Board of Education Meeting 11/10/2025 USD 457

001flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Go back for a minute. Y Okay, go to item B. We'll have a moment of silent reflection. Thank you. Okay, go on to item C. We got meetings of notes. Board faculty meeting at Alter Brown Elementary School on Wednesday, November 12th at 7:30 a.m. Four or more board members may be in attendance. Board faculty meeting at Aubbert Elementary School on Wednesday, November 12th at 4:10 p.m. Four or more board members may be in attendance. Also have the board faculty meeting at Georgia Matthews Elementary School on Tuesday, November 18th at 4:15 p.m. Four more board members may be in attendance. We have the Crystal Apple Award

002banquet at the Clarion Conference Clarion Inn Conference Center on Thursday, November 20th at 6:30 p.m. where four or more board members may also be in attendance. Have a board faculty meeting at Garfield Early Childhood Center on Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:30 a.m. or more board members may be in attendance. and board faculty meeting at Jenny Wilson Elementary School on Wednesdays, December 3rd at 4:10 p.m. Four more board members may be in attendance. Item D, the approval agenda with the following amendments. Item D1, add item F4A on the consent agenda. Other the board of education is asked to consider and approve the memorandum of agreement by and between Garden City Public Schools USD457 and the public safety answering points. >> Mr. President, I move to approve the meeting agenda as amended. >> So move and seconded.

003Is there any discussion? There's none. All in favor raise your hand. Opposed same side. Motion carries. Okay, we move on to item E, delegations and public comments. I believe we have one. Um, Rebecca Bernin and Rebecca, I'll just remind you've done four of you have five minutes and Okay, >> thank you. >> Go ahead. Thank you. >> Good evening, board members. My name is Rebecca Bernin and I want to take awareness to the district's work supporting students with dyslexia and structured literacy. an important topic for me personally. I was identified in fourth grade with characteristics of dyslexia and spent most of my upper elementary years doing Orton Gillingham based reading theory. Um that's a name for dyslexia students. So there's that. Uh it was one of my primary interventions in the early 90s. Uh dyslexia

004is defined in your October board meeting. It affects students who process language. It's important to recognize that there's no normal brain. Every brain learns differently and that's why it's super important to reflect that diversity. In 2015, the district began implementing supports aligned with the Kansas reading roadmap, guiding students from phonics awareness, phonetic awareness to phonics and fluency and comprehension. All five schools applied even though they said only three would be granted. Florence Wilson, Victor Nellis, Buffalo Jones, Gary Walker, and a pubert. They were approved to work with the 99% program, building foundational supports and setting examples for district-wide expansion. Personally, I joined the program in 2016, and it has been a life-changing opportunity to support students in language acquisition and reading. In 2018, the district responded to the state's requirements of two and a half

005days of dyslexia focused professional development. USD457 created a district-wide committee aligned to best practices. They refined the dyslexia screener. They shared identification supports with SAT teams that provided structures of students showing characteristics of dyslexia. Looking back in my inbox, which are true relics of the past, instructional coaching staff at Bernardine sits led seven PLC's in dyslexia as early as 2014. In 2020, the district implemented the train the trainers approach to ensure all elementary teachers receive structural literacy support. Our program, including afterchool literacy supports, which today has been running for more than a decade. This has been largely due to grants currently under the 21st century grant. This work laid a foundation for district-wide journey with TNTP which built on strong established practices at the elementary level. Why does it matter? The success we see today

006is built on the dedication of those teachers who went above and beyond. They stayed after school working in the summers. They collaborated with inschool staff as well as the state to bring these opportunities to the students. They led efforts in buildings ahead of their time, real catalysts of change, ensuring access to structured literacy and dyslexia supports before our district and reading pro program was willing. Our district and building leaders have been proactive in evidence-based approaches to support students with characteristics of dyslexia. with expanding community involvement in afterchool activities obviously remains important. The work has already been done and has had a measurable impact. Just two weeks ago at the afterchool leaders conference at the Kansas connection conference afterchool leaders uh were provided PD and guidance to new afterchool programming. During the conference, local leaders reflected

007on how USDU 457 graduates who started with us in kindergarten and arrived to us as third graders new to the country not knowing a lick of English have touched. We've kept in touch with these students and they have now thrived in nursing, education, welding, business, living proof that these interventions work. Less than 50% of our schools have afterchool opportunities with trained staff such as this here in USD457. It's great that we need an area to expand and build upon, but also let's reflect on building's autonomy. We have to celebrate the work that's accomplished. We need to support the growth and recognize that educators who have already made this success possible. Are we perfect? Far from it. But as an educator, this is a sweet spot for me. Always willing to grow our impact. and I'd

008gladly take that big growth goal. At the same time, the district deserves a rightful applause for prioritizing the trainings and programs that addresses this issue already. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, move on to item E1, uh, building presentation, Ken Kenneth Henderson Middle School, Principal Jared St. Well, good evening. I'd like to thank you for the opportunity for us to present tonight. Uh, tonight I have with me Mr. Dinkle's eighth grade AVID class. Mr. Dinkle is over there in the corner and Miss Younger, the assistant principal, is also here as well. Uh our presentation is going to be over our core values that uh some of our students developed several years ago. So this is going to be a studentled presentation. So I'm going to kind of give this over to our kids

009and they can introduce themselves. >> Hi, my name is Gypsy and I'm an AVID student. >> Hello, my name is Lola. I'm also an AVID student. Hi, my name is Satie and I'm an adult student. >> Hi, my name is Amarice and I'm an AVID student. >> Hi, my name is Log and I'm an AVID student. >> Hi, my name is Bradley and I'm an AVID student. >> My name is Isaiah and I'm an AVID student. >> My name is Ashley and I'm an AVID student. just like so they came out with a video that we're going to watch and they're going to kind of talk a little bit about the video, right? >> So, hi, my name is Gypsy. >> My name is Lola. >> Today, we brought to you our um defenders and

010admit >> we brought to you our ad. We brought to you our core values. >> We would like this evening we would like to present a video that our class made representing and explaining what those core values mean and look like to us in our school. >> Our core values are be kind, be responsible, be respectful, work hard, have fun, and be a positive influence. >> As said earlier, these core values were created by students, not teachers, and have been a big part of our middle school experience since. >> And with that, we'll like to show our video. >> [snorts] [cough] [clears throat] >> With that, that is a video that we have presented for you. >> Any questions? >> How many how many total students are in at Cage? >> There's in our class

011there's 13 counting the seventh graders. We're not sure. >> Yeah, we have a seventh grade class would be 13 14 about 30 kids total. So these kids hear the core values every day. Used to be they'd hear it twice a day. And as the building administrator and our kids develop their third full year of core values, it's made a tremendous impact on on just having a set of beliefs and guiding practices where we kind of direct kids if they're misbehaving or give them positive influence. You know, one of the things we do with our core values is we try to uh I recognize student leaders and if you go to our Facebook page, I bet we've recognized this younger hundreds and hundreds of kids >> every day. >> So, yeah. So, I mean, we we

012try to recognize kids for doing living our core values and that's something we believe in develop. >> You guys have fun making that video. Hey, if you guys like to get a picture with you, but come up here and here's some P would like to take one. Let's get a picture. You get your pen and then we'll all stand behind >> kids in the front. >> Yeah, that's the way it's put you in front with the students. Jack All right. Ready? One, two, three. One, two, three. >> Thank you. >> Good job, guys. >> Good job. Okay, we'll move on to item F, the consent agenda. >> Mr. President, I move to approve all consent agenda items as amended. >> Second move and second. Is there any discussion? There's none. In favor, raise your hand.

013Opposed? Same side. Who cares? Okay, we'll move on to item G1, uh, the JAG program report. Specialist Jared Spencer. Where's the PowerPoint or we get to that? I know we were here last spring but again we thank you for support of the program as it's a very fun program very advantageous I think for USD457 overall as we have obviously one at the high school also at Garden City achieve and with that I have uh Natalie Bakura our program director she's our person responsible for both Erica and Hi. And then Erica at Garden City Achieve and then myself. And then I have my Garden City High School president Muhaman Muhammad is here with that. So we appreciate that. You have to go down. There we go. So uh just real quick, I'm just going to kind

014of go over some different things. uh with that our the fact that our Kansas will help prepare uh students for successful futures and it kind of goes along with our vision. That's kind of one of our big things is to to help have those successful futures for our students by the things that we do by the things that we do. U some of the highlights that we have for our JAG program is the fact that we are really going along with the postsecondary assets aligned with Kansas with our JAG model. uh JAG includes competencies, career development, employability skills and three tier model of employer engagement. Also, they earn at least two approved post-secary assets during the time that they are in it. Again, JAG is expected to be kind of a long-term not just a

015one semester uh situation. So, they should be learning that as they go through. And then there's a whole list work keys which is a ACT work keys that they can earn. ASVAB uh a senior project expected to have like 95% attendance. Youth apprenticeship for 40 or more service hours throughout the whole time that they're in there if they're in there for for four years. Uh client centered projects, workplace learning, industry recognized certifications, two or more high school uh athletic or activities. We are considered a club and so that is one of those type things. uh state level career and technical student organization as we have a career association with it that they can be in leadership as they go through that. And so that's something that goes along with just uh our core values and

016also with things that that are part of high school itself. Uh our vision, we have daily efforts that are aligned with the Kansas State Department of Education. Uh our vision for quality instruction. Our students explore career opportunities and learn the skills to successfully transition to post-secary education, military service, and into the workforce following their graduation. We bring in a lot of different people that uh expose them to different careers, different exposures of of uh things that they can be uh helpful for when it comes to post-secary opportunities afterwards. And then our continuing with that vision for quality instruction. Uh some of the things that we do in our classrooms is project-based learning. Uh trauma-informed care, resilience, employer engagement. That's known as the JAG advantage that we have within JAG as a whole. Uh we also

017have deep student engagement and learning as we provide a lot of students voice and choice in the classroom. Give them opportunity for that uh to develop leadership skills by competing in local, regional, state, and national events. that generally happens in the second part of the of the year. And then we also are data driven because we are a grant related program. So JAG specialists engage in competency based curriculum and we regularly uh collect and analyze that data and we'll go show you a little bit of of data from that with our daily instruction within the classroom. Here's a just a couple of pictures uh from the last year that we had that up there. We go to Jack day at the capital every year. That's one of the big things because we are approved or

018uh in our funding is approved by the senate by the governor and those kinds of of areas of legislature. So we go and visit our senator's representative. Many of you know who this is. Uh Mr. Bill Clifford, Senator Bill Clifford. And then this bottom left picture is when we go to the very very very top of the capital. there's over 200 steps to go all the way to the top and we go up there and take a picture uh and it's a good time and then one of the other things we're writing messages during finals week to encourage them as they go through uh their finals week with that. So we're competency based curriculum project based learning uh career exploration and planning. We look a lot at different careers uh depending on who is needed

019in our classroom. uh employability skills. We do a lot of work-based learning opportunities, uh student leadership, and a 12-month programming and followup, which is very unique to our program, is the fact that we will follow up with kids 12 months after they are in after they graduate. And so both uh Natalie and I, I mean, Erica and I are following up with our graduates. And so, we are kind of their life coach for a year beyond the time that they are uh in our classroom. Um I like he said my name is Erica. I teach at Garden City Achieve. This is my fifth year. Um there's different types of programs. There's multi-year which is what um Mr. Spencer is at the high school freshman through senior. Um there's alternative which is also freshman through senior.

020There's middle school. We don't have those here but there's sixth seventh and eighth. And then there's successmies. Um there's only seven of those I think in the state. Um we serve students identified with or identified as at risk kiddos um at risk of not graduating or bad behavior or they're not coming to school type of anything. Um think please I think the next slide explains it. Yes. So it's an evidence-based solution that works. Um JK students have great potential and are selected to join their local program if they meet at least six criteria. We go through an interview process or since my school's so small, Miss Yon and I sit down and we do a kind of together of like this kid has this type of situation, environmental, physical, physiological or workrelated anything um from

021where they come from and then we put them in my class and we get to hang out. Um, so yes, the traditional model, there's 121 programs in Kansas. Um, 85 different schools, 54 school districts, um, divided into four regions, which then are divided into sub regions. Um, there's about 6,500 kids that are served every year through JAG K. Um, and then there are seven success programs. Um, this is the photo of where all of the programs are. We are green here in Finny County. You know that. Um, Natalie covers everybody that is in green, which is a very large space to cover. Um, bless her heart, but that's okay cuz she likes driving. So, [laughter] don't even car. Um, some of the things that he had talked about earlier with the pictures that he showed,

022there were different events that we take our kiddos to. Um, one thing that's really cool about my program specifically is our local initiation and installation ceremony. um the high school and a lot of other programs do big old events that all of the kids are in one place. It's after school hours. Um they get their certificates, all the things. Since we do quarter school at Garden City Achieve, we have to do things differently. Um we record our ceremony and then we do it four different times every year. Each quarter new kiddos get to be installed so that everybody gets the opportunity to be installed at my school. Um, my kiddos like it because one, they don't have to take off work, they don't have to come after school, and two, everybody gets the chance to

023be involved. Um, there is your regional leadership development conference, which we both just took kiddos to last month. Um, we went up to Cloud County Community College for the day and our kids got to attend breakout sessions, hang out with other kids from our region, um, and really just collaborate and learn new things to bring back into the classroom. Um, Jack at the capital, he talked about that. will each take four kiddos in the spring. And then there's your local and regional career development conferences. Those are a competitionbased event that we throw the kids into. Um like me, they hate public speaking and so we force them into it. We put them in a room of judges. Um they do better when they're talking to judges and they're not talking to me, but um they

024do pretty well. And then they come out and they're like, "I could have done this better." And it's really just an experience that I love getting to talk to them about afterwards. Um, another one of my favorite parts, if you will, about this job is the employer engagement requirements. Um, I just like that we get to bring employers into our classrooms to get our kids to learn. Um, I had Brooke over come in and two of my kids got jobs. Um, we go to the food bank once a month for community service hours, but also the director talks to my kids so much about what they're doing and one she's trying really hard to get them to come work for just to be a delivery driver because they don't have that. Um so it works

025really cool. We have to have 10 tier one and tier two which means I think the next slide really explains it. So can you hit it? Yeah. Um there's the exploration slide the side of things where they we have guest speakers um meet and greet types of things. We'll do exposure that's a job shadow interactive business tour. Then we'll have experience um volunteer opportunities or externships. And then the goal is to get them a certification or a credential in that job. So yeah, and then yes, one other thing that he also mentioned was the 12 month follow-up program. Um, what we aim to have is our kiddos that have graduated for a year, we will talk to them once a month. Um, my kids reach out to me way more than once a month, but

026that's okay. Um, I'm a professional yapper, so I can do it. these kids. Um, we like to just have them have one positive outcome, full-time job, in college, at a, um, community college, some their full-time or their positive outcome is that they had their kid and they're surviving as a parent. Um, there's different types of things that come as a full-time positive outcome. But, um, yeah, that's what I know. And so as we think about the idea of the outcomes, uh this particular circle is kind of a big deal for us because the JAG national criteria uh is the fact that we have a 90% graduation rate, a employment rate of 60% once they get outside of that, full-time employment of 60%, full-time positive outcomes 75, and further education 35, connectivity 95. As you can

027see, we have been excelling at at that. We've been over that by quite some uh amount of degrees. You know, from the graduation rate of 90 to 98% 60 to 77 for employment on down everything is much greater than what is what we're expected to do. So we are doing very well within our program. Uh our connectivity 100%. And so that's a a unique thing for us as we go through this. >> May I add something really quick Jared? >> Um so just to give a little bit more explanation on this slide. So, JAG National, we are a state affiliate, Jack Kansas. Jag National is our umbrella organization and they set up what they call the six of six, which is how you measure success. Um, how do you know that the program's working? And

028these are the numbers that they're looking for. So, of all of our graduated seniors, we want 90 or all of our seniors that have left high school, we want 90% of them to have graduated. We want 60% of them to be employed. Of those 60%, we want them employed um 60% of them employed full-time. um and on down the road. And then connectivity as they're talking about their follow-up is the percentage of um students that they've been able to reach for 12 months. And as you can see, JAG Kansas is leading the pack when it comes to the 32 state affiliates with these numbers. These this last year um from our seniors from 2024, these are the highest numbers that Jack Kansas has ever seen. Um so last year uh was our our best year

029yet, which is really exciting. Uh so we have as far as our career association, you know, local career association where all students are members and she talked about the INI ceremony. Uh we have the regional career where we have four officers per region. Uh going on to regional leadership development conference which is where we went. This not too long ago was to Cloud County Community College. Last year we had it at Garden City uh community college where all of region one came to that. Uh then we have a regional CDC which is a competitive side of that which we have several different events for and then they go on to opportunity to have state career association their state leadership and then of course national so it's not just you know here in Kansas here in

030garden city uh with that uh we do a lot of project based learning uh the person on the lower or on the left uh one of my things that I had this year that I've had in the past was a repeat assignment was they had to be a principal uh basically what their role was to be a welcoming They had to create a welcome for the student body. They had a two-minute uh talk that they had to do to be a principal and welcome the student body. They could talk about different things, where to park, what the rules were. Uh it was just kind of an introduction opportunity for them to get in front of their peers and do some talking uh with that. They had preparation time as well. And then on the the

031middle two are what's some of you may be familiar with the dot book. Uh it's one of my favorite books because basically it's the idea of it starts with a dot and then it uh goes out from there. It's a lot of encouragement uh with that from the idea of a person who doesn't know they can draw and then they just start with a dot uh goes out from there as I said and but then we make uh circles aka dots and they put different encouraging messages on them that they choose and then we put them around the school. So they're basically encouraging it's a public also a public situation that they can be able to uh encourage the the rest of the student body as they go through. And then the on the right

032is a financial literacy game called heads up where basically they kind of roll some common uh coins and then they have to count uh just the coins that are heads up and they go to five and they go in team go to $5. they go in teams and so it helps them to add change because we know that sometimes uh as the experience that I've had like at say like Sonic or something where you don't have it automatically sometimes you give them I always give the example of like uh 2369 and then I give them uh or the the the quote the amount is 1869 I give them 2369 I give them 20 and two and three threes and they say they give me the three threes back and say no this will cover And

033I'm like, "No, just put it in there and let me have it." So, the idea of being able to help them have some financial literacy with the concept of of uh going through the the idea of understanding money as well. Go ahead. >> Um, so as you said, my name is Natalie. I'm the program director out here in Western Kansas for Jack K. So, I oversee all of the programs out here in far western Kansas from Goodland all the way down to Ulysus, um, and all the way over to Dodge City. And so we have talked a little bit here about what JAG is, what we do, and I get to talk to you guys about where we're going. Um, which is very exciting. So we have been working with JMG, which is jobs for

034mains graduates, and Gen US, which is another educational organization. Um, we've been partnering with them to create a new JAG model. Um, we have been piloting this new microcredential model in the Witchah and Augusta school districts um, currently. And then in 2026 next year, we are going to implement it statewide. Um we are going to be the first state in the country that is implementing this in a JAG um in in JAG classrooms statewide. Um so JAG Kansas has always been one of the top affiliates um in the country and this is no different. We are once again leading the pack and so to kind of give you guys an idea of what this is going to look like um it is um evidence-based learning. just go to the next slide for me. So, this

035is kind of what our micro credential um new model is going to look like. We have job and career ready credential. There's about I think nine or 10 different credentials. We're really focusing on job and career ready pathway navigation and of course financial literacy for the next year. Um and it's kind of a tiered program. So, how this is going to work is there's these skills down here. So let's take job attainment micro credential. In order to earn this micro credential, our students have to show evidence of these skills. Cover letter, mock interview, job application, resume. Um, and what they're going to have to do is they're going to have to submit evidence to their specialist that they understand and have mastered that skill. Then probably monthly, um, maybe every six weeks, we're still kind

036of figuring that out, our specialists are going to meet together and do rubric calibration. And so they're going to meet as a team and say, "Hey, did this student show mastery of this skill? We all agree. We're all holding our students to that same high standard. They will earn that skill. Once they've earned all of the skills, they will attain a micro credential. Once they get all of their micro credentials, they will earn that job and career ready credential. It is awarded as a digital badge. Um, it is something that they can display on their LinkedIn, that they can put on their resumes, and it is evidence of learning that they can show those future employers why they stand out from other potential employees, um, applying for the same jobs. And so, uh, like I

037said, we're going to be the first state to implement this across all of our JAG programs statewide. And we are really, really excited to once again be leading the pack for JAG across the country. What type of questions do you guys have for us? We kind of buzzed through that a little bit fast. >> Your 6x6 the the numbers for FY25. That's very impressive. What do you attribute those? What are you doing? >> I'm sorry. Say that one more time. >> FY25. Yes. The number six. Six of six. >> Six. >> Those are impressive. >> Yes. >> What do you attribute those to? Why? Why? Why are you so s You can pat each other on the back. Good job. >> Absolutely. I will let them because these guys are the ones that do the

038follow-up with those students. These guys are the ones that are going to be that free life coach and cheerleader for a year. Um, so I'll let you guys talk about You love followup. Well, that's my favorite part of this job. So, which is crazy because I should love being in the classroom, but I really love that year that I get to like hang out with adults, if you will, after they're out of high school. They're also still kind of figuring it out and they're little birds that don't know how to fly. Um, my kids are special to me, but also they what I do specifically with them is we do monthly check-ins. Like they said we have to um that you get to get to. Um, but my kids, they'll call me when they need

039anything throughout the day. Um, I've been numerous times the person's um, reference p like what are those called? A reference. >> A reference. Yeah. Um, sorry, losing my brain because it's not scripted. Um, I'm their I'm their reference person. their top person. All my kids have my number, all my kids have their emails. I'm filling out references left and right for those kids. Um, they know they can count on me to do it, and they know that I'm going to do a good job of it. Um, also, I'm a huge advocate for going to school, going to trade school, getting some sort of credential because if you don't have that, you're not necessarily not going to do well, but like if you have anything in your back pocket, even if it's the smallest of anything,

040um, I just feel like they're going to be a little bit more successful. So I I really push education and even like trade schools 10 out of 10 recommend trade schools at this point. >> I would say for me is just developing relationships with the kids um both in and during and then afterwards. Uh, one of the things that reason I put this particular one on there, uh, as a picture was this kid was known to be a very I didn't get a face picture because I was doing the video board for graduation, so I was a little far away, but uh, he hardly talked at all and uh, throughout uh, coming into the program and so whenever I would get a little bit of a email about like to several teachers from Mrs. Hamlin,

041a counselor be like, "How is Matias doing?" And I would tell her different things and she would be like, "OMG, you know, he is doing that with you. He has not done that with any other teacher in four years." Uh, little things like that. And if you saw on the other thing, he went to this to the capital with us. He went on that trip with us. He he was able to shake hands with senators and representatives. Uh and it was just something that you know through that development of that time of his senior year, it was something he had he had never done and he probably would never do that uh with that. So, it was a really fun thing to be able to develop that because I just saw him in the classroom

042for the first time his senior year and and as far as a relationship goes, I did see him his junior year and I did point out because I won't go into that story, but I handpicked him to be in my class. Uh, not knowing who he was, what his personality was like, but he, you know, not only graduated, I'm he hasn't gone into getting a a job or going to school yet. He's very unmotivated, but I'm working on that as as well. uh through our follow-up and that's one of the things that we are able to do. He does communicate with me on a regular basis uh to try to do that. So, it's one of those things that it is a a goal of mine to get him either in school or having a

043job uh with that. But, it was it was one fun process to see him through the year. You know, our as we talk about our different barriers that we have, you know, it Jag is not a that class or you're not in that class. It can be any person. You can have a 4.0 to a 0.07 07 kind of a a situation. So you can have all kinds of different kids and backgrounds in within JAG and but they are able to excel and work with different kids throughout their time to be able to have a a successful future if especially if they stay in it for many years. >> And I would also um mentioned too they kind of briefly touched on success academy and just to kind of give you guys an idea of

044what that is that is um our specialists that work with foster care youth and also justice involved youth. We do have programs at KJCC. Um, and sometimes in in those environments, their JAG specialist is the only supportive adult that they have. Um, and they're actually holding a graduation ceremony next week for some of those students in KJCC. Um, which is also really impressive and also contributes to some of those numbers of, hey, they have for the first time maybe in their lives, they have somebody in their corner. >> So, well, good, good job. I'm looking forward to next year. It's gonna be hard to improve on some of these. >> I would like to see us in the middle school to be quite honest. >> We we just added um Keley Middle School in Ulysus.

045Um we have Great Bend um has two programs at the high school and also a middle school. Um I know Mr. May has been a huge supporter. Mr. Norby has been a huge supporter. We would love to have a second Garden City High School program or even start one at the middle school. Um just especially with this new microcredentiing model and being the leader in the entire country on on doing something like this is really really exciting. Um and a really really cool opportunity for our students to to actually have something to to physically show like to an employer like hey I earned this digital badge. It is verified on my LinkedIn. this shows that I already know these skills and I'm I'm, you know, setting myself apart from other potential employees that you're looking

046at. So, any other questions? >> What was your name again? >> Natalie, the >> Oh, I'm so sorry. Muhamad, >> can you speak a little bit about the program? Tell us a little how long have you been in the program and how it's impacted you? This is my first year and I think it's a cool program because I learned a lot financial literacy about graduation and how it's important. >> Yeah. A lot. >> He's our president too. >> He's learning leadership as well. >> Thank you. >> Did you have a question? >> Well, I just want to say first off, I think what you guys are doing are great and I think the program is great. Um, roughly how many kids in Garden City are in Jagger? Uh I have actually over 100%. I'm at

04761 and our expectation is 60 for this semester. >> Yeah. So we are um we do smaller class sizes um and only three to four periods because we are um a nonprofit and we do have a lot of data that we have to report. We have all they have follow-up to do. They have employer engagements to do. They have community service to plan. Um so we like to keep our classes a little bit smaller so our specialists can have some more individualized instruction. Um, so typically a roster is going to be 60, um, is kind of where our maximum is. So they're quite a bit smaller. I only have, as the alternative, there's only 100 kiddos in our school. Um, and I only have 23 right now on my roster. I'm supposed to have 45,

048but we have a lot of great um, other electives that kids get to take. And so it's really hard to fight that battle. But and also with your rotating >> quarter school you guys with a quarter school. >> They always >> 23 great kids. >> Yes. And with Garden City achieve it is a little bit different because you do have students that are graduating every quarter and coming into the school um at different times. And so she will start out with you know 20 to 25 and could be 40 to 45 at the end of the year just kind of depending on what their schedules look like with that alternative kind of two-year quarter school. So, >> and one followup question. So, the data on the six for six, that's for the whole state of

049Kansas. Is that correct? >> How does Garden City compare to that data? [clears throat] >> Um, both of these amazing specialists earned the six of six award this year, which means that their programs individually met all of those expectations. So, we met uh you can meet it as a program, which they both did. You can meet it as a region, which we did, and then you can meet it as a state, which we did. So very very impressive of these guys. Yes. >> Like my graduation rate since I've started has been 100%. >> Same. Same. >> Where does the funding come from? >> Um so a lot of it does come from um the DCF and the state general fund. Um we've been really really lucky that we've had bipartisan support um our entire 12

050years. Um so obviously Governor Kelly is a big supporter of us. If any of you were at the um budget tour that she did, she shouted us out which was really cool. Um and then you know the governor before that on the other side of the aisle also a huge um supporter of JAG. So um that is probably the majority small majority. Um and then the rest of it is going to be from grants and from private um donors. So we do have um grants from um Honeywell, American Implement, um even like Taco Bell. We have get quite a few different sources. >> Say thank you. My son is in the program. You know that. And so, uh, he's doing great. He's learned a lot of things, enjoying his time there. So, thank you for

051your behind thes scenes work and all the things you guys are doing. So, >> thank you guys for your support. And like I said, we hope to to grow the program here in Garden City. So, >> thank you. Okay, we'll move on to item G2 is the graduation rate report of Ryan Ming, principal Gar City High School. Christina Youngman, counselor, RCD achieve, and Diana Elliott, virtual cap. Okay, I'm uh actually going to get the presentation started and then they're going to present their data for their buildings. Um so each year on November 1st, KSDE works with us uh to set our graduation rate for the previous graduating class. Um students can graduate and count on the class of 25 all the way could have all the way through the end of September. Then on October

052once October hits we start doing data correction and making sure all the numbers and names and everything are correct and then it's finalized November 1. So our role tonight is just to inform you as far as what we've done for graduation rate applying for the Kansas competencies and our Kansas star. Um so our goal in USD457 is to produce graduates who are prepared for post-secary success, civically engaged, lifelong learners. Uh and it takes the efforts of an entire district to get here. So and I'll say that again uh through the presentation. our our admin and our folks who are in charge of the buildings, they're going to be here going through the numbers. But this whole journey starts prek and what happens at these at these buildings is really just built on the foundations that

053are set from those places. Uh the formula hasn't changed. It's not something we come up with. It's part of state and federal law. Uh the formula for this year is the number of 2025 graduates uh all the cohorts members re getting a regular high school diploma by September 30th of this year divided by the number of firsttime ninth graders in the fall of 2021. Add in the transfers in and take out the kids who transfer out for the last for the next four years. It's an exact formula. Uh with one adjustment this year and for the first time ever, an adjustment was made. This year, Senate Bill 45 provides for one adjustment um or one type of adjustment to be made in the calculation of graduation rate and it's for for the state rate as

054as published. students who are not on track to graduate when they move in can be exempted from our graduation rate calculations uh if they don't graduate on time. And that is part of the open enrollment uh that we've had in Kansas for the last couple years. A number of districts have had kids bouncing back and forth, especially if you're around Witchah. You can go in and out and all over the place and then someone if you have a lot of mobility and well we do have a lot of mobility someone's left holding the bag at the end if a kid bounces all over the place and doesn't make adequate progress. So now that exemption has come into play for the first time. All right. So, the state actually publishes every year two graduation rates, a

055four-year rate and a five-year rate. For those kids that don't quite make it in four years, they also publish a five-year rate. Um, they also, for the first time this year, publish a state graduation rate and a federal rate. The state rate um is what is used for all of our accountability, and that's the rate that I'm going to present to you tonight to be consistent. Uh the state rate would include kids that were exempted by what I just discussed in the previous slide. There's no exemption on a federal graduation rate. It is what it is. Um the five-year rate also, they publish it, but it doesn't do anything for you except it makes you feel better that those kids ended up graduating in five years. And that's what we want and we want those

056kids persisting. But you can't use that rate for any reporting or or anything else. It's just it's there. Okay. So, without any further ado or any more explanation of the how the rates are calculated, I'll let uh Diane start talking about the virtual academy. >> So, the virtual academy, you can see our number there, 81.3% last year. And one of the things with the virtual academy to know is that we usually um have graduates throughout the school year. Our school year runs from July 1st to June 30th. So students in 7 through 12, well I should say 9 through 12 um have the option to work over the summer should they choose. And some students do choose to do that. Um, our adults of course go all the way all through the school year that

057I just mentioned. They're not included in this, right? It's just the 9th through 12th writers. And so, um, if you want to go to the next slide, um, you can see our last few years, the virtual academy was split out, um, from >> I don't remember who they >> was part of achieve >> part of achieve um, a [clears throat] couple three years ago, four years ago. So that's why you see the rate starting in 2022 as separate. Okay. So the positives and the challenges kind of go together for the virtual academy and I'll let you kind of take a look at those. But the virtual academy students um they have certain expectations each week that we expect them to fulfill. But how they do that is up to them. So some of the positives

058that we see are that we are preparing students to be independent, self-motivated learners and to advocate for themselves because they are the ones that we contact by phone, by email um to try to keep them on track, keep them going, cheerlead for them. and um if they are not able to answer the phone or their emails, it makes it kind of difficult for them to be a successful student. Um especially if they're not following through on their work. So on the so the converse of that is that we are constantly being a partner with families as well because um we want to make sure that we are providing that strong opportunity for us all to work together to make that student successful in a place where they're not constantly being seen by us. And so

059we have really great relationships with our students and our parents um our families. Um we're doing some visioning work right now. And um the things that students are talking to us about our flexibility, their the parents are talking to us about safety, the um mental health concerns that a lot of students have. it. Part of the reason that they come to us a lot of times is because of um being able to be in a position where they're able to work with those things. So, some of our challenges are kind of related to some of those things. if we can't get a hold of parents, if we can't get a hold of students, um if people sometimes students don't like to answer their phones, they'd rather text, but we call them on the phone and

060we expect them to to be able to talk to us. So, some of those things can be challenging sometimes. Um, we also do have a lot of students who are maybe thinking they don't know if they want to finish school. And um, so we're really working toward figuring out that individual plan of study that will keep them motivated and engaged. So, we talk to all of our students about dual credit opportunities and um welding, automotive, all those things that are available to try to help spur their interest in staying into school. So, those are some of the things that we're seeing. >> Okay. Good evening. I'm Christina Yonman. I'm the counselor at Achieve. And so I'm going to share with you tonight our um success rate. 90.4% we had 47 out of 52 graduating seniors.

061And so we were really excited. We um the new formula was just amazing to help there. You can see we have had a steady um increase since 2018. Been a couple little dips there, but this has been the highest rate um since 2018. was exciting to see. And then as far as our positives and challenges, um we have added a lot of different things at achieve as far as helping with our at risk. And so we've added our leader and me character education which have been a huge impact to our building. Um you can see it's very obvious as you walk in the building. You can see you can just see that we're a leader me school. Our kids um take great pride in that. Um we've added several staff members. We have an on-site

062behavioral specialist, a school psych. Um, we have our mindfulness student program through Compass and we are fortunate to have Compass right there in our building and so that has been a great benefit for us. Um, we've added an instructional coach and we're excited to have one in our building all the time now. And we've added a full-time art teacher and a reading interventionist. And so those have all been positive additions to our building to help reach this um, graduation rate. The other thing is if you come in our building, you're going to see a lot of activity going on and a lot of different moving parts, but we are very unified and our achieve students, high school students work with our strive and our TEP K through 12 students. And so that I feel like

063is also a part of our graduation culture because we get a lot. I think this last year we had five or more that were at one time in the TE and they graduated. So, it's kind of a unified um building. We just all work together. And then I have to shout out our staff here. Um they are always willing to work with our students. You know, just getting our kids in the building sometime is a is a chore. Um but they meet them where they need and they understand their past trauma and they're very willing to help um meet with their needs. Now, the challenges, some of them actually kind of cross over there, but we do have a lot of mental health needs. And again, like I mentioned, we have the the compass in

064our building. um home environment. We have a lot we have very supportive parents, but at the same time, we have some inconsistency there. Like I said, getting the students to attend is a big deal in our building. And so, a lot of our students take their younger siblings to school, so they're they're late getting into school. Um self-esteem has been a big challenge. And I feel like between our staff and our mindfulness student program, that has also been a also a benefit. We've we've increased that. And then um attendance and this is one of our goals is working on that chronic attendance because attendance is a huge factor and I would love to see how our graduation rate could even be better if our attendance rate could could increase. So that's where we're at. >>

065Okay. Garden City High School. Um we are really excited. Mr. Nordby kind of hit a walk-off home run and walked away. We're really excited about um where our graduation rate is at this point in time. I it just blew me away when we saw the data. Um and correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think that we had any um with the new state rule uh where you can exempt kids out. Um so this is all our students in that cohort. Um we again I could talk for an hour because this is really really complicated stuff but we'll hit some of the some of the highlights. Um 480 out of 499. I mean it's we're really really really excited and really proud about that. Um Mr. Norv kind of talked about how this is truly

066like we are up here speaking about this but I agree that it did start back you know in prek and uh for sure you know it's a team effort uh when we get them to Garden City High School um all staff uh all certified staff um play a play a very important role. [clears throat] Um, this graph uh is trending in the right direction. Um, but I want and and I apologize that you don't you guys don't have some of this these numbers. Um, but I do want to throw them out anyway. As you look at that graph, um, of course that's kind of the growth that we like to see, but if you were to look on this side of the graph going back um, a decade or so, um, that's when it's really

067exciting. you know, if you go back pre 2015 or 2012, I guess, uh, before we moved into the new building, um, you would see numbers below 80, even below 70 in the 60s as far as our Garden City High School graduation rate goes. Um, so we are very excited. Um, just for reference, the class of 2012, the last class that graduated from the old campus, um, graduation rate 79.6%. 6%. And we're now at 96.2. Um, some of our big subgroups, um, our biggest ethnic sub subgroup, the Hispanic males and females, were both in the 70s. And our free and reduced population was in the low 70s graduation rate. And our students with disabilities, IEPs, were in the 70s. Currently with this last uh graduating class 2025, um our Hispanic males are right with our white

068males at in the 94% range. Actually, uh the Hispanic males were at 94.6% and the white males were at 94.2%. So, we have completely closed that gap. Um Hispanic uh females are at 98.8% graduation rate. They were in the 70s back from class of 2020. 2012. Um, in our free and reduced numbers, uh, free and reduced graduation rate 94.8%. Um, that's up the 22, the 2012 number was 72.7%. And the last one, really exciting, our students with disabilities, 100% graduated in that uh, cohort last year. Uh, part of that 499 uh, students. Um, for reference, that cohort, the 2025 cohort, 499 students, that's our fourth largest in the last 17 years. So, our enrollment's not declining. Um, we still still have a lot of Well, it's declined a little bit, but um, we still have

069our hands full for sure. So, that's exciting stuff. We just we love the way that's trended, but I wanted to point out if we went this way, it would be way down here. So, we're really proud of that. Um some positives um I won't go down the list one by one. Um successes we'll kind of group um systemic flexibility and removal of barriers. I feel like um in the last decade for sure but you know maybe even more in the last five years. Um we've gotten really creative with uh scheduling and being real flexible with that. meeting the students where they are. Uh more zero hour offerings, uh more night school offerings, more uh classes that they can take on their own time, um on the weekends or in the evenings. Um we've also gotten

070really flexible with credit recovery. We have that happening during the school day. We have it happening after school. Uh we even have it, you know, happening on the weekends and, you know, kind of like the virtual school does um with Egeneuity. And then the last thing with in that area would be credit acceleration. Um it is no secret because you guys kind of addressed it last year. Um we did have a whole lot of students graduating early as juniors. Um and I feel like that's probably contributed a little bit to our higher graduation rate. You know, they're able to get out on their time before life happens and some might set them back that senior year. Um so I think that that's probably um a factor there. um targeted support and the human element. Um

071we have increased our number high quality certified teaching staff. Um over there has done a good job in the last couple of years of of getting us quality teachers and um we very much appreciate our our long-term subs that help us get by. Um but there is no substitute, you know, for a a high quality certified staff member. Um, we've also had a very veteran counseling staff to kind of pick up um the pieces at times. Um, they are long-term relationship builders. Um, and they navigate very complex student issues, you know, along with, you know, the the teachers in the trenches. Um, we've also gotten pretty um creative with um some staffing um um strategies, I strategies, I guess. um from time to time we'll have a position that goes unfilled because it just someone

072leaves at the last minute and we have a position and I told Drew um that if you wanted us to get creative, we were going to get creative and last year we hired a graduation coach. Um she was a retired teacher and she wanted to come back and work part-time. And so some of the kids that were kind of in crisis and in danger of not graduating um she was able to sit down and and provide the support they needed to to uh get over the hump. Um but this year um we have and these are mostly um uh retired people uh that have come back and worked part-time. But um this year we have a part-time grad coach again, a part-time egeneuity um teacher, a part-time career center person, and a part-time instructional coach.

073And those are just uh creative staffing ideas there. Um and then also it's just it's become so individualized with students and trying to figure out exactly what they need and and meeting their needs. Um and then uh also rigor relevance and partnerships. Um we have increased our dual credit offerings which I think u makes class more relevant for students. Um last spring I counted we had students taking 50 unique uh dual credit classes. Um last spring and in the spring it's usually a little bit less than it is in the fall. Um so we're real excited about that. Um, we've increased workplace experiences for the students and we have a really, really good working relationship with Achieve in the virtual school. It's as good as it's ever been. So, I feel like when we get

074to the end of the road with a student here, we are able to to um in most cases uh pass them off to where they can get their needs met um in a little bit different format um on the other campus there. Um in addition to those things uh we've we've added lots of athletics clubs and activities um over the last uh five years that I think contributes as well. Um challenges um there are uh foundational and systemic hurdles. Um staffing in the past has been a bit of a hurdle and I think that when we're talking about kids failing classes and get behind um sometimes that can be um a factor. uh social promotion at the younger grades uh makes it kind of difficult for us because we can talk to our blue in

075the face about you've got to pass your classes when you become a freshman or you will not graduate. Um and so um that becomes somewhat of a a hurdle for us. um instructional challenges. Uh we have students that come in and they don't know the language and that's really hard when you got to get them through in four years and they might come um you know junior senior year and we we have to find figure out a way. I know you guys probably saw the graphic but this year we have students with 24 different home languages and from u 37 different home countries, birth countries. Um they mentioned um we also have a transient uh student population that comes and goes. Um they um come in a lot of times with credit deficiencies and we're

076not able to say no to any of them. They show up at our school, we enroll them and we figure out a way. Um and then cultural differences, you know, that's always a challenge. Um communication can be a challenge and and just building that sense of belonging and trust uh with those families. Uh last thing, uh logistical operational complexity. Sometimes getting them over to the virtual or to the achieve is tough because our schedules are different. They're on a a quarter system. We're on a semester system. Um so that can be uh kind of an issue as far as timely graduation goes. And then again, it's always a challenge uh to recover credits once they get behind. And we continue to explore new and better ways to do that. I think that's it. Sorry, I

077could talk for a long time about this. Um, you know, last spring with it, uh, when we graduated, Mr. Vang said, you know, Steve, I think we're going to get to 95% at a building. >> 93 is what he said. And I thought >> it was it was in my 10 years the hardest spring with that many kids graduating. Um, and we were kept trying to push and then the harder you get, well, the closer you get to 100% the harder it is to move that needle. And so it took a lot of people working together. It really, really did. Um, and it was it there's no magic bullet for any of this. Each of the three principles have t our building reps have talked about people people. There's no magic like we're going to

078do this program and it's going to be great. It's going to take a lot of people, a lot of dedicated people making this happen. >> Those 19 that didn't graduate drive me crazy. >> Drive me crazy. >> Again today like >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yep. We're That's just I guess the people that we are, but we're thinking about the ones that one reason or another over those four years didn't finish on time. Um, so all those together, USD457 graduation rate, uh, graduates out of 599 potential 12th graders. That's outstanding. 94.5% graduation rate. That represents the largest group of graduates in the history of this district. The previous highest was last year and we beat that by about 50 students I think total. It is the second highest total number of 12th graders in the

079in the history of the district. The highest was uh 2019. There were 608 both 12th graders at that time and and as a district we graduated about 85% of them. So those are those are big numbers for us. Uh so here's our graph over time as a district. The blue is USD457 of course trending in the right direction. Here was the 80% 81% for that class of 2019. That was the biggest we ever had. Um, and then the orangeest line is the state of Kansas. They have not released their graduation rate for this year yet. It's all pretty new data for everybody. Just finalized November 1st. Um, we actually as a district caught the state and matched its graduation rate for the previous two years at 88 and then 89. Uh so as a district

080we received the graduation rate star for the last couple of years for towards our accreditation and I would say with what happened this last year we ought to get our third star in a row. Now the difficult work comes and that got to try to do it again. Mr. M. >> Yeah. >> No pressure. But as I said, those numbers are representative of an entire system. That's this is a success. And with all of our different things that might be holding us back in one way or another, social economic status or the transient population, migratory population, we we do well with kids and provide opportunities. We're providing opportunities for the rest of their life. they're going to have that that piece of paper. Um, you know, we're they're just building on the foundation from elementary,

081intermediate, middle schools. Um, but over time, we have developed a whole lot of systems that we've put in place to try to meet kids where they are, an individual approach to our kids. Our kids are individuals. One size doesn't fit all. But once again, that takes people. It takes dedicated people to try to meet somebody where they are. And you heard Jag talking about that same thing, taking kids and meeting them where they are. Um, and giving them these options, an achieve option, a virtual option, Garden City High School option, dual credit as an option, AP classes, CTE courses. We provide a lot of those options that all depend on good people, dedicated people. But it's also these are prime examples of what we do with at risk funding because a lot of these programs,

082the counselors and the social workers and the behavior specialists, these things are funded with at risk funding. And it's important to understand that now and be advocates for the at risk funding, especially that right now our legislature is in the process of coming up with a new school funding formula in the next couple of years and having those discussions and the future of at risk funding. Who knows where that's going to be, but I think you can see today what we're doing with the at risk funding and and the programs and the support that we're able to get because of it. And I think it's important for everybody to kind of understand how important those things are. So, we appreciate your support though. I've been doing a graduation rate presentation uh in this district one

083way or another since 2007 and I know that each time we have come to the board and asked for something that we think really benefits our kids maybe it's JG maybe it's communities and schools maybe it's changing the graduation requirements adding something new doing it in a different way you guys have always trusted ed us and as a board always been supportive of us trying to do really good things and the fact that we have a virtual option and we have an achieve option is examples of that that a board says yeah we got to we got to meet our kids where they are for them to be successful. So thank you and that uh that ends our presentation. Any questions on any of this? So I don't know there those 33 kids that didn't

084graduate. Is that is that the end for them or is there other options that you know that we're moving forward or or how does that work? There are some of them that are still persisting. It's just they didn't make the four-year cut. I think at Achieve there are some kids that are still persisting. At virtual there are some there's still some kids who are persisting. Um, we generally allow students once their cohort graduates in four years to stay with us in one form or another through at least the their fifth year. Yep. And some of those kids may have they may have dropped and gone to a home school or something like that as a freshman, as a sophomore, as a junior. Yeah. Some of them just aren't in town anymore. But yeah, we do

085have we do have continuing options. ual students can stay a little bit longer and we also have the adults that come back sometimes too. I remember the rates that you were talking about reading in the in the guard state telegram back in back in 2010 2011 2012 >> 2000 58% was the district graduation rate 35% was our Hispanic graduation rate and now it's 95 a long ways a long way but it truly takes a village you by chance having to figure out the graduation rate without the new adjustment to see the graduation without the new adjustment for the district is five instead of 962 for the gra for the high school um I think it's 93 for the district as a whole >> still an increase >> yes >> yeah I think there were five

086or six kids at achieve that we we were able to pull out because they came in credit deficient. Nobody at the high school but I think at at Achieve there were a few and it helped Achieve get to where they were but as a district those five or six kids was a a percent or two. >> Yep. >> And this is for all three of you or four of you I guess. Um you know you had the strengths. >> Yeah. Now I can't get it. Oh yeah my touch screen. Gosh dang it. the positives and the challenges. >> Yeah. Are there any of the the things that stand out, you know, two or three things that really stand out that have made a big difference in these rates going up? I mean, I understand that

087there's a lot of variables here that that probably have made the difference, but are there any things in particular that really to you have stood out that have made a big difference from the hey, especially from the old high school to the new high school? I guess I wouldn't go that far back, but what kind of what I was really looking at this data again today. What really steps out or stands out to me is going to mention mention the COVID shutdown. So the the CO shutdown was the class of 2020 and then when we came back for that next year, it was a mess. We had students in person fully, we had students remotely fully, and we had students hybrid kind of a mix. And that freshman class that came in the 2020 2021

088school year that was a mess, there were a hundred of them that didn't have enough credits to be sophomores. In a normal year, that would be 20 tops. And so I think that to get in those kids were the 92.6% graduation rate last year. So I think that in dealing with that class or the kids during that span of time, we got so hyperfocused on, you know, what this individual kid needs to get to that number. Now those kids are all gone and we still have those same practices in place. um whether it be again like just all these more relevant offerings that they have. Um dual credit and and otherwise also you know um the credit acceleration um some of the credit recovery um we've gotten really good at those things. Um, it's really

089hard to put my but I really do think we got so good at it because it was such a mess that now it's just the way we do business and >> you know and I I'll I'll go back to what I'd said before and it's kind of the same thing that Ryan had mentioned in a way people get surround yourself with people that it's about the kids and we changed a lot in the 10 years that I was the head principal but some of it was started with James uh Morales before me. I mean, he handed me an 86% graduation rate. Wasn't like the cupboard was empty. Uh and we were just trying to build on it. But sometimes we joke that at Garden City High School, the motto out front instead of home of

090the Buffalo, we'll try anything once because if it's good for kids, we're going to try it. We don't we didn't get locked into, well, that's what we always do. Well, okay, that might be what we always do, but it's not working for this kid. So, what are we going to do? How are we going to get this? And kind of that relentless mindset. And you've got to have teachers, you've got to have just people in the building from everything from the Paris all the way up that like, okay, what's best for this kid that's right in front of me right now. Um, and I will say that I think that our tier one instruction is getting way better, too. That's instruction for all kids. Um, we've had some very clear direction over the last three

091to four years as a district and hyperfocused on some areas and I think that that's I mean I think that u that's playing a role too as a factor. Um the the quality of instruction in the classrooms is really really getting better as well. >> Thank you. And I do believe it's important to understand when you succeed, why did you succeed and be able to look at those points and and the opposite when you fail, why did we fail and figure out why did we fail and then do something different. >> Yeah. >> Well, a few of ours that did make it, it was hard because there was one that was like a half a credit or two classes and we just for some reason they just they gave up and we we tried and

092we tried. I had one that same thing. One of the 19 uh he needed two classes and it was all the way up to the end and he could have worked all summer and still even though he didn't walk in the ceremony and he chose not to. Those are the ones that keep us up at night. So thinking about that. Yeah. Uh you've all been great and part of the graduation ceremony and that is an awesome day at no matter which which ceremony and to see you know the gym's full and all the families are there and you're and the life changes when they walk across the stage and they get that and then as soon as that's done often times our mind goes to god that kid should have been here and so you

093try a little harder. I just want to to say thank you. I mean, I think one thing as I listen to what everything we've talked about tonight and kind of reflect on my own observations is is how much pride our students I see across the board have and not only being you know students of being Buffalo's but being students of achieve and and I think their pride that they take uh really comes from the care that comes from our faculty and you know Mr. string to hear you, you know, talk about you've got a high school of almost 2,000 kids and these 20 19 individuals. You know each one of them per, you know, you know them by name and and they stick out in your mind, which just really to me speaks to how

094much you care. And I think that's just one example. Um, so and and um and and I appreciate what you had to say, Mr. Norvy, about this starts, you know, in in preK. I mean this this this foundation um our focus on literacy at at young ages and and setting them up to learn to read so they can then read to learn um and in making want to be successful students. So uh I just appreciate all the effort that you guys do at the high schools but also really to all of our faculty at all levels. >> Thank you guys for your support. >> Thank you guys. Thank you. Hey, item G3. Uh, budget update. Chief financial officer Jessica. Better have good news like they did. >> I know that's >> a lot of pressure.

095And >> don't break my bubble right now. >> And I know Brandon's waiting on me. That's pressure, too. So, a lot of the time that I'm up here, it's always talking about expenditures and asking money. So, I kind of thought for this quarter's update, I would take more of a look at the money coming in and kind of give you guys an overview of um the legal max. And the legal max is just a document that the state gives us that tells us how much we can legally spend um out of the general fund and LLV funds. Um everything starts with the form 150 that's in the budget documents that I present um in the late summer and that's always an inflated amount because we want to be able to have the authority to spend

096uh without having to republish. So step one is the form 150 and then step two is the SO66 report and that report just got done and so all of the figures that I'm going to go over are based on the SO66 and then the final straw is when the state comes in and audits us and that's actually set for January this year. So we actually I requested an earlier audit just to have our funding. So those three things set our budget and um get trickled down until the final audit in January. So the enrollment is the first figure used in the calculation of the legal max. Um but this is without preK at risk or virtual. Those numbers get added uh back in later and you'll see that how that works out. Um, but KSDE

097does allow districts to use either the current year or the prior year. And so, as you can see, this year we dropped down um, but we will be able to use last year's amount, but last year we used fiscal year 24's amount. So, we're still declining. So, as you all know, our enrollment is declining. And as you can see, um, that effect. Okay, that was um based on waitings. This is our actual headcount. This is the number that you'll see up on the board after it's audited by the by the state. And that number um we actually thought we were going to be down around 82 and we came in um 148 down. So, a bit of a gut punch. So, no Randy, not great news for you. But each student averages about $8,500. So

098loss of over uh 1.2 million in the general fund and 400,000 in the LOB fund. So, all of the waitings that go into the legal max, uh, preK at risk is down, high enrollment's down, transportation's down, at risk is down, high density is down, CTE is down, bilingual is up, and we contribute that to um where you guys approve that we will now pay for the the classes for teachers to get ESOL endorsed because even if they're on a plan and don't have that endorsement on their license, we get to count them in our funding. So, bilingual was up special education, we don't know. Um, most likely it will be down just because of our headcount being down. So, I'm just going to go through each one of those weightings briefly and kind of talk

099about them. So, pre preschool at risk three and four year olds count as a 0.5. So, this year we're at 173. So, that means we had 346 heads that we counted. It does not include sped prek though because those are again um added in into that original number that you saw on the first slide. Um a 100% of this fund goes to salary and benefits for our staff at at Garfield. And this generates around 971,000 for us. High enrollment districts get this number if you have um greater to or equal than 1,622. So we qualify for that very easily and the factor is a 03504. So you take our audited adjustment that very first number plus the prek at risk number I just showed you and multiply that times that factor of 03504 and that

100generates around 1.3 million for us. Bilingual there's two options that we uh get to pick the higher of. Uh the first one is the FTE FTE enrollment in approved bilingual education programs which is the contact hours that those kids are in there divided by six and you times that by a factor of 395 or you can do the headcount enrollment times 185. So for fiscal year 25 um the first option was was the higher um and they're not a lot different but for fiscal year 25 uh the first option brought in um a waiting of 430.8 the second was 423.28. So our contact hours were higher. So that's the option we do and that generated um over just over 2.6 million for us. And again, 99% of this goes to salaries and benefits with 1%

101on supplies. And what um we use a a translation tool called Propio um that we use for bilingual. Um the next waiting was CTE, career and tech education. This one you just take the FTE enrollment times.5. Um that FTE enrollment is based on CTE contact hours divided by six. So this fund generates about 760,000 just under 760,000. About 93% of this goes to salary and benefits. 7% is on supplies and equipment. And this kind of pairs with a federal fund uh our Carl Perkins money. And that Carl Perkins money we use 100% for supplies and equipment for those CTE forces. So that's why there's not as much coming out of this fund. um at risk-f free lunch. So in 20 fc year 24 our audited number was 4467 students or 62.2%. Last year we dropped

102to 4394 but our percentage actually went up to 62.6%. Um and this you just get by the number of free students uh based on the free lunch applications times a factor of 0484. This generated $10.9 million. So this is our biggest one. So when Mr. Norby was talking about how important the waitings are and the at risk especially, this one's huge for this district. Um, a majority of this is also salary benefits. High density at risk is if your district has over 50% then there you can take the number of free students times a factor of 0 uh 105. So last year that factor waiting was the the 461. This year we're estimating around 4,33 which equates to that 423 uh mark which will generate another 2.37 million for at risk funding. Um last year

103our total spend in all at risk was 19.8 million. So these two together is like 13.3. So we weigh over spend at risk and supple supplement it with general fund money um that's left over. Uh transportation is a very interesting uh formula to get um we generate about 1.5 million and you take the square footage of the district and get your density. Um so we have 928 square miles um and you divide that by the number of students transported. So, uh, we had roughly around 1,293. So, that gives you a factor. And then you go to a per capita allowance table, which is just this massive table, and that gives you how many dollars you get. So, you take the students times the per capita divided by the current year base divided by the fiscal

104year 19 base, and then all that divided by current year base. So, it's a very complex formula, but gives us about 1.5 million. special education. This number is backed into um and we don't know it till the very end of the year. So there's one big pot of funds and it's divided out by all districts based on the number of teachers spe special education teachers you have. So this fund has nothing to do with how many students. It's about our staffing. This year we're up about four special education uh teachers. Um, but we're still probably most likely going to go down, but generated around just under 6.5 million is what we're projecting. [snorts] Virtual is one that is just a set dollar amount. So, that's why it's not included in that initial number. So, uh,

105we get $5,600 per kid. And this fund, we always generate more than we spend. So, we always bring in well over the amount that we spend on our teachers. and um I think there's three teachers over there now and then um any equipment that they need. Um and so we just use the uh leftover funds to to help with atrisisk funding as well. So putting it all together starting with that adjusted enrollment number which is actually last year's adding in all of those waitings that I just talked about and then um adding in the dollar amount for virtual. You can see that for general fund over last year we're looking at $80,000 more and lo we're looking at $62,000 more than last year which is great that it's going up but it's depressing when we

106were projecting a $1.6 million increase. So the state puts out and that that's based on if we would have stayed flat and everything. That's kind of what the state gives us in the spring the prior year based on the increase of base um by $237 per student um or per waiting. Um so that's that's where we should have been had we stayed flat would have been 1.6 million. So instead of that we're at 142,000. Um, another some other losses that aren't included in that. The safe and secure schools grant that we received the last couple years that's gone away. Mentor stipens are being cut. Um, professional developments not funded. And then our national board certifications we that we uh turn around and give to those teachers is also not going to be funded by the

107state. Um, this chart is really hard to read, but you can get the gist of it. Garden City is the very bottom of each group. So this line, this line, this line. Um, and this is expenses per pupil for all funds. So this includes capital outlay everything. So last year, Garden City was the lowest. I compared us to Dodge City, Hulcom, Liberal, Hayes, and Salina. Last year per pupil, uh, the district came in at $15,669. Salina's the highest at 23402. Um, Dodge City is 17,355. Hulkcom 16,865. Liberal was 18,174 and Hayes 20,640. So, you can tell that it fluctuates, but we are usually always one of the lower two on expenses per pupil with all funds. Um, I did a calculation where I took out uh capital outlay and bond and interest and then all

108of the 700 object lines, which is like all equipment, um, vehicles, things like that. And it took it down to $13,982 that we spend per student. Um, this is expenses per pupil for only sped. So just and it's just Garden City. I just wanted to show the increasing expenses it costs to um for sped students. Um we actually decreased in students but our expenses per student went up. Um a lot of that we have um some s some with significant needs. We had to pay some mileage to Kansas City to the school of deaf and blind things like that that just factor in. But it just continues we just continue to see um this figure go up. Um this is cash balances for all funds. So 71% of unencumbered cash at the end of fiscal

109year 25 was either capital outlay, bond and interest, contingency reserve or health reserves. um capital outlay has intentionally been built with the with the intent of not having to go to the taxpayers for an addition to KH. Um and a cushion has also been built in the textbook fund so that um because we know that we have a big ELLL adoption coming up. Um, and then last year I also stuck quite a bit of money um upwards of a million dollars into the bilingual fund to prepare for um the elimination of federal funds when we weren't sure if we were going to get federal funds to pay for like our migrant and things like that. So I put um excess into bilingual. So that kind of caused our cash balances to increase um pretty significantly

110the last couple years um mainly for the KH edition. Um this is just capital outlay and like I said um half of all of our interest on investments um I usually transfer well I have the last two years I've been in the position I've transferred half the interest um the rest is from state aid we get 62% and then um the rest from our local taxpayers last year um that all added up to about 7.5 million um what what we budget to come out of there is usually six million um on the long range facilities plan and then 150,000 on copers, 200,000 for vehicles whether it's plant facilities or transportation and then buses around 475 technology is a hit at 930,000 a year. Um and then just other things that I take out of here

111are are dealing with school safety. um the summer maintenance crew that we hire to catch up on projects. We give an aotment to um horse good kh and the high school um elementary playgrounds, band instruments, things of that nature. Health reserves um is another one that um we unfortunately saw decrease at our up rate and now we're working on coming back up. um our auditors like where this is at. Like I think we're at a good spot right now. Um in our health reserves being self-insured, we just have to make sure that we have enough um cushion in there for high expenditures there. Um I just want to finish um tying into the health reserves into the Growwell utilization. Um, so we've used um a thousand nine or that we've had, 109 total visits um

112with Growwell so far. And I'm sorry, but I got to grab my other paper um to give you just some more information on on what we're seeing so far. So yeah, 109 visits. Um so what I did is I took again sorry this is little I to I took each category and I figured like what we would have spent had um 240 new p had those patients gone to a primary care provider. I used an average of 120 for a visit. Um and then I did the same thing like with the lab work uh about $50 a visit plus the cost of the labs. um and just kind of calculated that um and I came up that we saved 143 just under $144,000 in this first implementation period. What we've paid to grow well so

113far is 124. So I was shocked like I I like I just knew we were going to save money but I did not think it was going to be this fast. So this is your good news, Randy. We're saving money here. Um, and they've been really great to work with our our employees. Anytime I have a concern and I I call them, they're they're very quick to respond problem. So, um, I do think that it's a little bit inflated right now because we did such a push getting people established um, school physicals at the beginning of the year. Um, but I hope, you know, the hope is to continue to to pro promote this and I think the more our employees realize that this is going to in turn save them money, they're not going

114to have premiums increased and we won't have to put money into fringe. We can put it into salaries. Um, I just think it's a win-win for all of us. So, that is all I had. If you have any questions or comments for me, [clears throat] Thank you for your work. >> That's easy. Thank you guys. >> All right. Item HH1, new business, UNCC controls upgrade at Garden City High School, director of plant facilities, Brandon Anderson. >> So to answer the the question on everyone, my UNCC universal network controller. Um, apologize. probably should have explained that, but um since we saved $143,000 using Growwell, I need to spend $145. >> I did want to back up though, not saying I had anything to do with it, but but last year that increase in graduation rate was

115quite impressive and I have been here a little over a year and a half. So, [laughter] but I know I had nothing to do with that. So I am here this evening to visit with you about the controls at the high school. Uh our new high school is 13 years old. Um the controllers that were installed in there uh have served a very good purpose. Uh but obviously we are having issues with them. We have one that's totally down. That controller actually controls the main level of the freshman uh academy and the main level of the blue academy. Uh that one we're kind of just running blind. Uh we're trying to make some tweaks and adjustments manually on that area uh because that's kind of where we are. The reason we're to this point on

116controllers uh they're older and antiquated uh with technology. Obviously a lot of things have changed. We're also dealing with lure issues uh with that original uh software that we're dealing with with that. So that brings me uh to bring forward a presentation or or a proposal from the CNC group. The CNC group is the control system that's in the high school. Now, uh if we stick with the CNC group, that would save a lot of extra expenditure were we to go with a full control replacement system of some other brand. Um so, what I've got for you tonight is a proposal to uh do one of two things. One of them would be just propose that we fix the one uh controller uh which had at a cost of $30,000 or go in and replace

117and upgrade all six of those controllers at this time uh with a price of 1455 uh to go in and do that. Now if we were to do that and there has been some conversation discussion and and they continue to come and visit. Uh the CNC group is a group that I think came to the board and talked about a campus optimizer product that they have. If we were to want to look at that again, this would be upgradable um to that system that they have. Uh we're also internally kind of doing some some leg work. We're, as you guys know, we've talked about the Honeywell system at the five sister schools. Uh we're looking right now at some options maybe locally that we could utilize to help us control those five systems and that

118might be something similar uh on a on a much smaller uh scale than what that campus optimizer actually does. But we are looking at those options internally. We're not ready to push any of those forward uh at this time. Uh but I don't believe we can put off addressing the controller issues at the high school. Uh my recommendation is we replace all of them at one time uh and and approve the the expenditure of 1455 for those six. Uh but your other options are if you just wanted to replace the one that's down uh for a cost of $30,000 or if you want us to go back to the drawing board, uh we could price this out with other controllers or other companies and um and do a comparison. I do think that will be

119substantially higher. uh because going back in and replacing a whole system as opposed to being able to retrofit with CNC product uh I think will definitely be cheaper in the long run. So with that I'll pause for questions and how quickly if we do one or six regardless how quickly could they get in and >> I think if we if we sign the the paperwork and you guys approve it I imagine they would be able to get in here and have it done by midspring I would hope. So it's the you say it's the freshman that's assuming it it I mean I need to visit with them and find out what kind of logistics we would have to deal with if we would worst case scenario we we'd put it off till summer but >>

120the freshman academy is one of the >> the main level of the freshman academy academy and the main level of the blue academy. >> So is it comfort is it the temperature in there or >> yes >> okay just having >> we don't have any way of looking at it. So yes, >> Jessica maybe not so much, but >> some of those emails say differently, but >> I can tell on our fine where you sit. >> Do you expect a similar life expectancy of these controllers? >> Probably um you know 10 15 years. um to speak on that. Uh you know, obviously I I believe in where we're headed with a lot of the controls, it's becoming more and more technology based. Uh and with that technology is changing on how the longevity of those

121and maybe not as much capital cost to go in and replace what's there, but more loading in another system. You guys are familiar with our phones. I mean, nowadays your updates just come and they and they get updated. Uh, and I think there'll be more and more of that through this whole process as we move forward. Hopefully, it will be cheaper in the long run, but I don't know how that affects the actual longevity of this system. Can you talk about a little bit about the benefit you see of doing the full building upgrade as opposed to repairing the >> I think kind of the peace mill process then obviously you know we could look at um just doing the one now and then coming back in as needed on the other five. You're also

122then kind of piecing them together. Even if we stayed with CNC, you'd still be having one that's brand new. uh one you maybe go in a year and a half later and do and and then just kind of piecing all those together. I think for efficiency doing them all at one time, tying them back in, having a new model um and then tying them into our our system would be that benefit plus, you know, one of them's 30 to come in and do. We've got six. So, uh, if full price on that, if you were just looking at that should be like 180, >> [clears throat] >> uh, you know, and I know that's maybe not as simplistic as as it truly is, but, um, I I think we get a little bit of a

123discount if we do them all at one time. >> If we, um, eventually 15 years old, I think you said a lot of the part of that building is package rooftop units. You know, we're probably within five or so years of having to start replacing some equipment. Uh how are how this control system? Are we limited in the brands and types of units we can go with future when we make replacements or is this a pretty versatile control system that we can open up to multiple vendors? >> I think it's pretty versatile. um and and my knowledge and and visiting with few of the local contractors and the more I'm finding out about control systems and and master controls, a lot of them are integrable. Um and you can kind of through technology be able

124to integrate nearly any system into uh a whole, you know, CNC's product that they've got. So I I feel pretty comfortable that they would be adaptable with whatever we decided to change and had to change going forward with the bicycle. >> We replaced all six. Do the five that are still operable have any value in the district and any other >> because of the lensure issues and and and the fact that they're just out of date? Um probably not. >> How will we fund this? There's uh money in the long range facilities plan budget that hasn't been allocated. So, we kind of inflate that [clears throat] like that $6 million that I talked about, we allocate to long-range facilities. So, it's not all allocated out. So, we can use this. >> We were able to

125push a roof forward last year um that we don't have any right now. We don't have any roofs budgeted. Um, we did find one that probably could be addressed if needed. And as we're shifting forward, some HVAC projects that uh may or may not be able to be put on to the that are in the long range plan for this summer may or may not be able to get done. So, um, good and bad, I may not get to spend $6 million this summer. >> Is this a first read or do we need are you needing this? No, I think that we can I mean I'm good with you guys approving this next meeting. Happy to address any questions you get. >> Understand that we don't have another meeting until December. >> Oh, we talked

126about this. >> Yeah, I was thinking you have one. >> Yeah, we don't have another one until December 12th, I think it is. Or >> Thanksgiving break. We won't have a we won't have a second meeting if the board would consider it. Yes, we'd like approval to that. Do you what do you have in um our next in our within our capital outlay planning major HVAC >> excuse me >> coming up budget in the next five years >> not at the high school I >> think it's 32 our first >> 31 32 right in there I think is where we when we hit the the 20-y year mark, Mr. President, to approve the proposal to replace all six controller units at the high school at a cost of 1455. We'll >> second that. So move

127and second. Is there any further discussion? Those in favor raise your hand. Both same sign. Motion carries. >> Hey, item I board open discussions. Oh, first um not prepared. I just uh um obviously I always love when the kids come every time. That's great. It's worth it to see the kids and I'm always happy to see all the good things that they're doing and the extra work. Um Jag program, I think it's great. I I I know a lot of kids in it. I've got to meet a few kids throughout the summer. They've been helping with the baseball with the win and stuff and that. So, got to meet a few of them with Jared and it's it's been a really good deal. Um, [clears throat] the I hate spending money on that stuff like

128the air conditioner controls, but if we don't just if you don't fix them all at once and three years from now, we have to replace them all. Obviously, inflation, the cost goes up, costs more money, we're just deferring maintenance, we're kicking down the road. So, I think that's a right decision to keep on top of that stuff. Um, also congratulate to all the new board members who are elected and and uh also for all those that ran and maybe didn't get elected, but I I really appreciate the effort and and that people are willing to take a stand and to take time out there today to do this. So [snorts] that's it. Robin's not here. Mark, >> I won't repeat anything you said about agree with everything you said there, Randy. the correct information rates.

129It's obviously great to hear that and uh you know as as Mr. Norby said that speaks for the the whole district from a prek on on all the way up to 12th grade. Um I did attend the um Saturday the dyslexia simulation that was put on uh up there at the high school. That was uh very interesting and informative and I'm an expert. No, I'm not far from She put up the presenter put up a slide on her PowerPoint of of what people thought dyslexia was and they were all missed. Well, I had a couple of those in my thought and uh anyway, it's very interesting and and look forward to looking more at at at this and diving deeper into it with with our ELA curriculum and anything else that we do and how

130can we how can we make sure that we don't leave those those kids behind because that's that's extremely important that we don't. Um it's always great to hear from the school too from the KH here and have the students come in with that. Thank you. agree with everything that's been said. Of course, um definitely appreciate the Jag program with my student in there. I got to attend the induction ceremony and it was a good fun experience for them to see those kids kind of participate with and take the step to grow up a little bit. So, it's fun to watch that. Um excited about the graduation rate and uh what next year's data will provide as we continue to have the same tracking metrics there with new adjustments. So, keeping good on that. And I

131love the fact that it does take everyone uh caring for those kids. And it's and it's all of our staff. And so, huge thanks to all of our staff and all of our employees of USD457 uh coming alongside of everything that's going on from the admin uh to the cafeteria just to everybody coming together to make this a good school district. And so, that's all I have to say. >> Yeah. um there are two at the end so >> same for me >> Josh say something >> um so uh Veterans Day is this week and so we'll have some some really cool activities going on around the district and some of the buildings to celebrate our veterans and so I'm really excited for that. Uh this is the time of year the Crystal Apple banquet

132is next week and so uh it's a great time for us to celebrate our our our profession and and some of the teachers that that really uh shine a spotlight on on the great things that that go on in education. And so I'm really looking forward to that. Uh the dyslexia simulator I think um that we had on Saturday. We had over a hundred uh cab members that took took Saturday morning off to attend. Um now they get release time for that but still to take a half a day of your Saturday to go spend doing that. I think that says a lot about the the staff that we have and and their dedication to to the profession. Um, also just as exciting, we had over 50 um 50 uh folks from the community that

133participated in the afternoon session, too. So, um really really excited for that. The graduation rate and and the stuff that Mr. Norby talked about and Mr. Ming and and and Miss Shanklin and Miss Elliot that I am so excited about that. I mean that for us to be that high um with the demographics that we have I think speaks volumes of of the work that happened that happens at Garden City um I think Steve talked a little bit about you know the the work that we do with um and the way that we spent some of our at risk funds and I think that's exactly what those funds are for. That's what we should be doing with those funds. Those are um we're identifying kids that are at risk of not graduating high school and

134we're we're we're really you know doubling down and trying to trying to get those kids. some of those kids, we're not getting them to go across the stage. We're dragging them, pulling them across the stage, but but we're getting them across the stage, and I think that is um that is just awesome and really excited. Um last thing, uh Jessica when she talked about um talked about our numbers, um our decline in enrollment over the last 10 years is real and it's beginning to have a financial impact on on us. And so we're going to have I've had conversations with staff and I think I've told the board this already, but um I've told I've told administration that, you know, as building principles are looking at approving um purchases and things like that, we really

135need to look at is this something we want or is this something that we need and we need to be purchasing needs and not want because we're we're at that point. But there's only so much money that we can that we can save by by purchases. I mean, when we have our our, you know, the district is over 85 90% of our our funds are spent on people, um, it's tough. And so, we're going to have to have to start having some conversations. Drew and I have kind of talked about um, you know, trying to find places where we can where we can make some make some cuts for next year and start having those conversations next semester just to be a little proactive in that. So, that's all I got. Next board meeting, there

136will be a special meeting of the board of education on Wednesday, November 19th at 5:00 p.m. in the board meeting room at the educational support center. Um the next regular meeting of the board of education will take place on Monday, December 8th at 6:00 p.m. here in the board meeting room as well. Item K, we have an executive session. [clears throat] >> Five minutes. Yes, >> this is 210. >> Mr. President, move we go to executive session for 10 minutes to discuss contractual obligations pursuant to the non-elected personnel exception under coma beginning at 8:07 and the open meeting will resume at 8:17. I'd like to invite Joshua McGimman to join us in executive session. Second is any discussion favor raise your hand. Margin carries. Okay, we'll call the meeting back to order. >> Mr. President,

137I move we approve the superintendent employment agreement between the board of education of Unified School District number 457 and Joshua Gin as superintendent of schools for USD 457. >> I'll second that. It's been moved and seconded. Is there any further discussion? All in favor, raise your hand. Post same sign. Motion carries. >> Okay, we will move for a journ. Make a motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor, raise your hand. Motion carries. We're journ.