001I call to order this meeting of the Kawita County Board of Education, agenda 8:40, 6:30 p.m. June the 10th, 2025. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence to the flag of the United States of America. to the rep for it stands one nation indivisibley andice for all. Thank you. You may be seated. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Dr. Horton, recognitions. Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this time, I'll call on public information officer Dean Jackson to bring us our one and only very special recognition this evening. Mr. Jackson, thank you, Dr. Horton. That is correct. We just have one recognition tonight, but it's a big one, and it is our state champion baseball. And I'm going
002to call on Nan High School principal Jamie Glover to introduce uh Coach Mark Gilmore, excuse me, number of other coaching and Newton High School staff and most importantly our state 5A champs, Newton Cougars. Thank you, Dean. Members of the board, Dr. Horton, Dr. Kemp, uh again, I'm Jamie Glover, principal Newton High School, and I have the privilege tonight of introducing you to Coach Gilmore. Uh I did have a conversation with him about keeping it short. I'm not sure that's going to work out. Um but just for me uh taking over as principal in March, I've watched these guys for a couple years. Uh this team is uh incredible in their faith for one uh their resiliency to continue to push uh even in the face of some adversity through the season when coach Gilmore decided
003to take a few days off for his uh issues. but he's uh back full force and we appreciate him. So without further ado, I introduce you, Coach Mark Gilmore, 2025 state championship head baseball coach. [Applause] Thank you, Mr. Glover, Dr. Horton, uh and our board. Uh at this time, I'd like to call up our players uh as members of the 2025 5A state championship. We have Brian Moore, John Matthews, Carson Shainer, Brooks Owens, Ben Ro, Brady Brody Campbell, Kaden Lamb, Reed Davis, Lucas Lee, Ben Edge, Nathan Dubberry, Mason Dods, Madden Clark, Braden Williamson, 2025 Georgia State Player of the Year, Dax Kilby, Cole Gilmore, Jaden Hill, Gordon Sanddeman, Payton Bass, and Colton Whitman. I'd also like to uh acknowledge the gentlemen who have been with me through the journey um when I wasn't there, when
004I am there. Uh they're the backbone of our program. Uh, and I want to make sure that they're recognized. Uh, we have assistant coach Matt Nash, Matthew Ross, Joseph Lucas, Brian Morgan, Braden Grryer, and Richard Warren. We can't begin to thank our staff, um, our faculty, our administration, our fans, our community, the board of education for the support that we have throughout the playoffs. Um, if you came to a game in the playoffs, uh, our attendance um, skyrocketed. Uh, I told the boys throughout the playoffs that we have plenty of room on the wagon. If anybody wants to join on, go ahead and come on. Um, but we are thankful for the support and uh, you know, I know that these guys did our school system, Nunan High School and our baseball program proud, bringing
005a championship back to our county. Thank you. Yes, sir. I appreciate you not putting me on my knee in the front since I became a coach. I'm in the back row. And while the picture taking is going on, I want to add my congratulations. I was out those last two games and first one was really exciting. And thank goodness the second one y'all uh made it a little less eventful. Uh but uh it was a little strange the way it ended, but hey, we'll take it. You know, I think we're going there anyway. So, congratulations. Enjoy the summer. Enjoy whatever's next. And I know y'all playing ball and let's do it again next year. Yeah. Congratulations. Yeah, they can head out. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes of May 13, 2025?
006So moved. Second. Okay. Motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Do I have a motion to approve the call minutes of May 20th, 2025? Motion and second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. And one more. Do I have a motion to approve the call minutes of May 23rd, 2025? So move. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Uh, Dr. Horton, action items, group one. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first item that I have for you tonight in group one is to approve the 2526 GSBA assembly solutions module subscription renewal. Assembly solutions is an online service that allows for public posting of policies, laws, our strategic plan, and our meeting documents. Also allows alignment of these important documents.
007I recommend approval of the module subscription and policy maintenance service in total amount of $19,520. Recommend approval. The superintendent has recommended approval of purchase of the S assembly solutions, an online service that allows for public posting of our policies, laws, strategic plans, meeting documents, etc. Total cost is $19,520. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. The next item I have for you in group one is to approve esplos 7 a resolution and referendum approvals requested of the referendum resolution calling for splass 7 to be placed on the November 4th, 2025 election ballot. Current SPL 6 is projected to expire early during the first quarter of 2026. Uh board members, if you approve this resolution, uh it will then be forwarded to uh the
008board of elections hopefully to get on their June 23rd agenda. Mr. Chair, I recommend approval. The superintendent is recommending approval of the referendum or resolution calling for splast 7 to be placed on the November 4th, 2025 election ballot. Do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Call on Mr. Chapman to bring you the tentative FY26 budget. Mr. Chapman, we've held our required hearings. uh recommend that the Cal County School System Board of Education tentatively adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget $395,5,531 which includes a general fund budget of $316,140,493 also includes approval of the salary schedules used to compile the budget. This tenative approval includes all federal programs such as title one and IDA. Mr. Chair, I recommend approval. Superintendent is recommending the
009approval for the uh FY26 budget of 395,5,531 which includes a general fund budget of $316,140,493 and also includes the salary schedules that were used to compile the budget and it does include the federal programs such as title one and IDA. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Mr. Hort may make one comment. We will have a call meeting in two weeks on the 24th at 6:30 for the formal adoption of the budget. And if I'm not mistaken, that's the procedure required by state law. Yes, sir. And it'll be advertised once between now and the next meeting. Okay. Thank you. It'll be the 24th at 6:30. Yes, ma'am. Mr. Chair, the next item I have for you in group one doesn't require
010any action, but it is a review of board norms. Uh the GSBA exemplary board application requires an agenda be to be included in that application that reflects an annual board meeting where the board norms and protocols were reviewed. Um so I'm not sure if anyone has any questions, any comments uh on the board norms. These were adopted by us several years ago uh and we just need to review them for um for the GSBA exemplary board application. Uh these norms do cover communication between the superintendent and the board. Uh communication with other staff members. Uh it covers chain of command uh our governance roles and responsibilities uh and our decision- making processes. Uh nothing else to add other than that we have reviewed them and if there's no discussion on the boards we do not
011have to take a vote. We'll we'll move on to the next item. Okay. All right. Moving on to the next item. Uh it's to approve um school nutrition surplus items. Approval is requested uh to declare the listed school nutrition items as surplus. Mr. Chair, I recommend approval per board policy. Superintendent is recommending approval of the surplus school nutrition items. Uh the list was provided. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. The next item I have for you in group one is to approve a proposal from Nunan Crossing Elementary for the installation of a walking track. Newton Crossing Elementary School request approval for the installation of a walking track for the school. Materials and installation of the track will be donated by Brent Scarbor
012and Company. Uh requirements of board policy FE AE have been met. Board members, I'll just note my appreciation for Mr. Scarbor and his company for um what they do for our school system. U recommend approval. Superintendent is recommending approval of a walking track to be donated by Brent Scarber and Company. And I'll add my thank you uh to uh Mr. Scarbor and the company also. But a approval of a walking track for Nun and Crossen Elementary. Um walking track. Uh excuse me. Uh do I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. The last item I have for you in group one uh is to request approval for an intergovernmental agreement between the Cowi County and the Cowy County School System for paving at
013Cangate Elementary School. Approvals requested for an intergovernmental agreement between Cowy County and the Caly County School System for milling, paving, and striping at Cangate Elementary School. Estimated project cost is $226,94947. A copy of the intergovernmental agreement is attached. Board members, you may recall that from time to time we'll enter into these such agreements with uh the county in order to keep cost down as we do projects like this typically uh over the summertime. So I recommend approval. The superintendent is recommending approval of an intergovernmental agent agreement between the Kuita County and the Kiti County School System for milling, paving, and striping at Cigate Elementary in the uh estimated cost of 226,94947. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Uh action items group two
014of bids. Dr. Horton. Thank you, Mr. Chair. The first item I have for you in group two is to approve a proposal to construct a hitting facility at the Northgate High School softball field. Approvals requested for a proposal to construct a covered hitting facility for the softball field at Northgate High School. Scope of work consists of removing the existing batting cages and concrete slabs, constructing a new canopy structure, slab and batting cages. A Torrance Construction Company submitted the highscoring proposal for this project with a total score of 98 points and a total bid of 384,674. Uh the scorecard and bid tabulation sheet are attached. Mr. Chair, I recommend approval. Superintendent has recommended approval of a to proposal to construct a covered hitting facility for the softball field at Northgate High School. The winning bid was
015Torrance Construction Company for a total price of $384,674. Do I have a motion to approve? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I had a quick question. Okay. What's the time frame on that? Uh they would I'm not sure about the the end of the time frame because it's dependent on weather and and any unforeseen conditions they may run into. Uh, if this were to be approved tonight, I would assume Mr. Torrrence will get started, Mr. Cheek, as quickly as he possibly can. Right. Thank you, Mr. Chief. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Motion passed to six to zero. Action items group three. I got one more. Oh, you got one more. I jumped ahead. Sorry. Uh the last item I have for you in group two is to approve a proposal to
016construct new rooms in the central office facility. Approvals requested for a proposal to modify the central office records room to create three new offices and a new conference room. Torrance construction company submitted the highscoring proposal for this project with a total score of 99 points and a total bid of $160,17. The scorecard and bid tabulation sheet are attached. Board members, one thing I do want to mention. Um, we're not constructing new rooms because we're adding three staff members. We have staff members that are currently housed in schools that uh because we need space in the schools. Uh, we're wanting to bring them back here to words. Uh, the records room that we're referring to will be right across the hall when you walk out this door here. It's on the left. So, just a a
017modification there. So, I recommend approval. The superintendent's recommended approval to modify the central office records room into three new offices and a conference room. Again, Torrance Construction was the winning bid of a total amount of $160,17. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Any discussion? Hey, Miss Dees. Uh they typically are around 10 x 10 10 x 12. Okay. So on this across the hallway, three offices. Yep. If you if you're to go down the hall on your left, you'll see uh pretty much a mirror image. There are three separate rooms on the left side and then there will be a conference room across the hall from there. That in my head, but I got that. Yep. Okay. Any other discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. So, now we're
018ready for action items. Uh, group three trips. All right. Call on Dr. Kemp, director of administrative services, to bring your trip tonight. Dr. Kemp. Thank you, Dr. Horton. Uh, the principal of East Kawita High School requested permission for the chorus and the Thespian Society to travel to Los Angeles, California, March the 12th through the 16th, 2026. They will be visiting sites related to music and theater. Students will miss one day of school. There will be no cost to the school system. recommend approval. The superintendent's recommended approval for East Kawita High School group to travel to Los Angeles uh to experience uh music and theater uh sites there in uh in Los Angeles. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero. Superintendent report.
019All right. Call on Mr. Chapman once again to bring your board report and sales tax. Mr. Chapman, financial report. Uh we were over budget approximately 265,000 for the month of May. Cumulatively we're about 1.2 million under budget and we'll be in good shape for the end of the year. Sales tax good collections just under $3.5 million. Year-over-year we're down less than half a percent. So basically flat. Thank you, Mr. Chapman. Call on Dr. Kimp once again to bring your staff and student attendance and your board goal report. Dr. Kim, thank you again, Dr. Horton. For the ninth attendance reporting period, the staff with the highest attendance was North Side Elementary School. Highest student attendance for program area, Maggie Brown. Highest student attendance for elementary school, North Side Elementary. Highest student attendance for middle school, Arnold
020Middle School. And the highest student attendance for high school, home of the Indians, East Kawita High School. It's been a while. It's been a while. For this month, uh, for this month's board goal report, I would like to call your attention to our administrative workshop that was held on June the 2nd and June the 3rd for all school and central office administrators. Administrators participated in a two-day professional learning workshop titled Visible Leadership for Visible Learning. The workshop focused on equipping leaders with visual tools and strategies to enhance school improvement efforts, leadership clarity, and instructional support. Key topics included building and sustaining high expectations for both staff and students, fostering through a open and intentional dialogue, and developing evaluative thinking as part of decision-making process. Leaders discuss strategies to help move teachers from good to great
021by providing meaningful feedback and promoting continuous professional growth. Overall, the workshop was highly engaging and wellreceived, providing school and district leaders with practical tools and shared language to guide leadership practices, instructional support, and school improvement efforts across our school system. Board members, we had a really good couple days. I'm proud of our uh curriculum team for putting a great workshop together for system leaders. Uh, and then probably my favorite part is the second half of the second day. We got to go out into the community and distribute literacy or literacy bags uh and books to um to people out in our community. So, it was a lot of fun and a very engaging workshop. Uh, next thing I have for you, facilities and construction report. You can see Newton High School BP 1 and two
022are 100% paid out. Uh still working on some HVAC issues uh and door hardware um issues on BP3, so we haven't made the final payment there. Uh works underway on the Northgate High School tennis court repairs and additional French drains have been installed. Uh check set drawings for Central Educational Center addition renovations and modifications are being finalized. Uh they do have a check set meeting scheduled for later this week and hope to begin uh construction late summer of 2025. Arnold kitchen re-roof. Uh work is actually scheduled to begin out there yesterday. I'm not sure if they got going with the weather or not. Uh but we'll get that one done between now and the start of school. Uh shield projects at our remaining middle schools are underway. Um progressing very nicely. I was actually pleasantly
023surprised the amount of work that we got done before school got out on those. Uh sewer upgrades at East Side and Arco Sergeant are underway. Uh demolition's complete on the sewer line at both locations and replacement of interior sewer lines is completed east side and the slab has been reported. Installation of the new sewer line is underway now at Arco Sergeant. We do anticipate that those will be uh completed prior to the start of school. Uh work's complete on renovations of the field at Northgate High School. Renovations at East Cow are underway. I think they're progressing nicely. The equipment had moved outside the fence yesterday, so that's a good sign. Uh and then work at noon and high is scheduled to begin uh in a couple weeks. Just a reminder board members that the the
024work on those turf fields is at no cost to the school system. Uh floor covering work underway at Nunan East Side uh and Arnco uh will begin at Arco actually later this week. Um you heard about the central office modifications tonight. also the Northgate hitting facility, Cannon Gate Paving, and then we're moving a mobile classroom to Western uh to allow the conversion of an existing mobile classroom and a room within the school uh to be used for some additional uh classrooms out there. And the last item there you can see uh is our our summer listing of painting and floor covering that we'll do in several several schools uh throughout the district. So, a busy summer uh for Mr. Cheek, Miss Ingram. um they've got a a great plan and uh we look forward to
025having having everything tidied up and uh ready to go uh by the by the start of the 2526 school year. Uh board members, the last item I have for you tonight uh is to bring you Thomas Crossroads Elementary audit findings. Uh on February the 11th, 2025, an allegation of fraud at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School was made by a member of the public uh during a public hearing of the Caly County Board of Education as required by policy DIIE. This allegation was investigated. The investigation determined that there was no fraud at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School. Those findings are attached. Uh board members, the auditor had a conflict tonight, also has a conflict in July. Uh so um the plan is for the auditor to come and present uh more in-depth findings to you uh at the
026August board meeting. However, I wanted to bring this to you uh as soon as we had it because I know it has been a subject uh that that you've been paying attention to that you've wanted to know more about and want to know the progress on the audit. So those those results are attached for you. will say that that this C audit costs $16,000 invoices also attached there for you. Uh Mr. Latimer, Mr. Chapman, I don't know if you want to speak to um very good audit uh to go back uh for over two years and and to find uh basically nothing speaks to the work that Andy Masten, the bookkeeper Thomas Crossroads had done for us. Mr. Latimer. All right. Just very quickly, uh good um good evening board members. I just want to
027tell you that the audit was very in-depth. So to go back for a period of two, a little over two years and test every single transaction is quite a feat and we came out on top. Andy Madison is a spectacular bookkeeper and has done an excellent job here in the school system. Really and truly, there were no findings to even report. There were a couple of deficiencies noted that were were not even worth mentioning because I think there were three invoices that they looked at that I think were had dates a little bit wrong on there and I think one deposit that was one day late. But if you're thinking about all the transactions that they tested during that period of time, spectacular results. Thank you, Mr. Latimer. That's all I have. Mr. Chair, thank
028you Dr. Horton. At this time, we always set aside 45 minutes for public comments. Uh I know we're a little bit early tonight uh on that. We had one gentleman signed up who was uh unable to uh make it to the speak at the May meeting because of our uh online incident that happened. Uh Dr. Matt Boyd. Um Dr. Boyd, I do not see anyone in the audience. Um, with that said, uh, we will move on to board comments. Do I have any board comments tonight? Chairman Glover, I do. Um, last week, uh, we had a busy week. We we're in Savannah at the GSBA conference. Um, went down on Wednesday, we were there Thursday and Friday taking care of some training. Uh prior to that on Tuesday, Chairman Glover, um Vice Chairman Deose and
029myself, we were invited went down and sit in on on a little better than a half a day at the Gazro uh conference down in Columbus as Georgia school resource officers, educators. Uh very informative um conference down there. Uh happy to say that we had 16 of our RSOs uh in attendance on Monday. I'm not sure about the attendance on Tuesday. I'm assuming there were a few more. Dr. Horton was down on Tuesday. Uh but it was probably uh to me from a school safety standpoint, one of the most informative um conferences that I've been to. We had we heard uh some really good speakers. uh heard a good presentation and references to that presentation on the situation at Appalache High School last year and uh some of the things that they did up there.
030Um very impressed with with the whole situation, all the speakers. Um and I know school resource officers have been in the news a lot here lately. So I just want to let you know that uh right now there are no plans in Kawada County. Um, and I don't want to speak out of term, but there's no plans currently to change any of the situations that we have in Kaweda County. So, my hats off to the guys in here. Um, some of them are part of that school resource officer group. Uh, see them in and around the schools and, uh, happy to see um, a lot of our current resource officers enter and around and a couple of retired resource officers came back. So, uh, very positive, uh, situation all the way around. I know Danielle
031Rosa, who is, um, I know I'm going to get this title wrong. She's the president of Georgia Gazro Association. She's here. Uh, so my hats off to to her and what she did to, um, being in charge of all that and putting all that together. So, um, really good really good week for us from a training standpoint and information. Are there any other comments? I do want to make one myself and Dr. Horton and Mr. Robertson kind of stole a little bit of my thunder, but want to take a moment to acknowledge uh all of the work that is going on over the summer. And just because the students are not in school doesn't mean that the work to improve the school system is not going on. I know many teachers are attended conferences and
032workshops around the country to improve their skills. Some are actually presenting at these conferences and workshops because they're leaders in their field and they're experts in their field. Um, last week as Dr. Horton and uh mentioned the or I think Dr. Kemp mentioned the uh school of administrator spent two days over at the Nixon Center. We were there for the the first part of the morning in an administrative workshop that included community service where books were given out to the kids around the country. Dr. Horton mentioned that and that is that was great and it was great to have all the administrators in one place at one time and to to see them there. Um and as Mr. Robertson just mentioned uh oh one thing else on teachers I know a lot last week met
033in I think this very room the pictures look like and at their schools working on school school improvement plans. They were putting those together. They come in over the summer and as Mr. Robertson mentioned our law enforcement friends were uh SRO's were getting in on the training also uh down in Columbus taking classes and hearing from experts in school safety. And I will add also besides I think we had 16 SRO's there. Our sheriff uh Mr. Lynn Wood was there on uh u what do we Monday? Monday also. But uh so on behalf of the board, I just want to thank everyone for the work and the time you're putting in to make our school system better over the summer. Now, I hope you do spend some time on you. Go to the lake, go
034to the beach, go to the mountains. Heck, do all three. But uh hope you enjoy your summer. Take some time to to rest and recharge and spend some time with your friends and family. And uh I saw on the board while we were eating dinner tonight, I think the first start of the next school year is coming up. uh just a little over a month from now. It's hard to believe. And then teachers uh planning days start uh they're toward the end of July. So u thank you for everything that you do over the summer. It is not a you know three-month vacation as some would believe. So thank you and uh that's all I have. Any additional comments? Do I have a motion to enter into executive session to discuss personnel, real estate, and
035potential litigation? Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion passes six to zero.