001Good afternoon. I'd like to call this April 14th work session for the Carol County Board of Education to order. And with that, I'd like to welcome our visitors and our guests. We got some esteemed guests in the audience tonight. We're excited to to have you here. If you would now join me for the rise and just join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. At this time, we'll start our meeting off here with student achievement this afternoon with Dr. Jess work. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller and members of the board. I talk to you guys all the time about the three E
002in Carol County, being enrolled, employed, and enlisted. Tonight, I want to focus on being an enlisted. We have Lieutenant Colonel Cummings and two students, Chief Master Sergeant Matthew Brown from Central High and Airman Basic Madison Driscoll from Vera High. And they will be updating the board regarding our JOTC efforts. Students, Um, so good evening everybody. I am Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Matthew Brown. I am a junior from Central High School and a third year cadet in the AFJRTC. And accompanying me today is cadet airman basic Madison Driscoll. She's also a junior from Villaa and she is a first year cadet. Um, so the AFJC mission statement is to develop citizens of character which is a big part of AFJC. Um, what we like to do is we like to develop citizens that can better their
003community and not just be forced to go into the military. Today we will review who we are, our unit goals, our unit wellness, our accomplishments, and our cadetses in action. Um, so the mighty 62, which is what we call ourselves, consists of all five high schools in the Carroll County area. Central, Villaa, Mount Zion, and Bowen and Temple. Sorry. Um so this is our organizational chart. I know it looks a bit comp uh complicated but all it is is we are split into three squadrons. Alpha which is made of of Villera and Bowen. Bravo which is made up of Temple and Mount Zion and Charlie which is made up of central. Um so what this allows is for a full autonomy of each squadron. They can govern their own selves. Um it allows for easier
004passing of information to senior leadership which is what you see at the top. At the beginning of each school year, our cadet leadership team established our unit goals. We have three types: cadet, community, and school. Cadet impact goals focus on individual cadetses progression for fitness, academics, and participation in our program. Last year, we started our mentor mentee program. This initiative is designed to create a supportive environment where new cadetses like myself can have someone to lean on. I personally connected with cadet major Walker, my squadron commander. She supported me and helped me and gave me advice finding my place in this program. We show the importance of positive behavior. It its impact on our Carol County community. Our goal is to create a supportive and helpful environment for our cadets. This year we're focusing on
005enhancing our AFJRTC program and positive role models. Um, so we hold recruiting and retention efforts at all five high schools and many more places. We do color guards, parades, and uh orientations. Uh, so what we like to do is just show off and try to bring more cadets into the core. Um, so back going back to our mission statement, we like to develop citizens of character. Our community impact goals are pretty much just trying to reach 10 hours each semester per cadet of community service, which means uh we just better our community Um, here are some events we do. Uh, I would really like to highlight Veterans Day. We had 14 community service events just last year. Um, we also participate in a blood drive twice a year, our baton death march, color guards everywhere,
006uh, numerous parades, and ambassador duty at Super Bowl Sound. It is crucial for us to stay fit and healthy. We have our PT days on Tuesday and we alternate between strength days and cardio days. Uh so I would like to highlight some of our cadet accomplishments which include we earned an overall exceed standards on our unit evaluation which is the highest attainable that our unit can reach. Um and our males raiders team earned top five overall at our national competition in Georgia. Um so our curriculum and action trips are field trips that interweave our curriculum into them. So, in 2022, as part of our space exploration curriculum, we visited the Illuminarium in Atlanta. And last year, we went to Red Top Mountain State Park as part of our navigation and orientering. This year, we visited
007Warner Robbins Aviation Museum and Air Force Base um as part of our aviation history. Uh we went around the base. We went to the museum. It was just a great time. Now, I will highlight our work nights. This program is helping cadetses become together and encouraging extracurricular activities. These sessions are held every Monday to from 400 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Um it is a place where we like to combine ideas and bond. Uh so here are some of our LDRs or extracurricular activities. We split them up into two categories STEM and activity based. We have a lot more participation in the activity based. However, our STEMbased typically have a lot more career fields that we can propel our cadets into. The mighty 62 Raiders demonstrate incredible dedication to their physical fitness, grit, and teamwork, meeting
008their objectives. These are some pictures of our cadetses. They're doing the rope bridge, the 8ft wall, and taking a nap after their hard work. This is a picture of our Raiders at their national competition in Molina, Georgia. Um, so next we have our elite color guard team commanded by me. We are the premier color guard team for premier events across the county. Um, we do events at graduations for each high school. Um, we do football games for we've done a football and basketball game for the University of West Georgia and we are currently in talks of getting an Atlanta Falcons uh football game. These are some pictures of our aviation team. You see they are using our flight simulator. Um, so here we have some more cadets in action. On the lefth hand side, we
009have a picture of cadetses in the cockpit of a helicopter at the aviation museum at Warner Robbins. Um, in the right side, we have a homecoming parade and color guard at Central High School. And in the bottom right, we have two of our cadets donating at the blood drive that we hold twice a year. Um, our military ball is a formal event planned by cadetses. Um, it is rooted deeply in Air Force history and customs. Uh we actually I'm very proud to say have outgrown our place at the pack which is where we used to hold it. So now we hold it at Graham Alabama at Whispering Pines at Beck Farms. Um so next my future plans. Uh the reason I originally joined AFJRTC was because I was deeply invested in all things military from
010a young age. Um so I just hope to further my education of the military being in AFJTC. Um, I've gained many skills that I probably would not have learned anywhere else. I'm currently working on public speaking right now. Um, leadership opportunities that I've never had before. Um, and I've just built a lot more confidence being in the core. And I plan to enlist in the Army National Guard this summer and join or do my basic training next summer and use it to go to University of West Georgia, major in history, and become a history teacher. I originally joined AFJRTC because I needed an extra class. But it's not just an extra class. It helped me with my leadership skills, my discipline, and it puts me around people that have the same ideas as me and
011helps me grow. Um, what I wanted to do after high school is I want to be computer engineering for the planes and air in the Air Force. Uh, this concludes our briefing. Any questions? Any questions from the board? Any comments? I just I'm just amazed at how you've delivered both of you and thank you again for pursuing that area and hopefully you will inspire other people to get involved. Thank you again for your hard work. Thank you very much for having us. I want I want to also thank you. Um it's it's it's always a highlight every year when you guys come before us and you you represent the other of the mighty 62 very well and like Dr. Brooks said, we're excited about the future. I think the discipline and the fact that we
012have this in the county is tremendous. I know that on Friday nights or whenever we see you guys as the color guard, it's always special. You do a great job and to find out more about these other events is outstanding. And so we commend you for being here today. Yes, sir. Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all for having us. All right. At this time, we will go to Mr. Scott Cer for stakeholder engagement. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh it's always a wonderful uh time to have our students share with us their experiences and tonight was no different. Uh I want to talk to you a little bit about the summer. It's hard to believe. We started this morning and there were 28 days left in the school
013year. Let me let that just settle in just a minute. Um because it it actually scared me when I looked at the calendar and I and I realized that. But summer is right around the corner. So, yes, we've got all the things that we're doing uh in all of our schools now to finish the school year uh strong. Uh but we are gearing up for a lot of things for this summer. So just to highlight and we'll have some more detailed information probably at the next meeting but again this summer many many of our schools will be offering academic enrichment opportunities this this year um especially focused on our reading literacy efforts that Dr. Ainsworth has talked to you about this year. Uh so very excited about that. Be a number of uh fine arts
014activities across the schools and at the district level. The PAC is offering some coordinated opportunities uh this summer through some of our schools. Our athletic programs will continue to um offer opportunities for our students. But one of the ones I want to highlight because it's it's always so important is what our school nutrition program does for our community uh with our feeding program every summer. We will again be doing that this year and uh looking to expand on what we've done the last several years. Um the other two things that often are left out when we think about summer is the amount of training that goes on with our staff. uh it's so hard to train our people during the school year because they're so busy teaching or driving buses or you know working in
015whatever capacity they have. So summer is is one of those times that we try to do as much as we can. So a lot of our staff will be involved in training opportunities this summer. And then the final piece of the summer is all the preparation work uh that goes into preparing for the next year. Uh at each school level, each department level like again transportation, school nutrition, uh technology, whatever it may be, all the work that goes on to make sure we're ready for the for the coming school year. So a number of things will be happening. Uh again, we'll have some more specific details about which schools offering what and we'll bring that to you at our May meeting. But I'll be glad to answer any questions about the summer. Uh Mr. Chairman,
016thank you. Mr. Card, do you have any questions? Okay. Thank you so much. At this time, we will transfer to organizational excellence, Mr. Glenn Harding. Mr. Chair, again, happy to come to you. um to give a report on Central Middle School project and Mountain Zion High School project. These two projects continue to move uh very quickly and on pace to uh on the timeline that we have at Central Middle School is changing daily um especially from spring break. So all the roofing and insulation has been blown in from u the outside there getting ready for the windows and doors. Uh but also if you ride by today, the brick's been going up for a couple of days. Um so as that goes up, you know, it starts looking like a a school building. So very
017pleased there. They also have started some of the inside projects that are on tap for Central Middle School that don't impact instruction like the skylights maybe and some of the lights in the media center and things like that that don't impact u instruction. So, as soon as the school year is over, uh, then they'll be able to get in there full force and and start the inside part of that project. As far as Mountain Z also moving real good. Um, the the top classrooms, band rooms, all the roofing decks been put in. Uh, the block wall is has been uh put up and in. And now looking down at the multi-purpose building. I think there's a picture up here. um all the steel kind of going up and actually over spring break um this there's
018a lot more steel up and steel connecting from that building to the gym as a connector and they're looking this week to start the rough in uh for the restrooms and um and the AC units to go on outside are coming in as well. Uh that is the update on Central Middle School and Mountain Zine High School. Any questions on either one of those projects from the board? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, next thing I have on there is our field trips and our fundraisers for the upcoming month. And we ask for both of those to be put on the consent agenda for Thursday night. Okay. Any issue with any issue with putting that on the consent agenda from anybody? If not, we'll plan on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's my report for
019the night. Thank you, Mr. Harding. At this time, we'll turn it over to Mr. Lean Wolf uh for the financial. Thank you, Mr. Miller. I have the February financial report. The report includes um each of the funds with the month-to-ate and year-to-ate revenues and expenditures. Drilling down to the general fund, um February year to date is lined up with last year's February year to date. The month-to- date totals were 13.2 2 million for revenues, 15.5 million in expenditures. Fund balance is 50.7 million with 2.5 million in incumbrances. Now, December is the month in the year with the highest fund balance. And just like we saw a decrease in fund balance from December to January, there's another decrease in fund balance from January to February. Moving to the SPLS report, receipts were 1.8 million, which is
020a 5.1% increase. Expenditures totaled 1.9 million with a balance of 6.4 4 million for the scheduled projects. I'd be happy to answer any questions on the February financial report. Okay, any questions? Okay. All right. Before I move to the next item, I wanted to share that um the governor's office of student achievement or goa has released the financial efficiency star ratio for fiscal year 24. And this ratio measures the intersection between academic performance and per learner spending for each of the Georgia school districts. And I am very excited to share that Carol County Schools has a financial efficiency star ratio of four stars that puts um the district towards the top of Georgia school districts for the for this um ratio. The next item I have to um share is for the an update on
021the budget. Beginning first with this year's budget. Before you go to the audit, may I ask a few questions? Uh, how will the lack of federal funding impact the nutritional program as well as the instructional programs, specifically special ed? Okay. So, the um federal program directors have been um watching all of the news that and they are they are watching any new information that comes out both from their fed from federal and state resources as well as um consultants for each of the federal programs. At this time, there have been no cuts communicated to the district. Okay. My next question is what is the teacher pupil ratio in the elementary as well as middle school grades in Carol County. Okay. For um that question I would defer to um Dr. Ainsworth and Mr. Griffith. Okay.
022You're looking for the both elementary. Yes. I'm looking for elementary as well as middle school. The ratio. So, go ahead. Well, if not, if you can't do it tonight, could we get it Thursday? Yes, sir. Okay. Be easier. Okay. Yeah. Would that report break it out by school? Yes, sir. That was what I was going. Yeah. Okay. That answered my question and the final question is how will these numbers impact future instruction for all of our students? So we will basically know when you give me those numbers on Thursday. That's it. Okay. For the um budget update. First I have an update for the um current year budget for the fiscal year 25 budget. The revenue um updates for this fiscal year have been updated to um in based on the state midterm amendment. The
023most significant change is with the local 5 mil share being capped rather than being at the calculated amount due to the statewide cap on local 5 mill share. So this resulted in a $2.4 4 million increase and the district's recommended investments in one-time facility and equipment expenditures are attached in Eboard. There is a business item on the agenda for um this evening's meeting for the board to consider adopting the proposed um budget amendment. I'd be happy to answer any questions about FY25 before we move to next fiscal year's budget update. Mr. here. I tried to find a a listing of those one-time expenditures, the land purchases and the fixed the one time fixed. It's I didn't see that in that report or did I miss it? Is that it right there? It is. It's the
024last um it's on page three and page four of the I was zipping through it so fast this afternoon I probably zip right past it. So, all right. And moving on to next year's budget, we are the primary things that we are still waiting on for the fiscal year 26 budget is our um preliminary state aotment sheet and the preliminary tax digest. Um since last month, we have received um new estimates related to um some of our expenditures. The most significant ones were related to energy costs, the new natural gas pricing the board approved last month, as well as increases in electricity and the district's insurance from GSVA. Um at this um next month, the um board is scheduled for tenative adoption of the budget. We will have two public meetings and then that is
025followed by um in June the board be scheduled to adopt the final budget before um the May meeting or in June. I'd be happy to meet with any of the board members who would like to um ask any specific questions about the budget or the budget assumptions or any of the items included in the budget. Are there any questions on the FY26 budget? So when we when we see the the tenative budget, uh when we start to look on the adoption, will will we know the tax digest estimates by then? Because I think that's going to not not really not prior to the tenative adoption. There's a possibility prior to the final adoption. Okay. Any other questions for for Okay. Would encourage any of the board members that are interested? If you'd like to sit
026down with Delene and have, you know, deeper conversations, please if you'll contact Mike as she'll coordinate that with Delene and and set up a time for you, you know, as individuals or if a small group wants to come in. Okay. The last thing I have is the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June um 30, 2024. I am um excited to share that the district received a clean opinion on our financial statements and there were no adjustments and there were no findings. This um annual audit also includes compliance audits called the single audits for major federal programs. This year, the special education cluster IDA and title one were included in the audit scope. Both of these programs also received clean opinions with no findings. I am really proud of all the work that
027our incredible team does that results in these excellent audit results. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Any questions? I I I do want to make one comment. I you know, we made a really big deal and I thought it was awesome when we had the gentleman on the phone about the the accreditation and then we I even saw we got some some some mention in some of the local uh deals. But I think this is this is equally impressive. Uh, and I from our my standpoint, I want you to pass along to your entire team our appreciation because listen, uh, this is this didn't just you didn't snap your fingers and make this happen and yet it happens every year and so I'm very humbled uh, and thankful for what you do. Thank you.
028And I will pass that along. Okay. Anything else? concludes my presentation. Thank you so much. Okay, at this time we'll pass it along to Mr. Jerry Griffith for continuous improvement. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Thank you, board. Um, currently we have about 40 openings in Carol County. Um, our principles have worked very diligently to fill those openings openings quickly. Um, you'll approve most of those uh new hires this week. We'll have a few residual openings. Um it gets harder and harder to fill some of the special ed openings we have. Um but we hope to have that completed by May. Um also uh currently the transfer portal for teachers is open in Carol County, but it rapidly closes tomorrow. And so the principles their last jockeying efforts to get teachers to move around or whatever are
029done tomorrow. So, um there are some transfers you'll see on the uh agenda tonight um that have occurred, but the great thing is we've got good teachers in Carol County and they want to stay in Carol County. They may just want a new venue for a short period of time and um look for other opportunities perhaps closer to the house or where their kids are in school. So, it's a great opportunity for our employees and as well as our schools to keep those great employees in Carol County. That concludes my report, Mr. So So you said we got 40 before tonight or after we approve this? We'll we'll have 40 openings after tonight or There should be like 10 after this week. So that was prior to tonight. Yes. Good. Good. There's 23 on tonight's
030list. 22. Wonderful. Any questions for Mr. Griffith? I have one. Mr. Agree. Did any of those young people who applied as apparel pro and became certified remained here and in positions? Yes, ma'am. As far as I know, they're all here. I haven't seen a name as a resignation. They uh most all but one will graduate in December. Thank you. Okay. Anything else? Thank you, Mr. Griffith. At this time, we'll look for public input, but I don't see any public, so we'll we will pass on through and we'll talk about our business items at this point. All right, Mr. Chair, we have two business items tonight. The first one is uh a step that we must take as a uh or you must take as a board to validate the results of the splast election from
031March the 18th. The the u draft resolution was attached uh and we would like to ask your approval. This is needed uh so that can be validated. The paperwork can get in and and then we can start the process of looking to do what we need to do uh in the future with this blast u approval. Okay. So, u do we need to take action on that now? Yes, sir. Mr. C. Yes, sir. And so, if with us taking action, I'd like to ask for any questions first. And if not, then I'd like to ask for a motion on this business item. Make a motion we accept the summary of resolution for the East Bar. Have a motion by Mr. Turner. I'll second. and a second by Miss Lana. And I'll ask for everybody to
032uh uh vote by if you if you vote for this motion, raise your right hand. And that's everyone present. Okay. And then go ahead, Mr. Coward. Uh and the second business item relates to what uh Miss Wolf shared earlier. Uh this is our second budget amendment for the year. And just to remind the board, historically uh what we do is we do one budget amendment uh in December and the other one will be done late spring either April or May. I again want to commend um Miss Wolf and her department as well as the other departments. Typically this second budget amendment is done in May. Uh but the they did the groundwork and and are ready to do it in April. uh which gives us more time to get this work done because these projects
033uh coming out of uh FY25 funding need to be complete by the end of June. So having an extra month to get that done is powerful and again we appreciate the leaders in their their departments for for making that happen. So we would like to ask the board to approve the budget amendment as presented by Miss Wolf earlier. Okay, got a recommendation there. Do we have any questions? If not, I I would entertain a motion. I'll make that motion. Thank you. I'll second. Got a a motion by Miss Sandra and a second by Dr. Brooks. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. And that's everyone. Thank you, Mr. Coward. Thank you, board. At this time, if there's no other business items before the board, I'll ask that we review the agenda for the
034April 17, 2025 board meeting. Mr. Mor, any additions or changes. Okay. So, everything's fine on that. We don't have to take action. No. Okay. At this time, I will make a recommendation that the board meet in executive session to discuss the future acquisition of real estate safety and security personnel pinning or threaten litigation and recommendations are exempt from disclosure under the open records act. I'll make that motion. Thank you, Miss Morris. I'll second. Thank you, Miss Lana. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Okay. I'll consider us in executive session. Mr. Chair, I believe we can stay in here. I don't I don't think we'll be very long. Okay. At this time, I'd like to ask for a motion uh that we adjourn executive session. I'll make that motion. Motion. Second. And a second.
035All those in favor, please raise your hand. At this time, I'd like to ask for a motion for the re I'd like to ask recommend that the board approve the personal actions as presented by the superintendent. I'll make that. We have a motion. I'll second. And a second. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. Okay. All right. Brings us to our time of any board member comments for this evening. Mr. Chair, I do have a couple things I'd like to share for the board. Sure. Miss Mayor sent a text out earlier today that uh Thursday we'd love to get a group picture uh since we weren't able to get one um the other day uh at the last meeting. So we'll be in the lobby of the um PAC at 6:15. So we
036will be in the performing arts center uh this time. Uh so that's one thing. And the the second thing is M. Mayor also reminded me that um each of you need to be making sure you've scheduled your classes for your board training. they got to have nine hours uh that need to be completed by uh the end of June. You know, we you got the hours earlier from our board advance. Uh and then um with our upcoming next advance, you'll get some more hours, but it's still going to take either um online or some of you going to Savannah, you can get some hours there. So, if you got questions about your hours and what you need to get, please get with Miss Mayor. She'll she'll help you figure that out. Miss Mayor, help me
037out, too. Did we synchronize on a date for this the next advance for the board for the sorry June work session? Okay. So we in polling you uh you gave feedback to Miss Mayor that before our June work session which if you'll give me that date Miss Mayor uh what we would do is we'd come in about three hours early and and just u have uh an advance u and got some really good stuff that we want to share with you out of Dr. Aimworth department and some other things too. And then anything Monday, June 16th. June 16th. What time? Uh, let's see. That would be Let's see. Oh, we said 1:00, didn't we? Or no, about 1. We'll come in about 1:00. Give you a late lunch and get started. Will there be a
038break between Yes, ma'am. We'll we'll we'll stop and give you a break, Mr. Chair. That's all I have. Okay, there's nothing else before the board. I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. Make that motion. Have a motion. Second. All those in favor, please raise your right hand. I'll consider us a journ. Thank you everybody.