Muscogee County School Board Meeting August 11, 2025

001[Music] Muscogi County School District. This is the year. Are you ready? This is the year. The year we dream bigger, reach higher, and achieve more than ever before. This is the year our students unlock new skills, explore new ideas, and grow into leaders of tomorrow. >> This is the year I learn how to read. [Music] >> This is the year we celebrate success. One student, one classroom, one milestone at a time. This is the year I attend middle school. >> This is the year for teamwork, creativity, and discovering passions that last a lifetime. >> This is the year we finally made it. We are seniors. This is the year to help students believe in themselves and redefine what is possible. This is the year I get to inspire and equip all my students to achieve

002unlimited potential. [Music] This is the year to stand side by side. families, educators, and neighbors. Lifting our students higher than ever before. Mscogi County School District. This is our year and we are ready. [Music] rise. The sky's not the limit, just a bigger prize. Muscoi County, this is our year [Music] crystal clear. Believe in our schools, our students are flame. Together we rise. We're changing the game. Chalk on the board, ideas in flight. Every classroom glowing with a bright light. From the courts to the fields, the art to the stage. The passion of youth breaking every cage. Lift the battle. Let it wave so high. This is our moment. No need to ask why this is our year. [Music] Crystal clear. Believe in our schools. Our students are playing together. We rise. We're changing the

003game. [Music] I like I like AI. >> That That was good. So, welcome to our regularly scheduled August 11 um board work session. Want to This is We've been through a first week of school and then superintendent is going to wrap all that up. So, I want to just say welcome back to everyone. Um if we have any um principles just wave. Don't doesn't look like it. We of course we always welcome um our director of the library Mr. Alan Harkness and our director of the museum Maryanne Rickner. Thank you for the partnership and all that you do. And um we have this area. Next is our public agenda. We have one person signed up. Taria Jones, are you here? Maybe she meant to schedule for next week. But I will go ahead and read

004our background 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. Speakers 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 board 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 resolution. Citizens are encouraged to follow our normal channels to address individual parent complaints andor concerns and problems. So we will

005listen out for Miss Jones for next week. So with that, we'll go into our um education committee. >> Dr. Smith is going to brief us. All right. I apologize. I did not get a board agenda to Miss Jones in time to get it on the on the agenda, but we've been working on this PowerPoint for uh several days. So, um gonna I'm Tim Smith, chief academic officer for the district. Um going to walk through our Georgia milestones results and then talk through um our next steps um based on those results for the school year. So, we're going to start with our uh Georgia Milestones end of grade results, which is our third through eighth grade um assessments. So, we've got our our two-year trend data for each of the areas for third grade ELA. Um

006I apologize, I can't see my screen. The numbers are too small. I'm going to change the view real quick. Yes. Um after we go through the results, we'll talk about the different um the different students. Okay. >> Normally, we can click on here and we have the documents on here. Am I missing the button? >> Okay. Because we were both Perfect. No worries. No worries. I We've got an email about >> Has it been submitted since we've been here? Do we need to refresh? >> It's not on there at all. >> Thank you. Sorry, my apologies. All right, so third grade ELA, um we had 54.4 of our percent of our students reading hon or above grade level. for ELA. Um, in third grade, you see we had 6.3% of our students score distinguished, 183

00718.3% uh proficient, 27.4% um developing, and 48 uh beginning. Third grade math, uh, 5.7% distinguished, 21.6% proficient, 42.1% developing, and 30.6% 6% uh beginning. Then we've got comparisons with the state as that data came in on Friday. Um so you see uh percent reading on grade level. We scored 54.4 in comparison with the state at 64.6. Um this the state looks at group and developing and above and proficient and above as well. So you see developing and above we were 52% of our students versus the 63.1% and then proficient and above we were 24.6% versus the 34.9. Uh in math we were 69.4 uh developing and above versus the 81.8 and then 27.3 proficient above versus the 44.3. Moving to fourth grade ELA, we had 45.8% of our students reading um on grade level or

008above, leaving that 54.2 um scoring below. ELA, we had 8.9% uh distinguished, 18.7 18.2% um proficient, 31.2 developing, and 41.7 beginning. In math we had 10.5% distinguished, 19.6% proficient, 34 uh developing and 35.9 beginning. Uh compared to the state as far as reading on grade level or above, we had 45.8 A versus the 56.9 scoring developing and above 58.3 versus a state at 68.9 proficient and above 27.1 versus uh 39.3. And then for math uh developing above 64.1 versus 80.4 and proficient above 30.1 versus 49. fifth grade uh read non-grade level or above we're at 62.1 as a district 37.9 scoring below it in May uh ELA we had 6.3% distinguished 25.7% uh proficient 33.7 developing and 54.4 for um beginning for fifth grade math 8.1% distinguished 18.2 proficient 30.5 developing and 43.2 uh beginning

009fifth grade science 9.8% uh distinguished 22.6 6 proficient 25.9 developing and 41.7 uh beginning. Then compared to the state uh reading on grade level or above 62.1 for the district versus 71.3 for the state um developing and above 65.6 versus 75.7 and then proficient and above 31.9 versus 43. Um for math we had development and above 56.8 versus the state at 73.2 and proficient and above 26.3 versus 42.6. And then science developing and above 58.3 versus the state 68.1 and a proficient above 32.4 versus 43.8. Moving to sixth grade for a reading on grade level or above, we had 48.4% of our students and then 51.6 um reading below. ELA 6.9% distinguished uh 23.6% proficient 24.8 developing and 44.7 beginning. Math 5.4% proficient 13.6% I'm sorry 5.4% uh distinguished 13.6% proficient 38.2 developing and 42.8

010uh beginning. Then compared to the state read on grade level or above we had 48.4% 4% versus the state at 59.5 develop scoring developing and above are 55.3 versus the states 66.7 and then proficient above uh 30.5 versus the state at 41.3 that's for ELA and then for math developing and above we had 57.2% developing and above versus the state of 73.8 and then proficient above 19.1 versus 37.3. Seventh grade reading on grade level or above we had 59.8%. Scoring below we had 40.2 for ELA scoring proficient or distinguished we had 6.5% proficient 23.2 two developing 28.5 and beginning 41.8 for math 7th grade uh distinguish 7.5% 14.9 for proficient 37.1 for beginning and 40.6 for I'm sorry 37.1 for be developing and 40.6 six for beginning looking at the state numbers so reading on

011grade level or above we scored 59.8% versus the state at 69.1 for ELA developing and above are 58.2 2 versus the state at 69.1 and then proficient and above are 29.7 versus the state at 40.7. For math development and above, we had 59.4% of the students versus 75.8 and then 22.4 proficient and above versus 40.1 for the state. Eighth grade reading on grade level or above, we had 59.8% 8% um above and 40.2% below. For ELA, we had 6.5% distinguished, 22.6% proficient, 38.1 be uh developing, and 32.8 beginning. For math, 10% distinguished, 19.5% proficient, 35.8% 8% developing and then 34.6% uh beginning. 8th grade science we had 4% distinguished, 14.1 proficient, 26.9 developing and 55.1 beginning. And then high school um eighth grade high school physical science we had 29.9% um distinguished 40.2% proficient 24.6%

012developing and 5.3% uh beginning. Then eighth grade social studies we had 5% um distinguished 19.8% 8% proficient, 37.2 developing and 38% beginning. So 8th grade um when compared to the state ELA we had 59.8 versus 68.2 for the state for readon grade level or above. Um ELA developing and above are 67.2 2 versus 74.1 for the state proficient and above 29.1 versus 39.8 for the state. For the math, we had 65.4% development and above versus the state is 79.3 and then 29.6% proficient and above versus 47% for the state. Um for science we had 44.9% development and above versus the state at 57.2 and then 18% proficient above versus 28.8% 8% um for the state high school physical science. We had 94.7% proficient um developing and above versus the state at 79.3 and then 70.1%

013um proficient and above versus the state at 57.3. Uh social studies we had 62% development and above versus the state at 73.2. two and then um 24.8 profession and above versus 38.8. Moving on to high school results with the end of course uh American lit we had 62 for the reading level on grade level or above we had 62.8% of the students on grade level or above and 37.2 to score and below. For the American Lit results, we had 9.1 uh% distinguished, 27.2% proficient, 32.7% developing, and 31% beginning. Algebra, concepts, and connections. We had 10.8% distinguished, 19.2 proficient, 33.2 to developing and 36.8 beginning for biology 8.6% distinguished 25 uh proficient 25.3 developing and 41 beginning. In US history, we had 1.5% um distinguished, 20.1% um proficient, 34.9% um developing and 43.4% uh beginning. Um,

014one thing we we do see with US history is a a lot of the um stronger test takers and and students are in the AP classes which which does impact the EOCC results. In comparison with the state American lit for read non-grade level or above we are at 62.8% 8% versus the state at 67.3. Um developing and above we were at 69% versus the state at 74.2. And then proficient and above we are 36.4 versus the state at 40.4. For US history we scored 56.6% developing and above versus the state at 69.8. proficient and above we are 21.6 versus 38.6 for the state. For algebra concepts and connections we scored 63.2% at developing and above versus the state at 73.5. And then proficient and above we scored 30% versus the state at 44.9. And then

015biology we had 59% scoring development and above versus the state at 69.4 4 and 33.7 proficient above versus 44.2. So year to year um the results are not what we want to see. Um what we did see as we were looking at the data is when we look at students group by cohort. So what I mean by that is when we look at students who were with us in third grade, then how they did three years ago versus fourth grade two years ago and then fifth grade last year. 62% of our elementary school showed growth from within that band. Um for middle schools, same thing. Three years ago, kids taken those tests in sixth grade versus two years ago seventh grade to eighth grade. Last year, 100% of the the middle school showed growth from

016sixth grade to eighth grade. Um, that's for reading performance. For ELA, we saw 72% of our elementary schools show growth from third to fifth grade. 85% of the middle schools showed growth from sixth to 8th grade in ELA. For math, we had 45% of elementary schools um showing growth from third to fifth and then 100% of the middle schools showing growth from sixth to 8th. So what we are seeing in the data is the longer we have students with us and this has been a case for a number of years now the better that they perform over time. Um so that is that's a bright spot that we wanted to highlight and and keep in mind. Um a problem we continue to see since COVID is chronic absenteeism. um GooDau released some um some recent

017data and for Msogi County we had 22.9% of our students that are identified as chronically absent meaning they're missing at least 10% of the days of school. So for a student that's enrolled 180 days that means they've missed at least 18 days of school which is basically a month of school. Um we looked at the we cross referenced our our absenteeism percentage against our distinguished proficient be our development in the beginning and we saw in every tested category this this trend. Our lowest percentage of chronic absenteeism is in the distinguished band. Second lowest is in proficient. The second highest is in developing and the highest percentage of absent chronic absenteeism is in the beginning level. So what we know is we've got to get our kids to school so we can teach them and and

018get them um learning what we need them to learn. Um next next month um there will be a presentation on how we're going to address um helping our attendance increase. So our leadership and instructional focuses for the this this school year um we are going to work on strengthening and accountability. Um that's through formative assessments um where we are are tracking progress throughout the year not waiting till the end of a end of a course to figure out how they've done. We want to strengthen that piece. Not that we have been doing that but we need to put more emphasis on that. um classroom observations, um getting out there and content specialists, teacher quality specialists, other other uh leaders being out and um seeing what's going on in the classroom for a couple reasons. One

019to help uh schools with feedback um and also to for us to see where we can help better support and then um building in feedback cycles. Um this past summer, uh school specific data notebooks were introduced to to the principles um that we'll utilize from the district level and the school level for progress monitoring um to help with ongoing data reviews with the district leadership. We'll continue our work with the MCST blueprint. Um we do see that when the blueprint is implemented in uh courses um well that we see better results there. So we want to continue that trend. Um, we've got the structured literacy cohort. So, we had cohort one and cohort two come in the last two years. This year, we'll have cohort three coming in. Um, that will bring in the rest

020of the elementary schools. That is a a kind or prek through second grade focus um on just foundational reading skills. We are seeing um in other districts around the state as well that the districts focusing on that structured literacy piece are starting to see gains and the purpose of the structure literacy is to build that foundation early so it impacts their learning as they go throughout their educational career. We also want to build out a 312 component um as well for the structural literacy that would have a different focus but still be focusing on how we um continue to uh get kids learning to read and and comprehending the academic um piece of for reading. Um on the board agenda tonight under the finance item, there's a a program called Writable um that we are

021purchasing for all schools for third through 10th grade students. That is a gap um that we had. Um the writing piece has continued to be a weakness and we wanted to find something that was aligned to the new standards and um provided a specific feedback to teachers and students and also provides recommendation on on student writing to help students improve that piece. We'll continue to work on our math instructional plans that were developed by the state um in every math classroom. Um saw seeing trends across the state on that as well. classrooms that implement those learning plans well um are seeing um better gains and then uh using a Georgia numerousy project again something else that's been um developed um within the state um that is as a instructional intervention for students who are struggling

022with math uh instructional learning plans then we can use the numeracy project in K12 for additional support and we're using the 5e instructional framework work for every science classroom. Um and then for um we're beginning a transition away from Star Reading to the Amir reading suite um for preK through 8th. So um Amamira is a it has a screener in there which is what we use STAR for but it has some other pieces that once they do the screener there's additional um resources and supports that will help um struggling readers. Um so that's And that is um well actually both programs have been endorsed by the state but MER is more more um a more complete program. We will continue our work at Brewer um Early Innovation Academy and its partner schools and supporting those

023families and those students. And then um we've launched our first Bunton School of F excellence at MLK Junior Elementary where we are focusing on how do we how do we reach kids in poverty and and um remove the barriers? How do we remove the barriers so that they can learn like they like we they need to we need them to? An update on where we are with our blueprint. um the course bills within our blueprint. These are the ones we have completed. So you see we've got um basically elementary is built out. So we have the ELA done for K5 and math as well. We've got fifth grade science because that's a um a state tested um course. And then for social studies and science and K4 that that content is integrated with the ELA

024and math course builds um so that they can access it that way. We're also uh have prek course builds um for middle and high school. We've got ELA build out for sixth uh through 10th grade. We have American Lit as well as ISIL 45, which is the um tier three intervention for um students needing that support in reading. And then for math, we've got sixth through 8th grade um built algebra concepts and connections for eighth grade and high school advanced algebra concepts and connections and then geometry concepts and connections. For social studies, we've completed sixth and seventh grade and then Georgia studies for eighth grade, US history, American government and civics, world history, and then personal finance and economics. And then for world languages, we have completed. So, our focuses for this year is to

025finish building biology, chemistry, um sixth and seventh grade science, environmental science, forensics, human anatomy, and zoology. And then we're also um building things into it for ESOL supports and then tier two and three interventions for our MTSS framework u mastery connect assessments and then we're adding a professional development hub within the blueprint and then we're just continue to on uh vet and refine completed courses as we get feedback from classrooms and and lead school leaders. Any questions? >> I have a question. Go ahead, Miss Chambers. Thought I wait a minute. Okay, >> thank you so much. Um, Dr. Smith for that information. I just have a couple of questions. Um, explain to me again what the MCSD blueprint course bills. Explain that to me again. And I know we talked about it before, but explain

026that just a little bit. >> So maybe been a few years ago, a couple to a few years ago, Dr. Lewis tasked division teacher learning with creating a one-stop shop. So basically somewhere a hub where teachers and and lead school leaders could go to access what they need. We wanted to decrease lesson planning time. Um so it's more um of lesson refinement. they can go in and the initial lesson plans are there and they can just adapt. Um so they it doesn't take away all um discretion. They can go in and make it their own. But the the nuts and bolts are there. Um ensure standards alignment and then you know uh so you've got the lesson plans, you've got assessments built in there. Um there's timelines, a number of resources for leaders to to

027be able to see where classrooms should be during the year. And obviously that's a you know that's a a rough guessment because everyone's not going to be on the same place every day. >> Right? So all of this is online and it's like a blueprint that teachers can use as a resource to pull lesson plans and things of that nature and it's aligned with the um state curriculum >> should use and it gives them the pacing as to when they should be on a certain topic so that because we don't want their we do not want to make sure our children go into a test not having seen some things. So it's all based on pacing and the resources that are associated with teaching that concept. >> Perfect. Um okay. So that that's a resource.

028Um just looking at the scores of course um in several areas is less than um last year and um what stands out to me is in the math area. So can you explain to me what are we doing something differently in math? Do we have a new curriculum? um what what are we doing in math? >> That's there's a 20 point difference where of course there's things we can do in reading and we should be doing but the gap is smaller between the state score and our score. >> Right? So, we had a recent change with the with the math standards and they had the these math learning plans that the state built out and so the test is tied tied to what's in within those learning plans and we struggle with buying with the

029learning plans and so that's why we wanted to work on accountability piece and focus more on um making sure that we're implementing the learning plans. Um there's there's learning curves that with any with any change. Um >> so this is new as of >> last year. >> When did we start the learning plan? >> Two years. >> Last year was year two. >> Okay. And is this something we have to use? >> No. >> I mean every district's got flexibility. >> Okay. But it's it's aligned to the assessment our kids are taking and we want them to score well on that those assessments and and what we're seeing that what we're hearing from districts that are using plans um well that they're seeing some increases. So >> yeah, >> the data is telling us that's

030the direction we need to go. >> Okay. Um just a couple more questions. Um, can we get information? I know you gave us the percentages and you sort of grouped in developing and above and proficiency and above. Um, can you give us some solid numbers on the number of students and can you just email it to all of us? Um, how many students do we have at the beginning level? How many students at each grade level do we have developing? How many students are actually proficient um at each one? And um and then can we get some type of comparison on another school district that's our size with with the similar makeup of students? Um, and I'd like to see how they compare to the state as well as what their absenteeism rate um, has

031to, you know, do or compare with ours because I want to make sure I know that um, absenteeism is a problem for us here at the district and I I just want to make sure that we're able to definitively say that is our issue or either rule it out. And I think if we can compare a similar district and see what their absentee rate looks like, we can pinpoint that that may be our our issue and then we can work on that. This gives us this is not the information we want to hear, but it does give us an opportunity >> to pinpoint where can we do better. And so if we look at this information, um I'm not a I'm a firm believer that one test doesn't tell the story, right? >> But at

032the same time, we have to look at this one test and and and see where we can fill in our gaps. And so if we can do that comparison to another district that looks like ours, I think we can pinpoint where is our issue and where do we need to work on what areas >> and no problem >> and physical science. Excellent job in physical science. What what are we doing differently or what are we doing in physical science? Because >> you're referring to >> those were great the eighth grade. >> Oh yes, eighth grade. That was that was a very good I mean we exceeded the state. So >> that's one proof that >> we can do some things that may put us ahead of the state or at least at at the state's

033uh level. >> Right. So >> even with that absenteeism, >> right? Even with our absenteeism. Yes. >> So schools have done a good job of identifying the kids who are good candidates for that high school course in eighth grade. >> So it's a select group of students. Okay. Yeah, that is right. >> Okay. Algebra though, I looked at the scores in algebra. We seem to be closing that gap when it comes to algebra. There's only a 10% difference instead of that 20% gap that we see in mathematics at the lower level and moving into middle school. So when you guys come back next week and talk to us about what we're going to do to improve, can someone sort of look at that and see are we are we using a different um sort of

034approach to the algebra because the scores show that they're better >> um than how we did in in basic mathematics. >> We can share insights we have from algebra classrooms. >> Okay, perfect. Okay, sounds good. I think oh you mentioned this is I believe my last question but I won't promise you mentioned results by cohorts and you gave us some information but I'm unsure on how to process that information what constitutes growth from the cohort if I'm looking at third grade and fifth grade I would hope there would be some growth because they're now two years older >> so what constitutes growth Did they score in beginning perhaps in third grade and now they're proficient and that means that's growth or did they just go up a few points which would be inevitable because they're

035older? >> Well, yes and no. So looked at percentage of students that were scoring proficient and distinguished in third grade versus proficient and distinguished in fifth grade. >> Okay. >> Um there is a drop across the state when students go from third grade to fourth grade. and then a jump back up. Um, and then we've seen that historically. Okay, >> I say historically, it's been a number of years. Back when I was at Blancher as a principal, we saw it then as well. >> Okay. >> Um, but we won't necessarily see um a percentage increase in that proficient distinguish because you're talking about testing different content, >> right? Um, so we do want to see an increase because if if we're seeing an increase in that percentage of proficient and distinguished, we're doing something right

036in in those gains. Um, because you could have that higher percentage in third grade and you let's say I've got a very strong teacher in third grade and then I don't, you know, I've got two average teachers in fourth and fifth grade, my my percentage is going to go down. So, we wanted we want to see those increases of percentages as they go up um in grade level. So, that's really all I was looking at was proficient distinguish and third versus proficient distinguish in fourth or in fifth and we're talking about same kids whereas when we looked at those slides we're talking apples and oranges there different >> apples and oranges. I understand that. Yeah. Um, so any percentage would constitute a grow. >> That's all that slide was saying. Any percentage growth. Okay, sounds

037good. I look forward to next week. And like I said when I started, um, this is an I look at this as an opportunity for us to really pinpoint what do we need to be working on? um because to me there were some distinct patterns, >> right, >> that we could actually pick out in each grade level. So that gives us sort of a direction to move in. So I'm looking forward to next week on how we can sort of solidify the information we've been given and chart a course for success. So >> So thank you. >> Clarifying question. Sure. >> When you say next week, you want another presentation next week or you just want to >> I'm sorry. I think Dr. Lewis might have said next month. Maybe. >> Did you say next

038month? You said we were going to come up with a plan on how we were going to >> to address attendance. That was the attendance. >> Oh, to address attendance. Okay. When are we going to hear the plan on how we're going to increase the scores? Are we going to talk about that? >> That was the focuses on those last few slides before the course build update. So those are going to be our our areas of of our plan of >> and all of that was based off of those specific trends. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Not just those trends. We also had walkthrough information from our content specialists this past year as they've been in the classrooms and based on things they've seen as well. >> Okay. I'll probably just schedule a meeting with

039you if that's okay. >> Um so I can pinpoint like >> I'll schedule a meeting. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right, Miss Tiller. >> Um, I just, you know, I'm sure everybody's concerned and worried, but um, I just want to start off with saying I'm not blaming administration, students, teachers. I do believe everybody is trying their hardest for these students and to help them achieve their goals. But what I'm worried about is that we're putting more standards and more guidelines and more restrictions on these teachers and more requirements on these kids who are not even on grade level from last year and then they come in this year. And I don't and I'm sure there's a reason, but why can't we simplify things? And science and social studies, those teachers are taught reading and

040math. And so the focus, they're learning content while they're learning to read, but the focus is just math and reading. Because if we can't get the kids, I'm not as worried about, you know, soaring through these standardized tests and having these kids who can take tests. I'm worried about having kids who graduate who can succeed. That is my endgame. And when there are that many in eighth grade who are not even close to being on grade level, I just think we have to shift our mind and our thinking to where it's important that these kids have the basics. That 45% that are not even, you know, that are beginner level, we need to just do something where their their science teacher and their math teacher are teaching reading instead of because if they can't read,

041they cannot read to comprehend. So they're not going to do well in those classes. So every day they show up defeated and it breaks my heart because the teachers defeated, the students defeated, the parents defeated. Like we've got to give them some ch some opportunities to win. And I don't know what that looks like. I just I think especially in those younger grades, we can get creative and find ways. And it might be taking time away from a tablet where they have physical books in hands because I think a lot of times math is done in science and they do well because it's hands-on. It's not, you know, I that's a whole another thing. But I do think more manipulatives, especially with younger kids, and then stop pushing more content on children who can't read

042and who can't do the basic math. And I don't know what that looks like. I don't know if that comes from a state level, but um looking at these scores, these teachers this year are already at a disadvantage because they have got to teach eighth grade level to students who are on maybe a fifth grade. And if every student could graduate, and I know this is my little tagline, but with a fifth grade reading level, most printed material is at a fifth grade reading level. But if we cannot get them to fifth grade, I don't care what diploma they have in their hand, we have not done a service to them. And that's why I want to know like they may be below the state levels, but can they actually read? Like are they able

043to read printed material when they graduate? Can they have a job? Can they provide for their family? That is where I'm most concerned is I I hate it about these standardized testings. I know they're important. I don't want to fail these students. And so that's where I guess I'm trying to say is when they're that low, like what grade level are they actually on? >> Does that make sense? >> So the the reading level there's some on the slides there's some Lexile scores that we can give you some some information about what that means. >> Yeah. I just it breaks my heart for these teachers that are getting all these students who are so far behind and then we're like, well, not only do you have to make that up, but you have to teach

044them this or that, you know. And when was the last time, and I know this is a I'm not trying to start a debate, but when was the last time we based reading classes and math classes on ability? >> What you mean ability? You mean like magnific like like >> you know like for these kids who are >> may or may not be able to read. >> Why I mean is you know can we do something to where those kids are learning the basics of reading so that they're not just continuing to fall behind. >> I think we got away from A, B, C, and D. >> I know. Yeah, >> we got away from that. It sounds like you're trying to get >> I'm just saying we got to shake something up to get

045it to work. Yeah, because when you do that, uh, if you put the D-group, the D-group probably wouldn't even do anything. Excuse me. They probably wouldn't even work because, hey, I'm in the D-group. I'm in the area. I'm sorry. >> The Dgroup. It sounds to me that what we got away from long time ago >> about grouping kids. Because when you group kids, kids are locked in a group all the way through school and they are doomed. They feel doomed because they're in the Dgroup, ABC. when you you have to do education. >> You have to do it together. >> You have to do all but I'm just saying kind of what we're doing with the new school. >> We know >> you know like these kids are way in a school to where they

046could get help for what they needed. So I think what they're I think what what maybe Miss Tiller is well let me just say this the differentiated instruction >> right instead of grouping kids which we can't do >> the differentiated instruction brings something about how that's being applied or whatever the opportunities are um for the teachers to differentiate instruction. Am I um were you finished before I ask? >> We are but we are doing it for this new school. We are grouping by reading level. We are grouping by ability level in order to help those who are suffering the greatest. And there is an opportunity to graduate and to move out and to move on. You know >> what what new school are we doing that in? >> K2. >> What are we doing? >>

047Yeah. So we I mean >> I mean she said we are grouping kids and like high group, low group, the F group, the D group, the C group. >> Oh yeah. I'm just saying for a temporary like we got to shake it up and figure out how to help these kids who are not >> Yeah. >> They just have to graduate and be able to >> now the system >> provide for themselves. >> We are doing that. >> I think that so we don't try to figure it out. Let's give them an opportunity to bring back what it looks like, what the process is about what you're doing about the concern. um >> so that we won't make it up and not you know and misspeak or something like that. So just bring that back.

048I don't know when um I don't know how much if if you're expecting more of this data to come down to be released. You want to wait until all of it is released. Whatever it is, just be prepared to bring it back to the board the steps in the process and what it looks like. how we educate children today and how we do all the differentiated instructions for those areas of deficiencies or beginning or whatever. That's >> that would help us so that we won't >> and the grade levels that the people who are beginning level that they're in in eighth grade and in middle school, you know, those the actual their >> reading grade level, the ability the level of their ability. >> Any anything else? >> Another question. Okay. >> Cuz I was

049going to ask my question. I was waiting. No, my hand is up next. They can finish. Okay. >> So, my ma'am, >> I thought mine was up next. My hand. >> But go ahead. >> I was I was first. >> Okay. >> But I acquies. >> Okay. As the as board, I think that's that's pretty much what you do all the time, isn't it? But go ahead. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> So, I was just going to get down because this is your committee. I was going to let you close it out. Is that all right? >> Okay. So, um, you said coming up on the agenda is writable and we've had some other initiatives. Are is that replacing anything? Because we and it's web based, right? This Writable is another web- based web based

050>> program. And so we've had some other tools, some other webbased programming that help you focus on the writing even in those different areas like math and social studies focused on the reading and the writing. I can't call the name right now, but it allowed student it identified what reading level they were on and it gave them opportunities to write out the answer or or take a quiz or whatever. Is this writable replacing this previous or current pro? Is it replacing something or are we adding on something else? >> So, right now there's a gap with that with the current resources that are in place. Um and schools are for the last couple years have been buying. We've had some um there's a couple other programs schools have bought with their own funding and we're

051getting requests from schools of we need something for writing. >> Got it. >> And so this is a a district-wide instead of having to find something and pay for it out of their funds, we're just providing it >> and it teaches them it's going to teach them how to write. Are you going to tell us is is someone going to explain writable or we just going to have an agenda item? >> She can we can have someone explain writable. No problem. We don't have slides for it. But Christine, >> we don't need a slide. We just need to know. >> She can come talk about >> what it hull got. >> He's finished. She's open up for questions. And so not Miss Hull just sit, you know, just have a seat right there on that

052side so you don't have to walk again um until we finish asking all of our questions. But after he finishes this there. This is because we're in this presentation. It's under the education. I think it'll be appropriate for her to go ahead and address um that writable because it's going to come up. >> Yeah, that's going to come up. Um but that that was my question. Is it is it overlapping something? But this is closing a gap. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Bton. >> Oh, okay. Uh I have u first I want to say about Nikki's concerns which are uh uh Nikki's concerns are are are a legitimate and uh what she's expressing is how are we going to do everything but uh in terms of what the system already does to get uh

053people jobs this system already has um we have Miss Thomas of career uh education which I know we got to We have to do everything together. That's what I'm saying. So you work work in uh career education and de develop it that way. And as far as the academics um and you're talking about all the various grade levels within a classroom. So the system also has it depends on how well we do it. I don't know how well we do these things but uh what we are supposed to be doing is uh having personalized and differentiated instruction. And we are supposed to be able to uh with those various grade levels teachers are supposed to be able to and some do it very well some and it also depends on what uh kind of supplementary

054material that the district has. I don't know what we have. I know we had that IDL what is that IDL what was that the uh thing that they um the math and the reading >> ISL. Yeah. So it just depends on how much other uh material that the teacher can supplement with to uh try to identify ways to personalize and to uh differentiate the the instruction and it depends on the teacher's ability and her uh her skills in terms of technology. These kids like technology and a lot of these um uh a lot of these um uh supplementary instruction come through technology. So all of that is is part of that. But we do everything at the same time. We we we don't separate kids anymore because we found long ago that kids get locked

055in and they don't try to have poor um concept uh perceptions of themselves. So we try to do it all. And like you said, it's a very very very very hard uh task for a teacher teacher work work teachers work hard every day and they're trying to do all this what you see every day. That's what they're trying to do. And they work They work hard. But uh what you're said and what we all on the board said, we want some uh direction in terms of what we can get better better on uh to impact our kids academics. That's and so I think they somebody said that they're going to bring us some kind of plan or some kind of things uh at another time. I have two other questions. Um one is I have

056a I don't didn't particularly like the start reading anyway. And so now we have the Amira Ammyra reading. What's that like? Is that Didn't you say that was going to be our screening test or what's that going to be? >> It has a screening component in it. And then there's adaptive activities that children go can go in and work on based on those, you know, as the results from the screen are the springboard for those activities. >> Okay. So that's going to be our screening test for is that uh going to be our screening test like how we screened in the beginning and in the middle that's it. >> It well we're still using star this year. We're transitioning so next year will be a full year of air. >> Oh okay. So once again

057still as he says if we use this he says there are as the kids take take the test there um you say activities on those grade levels for those kids so we're still working it in at the same time I don't know where I don't know when they what class they use that in where in the in the u schedule that they can teachers can work that in but that is a way where you can personalize instruction and work on the grade level at the same time as you uh give kids the uh instruction that the state requires that correct all kids have to take. >> Correct. And currently STAR gives them gives teachers results but then they have to go in and decide what to do with the results where a mirror will help

058with that. >> That's kind of easier to >> and then one thing I did like to start with this because you give it to them today and tomorrow you might have something totally different. That's for the star test. That was the problem I had start. And next thing is y'all explained the data notebooks before. I remember y'all tell me what that's like again. >> So it's it's a >> it's a collection point of a variety of pieces of data that that schools are using to track progress. >> Is it like remember a long time ago? What? 10 years ago, we had you walked in every school, they had a data board. Time you walk in, it's not like that. >> It's not like that anymore. Now it's it's all digital. >> Yeah, that's right. >>

059All digital. All right. So, >> yeah. And see, once again, we got to have people who know how to go in the data, you know, and who's proficient, you know, to go in and know how to read it and know how to apply it and know how to use it in their classroom. So, and the third want to get back to that math that we're using. I think when Miss made that presentation and y'all said that they said we're going to look at it after three years and chambers are very concerned about the mask force and uh we're supposed to look back at after three years to see if it's doing any good. My concern at that time when they presented two years ago if our main priority was that it was just saving a

060lot of money. So at this point when we our scores. I mean, we got another year to look at this program. This is the second I've heard students teachers complain about, you know, it's all So they have to uh make copies and some schools give a certain number of copies you know and some run out machine two or three but down in two places and up in one so when you're relying totally on stuff you know uh you may have problem and so I think next year we need to seriously look at look at whether we need an official math program or math book or some kind of math series other than something we're putting uh online and and uh the way that the uh textbooks are written out every time they make one and

061they have u Georgia California they look at everybody's curriculum and they put if you want they can uh all your textbooks they can do your curriculum because they try to sell books you know so they stud to try to sell that. So I think we need to look at that after three years. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Before you leave, Dr. Smith, I think I have one more question and so does um Miss Tiller. Um, and you don't have to answer this tonight, but if you could bring it back when you come up with the plan. Um, resources for each school. Do we have someone who is looking at each school and saying, "Okay, um, at Brewer, they scored this in um, ELA, and here are the resources they're using. Here are the gaps, and

062here's what we need to change." and and then who is that person that's doing it? Is someone doing it for each individual school? We used to also meet every grade level used to meet and go over the scores and find those trends for that particular school and then fill in the gaps. So when you bring back that information, can you tell us a little bit uh more about the logistics of how each school is handling um approaching the improvement? And then what resources are we using? Like, and when I say resources, not just what curriculum we're using for reading and math. I would like to know that, but also um I'm going to date myself, but >> we used to have reading recovery and that was a long time ago. But I do understand that

063there are certain schools that may have an extra academic coach or they may have um some part-time people that come in and work with those students that need reading. Where are those resources? And if you could give us that information, that would be good. >> Okay. Thank you. And I just wanted to clarify my my request. Um and Miss Putner, I'm very familiar with and star reading and individualized learning plans. I used all of those programs when I taught and I went through all the resources and I did it and I know how they can work and how they can be used. But my my concern that I was trying to bring to you is the almost 50% of students below grade level, how low, you know, that was my concern. And if they are

064extremely low, we got to shake it up. And so that is my concern. It's just how low are those 50%. You know, because we gota we got to help those those kids. We got to make sure that they can they can succeed when they graduate. So that was that was my biggest concern. It wasn't you know, blaming anybody or anything like that. It's just how do we help those who need the most help is my concern. >> Any more questions? >> Never mind. >> Oh, yes, she's with the writing. >> Good evening. Christine Hall, executive director of curriculum instruction, pre-K through 12. Writable came out of a request, several requests from schools to find something that was aligned with the new state standards. So, we went through the process this year of searching for something

065that we knew was vetted, research, and evidence-based and that did have alignment with the new standards. So we had schools using right score, no red ink, you know, Miss Suz's basket of fun phonics. I mean, just all kinds of different programs that weren't necessarily calibrated or or we didn't know what they were giving us in terms of writing. So with writable, it is connected to the H.M.H. suite, which we have for elementary for into reading, and it will it is adaptable with any curriculum. But the good part about it is it already has preloaded assessments and prompts that mirror the skill sets that are needed on the GMASS. And so when a student responds to that prompt, Writable will take them through that crafting and drafting process all the way to the end draft of

066what it would look like for proficiency on the GMASS. and it gives them feedback in in real time. So, as soon as they hit the button, they get personalized feedback for continual improvement on what they have drafted. A teacher can also go in and put in his or her own prompts, sample prompts. We can do that as a district. We can preload it. We can preload it with benchmark assessments. We can preload it with unit assessments, different types of writing prompts. We can do argumentative, opinion, narrative, whatever we need. We can decide that at the district level or at the school level or even down to the teacher level. They can also peeredit writing anonymously so that the teacher can go in, collect every everyone's responses to those prompts, black out the students names, shuffle

067the papers, so to speak, digitally, and then students can also do peer editing and revisions because that is now how our fourth graders, seventh graders, those odd grade levels are going to be tested. It's no longer composing a piece of writing. It's going to be editing and proofreading an already done piece of writing. So, Writable will help us to facilitate that. And that's it in a nutshell. But I can give you um a demo so you can see what it actually looks like in the classroom and I can give you the um the white pages that talk about how the program is set up. But we liked it because it was completely adaptable by the teacher. It is AI based, but the teacher can also take those AI suggestions out or turn them off or

068can ramp them up depending on the need of the student. So, it's highly personalized, but it can also maintain it can be under the control of the teacher, the school, the grade level, however they decide to utilize in the school. So, we're gonna we're piloting for one year. We're going to see how we do, get our feedback from our schools and our teachers. We have some that are already using it with lots of great feedback from them that they really like it. Of course, they showed it to all of their friends and so that became the request is we need something like this. Can we look at getting it? So, that's what we're going to do this year is is do that for everyone. It's also very low in terms of professional development because the

069program is very intuitive, but we will have some professional development built in as well as feedback sessions and coaching sessions with the writable all along the way. And it's grades 3 through 12, but we're only looking at grades 3 through 10 because those are our assessment years. And then 11th and 12th grade under the new standards become English electives, which they certainly still be they will still be writing. And many of those teachers will still have access to the platform if they need it. It also has advanced placement and international balora supports already built in with assessments already built in to the program. So it enhances what the teachers can do with AP classroom. >> So what was some of the programs that they were using in high school and and middle school? I can't

070think of it right now. >> So one of the ones that was really popular was right score. And the frustration with rightcore is that they had to send the student samples off wait for them to be assessed and then sent back to them. So, it was a long lag time before they got any feedback or actual scores from rightcore. And that was what some of our schools has said. They liked it because they were able to at least get a score as many times as they wanted to submit, but they had to wait four weeks, six weeks, whatever that turnaround time was for that to be assessed. Whereas with writable, they can get it right in the minute. seemed like it was another name but it doesn't matter now we have writable writable so yeah

071>> and why this is important if you look at our reading scores are significantly higher than the ELA scores in every grade the difference is the Lexile determines their reading level when they don't write or don't write like they're supposed to that takes them that's affects the ELA score and we have several students who just don't write when they have the opportunity on the test on the state test don't write or write off topic >> or just rewrite the prompt. So you're saying they can read but they may >> well we have kids still are tr have challenged reading but I'm saying our reading scores have continued to improve as you saw up there u continue to improve again that whole idea about the longer they're with us the better they do we have many

072more kids that can read you're seeing are approaching 50 60% reading on grade level >> right it is >> okay but when you get into the writing part that's what affects adversely the ELA score so I want to make sure there's that distinction >> ELA score is not just reading That's what I'm trying to ask. >> Exactly. Right. >> Go ahead. >> That's important to your point, we all are concerned about that. But let me just say >> giving the idea about the whole idea of chronic absenteeism. There was a time before the pandemic hit where we were more like in the 14, 15, 16. Still too high, but significantly less than when you're looking at 22.9. To put that in perspective, that's like six to 7,000 students are missing 18 or more days of

073school a year. You extrapolate that over their entire educational career. 18 days times 12, you start approaching a full year of school they've missed in their educational career. So, we've got to start looking at that. That's why attendance I can't make an empty chair learn. There's not the best teacher I've got cannot teach an empty chair. They have got to be in school every day we possibly can be they're not ill. That is just critically important. Uh we've got we're doing everything we possibly can. We got um Miss Florine Dawkins here who has been a pioneer with the hygiene repository we have to try and take away some of the barriers that some of our children and that's gone from being feminine hygiene products to including everything from soap and toothbrushes, whatever. We have the

074Spanos u clothing uh bank. So, we're trying to take away all the barriers. We've got communities and schools uh with many of our schools trying to make sure that they have uh the wraparound supports they need. We've got washers and dryers in some of our schools, many of our schools, frankly, uh to try and help with that. So, there are a number of supports we're putting in place. We have the health care clinics in three of our schools. We have the mobile dental clinic. Uh that is the number one reason kids miss school nationally is the dental issue. So, we're trying to address, no pun intended, the root cause of of the dental issue. Um, so we've got to continue doing these things, but at the end of the day, um, when we have a

075rainy day, we see attendants just drop off the cliff. We we we can't have that if we're going to improve these scores when they do come to school. And I want to point out, people talk about shaking things up, Miss Tiller, we talk about the Brewer project. It is shaking things up. Um, I want to go back to what I said when they did the presentation before. It's important to recognize that the Brewer project was a pretty bold step. I took some arrows on that and I'm fine with that because it's the right thing to do. Um those children were coming in pretty low, but after one year, an average year's growth in Lexile gains is about 100 points. The average schoolwide was 172 points. Now, keep in mind because of where they came in,

076they're still low performing, but that's one year. >> Give them three years, we can get them to grade level. Then then they can go to those partner schools. >> Well, we're doing that and I want people to understand and hear that that's happening. The Button Schools of Excellence is an initiative that we introduced here to try and work with those partner schools because you got to make sure that when you get those schools where those students where they are coming out of Brewer, they have the supports they need to be effective going into MLK and JD Davis and Dorothy Height, which will then benefit. Again, it's not you're not going to fix this overnight. We're talking about generational issues we're having to deal with. But when you do this work and move those kids in

077then eventually into Eddie and Baker and then on into Kendrick and Spencer and wherever they metriculate to, they're going to be better prepared. But it is not an overnight. But I will tell you this, it is working. But the same thing with the science of reading we did with the Ryan the Rollins project. We're a big district. They can't train the entire district in doing that in one year. That's why we had to break it into three cohorts. So they could do about 10 to 12 schools a year. This will be our third year of that Rollins work. And we will see. I have no doubt, I have every confidence in the world over the next three to five years, you're going to see some significant improvement in reading, but it still doesn't address what

078we got to do with the writing. But nothing will improve if kids aren't in the seats. And I just we next month is uh September is um school attendance month and this has got to be something this has got to be a call to action. It's got to be something everybody recognizes that since the pandemic, and I don't want to use that as an excuse, but the reality of it is the ongoing and stubbornly high chronic absenteeism is affecting schools throughout the country. That's why Superintendent Woods is addressing it in Georgia. But our average is too high. 22.9, that's almost one in four, as we talked about up here. We can and should do better and we will do better because that's what Columbus does. But it's going to take everybody. It's got to mean

079parents who got to get kids to school. It's going to take faith organizations. It's going to take everybody, boys, girls, clubs, whatever it is. Making sure we give this announcement and making sure people understand school is important. It is your first job. You start establishing your work habits right there. And the first thing is show up. I think every employer I know says if they can do this people get people to show up to work on time talking about a win that's a win. I think anybody who employs anybody would say that's important and they've seen that drop off since the pandemic. So we've got to re reassert ourselves in that. But we've got them 180 days. And when a child misses 10% 18 days or more, it's hard for any teacher because keep in

080mind that kids coming in and out of the classroom every day and slows down the progress of possibly others. It's not impossible. We can do this. We've got the teachers who are being trained to do this work and can do this work. And with the resources we have, there is no reason it can't be done. But they've got to be there. They absolutely have got to be in attendance every day possible. And so we accept our respon respons part of the responsibility. But you can see the longer they're with us, the better better they do. And when you look at that reading level, it improves every grade level from third grade when they start being assessed all the way through. We can accelerate that but with through some of the various things we're doing with

081the Rollins work and with the Brewer and with the Button Schools of Excellence, but we've got to have everyone putting their shoulder to the wheel and pushing this rock up the hill together and get us all there. So, >> we need you. >> Go ahead. Okay. So, I think that if we um ramp up the messaging and uh fold in all of our partnerships about the chronic absenteeism, um I think that would be a a great effort. >> Yeah. And when we get them back in school or coming to school regularly with the information that you're going to bring back will help us as a board understand the part of our responsibility when they are in the chair um how we're going to address um and make the progress that we've all been that we're

082all concerned about and elaborating on. Miss Chambers, I've already looked at some of the districts like you're talking about that are comparable to us like a bib, like a Richmond. So, I know where we stand in this that I'm a comp competitive person, too, and I know um I know where we are. Um I'll be glad to share that with you, but I'm not satisfied with that. That's just you're adjusting the mean lower, but we'll be glad to share that with you. Now that the state I thought uh the state passed some uh laws where there will be penalties for parents about but they didn't that didn't go through they tried to okay that was one of the things >> that was a that was a concern that that people in the community were expressing

083about you know hold the parents accountable but you know as the legislators it gave very good examples of creating additional problems and issues. They did not. I know Alabama, >> but we do have the Muscoi uh uh county attendance panel. Dr. Nelson is here and her team works very diligently along with that to to bring parents uh that need some assistance and support. Our first step is to try and provide uh the support to remove the barriers, >> right? >> I mean, obviously, and that's where a lot of the things I just mentioned earlier came from. But at some point, there does have to be an insistence that this is important. It's about talking about the importance and value of education and how we've got to be there. And again, that I I just go

084back to school is your first job when you're a child. >> Yeah. >> To the extent we can to the extent we can. >> We need to work on absenteeism, but factors that we can't control. We need to keep working on the work. Uh Mr. Ho, I want to ask you about that test. Did you say our new test we were going to be uh it's not going to be writing from a prompt, but we were going to be um is this a state test? The way that it's going to be admitted is that uh kids will be uh uh correcting uh errors and >> at certain grade levels. >> Oh, at certain >> so certain grade levels like fourth grade, seventh grade, they will not be crafting >> fourth grade >> a response. they

085will be instead looking at an already crafted >> passage, >> piece of work, piece of writing, and then they will have to edit, proofread, comment, annotate. So, it's a completely different set of skills. >> And so, that's at a couple of different grade levels where they're not actually composing or constructing text, what they call constructing text. Instead, they're evaluating and analyzing text. and they're doing that almost like a peer evaluator or a proofreader might do. So, it's tapping into a different set of skills. They're also going to be doing multimodal writing. So, that's what we were looking for in a writing program as well, which means they in a prompt, they might have a video, a PowerPoint, an article, and a graph. And they have to synthesize all four of those modes together to construct

086their response. And so, Writable does support that. It supports those technology enhanced items that allow them to teachers can insert the videos. They can pull videos that are already in. So, it gives some flexibility because that's the new skill that they're going to be requiring on the state test, the state assessment. >> And and I would like to invite any board member just let me know if you'd like to go visit a classroom. I know Miss Frey and several of you have gone to visit classrooms. So, if you'd like to go visit a classroom and just walk in to see how we're teaching reading or math or whatever, I would invite you to do that. It's important for you to see it rather than let's just explain it. It's a lot better when you see

087it in person the way it's being >> just a regular classroom. >> The regular classroom >> you call me and they won't know in advance because they're used to seeing us come to the classrooms on a regular basis anyway. But I think it'd be valuable for you to come and see that. I invite that. >> You have a question or you're ready to go next? >> I have a comment then I'm ready to go. >> All right, Miss Freay, then go ahead with your committee. I just wanted to to to uh say that this is a obviously a multiaceted issue, but talking about attendance in elementary schools before I've had the pleasure to to come on this board, I served on the attendance panel and over 75% of the students who were in front of

088us with and these were 20 plus absences already and some of them we're seeing in early fall and they were already up to, you know, well into the teens of absences are elementary students. >> Yeah. That transition from daycare, >> you know, at daycare, they just show up whenever they show up. >> Elementary school students who are not responsible for getting themselves too, >> right? That's right. >> So, they get miss those found foundational years and then we're applying pitch catch. Again, not not the complete answer. I think all of these other things I think we have to have a multi-layered approach. But again, love to participate by making sure that we get the word out. Students can learn if they're in the classroom. >> Yeah. Big girls. >> Again, if you doubt that, just

089just look at the distinguished, the proficient learners. You don't see large numbers of absences. I mean, it's just as clear as can be when you see the breakout. And the ones who need the most are the ones >> who are missing it. You miss out. You miss school, you miss out. >> That these kids generally >> the kids generally who we we're talking about, they see no value in what we're doing. They don't they don't come to school a lot of times because their parents or neither that they don't see how they can use what we're doing. So when they're in school, we got to um show them what we're doing is important now because it's not just being in there because sometimes they make you they're in there. I I have u we have

090certain kids that come to school, they just love to come to be social. So they come to school, they're just not doing anything but cutting up. But I'm just saying they uh but when when they come to school, you know, uh kids who come in a home that doesn't parents love Parents love their kids, but there's a certain value that we have in education. And when uh you don't have that value in you don't see kids don't see what they're doing. They don't see why it's important, you know, and so aside from just coming to school, we have to form, you know, we have form relationships to students or try to teach them like that. you know, showing them consistency, organization, but they got to learn that damn stuff, too. When they get there, we

091got to keep them. We got to keep them keep what they do. see that what we're doing is important. >> Well, the other thing I want to point out too is in every school in our district, we have proficient and distinguished learners. So, it's not concentrated just in certain schools. We have bright kids in every school and when they get the opportunity, they flourish and I think that's important to recognize too. So, thank you. >> We've done this group with education. >> Thank you. go on to our library report. Again, a wonderful report for the for the month of August. Uh well, for for work that happened in July. Uh the the awards will come out next month for those who participated in the summer reading program, uh participated with the Frank Chester senior picnic.

092But I thought it was really really neat that u there was a family from Eastern Europe that came to the library to get acclimated to the community and and was excited about some things. But I have to I would be remiss if I did not recognize our library director who placed second in his age category in the Valley Healthcare 5K run on Saturday. >> What's the matter, Alan? It was only two of y'all. Well, there were three prizes, so there was three. >> That's cool. >> And going on to our other wonderful partner, Maryanne at the museum. Again, a record-breaking month of July for over 7,000 visitors. Um, and just all kinds of things going on. Uh, and really really uh interested and and excited about the relaunch of the PAL program. Um, I know

093that next month I think um there's going to be a presentation to the board talking about the PAL program coming back to schools. But very exciting. Once again, the Columbus Museum was accredited. It's been accredited since 1972 and only 3% of the nation's 33,000 museums are accredited. So I think congratulations on [Applause] >> That's the end of my report, Madam Chair. Thank you, Miss Fner. I don't know whether Allan knows that uh um Lori McRay, she uh on her Facebook page, she always uh advertises the library. So, in case you didn't know that. >> All right, Miss Sly discipline. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. There are no items submitted for the discipline committee. Thank you, Miss Tillery. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Um, we have one policy, board training plan. By statute, the state

094board of education is required to adopt a training plan for members of local board of education and may period periodically adopt revisions such as training plan as it deems necessary. This agenda item is to meet the requirement of the law that the Muscogi County Board of Education adopt the training plan as established by the state board of education. And um currently it is policy on December 3rd, 2025 and the whole board training is a tenative for March 25th, 2026. There any questions? If not, I'll return it back to you. I was just making sure that the December the 3 was when we go to Atlanta. We're not doing it here, right? The policy training. >> Is that the Okay. GSBA. Okay. Thank you so much. Personnel committee. Uh Superintendent is recommending Dr. Courtney Holmes to

095serve as director of special ed. Nope. To serve as >> GET's director. Um, are there any questions? That's the Wood All program. None. All right. Item number two. Superintendent is recommending the approval of confidential consiliation agreement with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to settle a matter of a former employee that was discussed in executive session. All right, that will be next week. We'll be ready to vote there. The personnel report is the third item. Um you will see the attachments for the vacancies. um the new hires, the resignations, and the vacancies in the operations and facilities division. Are there any questions? All right. Construction committee, Mr. K. Miss, Miss Carter, welcome back. Yes. Welcome back, Carter. Funny. Thank you, Madam Chair. Moving on to construction committee H1 resolution FY23 capital outlay. Has been determined

096that the funding source for the below listed FY23 COP projects for school nutrition can change from East BLOS to the school nutrition federal funding source which does not include which does not allow for the capital outlay project reimbursement. The funding source change allows the school district to maximize the dollars spent on these projects and other future projects. Removed from the FY23 COP entitlement applications, restored entitlements, JD Davis the cooler freezer phase 4 Georgetown dishwasher and Reese Road Elementary the cooler freezer. After initiating the projects, it has been determined the scope of the actual project would not meet the requirements for the COP reimbursements and would be more advantageous to utilize COP funds for future projects. Removed from the FY23 COP entitlement applications and restore entitlements is Arnold Middle re-roofing phase two, Brewer Elementary renovation phase

0972, JD Davis renovation phase two, and Hardaway High renovations and key elementary renovations phase two. Superintendent's recommendation to approve the resolution to redraw the FY23 COP COP project listed above. Any questions, ladies? If not, we'll move on to agenda. Okay. I'm sorry, Kia. Go ahead. >> Um, just want to clarify. So we are not using the esplash funds and we are allowed to use nutritional funds to do capital projects. And then what is the advantage? Again it says it would be advantageous but what advantage do we have? Are we able to then get a reimbursement if we use it through the nutritional federal program? Uh yes, ma'am. Jeff Battles, director of construction. So we we found it more advantageous for the use of our dollars to use the federal money to pay for those projects

098and not when we use the um COP projects, we pay for it ourselves and then they reimburse us a part of that. Um and and and we found it more advantageous to use the federal money for those programs than than the COP then go through the COP entitlement route >> because >> uh it was better use of the the the total funds. >> Okay. >> Instead of a partial reimbursement. >> Yes, ma'am. >> That's right. >> Okay. Perfect. Okay. And that is allowable from the nutrition fund. >> Uh yes, ma'am. Every everybody's been signed off on. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Perfect. All right, sounds good. Thank you. >> No other questions. Moving on to agenda item H2, building assessment, Winton Arts Academy. The construction department is requesting the approval of Hec Burdishaw Architectural Firm to

099access the building envelope at Winton Arts Academy for potential defects in the exterior walls. The firm will conduct the assessment and provide recommendations for appropriate construction solutions. Impact funding for the purchase not to exceed 35,000 will be expanded from the capital project function to the capital project fund east blast. Superintendent's recommendation approve hec beraw architects to assess and make recommendations to rectify the potential defects in the exterior wall at Winton Arts Academy. Any questions, ladies? If not, we'll move to our next one. The agenda item H3, HVAC project delivery method. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment at Blackman Road Middle School and downtown elementary schools to be replaced as equipment has outlived has outlived its life expectancy. The typical life expectancy of a HVAC equipment is 20 years. Most of the equipment at these

100two locations ranged from 30 to 31 years of age. The cooling tower at both locations was changed in 2000 due in 2025 due to imminent failure. The next step is replace remainder of the HVAC equipment. The construction department is requesting the board to approve a construction manager at risk. The construction department will advertise and receive bids from construction companies to implement the designed HVAC replacement at the above locations. The CM will work with the engineering company to provide additional expertise in the installation of the HVAC equipment. Superintendent recommends approved construction manager at risk as the delivery method for installing the remainder of the HVAC equipment at Blackman Road Middle School and Downtown Elementary. Any questions? >> I do have a question. This is just being proactive because it's at the end of its usefulness. Or

101are they >> not working right now? Do they have he uh AC? So, these buildings were scheduled our East Plus replacement. So, they do have AC. The cooling tower was replaced because of uh you know the imminent failure on that. that's already been replaced and now it's time to actually replace all the other equipment. So, it's just a scheduled event. >> Thank you. >> Any more questions on it? Moving on to the agenda item H4, HVAC project engineering assignment, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, HVAC equipment at Blackman Road, Downtown Elementary to be replaced as the equipment has outlived its life expectancy. The construction department is requesting the board to approve Peach Engineering to design the HVAC equipment and replacement at the above locations. The cost to be taken from the 2024 SPLOS was 6% of

102the construction budget. The superintendent's recommendation award a contract to Peach Engineering to design the HVAC equipment replacement at Blackman Road and Downtown Elementary. Any questions, ladies? Moving on to H5, Riggden Road, HVAC project delivery. The chiller unit at Riggden Road Elementary has experienced partial equipment failure, rendering the system in need of replacement. The construction department is requesting the board to approve a construction manager at risk. The construction department will advertise and receive bids from construction companies. CM will work with the engineering company to provide additional expertise at the installation of the HVAC equipment. The superintendent's recommendation approve the construction manager at risk delivery method for installing HVAC equipment at Rigdon Road Elementary. The last one, H6 construction status report is a slideshow. Ladies, do you all have any questions for September? Okay. >> Oh, this

103will be held at the September board meeting >> for this for the slideshow presentation. >> Okay. That's all for construction committee. Madam Chair, >> thank you very much. All right. Next, Dr. Chambers, Finance Committee. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Under the finance committee, um, number one are a list of the financial statements. The review of the district's financial statements is a part of the board's ongoing oversight of the financial activities of the school district. Presented um for the board's review and approval are the following financial reports as of or for the period ending of June 2025. Number one is the financial statements. We get those every month. Number two is a list of our investment summaries to include our bonds. Number three is the esplash revenue and number four are the capital project expenditure reports.

104If you notice board members, it says preliminary. All of these are pending our yearend um closeout. And when will that close out be official? Um, we will have the audited financial statements in December. >> Okay. And so we will vote on this again, the final in December. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. So, this is just a preliminary. So, if you have any questions, um, let us know. Now is the time. Okay. Hearing no questions, I'll go on to number two. This is a list of budget adjustments. If you look at 2A, we have the CTAE extended day grant. Um, this is from $11,338 coming from the general fund. This is additional um allocation of budgeted funds that will be increased by the $1,338 um dollar and the uh grant total is attached. Any questions?

105Okay, B, C, and D are all CTAE. Um B is CTA supervision grant and um this is a small amount, but they're asking for an additional $255. Um C is the uh CTAE industrial certification grant. This is an additional $15,000 and it is attached. Please stop me if you have any questions about either of these. And the last one for CTAE is the um DCTAE Perkins V program grants. And this is a reduction in our budget by $47,581. Okay. Hearing no questions, I'll go on to E, which is our um fiscal year 2025 preK summer transition. Um, and this is actually a reallocation of the budget. So, there's no change in the revenue. We're just changing um the where the money is coming from. Correct. Okay. All right. And moving down to um another budget

106adjustment is F for the feminine hygiene Georgia schools and that's for $95. Okay, small budget adjustments there. I'll move on to number three. These are our new budgets. This is the Title OneA school improvement grant that's for $825,000 and that is a that is attached. This grant will fund a variety of salaries, benefits, and operational expenditures to support teaching and learning um at state determined schools for the fiscal year of 2026. Any questions about our new budgets? Okay, hearing none. Number four is a list of our competitively bid purchases. One is for linen cleaning and the other is for gym floor refinishing. Um, one is for 15,000 and B is for funds for the purchase not to exceed $90,000. And this is for refinishing several uh gym floors in the Msco County School District. Hearing

107no questions, I'll go on to number five, which is purchase exception A and B. In accordance with um our board policy, the superintendent is recommending that we approve um the following. One is Lexia, which is a web-based subscription and um this is a funding purchase not to exceed $55,000. This is an additional expenditure. So the total for 2026 is actually $319,285. Okay. Uh B is for our IB programs. This includes um a budgeted amount not to exceed $100,000. And this is the fees and the examination fees that we have to pay for our students to be able to participate in the IB program. Any questions about that board members? Hearing none, I'll go on to purchase C. This is HMH, which is the digital writing program. We heard about this earlier. This is the writable

108um that Miss Hull uh went over earlier. The funding total for that is $188,838 and that will be used um from third grade to 10th grade. Okay. D is for the University of Oregon PBIS license renewal and that information is attached. E is for the Hartland school solution software and this is for school nutrition. F is infinite campus and K12 solution software. This funding purchase is for $37,500. Um G, H and I are all um for special education. One is called Touch Math Math Curriculum and that's a purchase not to exceed $50,000. H is ever resource cognitive disabilities. That's $35,867 and that's coming out of general fund. And the next one is NCS persons. This is an assessment materials again to be used um in the special education department. Hearing no questions, I'm going to

109move on to u number six, which is purchase exception D. These are all of our renewals. There's only one and that is for uniforms for the school nutrition and it is a purchase item not to exceed $100,000. Okay. Number seven, purchase exception E. This has to do with um the internet uh fiber circuit. And this is actually is this one at Connect Stadium? Let's see. This is a funding um source for $28,800. The Department of Enterprise Services is seeking approval to purchase an additional circuit to the existing WAN circuits provided. Um this is a backup circuit. I I apologize. This is when the internet goes out, we need to have a backup circuit. And so this will actually cover us so that um when the internet goes out we can still continue to work. So

110that is $28,800 I think well spent number. Go ahead Dr. Lewis. If >> I may you may recall that last year we had a couple of internet outages for various reasons that occurred and this will be a give us a secondary line that would help us to switch over and eliminate the downtime. So appreciate Mr. Pleasant and all of his team working to get that secondary system in place. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. All right. Number eight, purchase exception F. This is an invitation to bid. So, we have actually um sent those out and the first three I believe are from school nutrition. And um I do have a question about this one if someone could explain it to me. But A is um for um $440,6453 and this is from school nutrition to purchase

111chicken. Um but it does say Carton Carolton City Schools approved board agenda and there's some kind of piggyback program and so I wanted to someone to explain that to me. And so it's three different items and they are all going through the Carolton City School Board first. So I just wanted to know what that was about. >> Okay. Dr. Anderson, >> good morning. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> Travis Anderson, chief operations officer. So that is a very similar to doing a state approved contract. Once another school district has already gone through the purchasing process, we're allowed to use that purchasing contract to have those same deals. >> Okay. To have the same deals. >> Have the same deals. >> Okay. So, that's why it's called the piggyback program. >> Exactly. >> Okay. Very good.

112Learn something new every day. Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. >> Um, so A, B, and C are all participating in that um, piggyback program, >> correct? Yes. All right. Thank you. All right. Any questions? Any further questions? All right. Thank you, Dr. Anderson. Um D. Chattam Police Vehicle Emergency Equipment. This is a funding um from the ESPOSH for $65,794 to equip our um police cars. And um E is net planner. This is a network cabling for Connect Stadium. Okay, any questions about those? All right, moving on to number nine. Um, exception G. These are our professional services. One is for academic staffing for um speech pathologist. This is for an additional $120,000 board members. So that brings our total to $658,235.70 um for speech pathology. Any questions? Did you have a question? Okay.

113All right. Purchase exception B. This is for nursing services and this is um an additional $685,000 and that is a not to exceed number that will bring our expenditure for um nursing services for 2026 to $869,857 oneonone services and I have asked for a breakdown from finance They're going to send us a breakdown of which schools are receiving those services. Okay. Uh exception C, Brit David Magnet School. This is for an afterchool program for Fab Arts Incorporated. as a part of the afterchool program at Brit David Elementary. They're asking for 24,000 not to exceed $24,000. And D is for the Columbus um Space Science Center. This is so that our students can go to the science center and on field trips and that funding is not to exceed 65,000. Any questions about that board members?

114The last one is a soul source. Um item 10 is fuel inventory and number 11 are our donations. And we want to thank all of the citizens for realizing that schools can't do it alone. We received almost $8,000 in donations to our schools um over the last month. So, thank you so much for that. And that concludes the finance committee and I'll turn it back over to you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you so very much, Miss Bookner. >> All right, I let I let one thing pass me about the um Hardway um Hardway and uh the middle school and Club View. >> Uh >> the um >> which item >> I can't remember. Um >> I can't it's just the fees. I just want to know uh it was talking about fees for those particular

115programs. U the kids have to pay a fee when they take that test or whoever >> the IB the IB exams. >> Okay. So kids don't have to pay. Okay. I didn't know whether the fee was for the program and then kids had to pay but >> it sure. So, in that one item, it tells you that it pays for the fees for the IB program as well as the assessments for those students that are in the IB program. >> Yeah. >> Do we pay for the uh AP classes? >> Two, >> huh? >> We pay for what now? >> Two. One. One. >> Two AP exams. You mean >> generally speaking, we pay for two exams. >> The AP exams. Do we >> so in the past the kids were paying based on a

116fee reductions for the AP exams. Okay. Um Okay. So, what you're saying is important. Somebody may want to hear it. So, if you would come to the microphone. Um are when the state makes its determination based on what it's going to pay for are are we MCSD paying for those exams as we do the IB exam? >> We are not. So we do honor all the fee reductions. So if they're whatever their their personal financial situation, they have to apply for that fee reduction from the college board. So the college board will honor whatever the state of Georgia decides to do in terms of paying for free exams. So we haven't gotten that information yet. As soon as we get that information, we'll know if the state is going to compensate for an exam in

117what area and then we can make determinations based on that. Miss >> Butner, >> Miss Butner, >> the IB is paid directly from our budget. >> Correct. And the um so when we do the IP IB when they uh get the IB diploma and when they take those exams, they take one in how many subjects? for >> it depends on what their pathways are. So again, it's if they're a a C a college prep, I mean a career prep student, a diploma student, depends on which areas they're taking those exams. >> I'm talking about that real that I'm talking about the one the academic one. the one that's that one that compares to the whole nation and all over the real hard test that you when you go to college usually you have two years

118of college behind you. So we pay for that for those people too. >> We have the IB exams built into our budget. It's a much smaller number of students, >> smaller, >> right? And it's it's determined based on what that student is taking those exams in, but we work with the research assessment accountability department to determine what those students need and we build in enough of our budget to that we pay out of our funds for the IB exams. We do not do the AP exams the same way. Okay, that's what I was just wondering when I I didn't know that we paid for those and then I just thought about the um the other ones that the other kids take. Let's say that um someone could could not afford to take test. what what

119will happen uh at one of these schools that have >> so a lot of times they the students themselves will make and their families will make those decisions as a family as to which exams they will take or will not take based on many factors. It could be preparedness for the exam. It could be that they do or do not need it for college credit. It there's a lot of factors that go into determining which exams they'll sit for. Of course, we encourage them that if they're in an AP class, we'd really like for them to sit for an exam. And we do let schools know if they have students in need and they do need assistance with paying for those exams to let us know what those barriers are so that we can we

120can help. >> That's that's what I was getting to because we you we may have some super smart kids who can't, you know, who won't take the test because they can't afford to. you know, all all kids that's taking um those tests, they are not, you know, some of them just may not have them and I don't know who has money, who doesn't, but that's one thing I was just saying for in situ in certain situations do or do we pay for them or figure out how to pay? >> We have we've had those situations come up every year and we handle that on a case-by case basis dealing with the school and the family to make those determinations and we do we do build in some extra for that. Uh, a lot of times

121the when the state lets us know what they're going to do, then it helps us better inform where we need to push in and where we need to provide some assistance. >> Are we are we measured in any kind of way based on, you know, we have all of these students taking these AP classes and probably very few of them are taking the AP exam. Are we measured any way on offering in these kids taking and doing passing the classes but not testing? >> So we are rewarded for students who do take the exam even if they score a one or a two that they've sat for that exam which in and of itself is is rigorous. Um, we're when those lists come out every year for AP honor schools or AP schools of distinction,

122those are those are calibrated based on exam participation or even just course participation. So, there's many ways that the College Board honors us and rewards us as a district and the school uh and those students. they there's designations, but we're there's no metric tied to whether or not a student actually sits for the exam as opposed to sitting in the course. Of course, we encourage it from our from our end from every child to aspire to sit for that exam because that's that's the point of being able to be in that course and and showing what they can do and what they know and then earning that credit based on that. And and it's really changed with the post-secary system. Now, they may be sitting in an AP class, but they don't actually need that

123for college credit. They may be getting that in dual enrollment. And we have a high number of dual enrollment students that choose to do the dual en dual enrollment course instead of the AP course. So, it it really is um not detrimental for any of our students to sit in an AP course, do well in that course, and then not sit for the exam, even though we would like for them to. So we we try to remove as many barriers as we can >> and I was talking about the district but you did answer that. So we are we it's beneficial for us to offer the course the students to take the course rather successfully. >> Um and it's and then it's the more who take the exam the better it is for us >>

124being acknowledged for that distinction. Okay. >> Correct. >> Got it. >> All right. If I could just and I let this one get by with without saying anything. Um on uh 5F the infinite campus it talks about um purchasing a new software to help with registration. I know having just gone through registration and verification. Any description on how that might streamline the process might be helpful to those watching. >> Oh >> yes ma'am. We're currently using that software. That's what has allowed us to go paperless, largely paperless. We still have some forms that have to be filled out manually, but um this is we've had this for a little while now. That's what our OR is is run from the online registration. >> Ideally, we're going to get rid of the papers. There's some things

125that >> hit your hit your mic. >> I heard that a lot is I filled it out online. and I answered the questions and then I got to the school and had to fill out the same paper and answer the same questions. >> So yeah, so they certain >> probably elementary is it elementary that we see that >> certain schools are asking for for the paper documents, but they we really shouldn't need to fill anything out that you've completed already. >> Thank you. I and I have I have three boys that we've we had four, but I've done it many many years, so I know how how arduous it can be. >> Well, I I I must say I um as a parent really like the online registration and I really would like for and

126and y'all it did a great job. Um but if we can just maybe push it down to the school level as as we continue to do what we do districtwide about um making the appearance with all the media and social media encouraging the online registration. But if the schools start pushing it out um in May to go ahead and get that done so that schools can go ahead and know who's um assigned to their building and be prepared to you know to do all of the things that are important because it was it's just a it's still astonishing to me um that parents have not done the online registration. That's just astonishing to me and it's They do. The schools are set up for them to come in and use the computer at school with

127someone assisting them. And that that was part of the reason why I say I don't know what closing out of school looks like, but if um there was a way to for the schools to really start kind of working on that at the end before everybody takes off. Um, I know we have at the end we have these um, if you hit your mic, you want to talk that we have these planning for the next school year. That would be a great addition to >> planning. >> We're we're much farther ahead now than we ever have been in terms of of the number of online registrations that we have. Um, I talked to Dr. Forte and he and he told me we're we're well beyond where we normally are. >> We partnered with Kimberly Wright

128and communications to do a big push. Um, course that push later. So, um but we did see we did see some fruit from that. So, our aim is to start that process earlier with doing the the saturation and things that we did with her um which seemed to prove successful in terms of getting more folks in. But you're right, there's a bottleneck when the year starts um from folks who, you know, wait till the last minute and then they're very frustrated. Um so, we would like to see them do that much much earlier. I heard a school message that um was very convincing that, you know, you can show up day one for school and not have registered. You won't you won't be in class. You're going to be waiting over there in the media

129center till after we get the school day started for everyone who has registered their kids and verified their students. Um and that seemed to have created a long line of people um trying to get their assistance that they needed to um get their students registered. But I think starting in May with drowning them out um hopefully that will help. >> Actually, we started in March this past year. We started >> I know but I'm talking about with the messaging with the pushing it down is what I'm talking about. Um we and it they've started in March and April in previous years. >> Well, and how this affects everybody. We'll talk about this at some point, but if you don't enroll and you need bus transportation, that pushes you out two to three weeks because we've

130got to serve the ones who we've got registration on all. >> That's only fair. >> So, I mean, exactly. So, it does it's only fair >> exacerbate the frustration when people can't get bus transportation. But if you wait till when school starts, that's what we're faced with. >> And and of course, I would also like to encourage our friendly helpers for those people who cannot or uh who will need help. I would encourage friendly helpers. People who >> are you saying friendly helpers? >> Yeah. You said you said they can go to the school. Sometimes people are busy. Sometimes it seems like they're put off by >> Yes, I get what you're saying. But what I'm what I'm talking about the school they are set up specifically for that. >> Yeah. >> That that's what

131they're focused on. That's that is the effort that they're making to provide that service because if you are you know the school officials are very familiar with how to operate the program and they can go in and help them assist them along because it's real simple. It's really easy and they can help the parents or the guardians by doing it for them at the school. >> Well, that's good if if they do that. Now, sometimes we say we do that, but it's good if we do that because see, a lot of a lot of students have grandparents who are raising them >> and we we talk about something something happening in actuality as opposed to something that we say is happening. And um >> well I think I say it is >> I'm just going

132to venture out to say that because the numbers were less this year than it's ever been that that has had some impact. Yeah. And that they're taking advantage of coming to the school and down here to the impact. Am I correct? They can come here also and and get that assistance. >> Every time I walk those people are fussing. If you walk in here they fussing about something. True. You know >> they're fussing about having to wait, >> right? Yeah. They have to wait because they I don't know how to do it. >> Yeah, I know. No, what I'm saying is they're fussing about having to wait to get any kind of and it may not necessarily be online registration, which that's something that they could probably work on. What they're fussing about down here.

133>> My whole point >> is just make sure that we have friendly help. That's it. >> Okay. Friendly help. >> Smiling faces ready to assist. Uh Dr. Louis, would you let us know how the first week went as far as >> waiting his turn >> buses and did we have any questions? >> Yeah, we got one more question then he's going to close it out like he normally does >> and things of that nature registration like a overhaul, >> but I'll my question is on um it's off topic. It's on um exception G professional services. This is an HR related question. When we hire a new teacher or new staff member, we have a certain list that >> which number G >> uh all of them. >> I'm I'm just asking when when we have

134people who are professional services that interact with students, do they do the background check, the drug screen, do they have all of that? We have record of all of that that is that has happened. >> When we hire a teacher, they have to be background checked. They have to have drug screening. They have to have all that. I was just making sure all of our professional services that interact with children have the same protocol. >> 100%. >> Yes. We um in most cases they don't come through us. Uh what we have is that um there's an agreement that you have with the professional services and they have to meet those. Uh however, if there's a a gap, we will fill the gap because we will never put anybody in front of our kids who is

135not has appropriate background check that comes back >> and if it comes back that the company didn't do it that's in breach of contract so we can >> absolutely >> okay ready sir >> all everyone all minds are clear all right now we'll hear from the superintendent >> okay you've already heard that we've had more online registrations that completed than we've ever had in the past and again kudos to Miss Wright and to everybody in student services who made that happen Dr. Forte, your team appreciate that very much. Um, I want to share with you about our vacancies. If uh you want to share about our vacancy report that too, but in general, our staffing across the district has been the best since before the pandemic in terms of teachers, in terms of bus drivers,

136culinary, and so on across the board. Doesn't mean we are perfect. We don't doesn't mean we don't have any vacancies, but uh it's been the best we've had since before the pandemic. So, that's been encouraging. just said it. >> Oh, sorry. >> No, I'm very excited. Um, there's been a lot of activity. There's been a lot of interest. Um, a lot of grassroots. Um, but I think we have the right strategy in place. Uh, and and it hasn't ch it's ever evolving. So, we're still trying some new things to see what happens. Um, but the vacancies are low, especially compared to any other larger district. Um, but we're definitely at preandemic numbers and that is That's a great win. >> And I don't know if Dr. Anderson's here, but I can als I can brief

137him. You want me Oh, you want me to brief what you sent me? Okay. Dr. Anderson's been out in the field this afternoon covering. So, anyway, uh but we had um over 500 work orders completed over the summer getting ready for preparation uh since the start of school and moving furniture and that kind of thing around, just getting classrooms set up. Uh we served 35,562 breakfasts last week, 87,822 lunches last week. Uh we have 130 traditional bus routes, 53 sped routes, and we have 1,25 new transportation requests received just during the first week. 1,025 new transportation requests received during the first week. Um so that covers most of the plant services and operations. Uh overall I've been I have visited all 52 schools. Um and I'm pleased to say that all of them are excited.

138I've talked to all the principles. Uh they reiterated the fact they felt good about their staffing, the people they've hired. Um I want to give kudos to our facilities departments. They have worked tirelessly throughout the summer. Many of the schools were repainted this summer. So when you walk through you see a brand new fresh look in the schools. Um the security vest fuels that were slated to be up and running have all been completed or most of them are just right at the finish of completion. Uh so all our projects we're pleased with that. Uh you've heard about what we're trying to do instructionally in all of our schools with the training uh with the empower we had just before school started. So I feel really good about this year. I feel like with all

139the things we've talked about here, we're going to have one of the best years ahead of us. we've had in several years since the pandemic in light of instruction uh and results. Just be patient with us and if we can get kids in school, I want to just keep harping on that because it's important for us to get those kids in school. But I feel really good about what we're doing with the Rollins work. I've talked to several teachers who are excited about the year and the resources we have in place. Uh to your point, content specialists have been going through and doing a detailed analysis of each school, where they are, looking at how well they implemented some of the curriculum um like our blueprints and some of our other resources uh with fidelity

140and where that's happened, we've seen good results. Where it did not happen as much, maybe not as much. So, we know that it does work when people follow the plan. And so, that's why we're talking about monitoring more closely going forward uh to make we have all those resources in use that you all graciously paid for. So we want to make sure well I shouldn't say you approved citizens paid for. Uh so but um I feel really good about the year like I said in talking with the teachers, the administrators and visiting schools. They're excited for the new year. I've talked to several uh students. They too are excited to be back. So I think we're going to have a great year but of course um it's going to take all of us. And I

141just want to say once again, whether it's attendance or instruction, when we all I know one thing about Columbus, what I've witnessed and what I experienced personally and professionally, when we decide to do something, it gets done. Uh so it's going to take all of us doing it together and I feel confident we will accomplish that this year and we'll see great growth. So look forward to it. Thank you. >> Thank you so very much with that. this meeting. Miss Tiller, >> I just wanted I had a question about the I know we have a ton of new hires and um Dr. Lewis and I have talked about it. Some of the new teachers had contacted me and with them we are I' I've reassured them and told them we were right on track for

142everything, but they were just wondering when some of the final documentation would they would get it because >> everybody's just nervous >> and so they're just they just want the final, you know, >> for what? So, the contract process is uh if you look across the state of Georgia, it is it happens. You have you actually have a letter, a conditional hire letter that says where you work, who you're going to work for, >> um you know, what you're going to do, your title, your what you make. Uh and it's a conditional hire until you meet all your prerequisites. Then there as you put the information into the system for the 300 600 people you're hiring and about 300 of them are teachers and they come in the order they come and they process in

143the order that they come and it literally takes 15 if everything was ideal it takes 15 days to get everything in the system for each individual. So there are ways in which we can we can to do some automatic things. Um, our capabilities aren't there. So, we're trying to find some ways around trying to see if we can speed it up even more when and we as a cabinet are getting together and kind of strategically look at that um, you know, getting ready for the first day kind of thing. And that's and that's a big one. But what we don't want is for um Paige to say don't start because it impacts uh the the employee ne negatively. If they're not here, they don't get a credit for a full year. If they don't show

144up on the first day of school, it impacts their benefits. If they don't show up on the first day of school, we do not want to negatively impact >> I need some clarity. >> Teachers. Yes. >> So they have conditional letters are not showing up first day of school. >> No. No. They are. But Paige is uh the the word is is that Paige is is telling them um if they don't have a contract, don't come to school. >> It and we we have streamlined. There's still issues we're still working through because >> my daughter is a first year teacher there. my oldest daughter and um in another district that will remain nameless. Um they told her she could expect her contract September 15th and it's a much smaller district so you can >> you

145have something else? >> No, I did not. Did you have Is that >> Oh, I'm sorry. Because I think a lot of people were nervous with all of the budget cuts that they were concerned that maybe you were holding back because >> yeah they were just concerned because >> of buying houses or rental, you know, they just they felt insecure and so I've been >> that's what that and but the other thing that we're doing as well is we're being very transparent. they they not only get that conversation uh during orientation, they they get it at the new employee extravaganza and they've been given a timeline twice. >> So I um we want to stay in front of it, but I do understand it's we are not saying that there aren't any concerns because you

146want everything, you know, packed and and orderly. Uh and we we are doing the absolute best that we can and we're trying to find other ways to streamline as best we can. and I've relayed the information, but I just think sometimes when it's said publicly that it is it's heard a little better. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Good deal. Okay. We can this meeting is over. We can wave goodbye. Good night, everybody. High dreams like [Music] fire in our soul. This is the place where we [Music] loud and proud. Let the world hear. We'll rise. We'll shine. We'll make it clear. This is our year. Here [Music] weaving the way. F's calling. We're on our mark. We are the roots, the wings, the flame. Every victory calls our name. No

147mountain to high, no road to muscoi county. This is our year. Loud and proud. Let the world. We'll rise. We'll shine. won't make it clear. [Music]