001Okay, good evening everyone. It is 6 o'clock, so I'll now call this regular meeting of the County Board of Education to order. Uh, Miss Jackson, good evening to you. Will you please take role? >> Good evening. Amanda Ferguson, Amy Green, >> present. >> Amy Tyler Murphy, >> present. >> Penny Christian, Amy Monica Mundy, >> present. >> Thank you. Uh, Miss Jackson, I do know that, uh, board member Christian will be joining us virtually. She is out of town this week. Um, so she should be coming on soon. I'd like to welcome everyone joining us for tonight's meeting, both in person and online. Uh, before we begin our agenda, I do want to briefly share an update with our community regarding transparency and public access to district information. Beginning with our January planning meeting, Fate County
002Public Schools will launch an expanded opportunity for the public to engage with our transparency and accountability dashboards. Prior to and during board meetings, we will have district staff available in room 159 just outside the hallway to display key dashboards and provide hands-on support and training for anyone who would like to better understand how to access information, information that may be included or any information that's shared during the meeting. These dashboards are designed to clearly communicate how the district is managing resources, tracking progress, and aligning decisions with student outcomes and long-term sustainability. Uh, this effort reflects our commitment to transparency, informed governance, and meaningful, accurate public engagement. We also want our community to not only have access to this information, but feel confident in navigating the dashboards and asking thoughtful questions. and we look forward to
003continuing this work together and to welcome any community member who wishes to learn more in January and beyond. Uh next on our agenda, we will have a moment of silence, a pledge of allegiance, and a reading of our district mission statement. >> Amy, >> tonight uh we would like to acknowledge the tragic death of David Gully, who joined team FCPS as a bus driver in August of this year. Our hearts remain with his family, friends, and all those touched by his passing. Please join me in a moment of silence. >> Amy Amy Amy Amy Amy Amy Amy Amy Amy A. >> Now, please stand as you are able for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty,
004and justice. Thank you. The mission of the County Public Schools is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students achieve at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society. Our first order of business is the approval of our agenda. I'll entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. Is there a motion? >> I move we approve tonight's agenda as presented. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bor Monday. All in favor of adopting the agenda say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Motion carries. 30. We like to open our schoolboard meeting celebrating our talented students and we have previously focused on many of our fine arts programs. But this evening we do have a bit of a change. So, at this time, I'll ask FCPS athletic director
005Jackie Gordon Dval to come forward and introduce tonight's spotlight. And I This may be your first time appearing before the board since you came on board to FCPS. So, officially, welcome to Faget County Public Schools. We're delighted to have you. >> Just there should be a button. There you go. >> Good evening. There we go. Good evening members of the board, superintendent Ligins, administrators, students, and guests. My name is Jackie Gordon Duval. Since stepping into the role of district athletic director in August, I have seen firsthand the incredible impact our athletics programs have on student growth. And I want to thank the board for recognizing and supporting athletics as an essential pillar of our worldclass educational experience. Tonight, I'm thrilled to launch our first student showcase for athletics programming. Um, as you know, we offer
00632 sanctioned sports in SP FCPS with 11 of those sports um, active between July and December. Um, so tonight's showcase is dedicated to the fall sports. Um, we're going to highlight the outstanding examples of our student athletes across the district. The athletes you will meet tonight represent more than just wins and losses. They embody FCPS pride through their dedication in the classroom, their leadership in the community, and their excellence in competition. We're committed to celebrating more of these incredible stories and accomplishments throughout the rest of the year. Um, we'll continue to incorporate other athletic programs and schools into our future so showcases to recognize the diverse talent and hard work across all seasons of competition in schools. So, now we'll view a video and following that uh we'll hear from a couple of our student
007athletes as well as coaches. I think cross country and track. How I work hard within my sport makes me realize, you know, how you really have to apply yourself in all areas. I always call it a 50/50 sport. It's 50% physical but 50% mental. And I think that often carries over in cross country athletes into their academics because they're so used to working so hard already that it's something that they've already been accustomed to. I would say academically it has helped me develop discipline, just gain confidence within the classroom. I'm in the business pathway here at Dumbar, so I compete um in a business program. So, I think that running has really helped me gain the skills to do those opportunities. >> Soccer, it's always been something I've enjoyed and it's nice to have people
008I can share like similar interests with. >> Growing up, I was always quiet. You know, I didn't want to talk to anyone and make any friends. But ever since I started playing soccer, it's just like it's kind of become natural. >> It's definitely taught me a lot. I've learned a lot about both myself and just what it takes to to be a leader. Being the first team to win a region championship at Brian Station was a big accomplishment. >> This was the first time for them to be able to take in uh playoff soccer that involved Brian Station High School. >> When you do something like that, I think you really got to value that. >> A part of being a student athlete is the student part. So me just wanting to always play soccer
009means that in the classroom I have to stay on top of everything. It helps me have more pride in my school and like the things I do and combined with the soccer like it kind of feel like it completes what I'm trying to achieve. You know without our seniors this season doing the small things that we've asked them to do we probably don't achieve all the things that we wanted to achieve this season. >> At the end of the day running isn't just about a time or a placement. I think it's a lot more important to view the sport in a manner that helps me become a better person than just as an outlet for myself. She holds every school record from the 800 to the 5K. She set the all-time 5K record both on
010the track and cross country season this year. >> Our program has a very high standard whenever it comes to leadership and responsibility. From being on a a team like this, I've learned how to like create friendships and bonds with people who I never thought I'd talk to. So much hard work that I've been putting in for all my years of high school, all my years of soccer. I felt like it paid off finally this year. You can always do the things you you think are like impossible. Just don't underestimate people around you and believe in yourself and you can do it. They're going to be graduating Brian Station High School, not only as fantastic students, but also as leaders of a sports program that now they can look back on hopefully 5, 10 years from
011now and be proud of. Yeah. And now, now we'll welcome a couple of our student athletes and coaches. >> Hi, I'm Suzanne Eastep. I'm a senior at Paul Lawrence Stumbar and um running cross country and track has been such a blessing in my life. Running cross country, I have formed valuable relationships that strengthen my social emotional health. Whether this is with my teammates, friends, or coaches, I have really benefited. My sport has inspired me to be engaged in my community, which is why I created a community service club called Lexington Courtesy Club. Through this club and many other opportunities that my school offers, I support others in Lexington and lead other students to do so as well. Cross country has really strengthened my leadership skills um and to better lead and support my teammates and
012carry that into other areas. Running has helped me as a student by teaching me valuable lessons like the value of hard work. Um, running has helped me as a student and it has also helped me to further my academic career to go on to run D1 level um, track and field and cross country at Butler University. This wouldn't have been possible without all the support I have received during my time at Dumbar. I'm so grateful for all of Coach Kylie's and Coach Andrew's assistance. Not only do my coaches and the adults at my school want me to succeed within my sport, they also prior prioritize my well-being as a student and as an individual. Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Kylie Rutherford and I'm the head track and cross country coach at Dumbar. In
0132023, I was named the head cross country coach of Paul Lawrence Dumbar High School. Like anyone with a new coaching position, I looked up the roster and athletes times. I immediately recognized that I would be inheriting a successful program on both the boys and the girls side with many of my athletes being young. I noticed the year prior that a freshman girl had run very well and knew she would have potential. That is the first time Suzanne Eastep came on my radar. Throughout her sophomore year, I saw Suzanne grow as not only a runner, but a leader, something that is uncommon for a 15-year-old. She had never met a stranger and was always willing to help out teammates in need. This continued throughout her junior year, which marked her journey to being the most decorated
014distance runner the school had seen. She would go on and break six school records that season, many that had been around since before she was born. She became the first FCPS female athlete under 505 in the indoor mile, running an impressive 503. Her senior year, I saw a brand new athlete emerge right off her summer training. She came out strong with a win at one of the biggest meets of the year and followed up with another school record in a state runnerup finish. Suzanne had always had the potential to place this high at large meets, but sometimes, like any runner, would struggle struggle with the mental part of the race, something I would argue is much harder than the physicality of the sport. As she charged down the final stretch and passed a runner to
015get second, I couldn't help but get teary eyed and sprint over to my assistant Andrew to embrace in a hug as she crossed the finish line. We had worked towards improving her mental state since her sophomore year, and it was finally nice to see her put it everything together in a glittery bow. We finally got to see her get her well-deserved and overdue flowers at her final high school cross country race. It is an honor for the board to choose Suzanne and the Dumbar cross country program to be highlighted at this meeting tonight. I am so proud of what she and this team have accomplished. These athletes work through the intensity of their workouts and are out in the elements practicing because if you didn't know, track and cross country meets tend to happen in
016any weather, downpours of rain, high wind, or even freezing temperatures and snow. They deserve all the praise because they truly represent the school in such a positive way and their dedication is admirable. I am honored to be able to coach these athletes every day and look forward to seeing what they accomplish throughout their lives beyond running. Suzanne will be running track and cross country at Butler University next year, so it's nice to say that once you are a bulldog, you will always be a bulldog. Go dogs. Thank you. Thank you both. Congratulations, Suzanne. Anyone who's ever been at the finish line of a cross country meet knows it's not the most glamorous uh sight to behold, but it's a lot that goes into it and we recognize that. So, thank you so much. Go ahead.
017>> Hi. Uh I am Coach Tunget. I'm the men's soccer coach at Brian Station High School. Uh I became the soccer coach in 2024, spring of 2024. Uh and it would have been just an amazing dream to be in a position that we are today speaking to you about our boys soccer team. Uh you know whenever we we first came on uh we were trying to build a culture and establish a relationship between the players and and to convince them that they could do something that had never happened before. Uh you know to my knowledge our soccer team has been around for 50 plus years. uh and we've never been in a position of being able to compete for a state championship like we did uh this past season. Uh and and the the amount
018of hours and the amount of effort and the amount of uh just giving up, you know, personal life outside of uh the soccer field that went into this run uh is just a remarkable testament to what these student athletes have been able to accomplish this season. Um, this guy next to me, uh, whenever I first came on, um, I'm not from Lexington. This is kind of, uh, I'm I've been in the western part of Kentucky for the for the most part of my life. Uh, and I could not do my job without the student athletes that we have. Uh, you know, we're developing leaders for the future, uh, that can just step into these roles and really, uh, excel and lead the next generation. Uh, and walking definitely is one of those leaders. Hello everybody.
019Um, my name is Walken Garant. I'm a senior at Brian Station High School. And I'd like to thank you all for having us here tonight and giving me the opportunity to speak on our past season and what we achieved. Uh, so I'd like to begin at the beginning of every year for soccer, we always set out goals on what we want to accomplish. And going to the state tournament was not one of our goals. and getting there shows how much like we had to go through and how much sacrifice we had to take. And I feel like that wouldn't have been possible without our coaching staff. He did a great job at holding everybody accountable for their actions and holding me accountable to just do everything that we put into our program. And um I'd
020like to thank my teammates too because without them none of it would have been impossible cuz not only did I make sacrifice but they had to do stuff in their personal life to sacrifice to be there. And for my senior year I couldn't ask for more from anybody else cuz that shows a lot to me because my whole life playing soccer. I've never won championships, none of that. I've always ended up on the losing end unfortunately. But this year, it got it was nice to feel what it was like to win. And I was extremely grateful for the people that made that possible for me. And with soccer this season, it's taught me so much that I'll carry forward into my life for the future. Like leadership, I can I've always been a quiet person.
021And he's made me step out of my comfort zone a little bit and hold people and get on to them. So just uh and that just has helped me become a better person and a better better leader and I can't ask for more. >> Thank you very much and congratulations Brian Station and we have other members of the team here. You mentioned your team. If uh Brian Station soccer team who are here, you all stand up so we can recognize you all. any of the any coaches any coaches any of our coaches that are also in the room, please stand so you can be recognized as well. I see some shy ones. They're hiding. Okay, very good. And it's I so appreciate the comments because when we talk about our portrait of a graduate, one
022of the things we mention is reflect being reflective and being resilient. And uh I don't know uh anything that captures that more than than the work and grit and determination that our student athletes go through. And I appreciate the comment in the video about being a student first and an athlete second, but all of the skills uh that being a part uh of an athletic team gives that will go on and endure well beyond uh high school. So, thank you all for sharing that experience with us. We're proud of you and we're proud to see what the future holds for you. So, thank you all. And at this time, um, I'll turn the agenda over to Superintendent Ligins uh for the superintendent report. Before I do, I will also, uh, continuing our celebrations and congratulations,
023uh, congratulate Superintendent Ligins on being named a finalist uh, for the AASA Superintendent, National Superintendent of the Year. Um, so congratulations, Superintendent Ligins. is a point of pride for Faget County Public Schools. So, thank you and and thank you to to this team for uh all of their hard work and efforts that are being recognized. Um before introducing our first um item this evening, I would also like to welcome everyone here in person as well as online for tonight's meeting. Uh, first on our superintendent report is our December Kids Champion Award um recipient. At this time, I'd like to ask Tracy Bruno, chief of staff, to introduce that. >> Good evening, Dr. Ligins and board members. We are excited to continue our partnership with Fork Bank, the proud sponsor of the FCPS Kids Champion Awards.
024Thanks to their generous support, each monthly honore will receive a monetary prize for their outstanding contributions to our students and schools. We're equally excited for the donation from uh 16 Ways Foundation. This month, we are thrilled to celebrate Miss Marquia Smith, a dedicated lease custodian at Morton Middle School. As the December kids champion, Miss Smith's unwavering commitment, compassion, and willingness to go above and beyond make her an invaluable member of the FCPS family. The nominee shared the following. Miss Smith goes above and beyond the role of custodian by fully integrating herself into our school community. She's incredibly supportive of students and works hard to build relationships and incentivize students for excellent academic achievement and behavior. I've seen her show up to sisters keepers meetings, practices, games, and other school events. She buys treats for students
025who achieve great things in the classroom and works during lunch and transitions to support excellent student behavior. She daily demonstrates hard work and kindness and is a role model to our students by arriving early, completing her job with excellence, connecting with others, and being proud to be a Morton Mustang. Our students love her and see themselves in her and that makes her one of the most essential parts of our staff. Our students respect her and are grateful for the role she plays in their daily lives. And on top of all that, she keeps our building sparkling, helps to train other custodians, is quick to help a teacher out, and balances it all effortlessly. My work in the classroom could not be done without her. Please join us in celebrating Miss Smith's incredible impact. We invite
026you to watch this special video by FCPS Creative Media highlighting her story and the difference she makes every day. Give me five. You are this month's kid. Thank you for everything that you do for our school, our kids. They apparently love you. Here you are. Here you are. Take two. And because you are a field champion, you also get a championship belt. >> And we have a few other things for you that you're going to hear about later. >> Okay. >> But thank you for all that you do. You make the least different every single day. >> Are you surprised? >> Good. Good. I thought they were having an behavioral assembly today. It's not what happened. >> Every single month we do a kids champion award. >> I thought I had a call to come
027talk to kids about cleanliness in the bathrooms, which I was dreading. But when I went in there, I really didn't even know what to say just because I was kind of confused. I didn't know why everybody just started screaming and yelling and then I read the sign and I started crying. >> This month's winner out of 8,000 people is Miss Smith. So, let's give her a round of applause again. >> I love kids. Kids are the future and there's always going to be more kids and not all kids have somebody to look up to. I always want to be that person. You can come to me for anything. She's there for everyone at the lowest times and she just brings joy to everyone's day. >> The passion comes from I know they're better than what
028they put forth or the way they act, the decisions they make. And if I can pull that better out of them, I would love to because they could be so good. >> Marquiera is absolutely deserving of kids champion. She supports our students both behaviorally, academically, social, emotionally. when we're short staffed. She's willing to support in any way. She believes in her work and her work ethic is amazing. >> Everybody deserves a clean space to be in. No matter what you're there for, whether it be school, work, you all deserve to be in somewhere you feel safe. >> My name is Marquiera Smith and I am a kids champion. >> Miss Marqui Smith, please come forward. Let's give her a round of applause for her dedication and service to our students and community. Congratulations. Thank you
029board members and again congratulations champ for this welldeserved recognition. Uh, up next this evening, it's my pleasure to ask our health services coordinator, Debbie Bolan, and our health school specialist, Angela Clark, to provide a brief update on our district-wide health and wellness initiatives. Ladies, >> good evening. Um, this is something that we have done every year for I don't know 12 years. And this will be a little bit changed from what we've done in the past. In the past, we have had a mandated by statute report to give. That has gone away. Our legislature did me a a a small one and uh did away with the report. But you all had wanted to see what we were doing with Angela's CDC grant. And we also want to give you information data on what our
030health services are. So, we've done this little this little report for you all and I'm going to let Angela because she's done most of the work. All of the work actually. I just, you know, I'm the mother of the groom. I wear beige and write checks. So, I'm going to let her talk. >> Thanks, Debbie. We're really a team. I couldn't do it without her all of her uh knowledge and um guiding me along the way in this role. Um so I'm thank you for allowing us to speak today. Um all the work that we've been doing um in all of our schools all align with every single one of our strategic priorities from student achievement where um the you know healthy schools and create healthier students and healthier staff and improve the focus um
031and intention of our students and um increase their academic achievement. Um, unit belonging and student efficacy is another thing that we touch on. Well, well students are happy students, well staff are happy staff and highly effective cultural responsive workforce. I work a lot with Christy Saxon and her employee wellness team. Um, and when our staff is healthy, they're going to show up to work. They're going to um do better um in teaching our students. And so that's really important. >> Outreach and engagement. We work with num a numerous a number of let me let me put my brain in gear here a number of community partners in order to bring programs to our students. And then lastly um organizational health and effectiveness working with um all of our schools in being more effective in what
032how we're handling health wellness as well as recognizing um our school's efforts. Um and you're going to see the recognition for some of our schools in just a minute. So my role as healthy school specialist is focused around um the whole school, whole community, whole child model um all 10 tenants. And so I always say every single day that I'm trying to connect these dots in our district um work smarter not harder um for both um our staff and our students. So, in this work last year, um what we are I'm super excited to announce that we actually had eight of our schools. We announced um America's Healthiest Schools. The most we've ever had is one. Um and out in Western Kentucky, they have like a hundred. So, I'm working really hard. I would like
033to see more of our schools be recognized in 2026. Um because there's great things happening in our schools. Here are the schools that were recognized. There's nine categories. Um and then but these schools didn't apply for all of them. So we just kind of targeted certain parts um certain areas. So you can see right there Deep Springs um had six of the nine and Sandersville Elementary had five of the nine and Picadome had four last year. So as part of my grant I um have to work at 75% of our schools in our district. Um that the total is about 47. That's a lot of schools for me to work with all at at one time. So, I work with all the schools. However, I targeted 10 nine schools last year. These are the nine
034schools that I worked with. Um, and then you can see the schools that were award winners. And then this year, these are the 10 schools that I am working with um in creating wellness committees as well as wellness policy action plans and then supporting those action plans um in their buildings. I I'm not going to read all of the things we've been doing, but just some general overview, but district wellness committee, we've been up and going um for a year and a half now. Uh I think our committee members is up to 33 committee members now, bringing a lot of community partners together and I'm super proud of the work that we're doing um in this wellness committee. Um we meet four times a year and um focusing on nutrition education, nutrition promotion, physical activity,
035and other school-based activities. Um, and with that, um, we're really intentional about what we do with them, um, and make sure that they feel valued. We have some amazing students on our committee, too, that their voices heard. Um, and we we take their lead. >> The really remarkable thing is our attendance has not dropped since we've started the committee meetings. And usually when you start something like that, if people don't feel like it's working, they quit coming. And these people keep coming back. So that's encouraging. and people keep reaching out and wanting to be part of this um to make impact. Um here's just some of the work. Again, I'm not going to read all of it, but I spent a lot of times supporting health and PE teachers and teaching the new standards that
036were just adopted in October. Um I also spent a lot of time in schools working with Friskies. Um creating, like I said, creating the wellness committees, a lot of active classroom trainings for for teachers. Um, I also work, like I said, collaborate with Christy Ston and did the pickle ball pulooa event last year, which we're going to have another one on February 1st. Again, that's for free for all SAT employees of Faget County Schools members >> and board members. And last year, we had PE teachers teach the beginners. Um, and that was super fun. We played, we practiced. Um, I walk into schools, they say, "There's a pickle ball lady." Um, it's super fun. Um, so we're going to do that again. I'm also working with um bringing bike education to K1 schools or K1
037um NRP classes and you can see there's some grants that I applied for and two schools were funded and that was um Sandersville and Taes Creek Elementary and two more we should find out next week. Um I'm working with um LFUG on safe routes to school including bike bus um and safe routes to school. Faget County um is a new group that just formed um working with sustainability um the big thing that we're working on is um all of our schools are supposed to do the healthy schools program assessment through the alliance for healthier generation. That's where the award came from. But we are working on creating our own FCPS healthy schools assessment dashboard working with uh with Lisa Defendol and um through QualricS so we can show wellness data in our schools in real
038time. Um so that's an ongoing project that we're in the middle of right now. Here's some of our amazing um projects worked on outdoor classrooms. Our health and PE teachers are very intentional about the time that we get together um on those uh professional learning days right after the breaks. Um and so we do a lot of great connection and networking. You can see those are the bikes, their strider bikes. Um the class set is 24 of them come with pedal conversion kits and then teacher gets all the education they need. I've also in my role have um taken over the summer health and PE program and so I'm working with counselors and principles and health and PE teachers in our high schools um trying to streamline the process and make it better for everybody.
039Um we will be discontinuing the virtual PE. We're only going to do in person this year. We're also going to be um streamlining the registration process utilizing the amazing school cash online process that we have now. Um, and then we're also going to uh run the online health education run by our health teachers in our in our district instead of the e schools so we can be meet our needs better, make sure our students are um hitting standards if that's the only time that they're getting health education. We want to make sure we're doing what's best for our students. >> Okay. And the next slide is mine. So, I'm going to just show you what we've been doing. Um, we've got a nurse in every campus. We are doing school-based clinics in 11 of our
040facilities. We have a hybrid uh clinic at Henry Clay because Henry Clay once the res the renovation is done will have a school-based clinic. We're working on providing dental services. We kind of had a little hiccup last year. So, we're putting that program back together, working on vision services, and we are using the dental medical van to provide on-site sports physicals. And Dave, if you wouldn't mind putting up the next two slides. I just brought you data from the health department and Health First Bluegrass. Those are in your agenda. We have doubled our health office visits, which I'm sure is a reflection of having a full-time nurse in every school. Our contract has said that schools have to be covered all the time. So now instead of they have substitute nurses instead of nurses splitting
041schools. So that's really helped as well get our um office visits up. And then the next slide Dave and this will be the data from Health First and those are the visits that they do. It's a little bit different. It's kind of like comparing apples and cantalopes. Um Health First has wraparound services. So they have not just the medical but behavioral health and dental services in their schools. They see pretty much the same things that the health department sees, but they also are able to do things like vaccinations. Families can come in and see the practitioners there. We have APRNs that will do um medication. they can not only diagnose but prescribe medication and they have Uber meds that can bring the medications to the student or the staff member which helps with staff members
042not missing a lot of time. So that is it for this year. I do want to put a plug in not only for Angela but all of our PE and health teachers. They are some of the most dedicated people that you will ever work with and we have asked them for their ideas and their ideas have been phenomenal. They came up with an idea for next year's summer school, not this coming year but then after to do um lifeguard certification, soccer referee certification. So, we're trying to work in how to put that into our program as something that our students can do in school. Um, and we'll work on our fee schedules. We we hope to do a lot more for our students in the PE and health arena. >> One last comment in regards
043to that is that I'm working a lot with the special ed team as well as health and PE teachers include in doing a better job of um doing inclusive PE. Um we'll be doing training and some MSD teachers are coming as well as our PE teachers to do this training on how to best um provide inclusive PE for our students >> which was another teacher um instigated program. >> Okay, we're done. >> Any questions? Board members Monday. >> Hello. Thank you guys for being here. Um I'm a pretty big proponent of health promotion. Um, and I told Miss Bowman and but Miss Bowman that I had heard of her long before I came here um, and my health promotion background and she's a bit of a legend in school health. my reputation precedes me >>
044and uh this is really just a comment and an observation in the work that you've done around social emotional health and social emotional learning and it doesn't go lost on me that twice today in this meeting I heard a student and a staff member utilize those words and tell us how those words have helped them and I've noticed a major shift in the time I've only been on the board since January but I've been to a lot these meetings and watched a lot of them and I've seen a shift in the tone, the tenor and the language that's used. Um, and I just want to say thank you for all of your work for all of our nurses and teachers and health and PE teachers um, in that arena because oftentimes it's something that gets
045lost. Um, but it's so important in supporting our students. Um, so thank you. >> Well, thank thank you. >> Thank you, Bor Green. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. I think I'm just really um, echo Dr. Monday's comments and just thank you all so much for your support of our students and our staff and that really then extends into the community because the the skills that you teach our students and staffs, they model those at home in their workplaces and we're really teaching our community to be healthier and and I love that this is just another facet probably is in your wheel of 10 things. It's a holistic approach to teach our students that we're taking care of not only their minds but their bodies because if everybody if every part of us is healthy then
046we can move forward and make a difference. So, thank you both so much for your work. I'm so excited about what you shared. Kudos to the schools that got recognized. I I agree with you. I think we can get high up there, maybe beat the rest of the state. Um so, thank you so much for your work and you know, I really appreciate it. >> Thank you. And I I echo what the others have said and the one thing that stood out to me and I'm glad you drew attention to it because as I was reviewing the agenda items, it's something that stood out to me are the numbers uh from the Health First Bluegrass visits. And it's a reminder, you know, we are a public school. Our number one priority is educating every child
047entering our doors, but part of educating every child is also taking care of the whole child. and your all's presentation demonstrates that that more and more uh public schools are stepping in to fill the breach. And um for so many of our families uh those school-based clinics are their primary care. Uh and that's something that can easily be lost on people. And so I I it's powerful uh seeing those uh numbers. Uh and so thank you for the work. and it's something that we have to uh continue being committed to and uh and keeping the community engaged in as well. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you Debbie and Angela for your tremendous work. That concludes the superintendent report. I will turn the meeting back over to you, Chairman Murphy. Uh thank you. Uh, thank
048you, Superintendent Ligins. Our next item on the agenda is time for public comment. Fate County Board of Education policy 01.45 states members of the public may address the board during the period set aside by the board without submitting an item for the agenda. No action shall be taken during this portion of the meeting on issues raised by employees or the public unless deemed an emergency by the board. At the beginning of the meeting, members of the public who have signed up prior to the meeting are invited to speak on items that are on the agenda. Speakers will not be allowed to make any disparaging or critical remarks about individuals or employees of the district. Instead, those issues are processed for the district's complaint procedures, which afford the individuals to whom comments or complaints are directed
049the opportunity for response and due process. Furthermore, members of the public are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse and conduct. This is not intended to be a time for debate or direct engagement with the board. However, the board will take the public's input into consideration when making final decisions uh this evening. Um, at this time we do have 38 individuals who have signed up for topics on the agenda. Several of those are yielders and so bear with me and I will make sure that I get all of those covered. I will ask individuals to keep their remarks to 90 seconds or less. And our first speaker this evening who has received time yielded from our first speaker this evening is Richard Gaines and uh Mr. Gaines has received time from Dr. Akens, Sarah Gaines,
050Dell Morgan and Joseph Woodley. So that will be uh seven and a half minutes. Uh and then following uh Mr. gains. Uh Nicole Gisky will be our next speaker. Good evening to Dr. Lian, to schoolboard members. Thank you for this opportunity to share on this evening. When the test scores were released last month, Dr. Liggins greeted his audience and reminded us of the proverb that says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together." Then he stated that the people standing behind him represented what going together looks like. That night, another FCPS administrator showed us what going alone looks like when she issued a call to action. Just like Spur Road was meant to be a temporary location for the girls STEM Academy, Sixth Street was intended
051to be a temporary action for the boys STEM Academy. And this was confirmed following the 22 2324 budget workshop when the board ranked GWC as its second priority in a new facility behind Rise and ahead of Henry Clay. Initially, both schools were to be built on the Versailles Road site. Apparently, things changed in 2023 and Carver was removed from the plan. For a year, the project was referenced as the 2160 for sales road project for both STEM programs, but the board approved a new BG1 in August 2023 for the new ride STEM Academy for girls project. And the current district facility plan indicates FCPS needs to acquire a site for Carver. Why do you need to purchase more land when the sales road parcel was slated for both schools? It makes fiscal sense to invest
052a little more to accommodate both programs in one building. It does not make good fiscal sense to pour millions into a 90-year-old building or purchase land and construct another building when there is ample space in this one. Housing multiple programs in a single building is not new for FCPS. Carter G. Woodson and Douglas make it work and steam success and VA coexist under one roof. Tiles and murals on walls of the lack of urinal are not insurmountable issues. There is time to make the needed modifications to provide a state-of-the-art learning environment for our girls and boys. Although the GWC parents have not held protests, attended board meetings, and contacted the media, their PTA president confirmed earlier this month that they have concerns about the inadequacy of the building that currently houses their sons. And if
053the tables were turned, I have no doubt that the Carver families would be gracious and welcoming of sharing the building with their counterparts. But it is not up to the Carver families or the Rise families. It is up to this school board. You decide what gets built and when. If not now, when? When will the scholars at GWC receive what they were promised four years ago and what their male counterp female counterparts are receiving. What would this board say to those students and families to explain why they were slighted in 2023 and why they should wait indefinitely for a state-of-the-art facility or equal treatment when the facility exists now? In January, Susan Vogelong, the 16th district PTA president ask you to keep in mind that the loudest voices are not always the majority of the
054voices. I want to add that the loudest voices may not be right. Let's not go alone. Let's once again go together. You as the board have the privilege and responsibility of making right the wrong that was done to the Carver scholars and families. This year, this board has voted 32 on most agenda items requiring a vote. I am urging you to vote unanimously to house both STEM programs in the STEM building being constructed on Versailles Road. This is the right thing to do and this is the right time to do it. Although each of you as board members represent one district in our city, as a collective board, you are charged with doing what's best for all students. Here's your opportunity to demonstrate in a meaningful and tangible manner that you understand and accept that
055charge. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Gaines. Our next speaker this uh evening is Nicole. Nicole, please help me with your last name. Gizki. Thank you, Nicole Gizki. And following Miss Gizki will be Isaac Looney. >> Um hello. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. Um my name is Nicole Gizki. My daughter is a kindergartener at RISE. I'm reading a statement on behalf of a RISE parent who could not be here tonight. During the meeting with Superintendent Dr. Ligins at RISE on December 10th. We were surprised to hear the statement that the district would get a waiver related related to the requirement for urinals in the new school building. Rise parents include engineering professionals familiar with code compliance and the public review process. Dr. Ligins's comment has raised significant concerns. As elected board members
056who are required to perform due diligence prior to authorizing actions like this, we ask that you vote no to this proposal as the 24hour notice that Dr. Ligins allowed for its consideration does not allow accurate information to be collected or verified. This morning, we spoke directly with a plumbing inspector for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We were informed that changing the building's intended occupancy from an all girls school to a mixed gender school would require a new review of the construction documents. As part of that review, plumbing fixture requirements would be re-evaluated and urinals would likely be required to comply with Kucky's building or plumbing code. This would be the case rather the whether the colllocation is permanent or temporary. Plumbing fixture requirements in schools are not arbitrary. They are established and adopted building and plumbing
057codes to address health, safety, capacity, and long-term operational needs. If life safety and code compliance issues are being characterized as easily waved, that raises broader questions about whether the facility has been fully and thoughtfully designed for its intended. >> Thank you for your time. Our next speaker this evening is Isaac Looney. Uh we will have six minutes based on yielded time from Daniel Grace, Herbert Lynn, Katherine McClung, and following uh Mr. Looney will be Heather Hayen. Good evening. Nice to see everybody again, especially the families from the Stables, Rise, and GWC. I know it's been a difficult time for all of you and I commend you for your heart and your resilience and coming to all these meetings and showing up you. It's very appreciated and we believe in what you're doing. And on this
058meeting, I read the program recommendation file by Dr. Ligins that quote, "Consideration was given to closing the stables in its current form." And I found that language interesting uh because at the last planning meeting Tyler Murphy said, "We are not ending programs. We are just changing facilities." So clearly that document says the quiet part out loud about what the intent is here. But tonight I hope that the board will make the right decision and they will maintain the contract with Central Kentucky Writing for Hope and keep the stables open. Shutting down small but essential programs is not going to fix your budget deficit. That's going to be done with a forensic audit and the community being involved in the budgeting process. On that, I want to reiterate that as a member of this community, I
059requested along with everyone else here an external forensic audit, not an external audit that's duplicative. And to me, this is just another example of this board doing what they're best at, which is ignoring what the public is saying and wasting money. I'm also astonished by the choice of the auditing form. I know that this is a popular FCPS fact check uh thing. So, here's the deal. You did have other options. Whether this firm is directly connected to Dr. Lian or not, you had to know that choosing this particular one was going to get more scrutiny on the situation. So, either you make bad business decisions or you're lying. Either could be true. I saw that you're a finalist for the National Superintendent of the Year Award. I do want to extend my congratulations. I know
060that's a big achievement. I'm a career focused individual myself, but I also have to say yikes. I I see that as concerning not just for FCPS, but schools across the entire country. Uh, and at the last planning meeting when discussing the fate of the stables and the STEM schools, Tyler Murphy said that these conversations are happening at districts across the country. I don't see that as a valid excuse, and I think it's a mistake to think that the people of the bluegrass would accept that answer. The topic of respect has been brought up by members of this board, but I don't think the majority of the board really understands what that word means because you don't show respect for the people in the communities that you serve when you ignore their demands and stifle transparency.
061You don't show respect for your teachers and staff when you bend over backwards to shut down collective bargaining agreements. You don't show respect for the other members of the board when you attempt to silence them and restrict their first amendment rights. and you don't even respect your own decision to admit who put that in the governance manual suggestions. So, I hope you'll take what I've said into consideration. I foresee the motion to ignore me will most likely carry 32. Happy holidays. >> Thank you, Mr. Looney. >> Chair Murphy. >> All right. Uh quick fact check member or Mr. Barber, >> uh, just want to say that there is no missing money. The board passed a balanced budget. All dollars have been accounted for and, you know, there is no deficit because we've already have a
062balanced budget as a district. So, just to be clear, thank you. And I'd also invite anyone to review the desired objectives of the external audit that the board approved at the last meeting. Under bullet point number five, it uh requests that the external auditor determine whether sufficient evidence exists for the commissioning of additional financial budgetary or forensic reviews related to the misappropriation or misuse of funds as outlined in the objectives adopted unanimously by the board. Our next speaker is Heather Hayen. I'm following Miss Hayen will be Ezra England. Miss Hayen, is that who are you yielding to? Okay, our our next our whoever comes up here from rise can claim that that 90 seconds then just let me know and I will make a note of that. Ezra England is the next speaker and following
063um Ezra will have um Ada Bole and you'll have 90 seconds unless you want do you want to yield Ezra your additional 90 seconds miss? >> I'll give it to Rise. >> You'll give it to Rise. Okay, very good. Go ahead. 90 seconds. >> All right. Where do I begin? Kindness, accountability, sharing. I hold these mission skills close to me because I was taught them in kindergarten at Harrison Elementary School. There, these values were not presented as optional. No, they were core and yet they are the very skills that have not been demonstrated by this district. I'm not mad. I'm disappointed because we deserve better. Our teachers who work tirelessly for us in the face of adversity deserve better. Our parents who have been stretched even thinner deserve better. Our school administrators who have no
064doubt been inundated with frantic calls from concerned parents deserve better. I serve on the CEP committee with board member Christian and I want to be very clear when I say this. As a student myself, we notice who is asked to sacrifice and who is not. We are watching what is prioritized and we are watching whether the values we were taught as toddlers of this district are reflected in the actions of the people who lead it today. I know and my teachers know accountability is not failure. Kindness is not impractical. Sharing is not weakness. These foundational principles, these are the ones that my teachers burn the midnight oil for. All we are asking is that you practice them, too. >> Thank you, Mr. England. Our next speaker is Adana Bole. >> Thank you. Um, Ismail Khan
065is our next speaker then. Can everybody hear me? All right. Yes. I'm not here to beg. I'm here to demand accountability. This is not a budget crisis, but rather a leadership crisis created by a fiscal negligence, hidden decision-making, and a refusal to listen to the people you are supposed to serve. My name is Ismile. I'm a nth grader, and I can even see what's happening here. The pattern is obvious. When it comes to students, teachers, and families, you plead poverty. When it comes to the people at the top, the money flows freely. According to the Lexington Herald and WKYT, from 2023 to 2025, our superintendent charged over $152,000 in taxpayer funding expenses, not for education, but rather for extravagant griffs. State legislators called this unbelievable, and all while our FCPS reported a $60 million deficit.
066Programs were cut, electors were cut, library hours, supplies in staff were cut, but executive spending was not. Everything I'm saying is based off reported facts. And because of those facts, we are clear about who we stand with. To the teachers whose bills are on the refrigerator instead of their certificates, we stand with you. To the special education staff asked to do more with less, we stand with you. To the parents behind me who feel ignored when they speak up, we stand with you. We are the students of Faget County. We are your accountability. It has become prevalent what leadership has become in modern day. Luxury for you, cost for us, and cuts for us as well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Khan. Our next speaker is Garen Rucker. >> Chair Murphy, >> uh, Mr.
067Dr. Brad Farber. >> Quick fact check. Uh, much of that money that Dr. Lian spent, much of the money that was spent by Dr. Ligans was supporting teachers and uh their travel as well. >> Our next speaker, our ne members of the audience, please. >> Our our next speaker is Garen Rucker. Garen Rucker. >> I'll claim about 30 seconds for rise if that's fine. >> You're fine. >> To start, I'm not particularly against Carter Gollocating. The boys deserve a good school, too. My daughter, a fifth grader at Rise, has ADHD and she has had put in a lot of extra work to meet expectations in her traditional school. At Rise, she is thriving and meeting all expectations. My biggest concern is the current proposal has the capacity of Rise Elementary and this may jeopardize the
068expansion to seventh and eighth grades. In the family meeting at RISE, Dr. Lian stated 80 to 100th graders need to be are needed to justify the cost of adding seventh and eighth grades. that the elementary capacity is haved at only 40 or 50 incoming rise fifth graders, this metric is setting up the system for failure. Why? Because without a board approved plan with deadlines, which doesn't exist from what I've been able to find today, for adding seventh and eighth grades, the metric creates a cycl cyclical problem. The incoming rise fifth graders aren't enough to meet his metric. And if any of the parents, few if any parents are going to commit to a three-year middle school program with only one guaranteed year, they are likely, this will likely prevent seventh and eighth grade expansion indefinitely,
069at least or at least until Carter G finds its permanent home. We love Rise, but even we mean me and my wife are having to reconsider whether we send our daughter to sixth grade at Rise without knowing if there will be seventh or eighth grade. It's too important of a transitional year. Only a board approved plan with hard deadlines that the district then has to honor can prevent this. Parents can't be expected to make a three-year middle school decision with only one year of established plan. It's negligence on the board's part for not having one at this point. The educational opportunities for my daughter, current RISE students and girls all across the county shouldn't be based on unrealistic enrollment targets. Program needs to be fully established and then allowed to grow. Thank you. >> Thank
070you. Our next speaker is Christian Adair. And following uh Mr. D, we'll have Lisa filled. You'll have 90 seconds. Uh first app u congratulations Dr. Ligins on being a finalist for the superintendent of the year for the for the country. That's amazing for Fed County Public Schools and appreciate you board for listening for a minute. I'mma read what I wrote down. I believe we all share the same mindset that expanding programs, increasing paths of success, and removing barriers are essential. I'm hopeful that no one is opposed to students receiving every available resource and facility. I'm grateful that this board and the parents of students share a sense of empathy and commitment of all children, not just their own. Wouldn't the board agree that this is an important opportunity to put those beliefs into action? I
071know new information you need to change your thoughts. New information needs to change what your plans were. And I appreciate the fact that you guys have new information. You have new opportunities to ensure that all of our kids have the same opportunity as others. So, I appreciate the way you're going to vote tonight to ensure that Carter G students, RISE students all have opportunity, George Washington Carver students have all the opportunity to uh access facilities of a building that's I believe made for 900 students and to change urinals or to change murals is not something that is a barrier of ensuring that all students can have an opportunity. Thank you for your time. Our next speaker is Lisa Field. You'll have 90 seconds. And following Miss Phil, we'll have Khalisa Frell. Hi, I am here
072as a parent and as an employee at RISE. We have read Dr. Ligan's email and understand that this proposal is intended as a temporary solution. However, I'm still confused as to why the new building is being considered for temporary housing. Could the building we are currently being used currently in be used instead for this purpose? We would truly appreciate the opportunity to build our program as it was originally planned and intended. Transitioning into new spaces into the new building will already present challenges as we adjust to new ways of doing things. Adding another school into that transition will make an already difficult year even more complex. That said, regardless of the final decision, I respectfully ask that we be allowed to begin increasing our enrollment numbers across all grade levels. Since there will be available
073space upstairs, we should be permitted to work toward enrolling 100 students per grade. Even at full K to6 capacity, that would total um be approximately 700 students. With GWC enrolling around 150, the building would still be under capacity over overall for one year. A possible solution could be housing grades four to six upstairs, K to3 downstairs to make the arrangement work. My primary concern is ensuring RISE can continue moving forward and building its program without restrictions on enrollment. Given the uncertainty and disruption RISE has already experienced, next year's enrollment may not fully reflect the interest in growth we would otherwise see. In conclusion, I respectfully ask the board to consider temporary housing at Rise or allowing full capacity. >> Thank you, Miss Phil. Our next speaker is uh Khalisa Frell. You will have seven and
074a half minutes. You've had time uh yielded from Kesha Woodley, Dorian Morris, Kesha Jackson, and Nikonia James. >> Hi everyone, my name is Kicia Frell and I am the current PTA president at George Washington Carver STEM Academy School. We have stated from the very beginning and continue to take the stance that we come to the table in partnership and collaboration with the superintendent, school board, bed county public school staff and administration. We remain excited and enthusiastic about the idea of a shared facility with rides. I want to open this statement with a moment of transparency and vulnerability as I have reflected on the events that have transpired over the last few weeks. Unbeknownst to the board, but known to those who are more intimately who are more intimate within the GWC community, I realize that
075as a PTA president of GWC, that I have in fact failed our scholars. There have been many who have told me that they did not feel the same way regarding um my work as PTA president, but this is a personal conviction of mine. One of the main reasons for the PTA president is to do is to advocate on behalf of their scholars. This can be done in many different ways, but in the short eight in the eight short months that I've been um president, I realized that prioritizing and making sure that our boys had adequate facilities should have been front front and center and in addition to making sure they had the innovation and technology technology in which was needed for them to thrive. Though we have done a lot as a PTA in terms
076of ensuring that we have more family engagement, hosting movie nights, trunk or treats, etc. The bigger and more important issue as I reflected is to make sure that these scholars receive what was promised to to them at the inception of this program. Um, and making sure that this was actually delivered to them. And for that reason, I have communicated to our part to our parents and staff at the end of November that I in fact felt like that I had not did an adequate job of this. Unfortunately, when it comes to this group of scholars, I wish that the shortfalls ended there. However, sadly, this is just not the case. See, within 6 months of the inception of the program, we had a principal change. Then, we operated with the interim principal for almost a
077full year. After securing our permanent principal, we were told that we would have no foreseeable changes. However, shortly after that, two days, I think about two days before Thanksgiving break, it was communicated to us that we would in fact receive a name change. And we were presented with only two options. It was communicated to us that at that time that this decision of the name change would be that following Monday after Thanksgiving break. Um and however um the voting took a couple of weeks or so in order to for it to happen, but pertaining to the GWC community, we didn't have a seat at the table and our voices were not adequately heard during that time. Now, in the case of whether or not GWC should move into a shared physical facility with RISE, I
078think the right-size bright future committee got it right when it selected a parent and staff representative in order to convey the thoughts of our perspective communities and the summary from the committee presented directly um in the summary presented by the committee directly reflected our thoughts, position, and wants. It also allowed a group of people who h who historically have not been heard and the voices of our students who have been impacted to be represented. Thank you for seeking out our voices and thoughts through this committee. We also want to acknowledge the statement given by the equity council committee last board meeting which reflected how how if we stayed in our current learning environment that the learning gaps between ourselves and those who are currently receiving a state-of-the-art building would continue to widen. But today we
079have an opportunity to course correct. Today we are advocating for not only the scholars who are currently at GWC but ensuring that the future scholars that will enter the program will have the state of art the state of the art facility that they deserve. We respect respectfully ask you to vote yes today on moving forward with George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys entering a shared modern facility with the Rise STEM school. A yes vote represents a thoughtful, responsible, and equitydriven decision that benefits students and families in the district as a whole. First and foremost, it addresses our critical facility needs. We already know about the building being 100 years old and not ADA compliant. We're continuing to operate in this space. Continuing to operate in this space does not address the rapidly evolving world
080of STEM and limits instructional instructional quality and perpetuates inequity conditions for students who deserve a safe, accessible 21st century learning environment. Second, shared use of a state-of-the-art building allows Fyet County Public Schools to be a good steward of public resources. There are public facilities intended these are public facilities intended to serve all students, not owned by any school. A shared model maximizes the use of high quality spaces and reduces duplication and supports long-term financial sustainability while still providing separate dedicated spaces for both GWC and RISE to preserve the identities and culture. Thirdly, the decision directly advances equity and access. Both programs serve students who have been historically under represented in STEM fields. Providing equitable facilities communicates to students that FEA County Public Schools believes in their potential and actively working to remove systemic barriers that
081limit opportunity. It is also important to acknowledge the impact of a no vote. Voting no does not maintain the status quo. It reinforces inequity. It means continuing to educate a predominantly marginalized group of scholars in a facility that lacks adequate resources, accessibility, and modern infrastructure. Over time, this future widens opportunity gaps and sends a message, however, however, that student that some students can wait longer than others for equitable investment. Fourth, the most the move improves student experience and transportation outcomes. Fifth, approving this plan keeps a promise. GWC families were told from the beginning that their current location was temporary. A yes vote honors that commitment and strengthens trust between the district and the communities it serves, particularly communities that have historically experienced delay or deferred investment. Six, we we thank each and every one of
082you for your continued support in ensuring that the scholars of GWC feel like they belong, that our community remains intact, and that our students have the necessary tools in order for them to succeed. Finally, the decision reflect this decision would reflect the values of Fyet County Public Schools and the portrait of a graduate. It models collaboration over competition and long-term vision. I mean, I'm sorry, and inclusion and inclusion over exclusion. It shows students, especially our boys, that they are seen, value, and worthy of the same access and opportunity as their peers. A vote yes today is not just about a building. It's about access. It's about equity. It's about fiscal responsibility. And most importantly, it is about doing what is right for students. We we respectfully urge you to vote yes and move forward together.
083Thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you, Miss Frell. Our next our next speaker is Sarah Flood Bowman um who will have a total of six minutes with time yielded from Laura Hartkey, Sarah Schwarz, and Kathy Shifflet. ready. My name is Sarah Flood Bowman and I'm a RISE parent. I appreciate the intent to limit co-housing of Rise and GWC to a temporary measure. However, I respectfully urge the board pause and not take a vote tonight. Decisions like this require data, community input, and careful review of the benefits impacts. A rush vote lacks evidence and holistic an uh analysis needed to move forward responsibly. I'm not opposing for opposition's sake. GWC boys do need a new home, and that urgency is very real. But meeting that need does not require RISE to be the only option.
084It does not require GWC to compromise its single gender mission. Nor does it prevent Dr. Ligins from achieving strategic goals of student achievement, belonging, efficacy, and organizational health. These goals can all be met without co-housing. My hesitation is rooted in history. The district has broken commitments to rise seven times now. That question is now whether that there will be an eighth and whether GWC will also have another broken promise. The phrase quote as soon as possible is vague. It invites scope creep. It must be replaced with a firm and written end date. And this concern is heightened by Dr. Lian's Wednesday statement that no new GWC facility is currently planned. If a permanent building is not moving forward, the board must clearly identify long-term solutions with timelines and milestones. If adequate space is not available
085soon, where would GWC realistically go after one year? Will those options only be identified after the RSBF committee completes its review? If no permanent solution exists, the district must say so plainly without a divine defined PLA path forward, what does one year actually accomplish? So, here's some alternative options. Mary E. Britain is a fiscally responsible option that provides both immediate and long-term stability and aligns with the strategic priorities. It opened in 2025. It's a state-of-the-art facility. It's operating at 50% capacity. It's 88 compliant and safer. It's already co-ed and that avoids conflict with RISE's single gender mission. It avoids a $35 million new bid. It prevents GWC boys from being uprooted twice. It allows STEM retrofits to serve as a permanent cost-effective solution. And concerns about busing or mixing elementary and middle school students apply
086equally to the proposed rise in GWC co-housing plans and therefore do not justify excluding MEB. The annex is a temporary option recently received a $2 million investment. It was originally used to h supposed to house Rise Middle School. It has a STEM infrastructure already planned and constructed. It provides GWC with immediate ADA compliant STEM focused single-gender facility and it allows RISE to remain as designed. Greenell Elementary is a permanent option. It currently only is 10% complete allowing GWC meaningful input, identity, and design, an opportunity that the Rise families have deeply valued. It could be purpose purposebuilt as a state-of-the-art single-gender co-housed STEM facility and avoids a $35 million standalone building. To date, no cost analysis has been conducted and this must be reviewed before any decision is made. So, here's my concerns with a co-housing
087situation. It's estimated that a $2.5 million will go towards bathroom ret uh refits, but then an additional $2.5 million will need to be spent to replace the urinals when the boys move out. This is fiscally irresponsible. Further, what is the timeline for the required waiver? At this late stage of construction, I think we're probably at 75%. Approval would need to be immediate and waivers require multiple steps. Design, review, procurement, and labor. Without swift action, there is a real risk that this building will not be usable for any of our students. Co-housing will consolid consolidate staff, meaning teachers are dismissed for a temporary one-year plan. This disrupts continuity, weakens retention of highquality educators, and ultimately costs more than retaining existing staff. While instructional time may be single gender, buses, meals, clubs, recess events, and specialized spaces
088will be co-ed, education experts and decades of research says uh um unstructured spaces are essential to learning, downplaying the the impacts of co-ed interactions undermines each school's single gender mission and is a dismissal of evidence-based research. Dr. Ligins stated that there is to be 800 or 80 to 100 sixth graders and to justify that cost um of seven to justify the cost of seventh and eth with only having 40 to 50 incoming fifth graders that sets us up for failure already. We cannot be expected to make a three-year middle school decision with one year of established plan. Finally, families, teachers, and staff have not been formally surveyed on this new protocol, and no real conversation has had to happen. So, overall, GWC and RISE both deserve a board that thoughtfully collects and considers all data,
089all options, a board that is methodical and transparent. These sons and daughters of Lexington deserve nothing less. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Fab Bowman. Our next speaker is Amy Gibson who will have three minutes with time yielded from Heidi Jack. Following Miss Gibson will have Desiree Desiree Brooks. >> Good evening. My name is Amy Gibson and I am a parent of a fourth grader and a first grader at Rise. While I appreciate that the district listened to parents concerns, the amended proposal does not fully alleviate those concerns. It still recommends collocation of the schools for at least a year, which based on our previous experience with timelines may end up being longer. No evidence has been provided that the collocation of an all girls and an all boys program will provide similar outcomes to
090true single gender schools. Research also shows collocation of programs can unintentionally lead to competition and comparison between the programs, which in this case will be boys versus girls. I don't send my girls to an all girls school to prevent them from interacting with boys. I send them because the environment allows them a safe space to learn without unintentional reinforcement of gender stereotypes. It feels like attempts to keep these schools separate may actually create new biases biases against the opposite sex, which is not the intention. From what parents have heard, the times when separation is not guaranteed are unstructured times when close supervision is not available, which is also concerning. An equity council member mentioned separate start times as an option that could allow separation. It would also mean more time for each school to use
091shared spaces, but it still won't totally prevent potential negative impacts of the collocation. We understand that this kind of decision cannot be made at the last minute because both families and transportation staff would need time to adjust plans. This is why we are pushing for logistics of separation to be determined immediately instead of waiting to see how many students we have after the special program decision deadlines. Waiting until after the special programs window is over is too late for families to make informed decisions on whether these programs will continue to be the right fit for their kids. We know how many students are in these programs currently and could still come up with a plan for the current enrollment. This decision still feels unnecessarily rushed, particularly now that the building updates are being taken off
092the table. Parents barely had 24 hours to review the proposal and provide feedback. From some of the comments made today, I'm not sure that all are even aware that the proposal is now temporary. Please ask the district to take the time needed to fully review alternative options and come up with an implementation plan before asking you to vote on this proposal. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Gibson. Our our next speaker is Desiree Brooks. Uh you'll have 90 seconds and following uh Okay. Thank you. Then we'll have Heather Cherry who'll have 90 seconds. And following Miss Cherry, we'll have Erica Faulner. Hello. Um, I'm here to speak for the rise and Carter G. Wood. I'm not Carter G. Woodson, sorry, but the uh Carver young man. Um, I wanted to speak up on a comment
093that came last week that didn't sit well. Was the equity council pushed this into more of a race type thing and equity, which I understand the role, but the whole point is this should have been brought to you guys. You all are the one that has failed the boy school. Rise has been fighting for this. They've been fighting for theirs, but you guys are the ones that have failed these kids. And now you're pitting both these school families against each other, which is wrong. You guys need to find a solution for both these families and these kids because this was your all's fault. You all didn't come through and you need to find a solution that's going to fit both of them. And I don't think that saying that this is somehow racist or has
094to do with it. This is not that type of a problem. These girls have been having this school. The boys been waiting for their school. You guys failed them. And it's not has anything to do with the race or his historically marginalized kids. This is something that you guys failed to do. And these kids, both schools need to have their own personal solutions. You guys have approved several projects and you left these boys in the same building. You guys did. This district did. And nobody ever said anything. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Cherry. Our next speaker is Erica Faulner. Uh Miss Faulner, you will have three minutes uh with time yielded from Matthew Bowman. And then following Miss Faulner, uh we will have uh Omar uh uh Palacios. >> Hi, thank you. I'm reading a
095statement up to the board on behalf of Angie Smith who's with the KPC architectural products. We have been involved with Rise interior furniture design from its inception to what is now complete and meticulously programmed space. The current plan is the result of nine months of numerous meetings, dialogue, collaboration, and of out-of-the-box thinking with the staff and students to accomplish all the goals set out for the new building. There is no corner of the building that has not been thought through in an effort to align with curriculum, grade level flow patterns, and student gender of the RISE program. Each room is designed individually for the class scaled appropriately for the grade and the pallet is very intentionally branded to the rise academy. Even staff areas have been designed to support the staff of the rise school
096and the rise school only. The impact of relocating the space for fundamentally different programs is quite a bit more profound than most people would expect. It requires a rethink of an entire campus and not just a selected group of rooms. The interaction between two houses in one building and how to limit it with shared facilities will require significant time, redesign efforts, and at the end of the day more money. Early in the design progress process, an effort was made to include the students in elements of design process. The staff at Rise wanted the girls to have ownership with the new building. This is another element of risk of being compromised. At the women's career fair in Rise last year, we had a table representing interior design and offered different fabrics and asked girls to evaluate
097and vote on their preference. I should have pictures. I forgot them, but we have pictures that show the girls enjoying themselves at the choice of their selections being able to learn. These fabrics are each featured in the collaborative areas of the new school. This is just a small example of how intentional every single decision has been in creating a muchdeserved and ideal all STEM all girls STEM school in summation. It's complicated and costly at this late stage in the game to augment the building to house an additional program. At the same time and at the very least it will come to a determin of the flourishing and highly championed programs that the Fyet County is very proud of. I myself would also like to note that because the current proposal does not include any changes
098to the building, the George Washington Carver boys would be placed in a space that was not designed with them in mind. Additionally, what happens if the temporary co-ousing arrangement becomes permanent? Promises been previously made to rise without follow-through. This will happen again. Would this happen again? And will this happen to the George Washington Carver boys again? >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Oliver Oliver uh Palacios. Is that correct? Where is Oliver in here? We may need to make a flight. Uh, can we put a chair or can let's have him sit at the Yeah, sit in the chair where the microphone is. >> Yeah. >> There you go. And that microphone's on. tested. >> Hello, my name is Oliver. I am a second grader at GWC. If we do get a new building, all
099my friends and I would be so excited. Things we are super excited about are our new STEM labs and our new library. I feel like we have been having this old building for a whole time and I feel like we deserve a better building. And um I think um this new building uh would definitely get the kids excited and and this one we could definitely use it. our old gym uh our our library. I feel like our new school will help us represent us better. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker our our next speaker is Joseph Manley. Okay. And I believe that is it because we do have some is Jerry Peeler here although there was a yielding but the yield the person to which you're yielding is not signed up to speak.
100What's the name? Okay. I don't have Brady Tutor signed up to speak. But Miss um but if you uh Miss Cavalo if you wish to speak you may Oh okay. Okay then that's fine. You you all may come up. Yes. And you have time. Do you is anyone yielding time to you? Okay. Okay. Okay. So, uh Brady, the same same situation. You just sit right there at that table. >> Good evening. My name is Brady and I'm a third grade scholar at GWC. I just wanted to tell you why I think my school is the best. My teachers are nice. They are caring and take time to make sure I learn what they are teaching. I enjoy my classes like math, reading, and STEM. I like learning about habitats and STEM a lot. I also
101like my STEM class because we get to use Minecraft and it's a lot of fun. Being a student at GWC has helped me learn and focus and make lots of friends. GWC could be even better if we got a newer building. They have more ways to use technology. DWC is a great school and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn and grow as a scholar. Thank you. >> Thank you. And is Emily Morris here? Okay. Okay. Then that concludes our public this portion of public comment. We do have some speakers who have signed up to speak on matters that are not on the agenda. Uh but we will hear from them uh following the action items. Next on our agenda is approval of routine matters. A motion is in order to approve
102the minutes of the December 8th, 2025 planning meeting of the Fate County Board of Education. Is there a motion to that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by Bormer. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Green. All in favor of approving the minutes of December 8th say I. >> I. Any opposed? The motion carries 4. I'll now entertain a motion to approve our consent items as listed. Is there a motion? >> I move we approve this consent items as listed. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by War Bor Mundy. All in favor of the consent agend any discussion on the consent agenda? >> Hearing none. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any any opposed? >> Motion carries 40. This time I'll turn the agenda back over
103to Super Ligins to take us through the remainder of the agenda. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. I would like to invite our executive director of financial accounting, budget and benefit services, uh, Rodney Jackson, to come forward to present the monthly financial report. Good evening. This is the monthly financial report for the month of November 2025. Um as you can see we um the revenues for 2025 compared to 2026 346.6 versus 385 million. Expense is 174 million last year versus 176.9 million this year. Our carry forward balance um as you can see is update is to $28 million. There will be another update when the auditors present is actually increased another two or 300,000 above that. This will be about $28.3 million. Our fund balance overall is 28 versus 172.5. This is a graphical depiction of
104our financials and reflects the 346.6 versus 385 million. So it's 38.4 million more this year. When you take out the beginning balance, it's 303 million versus 357 million. On the expense side, 174 million versus 177 million. We have about $3 million more this year than last year. This is a breakdown of all the revenue sources, a breakdown of a valorum taxes, utilities, occupational license tax, and so forth. As you can see, we're at 56% of revenue for the current year. on expenditure size breaking out by functions. UC we sent 26% related to the budget. This is the updated report that we promised you related to safety tax. Um and it's 6.9 million um budgeted outside of what we have outside of safety nickel and we've expended 2.3 million of that of the safety money $19.5
105million. We've spent $7.8 at $8 million and in 40%. This is the investments that we have so far for the year that have not we have not received the money yet. So we're at $2.1 million additional funds we're going to get related to investments. This breaks down fund one through fund 7,000 all funds and is a depiction of everything goes to 428 million overall notes for November. The safety amount includes health and safety services. last month that was not in there but is now in there in addition to the security operations comprising a total of $2.3 million. In January as promised we will pro provide a detailed checkpoint report related to revenue and expenses trends including salaries and fringes that we've updated related to predictive analysis. Are there any questions or concerns? >> Any questions
106board members on the monthly financial report? Okay. If there are no further questions, I entertain a motion to accept the monthly treasures report as presented. Is there a motion? >> I move we approve the monthly treasures report as presented. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bmer Christian. Questions on the monthly treasures report. Is there any discussion? All in favor of approving the report say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> No. >> Motion carries 31. Uh, Dr. Lions. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. As you know, all school districts in Kentucky are audited annually by an independent certified public accounting firm. This review looks at the day-to-day procedures and functions of the district and the school finances to ensure that the practices in place are aligned with accounting and grant
107requirements. uh our last regular meeting on the 24th of November, uh we did receive a detailed uh review of that report from Katie Reid and Megan Reynolds uh who conducted the audit on behalf of uh the firm LBMC. This report was in a draft form, but uh then but it's complete at this time. So Katie and Megan are here with us again this evening and I would like to invite them to the table which they've joined to give a final recap and respond to any questions that you may have. Once they're done, the action before the board is to formally accept the audit report. >> Thank you. Uh as Superintendent Ligins mentioned, the audit report at this time um has been issued in its final format. Um there were some changes between the previous draft
108presented in November. The largest of which is due to the implementation of a new uh required Gazsby standard Gazsby 101 um which is for compensated absences which includes things such as acred vacation and sick time payouts uh expected to be paid in in the future. And >> may I interrupt you just a second just to clarify for the public on Gatsby? >> Mhm. >> Uh just in layman's terms, >> uh governmental accounting standards board. So they set the accounting standards that governmental entities are required to use. Um so typically what happens is they will issue a new standard. The entities will be required to adopt that standard um in the time frame specified. And so this year there were a couple of new Gazsby standards. Um Gazsby 101 being the one that had the um
109largest impact especially from a numbers and calculation standpoint. And so um there are changes to the numbers as I mentioned because of that. Um however our our audit opinion is still a clean um or unmodified audit opinion. We uh have also issued the um single audit which noted no issues with um non-compliance or question costs. That's the audit over federal expenditures or federal grants. Um and then the school activity fund audit will be issued as well um in its final format. >> Thank you. >> Any questions, board members? And just to make sure essentially the audit, as Dr. Lian said, it's an external audit that that districts go through. This is a financial audit that every district in KY is required to go through. And the bottom line is essentially we've accounted for every penny
110in the previous fiscal year budget. Is that correct? that that the we've accounted for the dollars spent in the previous year budget to make sure they comport uh the records comport. >> Yes, we've accounted for every dollar, but the way the auditors work, they do it through sampling. >> They don't look at every single penny. So, I wouldn't say it that way, but yes, that's correct. We >> Okay. >> I will I will just follow up to say if we looked at every single penny, we would be with you guys for years. I mean like every day, 24 hours a day for years. Um yes, so the audits performed um effectively to review the financial statements in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and like Megan already said, the audit opinion is unmodified, a clean
111opinion, um effectively noting that the financial statements are fair and consistent in compliance with GAP. >> Okay. And um were So and you used internal processes right? So all internal processes were followed in the >> we do uh test internal controls as a part of um our single audit in particular and we tested internal controls in relation to general expenditures and we noted no issues uh in both of those reviews. We also review internal control processes uh for any potential areas for improvement. Okay. Um, and we had no recommendations at this time in relation to to that. >> Okay. And can you just clarify what uh what it means to have an unmodified opinion. >> Yes. It means that the financial statements present fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, meaning that we noted
112uh no material inconsistencies uh that would result in a modified opinion. reasonable assurance um that it's aligned with generally accepted accounting principles >> and reasonable asurances of the financial statements that you >> highest level it's the highest level of assurance that can be provided um through an audit. >> Okay, very good. Thank you. Any further questions, board members? Okay, if there are no further questions at this time, I'll entertain a motion to accept the independent auditors report as presented. Is there a motion? I move we accept the independent auditors report as presented. >> Motion by Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bora Christian. Any discussion? >> Chair Murphy. >> Board member Mundy. >> I just want to um explain my vote a bit that we just received the audit on our desks today
113and I know that there's been changes, but I haven't had the opportunity to review that. So, my my vote tonight will reflect that. >> Thank you. Uh any further discussion hearing? None. All in favor of approving the independent audit report say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? >> No. >> Motion carries 31. Dr. Leens. >> Thank you Katie, Megan, and Rodney very much for your hard work. I appreciate it. Um our next two action items are part of the right size bright future project which um chief officer of student belonging and success Dr. Syria Matthews explained in detail during our planning meeting on December 8th. As she shared that evening, this initiative builds on the work uh that began in the budget solutions work group to ensure that long-term fiscal health of the district.
114Uh the right size future committee ultim ultimate charge is to really help rebalance the school population that has become misaligned as a result of the population shifts across the country county and largely flat overall enrollment in the district. Uh this work is focused on ensuring that our families um our programs and resources are aligned in a way that supports equity, efficiency and longterm termability sustainability while maintaining a high quality educational experience um for all students. Um over the year the right size right future committee will take a look at every single one of our special programs and schools in FCPS and consider whether or not we are maximizing our uh resources along with our facilities and programming including staffing, utilities and transportation. Um one of the first programs we examined was the stables and I
115want to publicly thank all the students, the staff and the community members who participated in this conversation. I would also like to publicly thank our chair and vice chair who separately met with me to discuss the stables and brainstorm possible ways to help support this program long term. Um, having listened and taken to heart uh this input I received, I'm bringing forward a recommendation to the board this evening that is a multi-year um approach to continue serving the students currently enrolled in the stables while also identifying a sustainable path forward for this program uh for the remainder of the 2526 school year. Uh this plan calls for three concurrent efforts uh which include working with uh community partners to ensure opportunities for sponsorship donations and other funding sources to help offset the current annual uh
116cost of approximately 1.1 million as well as the IS to identify sustainable revenue for future years. Uh the second is conducting a review of the services and supports students receive at the stables to better understand outcomes uh the needs and opportunities for improvement. And finally continuing the right size right future work that focus that will f focus on maximizing and identifying efficiencies and exploring economies of scale to ensure the strongest possible return on uh our investment. During the 2627 school year, the stables would continue at its current form and would either identif we would either identify a long-term funding stream to support this program or develop an alter alternate service model to serve the students currently enrolled. Uh and then in the beginning of the 2728 school year, the stables would either continue with the
117new sustainable funding model as currently again there's 37 students enrolled and it is a 1.1 million um dollar expense or we would provide services to students through other schools, programs or locations in the district. So, we have heard the superintendent's recommendation as it relates to the stables. Um, is there uh any discussion or any questions? >> Chair Murphy Monday, >> I have a few questions. I have a few overall questions on just the process for this moving forward. Will we be receiving long-term recommendations like this for each school in the district as the committee reviews it and as it comes up? >> We at the end of the process we will these three um three schools in particular were of um an urgent nature due to the timing. The others are not. and so at
118the end of the process um probably sometime in late spring. >> Um I also have another question about what we're being asked to vote on. I'm not for sure what in this truly needs board approval. um because it seems like it's just gonna maintain and district and um I'd love to be in on some of those conversations as well is how to support the stables. Um but there wouldn't be a need for it to come back to the board until 2728. Correct. >> And that is if there was any changes made at that time. So, um, so yes, and tonight I'm I'm actually asking just for just to go on the record. Again, this is not a required vote, and in fact, the the motion is um clearly states that it is a um to
119support the um the plan of the superintendent. Okay. Um I will be completely honest. I don't really want to support the 2728 bullet point. Um, one because 2728 is a long time away. I don't know what's going to happen between then and now. Um, Lord willing, I'm still here. Um, but it could be somebody else. Um, and also to be completely honest, I'm not for sure why this funding model needs to change. I don't know why this is any different than a funding model for another A5 program. and we have to find a different revenue stream to help fund it. Does that question make sense? I I don't know what the difference is between the stables and say another A5 program and how we're funding them and why this particular program needs to have an
120alternate stream of funding, but some of those other programs that's never came up or been an issue. Well, the other programs have yet to be reviewed and no other program has 37 students that cost the district over a million dollars each year. >> Yeah. And I think one of my biggest issues with that is that I haven't seen that data. So for the district as a whole, right? So I don't know that that's not the case because I haven't seen it. And I think for me it's hard to make any a vote on either one of these tonight because I just don't feel that we have enough information as quickly as this moved. And I understand why it's moving quickly, but it seems with what's being proposed today that we don't have to take a
121vote and that we can take more time between the two. But I just think that the committee has had the benefit of being able to talk to a representative from the school to be able to ask those questions, to talk to a representative from the school. The majority of what we have heard has been during public comment when that's designed not for that to happen. So, I feel like there's a step that's missing there in looking at these plans. I also think that I have just a lot of unanswered questions and that being one of them is what's the difference in the revenue stream and we just got back a lot of answers to the questions that we ask and I appreciate it and I've been looking and reviewing that. It's what eight pages and
122at least 12 or 13 additional documents. I just think we have the time to slow down and make a more um direct decision as far as that's concerned. Um but for me, I mean, I support the stables the way that it is. I think that having district take time to look at the way that they're funded and the way that they're operating. Perhaps there's a way to have more students um represented in that amount if they're promoted, if if there's space. I mean, I don't know. I just know that I don't think that I have enough information to be able to make this vote tonight. >> Thank you. And one thing I will add to the conversation is, you know, I had the opportunity to attend the session earlier this week with families and students
123from the stables. And one thing that stands out to me um and I think that might help answer the question on um you know why the stables for an alternative funding stream is it's it's unique. I I really don't know uh what other program compares to the work of the stables particularly and the thing that stood out to me the other night uh because we had a large representation there from central Kentucky writing for hope uh which is really was the genesis of the stables is that partnership and we've it's a program that's never as far as I understand correct me if I'm wrong is the student population has never exceeded 50 students um and that's part of the raw uh at least from the feedback I've heard from some of the families. Um it's
124at the the horse park the some of these facilities were again central Kentucky riding for hope. Um so it's really a and I don't mean to use a a fantasy horse analogy but a unicorn um when talking about a horse program. It's a unicorn in Fyet County. And so and then also the fact that we're in the heart of the equin industry. Um so there are so many potentials and when one of the recommendations right we heard from the budget uh solutions working group was you know identify opportunities for uh public private partnerships. So I think I think when you look at the stables that that's where I see this it's an attractive um uh opportunity for us to bring in some of those funding sources because then when you do that you relieve pressure
125on the district for some of these other programs if that makes sense. So at least that's how I view the recommendation. >> Thank you Chair Murphy and I completely agree. I've gotten to visit the stables and talk with the students and families and those that work there and I agree. I think there's ample opportunity for those partnerships and um I don't have a problem with that piece. I think for me the issue is that 2728 bullet point and I don't want to commit to saying that um like it says provide services for students from the stables in other schools, programs and locations. And that is what I'm not willing to vote yes to. One being it's happening in 2728 and two I don't support that. I think that it is a unicorn and nothing else
126has been explored yet if the issue is the cost per student. I think what it's providing well beyond the cost is worth exploring and figure out figuring out how we might be able to make it more cost effective if that makes sense. So, um maybe if we still want to move ahead, maybe other people don't have additional questions or they don't feel like they need more information, but um I just feel like there needs to be more conversation before I make that commitment for something so far out for without even like having some basic information that I feel like I should have knowing that, you know, 37 students to 1 $1 million is drastically different than what it is for programs um across the district >> and I'm amenable to saying and I I'd be
127curious to hear your thoughts super new Ligins um to you know simply saying the board because again this does not require board action. And I'm amendable to saying that we'll support um we support the recommendation to seek out alternative funding sources. And that will give the district leverage as we seek to engage committee partners and say that the board uh the expectation of the board is that that we work to secure um additional funding streams for the long-term sustainability of the stables. Is that something that you're amendable to? I'm amendable to anything the board would like to do regarding this. If that's the direction you want to go, I that works out fine. It does not require a vote. It was something that I think the families wanted to see, but if it doesn't happen,
128it's it doesn't change any of this. >> Yeah. I I think I my take is that it would at least send a positive message to the families if they knew that the board was behind finding ways to continue the program. So, I mean, if I would I welcome other thoughts on that as well. >> Chair Murphy >> Warry, >> um I also support um finding alternative funding and taking the time to look for those private public partnerships. Um it was clear from work from the community and um well work from the community this summer that we really instead of asking for additional revenue to continue to support our schools to look for partnerships um inside and outside and I think this is um a perfect opportunity to do so. Um the stables serves a very
129unique purpose. We've we've heard directly from our students. Um, I've heard a lot of feedback, not just from public comment, but actually majority outside of public comment that they support the stables, but they also want to ensure as a governing body that we're being responsible with our resources because they are finite. They are they are plentiful, but they are still finite. And so, I like the balanced approach of saying, yes, we're going to take time to look for alternative funding. We know the importance of this, but we also know um we cannot continue um to pay for everything in every state as is without additional funding. >> Any other thoughts? >> Chair Murphy Randy, >> just to add one more thought. Um this is probably the topic that since I've joined this board, I have
130had the most um conversation with individuals about need the grocery store. I mean, via email, um, it ways that, you know, I never thought, um, I would have conversations with folks. But um another piece that I just want to point out is that I I do want us to show our support for just not only the stables but rise and George Washington Carver because one thing that's been made pretty clear to me is this process that's taken place over a month has placed a lot of stress on those students on the schools um the staff that they they didn't anticipate happening. Um but for me like saying yes to that piece in the stables almost has the opposite effect and saying that well yeah for one year you'll get to continue but there's still this
131option for this to take place. Um so I don't want to continue to have them be in limbo or feel that they're in limbo with their program. I think showing that we are going to make this effort to find those alternate funding sources um shows families and staff and the community that you know it is a jewel that we we have right here in our district and you know we we can strike that balance. But I think part of the other issue in looking at the first three um schools is that I still just don't have a clear picture of where we're going financially. Um and I know that we only have a limited amount of resources. Um and people have heard me say that across the board for lots of different things about travel,
132about this expense, about that expense. So I I get that. But I feel that once again it could just be a process that we're it's moved very quickly for these first few schools and maybe we haven't got there yet but you know what are we talking about financially right what and I'm not saying we have to say it's a dollar amount but I'm saying that we should have an understanding of what of the endgame like what can we sustain I don't want us to get to the end of this year and decisions have been made that we can't continue to sustain um and some of those were kind of beginning to be answered in the Q&A that we had as a board. Um, but I just haven't had the opportunity in prepping for the meeting
133to send those questions back and I will do that this afternoon or tomorrow um as well. But I think there, you know, in saying, "Oh, we have to be fiscally responsible and I want to do that." I just have to have a good idea of what that looks like. And I don't think that I've gotten that yet. And like I said, could be because we haven't gotten there yet. Um, but it also is a signal to me that me voting on this right now is just something that's premature. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Any other thoughts on that? Are you amendable? No, go ahead. >> I would just like to say this is not an a neither of these three are about getting to a a number. Uh we we have a balanced budget currently.
134We plan on presenting a balanced budget in years to come. Uh it's about long-term fiscal responsibility and asking the board to look at the facilities versus the enrollment in those facilities and make decisions that are going to have long-term consequences of just being fiscally responsible and maximizing resources. And so there there is no magic number to get to. It's a matter of saying this is how we're going to operate in a fiscally responsible manner. And I I'm amenable to um to any vote or no vote at all. >> Okay. Well, I think what again I'm of the opinion that we need uh it it gives leverage uh as our district does the work of going out and engaging with community partners to say, "Hey, uh this is a commitment that the board shares is that
135we want to work with community partners to find supports for this um facility." So, I I'll entertain a motion um to support the recommendation um that the district identify alternative funding um to to identify an alternative funding stream for long-term sustainability of the stables. Is there uh a motion? >> So moved. >> Motion by Boron Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bor Krishn. So the uh so the motion is uh supporting uh the recommendation to identify a funding stream for long-term sustainability of the stables. There any discussion? >> Chair Murphy. >> Booney. >> Just to make sure we're just approving that statement and not the document that is on that is attached to the agenda. Correct. >> Correct. It's essentially the first half of the recommendation. Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor
136please say I. I >> I >> any opposed that motion carries 4 zero. Dr. Ligans. >> Thank you board. The other initial consideration Barbara for the right size bright future was re related to George Washington Carver STEM Academy for boys and rise stem academy for girls. Um I deeply appreciate the students families and the community members who have shared your candid and honest feedback during this process. The recommendation I'm bringing to the board this evening was developed after hearing from um what you shared. Again, I would like the board to consider a multi-year approach to allow ris for girls to move forward as planned while also creating a clear path forward for a permanent home for George Washington Carver STEM Academy for boys. Um under this plan during the remainder of the 2526 school year,
137we would do the following. complete construction at the new um rise stem academy for girls building without modifications. Pause any facility upgrades at the current George Washington Carver STEM Academy for Boys building. uh continue the right size bright future work um and possibly identify locations that the local planning committee and the board could consider for future or for a future permanent home for George Washington Carver Academy for STEM Academy for boys and significantly strengthen the recruitment and enrollment efforts for both of these programs. Um, next school year in the fall of 2026, uh, the Rise Academy would move into the new building and we would relocate to the George Washington Carver STEM Academy into a separate wing of that building. Um, while we identify permanent location for them, um, our goal would be to house
138um, George Washington Carver into their permanent home as soon as the 2728 school year. We've heard the superintendent's recommendation. Is there any are there any questions? Chair Murphy Green >> just to clarify so um the both programs would remain intact fully in their intentions um with this moving forward. >> Yes, that is correct. It would be similar to other programs we currently do that for in the district. It would be two programs under one roof. Two schools under one roof. >> Thank you. And then you're also just to highlight and you share this strengthen the recruitment enrollment efforts. So there will be no um attempt to um restrict any kind of enrollment in either program. Correct. >> No. In fact, we we're looking for ways to recruit as many people as we can and looking
139outside of the box um from our originally um planned um recruitment efforts and seeing how we can best maximize the enrollment in both of those programs. I appreciate that because I know our population is not growing um based on trends and so pulling students from our district into rise while that's a good it's also pulling students out of our other spaces. So I I appreciate the idea of a multi- area approach to that recruitment. Thank you for sharing. >> Thank you. Any other questions? >> Chair Murphy Murphy. >> I too um thank you for the recruitment effort. I've, you know, known teachers and and and staff at both schools, um, families at both schools, and they're worthy of that. And our comm's team here does a wonderful job, um, at that as well. One of
140my biggest concerns is kind of once again approving the plan. I don't think that, you know, we have to make a plan on this one, but I would like to see for um George Washington Carver some options of what that plan will look like. I know um looking at this, it says that um I think looking for that um long-term plan kind of doesn't begin in 2526. Um do I have that correct? It's >> immediately >> Okay. Oh, no. I've got it right here. I just um I'm just looking at my notes. But um before I approve anything, I'd like to see what that long-term plan and where they will be will look like. One thing that I will say I'm not interested in is placing any students back into Lenley or um back into
141the Johnson building. I think that boards previous move students out of those buildings. I'm don't want to see them come back or students to be back in those buildings unless they're they have some major renovations or, you know, are brought up to snuff to be able to have students in them. So, um I just don't think that this plan is is strong enough um for us to vote on. I support exploring this. Um I don't have a problem with that. But once again, the the multi-year um vote um just isn't something that I'm interested in until I know more of what that long-term plan will will look like for George Washington Carver or what those options are. >> Thank you. Any other questions, board members? >> Green. >> Chair Murphy. Thank you. Um I actually
142think this plan does a fantastic job of balancing um the multiple issues that we have in front of us. One is we have um a group of scholars that are in a building that's inadequate and so that's been highlighted and we need to deal with that. We've dealt with that in the past and I don't think if we've committed to provide equitable um access to world-class education for all of our students and and this um provides a moment to make sure that they are next moved into a space that's adequate while we can then develop a long-term plan. I don't see any of this restricting growth in either program. I think if we all work together, we all rise together. If we single out only rising a few groups, then that can hurt the entire
143district and our scholars. Um I I also think that the discussion around um so-called broken promises or commitments really t needs to take a moment for reflection because when in life has any path been straight um for us as adults? When for our children has any path been straight? But what we're asking from our students in the portrait of the graduate and what we ask from our students every day when they show up to class is is just to be resilient, to be kind, to be compassionate, to be flexible, to be innovative. And to be innovative means making changes sometimes in moments when maybe we aren't comfortable. But we have to do what is best for the collective. And that is what I feel as a board that my charge is. I have to make
144decisions what is best for all students and not just some. And again, like I said, if we lift everyone, we will all succeed. And so asking to put the um George Washington Carver temporarily with Rise in a space that there is room for him. It is a STEM facility. We can um I think all of our teachers, our families, our scholars are amazing, resilient, flexible, creative. We can learn from this year of transition even like learn some plans for going forward that we may not know. And so that we can then plan for a sustainable program and future for both sets of scholars and all of our scholars across the community. We do I think we have to reiterate we have a finite amount of resources. We have to make decisions. We've all experienced it.
145Prices increase in all spaces. That that goes on for this gone on forever, right? Back in 1982, things cost different than now. So talking about price increase is just part of business and we continue to see that. But if we do not increase revenue, then we need to take a moment and figure out how are we going to best use our resources. So taking this plan, I think it's a it's responsible. We're saying we're taking a moment. We're not restricting growth in any place. We're going to ensure that all scholars are are learning in a safe uh worldclass educational space and then we're going to take the m moment to look for what is permanent and best for all scholars. >> Thank you. Bormer Green. Uh Bormer. Um I have a few questions. Did I
146know at the last meeting there was discussion about the urinals and the expense for that. Do we have an update on that? Is that am I understanding correctly that that that is no longer an expense or issue? >> Mr. Thompson. That was a a worst case sort of estimate. We're still working through that. Uh so we'll have some more information as uh we continue to work through the the plan reviewer. >> I have another question. Um is the recommendation going to come down or is the thought process that once George Washington Carver is out of the Johnson building that we will sell that property? >> Yeah, that's a board decision. We we're going to evaluate I and possibly make a recommendation um through the LPC. That would also be something possibly they could discuss, but
147it is certainly an an option. >> Um can we go ahead? Will the process of looking for a permanent home for George Washington Carver start immediately? I think I I do disagree with Vice Chair Green. I think there were broken promises and I think the students on both of those schools were let down by the board and they were let down by district period. Um, I mean, we're on six years of a promise that is just now coming to fruition for one school and it's taken this to make us to look at George Washington Carver and for that I'm going to apologize um as well because you guys deserve it. But can we go ahead and start looking and make that a priority immediately and give that charge to I don't know. I'm assuming it
148would go to the LPC to start working with George Washington Carver to work with the LPC to see what options we have because a parent sent a um report to the board. I had not seen it but it was very eye opening about the facilities that we have now. I do understand the extent and urgency to look at our facilities because we have quite a few that are elementary schools that aren't even at half capacity. We have a brand new elementary school being built at Greenell. It could be that the decision is that these two programs would come together. I still am do have a bit of concern about what the mission is for both of those schools and both those administrators being, you know, and and staff being spoken to and truly understanding if
149those missions will not be what they're meant to be, what they set out to be years ago when these schools were envisioned. um if they were to be co-housed together. I mean, I want that question answered before I would ever make a permanent decision of those two schools being put together. I think that those at the school level should be able to inform us on if that would still be the case. But I just want to make sure that we don't wait any longer for George Washington Carver and we're moving forward with that permanent solution. another temporary solution, no matter how state-of-the-art, is fine, but they deserve to know that we're taking steps to move forward for them to have that permanent home. >> And my reading of the um and I I didn't inter
150were you finished? Go ahead. in respon my my understanding the super can correct me if I'm wrong is that you know the very first uh phase of the plans has continue the work with an eye towards identifying possible location the LPC and board of education could consider to become uh the home of the George Washington Carver. So I I don't think this is an issue of we're going to wait that work not only is part of phase one of this plan but it's a continuation of work that's underway. Is that correct? >> Yes. And in fact um to to the point of the amount of schools that we have that are um half full and not at um complete capacity that is something of the work of the right size community that they're actually looking
151at to ensure that we are going to make recommendations to to you all to where we can not have that occur which is not a good financial um place to be in or fiscally responsible thing to do. So um that is continuing the work that is happening with the right size. It will um once that work is done, it will go to the LPC should there be recommendations. And so ultimately we're I mean this request I'm asking you to do this evening are just the start of some very difficult things that this board will have to to do and make decisions upon because if we're going to be at a look at a point to where we're not raising revenue although cost is continuing to rise as well as um our enrollment is flat and
152we continue to see that we have programs that are uh and schools that are not at full capacity or not even at half capacity. That is just not a sustainable model. We're not the same district that we were um post pandemic when we were growing leaps and bound each year. And so um a school our size that is essentially staying this size for um for some time um growing at a rate about 1.7% is just not sustainable to continue these buildings. And quite frankly, I mean, it it's um I will be re bringing recommendations out of my responsibility to advise you to bring us to a point to where we can be sustainable long-term financially, but it is up to the board and the reason you were elected to make these tough decisions and this
153is just one of many to come. So, I just wanted to make that clear. And I think the value of this plan and you know I understood the concern and the and the conversations around the stables because no one at this dis no one in the community uh wants to see um wants to see a program end. And so the value of this plan is that this is not it's reiterated multiple times throughout here that each program uh will ensure its own um identity. um that each program uh will ensure its own mission. Um this is just a matter of being um in the same space. And my understanding is that for the 2627 school year, the um the new STEM Academy at Verscell's Road would not be at capacity. Is that correct? >> That
154is correct. And even looking at today's applications, it it would not be at full capacity even if we accepted 100% of those um students. Um it would be far far from it. And in addition to that, we do have examples of programs that have been co-housed um previously and currently and there's no evidence from any of those that it has impacted their mission. Um, I go to campuses on a weekly basis and I've I have of yet to see them because they're under the same roof not doing the mission that they were established to do. >> And it would also actualize some savings in terms of transportation. Is that correct? >> It would. We've not um that that depends on the enroll where the pe the kids come from and all of that, but I
155would fully anticipate if we have kids from all over the um district, which would be the case for these two programs going to the same building. Um inevitably, I would say that there would be some cost savings, but I can't give a an exact amount. We haven't taken the time to do that study yet because we really don't know who the students are that will be enrolled. So I I I'm comfortable with with ensuring that both of these the continuity of both of these programs. We have the information that says that if you keep George Washington Carver it current location require $3 million in maintenance and renovation um when we would have space available in the district to um temporarily locate them. We've heard from the families of George Washington Carver um who are um
156on board with this and again both programs recognize uh it's important for both programs to recognize that each program would uh remain distinct. Um, and we have a commitment to uh and I would want to say to to all of the families uh to making sure that that any space that any child in this district is in, we want to make sure those students uh do feel welcomed. So, if there are no further questions, >> Murphy, >> I have one more money. >> I have one more. Um once these two programs are placed in this temporary situation, um does it have to come back to the board if there is a decision made that they would like to remain that way? Does that require a board vote or can that just happen without it coming
157back? >> That that would not require board vote. >> Okay. Chair uh Chair Murphy >> Bo. >> Um couple of things. First thing I'd like to address two words. The first word is uh equity. And for some reason a lot of people just assume that when we talk about equity, we have to someone has to sacrifice something for someone else to receive equitable treatment or access. And that's not what this is, right? um we're talking about two populations who if we allow it to happen can thrive in a space in a situation with experiences that we've never seen before in Fyet County public schools. So the other word is promise and superintendent Manny T had a vision. He had a vision for a girl STEM school a program. And when we talk about promises, his
158promise was that these girls would receive access to an ed education that was globally competitive, that was sound, and that was competitive. So here's the thing, you can do that in a building when you have leadership, educators, and families who are buying into it. So the promise wasn't a 50 bajillion dollar building. The promise was the educational opportunity and access. So this building may have to have certain things that other schools don't have in terms of in terms of STEM and science and math. But the opportunity in what happens inside those classrooms is the promise. So I think that that promise needs to be we need to be reminded about what their promise was. He's not here to see it, but I don't think promises were broken. The only time you might have a question
159is when the pause was put on. And to be quite honest, that pause was there to maintain the promise because Rise wasn't doing what Rise was supposed to do. So now that we put a pause, they're still going to get their building. They're still going to get their education. They're still going to have the same quality of teachers. I just think that what happens is when people start using certain terms, they assume that they're going to miss out. And that's not the goal here. If we're going to be sure that every child has access to equitable opportunities, we're going to do so. This is not about taking from anyone else. And I think that that's extremely important to understand when we families start to hear, "I don't want your kid in my kids' building." And
160that's not the way this works. Thank you, Warmer Christian. If there are no further discussions, I'll entertain a motion to approve the multi-year facility recommendation for Ry STEM Academy for Girls and George Washington Carver Academy for Boys as presented. Is there a motion? >> So move second. >> Motion by Bormer Christian, second by Bormer Green. Any further discussion? >> Chair Murphy or Mundy. >> Um I hope I'll be given a bit of grace. I'm not the most eloquent speaker, but throughout this month process, I just put together a few words on paper because I want to make sure that um I get this right. Um this past month has been unnecessary chaos when it comes to the review of these three programs. At our last meeting, the board had the opportunity to ask questions as
161a group for the first time. And on Tuesday at 4:30 PM, the board received a ninepage question and answer document along with 15 links to supporting documents and web pages. We are now being asked to make informed decisions a little over 48 hours later. After reviewing all the materials, there are significant questions that still remain unanswered. As a school board, we best must be more active and more engaged earlier in in the decision-making process. Understanding each campus, its purpose, its design, and its impact on the surrounding community is essential to making the decisions we are being asked to make. We talk often about being a data-driven board, but being data driven requires the data actually be shared with the governing body responsible for the decisions. Here's one example. This week, a parent shared with the
162board a student population forecast and enrollment trends report that appears to have been completed on August 21st, 2025. This report examines enrollment patterns and projections across schools throughout the district. I was unable to find any indication that this report has ever been shared with the board. If enrollment forecasts and district-wide trends trend analysis were available in August, they should have been included in the materials provided to the board. Without access to that information, we are being asked to make decisions about facilities and programs without all the necessary data needed to understand the long-term impact. I have heard repeatedly that the final decision rests with the board. If that is truly the case, then we should not still be asking fundamental questions and reviewing large volumes of new information just days before a decision is is
163expected. Our students, families, and community deserve better. Looking at this process as a whole, it appears that key steps are missing. Right? We are discussing changes today that could significantly affect the district's long-term facilities plan. Yet the local planning committee has not been included in this conversation and they should be engaged in this discussion. We also have to take responsibility for the impact this process alone has had on the campus level. Again I want to offer an apology to the stables George Washington Carver and Rise STEM Academy. We have made it you have made it clear to me that how disruptive and stressful the process has been for your school communities. I hear you and I recognize the toll this uncertainty has taken on staff, students, and families and we have to do better to
164rise academy and George Washington Carver. I also want to acknowledge that both schools were made commitments by this district. Commitments that have at times not been acknowledged. Lastm minute decisions that would fundamentally change their schools have left a rift in this school community. And these promises matter and should be honored. When school staff, students, and families plan their futures based on assurances from district in the school board, we have an obligation to honor those commitments or at minimum to be transparent and deliberate if changes are being considered. Anything less undermines trust. This entire process has been transparently opaque at best. I ask a straightforward question. Do we clearly understand how much the district is seeking to d reduce overall facilities and programs costs? I was given a lengthy response on philosophy, alignment, and future analysis,
165but no numbers or ranges. As elected official, to me, that number is not that answer is not sufficient. I understand the need to find the right size for our community and I recognize that we face very real budgetary challenges. I also fully understand that agreeing we must and agree that we must reduce expenses. Enrollment has changed, costs have increased and doing nothing is not an option. However, acknowledging that we need to reduce costs is not the same as understanding how much we need to reduce from where and how we will know when we've done enough. Right size does imply we have some sort of goal or number. The board is being asked to make high impact pi potentially permanent decisions without the basic fiscal framework and datadriven background needed to elevate to evaluate rather those
166decisions are necessary proportional or practical. And from a governance perspective, this feels like we're being asked to drive a car while blindfolded while someone else navigates and ensures us they know where we're going but never tells us which way to turn. We are being asked to trust the same systems that brought us to this point. We were told we were not going over the Esser cliff. Yes. Yet we faced at minimum a $16 million shortfall. We were told we had a $42 million contingency fund when in fact we did not. And we are still waiting for clear answers on how that contingency fund was spent and how those decisions were made. Using the words transparency and communication doesn't mean anything until they are followed by action. The board is accountable to the public for both
167the destination and the route. And I'm not asking for arbitrary cuts. I'm asking for the minimum clarity required to govern responsibly. Until we have that, we cannot make informed decisions. We are re reacting to individual proposals in in isolation and we need to know where we are and we need to need to get where we need to get to to determine how we get there over and over again. The community and even the budget solutions work group has told us the same thing. Stop cutting without a plan. Stop making decisions that ripple into the a classroom without a clear financial justification. Our students deserve better than uncertainty and this board deserves the information necessary to lead responsibly. The community has showed up for all three pro programs. Family, staff, and students have engaged in good
168faith and the way this process is unfolded has not honored that commitment. This is not how we should be treating our students, our staff or our students or our community. And until we have a clear financial picture, a defined plan and sustainable solution for each of these programs moving forward, we really are only extending uncertainty and instability. And for those reasons, my vote tonight on this will be a no. And it is not a no against George Washington Carver. I just don't want to make a decision that is going to have long-term implications for them that I no longer will have any control over once I make that decision tonight. I want to make sure that they get both these schools get what they're promised. >> Thank you, Bormer. Mundy Dr. Ligins. >> Thank you.
169As I've stated previously, I want to again go on the record to make it very clear that this is a decision about financial responsibility long-term. It is not about a number. Again, we have a balanced budget that we are operating within. It is about ensuring that we have a board that is committed to having long-term financial stability. We know that we cannot continue to operate with the size of our district, with the amount of buildings that we have. So tonight's question is not about a budget deficit, which does not exist, mind you. Tonight's the question to the board tonight is, do you want to have 240 um girls in a building with a capacity of 900? Um, even if we added students to there, there's still plenty of room. Or do you want to move
170a group of students that we know are in an adequate facilities currently that can also go into a program and share space while there is essentially enough time to find an adequate space for them to also receive the same quality of education that is available at a building that would be sitting at minimal capacity. Additionally, there was just an audit that was passed that passed 3 to one. In that audit, there was indeed a very clear explanation as to what happened to the overspending in the previous budget. So that is no not an accurate statement that no one is still not received that information because not only was it in the draft budget that you received a month ago, it was also included in tonight's audit that received a 3-1 vote. Um and so I
171just want that to be very clear as well. And so there is indeed I I I I cannot operate as a superintendent in an environment where I'm being asked to do something to correct and to put this district in a position to where we are financially stable long-term based off of current economic situations and yet have to um not have the the necessary votes in order to make that happen. And so again, when you run for office and when you're a superintendent, you have to make tough decisions. It's that simple. Um and that is the point to where we are. Um we have to make those. If you choose not to make them, saying no is not is an easy thing to do. Actually making the tough decisions is what is necessary to be an
172effective governing body. So I just want to make that very clear. And um with that, I welcome a vote. Chair >> Chair Murphy, >> board member Mundy. >> Thank you. Um I want to say that there are several things that we haven't received. We haven't received the internal review that's taken place for the budget. I haven't gotten an update about that. Um we haven't received the plan for restoring the contingency fund either. Um, and I also want to say that the decision tonight has longl lasting implications. If we vote to place both these students in the both these schools in the same building, they the decision could be made for that not to continue and that does not come back to the board. I like I said, this process has not been one that I
173feel as a board member, I've received all the information that I need to make this decision. We can't say we need to base the decision on enrollment numbers. There was a report about enrollment numbers and it never came to the board. A parent got it in an ORR and sent it to the board. There are some steps missing. I want to make the decisions. I want to have the information. I ask that the right size committee come under the board and be a committee of the board so that those decisions could lie with us. But the decision that is put forth in front of me today is not one that I'm willing to vote on. and I am I was elected and I will live with this decision, but I won't place students together and
174have a potentially permanent solution that I can't change when I don't even know if or what the plan is to continue. I've never heard that there has ever been anyone looking at a permanent home for George Washington Carver. I've been to LPC meetings. I've been to every board meeting. This is the very first time that I have heard that. I want those students to have a permanent plan just like Rise, but I won't have anyone say that a no vote is in essence cowardice um in not making that vote. No, I'm not going to make a vote that I can't change for these students. I've had that happen to me and my family and it didn't feel good. And I ran for office because I saw the issues that were happening with my family were
175happening with students and families across the district. They deserve to be a part of the conversation. I went to the rightsiz committee meeting after I got calls, texts, being stopped by people telling me what is going on and what is happening to our school. And no, it just wasn't one school. It was all three. And I came to the next meeting on that Thursday and I did not see one of the school administrators there to even be able to speak for their school. And none of those school administrators we as a board have spoken to. the decision lies with us. We should hear from them. There are steps missing. That is what I'm saying. And if there is no interest in trying to work together to ensure that that doesn't happen, then fine. This is
176the decision that has been brought in front of the board by the superintendent. My vote is no. >> Thank you. Board member Monday. >> We asked we asked for a plan to ensure the continuity of both programs to maximize resources for every child in Fate County Public Schools. all 42,000 of them. This is the plan um that we have. This is the plan that will one ensure the continuity of both of these programs and their distinct forms and two continue the work to ensure that both programs um meet and fulfill uh the potential of those programs. A motion's been made. There's been a second. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> No. >> Motion carries 31. Superintendent Ligins. Thank you very much board members. Uh that concludes our action items
177under theformational items this evening. The agenda includes four written reports for review including the school activities funds report, the personnel changes for December, the monthly construction update, and the running board approved contracts. At this time, I will turn the meeting back over to you, Chairman Murphy. We do not have a need to go into close session this evening. >> Thank you. Uh our next item and uh portion of the agenda is where members of the public may address the board on any topic district related concern that is not on the official agenda. It's not intended to be timed for debate or direct engagement, but uh members of the public are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse and conduct. We have three individuals, I'm sorry, four individuals uh with yielded time that does not include
178the yielders. Our first speaker this evening, I'll ask them to come to the uh podium, keep their remarks to 90 seconds or less unless uh they have been yielded time. Our first speaker is uh James Woodhead who has been yielded time from Colin Harris. So you'll have three minutes. And following Mr. Woodhead, we'll have Scott Horn. as a former special education pair educator and current learning and behavior disabilities teacher that has served on multiple crisis management teams as well as the secretary treasurer for Kentucky 120 United AFT fet. I'm sharing the following statement on behalf of our union. Kentucky 120 United AFT is committed to real solutions for kids communities and rank and file educators. When problems arise, we seek opportunities for collaboration on critical educational issues that matter to our school community. Both in
179our district and across the country, AFT members, teachers, and staff are increasingly reporting concerns with challenging behaviors in the classroom, which can lead to workplace injuries. Relating to this matter, our colleagues in FCA recently called on FCPS to provide its educators with a clear policy for recovery days to support those injured on the job. In solidarity, FET AFT seeks to leverage our collective union power to make our workplaces safer via collective bargaining. As education unions, we have an obligation to keep both learning and working conditions safe for all students and staff. Work shouldn't hurt, and being assaulted should never be just part of the job. Everyone loses when teachers and staff don't have a safe place to work, including students. Unsafe workplaces can lead to lost instructional time, increased medical costs, decreased productivity, the need
180for increased mental health care, and high staff turnover. Our students deserve trauma supports, staff equipped with restorative practice training and methods, appropriate personnel, and holistic safety practices. When assaulted, educators deserve full pay without depleting sick leave and access to support. Our members must be heard. Teachers and staff can help shape language and policy that keeps us all safe when educating students. This is evidenced with AFT union contracts across the nation. The St. Paul Federation of Teachers guarantees 5 days of leave without loss of pay for school related injuries. The Chicago Public Schools Union contract states that bargaining unit employees whose absences result from school related assault or battery shall be paid full salary and medical expenses by the board for the time of their total temporary incapacity and no deductions shall be made from accumulated
181sick days. The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers Collect Bargain agreement states that their board shall provide teachers and staff assault leave by which a teacher who is absent due to physical disability resulting from an assault which occurs in the course of employment shall be maintained on full status during the period of such absence. Bay County teachers and staff that educated our most vulnerable students deserve the same dignity and respect with a collective bargaining agreement. Let us vote. Our next speaker this evening is Scott Horn. Uh, Mr. Horn, you have six minutes. You've been yielded time from Trace Williams, Kevin Thompson, and Brett Nathaniel. >> Good evening, Chair Murphy, Superintendent Ligins, members of the board and community. My name is Scott Horn and I serve on the equity council committee. I'm here tonight to share a few
182thoughts on behalf of the committee about the work we've been doing to support student success across Faget County. The equity council committee is an advisory group. We spend our time looking at data, listening to families and educators, and thinking about how to make sure all students have what they need to succeed. When we see opportunities or have ideas, we bring recommendations to the board for consideration. At last week's board planning meeting, our chair, Kamisha Boyd Powell, shared a recommendation that came from the consensus of ECC members about housing the George Washington Carver Steam Academy for Boys and the Rise STEM Academy for Girls STEM, excuse me, uh, in the same building. This new building with modern STEM classrooms and facilities has a combined maximum enrollment of 900 students, which is nearly double the current enrollment
183of both schools combined. Our committee sees this as an opportunity that could benefit two student bodies instead of one. We do want to emphasize and we're glad to see in the plan that programmatic independence would be essential. Both schools would need separate principles and studentf facing support staff to maintain their distinct missions and cultures. Our committee brings together parents, educators, and community members with a wide variety of viewpoints and experiences. Those diverse perspectives help us to think carefully about how decisions might impact different students and families across our district. Just this week, we learned that we have an unexpected vacancy to fill, and I encourage anyone with an interest in working to support equity in our district to apply to join the ECC, which you can do by visiting our page on the FCPS website.
184I also wanted to mention that I chair our equity scorecard subcommittee where we are working to revive and finalize our first equity scorecard since 2015. We're planning to release it in the first half of next year. And we welcome and encourage community feedback as we pull this all together. Our subcommittee meets virtually and our next scheduled meeting is on Thursday, January 8th at 6:30 p.m. Details can be found on the district calendar website. Ultimately, the mission of the equity council is to monitor and analyze equity issues, advise the board, and advocate for achievement for all students. We thank you for your participation for your partnership in this important work. Thank you, Mr. Horn. Our next speaker this evening is Vicky Molstead. Uh, Miss Molstead, you have been yielded time from Tracy Pedicord, so that'll be
1853 minutes. Is she still here? Oh, there she um three minutes isn't going to be enough time, so I'll be back next month to finish my speech, but um I am a preschool compliance coach and I've been with the district since the 201819 school year. I do need to pro provide some background information about preschool before I get into my purpose for speaking with you this evening. Um there are two ways children can enroll in a Faget County preschool classroom. They can be four by August 1st in a family at poverty level or be at least three and have a disability that makes the child eligible for special education. Um there are two ways to be eligible for special education. The first way is to um from a parent referral, which is when parents of
186kiddos who are at least three feel their child is behind developmentally. In this case, federal law allows a 60 school day timeline, meaning we have 60 school days to determine if a child is eligible for special education services once a parent gives consent for the evaluation. These evaluations only take place when school is in session. The second way is through Keys or Kentucky Early Intervention System, formerly known as First Steps. Children in Keys receive interventions through the state from birth to age three. Federal law requires that these children be evaluated and determined to need or not need special education before their third birthday. Families are not required to send their child to preschool, but the child must be determined eligible and have the opportunity to attend if their family chooses to do so. If the
187district misses one child's birthday, we receive a corrective action plan from the state. There is no grace range. We are either 100% compliant or not compliant. Um, a major consequence of a corrective action plan could be a loss of federal funding. Fyet County preschool staff complete keys evaluations all year, including the summer. Some of the school-based standardized assessments available do not allow testing a child until they are at least 2 years 10 months of age. Development is rapid during this time. So it's important that we not base a special education diagnosis on an evaluation that was previously completed by keys personnel. The process for any evaluation requires at minimum two ARC meetings and evaluation and observations. Since 2020, summer keys have averaged roughly 70 students. We are not contracted in the summer. So the district
188uses volunteers to complete this important work. Most of the preschool center staff uh do this summer work on an hourly basis. We know the ins and out of key ins and outs of keys and can anticipate families concerns. Some of our colleagues from across the district also work so that none of the preschool staff has to work full-time in the summer. And this last summer there were 44 professionals involved in the keys evaluations. Um I have 17 seconds left. Historically summer pay has been a stipend which is less than an hourly rate during the school year. Our pay this past summer is the reason I'm here. Um, before we began, summer teams were promised an hourly rate, but on June 12th, we were told that beginning of July 1st, the rate would decrease by $5
189an hour. And that decrease was shocking. I'll be back next month. Thanks. >> Thank you, Miss Molstead. And Lorie Dvers is our last Oh, >> she she was going to finish, but she going to leave. >> Oh, okay. Well, no worries. Thank you. Um, okay. That concludes our public comments for this evening. Um, as Dr. Lianigans indicated, we do not have a need to go into um, close session. So, at this time, I'll entertain a motion to make the agenda date to December 18th, 2025 on which action has been taken at this meeting, a part of the minutes as if copying the minutes verbatim. Is there a motion to that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by board Monday. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Green. All in favor say I. I.
190I. Any opposed? Motion carries 30. And now I entertain a motion uh to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Motion War Monday. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Green. All in favor of German say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 30. Happy holidays everybody.