, we're ready to resume. We will move on to our action items. I'm sorry. I'm skipping the fin Bonnie and I would not want to miss this exciting financial, >> you know, this >> I'm just going to say I'm sorry. I'm going to try not to bring it down. I'll be really really quick. So, you've got um the financial report for April in your packet and we um just going to give you a couple of updates um as to what is going on for the year. we're getting ready to close out. We do have the
072fourth calculation which includes both our October count of students and our February count of students. Now, we'll still see a little adjustment because our virtual kids um those come in um and get adjusted in the um in the the over the summer. Um but as it stands now for the 2526 year um we were down 350 weighted FTE as opposed to last year 343 weighted FTE. So, um the decline uh was very consistent with last year. We are hoping that that has leveled out and we won't be seeing those kinds of declines, but unfortunately, we know that we've got some things happening in the community that we will probably see some more um changes with our um enrollment. With that said, we had forecast um that we were going to be down. So despite the
073fourth calculation having um an increased number of scholarships uh that were um paid from that calculation of the FFP um class size reduction and transportation both went down um slightly. We had uh you know that caused a net reduction of about $100,000 but quite honestly we had forecasted for there to be actually a little bit more of a decline. So, we're not we're not having to make a major impact on our budget because of that calculation. Um, in regards to the um the other side and how we're spending our dollars, uh we are starting to see the impacts of the school consolidation. Now, we still have campuses that are being um heated and air conditioned and lights running and things like that. So, we're not seeing the full impact, but we are likely seeing about
074$100,000 in reduction this year as opposed to what we spent last year, which is a great thing because our diesel has more than used that much. Um, we all know what's happening at the pumps. Um, last year we um spent for the entire year uh almost $390,000 in diesel um for our regular transportation activities. Um this year just through June the 7th. So, we still have some bills that are going to come in. We've um spent 486,000. So, it really has made a significant impact. Um but again, thank goodness we're we're seeing the decreases in our um utilities in the electric bill that's going to um help us with that. Um I've still you can see in the report we're we're forecasting a um fund balance a financial condition ratio of 5.11%. We'll probably see
075that decline just a little bit. We will be nowhere near some of the schools that were or school districts that we're seeing that are having such a hardship. We will not get near the 3% but we I do anticipate it to go down just a little bit. Um the next few months are going to be um important. That's when we get our final tax collection so we know whether we earned more than the um 96% that we're required to budget as well. We'll see um you know these final final bills for utilities and and some of the others as well as terminal leave and um some of those other ones that are big estimates that we have to deal with. Uh the financial statements will come back to you in September as normal, but I'll
076be talking to you before then about the budget. Um we're thankful that we do have a budget. We just hope that that um governor decides to sign it so that we can have it solidified and move forward. That's all I have. Um yes m the package that we were offering was in to retire. >> Yes. Did we see an increase in the amount of retirements and Do you have a number? >> I I I do not and I should have looked at that before I came um because Frank is keeping up with that and I will find out how many um we have seen. But yeah, we've definitely seen that tip the scales to um to open up for some vacancies um to where we can as we see this student population go down, we
077can see some um you know realize the savings we need to when we don't see those revenues coming. So we're going to be working from from the past two years we've lost 700. >> Oh just two years. Yes. Two years. Um 700. >> Is there a projection for this upcoming? >> Yes. We we um we projected it's over 400 that we'll lose again next year. That is going to be built in. the so right now the conference report um does not have the full extent of um what is being projected for a decline um next year because one of the things that they did was you know they're so late in getting out these calculations of um the FEFP they they built the um conference report based on the third calculation of students which were
078always higher when it's just those October kids counted and and not incorporating the students that leave between October and February. So, the conference report is actually built on a little bit higher number. So, it'll be interesting to see if once the governor signs it, you know, how quickly they're able to to adjust that. Um but but that's going to be an estimate that I'm going to have to bring in to bring it to what we have um forecast. But yes, we've we um when we ran the models um because they're forecasting models, statistical models that um Department education and has has built um we were coming up with over 400 that we would do next. >> Anybody else? >> 96% tax collection. >> What do we collect? >> We we generally collect um between 97
079and 98%. It's it it um varies just a little bit. Um when we get um 97 per well I think it was 97 and a half last year it was close to an additional 200,000 just in in the general fund um of course that also impacts your capital funds as well so we just have to wait we usually get that last payment at the very end of this month that helps tip us over that 96% so we can see what it looks like >> um It's the the um that last collection is one of the largest ones. We're up in the high 80s, which normally at this time we're we're closer to the mid80s. So, it is it is a positive thing. It looks like they're coming in a little bit higher this year, but
080sometime you just never know when when people pay and when the when the tax collector actually sends it, you know, forward. So, so um I like get that, but it doesn't it's not always an indicator of whether we are collecting more than that 96%. It kind of gives me a feel good, but it's not necessarily a good So um we we have um so looking looking at where we are right now it just gives you some big numbers um in built into the FEFP where we um have about 1,400 students that are getting some form of a scholarship and it's about $13 million that gets diverted um for for the scholarships. Um, next year it's going to be over 1500 based on what DOE projects um as well as getting over um $15 million. So
081it it's it's a very large piece of um what goes through the FEFP. Um probably saw the House subcommittee um had a lot of discussion about the issues that they have with um students who sign up for a scholarship and the way it works is they fund an account. It's kind of like a bank account where they fund and put quarterly payments into that um account where it can either go to pay um their their um private school tuition or it can be used if you're a PEP student for your um home school needs. Um so what has been happening when this you know this happened when we had the K scholarships it was a smaller number, so nobody really um you know, it wasn't as as big of a concern. Um but students who
082sign up for the scholarship and a lot of times it's it's very um you know, it makes sense. You sign up for a scholarship and you're trying to get into school A. Well, school A is not taking any more kids. So now, okay, I'm going to come back and I'm not going to go to school a private school A. I'm going to come back and go to my traditional public school. but they've funded that account. Well, they deduct that money from us regardless of what we turn in for FTE. So, if that student has signed up for um again for a scholarship, that account gets funded and those dollars get deducted from us regardless. um and you know and then we when we submit FTE in October by the time we've submitted it and gone
083through the adjustment they've received two payments um so at that point the um now after these these um subcommittee um hearings and they brought this to light DOE is finally giving us a lot of information and they're saying okay here's the kids that are um that we say are matched I like to call them matched um and go ahead and and tell us, you know, verify that these students were on your campus and that you were educating them. And then we don't know exactly what they do with that. That's where we're still hung up. We don't know what they do with that. We have the ability now to go and pull reports um from the scholarship funding organizations that tell you give you the list of students names and see when you know what they've
084um what their scholarship um accounts have been funded. But we don't know if some of those matched students if they've gotten the money back. you know, maybe they made a payment to the private school and therefore they can't pull back the full amount that should be going to us. They're instead, you know, it's it's gone to the private school. And in some rightly so, that they may have um you know, uh had the student for the first month and a half or or however long. They they don't have any way to I'm I'm kind of rambling, sorry. They don't have any way to um discern whether okay, you know, if you were with the private for less than 20 days, you don't get any of the money, you know, whereas, you know, if you were
085longer than that, maybe we think you should get a quarter or a half or whatever. There's there's no guidelines like that that were created. So, at this point, when we go and try to look and see, okay, this is the amount that's been deducted. Here are the kids. Here are the matched kids. We're only seeing the first two payments. We're not seeing any kind of adjustment that's being made, and we're not seeing the next two payments as well. So, we don't know whether they fixed it, meaning they took them out of that scholarship bucket and didn't give them their third and fourth quarterly payment. We can't even see that yet. So, there's a lot of work that needs to be done. We are seeing that um we get dollars put back in as an adjustment.
086This year it's it's around $450,000 that they have returned to us as an adjustment, but we have absolutely no idea who that's for. Is is that are there still collections trying to be made because maybe um you know they were used for tuition and the student was never there and maybe it got pulled. We we just don't know. Um you know, my my looking at it especially with the homeschool kids, you know, they can get that um their account um filled, you know, get get the money put in their account and they can immediately write a check to a tutor or write a check to buy a piece of equipment or whatever and have that money gone. So, that will never get brought back um even if they come and are with us from day
087one. So there's no they've not come up with any kind of guidelines to figure out how to manage that. It's just we get stuck hold in the back on that. So they did make it better. So back to this whole what the House committee did. They did make it better in that we're seeing some information. We're able to see the kids and we're able to see when the um their accounts are populated and and they are trying to um kind of work those matched students to um see what they can to get an adjustment. Again, the adjustments are coming back in. They're more than they have been in the last couple of years um but they're not they're not 100%. So, we are still missing a lot of um funding for these students that are
088um that uh receive the scholarship that then come on our campus. >> I just have a couple of questions real quick, but is it safe to say that the biggest hurdle and and I know like all over the state of Florida they're struggling? I mean, and I'm I'm just glad we're not like Union County. And I don't mean to say that, you know, rudely. It's just it's a plus. But Is it safe to say that the down in enrollment is the biggest problem that we have when it comes to the budget? >> Oh yes. Yes. >> That that's probably the biggest problem you would think to say. >> Well, absolutely. And and and um what happens is is is you can't you know um those of you that that are are familiar with economics, you
089know, there's economies of scale and that's kind of how Florida gotten away with having the lowest per student funding in the nation is because we have really big school districts. So you you have a lot of you know it's like McDonald's you sell a ton of hamburgers you can pay for a lot of overhead out of that. Well when we have fewer students all that overhead doesn't necessarily go away. you still have to find a way to fund it. But as as the students are are um you know leaving us and we're not getting funded for them, it makes it really difficult because you know you you have um 20 kids in a classroom that's $160,000. Well, when you start getting down to 10 kids in a classroom, you you know, you're barely funding the
090teacher, much less funding the the overhead, the on the building, the utilities, um you know, the the the bookkeeper, the data person, the principal, assistant principal, all of that. So, so when you can like that, it's not just, you know, I was saying earlier, you know, if if you have if you lose 25 first graders at an elementary school, it's not really harming because you it makes sense that you would lose one class. But if you lose 25 students throughout the school, you can't necessarily make that change. So that that's where, you know, um again, it's it's not just an easy one to one to make the adjustments um for all the revenue that you're losing, but it's definitely that I mean, obviously, we're not getting um the funding from the state. You know, textbooks
091are are the cost of textbooks is outrageous. Um I I haven't talked to Mr. um Hoie about this, but I think we'll probably need to have a workshop and talk a little bit about health insurance. Um they are definitely not um giving us any assistance or to recognize that some of these other costs are going up. So that you know that's definitely an issue. Um but but absolutely um if if we could just hold steady or grow just a tiny bit every year, we could make it work. >> So with that, you're projecting 400 Yes. >> Is that including with the opening of the online school coming up? >> The online school um it unfortunat we do have a projection projection for the online school. It's probably not as much as it needs to be.
092We about doubled our enrollment or the FTE not enrollment but we about doubled the FTE that I can see so far. Of course, like I said, in June, we're going to have it. It gets sort of shored up as kids complete. Um, but it looks like we've about doubled um where we are, but it's still it's still not quite that much. I mean, definitely it's something that we need to do and keep doing because if we can if we can keep some of those folks here, um that's that's definitely what we need to do. Um but, um you know, at this point, It's not impacting the the the serious outward trend of kids going to private schools and and home schools. >> All right. One more. I promise I'll be done. And what do we
093or have since what is that number every year? >> What are we looking at there? >> I want to say I'm going to be budgeting next year. It's it's um a little over seven and a half million dollars a year. Maybe 7.8. >> Is that the part that we have to >> Oh, no. That's total. That's the total collections. Yeah. And then we um we we share with Belmont. Belmont gets a little over $800,000 of that. Um and see as we reduce and they grow that gets more. Um then we we have just it's 4.8 million. I think it's under $5 million that goes to the cops payment to the debt payment. So, it's it's pretty well obligated. >> I was about to say we're looking at very little at that point. >> Yeah. And
094we've been, you know, the since we since we started um with the sales tax, started making collections, we have been setting some aside each year. So, um that's going to be what we're using for um Summer's Elementary because we built it up over these last four or five years. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we'll move to our action item of the approval of personnel items. Will I hear a motion? >> Second. been moved and properly second that we approve the personnel items that are on the agenda as well as the agendum. Um, do we have any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Eyes have it. We move on to our consent agenda. Do I hear a motion for our consent agenda? >> Madam Chair, move
095>> second. >> Been moved and properly second that we ex accept the consent agenda that's on as well as the agenda. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Excuse me, I need to back up. Is there any discussion? No discussion. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Have it. Motion is carried. Now, do we have um any comments from our citiz? >> Thank you, M. >> All right, but we are going to hear a motion to adjourn. All right, all them f say hi. Let's go.