001It's 6 o' and we'll come to um we'll come to order. Um Mr. Dr. Wilerson is going to lead us our invocation. Let's pray. Father, we're uh thankful tonight to come to you and uh uh we're going to honor some students tonight who worked very hard to accomplish what they've accomplished. And although when uh when one is honored in the county, we are all honored because we all work together to accomplish for what is the best for Walker County schools and for the students. And Father, we're thankful that when we come to these times that uh you hear when we don't hear and you see when we don't see. And in that you bring us together because we are indeed a needy people and you are indeed a very present help in time of need.
002In this time of year as we come together to celebrate the birth of our savior lord Jesus Christ. It is indeed that time where we come together. We are as one regardless of the differences, regardless of how we feel about one another or our intentions or whatever. This time of the year we are together. Father, we thank you for that. And it's in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Thank you. We'll now have the pledge [clears throat] of the flags by Mr. Militin. Salute. >> 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. I pledge algiance >> to the flag and to the principles for it stands. Justice moderation and courage.
003>> Mr. I think we have some recognitions, special recognitions. >> We do. So I I I'll give you a little bit of backstory about our recognitions tonight. So back in 201617, we were sitting at a table and we had this what we thought was a really cool idea about doing some things for our students and getting them on the campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College. And at the time it it sounded like this huge undertaking that we just didn't think we would ever get to. And in 2018 we signed with the G&TC to be on their campus. We had one classroom and u we turned it into our launch room and from that moment forward we've been trying to get to the point to where we realize what that dream actually was going to look
004like. So last year we tried to have this recognition for a young lady who missed doing this first semester I believe by one class if I'm not mistaken. I just thought that was an amazing accomplishment just missing it by one class. I thought, well, we still need to recognize this young lady because that's pretty amazing. This year, we have two that have completely graduated with their associates degree. That is a that is a magnanimous undertaking and something that they I mean, they've kind of set the stage for us. Now, the expectation was if you can get one and get real close, now we go, uh-uh, we got two that completed this before they're actually high school graduates. That's pretty amazing. And so, uh, Dr. Wilson's here. He's going to he's got several folks with him
005that I know he's going to talk about or let them talk about these two amazing students. And so, I'll turn it over to you guys and just let you embellish all you want to about this amazing kid. >> We'll we'll let Miss Jones carry the heavy load with that a little bit. She's good at embellishing, but I just want to He set me up. Uh, just wanted to put this out there that, you know, one of the great things, the reason we have this opportunity for these young ladies, to Mr. Rain's point, is because the flexibility Walker County Schools and the board have offered for them to find their own path. These are clearly very ambitious young ladies, right? They're the first ones to be able to do this. And it's because that you've allowed
006them to do that. they have to have the opportunity before they can put forth the effort. So, it's just a big deal. I want to make sure we take time to recognize that everyone is not going to go the same path, right? And for these high achievers like these young ladies, you have to give them something extra to keep them engaged, to keep them motivated to come to school. So, it's a really big deal in that way. But they are both unique individuals as you're going to hear as we come through here and have accomplished things that that honestly when I was 17 years old I was just lucky to make it to school some not get lost. So I stand in all of them and I'll turn it over to Miss Jones. >> Okay.
007Um so Miss Seymour our English teachers here. So if you want to jump in anything you're welcome to. Can I bring them both up here so I can make them uncomfortable? >> Make them uncomfortable. That's right. Karma. Um, so I'll start with Karma. I was still the um, ninth grade counselor at Ridglin her freshman year. So I've had the unique opportunity to be with her all four years, which is um, we followed each other over to launch. Um, and so Karma finished her associates degree in criminal justice. Her plan is to continue get her bachelor. She eventually wants to go to law school. Um, she's just one of those that like she just buckled down. Like there was never a neither one of them like usually the first semester at launch is kind of a
008transition because they're picking up high school classes, college classes. Neither one of them ever had any type of a transition period. Neither one of them ever like had a struggle. Um Karma would literally like call me out on stuff. She'd send me a message and be like, "Listen, I'm looking at degree works right now and I think I need this class and not this class." I'm like, "Okay, hold on. Let me look." Um and so she kept me on my toes all the time. And so, um, but just being able to watch how much you've grown and changed since your freshman year and how much you've accomplished and like I have no doubt that she's going to keep going. Like zero doubt that she's going to do exactly what she set out to do and
009if anybody gets in her way, she's going to let them know real fast. Um, and I love that. Love that about her. Um, and then Rihanna has um she finished her in the automotive program. Um, as soon as she finished that, I got an email from her saying, "I really want to start working on my master's degree. What do I need to do with mine?" I'm like, "Okay, hold on, hold on." Um, and so they both just have this drive. And so, Rihanna wants to do everything. She wants to major in business. She wants to do this, she wants to continue with her automotive stuff. Um, and she will. Um, I I 100% believe that both of them will do every single thing that they have set out to do. Um I went to the
010graduation ceremony at G&TC this time to see them walk. Um it's such a cool opportunity um just to brag for just a minute. We're we're due to have 32 that walk in the spring this year um that have finished either certificate, diploma or degree. So um but these two were there with us this time. There were over 300 students there. So the largest graduating class G&TC that they've ever had. Of the group when Dr. PP got up and spoke. There were five students that were dual enrollment students in the bunch. Just five. And of those five, only two that had finished an associates degree. And I wanted to stand up in the bleachers and be like um so out of all of those students, the two that finished with that were our kids. And that's
011such a huge deal. That's such a huge deal. And um I'm just so tremendously proud of both of you for what you've done. And um I [clears throat] hate when May rolls around and I we have to say, you know, they all graduate and they leave us, but these two are special and for the history of as long as Walker Launch exists, you will always be the first two that ever did this in December. And so that is something for you guys to be very very proud of. Um Miss Seymour, do you want to pop in with anything? >> They're just amazing. So I was Karma's elementary librarian, too. So we've been together get a picture right here in front of the board and literally I I think we do need to put their names
012up somewhere on the wall in law and let the kids hear about what the expectations >> make sure I block out middle time. [laughter] >> Okay, right here on three. One, two, three. Let's get one more. One, two, three. Thank you so much. >> Congratulations, guys. >> So, an idea that sparked and then it it's not culminating in this, but now we have a new expectation level. And so, we want y'all to know how much we appreciate your hard work and dedication. and we know that you're going to come back in a few years and tell us all the successful things that you're doing. And so we're looking forward to hearing good things about both of you as you go forward into your future. So, thank you and congratulations. >> Yeah, that's awesome. We had
013a young lady on from our rifle team. I'm actually going to meet her at a a meet in uh January when they're back at a home meet. Um she uh broke the all-time record at Lefaya High School for her score. And um the lady that she broke and I we I tried to think of her name today and I could not. She went on and she was a a third or fourth place qualifier in the nation. So we've had a history of really good shooters from Lefay High School, but she challenged me to a shoot off over there one day. And I mean I'm pretty good shooter, you know, and she smoked me. I'm just It made me look bad. So I'm not going to challenge her to a shoot off at all. Uh oh.
014>> She's ours, too. >> She is she really? Oh, I didn't know that. Well, there you go. Well, I'm not going to mess with her either way. So, um, so anyway, we'll get a picture and I'll make sure you guys see that as well. Uh, she had a lot going on and couldn't be here. And then the next thing we're going to move into is we highlighted a little bit about family engagement last month uh because it was highlighted across the state of Georgia. And so, I know Autumn is here tonight to talk about uh a person who is their what they're terming their top volunteer. So, I'll turn it over to Miss Gint. Thank you. So, this is something new. We've never done this before. Um, it's something that our family engagement coordinator team
015has talked about doing. Uh, we've brainstormed uh ways that we could acknowledge and um show our gratitude to outstanding volunteers across the district. So, you know, we've seen today already students that have done outstanding accomplishments and behind all of them, I know, are very engaged families. they're here supporting them. And so that's something that we do want to encourage and keep going in our district. So for this year, each semester, um, we want our title one schools in the county to have the opportunity to nominate an outstanding volunteer at their school and we gave them a set of criteria to consider as they nominated an outstanding volunteer. Some of those criteria were active participation, levels of support for student learning, advocacy and communication, having a positive attitude, growth and resilience, and showing leadership amongst other
016volunteers and throughout the school. And so this is the very first semester we're really excited about um acknowledging some of our volunteers. And so we had several volunteers that were nominated. Um we had um Denise Hopkins from Naomi Elementary School. We had Ashley Ball from Rock Spring Elementary School, Elena Maguire from Gilbert Elementary School, and Megan Daniel from Cheddigo Valley Elementary School. So we had representatives from across both ends of our district. So, we received the nominations. We reviewed their statements and things they had to say about all of the people that were nominated. And then we selected one to represent our district as an outstanding volunteer. So, at this time, we are pleased to announce that Denise Hopkins has been selected as our district outstanding volunteer. So, we want to thank all of our
017volunteers for everything they've done, but we especially want to nominate we want to recognize you. So, come on up. >> We have a certificate of appreciation for you and you have something that you'd like to say about her. Oh, I'd love to say lots about we don't have enough time for me to go through everything that she does, but she is at our school probably three and five days a week. Um, she works with uh our PTO with all of our volunteers. She's a real leader in our school. She often comes to me and says, "Okay, we need to." And then she lays out what we need to do. And then I I don't have any doubt. She always just comes in behind and make sure everything gets taken care of and that our students
018are recognized and taken care of as well. We appreciate you. >> Thank you. Thank you for letting me have shenanigans. >> Get a picture. Yeah. Okay. right here on three. One, two, three. Let's get one more. One, two, three. Thank you so much. >> Congratulations. Thank you. >> So, this is the moment for our folks that are here for the recognitions. Um, we go on with our meeting. You're welcome to hang around and see what all happens in a board meeting. Um, we could be here till sometime on Thursday. Just kidding. We won't go that long. Um, but we give you the opportunity if you'd like to step out because we know you guys are busy. We'll give you that opportunity. So, thank y'all for coming tonight though. Thank you. We [clears throat] need to
019step back and approve the agenda. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Motion. Second. >> Got all in favor. Okay. Um the items of defation the superintendent should raise. >> Just a couple of things that I added. Tuesday evening, I gave you a copy of the recommended state investment to address Georgia student needs. That's a legislative priorities from Gail, GSBA, GSSA, and Paige. We typically get those every year. This is the first time they've all grouped together and put them together as one. I wanted you to have a copy of that. Um, we also, if you remember, we had discussion about the two projects that were out for bid and we were waiting to see what those numbers look like. So, we've given you a copy of the renovation project summary. Mrs.
020Hunter had asked for a little more detail about what was going on in each of the projects. So, you have those as well as the uh bid numbers that came in and we added those to the recommendations. I know when we get to the facilities update, uh Mr. Devy may want to highlight some of that. Um Mrs. Holloway has presented you guys with u multiple copies of the potential survey for the 4-day work calendar. Um, and we I think we finalized the last one this afternoon, which was to our classified employees. We wanted to make sure we gave opportunity for everyone to provide feedback. And right now, I think the goal is to try to have those out on Friday uh to our stakeholders. We we'll probably do that through social media and then we'll
021make it available to all of our employees as well through our normal means. And then we'll hold and do the students once they're back in session. And so we'll probably just do Midland High School uh and we maybe at like um home room time or Panther Dian um um pig crew at the high school get on their Chromebooks and have them go through the survey so we'll get results from the students as well. Uh but I wanted you guys to have a copy of that and then wanted to just uh highlight uh the Georgia Trey of the Week. I gave you a copy of that. We promoted that heavily on social media. Congratulating Michelle and her department and our folks at Stone Creek for uh achieving that. I know they were uh pushing real hard
022to try to get that. We appreciate all that they do um every day as well. Other than that, unless you have questions, I don't have anything else. >> Okay. Um Mr. Deputy, >> same thing. Just the two bid process. Any questions about that? Be glad to answer them. Hopefully get that all broke down. The only thing that would change additional notes we had southern had to update on the auditorium at Ridgland get omitted by the architects in the bid process to redo that area floor and it seats. It's going to be anywhere between 76 to 100,000 give or take on what we do in there. So just letting you know not an overwhelming cost but still just something omitted out that we will cover. >> After the young lady pointed out that you know we
023needed that done they forgot to actually price that. that you you did say seats cuz last week we all we heard was floor >> removing the seats. >> We're in removing seats and doing the whole thing. >> We're not replacing the seats. >> Yeah, uh yes, three or four seats in there. They're going to be repl [clears throat] we hated to make that commitment to her and then forget about it. So, >> and that's that's in addition to what we'll >> be an additional add-on notes down there. >> How much? I'm sorry. 700. So you're looking at 76,000 give or take for the seats and then $7 a foot for le or if we go with carpet it's 450 per square foot. So you another 20,000 give or take you know which option we go
024with. >> Anything else? >> That's it. Unless you have any question I'll feel free to answer them later too if you have any. Does anybody have any questions on the final? >> I've got a bunch of questions, but I think we're going to meet in January to talk about that. >> Okay. Um I need a motion to approve the financial report and the um superintendence and the facilities report. >> Is that correct? Just the just the financial that's the first of the individual action items. >> I need a recommendation. Okay. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Okay. Um I got sorry to interrupt. I got one question back to the uh renovation. >> So [clears throat] just so the base just so I'm sure because looking at this thing where it says add alternates.
025>> So the the bid the base bid was 95, but we're going to go with the >> if you add all the ad alternates in, it goes up to 1099. So we didn't know where the bid would be. So we kind of had plan A and if we want to add some on. So if you approve all thing, it would be the 1099. Plus, if we end up adding on, like I said, the auditorium, it's going to be roughly 100,000 give or take. So you're looking a little over 11. That makes sense. That's perfect sense. There's no if we add them. We're going to >> There you go. >> So, if you remember with the AR architect projections was run out, we were talking about earlier about 14 million. So, we we assumed the bid
026would be in the 15 to 16 million. So, coming in with all the additional pieces that we priced out separately at that price. We were very very excited about that. >> So, my math is 11,100,000 after we add the seats and the flooring and the theater. Is that right? That's the projection. So, we get all the numbers. Yes, sir. >> Sorry. >> Um, we have a motion for Gilbert Elementary School, the heating back unit and lighting renovations. And I'm going to let Kevin, if you would read that for us. Um, >> okay. Um, so at Gilbert Elementary, the HVAC system, which the heating and air uh lighting and drop ceilings. The bid is $3,220,000. We have a recommendation to approve. >> Okay. All in favor? Okay. Run high school renovation. Um reading that Okay. >>
027All right. So, go through the whole bid base scope for work. Is that what you need to do? >> I think so. Is that correct? you you can or if we want to take the number for the actual bid, the number for the add alternates and then the number that we're potentially adding the estimate then that that total would be the recommendation that we move forward with um that price structure. So what what I'm reading basically the the base bid for the scope of work be for infrastructure mechanical work, restroom modernization, programmatic improvements, flooring, interior, uh finishes, and some staff facility updates. The base bid for that is 9,586,000. Uh in addition to that, there's some ad alternates u in there to to add more into that bringing the total to 10,999,000 plus then the
028addition into the theater which would be approximatelyundred. So what we could >> 150,000 somewhere >> you could approve the 10999 and if you want me to get you an exact quote later we can edit or we can approve up just whatever you think we should do with that. I >> I would suggest that we approve it at the 10990 just because that's what we have and then once we get a price structure from the the person that's assigned to the job then it potentially might end up being a change order and then we just adjust the total that we so I would suggest in that sense that's the numbers we have. So, we're being asked to approve renovations at Ridgland High School in the amount of $10,999,000. >> Okay. I need a motion to approve.
029>> Motion. >> All in favor? >> Um, consent action action items. I need a motion to approve the consent action items as presented. Motion. >> Motion. I need a second. >> Second. >> Any and all in favor? >> Um, we're going to go with new business. Mr. Wilton, you have any new business? I don't have any at this moment. >> Been a long day. >> I'm gonna have >> uh I don't have any new business. I do do want to thank Miss Holloway for getting those surveys together that we talked about last week. Those look excellent. I just want to publicly say thank you for >> We'll be using Survey Monkey for those uh since that's free. And like I said, just got to build those and they will be going out and um by
030Friday >> Dr. Willerson >> and I do not have any business. Um we do have a need for executive session. I need a motion. >> Hang on. >> Oh, I'm so sorry. Do we have any public participation? We did not have anyone sign up for public participation by 10 this morning. >> Okay. Thank you. Then we do have date for executive session. Do I have a motion? >> Executive I mean for personnel. >> Can we add real estate? I've got a question. >> Can we add real estate to that? >> We can and we'll just have Mr. Rod come back with us. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Motion. Second. >> All in favor? We're return to executive session. >> Okay, we are back in. >> We got a test tomorrow. >> Okay. We're back in
031session and we're um asking for a recommendation for the employees. >> motion for the recommendation personnel >> for personnel. >> I'll make a motion >> certificated non-certificated designation and service. certificated non-certificated I think that's and substitute activity by >> thank you we have a recommendation >> okay >> motion second >> second >> okay all in favor now we Need a motion to to adjurnn. >> Motion. >> Second. Sorry. >> Okay. And all in favor? >> Amen. >> Okay.