Muscogee County School Board Meeting, February 9, 2026

001In the Muscogi County School District, creating wei is more than words. It's our commitment. Together, educators, staff, parents, and our community unite with one purpose, to lift every student higher. To inspire every learner to succeed and to build a stronger, united community where our shared commitment shapes tomorrow. For students, creating Wii means learning in an environment where they feel supported, connected, and inspired to reach their fullest potential. >> Creating Wii means we're all in this together, helping each other succeed. >> For staff, creating we means teamwork, collaboration, and knowing every effort helps shape the future of our students. Here in the Muscogi County School District, when we say we, it means every educator is united for student success. For our board of education, creating wei means ensuring every decision reflects our collective commitment to excellence,

002equity, and opportunity for all. Creating we means we get to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. For Superintendent Dr. David Lewis, creating Wii means leading with a vision that unites students, staff, families, and the community as one. It's about fostering a culture where MCSD shines as a beacon of educational excellence, where everyone is known, valued, and inspired. As a parent, creating we means my child's success is everyone's success. >> We are the Muscogee County School District. Creating we means celebrating the spirit of unity where every voice matters and every action makes a difference. Congratulations to the Muscogi County School District's 2026 teacher of the year honores sponsored by the Muscogi Educational Excellence Foundation. You truly represent the best of what a teacher can be and we are proud to celebrate your excellence.

003We can return to those who came before us. The dreamers, the fighters, the brave. From the soul of struggle, the seeds were sown. Through chains and pain, our strength has grown. A legacy built on hopes and dreams. We rise again through endless dreams. We rise, we rise with freedom in our soul. We stand, we fight for stories untold. Lift every voice. Let the anthem be for justice, for love for everyone. Through tears we cross the divide with courage and hope we won't be denied. From Harriet to dreams, we march on still like a stream. We rise, we rise with freedom in our soul. We stand, we fight for stories untold. Lift every voice. Let the anthem be justice for love for everyone. We see the streets. We walk. We run. Our journey isn't her fell.

004We carry on in unity as one in the heart of every child. There's a legacy burning bright black history. Every fight for our soul. We stand. We fight. for stories untold. Lift every voice. Let the anthem be for justice, for love, for everyone. We rise. We rise. We soul. We stand. We fight for stories untold. >> Stories untold. Lift every voice. Let the be for justice, for love, for everyise forever strong. We rise. Good afternoon. Welcome to our regularly scheduled board work session February 9th 5:00 p.m. Uh we are open this work session and we will go through our normal normal agenda which with each committee and um just want to welcome um if we have any visitors or school leaders here we welcome you to the meeting. Uh the first item that we do

005have is a public agenda. I did see an email from Madison. She will come back at a later time if she needs to. Um, and then we have a David McKeler. All right, make your way to the PO podium over here. And while you're on your way, I'll go ahead and read um our official background and rationale. All official meetings of the board of education shall be open to the press and the public. However, the board may meet in executive session. The speaker's remarks should be directed to the board and shall be limited to five minutes. Citizens are encouraged to address items on the board agenda or to initiate presentations of issues appropriate for schoolboard consideration. If an individual desires to speak, they may contact the superintendent's office to be placed on the agenda. The

006board meeting or work session is not the appropriate place to address either criticism of particular employees or individual parent complaints when such complaints have not been first addressed to the attention of the appropriate administrator for a resolution. Citizens are encouraged to follow the normal channels to address individual parent complaints or problems. And with that, Mr. Keller, welcome and thank you for joining us. >> Thank you, ma'am. Good evening, Madam Chair, Superintendent Lewis, esteemed board members, administrators, faculty, and a special thank you to Miss Karen Jones for setting up this opportunity for me to address you tonight. As a father of four, I want to express my deep personal gratitude for the profound lifelong impact that your positions have on our children who are our community's most precious resource. Thank you for your service. My name

007is David McKeler and I'm a representative of Southern Peach Dental. Our practice specializes in delivering inschool dental services. We help remove barriers so that every child can access the healthy smile that they deserve. I want to tell you a story of my childhood that has stayed with me. When I was 10 years old, I love playing baseball. I just have wonderful memories being on the field throwing, hitting, and learning the game. One evening, I was up to bat when I saw the perfect pitch. I swung as hard as I could, connected with the ball, and ran. After rounding first base, I noticed some commotion. I looked up, realizing I'd hit my very first home run. After running the bases, my coach retrieved the ball. I remember that feeling when he handed it to me. The

008first thing I thought was how much I wanted to show my dad. My parents, having seven children, worked tirelessly every day. To say they were busy was an understatement. I felt fortunate that my mom could even bring me to the games. My dad, having to support a large family, would occasionally come to the games on his way home from work. His love for the game is the reason I began playing. He was a perfect example of putting his responsibilities above his interest to support our family's needs. I know he would have loved to be there. Unfortunately, this night he wasn't. Despite being in the middle of the game, I began running around trying to track down a cell phone, which was hard to come by back then. I called and told him what I had

009accomplished. Of course, he was thrilled. He told me to have the coach sign the ball and bring it home so he could see it. I held the p the ball tight in my hand on the driveway drive home, ready to share the story with my dad. After pondering about this experience over the years, I realized that my dad had the wisdom to highlight my actions as well as the coach's involvement in this achievement by asking him to sign the ball. Now, I want to ask the board to remember a time where you personally felt an experience of independence and pride of accomplishing something great, followed by a celebration in private with your family. Perhaps your experience highlights members of the community's impact on your life. The goal of our company is simple. To create winning

010moments for students to share with their families. Perhaps a Wii moment. I picture the countless moments when children show their parents with pride their beautiful, clean teeth. Our mobile team visits schools in the spring and fall to perform routine dental services. Every student then receives a new toothbrush along with a copy of a dental report card that is emailed to the parents so they stay informed. Best of all, there's no fee for the schools or districts for our services. The process is simple and fully transparent. A flyer is sent home to parents informing them of our services. Parents fill out an online consent form on our website. And when these smile days are scheduled with the schools, services are completed. In Muscogee County, many students face disadvantage situations and have barriers for dental care. Tonight,

011I'm respectfully asking the board to prove our office to serve your students by bringing high quality inschool dental care. By partnering with us, you're giving these students the opportunity to create an achievable winning moment that parents so deeply rely on. Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you very much. Um, so typically, >> okay, Mr. Noff will follow up. I was going to say the vendor typically goes through our procurement process >> and it comes to the board through the procurement process. So Mr. Knoff is the person on the very end over here. >> Okay. Wonderful. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> All right. We have our CTA report update. Miss Buckner, Education Committee. Well, good evening. Um, good evening, Dr. Lewis. Um, school board members, cabinet, and community members.

012My name is Dr. Victoria Thomas and I'm the senior director of CTAE steam and robotics and it's my pleasure to bring you this annual update um for CTAE on this first day of I love my future week um during the month of February which is also um CTAE month. Um this year um the theme for CTA month for the entire state of Georgia is why CTAE and I decided to make that sort of the theme of my presentation to you this evening. Um the very first answer to why CTAE is that we have a growth mindset in our district led by our superintendent and we believe that every able-bodied student will eventually join the workforce. Um that may be after immediately after high school, after a two-year degree, after a four-year degree, or even even

013beyond that, but we believe in a schoolto work um continuum. So we know that every student um will eventually if they're able-bodied will eventually join the workforce. So that's the real reason for CTA because that is our mission um day in and day out in the CTA department to prepare students. But taking it a little bit further, you know, we love our acronyms in education. So I'm going to tell you about some work about our workforce alignment high impact and then how you um can be involved in CTAE. Um to begin with workforce alignment um the foundation of what we do um of of course is to prepare students for work and expose them um to career to to careers. But in 2024 our governor made that a focus for the whole state um when

014he launched the top state for talent and that was in 2024 um with HB um 982. Um then also in HB92 introduced the high demand career list and there was a statewide list and also a regional list that gets updated annually and I spoke to you all about that um in my last presentation last year. But then last month our community um spoke a lot about workforce alignment. So the first event that happened was um about two or three weeks ago now um the regional prosperity initiative launched their new um economic development plan for the community called Columbus ahead and on um Dr. Lewis is a part of that um group that put that plan together as well. Um but on page 10 that deals with uh talent um there's a quote that says a

015goal that we want to ensure that every student has access to education and work-based learning opportunities to complete industry recognized credentials that will prepare them for careers in Columbus. And then about a week or so later there was the Georgia economic outlook lunchon that was held at Columbus State University and CSU released their um economic report. And in that report they called out strengthening pathways between education providers, employers and workforce initiatives especially in areas of manufacturing, healthcare and techn technical fields will be essential for our community. So I wanted to show you how CTE is already aligned in those areas. Oops, too far. Um the first one is in technical areas. So also speaking at that lunchon um was um Missy Kendrick who is a president CEO of Choose Columbus which is an arm of

016um our development authority and she spoke about the importance of advocating for career pathways and robotics programs and I'm happy to say that the development authority put their money where their mouth is and they gave us um a $10,000 $10,000 donation toward the first robotics competition event that will be held here in March. Um so they believe in what we're doing. They believe in um robotics as a means for technical developing technical skills in students. Another way that we're aligned is our four-year-old program that the Musco County School District has with Pedmont Columbus Regional. Um and that program students are employed in lots of I mean various I should say paid positions in the hospital. We started out in the first year with only 10 students participating and now and we have 20 students. They

017like the program so much they hired even more students and they're they're not just doing nursing but they're also doing IT work. They're doing things with dietary um respiratory therapy, those kinds of things. So it's not just your classic nursing. And then another example that aligns with manufacturing or skill trades is um Freeman and Associates um led by David Hawkins um his efforts with the AGC skills challenge. We have students that participate in that annually and the photos you see see there are from this past year in November. We even have some principles you might recognize back of their heads. Um we had principles come and tour and see those students um participating in those events. So students are competing in you know brickmasonry and wiring you know buildings and um lots of different things

018that um that supports manufacturing and skilled trades. And as we move on to high impact and the impact that CTE has to put this on the opening slide because I'm so proud of our graduation rate in CTE as high as it is in Muscogee County as a whole is even higher when you consider a CTAE. So, I'm proud that this year, this past year, we actually reached 100%. Now, we were a little bit behind two or three students that didn't make it over the last couple years, but we did hit 100% last year with what with 893 out of 893 students that were CTE concentrators, meaning that they took at least two classes, maybe three in CTE and they all graduated. So, that just shows the impact of being in a CTA program. Um, it

019is essential in helping students to graduate. Um, and looking at our enrollment statistics, you'll see here a three-year trend in middle school and high school enrollment. And so, um, even as the enrollment overall in middle school and high school has declined slightly, um, the enrollment in CTA programs has increased to 50% of all middle school students and 70% of all high school students. In terms of credentials, we have two data points here. For credentials, we we look at end of pathway assessments, which is a test that a student takes upon um completing a three-year I mean, you know, three years or three courses in the same area and that can be juniors or seniors, right? Okay. So, that's why the endopathway um assessment number is a little bit different from credentials of value. The credentials

020of value um statistic is includes only those who are graduating and in that number they count again concentrators where they only have to take two but they probably take all three and they're either earning a credential meaning they passed their end pathway assessment or they earned a certificate of um technical certificate of credit from um Columbus Tech as a dual enrollment student. So that number has risen to 62% um last year. In terms of earnings, we do track the students that are participating in work-based learning. And you can see that even though the number of students hasn't increased that much, um there was a greater um increase percentage-wise in the number in the wages that were earned to over a million dollars um in FY24. Um because of how that's calculated, we don't get the

021numbers for 2025 from the state at this point. So, I don't have 2025. Um, and it might be troubling on first glance to see that the number of employers has decreased, but that's actually a positive number because that means that the employers that we are working with are hiring more students kind of like Piedmont doubling from 10 to 20 and then they're also um maybe paying our students a little bit more. Um, so that's actually a good figure there. Um, continuing with the high impact, I wanted to make you make you aware of some new things that are going to be happening next school year. We're very happy that Columbus High will be adding yet another CTA pathway at their school. Um they will be adding legal studies next year and they already have built

022out their courtroom um which is the picture that you see there and they will be having a dedication of that space um I believe in September to coincide with their 100redy year anniversary of Columbus High School. So that will be a great event um mark your calendars now for um September for that. And then also in FY27, we will be adding two more AP classes in CTE. Um CTE has always had rigor. Um we we had two um AP classes um previously and now we're adding two more. So we're very excited to add cyber security at a couple high schools and also business with personal finance. Um, and then for the first time next year, we will be adding 20, we will be allowed to give students the credit they already deserve, honors credit for

023the rigor that is in several of the classes that are offered in CTE. So, we have 23 CTA classes that will be recognized as honors courses. Um, which is really important and um, personally to me because I feel like people continue to say that people we need CTA because not everybody's going to college. And while that's true, we need CTA because kids are going to college and they need to learn now what they might major in um so that they won't change their major a bunch of times and waste a lot of money and they ought to get credit for taking classes like biomed and engineering and doing that kind of rigor in high school even though it's in a CTA classroom. So I'm very pleased with um Dr. Smith and Christine Hull um for

024allowing us to add that next school year. And that comes to the end most of my presentation and that is what can you do? Um we recognize that nothing that we do and nothing that I do in CTA is accomplished alone. Um and we need everyone's support um to make that possible. And I want to take this moment to recognize um members of my team that are present in the room and we have Dr. Matthews if you're wave Amanda to Lori Marston and I don't think anybody else came but everything that we do is a team effort and and nothing that I do. I don't stand up here alone as the only one that makes these things happen. Um, everyone works together to make that happen and so do you. And so what we're asking,

025um, what I'm what we're asking is is your support, school board, in advocating for the expansion of CTA programs. Um, some particular areas that we need support with in getting some of the high school principles to possibly consider is expanding um, courses in education as a profession. We need to build our own profession and our own pathway. And it would be a dream of of mine if we could have one of our high schools to add that as a magnet program. I think that would be a wonderful addition to our um offerings and a a great, you know, thing for that school, that high school to be able to say that we produce x number of high of teachers in the MCO County School District. So, I'm hoping that's something that will happen in the

026future. Um, also, um, recently, it's not on this slide, but mental health is actually a pathway that's now, um, a part of CTA, and it would be wonderful if we could add that because there is a great need in our community for mental health professionals, and we can start students on that path, um, in high school by adding that pathway. So, that'd be another one um, that would be wonderful to add um, to our offerings. Secondly, CTA continues to grow as you've seen from the enrollment statistics as well as we've been successful. Um, but we do not want to um continue to grow to the point where no one sleeps at night and um and there's not enough people to go around and do the good work that needs to be done. So, um we

027ask for your support um in efforts to scale the CTA staff proportionally to meet the needs and the growth of our department. And then finally, and this is for everyone who's in the sound of my voice, is to share the CTA success story, we have some very great stories to tell in CTA, and I blame myself for that a lot. I'm not a person that brags a lot. Um, I like to be behind the scenes, but there are lots of great things going on at CTA, and we would love it if you would talk about that amongst your friends and family and community members. And the final reason again to remind you of why why CTA is all of these students that you see here. I always like to end on a picture that highlights

028some of the wonderful things that have happened from the previous year. Um in our upper right hand corner we have our CTA student of the year last year from Shaw High School. She's now at Alb State University studying um with some scholarship money that check that she has in her hand to help her along the way. Um we've done the lot program. We've toured. We've had ED um the ED2 educators or economic developers too um externship program. You'll see that group in front of um at at Prattton Whitney. Um we have you know students um with FBA. We see GRTC there. Robotics. We have our Shine competition in the bottom left corner. Student from Kendrick High School won that for the first time last year. $2,500. Um from um Start of Columbus. Um I believe

029she's in the Army now or or military service. I'm not sure. Um, and then we there's some other various pictures there. Um, just to kind of show you the reason why we do what we do. And at this time, I'll take any questions that you have. Um, you may have some questions, but I do want to say, you know, great job as always highlighting um our CTA students and and same thing with our um division of communications who put out those pictures when they're provided. So, we do want to encourage um the schools to continue to provide them so we can celebrate. Um but just um for the for the generation that's still out there, we're talking about uh trade, the students um learning a trade um in school when we say CTAE. Um so,

030you're asking something from us, from the board. Does that mean you're going to come back later with your request on how we expand it? And what does the CTAE honors courses which are those what does that look like? >> Um, as far as a request to come back, um, not not a formal request. I mean, every every year, of course, we do our local budget request and so, you know, we'll ask for the things that we need in that budget request and I just ask for your favorable consideration with all the other things that you have to weigh um for that. in terms of the um expansion of the programs that is it's still a school-based decision whether or not they offer those or not, but I know that you all have relationships with the

031principles and and that sort of thing. So, um if you're ever in those discussions or you know visiting schools or in whatever way um just to let them know that we do need to feed our own pipeline, we need more um teaching as a profession courses um so that we can grow our own students and then of course in mental health but you know we always need a teacher for you know those programs too. But the good thing about teaching as a profession is any certified teacher can teach teaching as a profession. So it can be it doesn't have to require any kind of special um certification to offer that particular pathway. So then your team will align the school with the community um businesses and resources when they want to expand or do something

032different with their um their CTAE program in their building. They there's some support. They don't have to figure everything out themselves is basically what I'm trying to say. >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. >> And then you had a second question. Can't remember what it was. Um I was asking what are the honors? >> Oh honors yes ma'am >> course honors course >> I can provide you with a list but um you it depends on the um pathway but a lot of the third level courses are you know deserve the rigor of honors and then there's some like in terms of engineering um biomed at north side and those kind and cyber security that um even the second course you know is rigorous enough for honors waiting. So, um, I can I can email you the

033list of those >> if you would send that out to us. >> Yes, ma'am. >> That's interesting to me. >> Miss Chambers, >> first of all, I want to say Dr. Thomas, thank you so much for a comprehensive um, presentation and thank you for your passion for CTAE because we can hear it and feel it in your presentation. So, we appreciate that. I just have three questions really and the first one is about really logistics on how we handle this. Is and I saw that there was over a million dollars earned by students. Is that postgraduation? >> No, ma'am. That's >> okay. While they're in school. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, my question is about postgraduation. Are we keeping up or keeping track of students who have gone through the CTA program and then actually

034became gainfully employed with some of our partners like Piedmont or Prattton Whitney um after going through the program? Are we tracking that? And if we are, how are we tracking that? >> No, ma'am. We don't have a I'll be honest, we don't have a formalized way of tracking that. I know on GOSA, the governor's office of student achievement, you know, it has statistics like how many students are working, but we can do a better job of finding out how many are hired. Like I know that um Pratt Whitney says that 25% of their current workforce are students that came through, you know, the Pratt Whitney internship program might be higher than that. >> Um but it's at least 25%. So I mean that's something that we should do a better job of. So we don't

035>> Yes. So, one of the things you said is um do a better job of telling our story. And so, I think that those statistics will help us bring our story home for those supporters and maybe even allow other businesses to get on board and that would help expand the program as well. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, um if definitely if you would get us those numbers, we'll help spread that word, but we would have to know what those numbers are. The other thing I I wanted to ask is is there some type of roundt discussion that's happening with these major businesses or centered around what type of skill set are they seeing either that our students are lacking or that our students are doing really good once they get to on the job training.

036in terms of what they're lacking, we hear the same thing over well, let me answer the first part of that which is we have program advisory um committees for every program area. So like there's a healthcare advisory, there's um business advisory and that sort of thing. Um and they meet twice a year and then I have my own executive board and we meet um four time three to four times a year and we ask those questions at those meetings and the answer comes back over and over again. And it's the essential skills like that they lack showing up for work on time um you know conflict resolution um those kinds of things that we struggle with. I know Dr. Lewis has talked about that and tasked us with. We've been trying to actually find a

037credentiing system for that where we can, you know, we we say we teach it, but we want something like a badging system or something where we can say, you know, a stamp of approval that this this student has definitely checked these boxes and fulfill these things and understands what it means to come to work on time and all the things. So, that's a work in progress. I'm telling you, we have done a extensive search to try to find um something that's reputable um along those lines. But that is the the number one that collection of essential soft skills is is what we hear over and over again in terms of what they come um or the skills they have. Um our our students are praised who finish the pathways, you know, for what they've learned.

038So, you know, our nursing students, you know, you know, they're praised for what they bring to the table. You know, same with the IT students and engineering, that sort of thing. Um, so it just it's not like one thing. It just depends on what pathway they finished. >> Okay. Y >> Okay, sounds good. I I may have um a name for you that um some of the corporates use. >> Okay. >> In town that that may be willing to to partner with the school district. Um, my last question, and you've sort of hit on this already, are there anything that is lacking from our current CTAE program that you would like to see occur in order to move us forward so that we're a state-of-the-art CTA program? I know that we are already, but >>

039of course, >> how do we go go from good to great? >> From good to great. I think I would love I don't think we're lacking anything in the sense that we have all of the career clusters covered like we offer a program in every career cluster and career clusters are the you know sort of like the organizing convention that the department of labor uses to classify all jobs right so that means we have a program that crosses all jobs right I wish we had more than you know just Jordan that was offering like you know some like construction welding and that sort of thing >> um but in lie of that you we have Columbus Tech. The the issue there, which is the issue that everybody says is just transportation and getting students that

040want to participate in dual enrollment the ability to get to dual enrollment. Um because, you know, to take welding or whatever, you know, or for us to offer those programs at I'm sorry, I need the microphone. Those programs at Jordan to the whole district and you know, and I know that I'm not I was preaching the choir here. Transportation is a challenge and there's >> I know we're working as hard as I as we can to to solve that. But that's that's one of our hurdles, but um in terms of state-of-the-art, I wouldn't say that. I would just say I think we're hurting ourselves if we don't have more teaching as a profession. >> Okay. >> Um we need teachers and we if we grow up our own teachers and they stay and they go

041to Columbus Tech, I mean Columbus State, sorry, and they they they hopefully will remain here. They understand the community. They understand the challenges. You know, they're here with their family, so they have support as they go through life. When they have children, grandma's here, you know, all the things that keep somebody in town. Um, and then the thing I mentioned about mental health, that's that's a relatively new pathway for the state of Georgia. I think it's only two years old, but it just keeps coming up in other meetings that I go to that we just need more mental health professionals because everybody's struggling with mental health. Um, so it would just be nice, you know, you know, it's kind of like a nice to have, you know, for us to have that because it is

042a relatively new um, program. >> Great. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. >> Madam Chair, if I may also say one of the things that we have talked about is is an area of concern and this is true pretty much throughout the state and I would think probably throughout the country. Sometimes we have the need for instructors in certain areas that we can't find them, auto mechanics, uh, for example, to come work for us. they can make much more in the workplace than they can as a teacher. So, we are working on a plan that might help to address and shore some of that up with the help of our business and uh community partners down the road to uh bring people into the profession of teaching that may not have all the credentials

043to become an actual certified teacher, but they have the the knowledge base and the skill set. So, u we're trying to figure out how we can shore up that difference in pay so it makes it uh lucrative for someone to come work for the school system either part-time release time or uh in in earnest as it might be. So, more to come on that. My quick question was when you mentioned kind of preparing them and things like being on time and just kind of the soft skills, do they have some kind of workshop or something they have to go through before they're before they go out and kind of do the dual enrollment? >> Um, every CTA class has a has well standard one in every CTA class is basically all the essential skills and

044the state of Georgia rewrote all of our standards, you know, to add that. So it's supposed to be, you know, reinforced in class every class they take in CTE. So there is no like sort of workshop or, you know, like a short course on or anything like that if that's what you're thinking, but it's part of the curriculum and then a lot of teachers actually make it a part of the grade. um they'll you know when I was a teaching I used to do it and I everybody starts out with 100 points and then if you're late you lose so many points if your assignment's late because you know was akin to you know you're late for work or you don't have your your steel toe boots today or whatever you know that kind of

045thing. So a lot of um teachers will u reinforce those kinds of things that way. >> And so are all the students that we have that are in workbased learning they are also on a CTE pathway or can it be separate? >> Most of them are. So um we recognize that you know some students need to work um because they are actually a bread winner for their family. Um so there's a category of students that um that falls into that category. it has to be capped at 10%. or students that are take working but it's outside of their pathway because the way workbased learning is now it's supposed to be like the practicum you know so you you take all of your business classes and then you go work in an accounting firm you know

046so it's supposed to be related to the um pathway you studied but there are cases where a student is working because they have to um because they just need to >> I was curious okay thank you ma'am um >> do we have any um classes in high school where the uh teach um the teacher will come to the high school to teach the classes. >> You mean um like a dual enrollment like >> Yeah, dual dual enrollment. >> Yes, ma'am. They um so there are some instances where they do come on campus, you know, and the students don't have to travel and then also um there are some teachers that are credentialed to teach the class as a dual teach a class as a dual enrollment class on campus. That's true. So we try to

047maximize those kind of opportunities where we can. >> I was just thinking when I was at Czechco, we actually had a class that taught soft skills. A teacher came in from Columbus Tech and that's that was that's what the class was. >> Yeah. >> I figured. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Always have to >> in reference in reference to that question. Um Dr. Lewis. So the I want to ask two things. Um can you help us see um our effort for our teachers who could be certified to teach a dual enrollment? They may work for CSU or CTC and teach the class on the campus. How what does that look like? and um to um consider uh transportation. I I we all know we don't have enough drivers, but just to see not to just acquies

048to the fact that we got transportation issues, but to actually explore and see what opportunity there is um coming up for the next. >> Okay. And in terms of the the teachers being credential, we do um actively work toward that. I mean, Jordan is is going kind of full tilt in that direction and they're trying to get as many teacher, you know, the college and career academy. So, that's part of the mission. Um, but where we can, we'd like teachers to do it. There's a requirement for the number of credit hours at a certain level, like you have to have, you know, 18 hours at the 3,000 or 4,000 or whatever level. I don't know all the details, but you know what I you know how it has to be a higher level in order

049to be eligible to be credentialed. So there's a process we've gone through you know and it's not just CTE it's you know English and all you know math and all um where they have to you know submit their transcripts they have to be reviewed by the postsecondary um and then they can find out where they can be credentialed so you know teachers sometimes they might be lacking just three hours and they don't want to go back to school you know what I mean I mean so to your point about >> but my question is is that an actual function in HR or somewhere that is checking for that alignment to so that we can we support them if they want to go teach core subjects you know math sped you know we we support them

050in that instance do is there any support or any tracking or any development or any program that does the same thing for getting them credential to teach um the EMS class or to teach the computer um >> the computer class or even chemistry because you know if they're dual enrolled those uh Columbus Tech offer some guaranteed courses that transfer to any Georgia public college. Um are we working on anything like that is what I'm really trying to ask. >> I mean we don't we're not working on that and I guess in a systematic way. That's something that we could certainly look into. So, but I said we're not actively working on anything like that, but that's something that we could consider. systematic way. She said, >> actually, it's great that you're saying that we were

051uh trying to partner with you with some of the uh teaching peach information that's coming through because we would like to some of the items that we're looking at are having um like CTC and how they align with roles that we would like to fill um the CTAE program the when we um also introduce um the um recruiting events and tie them together. So we are building it. It is the earlier stages but we have identified some opportunities where we can align um our recruiting practices. So we're looking specifically for CTA type things. ability to do stuff like if someone was retired and they wanted to just come teach one of these AP classes that they could just come do that every day or does it have to be a full-time teacher >> that's beyond

052that >> if it's someone who is retiring there there are certain rules that govern when they can start teaching >> being retired teacher I just you know I look at things like business with personal finance and I think of the you know all the corporate people we have out there that are retired that might come back because it's the kind of thing I would enjoy doing when I get one day. But >> they have to meet the at this point in time, they still have to meet the teaching requirements, passing the various exams and that sort of thing. >> And if they did that, is there flexibility that they could be a part-time teacher or something? >> Oh, heck yes. Yeah, we're we're looking for that every day. If anybody wants to come teach physics

053for a period or chemistry or shoot, elementary at this point. Well, I mean, I know y'all say that, but that's not I mean, I'm in community and I didn't know that was something people need to do. So, I think that's something that could be said more. I mean, I've laughed before and thought I'd love to >> teach English one day when I'm not fully working. I mean, I didn't really know that that was possible. So, I do think that would be a good thing to >> highlight and put out there more. >> The um what do you call them? Um what's that program? HR. The people that come from industry Say it again. >> The G GTA GTP. Yeah, we talk about that all the time. So that's what So now that we know because

054we got all these acronyms, that's what that that's what that GTP does for people who come from industry. But the G >> and not part time. >> What was the answer to that? >> How did you What answer did you get to that? >> They said yes. >> Oh, that a retired person. Okay. So, now >> from industry? >> Yeah. What about in um >> what about a let's say a dance teacher? >> The waiver you talking about? >> No, I was just wonder they don't have to be certified as a teacher. >> That's our strategic waiver. >> That's the waiver. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. Good. That's >> if they have industry >> like a construction like a construction teacher. >> That's the way. Yeah. Okay. That's part of our thing. Oh, yeah. We are

055strategic. Okay. We did choose that. >> Well, would with to Lor's point though, would would a strategic waiver apply to someone from say finance industry like it would for a dance or or construction? >> Depend depends on the area. If it's an academic area, they have to be fully certified. If it's a CTA or a unique like for example raining the colors, somebody has that. We have to get them either certified or they have to be have the credentials >> or they have to do what? >> Have the credentials. >> Credential. >> Can't just walk in the street and say teach >> the credentials. But you were saying I was just trying to make sure that they didn't have to have >> if they had credentials that they didn't have to have like a teaching

056degree. >> That's what I'm That's what I'm trying to get and develop. strategic waiverss would at least have some kind of related background. >> They and if they're going to uh if they're going to become a teacher though full-time, they would have to get the proper certifications that so but to start it's remember we have six pathways to become a teacher. >> So that's one of the ways in which you can do it is from a >> question is that they always know I I heard from Dr. Lewis credentials versus a teaching certificate. So >> there are still some basic things that they do have to get >> versus teaching certificates. >> All right. Do we have do we have uh do teachers a person who comes in and let's say teach dance? They have

057good credentials. Would they have to get a teaching certificate >> two or three years down the road? >> Down the road. Yes. >> Okay. Strategic waver. Everybody has to get a teaching degree >> eventually. >> That's what it is. Everybody has to get. So I don't understand that because I do like this concept of credentials. If somebody can teach dance and have those credentials and that's the only class that they're teaching, just dance. That's what they're teaching. That that's that's it, you know. >> But they still >> I would say that as even as a teacher, you'd still have to have the qualifications to be able to convey >> what you learned as a dancer >> to the students. >> All that these famous uh dance in Houston and and New York, these dance companies.

058Um, those people have credentials. >> And as they don't necessarily have a teaching degree, they have credentials. And I'm just saying now, I can't change any rules. I'm just trying I'm just talking about what makes sense to me. What makes sense to me is that uh and what will u clear up some of our teachers in something like a performing arts school really in terms of that um because we need English teachers math teachers with all this other stuff people with credentials in certain areas then I'm just saying I don't see I don't have a you know I guess we have to go by what the state says and what so we have to go by all I guess sorry and and because I don't quite fully understand like credentials. So like let's wait walk

059me through I won't say English because I don't have any English certification but I am a lawyer and I'm bar certified and all that. If I wanted to teach a legal studies class at Columbus High, and I'm not in any way saying I want to do that, but if I wanted to, what is it that I would have to do to be able to teach a legal studies class, you know, one period a day, not as a full-time teacher? >> You can do you would actually all have to do for this one would be to apply and we would have to have your qualifications as a as a legal uh representative, fully certified, most recent. Uh and then we could uh we could go through the process of identifying you as a strategic waiver. Then

060you could uh and then we we would get you involved with like classroom management things that you would not be able to do. That's the part that it's different to run a studio >> and versus running a classroom. >> So we we've got to give you the tools to be able to do that successfully so the children get the best from you. >> So that's what we've got to translate what they in the industry to the classroom >> in the in the industry. You go back um my child uh who's taking dance and gymn a bunch of stuff. Now she she's getting her academics at school. Those people who are teaching her dance, they're industry certified or credentials. They still have to manage their classroom. They still have to uh when she's three, when she's

061when she's five, when she's six, they have instructors there who know how to manage that classroom because if they didn't, those children would not learn how to dance. They would not have gone to school. A person who has credentials in these kinds of fields, as I said, and to your point, I still don't see why they have to be certified. Now, I don't see it, but if the state of Georgia say that's what we got to do, that's just what we got to do. They manage class. You go to all these studios, dance studios and all these uh different types of uh arts that we have that kids take, those people are in there managing those students as they teach their art, you know, but and that's all they're doing. And I'm just saying if

062they were in a classroom and that's all that they doing, they're not doing, you know, any math or they're just there for just that one thing. I don't see it. Just seems to me So that's determined by the professional standards, right? >> Yeah. We can't >> the Georgia professional standards. >> Lori going to have to get a teach certificate. >> She got a doctor through the doctor now in legal. She still going to have to get a teach >> if she going up. >> I'm sorry to hear that because I was going to call you later. >> That's that's great. That was great discussion >> for public information as well. So, thank you so very much. >> Oh, >> hold on a second. >> Part of our work session or our we have coming up

063in March or April >> the retreat. You mean >> to talk about strategic ways to look at this from from a recruitment standpoint, from an industry standpoint or whatever. an an agenda item for the retreat. Anybody have any issues with that? >> No. >> All right. Got you got an agenda item from the board. >> Thank you, Dr. Thomas. And >> that concludes the uh education department. >> Thank you, Miss Buckner. Discipline committee. Miss >> Sly. items submitted for the discipline committee. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Tillery. Policy committee. >> Madam Chair. >> Oh, I turned you off. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, the first one is going to be revised to policy IFCB, internet acceptable use. Based on continual review of board policies, the administration has revised board policy IFBG,

064internet acceptable use. This policy was originally revised in compliance with SB 351 from the 2024 general session involving social media. The statute requires that the local policy be submitted by the to the state by April 1st, 2026. Would you like for me to read just the changes? Okay. Um there are some editing and formatting changes, but I don't feel that anybody's worried about that. The um major changes number five, prohibitions against students accessing social media platforms through the use of computer equipment, communication services, or internet access that is operated, owned, leased, and made available to students by the school district. Students shall be permitted to access social media platforms only. A as directed by the school district. Wait a minute. A as directed by the school personnel. B for the exclusive purpose of accessing and

065utilizing age appropriate educational resources and C under the supervision of such school personnel and D during the course of a school related activity. Are there any questions? And then there is a number nine. It says provisions in the code of conduct providing punishment for student violate violating this policy. Um, do I need to read the provisions? Are y'all have any questions on those? We do. Sorry. My question was more what do we have in place that can block them? Um, does that make any sense? I mean, I know, you know, that there's stuff out there that can kind of block and I mean, I know I work near Brookstone and I know even when I drive by and I'm not doing anything on my phone, it like almost won't connect because they've done something that

066blocks a lot of internet usage. >> Yeah, we have we actually have two things for students. So, every device that's on our network goes through a content blocker before it hits the internet. But because Chromebooks go home, we actually need a second solution and it's called GoG Guardian that's installed on the Chromebooks that allows the filtering to be filtered anywhere at the library, at a coffee shop, at home. And then in addition to that, it gives the parents the ability to say, "I want you to be off the internet at 700 p.m. at night and kind of close down their own students internet access." So there's two solutions for every student, whether they're here or at home. Um, and one solution for uh the employees. That's basically the network content filter. >> But I guess

067that doesn't Is there anything that can be done though when they just whip out their phone and they try to get on things? I get that >> if they use our network, it goes through the contract >> if they're on the Wi-Fi. But I guess there's not anything we can do from a cell service blockage. >> No. Um, there there's actually a federal law that prohibits me from doing that. >> Dang. Wonder what Brookstone does. But anyway, um but no, that's that's good to know. Thank you. >> If there are no other questions, I will move on to number two, annual review of board ethics. Sorry, for some reason it's really small. The Muscogi County School Board has been recognized as an exemplary board by the Georgia School Boards Association. The board will seek to

068reapply for exemplary board status for 2026. The exemplary board classification requires that all board members abide by their local code of ethics policy. A review of the code of ethics policy is required annually at the board of education meeting. The board will address any infractions by members as per board policy. Provided the latest sign DOE local schoolboard governance training report that includes training received and their signatures agreeing to the code of ethics. Provide local code of ethics board policy. Do you want me to read all of the whole Okay. Domain one is the governance structure. Domain two, strategic planning. Domain three, board and community relations. Domain four, policy development. Domain five, board meetings. Domain six, personnel. Domain seven is financial governance. And then there's conduct as board member, conflict of interest. And I think that

069is it. Does anybody have any questions on those? If not, I will move on. Number three, appoint the audit committee members in accordance with the charter for the I'm sorry. I think we just >> We're good. We're good >> in accord. >> Yeah, you'll have to call up. Yeah. Um in accordance with the charter for the audit committee of Msogi County School Board, the chair recommends the following board members and external members to serve on the audit committee for 2026. Mrs. Lorie McCrae, chair. Dr. Kia Chambers, board member, Mrs. Nikki Tillery, Mrs. Pat Hugley Green, Exo Officio. External members, Dr. Donald E. Carter, Doctor of Bio Ethics, Mercer University School of Medicine. Mr. James Dick Dickinson, director of finance at Senovas. Do we have any questions or does anybody want to step down? If not,

070we will move on to number four. 2026 GSBA delegates. The board recommends Naomi Buckner as a delegate and Kia Chambers as an alternate to represent the Muscogi County School Board at the GSBA delegate assembly to be held June 9th, 2026 in Savannah, Georgia. This appointment will allow the Muscogi County School Board to have voting rights at the delegate assembly. >> We rolling them over, too, unless they are declining. >> They're declining. >> I said we're going to roll them over as well. Yeah. Yes. Perfect. And then the East Loss Committee number five. >> Hold on. >> Yeah, that's pending. I'm just waiting for verification one of the addresses to make sure they live within the district and then to get clarification from a couple of you about making sure they are who you want representing

071in that particular district. >> Okay. >> So, next week we'll be able to confirm that next week. Okay. >> The members. >> And if there are no questions, I will return it back to you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you so much. Um property uh personnel committee, Miss Jackson. All right. Personnel. Um we have one item. There's five attachments there. I I do have a question about the bus monitors. What is the qualification of a bus monitor and what is the starting pay? I was prepared to answer until you said the pay. I have to look that up so I don't miss a quote. >> Okay. So, a bus monitor, we have two different types of bus monitors. We have bus monitors that work with our special needs students and we have bus monitors that work

072on our traditional routes to help with behavior management. And so the qualifications for special needs a bus monitor is the desire to work with that population that is a hands-on position. They we do doortodoor for our special needs students. And so they often help our students who are um having crisis for whatever reason. They help our students get on and off the bus. They work very closely with the families. And so it's a very involved position. the bus monitors for traditional routes that are there for behavior management. It takes a strong spirit to keep those students calm so the bus driver can drive safely. Okay. Um the you just have to be old enough to have the job and outside of that we will provide you all the additional training. Uh the pay >> one

073second. >> We can get it. >> Okay. Yeah. just get it back for both the for the special education and then the regular. I don't know if it's different. I just >> It's the same. It's the same rate. >> It's the same rate. >> Okay. All right. >> Two very different personalities for the job, but the same rate. >> I'm sorry. >> No, he said he said >> does a special ed monitor get paid more? >> It's the same rate for bus monitors. Bus drivers get paid more. >> Oh, the bus drivers get paid more. Okay. All right. >> Um, I'm sorry. I have a >> Dr. Chambers. >> Thank you so much. I have a somewhat of a a comment and a question. I see that we have still 57 vacancies for bus drivers,

074but um 54 vacancies in school nutrition. Is that is that normal or we seeing a decline or um why is why are there so many people missing from from um you know school nutrition? >> So that's an excellent question as it relates to school nutrition. We're actually extremely proud of that vacancy number. It has gone down significantly over the years. There was a point just recently, I've only been here four years, just recently, that is a there was a point in which there were more vacancies in school nutrition than all other vacancies combined. So, we have worked extremely hard to drop that number to improve our um retention rate, which is really where we're seeing it. We're retaining our workers more. Um so, we've worked really hard to change the culture in school nutrition. So,

075people are wanting to stay with us. So once once upon a time that was um um supported through the temporary agency. Is that still the case? >> We are still using >> vacancies. We are still using temps to help fill our vacancies. Um our temp agency is great, but they're not always able to provide it. So there are some kitchens that are working a little short, but we are being creative to provide them with the resources to be successful. Menu planning that helps them be able to prepare meals that don't require as many people. Um, you will see staff members who are not school nutrition serving. You'll see me serving. Anybody who will is willing, we're willing to help to make sure we're able to support our students. >> Yeah. I guess that's why they

076that's why they've resulted to the the the celebrity servers, huh? For the people to come out in the from the community. >> Absolutely. >> Um, M. Tiller, >> I did have an answer for you. >> Go ahead. You go ahead. >> Oh, you do? >> Yes. Thank you, Janice, for looking it up so quickly. 1146 is the um is the entry >> salary for bus monitor. >> Thank you. >> And this is just a thought and it may not even be in place anymore, but a few years ago um when I worked with Open Door quite a bit, they had a culinary program and I know that St. Luke hired a lot of their staff from their culinary program and I didn't know if that was an area that y'all looked into as far as

077to try and fill some of the vacancies. they go through a whole process and um it was it worked well at St. Luke and so that's just an option if you're looking for if it you know is a good fit. >> So just last week CTA and the translation department not translation and school nutrition as well as HR met to review and finalize that program. >> Oh wonderful. Okay, good. >> Any more questions? Look, she even trained um she Miss uh Karina, are you training other board members? Okay. Um I was going to comment on what you said, you know, but I I do I I do want to say I'm glad the culture is different because I know at one time everybody we had a few people that were um quitting. Um but uh

078I was going to comment about uh when I come up here sometimes to see uh different people they would be at a school working in a cafeteria. So everybody at one time was working uh in the cafeteria. They had signed up for days to go and help. See is that better now or well we still doing it but is it better? >> Yes, it's much better. Again we are um really proud of our retention rate. Our new assistant director in school nutrition has been working hard on our recruitment efforts and she's responsible for that. She's done a phenomenal job filling those vacancies but our primary issue is that we have improved our retention significantly. >> Okay. Thank you. >> There any more questions hearing? Back to you madam chair. >> Thank you Miss Jackson. We

079have property committee next. >> Uh yes starting off with our library report. Um, as always, lots of excite exciting. >> Just slide your microphone on. >> You know, I've never told I'm not loud enough. Uh, library update the brainfuse, which is the online tutoring platform 247. So, you don't need to go pay for a tutor for your son, your daughter, your grandchild, or whatever. Um, I think it would be really cool. Parents be able to get on there and and learn how to help their students, too. So, thank you for that. Um, and all kinds of stuff going on with with the library staff stepping in to help folks whether it's applying for jobs, lo, teaching folks how to digitize their music, um, helping with sign language and and an outreach at a daycare, and

080then helping a a a soon to be grandmother print her boarding pass so she can go to Oklahoma with a paper pass just in case she didn't have cell service. Um, so really, really cool. Thank you for all y'all guys do at the library. Any questions? >> Ask Allan. The uh Brainfuse I never I don't I could not I couldn't understand why people um students didn't use it that much. Is that has that improved a lot or how's that? We've had that. It's an app and you can also use it from the website, but we've had it for a number of years. It's a great service. We have a couple hundred students who use it a month. Everybody that uses it that rates it, gives us 90% or better, they would recommend it to a

081friend or they would use it again. So, it's about getting the word out and when they change to a 247 service, we decided that would be a great thing to mention to y'all today. So, yeah, >> it's just about getting the word out. >> Okay. I Yeah, I I know um it's been out a lot, but I just remember when I was teaching, I couldn't get kids to use it, you know, and I I couldn't understand why kids wouldn't use a a service like that. >> I've had to twist my own my own students arms at home to use it, but when they do, they feel, "Oh, yeah, this was pretty good." So, >> that's what I mean. I can understand that it's a good service and kids won't use it, you know. >> Thank

082you. Tell all your friends. >> Well, if you send it if you'll send us a link, we'll we'll help you with marketing. >> It's right on our website. >> Perfect. Thank you. All right, moving on to the museum report. Again, record numbers uh continue to uh come and visit us at the museum. Over 5,000 as of January 29th um for the months of amazing 17 over 1,700 of those were educational programs. Wonderful exhibition that opened on the 31st of January uh about the puzzle of politics. It's the service of Calvin Smiley for those what 40 50 years. Uh amazing look at at his life and work. Uh January 31st was the heist, a really cool fictional art kind of crimeolving thing. And of course we have uh Black History Month and all the celebrations and

083workshops going on and uh the glass making workshops at the end of the month. So any questions about what's going on at the museum? Thank you, ma'am. Back to you. Thank you so much uh Mr. Kentrail. Construction. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Moving on to number one in the construction committee. Agenda H1, campus enclosure at North Side High School. The Department of Construction is requesting the board approved the not to exceed budget of $462,388 for phase one at Northside High School project as part of the East Bllo campus enclosure initiative. The budgetary impact funding for the purchase not to exceed 462,000 will be expanded from the capital projects fund east blocks. Superintendent's recommendation approve the budget amount for phase one of North Side High School campus enclosure project. Any questions ladies? If not, we'll move

084to our next agenda item. Item H2, secure vestibule project. The Department of Construction is requesting the board approve the not to exceed budget of $6,589,210 to begin phase two of the Secure Festibu project. The budgetary impact funding for this project not to exceed $6,589,000 will be expanded from the capital projects fund east blast. The superintendent's recommendation approve the project the budget annual for phase two of the secure vestibial project. I had questions earlier myself on the wording of this. This is for security for our schools. Isn't this correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. That's a >> for entryways and trying to knock them out and and and get them all more secured than they have been. Any questions, ladies? If not, move to agenda item H3, the sound panels as selected schools. The Department of Construction

085seeks approval to issue a purchase request to accuse of a Columbus for the installation of the sound dampening structures at Georgetown, Martin Luther King Jr., and Matthews elementary schools. As part of the east blocks, the department of construction is following a phased approach to install sound dampening structures to elementary school gyms when needed. The budgetary impact the funding for this project is 93,936. It will be expanded from the capital projects fund east blast. The superintendent's recommendation approved the purchase request to accuse of Columbus for an installation of the sound dampen struct for Georgetown Martin Luther King Jr. and Matthews Elementary School. Ladies, any questions? Moving to our next agenda item, item H4, gym floors at elementary schools. The Department of Construction seeks approval to issue a purchase request to Southeastern Services and Equipment for the

086installation of the gym flooring services at Georgetown Martin Luther King Jr. and Matthews Elementary School. As part of the East BLOS, the Department of Construction is following a phased approach to transition our elementary floors VCT tiles to resilient flooring design for sports and multi-purpose use. Budgetary impact funding for the purchase is $27,700 and will be expanded from the capital projects fund east blast. The superintendent's recommendation approved the purchase request to southeastern surface and equipment for the installation of gym flooring service at Georgetown Martin Luther King and Matthews elementary schools. Any questions, ladies? On H4 and item H5, the construction status report. The construction status report is attached. The Department of Construction will slide do a slideshow next week to present the board in March. Any questions? If no questions, lady chair, back to you, ma'am.

087>> Thank you so very much. Uh, finance um finance committee chambers. Thank you so much. Finance committee item one um is purchase exception D. These are our renewals. There are two of them. One is Citrix uh software. This is the department of enterprise technology seeks to approve um the approval of to issue a purchase request for miracle software systems for network software that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple application servers or resources to prevent individual servers from becoming overloaded. Um, the funding for this purchase is totaling $38,8892. Any questions about that, board members? Okay, hearing none, I'll move on to the second item under um renewals and that is a maintenance renewal. This one is for the Department of Plant Services and they are seeking approval for the second and final renewal for two optional

088renewal years of the contract with Outdoor Solutions for the district-wide grounds maintenance. This is a funding um for the purchase not to exceed uh a,32,75. Um, this will come out of the maintenance and operation function of the general fund and the Columbus library fund. Any questions about that maintenance renewal? The term is from March the 1st, 2026 to February the 28th of 27. Okay. Hearing no questions about our renewals, I'll um move on to our invitation to bid the RFPs. There are three of them. One is a security filter renewal and um this one is a change. So on May the 19th, 2025, the board approved PC Solutions and Integrations, Inc. as a vendor for these services. The department is now transitioning this service to the board of regions of the University System of Georgia

089due to cost savings. No funds have been spent with PC Solutions and Integration Inc. for these services. This item is to pro provide an update to the board. Um can someone explain that something happened if we approved for the money to be spent with a certain vendor? Um, how are we changing that? Can you explain that? I'll turn it over to you, Mr. Pleasant. So, the board of regents every once in a while um determines that across the state we can benefit from having a consortium buy and they'll negotiate on our behalf a better pricing than we could get individually. And that's what's happened in this particular case. We thought we would have to go individually to a vendor and then found out from the board of regents that we could purchase through them at

090a greatly reduced rate. >> Okay. And did we have a contract with this vendor or the previous vendor? >> No, we just >> we didn't sign anything. Okay. Okay. Very good. >> Okay. Well, this board members is the first of $61,54, but that will be spent each time. And there is an attachment that explains um each year we will pay that same amount. Any questions, additional questions about that? Okay, hearing none, I will move on to number two, which is uninterruptible power supply and this is not to exceed $17,000. This is so that during the loss of power, the unit will continue to provide power to our data center until the generator is able to be activated. Any questions about that? Sounds sounds like a very good use of funds. Okay. Number three is furniture

091for Blackman Road. It's um little over 49,000 and that there is not an attachment, but um this is funding for the purchase totaling $49,24353 furniture for Blackman Road. >> Do we know if it's classroom or if it's something that the the school is requesting that have identified that they that they need it? is educational media services function of the state federal and other federal programs. Does somebody want to Dr. Smith? I think that's your item. Oh, I'm sorry, Janice. >> It's It says that it's for the media center. >> Media center. >> Yeah. >> Educational media services. >> Y it's for the media center at Blackman Road. >> Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Hearing none, we'll go to professional services. There are six of those. One is supplemental health care. Um this is for the

092department of program for exception of students and they are asking for an approval to increase the existing purchase order with supplemental health care. Um this is funding for this purchase is not to exceed 91,000. This is in addition. So the total new expenditure will be 191,000. Any questions about that? And this is through the exceptional students program because we have a lot of, you know, third party vendors that help with a lot of these kind of solutions. What more specific is this? And are these people that are on the ground in the district that we're getting through another vendor to provide? I'm guessing this is some kind of health or mental care. >> It says two additional professionals were added and one additional professional is anticipated. Mr. >> So would this pay for >> it's

093for speech language pathologist. >> Okay. >> That are highly in demand. >> Well, that's it just be helpful if that was in there because I'm I'm sitting here kind of going to we need you know what more specifically within the realm of services. Thank you. >> That's a good good point. You want your mic up? >> Especially uh right there. They always tell what why they need it. And when you read the text of the ones that are following that are sped, they tell you why they need to increase >> professional. Oh, >> you mean what it was? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. Is that the go going rate? 91,000 for a speech pathologist >> for the rest of the year. >> Say it again. Okay. >> For three for the rest of

094the year. >> Okay. >> They they make more than this. >> Is that on an at needs basis? Cuz that can't be a our >> Oh, for a week. Okay. >> We need them. >> Yeah. I I realize we need them. I'm I'm I'm thinking that's kind of low. >> Yeah. They're covering parts of case loads. So, okay. >> Partial. Okay. Now, these are Oh, these are part-time >> people. >> No, I mean, these are some of they some of them may be part-time, some may be full-time, but they're they're covering full case loads. I mean, they're helping to cover. >> I was just wondering because I was thinking about the uh surprise of the amounts because one of my daughter's friends makes almost this one person >> for three. >> She make one person

095makes almost this. Yeah, >> just wanted to tell that that's >> All right, thank you so much. Um, visual impaired services is number two and this is funding for this purchase is not to exceed 25,000 and this is um will be expended from the instructional funding of the general fund. And there is an attachment and this is also coming from the department of exceptional um program for exceptional students. And the reason why they need it is because it is necessary due to the significant increase in student service demands, expanded case loads, and the need for appropriate supervision to ensure compliance and quality of service. And this is not to exceed. All right. Hearing no questions, I'll go on to number three, which is counseling consultants. This is the department of counseling and social services. They

096seek to approval for a contract with this works for professional services using school-based mental health grant funds allocated to the Muscoi County School District. This funding purchase is not to exceed $537,745. It will be expanded um expended from the pupil support function of the state, federal and other programs. And there is no attachment. So can we um have someone explain how we got to 537,000? What does that cover? And it says that the new expenditure will um the total will just for board members sake $983,465. Yes. Uh good afternoon uh everyone. Good evening I should say. um to the board. I'm Dr. Trquila Nelson, the director of counseling and social work services. Uh the increase comes from a carryover uh from last year back in January, January the 28th to be exact. Um the federal

097government froze all um grants and so we had to um we could not u allocate funds for hiring at that particular time. Our grant period starts from January to December. And so, um, we ended up at the end of the year with substantial carryover, especially when the government shut down, uh, we had to put also a halt. And so, we were given the clearance to carry over uh, the additional amount that you see here. And so, we just wanted to make sure those funds were allocated to student services. um they were coming from hiring social workers, the school-based mental health social workers and uh we didn't hire them until we couldn't hire them until August. So from January to August, that money sat there. Um and then we were able to hire 10 of the

09811. So we're still on the search for one more. Um, and also there was an $11,000 that was included for moving uh fees and we did not have anyone uh everyone's local that we've hired. So, we wanted to make sure we were um being judicious about how we were spending and didn't want to leave anything on the table if the government was going to allow us to carry over. >> Okay. Can you provide us maybe with a just a breakdown because it's almost a million dollars >> of how that million dollars will be spent. >> Well, some of that um those funds were already spent from last year. So, the 500 is just the um additional so it and it's in pupil services which is teleaalth services, individual counseling, small group also home visits. So,

099I can submit that to you as well. >> Right. Because usually they give us an attachment that says how many students, how many hours they were served, things of that nature. Absolutely. And it gives you a breakdown of of really who's being serviced, how many students are being serviced, and things of that nature. >> Yes, absolutely. >> That would be helpful. Absolutely. >> Miss McCrae. >> Well, that's what I was just >> because what you've talked about some with some school-based and this is talking about a contract with the works and so I just wanted to make sure. So as a part of the uh grant we had to partner with um an agency along with the schoolbased mental health social workers are housed at the schools. This is additional services beyond um so they're

100doing individual counseling um full-time at the schools with this works. They're actually doing individual teleaalth um our school-based mental health social workers are not doing teleaalth and they're also going into the homes. this works. They visit the homes to do parent classes, parent skills. Um they also see our students over the summer. Our schoolbased mental health social workers do not work over the summer. So um and then they also offer small group counseling. >> Again, yeah, it would be good to see the breakdown for >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Any other questions, board members? Okay. Um, moving on to professional services. Number four, transportation services. Um, the department of athletics is seeking approval um to increase the existing purchase order with DOS transportation and travel and KN&S Transportation. Um, the funding for this purchase is

101not to exceed $150,000. If we include this item um from the current agenda, the new expenditure for these companies will be 530,000 um total. Any questions? >> Is this is this impacted by um the um classification change? >> It's not. It's just based on what we needed to what we did last year. Okay. Thank you, >> Miss Miss McCrae. Miss Buckner, would you like to turn on your mic? M, can you can you wait just one second? Miss McCrae had hers on first. Miss McCrae. >> Um, curious with like professional services, is that we don't have to bid those out or is it do we have certain vendors that we continue to use for that? I might be looking at the wrong person. >> That's right. >> Actually, we sent out a bid last week

102for the charter services. >> Okay. Because it's not, you know, usually when they're bid out, it's presented to us where we kind of see, you know, the different options. >> The bid has just been sent out to the public. Um so we will be getting those that information back and coming back to the board with um the prices where it has been bid out. >> It's under professional services. >> Yeah. So like the one right now that we're approving, is that a contract we already had and it's just gone up in expense? Yeah. There's just more need for it right now, but we are at this point going out for bid for these particular services. Okay. >> For the next Okay. Thank you. Is that because >> M Buckner >> you said we're going out

103for for that. Is that because um we made a projection here and we don't know exactly how much when the when when the bids come back what are we looking um that's in addition to this? >> It would be for future um >> okay needs >> it. So it's not okay. >> Yeah. For it would um be more than likely for the start of the new year. >> All right. Thanks. >> Any additional questions about transportation? >> Okay. Hearing none. Number five is evaluation services and this is a funding purchase not to exceed 25,000. Um this is from the department of counseling and social work services. There seek to approve approval to issue a purchase request to construction and concepts international for external evaluation services related to school-based mental health grant. The external evaluator will

104independently assess the effectiveness of the Mscoia County School District Schoolbased mental health project using a datainformed mixed method approach. The evaluation will monitor compliance with government performance and results act in indicators as well as project specific performance metrics. So, we're hiring someone just to make sure that we are following the outlines of the grants. >> Probably a requirement. >> Yeah, >> it is. >> And it's that's part of the funds have to be set aside to go to an evaluator. So, that's part of the application when you apply you. >> Okay. >> You have to have an evaluator of the grant. >> Okay. And have we used um this evaluator before? >> That I don't know. >> Oh, okay. Yes. Okay. Sounds good. Thank you. >> We get to see the results of >> Yes.

105>> Okay. Perfect. >> Uh last one for professional services, Solient Healthc Care Services. This is a funding request not to exceed 25,000. Um this is in addition to um previous approvals. If we include this item, the total expenditures will be 2,525,000. This is from the department um of program for exceptional students. Once again, they seek approval for salient health services. There isn't an attachment and I know I have asked before. Can someone explain um the type services that they do for us? I just have forgotten. I know we talked about it before. Yes. >> Speech and nurses. >> Okay. Nurses. Okay. >> And speech. >> Speech. Okay. Thank you so much. All right. Hearing. Madam chair, did you have a question? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Number four is competitively bid purchases. The first

106one is the stadium concession stand. Chick-fil-A um is the chosen vendor and they will actually pay the Msco County School District 15% of the gross sales from the concession receipts. >> So it says we only received a response from Chick-fil-A. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> No responses from the other vendors and it is attached. board members if you want to look at the extensive list. Okay. Number two, portable basketball systems. This is a competitive um bid as well. Funding for this purchase is not to exceed 24,000 and this would be expended from the pupil support function of the capital projects um from the east boss. The attachments they are attached Hearing no questions, I'll go on to number five, which is our soul source and volatile services. And um this is for fuel purchases. Funding

107for this purchase is totaling um $87,4578. And this is all for fuel. Hearing no questions, I'll go on to number six, which is all of our budget adjustments. One is from the library and there is this is a reallocation of funds. There's no change to the revenue and there is an attachment hearing. No questions. I'll go on to number two. This is the CTA program grant and this is um no change in revenue and it is attached reallocation of budgeted funds for the CTAE program. Last one under budget adjustments is for special education and this is additional allocation of budgeted funds. there was an increase in revenue and a offset or a reallocation to our expenditures. And the budget adjustment amount is for $680,587. And there is a detailed report attached if you have questions.

108Going on to section seven that is our new budgets and we have a budget for Jordan CCA grant and that is attached. This is a federal state and under federal state and other program grant for $95,150. This is for the college and career academy. And there's another one attached number two. My system is going really slow. Yeah, mine is um mine is frozen as well. There's our Perkins carryover. And hopefully in just a moment we'll be able to see how much that is. Okay, Miss Buckner. >> Uh, Dr. Lewis, we have u designated grant writers in the district like the various grants. Who who writes them? The department departments themselves or do we have like a designated section for grant writing? Okay. So those people who seek in those department who seek. Okay. Thank you.

109>> All right. Okay. Number two. Perkins carryover. It is this grant will assist in covering the expenditures permitted under the guidelines published in the um fiscal year 2026 CTAE budget. Um let's see. It is attached. This is $23,362. Okay. All right. Hearing no further questions. Number eight is our financial statements that we receive every month. Um the attachments are for December of 2025. Number nine are donations. And we want to thank everyone who thought it not robbery to donate to our schools. We thank you for your kindness and your benevolence. And number 10 is our budget calendar. And so that budget calendar is attached and it runs from January 2026 um to October and looks like in June is where we start where we have our third our public hearings. Miss McCrae, you have a

110question. >> Well, earlier it made me think of something. Um, when we were talking about the CTAE and like if something was put up, you know, for more staffing, we don't really hear what's not included in the budget. Like if somebody asks for something and it's not included in the budget, we don't typically know that. So, I didn't know and this will not be answered tonight, but to give some thought to ways that we can better know that yes, we see what is included in what we're going to do for the coming year, but that we could have a better idea of what was decided against. >> Thank you. >> Is that something we're going to get sent out to us moving forward or Yeah. >> In place. Okay. >> Need to get it designed.

111>> I will have to work through what those parameters would look like and exactly how we could present that information with the budget. >> Okay. Madam Chair, I think that concludes the finance committee and I'll turn it back over to you. >> Thank you, ma'am. Are there any requests um any other updates? Dr. Lewis, just as mentioned earlier, this week is I love my future week and there'll be a host of different uh career awareness and exposure activities being conducted throughout our schools this week. So, just want to make everybody aware of that. >> Thank you. Any anything else? All right, we will um this is a work session, so we will adjourn. We'll just wave goodbye. >> Next week's on Tuesday. >> Next week is Tuesday because of President's Day. We'll see you back

112here. Same channel, same time. And then if we all would just stand by for a minute, we can go ahead and take our group shop 2026 since we're all here. Wave goodbye. Good night. >> Y'all are always cute. What are you talking about? They say they're not camera ready. >> That's the That's the thing. Hey, There's a party tonight. Your fingers turn away. You fing