001[music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Hey, [music] hey, hey. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] [music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> down. Come on. [music] >> [music] [music] >> up. Hey W up. The world of the world. W. [clears throat] You good? Okay. Good evening everyone. I'll now call this regular meeting of the Fay County Board of Education to order. Miss Jackson, good evening to you. You please take role. >> Good evening. >> Amanda Ferguson, >> present. >> Amy Green, >> present. >> Tyler Murphy, >> present. >> Penny Christian, >> present. >> Monica Mundy, >> present. >> Thank [clears throat] you. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Jackson. I'd like to welcome everyone joining us for tonight's meeting both in person and online. Next on our agenda, board member Penny
002Christian will lead us through our observation of a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance and a reading of our district mission statement. Miss board member Christian. Thank you, Chair Murphy. Good evening. Tonight, we would like to acknowledge the tragic deaths of Luis Luna Cervantes, a seventh grader at Jesse Clark Middle School, who previously attended the preschool center, Mil Creek Elementary, and Clay's Mill Elementary. Luis celebrated his 13th birthday the week before his passing. Nishant Py, a sophomore at Frederick Douglas High School who previously attended E Edith J. Hayes and Aan's Charlesburg Elementary. Nish, as he was called, was a member of Superintendent Lian's student advisory council. Bus driver Ryan Chancellor, who had been a member of team FCPS in the transportation department since 2015. Our hearts remain with their families, friends, and
003all those touched by their passing. Please join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. If you will please stand for the pledge. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The mission of Fy 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. Chair Murphy. >> Thank you board member Christian. Uh next on our agenda is approval of our agenda. Is there a motion to adopt the agenda as presented? >> So moved. >> Motion by Borin Green. Is there a second? >> Second Bor Christian. All in favor of adopting the agenda say I. >> I. I. >>
004Any opposed? Motion carries. 50. And I I want do want to clarify one agenda item and that is the governance manual. Um as discussed at the planning meeting on November 10th uh two weeks ago, our cadence for the review of the governance manual was receiving various uh suggestions and input from board members. Those were compiled into one document. Um and then tonight that document will be reviewed for board members to provide additional commentary, adjustments, modifications. Uh and those modifications they'd be interested in pursuing further. And then anything that comes out of tonight's meeting will be subject to thorough review by our board legal counsel for compliance with district policy and of course all applicable laws and then come back to the board uh for final approval on Monday, December 8th. So I just wanted to
005make sure that that timeline and cadence was clarified. That's why you may see some things on that document that uh conflict with one another because we just compiled all of the different uh input that we received and put on that document so that it will be subject to review and discussion in open session before proceeding forward. No action will be taken on that tonight. And of course, no action will be taken until everything is reviewed by the board's legal council. Uh we do like to open our meetings celebrating our talented students and high quality arts instruction. At this time, I'd like to invite FCPS Fine Arts Director, Miss Katherine Lather, to come forward to introduce tonight's performance spotlight. >> Is your mic on, Miss L? get less awkward. There we go. >> Oh, now it's
006too loud. He's adjusting it. Okay, now try again. >> All right, so we do have um joining us tonight we have student Chloe Hillard who is a senior trumpet player at Lafayette High School. Accompanying her is one of the Lafayette High School band directors, Dr. Chris Strange. Um, they're going to share a little bit about their performance, but before that, I want to tell you a little bit about the Pride of the Bluegrass, the Lafayette band. They are our um 5A KMA state marching band champions, and they now have with 25 wins um they are the winningest program in KMA history. So we have here uh Dr. Chris Strange. We also have uh Principal Anthony our somewhere either here or in the overflow room. Um director D. Bishop is here as well in a corner.
007Um and of course we have a student representative. I I would also like to thank FCPS directors um Aaron Jones and John Bmer for their hard work with the 240 students that represent around 10% of the student population. So, congratulations to the most winningest program in KMA history, Lafayette band, Pride of the Bluegrass. [applause] They're also top 20 semi-finalists at the recent National Bands of America Grand Championships. The piece that you'll be hearing tonight is from the program that will be at the prestigious Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago December 17th through 19th. This is an extremely competitive application process. Only five high school jazz ensembles internationally were selected to perform at this conference. They will be representing FCPS, Kentucky, and Lafayette on the national and international stage for an audience of
008approximately 18,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 40 countries. So, we're very excited that our students will be able to represent, perform, collaborate, and learn from top tier music educators and ensembles. We're working on a po portrait of a graduate constantly and being in a band ensemble allows students to learn music from um global um input. They uh learn to collaborate, be patient, take risks, especially in a jazz ensemble when they have to improvise, learn, listen uh closely from each other. They get to take turns being leaders. They get to be creative um and uh engage in higher order thinking. So, I'll turn it over to Chloe to introduce the piece to you and then we'll watch this amazing video. Thank you. >> All righty. Greetings, boarding guests. My name is Khloe Hillard.
009I'm a former Wellington Explorer, Jesse Clark Eagle, and now a proud Lafayette General. I'm a senior trumpet player in the Lafayette Jazz Ensemble, which this past spring was invited to perform at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra International Conference this December in Chicago. Being chosen as a performing group isn't an easy task. The application process is very in-depth. You must submit audio and video recordings of the ensemble, a written description of the program and community, examples of literature and repertoire performed over the last three years, and finally, letters of recommendation. This has been a busy fall for us with our marching band schedule, but we and the jazz ensemble have been dedicated to prioritize this performance to truly represent excellence for our school and community. On Saturdays, we didn't have a marching band competition. We
010came in and rehearsed. While Doctor Strange is tough and very demanding, he did indeed bring us Duncan Munchkins for us and also got us pizza some of those Saturdays. With a little under a month until our performance, we continue to work hard in and outside of school. The song featured in this video is called Living Larger than Life by Alan Block. It features senior alto saxoponist Caran Caswell, senior bass player Anna Vandermark, and sophomore drummer Ransom Reigns. I'm truly thankful for this opportunity and I hope you all enjoy our performance. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music]
011>> [music] [music] [applause] >> I think that's worthy of some jazz hands there. Uh, excellent job. Excellent job as a a uh lapsed saxophone player. I I especially appreciate the solo. So, incredible incredible work. Incredible work. So, thank you all for sharing that. Thank you for all that you do to support our students uh because music unlocks so many doors of opportunities for them. So, thank you all for sharing. We appreciate it. And I'll turn the agenda over to Superintendent Leakgin. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. And thank you eyes again. That performance was spectacular. Um before introducing our first item this evening, I would like to also uh welcome everyone who's here this evening and watching online. First under our superintendence report uh is a recognition of our November's Kids Champion Award recipient. At this
012time, I'd like to ask Chief of Staff Tracy Bruno to lead in our celebration. Mr. Bruno. >> Good evening, Dr. Ligans and board members. We're excited to continue our partnership with Fort Bank, the proud sponsor of FCPS Kids Champion Awards. Thanks to their generous support, each month 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 16 ways. This month, we are thrilled to celebrate Mr. Damon Ston, a dedicated family resource coordinator at Sandersville Elementary as the November kids champion. Mr. Ston's unwavering commitment, compassion, and willingness to go above and beyond make him an invaluable member of the SCPS family. The nominator shared the following. Innovative. He has always partnered with community partners to bring new services to our family. Family's
013dad's cafe grant where dads are the creators and leaders. Black soil market to our school and community school dental van, cooking clubs, and so much more. He was helpful in our family school certification. When a parent came to him about Purple Star School for military support, he took it head on. We're the first school in FCPS to be recognized. Uh he did summer programming for our kids this summer, too. Advocacy, he is simply amazing. A student or family needs something, he's on it. And if he doesn't have it, he will have it sooner. Whether it's clothes, dentist, uh food, food, the limits are endless. He's the best student, family, and advocate staff. He's the best student, family, and staff staff advocate I know. Empathy. He feels for every single student and family he works with.
014He's always working to find new opportunities. You never feel like you're bothering him, no matter what you need or how many times you need it. Knowledgeable. His partnerships he had before working here have set him up for success. His contacts are endless. If he doesn't know an answer, he will find someone who knows. And to me, that is the most important. Positive attitude. He could talk to a wall and that and that makes things makes his him incredible at his job. He makes connections all the time, even in the car rider line. He deals with people in times of need and is a go-getter. Has a go-getter attitude and is top-notch. He deserves this recognition and so much more. Please join us in celebrating Mr. Sexon's incredible impact. We invite you to watch the special
015video by the FCPA FCPS creative media team highlighting his story and the differences he makes every day. >> Ready? >> Let's see what Officer Buckle is doing. >> Tip number one, keep your shoelaces tied. >> You guys excited? >> Okay, here's the fun part. Tip number two. >> Yes. >> Congratulations. >> You are this month kid champion. >> And I get to share it with my new friends. >> Yes. Yes. >> Well, stand up. Stand up. Stand up. >> This is for you. >> Oh my god. Thank you. Thank you >> for everything you do for our kids, for Sandersville. I mean, some of the initiatives you're bringing here and to Faget County is just simply amazing. So, we appreciate all that you do. >> Oh, I I appreciate the kids. >> Good. Good. Give
016me the They make it all worth it, don't they? >> I've got your belt. [laughter] >> Every champion needs a championship belt. >> I won't put on your waist under this. >> No. [laughter] Yes, it is. We throw it on the other shoulder. >> Yes. >> All righty. Come on out. We have some folks that want to say hello to you. >> I nominated Mr. Sexton because he has been a great asset to our school. There are [music] so many things that he does that are above and beyond. Even if he doesn't have it and you need something for one of your students, [music] he will make a way to find it. >> I for at home and then he just g me a code. He also um make have fun when you go on
017the field trip. >> He's a huge personality [music] in a positive way. He lifts this building up every single day. This award and just the recognition of it to share it with the students here that we're with every single day [music] is probably more important to me than winning any other award. >> He gave me a shark tooth and he's just been really good friend. >> Every day I prepare myself because there is a need. Every single [music] student that walks in this building is going to have a need in some way. >> I can see the love that he has for them. I really do. And that like he [music] really cares for them. when we have our supervisory meetings, like my heart is just full all the time. >> He has a huge
018heart. He's an advocate for [music] every kid and every family. Um, and he's somebody that is connected enough that he can make it happen. >> Kids champion [music] is someone who becomes the voice of those that are voiceless. So, yes, I do believe I'm a kids champion, but not because of the award. My name is Damon Ston, and I am a kids champion. >> Mr. Dr. Damon Ston, please come forward. Let's give him a round of applause for his dedication and service to our students and community. Congratulations [applause] Thank you very much. [applause] Thank you again. I'm sorry I got a little distracted. Um, next up um is our uh No. is our collaboration uh with KC7 Foundation. It is my pleasure to introduce Michael Adams, our external partners manager to come forward and present
019this presentation. Hello board members, Superintendent Lian, and everyone joining us this month. We will highlight yet another outstanding community partner and recent golden apple award winner, the KC7 Foundation. Founded in 2019 by Mr. Civan Kakpovi, the goal was that the goal was to gamify cyber security and make it more palatable and relatable to the public. Simeon believed that cyber security education should be fun and accessible to anyone anywhere. So he began the work of building what is now a global gamified cy cyber security platform used by teachers, students, professionals and volunteers across the world. Over the past three years, the KC7 Foundation has established a transformative partnership with our schools, setting a powerful example of how industry can drive authentic career connected learning. We are all grateful for KC7's foundation's programming. As you will hear
020shortly, it significantly significantly impacts our students, elevating FCPS onto the global stage with a high highly scalable effective model for preparing students for the digital economy. I will now introduce Bri Brian Quillin who is the cyber security instructor at The Hill and has worked closely with the KC7 Foundation. >> Oh, I jumped the gun there. Uh, good evening. My name is Brian Quillin. Uh I serve both as the curriculum development lead and the KC7 cyber at the KC7 cyber foundation as well as the cyber security instructor at the hill. I've been working with KC7 for about two years and it was a privilege for me to be able to accept the Golden Apple award on behalf of the organization. Uh, as Michael mentioned, KC7 was founded in 2019 with the mission to equip everyone with
021the skills to succeed in tomorrow's diverse cyber security workforce by creating fun, engaging, and accessible learning experiences. This feat is accomplished by turning what would otherwise be extremely complex concepts into a game. Players of KC7 are enveloped in a storydriven cyber security incident based on real world events and tactics used by actual attackers. All of these moves are hidden within tens of thousands of lines of data that players learn to sort through incrementally as they play. The overall goal of this platform is to introduce a mindset that encourages players to think critically and hunt like professional cyber security analysis. Uh, and one tiny clue leads them to discover the motive and impact of an incident. KC7 was originally developed for professionals and college students to solve a staggering problem in the field of cyber security
022and that's access to data. In order to get a job in cyber security, employers want applicants with experience. Yet due to the incredibly sensitive nature of security data, it is almost impossible to get access to actual intrusion data and gain experience that develops those analytical skills. It's a real chicken and egg situation we have. Uh so KC7 founder Simeon Kakpovi developed a method of generating that data that enabled upandcomers to comb through it, get the experience and develop the skills needed to be successful. Through this method, KC7 has made waves around the world as a way to train professionals in the field in an engaging way, working with companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Sony, and so on. It's so engaging, in fact, that Greg and Simeon were challenged by Dr. for Ronald G to see if
023they could use the platform to reach an untapped audience, middle schoolers. In 2023, the first KC7 cyber security summer camp was hosted for students from fourth to 7th grade. Uh at camp, students were introduced to concepts that are traditionally far beyond their age group. Yet, [snorts] by having them solve a heist, learn questioning strategies, and develop the skills needed to thrive as a team, it was very clear that KC7 had potential to be a launchpad for students to find interest in a field that was once so very far out of reach. I began working with KC7 in 2024 and helped to host the second year of the camp. Uh, and I was astounded by what I saw. While I use KC7 as a supplemental game for my cyber security students in JCPS, uh I was
024emboldened to build my entire cyber security curriculum around the platform. The following year, mostly due to the durable skills that students gained from the experience, such as critical thinking, teamwork, persistence, and resilience. Students in my class began blowing through KC7 at a rate that rivaled players in a professional setting. So, we engaged in in-person scenarios that complemented the teachings at KC7, tracked progress through modules with detailed notes, and developed incident response reports using models provided by professionals. My students were learning at a rate that seemed impossible. Uh, prior to my partnership with Simeon and Greg, this led a group of my high school students to delve into professional level research uh to construct their own module alongside Microsoft employees as they built their own data sets and developed questions. We used this student created module
025to host the first ever live cyber security event here at the STLP state championship at Rup Arena. Uh this brought 19 schools from 14 districts across the state to compete in solving a module to present their findings to actual cyber security experts from this city. From this work and the partnership between KC7 and FCPS, the cyber security program at the hub of innovative learning and leadership was born. I uh defected from JCPS to be a part of this opportunity, providing students with experience through the KC7 platform as they investigate cyber security incidents and a state-of-the-art cyber security operations center. And as we continue to grow this program in partnership, our goal is to develop training exercises with the various industries found at the Hill. With KC7 as the heart of the investigations, other professionals will
026be able to see how vital cyber security is to the futures of their careers as well. This venture into middle and high school education has made it apparent that KC7 is a catalyst to real world impactful learning. In the next years, KC7 hopes to reach 1 million people in 10,000 schools, universities, and companies across the world with the same opportunities for learning. And I can tell you the way I approached education has evolved since I began my partnership with KC7 Cyber. And I believe that we're doing what we're doing here in FCPS is unlike any other program in the state and likely beyond. Now, while I appreciate you all hearing this from me, I'd like to welcome two incredible humans who benefited from this partnership firsthand. Ruby Kirkland, who started as a camper in 2024
027and became a counselor the following summer, and Bennett Lantern, a first year in the cyber security program at the Hill. Thank you all again for your time and your recognition for the good that KC7 has done for the students in our district. >> [applause] [clears throat] >> Don't know if I just turned it on or not. Hello. Can you hear me? Okay. [snorts] Oh. Hello. My name is Ruby Kirkland. I'm a freshman from the Liberal Arts Academy at Henry Clay High School. Working with the KC7 Foundation, I've learned important skills ranging from what I learned on their cyber security platform that's taught me what Kudo Query language is, often referred to as KQL, and how to use it while coding to important leadership and teamwork skills I've developed through their summer camp and interactive online
028experiences on their website. I joined the KC7 community in 8th grade as a camper during their second summer camp. I love the way the camp was structured with interactive games and cases that the campers would have to work together to solve. I think that's one of the leading reasons why I was so excited to come back to the camp last year as a camp counselor because of the teamwork and community built there. It's so easy in our modern fast-paced social media centered society to forget the importance of teamwork in our communities, especially in education centered experiences. When I originally joined the camp, I was really shy and had honestly [clears throat] started the camp hoping to work on the coding platform with limited interactions with the other campers whom I had never met before. But
029that to my delight did not happen. To solve a puzzle, fix an error in your code, or just about any other problem you might face, you have to work with those around you. I saw this community built around the KC7 Foundation even more after I went to the camp again last year as a counselor. I got to experience what it was like to help the students try to connect clues and ask detailed questions to find answers. I want to thank the KC7 Foundation today for the community they have built through a fun, interactive, and truly amazing platform that can transform students mindsets to show them what they're capable of accomplishing. Even outside the camp, I have continued to use the platform to learn and develop my coding skills. This platform has introduced me and so
030many other kids to the world of cyber security and previously unknown opportunities. If I had never gone to that first summer camp and been part of this community, I would have never gotten to meet some awinspiring people, been introduced to opportunities for future careers and pathways in cyber security and help support future campers introduce them in return to this brilliant cyber world. Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Bennett Lancer. I'm a freshman at both the Hill and Tates Creek High School. When working with the KC7 Foundation through the cyber security program, we learned how to use query language to investigate cyber crimes, profile attackers, as well as develop incident response reports. These experience help me prepare for the real world work that can help me land a great job in the future. When I
031first got into the cyber security program, I didn't know a lot about the tactics cyber security analysts use. I was also hesitant to be in a leadership position. Now that I now after using KC7, I have the confidence to take on these challenges and pursue these roles successfully. I want to thank the KC7 Foundation. Using their program, we apply the knowledge we learned in class into actual cyber situations. It's not just some cyber security info information taught in a sitand get way. We actually get real world experience and that is much more enjoyable. I'd also like to thank the Fate County School Board for including this program at the Hill. Without this program, my freshman experience would not have been as enjoyable as it has been. And I I look forward to the future. [applause]
032>> Thank you. Thank you very much. We appreciate you all. Uh any questions or comments, board members? >> Chair Murphy, thank you guys for being here today. Um, and I'm glad that you've not only kind of shared a bit of gamification, I think it is a wonderful way to learn um, and to teach complex levels of curriculum um, to all grade levels because we all love to play a good game, I believe. Um, but I would love to hear a little bit about camp kind of like what are some of the things that you do there? What might a typical day look like? Because it sounds like a a fun time. >> Yeah. So, I think I can answer that question. Um, I've went to the camp one year as a camper and the day
033usually starts out as you go to the camp, you eat breakfast and for the first couple days, you're mainly going to be focusing on what is KQL. I know for a lot of campers that go there, it's a first time introduction to anything coding based. That's not usually something you might be introduced in to in your normal learning curriculum. So, you're introduced to what you're going to be learning and more specifically to KC7, the game. And the way that it's structured is one thing leads into the next. So typically the camp will start with a scenario where there's been some sort of heist or there is a problem and someone's missing information and the campers are broken into groups usually not by choice. So they meet a lot of new people and they have to
034work together to gather clues that have been printed and posted around the room. and working together. They try and figure out what clues are connected to each other and how to use that information. As the camp progresses, usually there's going to be about two cases you're trying to solve. One original one that just introduces you to what you're doing, but then a second much larger case that the kids will be working on. So I know when I joined as a counselor, they intro we introduced a newer game where the kids would have to interview different volunteers at the camp who were acting as either hackers or were part of a museum case. Take for example where they where someone had broken into a museum and all the campers had to go ask different people very
035detailed questions to get specific answers and even if it was just one word or a short sentence saying I don't know I noticed someone wearing a yellow hat the campers would take notes and use that information. So the day usually is planned out so that you can include all these different cases and usually ends sometime a little after lunch. >> Thank you. >> Green. >> Thank you. Thank you both so much for sharing your experiences. I wrote down some really wonderful things that you all said outside of a general curriculum that you may think. You said that you felt like it was authentic and connected. you you mentioned that um unbeknownst to what you had planned, you focused on teamwork and community building. I think that's fantastic. Um that you really saw you learn what
036students were capable of. And I'm excited that there's a program that pushes you all and then shows you what your agency and what you are capable of and and the fact that you t um I think the gentleman that brings it that brought it forward talked about you guys are performing at a national level. you guys are eating this data um and creating ideas alongside the professionals and that's amazing. So I hope you guys have pride in that and your abilities and I hope the community sees that our students are leading the way why they're students that they are making an impact in the community. So I'm so excited um for you both. Thank you for sharing. I guess my one question is besides what you share, what is like the most surprising thing you
037learned about yourself um so far through this process? Um, the most surprising thing I learned about myself was like I guess how hard I could think about something. Like I could really analyze data and like I sometimes had a hard time like believing in myself. So it really helped me with my own confidence personally. So definitely that. >> And then for me personally, I was surprised by my critical thinking skills. At the end of the camp, when I was a camper, my group had to conduct a presentation where we had to basically give an overview of what we had learned during that camp and how everything was connected. And I surprised myself by how much information I remembered and how I was able to connect that back to everything. And yeah, thank you. >> Thank
038you. And [clears throat] I would I'm interested to hear your perspective and and Mr. Quinn as well, especially from your perspective coming uh from another district. And I [clears throat] like to ask this question of our students, but is there something uh you've experienced in Fate County Public Schools um that you think that someone who's not familiar with the work that we're doing in our schools or someone not uh familiar with our community uh would be surprised to know or would be interested in knowing about what's happening in our schools? Um, I think they would be very interested. It's something unique that it's not normal curriculum that a lot of people will see. I think they would be interested in it. Personally, >> Ruby, >> I think building off of that, I would say some
039of the programs that are offered at FCPS, I've noticed, especially talking to people from other school districts, I think they might be surprised by what's offered here and to what extent that's offered. So, I know there are a lot of different programs that focus on very specific skills and a large variety of those skills that students might want to focus on, whether it's for a career or something they're just starting to think they're interested in, like these cyber security programs or math and science programs that focus and try and provide the student with what they want to learn. >> Do you have anything to add, Brian? >> Yeah. [snorts] >> Are we on? >> Yo. Okay. Um, I think that what I've noticed in my short amount of time in FCPS is how much of
040a platform that these programs are given. Uh I've had the opportunity to speak to countless people and to perform with students in ways that I was never given the opportunity to before. Uh and I think that trust in educators to bring industry into the classroom is just really impressive and impactful in general. Uh it's made my teaching much more enjoyable. I drive an hour and 10 minutes every day to get to the hill and every single day when I step into those doors, it is 100% worth it. Uh so I'm just grateful to have the opportunity to teach such an incredible program. And if you haven't seen my classroom, come check it out. You'll be grateful that it's there, too, because it's fantastic. And then the last question for all of you is um uh
041what uh additionally can can we do and can our community do to support your work? >> I would say continue supporting programs like this or developing programs for [clears throat] of all varieties of what students might want to do. So, I know we have a lot of cyber security programs focusing on stuff like premed or just or trade skills. Finding out what students want to learn, what they want to focus on and how we can focus on developing that I think is something FCPS can do. >> Um, I also agree with what she said. Um, also maybe making it more accessible to the more broad audience like all these alternative programs would probably be good too. >> Uh, and I just believe that more emphasis on these types of programs is great as well. Um,
042you'd be really surprised when you walk into the Hill to find out that students in aviation are learning math or the amount of work that goes into a carpentry lesson or heavy equipment. It's not just my class. It's incredible. um giving students these opportunities. They're learning skills that they would learn in an English class or a science class or a math class, but they're doing it in a way that's applicable to the world outside of a school building. And that is just really valuable experience for students to have. And again, I'm just happy to be a part of that. So, more of that, please. >> Thank you all. We appreciate you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you all so much for telling us about that amazing program. Uh also thanks board members for your
043leadership and uh promoting things such as this. For our next item, we have our assistant superintendent of school leadership and learning, Bill Bradford, to share the overview of the state accountability data released last week by the Kentucky Department of Education. Dr. Bradford, >> good evening. I have the pleasure of providing with an update this evening on our 2025 state accountability and assessment results. These are captured in six distinct categories. One is a combined indicator for reading and math. The other is a combined indicator for science, social studies and writing. and then one each for English learner progress, the quality of school climate and safety survey, post-secary readiness, which is at the high school level only, and graduation rate. And I'll share with you that each of these indicator scores range from a quantity of 100
044points to 140 points based on how the system was developed. You're going to notice um as we start with some of our initial data that performance is rated on a fivepoint scale. It is highlighted with a color code from red being very low to blue being very high and each having a qualitative measurement as well. The indicator scores are essentially developed with cuts and there are cuts for each content area, each um content, each grade level um so that each school and school level can be assigned a certain overall performance rating. So here's what our data tells us this year. You see on the screen a comparison between the 2023 24 school year and 202425. At each level there is an indicator score and those scores correlate to a color performance rating. So we're really
045pleased to report that in the year 20242 our elementary and high school levels performed at the medium level categorized as yellow and our middle school level performed at a high level coded as green. Then the indicator ratings that you see listed at the bottom of each year are the total number of scores that qualified for each performance band. I think of particular note to the board would be the comparison between blue and green schools. Those are high and very high schools from 2023 24 um which were 13 and 9 to a total of 25 combined 12 and 13 in the year uh 24-25. We often um take a look at two particular comparison modes when we look at how Fate County Public Schools performs. Our uh sort of like district that is both urban and
046large is Jefferson County Public Schools. So you see our data compared to them and then you also see how our data performs to the state overall. These are the overall performance at elementary, middle, and high. Each coded in a bolded green color uh because they do show that our performance exceeds that of our like counterpart Jefferson County as well as the state overall. And these indicator scores compile all content areas and all accountability ratings within one numeric score. So, I'm going to start with reading and math and show you how our district has performed um separately. reading first for the first three slides and math second for slides four through 5. And I'm going to draw your attention to a few uh pieces of detail. So the first would be on the screen. This is
047how each of the charts are will be labeled. This is the elementary level performance in reading. And I will draw your attention to two particular figures. Number one, the performance of all students. Uh there was a 52% rate of students performing at or above grade level standards in reading in Faget County public schools. And comparatively that is greater than both our like counterparts in terms of an urban perspective JCPS as well as the state average of 49%. However, as you will know a lot of our resources justifiably so have gone into supporting our students whose native language is not English uh categorized as English learners and I would like to point out on the slide specifically that our English learner performance at 34% is greater than our like district JCPS as well as the state
048average of 31%. And this is elementary reading. And it's important that you orient yourself to this particular slide because middle school and high school will look very similar. The data still shows that overall at the middle school level in reading, our students are performing above the state average. And the same can be true for our students whose uh native language is not English. High school follows the same trend. 49% in reading um were at or above the state average in at the high school level compared to the state that is a three point that is a 3% differential and English learners also continued that same trend. Math shows very similar data components um just from a different analysis perspective. So this is elementary school math all students in FCPS performing at 48% mastery that would
049be proficient or distinguished on their Kentucky summit of assessment. And you see the same thing to be true for middle school math in FCPS being greater than our like counterpart Jefferson County as well as greater than the state and then at the high school level as well with 42% of all high school students performing at or above grade level standards um beating that at the state by 2%. What we wanted to do specifically for this presentation tonight would be to correlate the work of our comprehensive district improvement plan. So what you see on your screen is our CIP. That's our comprehensive district improvement plan goal. And this goal is divided into both a long-term three-year goal and a short-term one-year objective. So, for all intents and purposes, I wanted to compare how our performance was
050in 2024-25 with what we had articulated in our CIP for um a goal that we aimed to achieve by June 2026. So combined reading and math for all levels, our seedup goal was an indicator score of 68 or correlated to an indicator score of 68. And we did in fact meet that particular goal um as an annual objective on the 2025 Kentucky Summit of Assessment. When we look at reading, excuse me, when we look at science, social studies, and writing, which is combined, these are the indicator scores that each level earned in the year 2025. And on this particular screen, you see these data compared against the year prior. At the elementary, middle, and high school levels, each level performed greater than um the year prior in the combined efforts of science, social studies, and
051writing. When you compare this performance against our comprehensive district impa plan as well, our seedup status indicator goal, the the indicator score that was correlated to our one-year annual objective on our seed was a 56.7. Our performance of a 62.7 in the year 2025 exceeded that goal. And that's obviously something that we're very proud of and something that the board can also take pride in. When it relates to English learner progress, this is very specific to an assessment, a nationally normed assessment that all uh students whose native language is not English take on an annual basis. And our indicator scores that are listed on the screen show how our English learner students performed at elementary, middle, and high in the years 2024, and 2025. of note will be the performance at the middle and high
052school levels specifically where students did perform at a greater rate um than they did in the year prior. When you correlate this to our comprehensive district improvement plan where we had a correlated indicator goal of 41.9 in the year uh 2025, our actual score of 42.4 uh allowed for us to exceed that one-year annual objective. So so far that's three for three in terms of meeting or exceeding Our quality of school climate and safety is a survey taken by students in grades 3 through 8, 10 and 11. And they answer a variety of questions related to belongingness, welcoming, safety, and having caring adults. These are the indicator scores um that we earned in the year 2025. And of course, these are compared against the year prior. each of the scores in the year 2025 at
053the elementary, middle, and high school level show greater values than the year prior. So certainly we're very pleased with um the growth in this particular domain and that is further evidenced through the exceeding component of our SEUIP as well. Our correlated indicator score on our CEUP this year was 67.6 points and our indicator score for the Kentucky Summitive assessment was 68.3. So we were in fact exceeding this particular uh score on the one-year annual objective. Post-secary readiness you recognize as a high school only equivalent. So in this particular uh chart you see a readiness rate without bonus and a readiness rate with bonus. Readiness without bonus is a standard um configuration of how students earn post-secary readiness by essentially meeting minimum expectations for qualifying for PSR post-secondary readiness. And then students earn bonus when they're
054able to exceed those minimum expectations. So it is worth your attention to look at how all students performed. The readiness rate without bonus was 82.2%. This is of course a figure out of 100% and readiness rate with bonus was 7% higher at 89.2. When you relate this to our comprehensive district improvement plan, this is of particular um consideration because our seedup indicator score for 2025 was an 85.7. That is what we strived to achieve. Our 2025 accountability score was a 94.9. One of the pieces of information that I would draw your attention to here is that SEUP indicator goal is actually our long-term goal. That is not our one-year annual objective. That is our three-year long-term goal that we established by May of 2028. And we have at this time exceeded where we had planned
055to be by the year 2028. In May, graduation rate is another source of of great consideration and growth for Fate County Public Schools. We receive a graduation rate reported in two formats, a 4-year graduation rate and a 5-year cohort graduation rate. Our four-year graduation rate for 2025 was a 92.4% again out of 100%. And then our 5-year cohort graduation rate was a 94.4%. So on our CIB, we have a combined goal and again this is a long-term goal uh established for uh to reach or or that we would aim to achieve by May 2028 and that goal was 92.8%. Our combined four and 5-year graduation rates in the year 2025 was 93.4%. So we did exceed our long-term goal at this time. So that is actually a 100% meet or exceed for all of our
056seat of goals in the year 2025. You recognize that our state accountability system is accompanied by federal requirements to identify uh schools with particular federal designations. Those federal designations range from CSI, which is comprehensive support and improvement to TSI, targeted support and improvement to ASI, which is um additional targeted support and improvement. And in the year 2025, we had one school qualify for a CSI status. That is Russell Cave Elementary School. And we have two schools that were identified for targeted support and improvement, TSI. Arlington Elementary and Tates Creek Elementary. Our TSI schools are identified um simply because there was a subgroup or one or more, excuse me, of student populations that performed at a greater rate of discrepancy between that student subgroup and how all students performed. In addition, we have 12 schools that
057qualified for an ATSI designation. This is additional targeted support and improvement. These are schools that qualified in the same manner that I just described. there are student groups that performed um at a level that is far different than how all students performed and they did so for greater than three years in total. And so our ATSI groups range from two different or range within two different subgroups. The first are students receiving special education services and the second are our students whose native language is not English are English learners. We also have four schools on the far right that actually have the combination of both of those configurations. They have um student subgroup populations that need improvement that fall under students with exceptional services as well as English learners. The number of total schools identified per
058TSI group are shown on the following chart. And you can see the progression of our student groups and their performance related to federal designation from 2021-22 all the way through this past year 2024-25. And while we are unpleased that we have any schools um that are identified for Hispanic English learners or students receiving special education services, we are in fact pleased that we do not see schools identified for um academic gaps, achievement gaps, excuse me, uh with our African-American students or our students who are economically disadvantaged. That happens to be um a continuation of our historic achievements. This is actually the second year in one in a row where we have no schools identified for low achievement of our black African-American students as well as no schools being identified for low achievement for our economically
059disadvantaged students. It's a lot to be proud of in a large school district and certainly something that we want to now leverage to have an impact on the other student groups that exist within Faget County. So here are a couple points of celebration. I'll draw your attention to just a couple. Um the first would be if you look at the third to last bullet all of the schools that in the year 2024 were identified as very low you'll recognize as red each one of those schools improved in the year 2025. That is a testament to how we are using data to make decisions about instruction and how we are deploying resources and services to our schools that need support in order to advance their achievement. We intend to follow that same trend. In fact, we
060are currently following that same trend to advanced achievement this year as well, following that same um algorithm of database decision-making. The other piece that I would bring your attention to is this is the second year in a row that all schools meeting benchmarks for black and impoverished students resulted in our data. While that's a historic achievement overall, what it also shows for us is we have culture responsive teachers. uh our teachers are our greatest asset and certainly they are utilizing strategies that are working with student groups in a targeted way. We are now going to continue to utilize those same and it uh interval like strategies to target our other student groups so that we see success across the board with all kids. Some additional points of celebration are directly correlated with where you have
061made significant investments budgetarily. Uh, one of your board priorities has been increasing access to dual credit coursework. And so I'm very pleased to report on behalf of the school system that 6,330 students were enrolled in dual credit coursework in 202425. Quite frankly, if that had said 6,330 hours, that would be impressive enough. That does not. That says 6330 students. That is a lot of students with early access to college and career readiness and also to college coursework that then earns them not only their high school diploma but also advanced coursework into their um uh post-secary studies. So that is a great return on investment on behalf of the board and we certainly appreciate that investment overall. We are we feel a great sense of promise for how the school district performed in the year 2025.
062However, we have a lot of work still ahead of us and we're very committed to that work. Where I would make sure that you had confidence in the approaches that we're taking this year are specifically with um the bullet that talks about intentional tier one standardsbased instruction. you made another pretty significant investment on our behalf last year and that was in the rollout or implementation of highquality instructional resources HQIRS for both reading and math um at all grade levels K through 12. I would I feel compelled to mention again how strong our teachers are in terms of being an asset for the school system even though a roll out is typically very challenging of new curriculum. Not to mention doing so with reading and math at the same time. But our teachers yielded very significant
063successes on our Kentucky summit of assessment data even in lie of that particular implementation plan. And that's really impressive. Our elementary, middle, and high school levels were each rated at the high level, the green level in reading and math this year. Um, and that's really the first time that that's happened for us. So we're very excited about that. The other piece that I would draw your attention to here is our intentional focus on four domains. professional learning communities, assessment, acceleration, and culture climate. Each of those four components are unchanged throughout the course of the last three years. We have not introduced anything new. We are instead focusing on the quality of implementation of these four strategic priorities. And so with that, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have about
064this data. >> Uh thank you, Dr. Bradford. And [clears throat] before we open up for questions, I will just say uh fundamentally I mean this is where the rubber meets the road and the fact that we not only met um but exceeded those seed goals and some you know two three years ahead of schedule. Um I just don't want that to be lost to anybody in the room or anybody watching um of the significance of that. uh because too often uh you know districts can find themselves in situations of explaining away why [clears throat] a particular uh goal was not achieved. And so these um uh the results that we see are are one piece of the puzzle. We know that and we know that our our students and our our educators are achieving in
065multiple ways. Uh and one of the ways uh is reflected here in this data. Uh but that doesn't just happen in a vacuum. doesn't happen by accident. It happens through that intentional focus, investment, and support. Um, so it truly remarkable results in it and it has a ripple effect because when we talk about uh our public schools being the drivers of their local economies, these are numbers that uh businesses and potential employers and prospective businesses looking to relocate, uh, these are numbers they look at. They look at the school report card and they look at the data and they look at the work happening in public schools. So this is indeed a point of celebration and a point of pride. Uh but as we know well uh it's often times more difficult to maintain than
066it is to uh grow. And so that is the work ahead of us. I know that we're certainly not resting on our laurels at all. So with that I'll open it up to questions. Green. >> Thank you. Um, I just want to take a point of privilege and just say thank you to the multitude of people that have contributed to this moment of, you know, celebrating the success of our students. Thank you to my fellow board members both present and past because um being on the board is a long-term investment and the fact that over since 2021 there's a marked change um and improvement for our student outcomes which is the main thing and so I just would like to say thank you to the team here now and the p in the past for
067keeping the main thing the main thing which is the student improvement and achievement. Um thank you to the district and Dr. Ligan and your team, our staff, our teachers, the custodians, the the people that work in the lunchlines, every single adult that works for this district is educating our students. It makes a difference in their lives and then the lives of um the fellow community. So, thank you. Um thank you to the families that support your students and the neighbors um and the community members and the faith organizations. You lift up our students every day. you make it possible that they can come into these spaces that we can provide the spaces so that they can come in and focus on their education. So, thank you. And most importantly, this is a celebration of our
068students, of their knowledge, of their perseverance, of their dedication. And so, I am so proud to serve our students. I'm so proud of their capacity that they're reaching spaces that they may not have even known. So, I just really wanted to take a moment to thank everybody individually for this collective celebration that we really should be celebrating because the whole purpose and the measure of our success is our student performance and as we've said students are much more than a test score but this is one marked way to measure if we are succeeding on behalf of our students and I'm proud to be a part of this so thank you. Um my one question is meeting the seed goals. It seems pretty monumental. Um, has this happened before with Fyet County or is this a
069common thing that happens across the state um on a regular basis? >> We do not have a record of having met or exceeded seed of goals holistically um in one academic year. There are certainly goals that we have curated over time where we have reached one perhaps two in a particular category. This will be the first time on record that we have evidence of meeting all or exceeding all at one time. And I think that's worthy of repeating. So we this is the first time on record that we've achieved all of our CPU goals outlined in one season. That is accurate. Thank you. Former Christian. >> Hi Dr. Pford. A couple of things. Um can we go back to and you don't have to go to the slide necessarily. Um our English learners in elementary
070school and that dip. There are several reasons and we understand that organically, right? Um but when I think about um outside interferences that can impact the learning, what are we doing across the board as far as EL learners and especially our Hispanic babies, but what is aside from what you already said we're we're going to continue to do? What do you need? What are you all thinking to address that? because that is our largest it's the fastest growing population right so the numbers are only going to grow larger so what do we what is it you ideally what would we do >> well there are multiple efforts in place I think the first one is um all of our students are certainly of value to us and there's merit in how all students perform there
071are English learning students woven throughout every classroom um throughout every school in our district therefore everybody serves as a teacher of English learners. So, we've really needed to do is equip our teaching staff, our leadership staff with strategies and education as to how to make an impact in students whose native language is not English. So, we have certainly focused on training algorithms as well as specified resources that are scientifically proven or researchbased um that yield desired results for that targeted population of students in the general education setting. We've also utilized um personnel strategies where rather than isolating English learning students into small groups outside of the classroom setting. We're focused a lot on a model that is referred to as pushin so that we have more adults in the general education classroom working together to
072support the needs of all students but to be able to target the supports and the needs of our English learning students. We're focused on really two distinct strategies. Number one, what are literacy and math uh priorities that our schools um can rally behind and focus their training on to make a real difference on how students are performing in interval bases, meaning over the course of time? Number two, what are proven scientific strategies that work most effectively with these targeted populations? Your question is about English learners, but as you noticed, we also have some discrepancy with Hispanic students as well as those who receive special education services. So, we're really utilizing that same model for all three at the same time. It's um it's about variables. And so, what we do is we introduce new variables
073and then we take other variables out and we monitor progress um on our students data over time. We've been able to construct a really effective in my opinion balanced assessment system where we have both formative and summitive assessments being deployed on a regular basis throughout the scope of each um quarter and we're able to analyze the data that students are performing at to determine where do we need to intervene where do we need to disrupt and where do we need to expand upon and if I could throw something else in there another strategy would be family engagement >> certainly >> because the populations you just mentioned we know that there's a decline Well, there's a dip. Those families tend to not be or feel as welcome or feel as seen. And the question is why?
074Each of those groups has a different reason why, right? And we know what family engagement does in terms of academic success. So, I would wonder what that family what those strategies look like in terms of family engagement. And the final question is about uh quality and uh the climate uh section. um does the state determine what which questions are asked or is that the district level? >> So for that question that you've just asked um that is a state determination. The standard the prompts are actually standardized for students in uh at the third grade all the way through the 11th grade and so um that is a standard assessment that is provided uh in the same mannerism across all districts. Thank you. >> Yeah. And I also would like to ratify family engagement. We certainly
075agree with you. Um, I think you will recall that we introduced a family engagement goal into our CDIP for the first time last year. And next month when our new CDIB is presented to you, you will notice a a revised family engagement goal included which exceeds the state expectation for comprehensive district improvement plans. >> Chair Murphy Monday. >> Hello. Um, thank you for presenting today and giving a chance to take a look at the data. I will admit you will probably get an email from me a little later with a few specific goals. I've kind of started to dive into our school report card, but things have come up this week that pulled me away from that. Um, but I do have just a couple of um questions as well. Uh, and you kind of
076sort of answered one already about exceeding the CIP goals. I think that is great. Um, but I always am encouraged to push towards those goals and making sure that there's something that achiev that's achievable. And I think it's amazing that we exceeded them. But will those goals, both yearly goals and the long-term goals that have been met, be reworked to kind of take into consideration the gains that have been made? >> The answer is yes. And so next month you will be introduced to our new CIP. Um, and what I'll point out is that the first five areas that I presented where we met or exceeded an annual objective, that's one thing. The long-term three-year goals that are associated with each objective, we are still not quite there yet. And so that is where our
077work will rally behind in order to make forward progress for the graduation rate and post-secondary readiness. We have reconfigured our data. Um one consideration is to certainly increase the the target, right? So that we have a more challenging goal to aspire to. The other though is to make sure that we can continue to make progress in that domain. Every group is different. Each each uh student group that metriculates through the system is different. So we want to make sure that the systems we have in place work for all students over time. And so we want to be somewhat conservative with our growth factor. Um but at the same time we want to push ourselves to higher limits. >> And another question um the investment on preschools. So when I was kind of taking a look
078at the kindergarten readiness scores, they seem to be a little flat. And I know there's been investments in um preschool education um and even beyond just our preschools that we have here in Faget County public schools with initiatives like footsteps to brilliance. Um just wondering do you think that we will see a change within those scores? I know growth comes first and then we kind of see those achievement scores peak but given the investments that have been taking place over the last few years. What are your thoughts? >> Absolutely. I think our kindergarten screener gives us great data for determination of how the community is um being supported in metriculating to kindergarten. But um preschool is only one solution to that particular challenge. Not all of our students entering kindergarten, as you recognize, um, go
079through our preschool program and a lot of those that do already come in with certain challenges. And so, one of the greatest assets that we have is our investment in First Five Lex, which obviously I recognize you've had some presentations about uh, previously. What we recognize through specifically our family and community engagement department is that we can leverage those resources a little bit greater as a result of the 2025 um, BGance kindergarten screener assessment. We do also identify um that the trend did dip from the year prior. And so one of the ways that we think we can target that is being a little bit more um in place in the community, making sure that we are at the events where families are at so we can share the resources that we have available with
080them. And then number two, the investment that we made in footsteps to brilliance and the related um techn technological devices, the iPads that we have to support those, we are activating a deployment rate um that is greater than what we had in place last year so we can actually get them into the hands of students, families um so that we can hopefully see a return on investment as a result of that particular strategy. >> Thank you. That's that's pretty helpful. Um two more questions. Um, one being ACT scores and I have a question because they they looked pretty flat and I 100% agree just a test um doesn't apply to every student um especially if you're looking to be career ready but if you're looking to be in certain fields that score is going to
081matter um in college. So, I just wonder is there a plan or have you guys started thinking about this switch to SAT because I believe the state will be funding SAT testing at some point. Um, and have we thought about how we will, you know, manage that change with students moving forward? >> Absolutely. I do think that, you know, I feel compelled to indicate that there were areas on the ACT that we showed improvement on in the year 2025 as compared to 2024. But yes, we have already shifted our focus from the ACT to the SAT by completely changing our preparation. Um, we offered an optional test for 11th grade students in the fall or this past semester. Um, there was an opt-in opportunity for families to self- select that students would have the opportunity
082to take the SAT for the first time since at the conclusion of this year when we get to March, we will be assessing all students on the SAT because it is the state required college admissions test. Um so in advance of that we have um developed a training methodology for our teachers so that they could be as equipped as possible for knowing what are the strategies that differ on the SAT as compared to ACT. And then we are investing in series of boot camps, SAT like boot camps for targeted students at all of our high school programs um so that they can have access to not only test taking strategies but also high yield um productive interventions to be able to accomplish their goals as it relates to SAT. We um are now focused on
083what does post-secary readiness look like in terms of benchmark scores for SAT because we've become so familiar with what they look like in ACT. And while there's a tight correlation, we do want to make sure that the data that I showed you related to post-secary readiness can continue to be exemplified by making sure we understand the system and that our students have a great advantage in being able to earn those um distinctions. >> And last question, thank you for hanging in there with me. I may um add that ACT breakdown to kind of take a look at that because I think I could only see the overall score online. um is the achievement gap amongst different groups. And so while I'm so excited to see that climb um [clears throat] and it seems like um
084some of our partners across the state has seen that climb too, it's kind of been a trend. Um but the gap itself to me just eyeballing the data looks like it's not budging. Um so I just wanted to get your thoughts having taken a little closer look at that. Is that closing for certain groups um or not? >> Sure. So, it's really a duality. The the first is comparative to the state. So, we fortunately have data that looks strong compared to the state. But when you look at data just internally within County Public Schools, we are displeased with the discrepancy that exists between all students and certain targeted subgroups of of our population. And so, what we recognize that this is the science of teaching right now. What we have to do is determine new
085and different ways to provide resources and supports for teachers and students that work specifically or that have been proven to work specifically for those subpopuls and we are very much committed to that. when you have a chance to see um the revised CDP for implementation this year, it does include very particular strategies and then supporting activities for each strategy that are truly um intended to disrupt that particular trend. It certainly is not an easy goal to accomplish, but it is one that right now that in our school system everybody has really rallied behind and it's also very doable. We have um evidence of success of schools throughout Faget County that have closed those gaps. And so we what we have to do is replicate that across the system. And so one of the strategies that
086we have deployed and we need to do more of it is the sharing and collaboration across the system because likely what works in one particular school can and will work in another perhaps with modifications. But we have the answers that we need. When we have the chance to utilize our learning um that we've received from a variety of sources and utilize that inhouse, we're then able to manipulate that information to hopefully achieve desired results. >> Thank you. And just to take a moment to say that I'm appreciative of just the um way that schools are able to tailor and meet their students needs. I've seen co-eing in various classrooms. have seen, you know, and had conversations with Dr. Williams when she was here, just at my daughter's school visiting about some of these topics. And
087like I said, I'm appreciative of all the work that you have put in. Um, and definitely appreciative of everyone in our public schools. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone because I do think it takes a village and I was very pleased to see the rise in those climate scores um, as well. So, thank you. Thank you to everyone for the great work. Thank you. >> Uh and I do have one followup to that. Uh board member Monday's um mention of the KC screen reminded me also one trend that we've seen is that uh the KC screen, the kindergarten readiness screening has um dropped slightly, right? And so that what's important to note in the context of what we're looking at here too is that means that for many of our students are they're
088coming to us um a little bit further behind and they have to catch up um and and that work falls upon the public school to then do that. So then that that pushes that goal that we have to bring them to out that much f further. And so in an environment where you know we all know we've said this before at this stas we've got to uh invest in universal early childhood education right that that is the key and that the data show that and so regardless of of the context that we find ourselves in our educators are still finding ways to connect with each and every child through those multi-tered systems of support meeting every child where they are and then still able able to demonstrate extraordinary growth in an environment where um some
089of our our kids are walking into the classroom with with just extraordinary hurdles and barriers. >> Any other questions board members? Thank you. >> Thank you, Bill. That concludes the superintendent's report this evening. I will turn the meeting back over to you, Chairman Murphy. Uh thank you, Superintendent Ligins. Next on our agenda, as I mentioned earlier, is the discussion of the governance manual. As you know, all board members were invited to submit recommendations and suggestions uh that I've received have been compiled into the document that's included in your board packet posted under reports and communication. Again, this item is for discussion only and not for any action. Uh you're seeing these as they came to me, so there was no filtering or anything. I just put them tried to compile them in the order they
090would appear in the manual. Tonight provides an opportunity for us to review and talk through the recommendations submitted. Uh board members may continue to submit proposed revisions through next Wednesday, December 3rd. And following that, they will be collected um they will be shared with our board attorney and whom I've already been in contact uh to sift through for uh legal and policy compliance and then brought back for the December 8th planning session. And before [clears throat] we uh look through these, just a reminder on the manual. The manual, this is not a policy. Uh we're not talking about any policy proposal. Uh as some of you may recall uh a few years ago when we did the uh team of six governance training, one of the things we talked about was, you know, a a
091hallmark of highly effective board teams was creating uh a some operational norms. And as it outlines on page one, the purpose of the manual is to recognize the important role and function the board plays and the our broad responsibility on behalf of children, staff, and families. And to that end, the board has determined to formalize its framework for effectively operating as a governing unit. The framework establishes the basis for operational norms agreed upon by the full team which includes the board of education the superintendent and then in adopting the manual as part of formal B board action and open meeting and then discussing it as we are tonight. Team members in their respective roles agreed to adhere to the framework as they fulfill their covenant to reasonably do all their power to achieve the district
092mission advocate for our public schools and the children they serve. So that that's the context that's the manual. We've discussed it in in January. We're coming back to it. Part of the manual says that we will do a yearly review. Um so with that being said, I just am going to go through line by line on this on this chart here and then we can share suggestions, ideas or leave things on the cutting room floor as the saying goes. Uh so there was a suggestion to add again to ground our work and we've discussed this at several meetings to add the portrait of a graduate uh 2.0 No. And then the strategic plan as part of the uh manual and that is easy enough to do if there are no objections to that. Is everyone
093amendable to adding at the intro the portrait of a graduate and the strategic plan? Okay. Uh on page four, uh this is just aligning with the organizational modifications. It would say uh the board of education will work collaboratively with the equity council committee in the office of student belonging and success. That is more or less just a procedural update. Is that is everyone amendable to that? Okay. Uh page nine under attendance uh it would add language that says board meetings uh and the business of the board shall continue uninterrupted as long as a quorum of the board is present or unless an emergency situation arises or a motion to recess is adopted. Are we amendable to that adjustment? >> What exactly is is the intent of that? Anyone is welcome to share if they does
094anyone want to answer that chair >> Murphy board. >> Um I think the intent is just to clarify that the meeting um continues that there's no pause unless there's not enough board members. [clears throat] I don't see why that needs to be clarified. I mean it's in statute but okay >> and it it's attached to a section that uh it is an open board meetings where the public business of the board and the district is conducted and uh it would just reiterate that that an open meeting of the board is a meeting where board business is conducted and a quorum of the board conducts the business. Do you have suggestions for modifying the language? >> No, I just don't know why that needs to be added. But >> I I'm not a big fan of
095the governance manual in general, though. So, >> well, as I said, when we discussed the team of six training, the purpose of the governance manual was to develop operational norms so that we can work collaboratively um towards the mission and vision of the district, which is educating students and focus on student outcomes. So, we're going through modifications to the uh to the governance manual. If you uh you're welcome to share any modifications that you wish should be made. >> Well, well, I don't believe I've ever voted to approve this since I've been on the board [snorts] and [clears throat] I just think 30 to 40 pages or whatever it is are quite excessive. >> J Murphy, >> board member Christian. If we look at KSBA and Kentucky School Boards Association leadership guide, it does suggest
096that you have procedures and things in place so that it does run smoothly, right? So, if it's about Oh, I'm not sure what it's about. If it's about uh everyone not necessarily agreeing, you can vote against it. That's true. But if we're going to follow KSBA and that's our governing body, I don't see why we can't have something in writing that's going to direct us. If everyone else has to hold to regulation responsibilities, why shouldn't we? >> Chair Murphy Monday. >> Um, for the one that we're chatting about, I mean, if we want to add it, sure. I don't think it's necessary since, you know, we follow Robert's rules of order and you lead the meeting and if you don't want to stop it, that's okay. I think we can keep going. I don't think
097it has to be there in order for that to happen. >> So, what I can do is make a note uh when it's reviewed by the board attorney that we can clarify the language that already exists in policy about a meeting consisting of a quorum of the board and re we do have language in here that says we adhere to Robert Robert's rules. So what we can do is simply say um reiterate what's already in effect is is everyone amendable to that. Okay. Okay. Page 10 under discussion debate it would add the following language under discussion debate. Likewise, board members shall refrain from interrupting fellow board members and colleagues, uh, following off of the language that it's the measure, not the person under discussion and avoiding personal attacks and invectives. Is everyone a minimal to
098that adjustment or addition, I should say? >> Yes. >> Okay. uh voting page 10 under section voting. It says since the board governs as a body uh this language is already in the manual. Since the board governs as a body once a matter has been adopted uh by the board members recognize and respect the will of the majority would add the and respect portion. >> Chair Murphy >> board member Mundy. >> Um I'm not in favor of adding and respect. I think I'm fine with recognizing majority votes, but there have been more majority votes that have happened that I can't say that I respected. Um, and I don't necessarily >> Let me again I ask the members of the audience to please refrain from discussing while the board is having this discussion so that we
099can conduct the meeting and have the discussion without chatter. Please keep chatter to a minimum. You're welcome to step out in the hallway if you need to talk to somebody. But board member Monday, I'm sorry. >> Thank you. And I just think that the way that we've come about some of our decisions, I can't respect the way that that happened. And I'll recognize the will in the majority vote, but I shouldn't be asked to respect it if I don't do that, if I don't feel that. >> Thank you, Bormer. Any other thoughts on >> Well, that's also a very subjective word. And then it I mean it goes much further in later language about minority votes and majority votes and that you know minority people who vote in the minority aren't even allowed to talk
100to the media and all that. So I mean >> well our focus [snorts] right now is on this language. We'll get to the rest of it as we go through. And again if it's not the will of the board to include this in the manual this is why we're having this conversation. Well, if my point is that is if the later language is approved, then it way supersedes this language. So, and and again, I think it's a subjective term or respect. >> Okay. Any additional opinions on that? I'm amendable to keeping the original language if the rest of the board is. >> Okay. Okay. Uh page 10. Uh this would strike the language about outside communications that says members of the board should not engage in other forms of communication, text emails, etc. during meetings
101about topics on the agenda. >> Chair Murphy Green, >> I am not comfortable striking that language. I think um for open meetings, we're supposed to talk about items on the agenda only in the open space. And so I understand we all can, you know, see pro um, you know, documentations on our computers. Um, I know I've had to check my phone for my children um, and things like that. So not not using the materials, but not to be talking about items that could be um, up for a vote. I think it's still appropriate to have that recognized. and chair Murphy or >> Murman, >> I actually suggested that strike and I think I might have just misunderstood the purpose because I thought the purpose was to be engaged in the meeting and speakers and um
102so that's why I said that just strike it if we're all not going to abide by it. But I understand where vice chair what vice chair Green is saying about communicating about um agenda items and doing that out in the open and it never even crossed my mind because we're here so I tend to talk about it. So I'm fine with um not striking that language and leaving it in there for that purpose. >> Is the rest of the board amenable to that? >> Who's going to be the arbiter of that? >> Ourselves. And that that's that's the point I'm making at the beginning. This is a set of norms that as adults who have accepted the responsibility of governing in a school district that we're coming together in a collaborative way saying these are
103the standards that we will place on ourselves. This is not about being punitive. This is not about uh a it's not prescriptive. This is a set of operating norms. As board member Christian mentioned, the Kentucky School Boards Association, the Council for Great City Schools, the various professional developments that we've set through um have abided by educators who go into PLC's, they discuss meeting norms. It's a it's a standard practice that we have across the field of education and even the field of business. So, it's not >> agre these are agreed upon operational norms. My point is that as responsible adults, we shouldn't need this to act right. >> I certainly don't disagree with that. >> Chair Murphy, I completely agree with that. And yet, here we are. >> And at the end of the day,
104whatever floats your boat, whatever hill you want to die on, should you choose to not acknowledge this or anyone choose to not acknowledge it and decided I don't need to be told what to do, that's fine. But at the end of the day, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with having norms. Maybe we can say, "Hey, no one should have to say respect each other." But there have been situations where we are now in that situation where we have to say we need to respect each other. >> And and and as a board member who was um censured because of violations of the board governance manual, I I would disagree that it's not punitive. Our next next suggestion is our next suggestion is on page 10 voting. Uh now this is a clarification on uh policy and
105law and I think the language may need to be clarified. If I understand the intent of it correctly and someone can correct me. It says board members who wish to abstain from a vote must leave the boardroom during the vote. My understanding of the context um is and again this is something that the attorney can review anyone can abstain from a vote but if you do not absent yourself from the vote an abstension would be considered as um a seeding to the majority. So if you want if you want to appear as abstaining you have to physically absent the room. That's that's a policy. It may even be statutory, but I think that that's what that's referring to. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. >> Chair board member Green. >> Um, if I read
106the wording of that um paragraph, I don't see a need for this additional sentence. I I think and again [snorts] the um the clarity can be there with the legal, but I think you it reads already in the >> in the presenting um that if you do not want to participate in the vote, then you have to leave the space. >> Okay. It's all it is outlined. Yes, [snorts] I see that. So that that language may be redundant then. Is that are we in agreement on that? Okay. Let me make a note of that. Okay. Um page 11, uh public participation. There was s suggestion to add um it says that the superintendent or their designation shall establish a process for members of the public to sign up to speak before the meeting is called
107to order. Um this says the superintendent or their designation shall establish a process for members of the public to speak at any time before the public comment period begins. >> Chair Murphy >> board member Monday. This was one of my suggestions and um it's tough to be able to get to these meetings and it's tough when it's an issue that's kind of coming up and you're trying to make it at the last minute. Um I know I've came in on two wheels more than once. We've had board members that have been late and it feels like the public gets penalized for being late for probably some of the same reasons that we are due to traffic and other things when we have items on our agenda ahead uh before we even get to public comment.
108So, if we could just establish the procedure where individuals would be able to sign up to speak before public that first set of public comment starts that would give people time to get here. Um, I mean 5:30 is tough if even if you're a staff member or a teacher and you're coming from a school across town. Um, traffic is just horrible. Um, I live on Letown Road and it's tough. Um, so just by thinking about how we can just give some sort of buffer so that individuals can get here and can be heard. I would be curious to get some feedback from because I know staff facilitates this process and then what happens is um people sign up then staff has to compile sort and then send me the list people have indicated if they're
109yielding etc etc so that takes time so there would need to be some type of a cushion uh when I saw this I actually looked I know that the city uh for their public comment period they do a they have a 10-minute buffer. So they allow public comment signups uh from to 10 minutes after the meeting starts. So maybe that's something as kind of a middle way that we could meet that would still give staff time to compile while they need to compile. Is that something that you'd be emittable? >> Yeah, I would be amendable to a buffer. Um for sure. I think the more time we can give the better. Um I we could probably do better than 10 minutes um because we normally have a good schedule um and and good information shared
110um as well, but I would definitely be amendable to a buffer. >> Okay. So I'm going to make a note to consult with staff exactly on what's entailed in that process and then we can go from there. Is everyone amenable to that? [clears throat] Um and and so what happens with that suggestion? And this is what I said earlier about, you know, some of these conflicting because one can impact the other. Um, this involves yielding. Um, that anyone who yields needs to have uh also signed up to speak prior to the meeting or whatever we designate as the the sign up deadline. And then individuals yielding time must be present uh when their time is yielded. And then current the current practice if the speaking time is three minutes is you may uh receive yielded
111time from no more than two individuals. And so that adds that uh because if the 3 minutes has to be reduced because the number of speakers or the length of the meeting uh then it limits the two individuals yielding is how I'm reading that. >> Chair Murphy >> board me. I'm comfortable with that suggestion, noting that if we do change the time frame, if we say that there's a a specific minute buffer, 10 minutes, I'm really um want to make ensure that we're not putting undue um work on the staff trying to turn those numbers around real fast. So, I just want to make sure that we're thinking about that with that minute buffer, but then changing it to agree on that second suggestion. I'm amendable to that. >> Okay. >> Chair Murphy, >> former
112Monday. Is there any way that we can say so that if a person so a person can get the total nine minutes that if it's a three minute they get the two yield but that may change depending on if it has to be a minute and a half because I've spoken here at times when it's had to be reduced to a minute and a half. I mean we all want to um make sure everybody is heard but we also don't want everybody here till 2 3:00 in the morning. So, I I understand when that needs to happen just so that an individual who's planning to speaking sees this and says, "I'm going to have two people yield and I get nine minutes and then they get here and then that doesn't take place." >> Yeah.
113Let me I'm going to make a note for when the attorney reviews that >> if uh >> um I think the nine minutes is fine. I just think changing the number of people who yield. So if it's more than, you know, if we got a minute and a half, then more than just two people can yield so that they still get that nine-minute total. Okay, >> chair Murphy. >> Bor, >> the way I read this was that the 9-minute total included two yields on the original amount of time for three minutes. So that would be 3 + 3 plus 3, which is nine. Um but then addressing that if the amount of speakers and the length of time necessary has to reduce the individual speaking time. This would um recognize um that same idea behind
114giving the two additional yields but moving down you know if there's less amount of time. So it still recognizes that a person gets two yields no matter how the original amount of time that person can have for one speaking. So I think it makes it more equitable no matter the amount of time that every individual speaker has depending on the number of speakers. >> So let me make a note of that. Okay. Any other suggestions or thoughts on that section? Okay. Uh page 11 uh public participation under board member conduct. This deals with board member conduct during public comment um and the expectations of board members during public comment and expressions of support or disdain or what have you while members of the public are speaking. >> Chair Murphy >> board member money. >> Um
115I would like to not add this section. I think it's a slippery slope. I think, you know, when we start telling board members what their non-verbals and verbals can be, I mean, why not say that everyone must stand at attention and look at everybody when they come up and speak? Um, or, you know, I I don't think this is necessary. I think it goes a little too far. I mean, I'm a I like to smile at people. I nod a lot. Board member Ferguson just told me the other day, I might nod my head right off my shoulders. And it's not always in agreement, but sometimes I see people come up here and they're nervous. And I remember coming up here to speak and being nervous. >> Um, and I just want to show them
116that it's okay. Um, so I you we can't infer why someone is smiling or why someone is nodding or I think this section just goes a little too far. >> I I I do have concerns with with some of what's outlined here. I mean, if we I would be amendable to just a g general statement about public comment, but any other thoughts? >> Well, whoever suggested it, do you does that person want to defend it? I mean, I don't know who suggested a lot of these cuz I can't see the metadata. >> Well, we're focused on the substance of each of the suggestions rather than the personalities involved, which is part part of the review. But what I will do is make a note of reducing. Okay. Page 11. I think this is a duplicate
117that deals with yielding of time. Individuals who yield time need to have signed up to speak and be present uh be present uh to yield time. So I think that's covered in what we addressed above. So we don't need to do that. Um there are two sections related to conduct. Two board members submitted information or language on uh clarifying information after public comment on page 11 under conduct. Uh the first uh suggestion was to add the language. Additionally, factual and clarifying information may also be shared in the board's communications helping to inform all stakeholders. And then the second was when corrections or cl clarifications are made, evidence supporting the accurate information must be provided along with the source of the information for reference. Um both of these deal with the same topic. Is there a
118way to combine them? Is one language preferred over the other or >> chair Murphy Murphy? >> I was going to say that I have written com I think that there's a space to combine them. You know, you could take the first sentence and then come down and ask for citing official website, schoolboard policy or procedure. that last sentence of the second one. I think um it seems if you combine them, it meets the overall thoughts um of both. >> Chair Murphy, >> the second one was the one that I submitted. And I just want to make sure that when we combine both of them that if someone does um fact check that they're providing that evidence in the moment during the meeting when they do that. Um, and then I'm fine with it being in
119the board brief or the bud buzz as well. I just think if we're going to take the time to say we need to clarify something that someone has said, we should know why we're doing that and where in state statute or board policy or in procedures or on the website that is located so that the public knows and that individual knows um in that moment. Any other thoughts or suggestions on this language? >> Green. >> Um to board member um Monday's suggestion. I think also just getting some feedback on um having the ability of staff to do that and I understand and respect your your point of view and I think I was trying to also that first one was mine to kind of come at this space the same way. Um thinking that it
120may take a moment to get those documents to refer to. So um along with legal [snorts] getting a feedback from the staff what is possible. >> Okay. >> And chair >> Murphy >> if we wanted to say that we wouldn't do that fact-checking process during the meeting and that it would just be clarified in the board buzz I'm very open to that to give staff time to research it and place that in there. I think that's more than fair. >> Okay. We will get staff input on that. Is that something to see what would be most effective and doable? and again ensure accurate information is shared because I think that's the combined goal of both of these. Um piece speaking of staff input I think this next one would require that as well. Page 11
121at section I meeting broadcast and records board meetings will be live streamed on district communication platforms. I know that we've had conversations about that for uh work sessions. Um and there there's concern about the setup. Um but that's certainly something that we can inquire with our staff if that's uh if that's an interest to add. >> Chairman >> Borman Green and I think um to that point whether or not it's both or just our regular as we practice we can just keep that in there that as practice our regular is um if it can't be both then you know making a note that that is our practice. Okay, >> Chair Murphy on Monday. >> Um, that one was mine and I hope that we can explore being able to do that. I think that one
122piece that is missing and I shared this with the superintendent is the accessibility piece um for the planning meeting audio because it's just an audio file that get that gets placed up. If it is someone who is deaf or heart of hearing, that's tough. And when it's on YouTube, then you have those accessibility tools um that are kind of there at your fingertips. Um and so I think that live streaming gives the public the opportunity to see kind of what we're talking about and what's going on when it happens. Um I'm a visual person, so I like to see everything. I think in the planning meeting, we talk about documents. We do a lot of things. it's just easier to follow along if you can see it. Um, and then that accessibility piece rather if
123that meeting is streamed or not. Um, figuring out a way that we can make those planning meetings accessible for individuals that may need it. Um, even if it's placing the audio on YouTube so that we can still take advantage of those accessibility tools. Um, and that the community and individuals that are listening can do that as well. >> Murphy, I'm amendable. I like the idea of the accessibility tools. I know that they exist. Um, we probably have a good connection we already use with our students and staff and family. And so whether we are broadcasting or an audio, just kind of highlighting what those tools are. >> Yeah. >> I think is appropriate. >> Yeah. And you know, I remember the days when we didn't even have any communication go out after the work session.
124Um so you know we we've we've tried to improve with the board um brief and then including the audio as well. So I think that we could probably find some platform that include ensures the audio um is accessible even if it's like providing some resources um for individuals who need that accessibility. So I will make a note of that. Uh okay. Um, a constant topic of communication of course uh is the uh is communication uh districtwide. So page 15 um adds a new paragraph saying to ensure consistent communications across district platforms. Board members are encouraged to share information using established forms of communication. Uh examples are district website board buzzboard brief recognizing that communication is a shared endeavor. The superintendent will support the board in sharing district messaging including the board on district communications questions
125considerations on moving forward with this language. >> Chair Murphy >> Warmer Monday. >> Could someone explain this just a little bit to me? I'm um not understanding what this is or how it's any different than what we do because for the general public that does not know um at least I do not write um the board brief that goes out. There are some wonderful staff in this probably in this room and in this building that prepares that information to go out for us. Um and there is no mechanism that I know of for us as board members to say this is what I want to say put this out on our behalf like individual behalf it is there's mechanism as a board right the board buzz but maybe if somebody can explain like give me
126an example of maybe when we would use this um not for sure how it's different than what we already do >> board green >> yes chair Murphy I think the um the way this is read well and the way I'm interpreting the reading is that um for example if we if a board member were to share information about the meeting uh about upcoming meeting that there's a link to all of the items that are for up for consideration and not just a few and just kind of it's been every year um it is a goal of the superintendent and the board team to focus on in communication and so just recognizing that it's a shared endeavor. I think that that's there's nothing wrong with saying that. >> Oh, uh, yeah, I would strike that if
127we're talking about individual board members sharing information with the community because we all have the right to do that as we're elected and if I want to, you know, say, "Hey, this is on the agenda because I've heard people talk about it. I should be able to say that and link back to it." I I don't know if it [clears throat] is even fair to like send the superintendent something that I want to highlight to those who follow me in a district communication. >> If I am reading this correctly, and again someone correct me if I'm not or maybe it's just a matter of fixing the language. Uh this this is about uh districtwide communications things that so for example like the communication the superintendent sent this afternoon about the um project right size work
128um that kind of messaging. So if someone askked us about that then we can forward that to them. I think that's what this is aiming at. And because throughout this manual, that's something else to emphasize. Um, throughout this manual, there's language that says, you know, nothing in this manual precludes board members from acting in their individual capacities as elected officials. And and that's a consistent thing throughout this. Uh, we can't do that. Obviously, legally, we we're not going to restrict any individual board member from acting in their individual capacity. So, I think this is just on uh district or board uh specific endeavors. Um, and I know, like I say, communication's been a a constant topic. So, it's like, hey, uh, Superintendent Ligans, we're getting a lot of questions about X. Uh, is there somewhere
129we can point folks to when they ask us about it? So, that's how I read it and maybe it's just a matter of rewarding it to reflect that, if that makes sense. >> Yeah, thank you, Chair Murphy. that does I think maybe striking board members and saying like the board as a whole um because I'm fine with that right if it's communication from the whole board but I do want us to be weary and not say board members have the right to communicate but then in the language that we have restrict that communication at the same time. >> Um we we got to strike a balance there. Um, so yeah. >> Yeah, >> Chair Murphy board member Monday's point. There's two places at the bottom that repres that say board. So I think that that
130was probably the intent was board board. Um, and then highlighting that it's district communication. So I think that there is a a compromise there. I also um don't know about the um it's okay. I I think if it's clarifying that it's the board as a whole, I think that that will fit the bill. So, I'd love to see that changed language when it comes back. >> Okay. Very good. We've made note of that. Page 16 relates [clears throat] to media inquiries. Um, so again, this is language that um this is language that we say twice already in the manual. And I alluded to this earlier that uh nothing in this manual precludes board members from responding to media inquiries. They receiving their individual capacity as elected officials. In such situations, they should refrain from responding
131in such a way that their statements could be construed as speaking on behalf of the board. think that that is what because it says add the language so it preserves the language um respecting board member individual rights but I think the concern here and I don't let me try to read this may relate to that being misconstrued as are you speaking on behalf of the board or the district or are you speaking as an indiv ividual that may be and if I'm misreading that please someone correct me. >> Chair Murphy War >> I I don't think the additional language is needed um if there's concern about the original language you know not being clarified enough about understanding if you speak on behalf of the board or yourself um you know maybe we can see if
132that needs to be cleaned up but I don't think the addition the additional language is necessary. Yeah, I don't think and I don't I don't think that we want to put ourselves in a position of trying to again to the point that we made earlier, this is a set of of operational norms, but I don't want us to put ourselves in a situation where we're trying to uh police what individuals say or don't say in their individual capacities. >> Chair Murphy, >> board member Monday. When I saw this, this is what sparked my message to you if the board attorney was going to be here to like see if this is even legal to be able to happen. Um, and I'm going to tell you, I was concerned when I read it, okay? Um, because
133as elected officials, I mean, we should be able to share our viewpoint with the community, with the media, with anyone. um rather we have we all agree or we don't agree wherever we fall on the issue and just even this restriction popping up in this manual gives me pause and so I took a look at the um at KSBA um and they do offer like ethics training and they'll have someone come and talk about ethical meetings um and I saw this line that they had and I would suggest that possibly we do that as a PD um in the new year, but they said every board member should be able to speak to the media about board decisions and that it would quote un be unethical to have only the board chair be able to
134comment. I it makes me nervous that we have a board member that even suggested limiting another board member's voice and rather if I agree with anyone up here or not, I know two things. One, we all are here to support our students and our staff and our teachers. And two, everyone up here has the right to stand where they stand. And I appreciate hearing those opposite opinions of my own. >> Um, but we we I'm sorry. This it it makes me really nervous to see this. >> No, I understand. And I like I said, this also gave me concern. As I said, all of the suggestions we were received went into this document so that no one could say, "Oh, well, these were screened or picked through or what have you." Um, and so I
135don't I'm not interested in moving forward with this type of language. Um, I I think that we again to the point that was made earlier, uh, this isn't about whether members agree or don't uh don't agree. I think it's about agreeing to disagree and disagreeing without being disagreeable and all of those other cliches. And to your point, I also think and we'll get down to this later as well. Um I actually participated in a KSBA training uh on civility and I think that's something similar uh that's similar uh language and conversations that we can have particularly when we get into some of the conversations around social media. So, it sounds like we are in agreement that that language will not be included for review by the attorney or consideration for addition to the agenda. >>
136I mean, I just wanted to say I share Dr. Mundy's concerns and and the added language seems to imply that the board chair would always be on the majority vote. I mean it says board members who vote in the minority can't talk to the media and in such instances should individual board members should issue no comment and direct inquiries to the board chair. Well, what if the board chair is the minority vote? I mean that it's seems >> well the board chair as I understand it in policy the board chair is bound by the actions of the board. So if the board if the board chair is speaking on behalf of the board, they want that it's that distinction between your individual capacity um or on behalf of the board. So I that's my understanding.
137>> Well then well never mind. >> Yeah. >> Chair Murphy >> board member Monday. >> I I appreciate your um words and your assessment and affirming not doing that. When I read this I I understand where you're coming from, but I didn't take it as that either. Right. I took it as if someone has an opposing vote, if you know you're in the minority, that you are not to speak to the media and if someone if if the media asks you any questions, you are to refer that to the board chair. So, but I do appreciate your stance on this. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because again, the board uh the board chair in the policy it says the board chair is a spokesperson for the board. That means is for the decisions that the board makes
138and the other points that are made in the agenda, the board operates as a body. Um the board conducts its business in open session just like we're doing now, the board comes to consensus and if three out of the five or four out of the five say something and the board chair is not in the majority, the board chair is bound by the decision board. And so, um, I and we can even add language to clarify that if that if you're amenable to that. >> I thought the language was fine. I don't think we need any of it. >> Okay. >> Any of that. >> Very good. Page 16, uh, school and site visits. Um, just adds, uh, title changes. Uh, it indicates that those are arranged through the chief of staff or the superintendent's
139office manager. That's an easy enough uh change. Any objections to those chair >> Murphy? >> No objection, but thank you [laughter] for arranging visits. I appreciate it. >> Uh page 18. Also a subtle reminder about turning in those reports to the uh board attorney as I shared on my update. Um but this would add this basically codifies existing practice. Um, each board member shall report annually to the board attorney on the form developed by the board attorney. Any employment, financial interest, claims, appointments, offices, familial relationships, memberships, and activities that reasonably may create a conflict of interest under board policy or applicable law. Any discussion on those items? Okay. Uh page 19 is uh deals with uh adding social media policy. Um this is something again that I think we may need to lean on that
140uh recommendations from KSBA again that civility training that I participated in had some recommendations that we can use. This is also one of those fine lines where we have to respect individuals first amendment rights to engage on a public platform. Uh but then also what what the um expectations and norms are of us as as governing officials. Um but reading through this I think it we may it may need to be cleaned up a bit as far as the expectations. >> Chair Murphy [snorts] >> Bor Monday. >> This is yet another section I don't think that we need to include. Um, I think it's overstepping and once again it's just it's going a little too far. Um, I think that there are already sections in our manual that cover some of these types of pieces.
141But once again, this and I will be completely honest, it sounds like it's meant to silence school board members from being able to share in one of the most biggest platforms that we use to share at the moment. Um and I I just don't think that it is needed. >> Chairman Green. >> Um I I don't think that this is appropriate in the governance manual. I think to the point that about the civility training and the ethics um that that you um brought up and so did um Dr. Monday. I would be interested if we went through training as a board team if we realized that in the future maybe the policies um if there would be an update to those two trainings that could um you know be incorporated either at the regular policy
142review or for the next year or something added um about civility but I don't I think this is a step too far. I think an effective compromise would be um an an effective solution rather because I think we're in agreement um is in this section relating to on continuing education and learning is that we um [snorts] we say that we'll include it in that continuing learning and education that we'll it will include training on these topics and that way it's addressed um because obviously I don't want to dismiss the concerns Um but then it also balances those responsibilities and at the end of the day that's what it's all all of this is about is just respons being responsible. >> God bless you. Page 10 is also or 21 rather is also just uh clarification
143on the new board member orientation says the board chair the superintendent or their design. We'll facilitate that. Any objections there? Page 22 updates the practice. It aligns the governance manual with practice on the board establishing regular schedule of recognition events including incorporating various recognitions during board meetings. >> I'm amendable with this change. >> Any objections there? >> Oh, no. I think this was one of the changes I suggested just to fall in line with the ways that we celebrate our employees across the district >> and it doesn't certainly prevent us from hosting additional recognition events in any stretch of the imagination there too. And then page 23. Um I again I don't want to be presumptuous. Uh the added language about the majority action. Uh I don't want to be presumptuous, but my what I'm
144inclined to say based on our previous conversations is that this is another one that we another recommendation that we would strike because it's not necessary. >> Chair Murphy >> Warundy. >> Um I agree. This was another section that just gave me pause. Um because I don't want to sign my rights away, my first amendment rights. And that is what it feels like it does when that additional section is added. I think the section that's in there right now is fine. Um and covers what [laughter] it needs to cover. >> Okay. And then the last three changes are just adding additional information to the appendix. So, >> Chair Murphy Green >> on the yearly calendar of topics. Um, can we ensure that the the the cadence of the budget is also incorporated on that and I
145I had that thought while we're sitting here. So, I just it may be but just making sure like this is the month that we approve the draft. This is the month that we approve the tenative. This is the month that we approve the working. That's all. Thank you. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Very good. Okay. I know that was tedious, but again, uh this this has this governance manual uh has to be a collaborative effort and we will send these changes to the board attorney for review after again. And if you think of something between now and December 3rd, you can send those in, but just a brief recap. So, we're adding portraiture for a graduate, making some updates to titles, um clarifying about open meetings and a quorum. Uh the [snorts] language about interruptions. uh
146doing some more research on the length of time needed to process public comment period and then clarifying the time frame for yielding uh and indicating that yielders need to be in attendance. uh cleaning up the language on factual clarifying information at the end of public comment, confirming accessibility for audio for planning meetings or technical capacity for live streaming and then adding to the appendix adding to the appendix the calendar of topics self-evaluation and superintendent evaluation instrument. Okay. Okay. Very good. [snorts] So, I'll compile those and send them to the board attorney um for review and then they'll be back to the board along with any additional comments you sent in for December 8th. Thank you board members. Okay. [snorts] And now I would like to invite our board attorney, Mr. Mr. Salbury to come forward
147to provide additional information that he shared last week regarding collective [snorts] bargaining. >> Did I do that right? Okay. Good evening board members. Uh last week uh my partner Tim Wils and I provided the board with a memo uh with invitation to share any questions with us regarding collective bargaining issues. Uh that memo was privileged and I don't have anything to add to it. Uh but when the board does now have our feedback [snorts] on where we believe the process should start and if when or how the board eventually might become involved. Uh Mr. Mr. Wills and I are still glad to arrange times for board members to sit down with us and ask any questions about the memo, but it is now with the board and available to the board. >> Chair Murphy >>
148Bor Green. >> Um, thank you Mr. Salbury and for your um partner to help um provide us this detailed information. Um, can you share anything about like your takeaway from this review? >> Um, I don't want to get into details of a privilege memo. Board member Green. Um I think the most that could be said is that uh the opinion between Mr. Wills and I is the first step in collective bargaining is for employees to decide for themselves do they want to bargain and then what organization they want to represent their unit or group. Uh and so [snorts] legally the board would not be involved in those decisions or need to pass anything for them to do that. I I don't want to get into I'm sorry. I don't I'm glad to meet with any
149Tim and I are glad to meet with any individual board member. I just don't want to get into details beyond that. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. I can I'll arrange a meeting. Thank you, >> Chair Murphy. >> My name >> Oh, just to make sure. Um I'm sorry. I couldn't I got a little hearing loss. >> I'm sorry. Could you just repeat that last part? Sure. >> There we go. >> Is that better? Okay. Uh what I had said was I really don't want to get into the details of a privileged memo but uh I think Mr. Wils and I the one thing we probably could share is from our standpoint the first step in collective bargaining is for employees to decide for themselves do they want to bargain and then what organization they want
150to represent their unit or group. That's steps one and two. And then the point being that legally the board would not be involved in those decisions and or need to pass any action for those decisions to happen other than I really don't want to. Happy to talk with you, meet with you. Absolutely. And so is Mr. Wills. >> Thank you. I saw your message just earlier today. I >> I know you've been busy, but we're available still if you want to. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you, Mr. Salbury. >> Yes, sir. Any other questions? >> Thank you, sir. >> Next on our agenda is time for public comment. Fake County Board of Education policy 01.45 states members of the public may address the board during the period set aside by the board
151without submitting an item for the agenda. No action shall be taken during this portion of the meeting on issues raised by employees of the public unless in an emergency. 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 through the district's complaint procedures, which afford the individuals to whom comments or complaints are directed the 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
152will take the public's input into consideration. >> [clears throat] >> So, we do have uh 55 speakers here tonight and as board member as [snorts] board member Monday indicated earlier, there have been times when we've had to adjust based on that. So, given the number of uh people that we have, we're going to ask each of our speakers to come to the podium and keep their remarks to 1 minute and 30 seconds. Um, and our first speaker this evening will be Lina Hargus. Uh, who has been yielded time according to my records from by Sarah Bailey. So that will be three minutes. And following uh, Miss Hargus, we will have uh, Cherish Wheeler Copelan. Is Miss Harus here? Cherish Wheeler Copelan, are you here? Who is this? Miss. >> Okay. And then following uh Miss
153Wheeler Copeland, we'll have Philip Morgan. >> Yeah. At the podium. Thank you. Hello all. My name is Cherish Wheeler Copelan. I'm a proud freshman at Kentucky State University. I graduated Magnaum Laad with a 3.9 GPA. I completed my dual credit college courses with a 3.8. I am beyond blessed to be attending college with a full ride academic scholarship. I am now pursuing a degree in elementary education, a dream that still makes my younger self smile. But even with these accomplishments, one of the titles that I am most proudly to carry is that I am an alumni of the Staples. When I look back at who I was in the eighth grade, walking into the stables for the first time, it feels like a lifetime ago. I was just a quiet, uncertain little girl, afraid of
154committing to anything. Afraid to speak up and afraid to be seen. I didn't want attention. I didn't want to get attached. And honestly, I didn't believe I was capable of very much at all. Before the stables, the highest grade that I ever imagined earning was a C. I had no confidence, no leadership, no sense of belonging. I felt invisible. I can't point out the exact moment the stables became my home. Maybe it was the conversations that went deeper than just school work. Maybe it was the countless labs out in barn. Maybe it was the days I felt like giving up and when I truly thought I couldn't keep going, but my teachers refused to let me fall behind. They pushed me. They supported me. They believed in me long before I believed in myself. I
155went from being a student who didn't care about grades, attendance, or what happened after school to a student who knows that she can earn an A, a student who understands that showing up matters, and a student who jumps at the opportunity to join a club or a committee. Most importantly, I became a young woman who finally knows that it's okay to take up space. I believed in the stables with my whole heart, not because it's a perfect school, but because it believes in me when I'm not perfect. They claim me as their own, even when I mess up. And they ask what's wrong, even when I don't know how to say it. Every single time I fall, they rush in not to judge me, but to help me stand again. The stables is a place
156that built that's built for kids like me. Kids with big emotions and small bodies. Young adults who need someone to tell them and look them in the eyes that I believe in you. I went from being a student who was scared to go to school, scared to make friends, scared to even look a teacher in the eye, to a young lady who wants nothing more to become a teacher herself, just like the ones who shaped me at the stables. And now I complete my first semester of college with straight A's. It feels like the perfect moment to say what's been on my heart for years. Thank you to the teachers, the staffs, and the students at the stables. Thank you for every hour you've poured into shaping who I am. Thank you for every minute
157you spent calling to check in on me. Thank you for every second you used to think about me and uplift me and guide me. For the school that held me so safely in its arms, that sheltered me, that challenged me, and that changed me. There's no phrase more honest and more deserving than thank you from the very bottom of my heart. [applause] Thank you, Miss Wheeler Copelan. Our next our next speaker is Philip Morgan. Mr. Morgan, you'll have 90 seconds. Hello board. I'm a parent of a Faget County public school student. I'm a taxpayer and I'm also a manager of budgets. And I've never lost $16 million in my life. I have managed some very, very big budgets. So, uh whether it's my own business, whether it's in corporate America, or whether it's in the
158United States military, I have managed budgets. And that's not the biggest problem I see here um with what's going on. It's the crisis management. The last thing you want to do in crisis management is start pointing fingers and trying to figure out once you hit the iceberg, you need to start bailing water. You need to start getting the kids in the boats. You need to do your jobs. You can't keep failing like this over and over again. You had some nice agenda items here. That's those are all great, but your job is also to manage the budget. and you have failed miserably and your crisis management skills suck. >> Thank you, Mr. Morgan. Our next speaker is James Woodhead. Following Mr. Woodhead, we will have Larry Moore. 90 seconds, Mr. Woodhead. >> I believe if
159Let me look here. Are they in the room? It's not marked on the form, but if you can give me the name, I can mark it. >> Ryan Davis. >> Okay, I do have Ryan Davis on the agenda, so that would be three minutes. James Woodhead, Kentucky 120 United AFT FET secretary treasurer, special education teacher in school board district 1, parent of an FCPS student that attends school in district 4, and voting constituent in school board district 5. As an invested stakeholder in public education, I have worked in collaboration with my union siblings and aft as well as community organizations such as Kuckians for the Commonwealth to build community support for investing resources that ensure all students have the opportunity to access a free and appropriate public education. At the ballot box, we have seen
160that the state and our local community overwhelmingly support public education. However, this can be eroded by concerns about transparency, accessibility, equitable allocation of resources, and democratic decision-making. We seemingly saw this with a failed occupational tax and subsequent money that was spent to repair damaged PR. We can build and maintain support for public education by investing in our most vulnerable students. As a special education teacher, it is frustrating to hear concerns that the district's ability to meet the needs of students that require individualized support, which has led some families to consider outside options for kids that don't thrive in traditional school settings. Yet, we are now considering closing a public education program designed to address this need that has successfully produced a 100% graduation rate. This is reminiscent of the over 1,000 students consistently facing homelessness
161in Faget County who are recently at risk of losing staff for education housing assistance. Rank and file teachers, staff, and most importantly, students should not be forced to pay for mistakes made by people outside the classroom at the top of an increasingly vertically organized district. District leaders deserve credit for acknowledging past mistakes that have been made. Educators teach our students to learn from mistakes in order to grow. However, Rush plans to consider closing or consolidating programs as well as limited communication with and opportunities for input by electeds, students, families, and rank and file educators suggest otherwise. This is compounded by proposed governance changes that could limit limit speech and the ability for elected schoolboard members to be responsive to constituents. The community wants to support our public school district and I welcome initiatives to sincerely
162take a new way forward that learns from mistakes and embraces community engagement such as live streaming all schoolboard meetings and making public comment more accessible. Finally, I urge you to open up the democratic process to bring your teachers and staff to the table. Protect our kids programs and let us vote. Thank you. [applause] >> Our next speaker is Larry Moore. Following Mr. more. We will have Donna Verhovven. You have 90 seconds. Mr. Moore, first I'd like to comment on physical 25's audit. Some questions I would anticipate the board asking tonight would relate to that $12 million deficit that was set up in the special revenue fund as accounts receivable. Did the auditors confirm that all the revenues recorded in the federal receivables were actually earned under OM2 CFR part 200? Were any questions cost unallowable
163expenditures or late reimbursements identified in the schedule of findings in question cost as a district? How much of the $12 million receivable has a district received at this time because goes in less than a week. We're going to be at 153 days. And on the on the budget process, what needs to really happen to going forward is first you got to update your strategic plan. We heard information about student achievement and that's great. But one of our benchmarks is Jefferson County. Why are we benchmarking against Jefferson County? Why do we care? Why don't we look at our community? We talk about community. What about contiguous counties? Because you look at their scores, they're doing as well or better than County at a fraction of the cost. So why is that? [music] >> Thank you, Mr.
164Moore. Our next speaker is Donna Verhovven. And our after Miss Voin, we'll have Noah Cornet. >> Can you give me your name, please? Miss Foven, you'll have three minutes. >> Thank you. Um, and I'm really not going off what I had planned to talk about. I attended the audit committee meeting before this meeting tonight. First, I want everyone to understand that on the agenda tonight, and that is what Larry Moore was referring to, the annual I'm gonna say this, the financial records audit report, which is item J1 and the audit firm is sitting here with us tonight and it's LBMC. This is the annual financial audit, folks. This is the one that is going to explain to you or should how our fund balance went from 43 million to 26. Why the 12 million acral
165is still sitting at um Mr. Moore asked this that out of that 12 million five of it was miscellaneous revenue. We're still due almost five of that. A half a million's come in. What is that money under the federal goes through the state funds? We have that was 8 million. We now have we've in the month of October we collected now 80,000. In other words, it took us four months now to collect and at the same time we're getting other federal monies. So every dime that's come in, all we're doing is forwarding, how do I say that? I'm going to well let me get back to this that we're borrowing this year's money to pay off what we had last year. I had sent a long email Sydney I've got to get back on that
166topic regarding all the different areas that I saw issue with bond funds for one 3 million hopefully you all will explain that how we treated that as a revenue the fund balance for um afterchool care of 2.2 2 million was transferred into general fund. Now, guess what? That's been transferred back out now for this year. So, guess what? General fund has another $2 million deficit in addition because they only borrowed that money in order to make that 26 million work. I tell y'all it's a shell game with them. They say we want to have 26 million at the end of the year. I've seen those numbers change five times different. [snorts] One minute it's this source, the next minute it's a different one. I'm going to make this real quick. I also, the same audit
167firm that's sitting here tonight has been doing our audit for 15 years. They merged with a company last year and changed their name from Strawman or Meyer to LBMC. And Chair Murphy, in 2019, you were adamant your first year that we would never use an audit for more than five years. In May of this year when you announced this contract, you said five-year rotation. You didn't mention it's the same the same staff even is per performing the audit. I'm not going to go into the facts. I have five seconds, but I would love to talk and I will at the end of the meeting about how Dr. Ligins last year. Sorry. >> Thank you for your time. >> Our next speaker is Noah Cornette. Following Mr. Cornet, we will have Laura Hart. time. You can
168be by Cass Child. >> Cassidy Child. Thank you, C. >> Okay, so that'll be three minutes. >> Perfect. >> Hello, my name is Noah Cornet. I'm a District 2 resident, taxpayer, and proud public school graduate from uh school in Eastern Kentucky. Usually, when I sign up to speak at these events, I try to remain tactful. I like to assume that the members of this board are working to help the kids of this school district, even if it does not always seem that way. But the recent attempt to subvert the First Amendment rights of two members of this board, the only two members who have uh consistently voted for increased transparency, student protections, and rebuilding community trust, has absolutely floored me. Even now that you guys backpedal it, good choice, by the way. Um you were
169attempting to block elected officials from commenting to the media on their social media and therefore their constituents on votes that they lose. They would be required to give no comment and direct those to Chairman Murphy. that would have effectively shut down any disscent on the board and allowed the majority to control the message entirely. A majority that I remind you has consistently dodged attempts to correct shady financial practices, engaged in union busting, and will now vote on reducing programs for our kids who need it the most. A lawyer this morning uh spoke about this and said, and I quote, "It is both an absurd policy and one that violates the First Amendment." So, I have to ask, what were you thinking even suggesting this? Look around you real quick. Please look up from your phones
170for one second and look in front of you. You have half of Faget County here on a Monday night school board meeting. And that is because they do not trust you. And the way that you fix that lack of trust is to try to shut the other side up. I I honestly can't tell if it's malice or incompetence. I have a theory that it's a little bit of both. Your solution to a budget deficit caused by your oversight is to cut funding for our students who need it the most. Your solution to outcry for an open vote on collective bargaining has been to try to pick their union for them in a backroom deal. And your solution to complete lack of public trust is to refuse the community outcry for a forensic audit. So whether
171it's foolishness or maliciousness that's led you guys to this point, I urge you to look around this room and start working to fix it because our kids deserve it and because you're embarrassing yourselves in our community. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Cornet. Our next speaker is Laura Hartkey. Following Miss Hartkey, we will have uh let's see here. We will have Laura Webb. [snorts] >> Hello. I first want to just real quickly address board member Green and ask you after 11 months to realize that it's Dr. Monday, not Monday. So now I just want to know Tyler Murphy, Vice Chair Green, board member Christian who is my board member. When do you stand for the kids and the community you were elected to serve? Silencing teacher and staff voices, refusing to uphold democracy, throwing our
172rise girls and families under the bus again with broken promises. Stopping programs for our most vulnerable students at the stables. weaponizing the Equity Council while ignoring a board member being called an Uncle Tom, attempting to pass an illegal tax, filing lawsuits to steal community property, a forensic audit by the state, all of this with no mention of cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent at the top. Six figure salaries that did not exist four years ago. At what point is enough enough? This is shameful. Our kids deserve better. Our families deserve better. Our community deserves better. And to end with a quote from a member who texted me today, I don't like this new way forward. I liked it better when it was about the kids. [cheering and applause] >> Thank you, Miss Harky.
173Our next speaker is uh Laura Webb, who's had time yielded u from Lucas Anderson, Asia Stuben Rock, and Emily Morris. So that's six minutes. Hello, my name is Laura Webb. I'm a voting taxpaying citizen of District 5. Amy Green, I'm one of your constituents. I'm here today again to discuss three items on the agenda. The proposed changes to the G board governance manual, the audit committee recommendations, and the collective bargaining agreement. At the beginning of this meeting, Chair Murphy let us know that the proposed changes to the government's manual were a compilation of suggestions that have been made by board members recently. I had the opportunity to read over these suggestions prior to this meeting. And while nothing was credited to any board members by name, I think I can hazard a guess or two.
174You see, earlier this month, because this is the kind of person I am, I compiled a spreadsheet of every piece of news coverage I could find about the issues FCPS have been having them lately and tracing them back as far as I could. The resulting file has over 400 entries going back years. It was quite the rabbit hole. The picture it paints is not flattering. Let's talk first about some of the proposed changes to your governance manual. It looks like you're trying to make the public feel more heard at meetings, but feeling heard is not the same as being heard. For example, prohibiting clapping, nodding, or eye rolling does nothing to hold this board accountable, and in fact, it reduces transparency. This proposal states that maintaining neutrality ensures that all speakers feel respected and that
175the board's decision-making process remains impartial. But I think we all know that that's just not true. Being quiet, keeping your face bland and neutral does nothing to ensure an impartial decisionmaking process. All it does is mean that members of the public like myself would have even less an idea where our representatives stand. Similarly, several proposed changes push back on the dissenting opinions of a minority vote. Because this board consists of only five people, relying so much on the simple majority for important decisions means the results can be extremely skewed. We see this happening with this board and a voting block that has clearly formed. If dissenting votes are not permitted to speak on the subject after a vote is held, something even Supreme Court justices do, this only serves to hurt the public. We have
176a right to know where representatives stand on the issues they're voting on voting on because we vote for them. Speaking of representation and of a voting block, Amy Green, I see you there. As your constituent, I have a message for you. I know a lot of attention has been focused lately on Dr. Ligans and Chair Murphy. But if you think your support for them is flying under the radar, you're wrong. We notice I am begging you to grow a spine. Now, let's talk about the budget. Why are specialized programs like the Stables Alternative School on the chopping block? I thought you love to show us these as an example of the great work FCPS is doing. What happens in not letting these conflicts overshadow that great work? They're the sort of programs that you love
177for your own PR up until the time for budget cuts comes. Then they're the first to be sacrificed. How is that just? Why should our schools and their students, especially our most vulnerable and underprivileged schools and students, have to suffer because of your own poor financial choices? Meanwhile, you still ignore our calls from an external forensic audit. And guess what, folks? This external audit they've agreed to, it's being done by Weaver and Tidwell, the same firm that helped cover up for Dr. Lian's last budgetary escapades in Texas. You know, the one where the first external audit found basically nothing, but the later forensic audit found determined that there had been quote misconduct to include mismanagement and abuse of position among other problems. [snorts] Given this history, how much do you expect us to trust the
178results of this audit, which seems like it's external in name only? The answer to your problems is not to plate us. We will not be plated. In my opinion, you can disrespect me while I talk all you want. This just tells me who's standing in our way. To remind Chair Murphy, civility training is not comparable to ethics training. Over and over, I've heard this board, especially Chair Murphy, try to shift the focus back to positivity and civility. I'm sorry to have to break it to all of you, but the time for that is over. You have lost the trust of the public and we aren't going anywhere and we aren't backing down. No amount of trotting out students into premeating dog and pony shows will change that. What we have learned is that we cannot
179trust the superintendent and we cannot trust the board. Your power is too concentrated and concentrated power can be corrupted and abused always. The answer to this problem is not to concentrate power even more, or to dictate what people can and cannot say, what they can and cannot do with their facial expressions or gestures. It is to spread that power around. You can do that by signing a collective bargaining agreement. One that includes both teachers and staff. I've said it before and I'll say it again. These are the people who are doing the real work of caring for and educating our kids. They're the ones responsible for all these wonderful things our schools are doing that you love to show us all the time. Want to guess how you can show them respect and positivity? Pass
180the resolution for collective bargaining. They deserve to be able to vote for their own representation. Let them vote. >> Thank you, Miss Webb. Our next speaker is Colin Harris. >> Chair Murphy. >> Uh uh Mr. Bruno >> a point of clarification about the external audit recommendation. Um as was noted in a piece this weekend that um an RFP was issued. Various firms were able to >> Mr. Bruno members of the audience please. Mr. Bruno continue. >> As was stated [clears throat] this weekend an RFP was um um put out for the external audit. Various firms were able to apply for that. A standard rubric was issued to score and no employee from FCPS was had scored that rubric. So that was all done from the external audit committee. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is
181Colin Harris. She'll have 90 seconds. >> My name is Colin Harris. I'm a Lexington resident, taxpayer, and voter. Uh I wrote out a whole thing, but I'm going to have to cut it a little short because we shortened the public comment section so we could talk about all of these new governance rules that we're going to put in so that board members can't descent. Um, so first off, I just want to say that having the same auditing company that covered for Ligins the last time he siphoned millions out of the hands of teachers and students is frankly just incredible. It's like something a cartoon villain would do. Not only are they going out of their way to cover up all this misuse and embezzlement, but they think we're dumb enough to fall for a trick
182this on the nose. You all know darn well that the demand is for a forensic audit. And we demand that you just cancel this farce of an audit, which is going to be just yet another waste of taxpayer money, and just do the audit that we've been demanding the whole time. I know Allison Ball has already drawn up a lot of the paperwork, so you guys should really stop ignoring her calls. Uh the board has also been stalling on the collective bargaining resolution for quite a while now. I witnessed the board brazenly lie about this resolution to prevent a vote on it at the last meeting. Uh it's really time to put that resolution on the docket. Teachers would deserve it, even if not for all the stuff you put make them put up with.
183So just quit lying about it and do it. Again, this is the absolute bare minimum that we could ask for given all of the misconduct and probably far worse that we know of. With state legislators on both sides calling for your resignations and the public this pissed off, I doubt these decisions are going to be in your hands much longer. >> Thank you, Mr. Harris. Our next speaker is Steven Dorsey. You'll have 90 seconds. >> Hello. I am a school board district 2 taxpayer and voter. Just so you know, I have as of late seen many concerning headlines and news about cutting muchneeded school programs, board members attempting to bully others into silence, and I was here at last month's where some of y'all refused to let teachers vote for collective bargaining. A concerning common
184pattern is appearing here. Furthermore, certain members of the board have shown a penchant of silencing concerns, questions, and critique of bad decisions that keep compounding on each other. For instance, cutting the stables program only cuts into about6% of the negative6 million budget deficit. With such bold leadership, it's no wonder how we got here today. Meanwhile, I've heard in previous meetings about awesome private partnerships with those of Valvalene and Bullard for 3D printing fidgets for kids, which are actually kind of cool programs. But it makes me beg the question why our tax dollars aren't funding those amazing programs. and instead I'm reading about how they're going to exorbitant travel and food expenses for those who don't directly impact or improve student outcomes in direct and tangible ways. I said it last time, I'll say it again.
185You don't get to brag about improve student performance if you don't take care of those who make that possible, teachers and staff. Ask today is simple. Drop the ridiculous attempt to infringe on board members first amendment rights and bullying those you don't agree with. Do not callously cut school programs due to poor financial decisions made by irresponsible people. >> Thank you, Mr. Dorsy. Our next speaker is Isaac Looney. >> Mr. Looney, you will have uh three minutes. You have time yielded from Kate McClung. Cat McClung. [clears throat] All right, good evening. My name is Isaac Looney. I'm a taxpayer here in Faget County. And I had my long Saab story planned, but my time got cut down by three minutes. So, I guess I'm going to have to get this out a little bit quicker.
186But the long story short is I am a graduate of one of these alternative programs like the which are on the chopping block right now. And I think it's disgusting. It's It's truly amazing. It really is. We're on a streak now. Like I've been coming here for months and nothing's been getting better. [sighs and gasps] I was here last Thursday. Well, this room filled up with people, all parents and students for these alternative programs. They had to open up the overflow because it was more than they anticipated having here. While these kids and their parents and the staff from these schools pled their cases for the right for their schools to continue to get funding and exist and only two of the board members were here to listen to those pleas. What does that mean?
187What does that mean when I have to get up here and advocate for kids and you won't even hear them out before you go try and cut their programs? These are kids that are at the most vulnerable of conditions. some that may not be able to effectively transfer in to an A1 style school. And I don't I don't think you care. I don't think you care. I think you like your bathroes. I think you like your flights to Australia. I don't think you care. I like to believe that you do, but I I don't see it anymore. So, here's the deal. I'm an engineer. I work on million-dollar projects. I do controls and electrical work all coming from a broken home, impoverished home. And I went to one of those alternative high schools. And then
188I got out and I did my college degree. I've chased a wonderful career in engineering. It's landed me here in this beautiful community with these wonderful people. I work on expensive stuff all the time. And if I mess up, it costs somebody a lot of money. If I mess up once, my mo my boss will certainly have a conversation with me about it and I will have to correct whatever I did and not let it happen again. But FCPS isn't a company. You guys are public servants. I we are your boss and we're telling you that you're doing a bad job. And the fact of the matter is if I do this too many times at my job, I don't have that job anymore. So I suggest that you get the act together or you
189can follow in the expert leadership practices of Dr. Ligins and start brushing up those LinkedIn profiles because you'll be looking for a new job [screaming] soon. Our next speaker is Jennifer Ward. Following Miss uh Jenny Ward, following Miss Ford, we'll have Haley Tacket. >> Hi, my name is Dr. Jenny Ward and I have lived and taught in Faget County for over 20 years. Um, long ago, back when I was a fresh baby teacher, I had a student who henceforth shall be known by the nickname of Sweet Angel Baby. Now, Sweet Angel Baby, through absolutely no fault of their own, had been not been dealt the best of hands in life. Um, to put it mildly, and everything about their existence communicated that. As a result, they had a very difficult time in the classroom. Now,
190I could regail you with tales of Sweet Angel Baby for hours, as that nickname was in direct opposition to how they presented at school. However, I'm sure you get the picture. No matter what they threw at me, sometimes literally, I poured my teacher heart and soul into Sweet Angel Baby. And I was consistently left feeling like it was never enough. Never enough time, never enough resources, never enough interventions, never enough services. And while we did all did the best we could, it was just never enough. And they left that school after that year. I've worried and wondered many times over the years about that student. They were the type of student you carry with you in your heart for the rest of your career. I'd started my first year teaching at Henry Clay when I
191received a phone call one day. I remember lighting up like a Christmas tree when the voice on the other end of the phone said, "Miss Ward, remember me." Of course, of course I remembered. How could I possibly forget? I wanted to call to tell you I just graduated. I had instant tears. Now, I'm going to skip to the end. What the board and our superintendent may see as a bottom line has been a literal lifeline. That student graduated from one of the first years of the stables and I almost guarantee it never would have happened otherwise. >> Thank you. Our next speaker, [applause] our next speaker is uh Haley Tacket. And following uh Miss Tacket, we will have Amanda Preston. Hi, my name is Haley Tacket. I am in eighth grade at the stables. This
192school has helped me a lot. Usually, >> Miss Tacket, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Do you mind if pulling the microphone just a little bit closer? There you go. Thank you. Thank you. Go ahead. >> Um, this is my first year at the stables. It's hard helped me through a lot. I was bullied through every other year, through elementary, kindergarten, preschool, all that. But once I got here, um, it helped me a lot. I've already made a lot of friends. I've been accepted for everything. I have all A's, going from all Fs to all A's, passing all my classes. I get to take breaks when I want. Um, being with the horses helps a lot, too. It's just it's really accepting school and it will help you through everything, all you need. And I don't
193know where I'd go if my school was gone cuz I had to go home school. >> Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. [applause] Our next speaker is Amanda Preston. Following Miss Preston, we'll have Kevin Lewis. I really cannot believe what we all just sat through. Um, is it I guess it's probably really hot up there where y'all are sitting because I think you're probably really scared because let me tell you what scared leaders do. They'll hide behind restrictive limits because they don't want to hear. They can't bear to hear from the people that they serve. They'll control speech, expression, body language as if disagreement was disobedience. They will try to silence dissenting voices, call them noise, distractions, or misinformed. And I can get real noisy. Pick and choose which governance
194policies matter based on what protects them and not what's right. Lie about their financial standing. Does anyone else remember them funds are there? Handpick committees to do their dirty work. waste taxpayer dollars with a duplicative external audit with a company that has been previously connected to the superintendent just to counter whatever the state auditor uncovers. Use imminent domain against rightful property owners and run meetings with the posture of a dictator instead of a public servant. So let me tell you that you can try to spin it, you can try to shank it, you can try to silence it, and you can try to stage manage it, but you cannot stop the truth. Everyone, everyone in this state and maybe beyond is watching right now, and this is what you choose to do. >> Thank you,
195Miss Preston. Our next speaker is Kevin Lewis. Following Mr. Lewis, we'll have Don Perkins. >> Kevin's not here. Thank you. Uh we'll have Don Perkins and then following uh Miss Perkins, we'll have Heather Ferguson. >> Mr. Murphy, I'll be my time to >> Okay. Thank you. Um Heather Ferguson then >> they left because he took so long. >> Our next speaker then will be uh Matt Vid who's been yielded time. >> [applause] >> So, not a lot of time. Um, audit. We shouldn't be using anybody that's ever been connected to Faget County in my opinion and not sure why we're doing one. Anyway, Allison Ball has said she is doing a forensic audit. You just have to cooperate with her. Second point, contingency fund used without permission below the 6% balance. Why is that not
196a fireable offense? Because it should be. It would be in corporate America. Nothing has happened. No action has been taken. No reprimand. Greenville independent schools. Focus of criminal investigation after forensic audit. Financial fraud, theft, misconduct. We realize our financial house has to get in order, said Dr. Demetrius Ligins. Similar to what we heard this summer, what has changed? You would have thought that this experience he would have been way more cognizant of what was going on in the budget here, but that has not happened. Dr. Mundy has asked for a list of all employees, what they make when the jobs were created. I still don't think that has come out. I haven't seen it. No program in this school should be cut. No teacher should be fired until we have a list of every single
197employee in this district, what they're paid, when their job was created, bonuses, travel, every penny that went to every person, and then we can make good decisions about where our money has gone. Sorry teachers, I didn't have time to read stuff. I'll be back. >> Thank you, Miss Ferguson. Our next speaker is uh Matt Vid. He'll have six minutes. Who do you have to me? I think I should have [clears throat] >> I have >> Don Perkins. [clears throat] Okay. Got to be quick. Um, so re real quick, the [clears throat] fact that someone on this board suggested limiting dissent from the board members, I mean, unbelievable, just sha shameful. And I I cannot wait to get the open records request back that says who suggested it because my goodness, you remember when I was
198here probably a couple months ago, I said you guys are either incompetent, corrupt, or you simply lack the wisdom for the job. Well, I think you've proved all three of them, right? Because um and then let's see um on um the the budget. So, real quick on the budget, my my the Matthew V budget update, you're through four months, you guys are up 2% year-over-year. You budgeted you budgeted a 3.4% decline. You're up 2% through 3 months. You were up 1.7%. Now, you're up 2%. Way off track, guys. Way off track. If you look at actuals from last year, a 2% increase over last year actuals puts you at $700 million general fund spending. Your actuals last year were 6 um 63, sorry, 687. Last year, actuals, your budget for this year 663. That is
199a difference of $37 million. The contingency fund is maybe 26. I don't think it's even 26 because as Donna has already suggested, you you guys ought to have a two-hour meeting with Donna because Donna knows what she's talking about with respect to auditing and finance and finances and accounting. Seriously, she'll do it for free. You need to meet with Donna because you guys are in trouble. You guys are in trouble. You got you got $12 million unaccounted for special revenue fund. You do not have $26 million. You're on track to overspend actual overspend your budget by $37 million. You are at risk of running out of money. Speaking of running out of money, at the end of three months, you were $23 million in the negative. I asked Miss Ferguson to ask the district, "How
200did you fund working capital? How did you fund day-to-day expenses?" Dr. Dr. Ligins's response was that you used taxexempt construction dollars, which is illegal. >> I'm going to re I'm going to read I'm going to read to you the bond the bond document. So, in June, this school district, they issued a $220 million bond. $220 million bond. The document says the bonds have been authorized and are being issued to pay the cost to acquire, construct, and equip Henry Clay High School. Acquire, construct, and equip a new elementary school in Greenale Road in Lexington, Kentucky, and purchase school buses. collectively the project. What is not on the list is to use taxexempt construction dollars on as working capital to float the budget that you were negative $23 million. I would have to assume that the uh
201IRS would be very interested in the do in the response that Dr. Ligins gave. I would wonder if uh Stole Keen and Ogden and Ruben and Hayes reviewed Dr. Dr. Ligan's statement about the use of taxexempt construction bonds because you can't use taxexempt construction bonds on general fund expenses because if because the the misuse of taxexempt construction bonds what happens what happens when whenever you do that the the bonds become taxable if if if your if the bond holders for Faget County schools if if the income for the if the interest income for those bonds becomes taxable I mean like I mean that's like nuclear bomb going off. Nuclear bomb. And another thing that I would be very interested to know is is did did the district mislead the credit ratings agency? So for every
202bond whenever you borrow money, you got to have a credit score, right? Moody's establishes these credit scores. The district's credit score right now is a double A3 with a negative outlook. On May the 7th, Moody's released an opinion about the credit rating for this district. Here's what it says in the credit rating report. This is on May the 7th, one week before we found out there was a $16 million deficit. Two, three weeks before you guys attempted an illegal tax grab. This is what Moody says in the document. Officials expect fiscal 25 results to show relatively level reserves and fiscal 26 operations to be at least stable and potentially result in a small surplus. None of that is true. And Samson Grimes, the budget director, was telling you guys for months, what was she telling
203you? She was telling you that the the the the reserves were at risk and significant cuts were required. Do either one of those sounds like sound like level reserves or stable operations? >> Nope. And and and you've got a credit opinion that states the exact opposite. I mean, un unbel I this is like this is this is serious serious stuff. Serious stuff. Um you I mean you guys are just like you guys are just piling on the trouble. Just piling it on. Just piling it on. Who who who's advising you guys? I mean the this this governance manual stuff. I mean just like astonishing to me. astonishing to me that you would there there should be no maxes on public comments. If a hundred people want to yield me time or anybody else time, that
204is their right and you are disenfranchising their right by limiting the number of yielders in public comment. I mean just shameful shameful. >> Thank you Mr. V. Our last speaker for this portion of the meeting is Rachel abuser. You have 90 seconds. It is truly unfathomable unfathomable the things that we've been discussing this evening um including your board guidelines and just the general perception of the amount of time that we spent the amount of time that you all spent discussing how to interact with each other as adults is unbelievable to me. If we are trying to censure our board members by un not disclosing who we are and submitting comments that you're just then going to read who who submitted it. Dr. Monday was saying, "Oh, I submitted that one and this is why you're
205trying to keep dissenters from being able to discuss why they're dissenting." Well, somebody whoever submitted all of this attempted attempts at blocking people's freedom of speech, speak up. Say why you put it on the list. I don't understand how we have gotten here. I think this whole meeting has been a direct reflection of the toxic environment that has been perpetuated by Dr. Lian and Mr. Murphy and that is why we've seen repeated calls and I am making a call again for both of you to resign. It is the only hope that we have. >> Thank you, Miss Fuser. That concludes this portion of public comment. We do have 25 additional individuals who have signed up to talk speak on matters that are not on the agenda um that we will return to at that portion
206of the meeting. U just Mr. Bruno just point of clarification no proposals have been given to the board. No decisions have been made about closing consolidating any school program at this point. So just want to make that clear. >> Thank you. >> Also I would like to say something. And I would like [clears throat] to encourage everyone discussing the topic um to take time to review the actual facts other than repeating unfounded news stories. Uh for the record, I've never covered up any financial mismatch. >> Please, >> for the record, >> ladies and gentlemen, please >> I've never covered up any mismanagement in a district, nor have I been accused. >> Please refrain from interrupting the superintendent. Please refrain from interrupting the superintendent. Thank you, >> Dr. Ling. >> Additionally, I've never been superintendent of
207the dis of a district that has worked with the audit firm that is being recommended tonight by the audit committee. So, another uh misinformation that's out there. Next on our agenda is approval of routine matters. Next on our agenda is approval of routine matters. Uh a motion is in order to approve the minutes of the November 10th, 2025 planning meeting of the County Board of Education. Is there a motion of that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bor Mundy. All in favor of approving the minutes say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. At this time I'll turn the agenda over to Dr. Legas to take us throughout the remainder of tonight's agenda. Thank you. Before we go into the action items for
208this evening, we have future action items for your review. As you know, all school districts in Kentucky are audited annually by independent certified public accountants. Uh this review looks into the day-to-day operations and procedures and functioning of the district and school finances to ensure that the practices in place are aligned with accounting requirements. This is different from the special examination being conducted by the state auditor of public accounts uh Allison Ball and recommendation for the audit and the recommendation from the audit committee which will serve a different purpose. At this time I'd like to invite Rodney Jackson to come forward along with Katie Reed and Megan Reynolds to from the firm of LBMC who conducted the external audit. >> [clears throat] >> testing. Good evening. This is our annual audit report. Um, this is a
209draft of a report that we presented by LBMC. We have with us Katie Reed as he said, and Megan Reynolds. Um this was presented earlier to the audit committee in about an hour or so um in very much detail. With that, I would turn over to them and let them proceed. >> Thanks, Rodney. Good evening. Thank you for having us here tonight. I'm Megan Reynolds. I'm a shareholder with LBMC. Um shareholders commonly also referred to as partner or director um for CPA firms. This is Katie Reid, senior manager on the engagement. LBMC is a top 35 firm with approximately 600 employees based out of Brentwood, Tennessee. We are based out of the Louisville office. Um, this is my first year as shareholder on the engagement. Um, our firm does other governmental districts currently, including four
210other school districts, uh, Louisville, Jefferson County, Metro Government, and others as well. As Rodney mentioned, the audit as it currently, um, sits in front of you is in draft form. There are some items to finalize before we'll be ready to issue. Um, one of those that Katie will go into more detail on is related to a new auditing new accounting standard that had to be implemented this year. Um, aside from that, the school activity fund audit um was provided to the district in draft form as well a few weeks ago. And then we are also working on finalizing the single audit uniform commonly also referred to as uniform guidance um the audit of federal expenditures. Um the KDE has extended the audit deadline for this fiscal year due to the delays in the office of
211management and budget releasing the compliance supplement. Um, typically it would have been issued in its final form much sooner than it currently is. We're still waiting. We have not heard. It's available in draft form. So, that's what we've been um working off of at this point. Uh, Katie's going to walk us through the um financial statements as well as the auditor's report and then I have a communication that I'll cover at the end. >> Good evening. Um, as Megan said, I'm Katie Reid. I'm a senior manager with LBMC. Um I'm going to start off by going over the independent auditor's report. Um so you're going to flip two pages back. The first two pages of your um financial statements are a table of contents. Um once you get to the independent auditor's report, I'll start
212off with um our opinions. So we have audited the accompany financial statements of the governmental activities, the business type activities, each major fund and the aggregate remaining fund information of the Faget County School District as of and for the year ended June 30th, 2025 and the related notes to the financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards, otherwise known as US GAP. As a result of our audit, we have issued um what's called a clean opinion, an unmodified opinion, effectively stating that the um accounting in place is performed fairly uh in accordance with GAAP. Um the basis for our opinions, this is just further clarifying the auditing standards um that we are held to during this audit. Uh we conduct our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of
213America. The standards applicable to the financial audits contained in government accounting standards issued by the comproller general of the United States and the Kentucky public school district's audit contract and requirements prescribed by the Kentucky State Committee for School District audits. So that's three different um auditing standards to which we are held as your um financial statement auditors. Um I want to point out the the next paragraph change in accounting principles. So, um, effective July 1st, 2024, the district adopted government accounting standard statement number 101, compensated absences, and Gazsby statement number 102, certain risk disclosures, and our opinion is not modified with respect to these matters. I want to clarify that these accounting standards are prescribed by the governmental accounting standards board and are applicable to any entity that has governmental accounting. So even if it
214might not cause a change in disclosures for some other entities, it is important to note that all entities that follow governmental accounting standards have to implement um these policy or these standard updates. Um on the next page, I further go into detail. Um we do have a note at the very back of the financial statements which I'll go into with you. that effectively because of um adopting Gazby statement 101 which is the one for compensated absences that resulted in a remeasurement of the existing compensated sick leave at that point in time now compensated absences liability as of June 30th 2024 as a part of implementing these gazsby statements they have to be um restated as of the earliest period presented and so that meant that with their reme-measurement of their liability as of June 30th,
2152025. They also had to review and potentially restate June 30th, 2024. In this case, that a restatement did take place. That is not unusual or uncommon when a new standard is implemented. The next few paragraphs go into detail about management's responsibility for the financial statements as well as ours. If you flip to page three, I wanted to point out the required supplementary information that is included in these financial statements. Mainly that this information while unawudited, we have um performed limited procedures over um we have to perform those procedures in accordance with GA gas um which is generally accepted auditing standards. Um those procedures included inquiries of management about the methods used for preparing the information, comparing the information for consistency with their responses as well as with the basic financial statements um and any other
216knowledge we obtained during our audit. Those required supplementary information first is management's discussion and analysis again prepared by management and provided to us for our review. the budgetary comparison which is in the um back of the financial statements and then the pension and other post-employment benefit liability um contribution information. Um that information is also found towards the back of the financial statements. There is some additional um what we would call other supplementary information. Um it's combining supplementary uh financial statements for the non- major governmental funds that can also be found in the back of the financial statements. Um, in accordance with government auditing standards, we will also be issuing a report um on our consideration of the district's internal control over financial reporting and on our test of its compliance with certain provisions of laws,
217regulations, contracts, grant agreements, and other matters. That is standard as a part of the single audit that we perform for the district. So that covers the actual independent auditors report. I'm going to move forward um to the management discussion and analysis. What I really like about the management discussion or analysis, we call it an MDNA. And um for brevity, I might actually just say that if that's okay. Um what I like about it is even though it is prepared by management, we do agree it to the financial statements. Um one of the really good parts about this information is the comparison of year-on-year activity. So the main financial statements provided during the audit are um single year, so 630 2025. Um they do not compare year-over-year data. I think for the purpose of this um
218of the board, it's useful to understand how your financials have changed year-over-year. Um so I'm going to go into a little bit more detail with you um about that. If you'll turn briefly to page seven, page seven details the different types of financial statements that are presented here today. Um the first set is the district-wide financial statements. Um it provides a broad overview of the district's finances in a ma manner similar to um private sector business. So it provides I think what I would call a a true financial statement capture of what's going on with the district. It presents long-term liabilities as well as capital assets. Um then there is fund financial statements. Fund financial statements um present your current resources um utilized. So those long-term liabilities and capital assets are not presented at the
219fund level particularly for governmental activities. Um the fund financial statements effectively group accounts by the type of activity general fund special revenue um debt service construction fund etc. Um that's been mandated at the state level for all Kentucky public school districts and um Ununice is utilized for those breakouts. So, if you flip to the next page, page eight, this is where we start to go over changes in activity from year to year. I'm going to go a little bit broad in the sense that I'm going to to keep you guys at a total level. Um, I'm going to start with total assets. Total assets increased $342 million from prior year. Uh, your liabilities also in turn increased by 359 million. Those increases are a direct correlation to the bonds um closed in fiscal year 2025.
220So the district um had three bond closings 2024A, 2025 and 2025A. Um due to the timing of those bond closings, uh a lot of the what I what we call assets is sitting in cash for the organization. Um that cash is to be utilized for um capital projects as prescribed for the bond documents. And then there is a $12 million decrease in net position. It's important to put out to to to state that you still have a positive net position. You did last year, you do this year, both for um for governmental activities in particular. Um and that that shift is effectively what a non-public entity um for-profit organization would call your net income or loss. The changes in your deferred outflows of resources and deferred inflows and resources are a direct result of changes
221in actuarial valuations performed for your pension and other post-employment benefit plans for retirement. Um there was a 27 million or roughly $28 million decrease in deferred outflows of resources and an almost correlating decrease in the deferred inflows of resources for 33 million. If we go to page 10, which is two pages further, >> can I can I ask you again to on page eight? I'm trying to find which column you said the assets had increased by >> and this is a total comparison from year to year. >> So the totals from year to year, your total assets increased by 34 341.5 million >> at the governmental activities level. That's 352 million. And at the business type activities, that's there's a a decrease of about 11 million per total assets when you look at it from
222a district level. And that's a change in cash um utilized for those business type activities. And for clarity, um your business type activities are also referred to as proprietary funds or enterprise funds. Um that is the school food service and after school program funds that flow through to >> assets increased by 341.5 and liabilities >> increased by 359.6. 6. So an $18 million difference. >> Chair Murphy. >> Oh, can I make one small request? Could you get just a little closer to the microphone? >> Yes. >> Oh, thank you. You >> I'm sorry. I know. I I remember you saying um you were hard of hearing. So, I will try to get closer to the mic here. >> Thank you. >> It's probably a little bit my nerves as well. So, um, so on page
22310, if we're are we okay to move forward? Okay. Yes. >> On page 10, table two, um, this is effectively your change in net position or what someone else might refer to as net income, net loss, um, your revenues, your expenditures, etc. Um, and so I I just wanted to point out that um, your revenues were fairly consistent from year to year. There was a 300 not 300, I'm sorry, 3.4 $4 million increase in revenues for governmental activities and a corresponding decrease at the business type activities level of 3.1 million. And for your total expenses, um there was an increase in expense of about 7.4 million for governmental activities and about 694,000 for business type activities. both governmental and business type activities had a decrease in net position um governmental of 2 million and business
224type activities of 3.8 million. Um the m the majority or the result of that decrease so I can go into a little bit more detail if you want to flip to the next page. Um the next page has your revenue comparison. This breaks down effectively what changed for your revenues year-over-year at least for the governmental activities. it can provide you a little clarity on why um you guys did have an increase um there. So your taxes levy did increase about 24 million overall um maybe it was about more closer to 23 but that was um helpful to offset a decrease in federal grant funding. So the federal grant funding decreased about $42 million which is significant. It's important to note that that decrease was the result of ESSER funding ending as of 9 2024. That
225wasn't just um a decrease in funding for Fyet County Public Schools, but that funding ended nationwide federally. Um thankfully the taxes levy taxes levy did make up for that decrease. Um the expenses, like I said previously, did go up by about 7.4 million for your governmental activities. Um from what we what we noted, the majority of that increase is due to um salaries and benefit related expenditures. So I'm going to keep on moving past that kind of um is a synopsis of your year-over-year activity. Um while that information is included in the MDA, it has been agreed through to the other financial statements. Um, I'm not going to go into an extreme amount of activity at the um, financial statement level. Um, the reason being is that we pretty much covered that activity already in
226the um, comments that I just noted. Um, but I do want to point out to you um, where what where information is included in the financial statements and in the notes to the financial statements past this point. So, the district-wide financial statements, which I mentioned previously, include um capital assets and your long-term liabilities are reported on page um 15 and 16. The governmental fund financial statements, they are on pages 17 to 21. The enterprise funds, previously referred to as business type activities, is on pages um 22 to 24. and the proprietary funds which um I'm sorry the fiduciary funds which I didn't really mention earlier but want to point out the fiduciary funds are essentially um funds trusted to fyet county by um the public for the use it's basically trusted to the district for
227the use of um helping students helping teachers um and that's how those funds are utilized they're very small um in total about 1.8 8 million um of uh fiduciary funds. And so that takes us to page 27. Page 27 is where the notes to the financial statement start. Um there is a lot of really good information in here. Um but uh for the sake of this presentation, I would like to point out some of the um more material changes that your financial statements uh have had year-over-year. Um, so from page 27 to 37 of the financial statements, that's where all of the district's significant accounting policies are encompassed. Um, I'm going to move forward to, um, one of the largest items on your all's, uh, statement of net position, which is your capital assets. That's
228on page 41. The one thing that I wanted to point out here is that um you guys had roughly $164 million worth of additions in fixed assets from year to year or capital assets otherwise known. Um 80 million of that is for capital um projects. So construction in progress is what we would call that. Um most of that construction in progress is as they're being added. Some buildings are also being placed into service. Um, and so you'll also see that your additions to buildings and improvements, which is the result of construction in progress, has increased by 80 million. Um, I wanted to go into a little bit of detail about um the projects that have been con concluded in the year. So, Tates Creek High School, Tates Creek High School, turf track and lights. Um
229that's a large portion of that uh turnover from construction in progress to being placed in service for buildings and improvements. Um additionally, continued projects are detailed in the MDNA at page six, but a few of those continued projects that sit in construction in progress are the new middle school at Polo Club, three preschool classrooms at Harrison Elementary, Rise STEM Academy for Girls, and other projects you can see detailed in the MDNA as as previously stated on page 42. 42 um note H school building revenue bonds. I wanted to point out that this is the detail of your balance of bonds. Um the liability portion of your bonds as of the end of the year um June 30th, 2025. And I in particular wanted to point out the three new ones um 2024A, 2025, and 2025A.
230Um, roughly that makes up about 394 million of new bonds issued um, mostly towards the end of the fiscal year. If you flip to page 43, 43 details the district's liability um, on an annual basis to repay these bonds. Um, starting in 2026, there's about a $60 million um obligation for repayment, and that goes to about $65 million in 2030. Um, after that point, we we do group it um at a on a 5-year basis, but this provides you some context for your annual obligation for those bonds. And then on page 44 at the top there, um you'll see that there is detail about the bonds that were issued, um one of those bonds, bond 2025, is what is considered a refunding. Um it will be refunding or it has at this point, um bonds
2312015A and 2015D. Um that refunding took place in August of 2025. And so that cash was in escrow as of the end of the year to be utilized specifically for that purpose. Note I compensated absences. So this note was previously acred sick leave as a result of the implementation of um Gazsby statement number 101. As previously discussed, the district recorded acred compensated absences as a liability in the district-wide statement of net position. Um the liability encompasses acred sick leave benefits related to um what would be paid out at retirement as well as acred vacation. So previously basically the standard for which this liability was accounted for changed causing a remeasurement causing more um items to be considered again this is standard across any entity that has to implement governmental accounting standards. Um and so effectively
232the liability has increased um from what was previously estimated. It encompasses not just those eligible for retirement today um but those anticipated to be eligible for retirement based on their current sick leave bank, what they would um take at at that at the point of their retirement. Um as well as acred unpaid vacation leave. So, people that have earned specific vacation leave, if they were to quit tomorrow, what would they walk away with based on the 6:30 2025 balance, I want to go ahead and um move forward to briefly just point out that there are a large amount of notes um dedicated solely to your pension and OPED liabilities. Um that takes place on pages 51 to 68. Those notes are um they're very large. They go into detail about specifically what um what changed,
233what assumptions changed with the actuarial valuations, um how the liabilities are being um or they're being are being come to every year, your related pension and oped expense as a result of those changes and actuarial assumptions. Um and so I just wanted to point out that is uh a lot of very good information for you all to review. Um on page 68 [snorts] 68 recent Gazsby pronouncements. This is where we effectively um where the district effectively discloses what they have adopted in the current period. We've we've gone over it not once but twice but three times and um I'll go over it one more time again. um the recent accounting pronouncements uh adopted during the year specific to um government accounting standard board statements. GA uh statement number one 101 compensated absences as well as
234uh Gazsby statement number 102 certain risk disclosures. So, we've talked a lot about 101 and how that changed uh the valuation of the related liability for compensated absences, but certain risk disclosures um effectively increase the district's uh all governmental entities um their view over certain types of risk and what requires disclosure. So, it effectively expanded their um their review of that information. Um however it did not change the disclosures in these financial statements. Today on page 69 um we do also go over accounting pronouncements or um Gazsby statements that will be effective um in the next fiscal year fiscal year 26. Gazsby statement number 103 um and Gazsby statement number 104. On page 70, this is where we detail the prior period restatement um as a result of Gazsby statement number 101. Again, I just
235want to note that this is the result of implementing this the standard. It has nothing to do with um Faget County improperly accounting for something in the past. This is not unusual. Um but I want to detail two parts of this. So there are two columns, one for governmental activities specifically and one for governmental funds. So earlier I mentioned that your district-wide financial statements encompass long-term liabilities as well as long-term assets and that your fund financial statements do not. As a result of that, you're going to see two different numbers. um adjusting or increasing the liability related to AC a crude compensation um and decreasing the net position for 630 2024. The um far right is the short-term portion only that increase the liability and decrease net position. The left is districtwide and includes both
236short shortterm adjustment and long-term adjustment. So overall about $6 million um adjustment to increase the liability as of 630 2024 and um decrease the beginning net position for uh 630 2025 so 7125. That effectively concludes my presentation. I am going to briefly just um point out what's on the following pages. We discussed it with the auditor's report but I'll um follow it up to note that the pages 70 on um is the required supplementary information all but the last two pages which is just other supplementary information. Um for about the first three of those pages 71 through 73 that is the budget to actual comparisons and information provided by management regarding um the difference between budget to actual. um 74 all the way up to page 87 are the additional disclosures required for um pension
237and oped contributions and liabilities. And then the final two pages effectively go into um the non- major funds included in the governmental funds. So it just provides you with a little bit more information specifically regarding um those non- major funds. That's it. >> Thank you very much. Any questions? Board members, >> board member Green, do you have anything to add as since you are on the audit committee? >> U Chair Murphy, we heard pretty much verbatim the same presentation, so I appreciate that very much. Um and so the the members of the audit committee asked to you know be reminded about the change of GA um the Gatsby 101 and how that affected not just public schools even but all government governmental entities and so it doesn't mean that there was a mistake. It's just
238a re calculation of >> correct >> um auditing procedures and then also there was a discussion during the board meeting that there was and this may come up in the next um part but there was a review um of all of the expenditures. Is that going to be in the next part of the presentation? >> I I can briefly just add um to that now. So um obviously as the auditing firm we we do follow the news and we are aware of um public comment specifically regarding um expenditures and them being inappropriate so to speak. So um we do test uh expenditures specific to the um single audit which means that we are testing expenditures in compliance with uh internal control procedures basically verifying that the uh control procedures in place are being implement designed
239and implemented appropriately as well as in compliance with the stated grant agreements and how those funds are to be used. Um we we do that every single year as a part of our single audit. Um we in addition to that because of the public comment and our understanding of of concerns, we added additional testing this year um to cover uh expenditures districtwide, not just for those particular grants that we selected for testing as a part of the single audit. Um and so uh we did test an array of expense types. One of those in particular was uh travel expenses because we were aware that that was one thing that was uh called into question. It's important to clarifi we had no no findings as a result of that testing, but it's important to clarify that
240that testing is a test of internal controls. That's what that's partly what we do as auditors is review the controls in place around those expenditures. Um and so that testing um was to test the design and implementation of the internal controls over expenditures and based on the testing performed it's operating appropriately. Um so your audit really has it doesn't weigh in on whether it would be an appropriate expense >> for this single audit. It does because it is required as a part of the single audit to review whether it is allowable. Um however the the nature of the cost is the total value of the cost being reviewed and its nature is a part of the internal control procedure set up by the district. That would be something that you as the board and as
241the audit committee would need to review in you guys would have to be comfortable with um that information. They it's not our job to to test whether something is permissible or not. >> That's exactly what I was saying. Yeah. I just want to add clarity. >> It's just whether rules were followed or not. It's not I mean it shouldn't be up to you whether it's appropriate or >> you also are reviewing the chain of review so to speak in line with those controls to review that they're appropriate but maybe the dollar value needs to be reassessed or the nature of expenses needs to be reassessed. Right. >> Well, and I thank you all for being here. here. I mean, I know it's late and you sat through a couple of presentations and and a lot
242of commentary and since you did mention public comment and you're in the community, I mean, I guess first of all, if have either of you ever worked on a audit for Fat County Public Schools before? >> I have. >> Okay. How long ago? >> Um, I joined the I joined um previously Strowman and Company in January of 2020. Um, I first started auditing Fyet County that year. >> Strathman, I'm sorry. Stroman and company previously. Um we merged with or what were required by LBMC in November of 2023. Um and I have been on your audit since 2020 but not previous to that point. I and I also to start off was a supervisor. I was not the senior manager on the engagement. Um I have uh progressed in my career and therefore progressed in my
243role with your audit. >> Great. Do you know how far back Stman's involvement goes with Faget County? >> I do not. >> Okay. And then just on some a couple of questions that were asked during the public comment and and this might not fall under what you're looking at either. It's um I mean someone mentioned that we were and I know your audit was for 2425. Someone mentioned that we were borrowing this year's money to pay off last year. If if you audited us again, would that show up next year or do you have any concerns about that with this year's audit? that. So, at this point, we wouldn't have looked into fiscal year 2026 activity if we perform a riskbased audit approach um with the objective to determine if the financial statements are material
244materially stated in accordance with GAP. So, if that would be something that would be a concern for us based on those standards, then that's something that we would look into. >> Okay. Okay. And then um we talked about the bond dollars that were sold last year. Um I mean is that something that you would address if tax exempt bond dollars were uh placed in the general fund? >> If that was a concern for us, then yes, that's something that we would address at that time. >> Okay. And then just on page 71, can you um I mean, we're just seeing this tonight and the public doesn't have the benefit of being able to look at it on the screen. Um I guess just the bottom line, it has budgeted amounts, original, final, actual. So that
245actual column is is the end of year 25. And it says uh well for fund balance July 1, 2024 and we've talked a lot about how contingent if you've followed it how contingency is calculated how it's defined whether the state does it one way KDE does it one way KSBA does it one way um the fund balance July 1st 2024 was 4 40.3 million basically right 40353,000 Yes. Yes. That's the restated um fund balance due to the change um for Gazby statement 101. >> Okay. So that's basically the money that was left over last year at the end of fiscal year 24 >> effectively. Yes. It's the net position brought forward um amounts available resources available. Yes. >> I appreciate your language. It's it's not my language. I'm just trying to make it clear for
246net balance brought forward. uh 40.3 million and then so that same amount audited end of year fund balance June 30th 2025 was 23.9 million right okay so a difference of 17 million almost 17 is that correct so the fund balance shrunk from the end of year last year to the end of year this year >> yes there was a decrease in that position for the general fund specifically because this is general fund not districtwide financial statements. It's important to point out that um you know fund financials as we've previously stated are slightly different than districtwide. I think districtwide is probably a better um indicator of your net position as of the end of the year but there was a decrease uh revenues basically um expenditures exceeding revenues of 16.4 4 million >> 164 and then
247you have up there other financing sources contingency. Can you explain that line under I mean it was 43605 43.6 million original 43.6 million final and then there's nothing listed under actual. I believe that's a required item. I don't Rodney, I don't know if you want to speak to that, but it's my understanding that they are required to budget for that contingency piece, >> right? But so that's not shown on this page. That's what I'm asking. The contingency amount is not shown on here. I mean, it has to be budgeted as an expenditure. It's supposed to be set aside. So, it's considered an expenditure generally. I think Mr. Jackson, I mean, is it on this page anywhere? The calculation of the contingency fund for Fyet County at the end of year FY25. >> Yeah, the calculations
248up under the original and final up under actual um we cannot have anything up under 0840 or KDE will deny that report when it's sent into them. >> So, where is the contingency on here? is budgeted up under the original and final 43.6 up under actual there can be anything in that 0840 which is contingency. >> Okay, that's all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Board members Monday. Um, I may email some questions a little later once I get to take a look at the um, audit report a little closer. I did wonder um during KSBA training um I went to one of the deep sessions to get a just crash course in schoolboard financials and they also mentioned about switching a company every 5 years or so for the audit and I
249most definitely don't want to work y'all out of a job but I do can we just get some clarification on how long it is this does it mean the company is a poll. Does it mean the individual that's doing the audit? Like when should that be switched? Just a bit of clarification on that. Sure. So, it's it's the district's policy and purview as far as the the preference to the rotation. So, this is my first year as shareholder on the engagement. I I did have some previous experience. I'd have to double check exactly when that was. I would say I was like a two or three year staff accountant and maybe worked on it for a year or two but that would be my only previous experience. Um there are many varying opinions on auditor
250rotation um shareholder or partner rotation. It does give quite a different perspective. Um and so you'll see that in other entities as well as a common practice. >> Mr. Mr. Jackson, do you know what? I'm putting you on the spot. Do you know what our district policy? >> Yes. Our district policy states that if you change um if you go to bid and the auditor, same auditor or a similar order wins the bid, then it's required you change the managing partner. It was Gina um Jones previously and now it's Megan Reynolds. [clears throat] >> Thank you. And to the question of rotation because we had um Stroman for a while and then when that contract expired and initially we had talked about doing rotations but we were told well we are under contract right so
251let the contract expire and then it's up for rebidding and then LBMC uh was awarded the bid. So when the merger happened, was there a um an an attempt to kind of divide the the clientele when the two companies merged to ensure any concerns about preserving their the rotation of auditors or lead managers on audits? >> No. No. >> Okay. But this is your first engagement with Fate County Public Schools. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> As a shareholder. Okay. Okay. Are there any further questions, board members? Thank you. I do have the um the additional document in front of you, the client service communication. This is effectively what we refer to as an internal control letter and governance letter presented in a combined format. Um we did go through it earlier in
252in detail. So I'll cover the high points. Um pages for page four includes um the scope of the services. Um details management's responsibility for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements and maintaining internal controls. Um, at this point we plan to deliver an unmodified opinion on the financial statements. Um, on page five there's some additional detail there about the new Gazsby um requirements again 101 and 102. Um, we discussed the significant accounting estimates as we as we consider them as well as the um some of the financial statement disclosures that Katie mentioned, pension and other post-employment benefits that are that um contain quite a bit of information in those as well. Um, page six details corrected and uncorrected misstatements. And so if there were any adjustments that as part of the audit process
253we proposed that management opted not to make, we would list those here. We did not have any items of that nature. Um we did have an item that I'll I'll talk about in just a second um that we suggested that management correct that was significant and um that item has been adjusted. Page seven is a lot of um essentially standard language. So if we had any significant significant difficulties in performing the audit or disagreements with management over accounting standards, accounting principles, things of that nature, um they would be disclosed on this page. We did not have any such issues. Um our responsibilities for independence are are detailed there as well. pages 8 through I think this is going to go through page 12 um detail our considerations of internal controls and so we consider the
254district's internal controls over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures but we do not express an opinion on the effectiveness of the district's internal control that that is standard um we did identify an item that we can consider to be a material weakness which is a deficient deficiency or combination of deficiencies and internal control such that there's a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the district's financial statements will not be prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis. Um, we also have an item that we consider to be a significant deficiency that is less severe than a material weakness yet important enough to merit attention by those charged with governance. These items are required to be reported in writing. Um so page nine goes into detail on the uh material weakness.
255The two bonds that were issued close to year end were not the liabilities associated with those were not originally accorded recorded um due to some nuances in the way that the fund accounting works and and the um establishment of those funds and the in the accounting software. Um so we've we've recommended that the district implement um formal policies and procedures to make sure that um when bonds are issued all the um debits and credits are properly recorded with in association with those and that those procedures are reviewed and approved as well. Management's response to that first item is going to be included um on page 10. So there's information there that management has provided to us that we've included here for your review. The significant deficiency is included on page 11 and then management's response
256starts on on page 11 at the bottom and goes on onto page 12. So a a third nickel was allocated to the building fund during the fiscal year. Um and so the recommendation there is that the excess funds um be transferred from the building fund to the general fund and that a policy be implemented going forward to ensure that something like that doesn't happen again. >> Aside from that, the last um hold I'm sorry to interrupt you. If you are in the audience, please keep side conversations down. If you need to have a side conversation, you may step out into the hallway or the lobby, but just so that we can hear the presentation, please keep side conversations out of this room. Thank you. The last item of note in this document would be just
257the upcoming Gazsby. So, um, believe Katie's already mentioned Gazsby statement 103 and 104 will be um, the district will implement those Gazsby statements next year. One question I have or did you have a question board member green? No. >> Um, you are a large firm so you kind of see the national trends. Um, when you look at the national trends in school district finances, um, from a bird's eye view, where does County Public Schools fall? Are we an outlier? What how does it fall? >> I mean, in the current environment, we're hearing a lot about school districts throughout the United States struggling. Um, I don't have any details at this time about how you would compare specifically, but there's a lot of talk about obviously reduced federal federal funding and things of that nature. >>
258Thank you. Any other questions, board members? board. >> Chair Murphy. Yes. Thank you. So, um, talking about the changes that the accounting changes, the Gatsby changes. So, you've listed that there's two more that are coming forward and so I'm assuming that management is looking at this and preparing for that. Beyond these two, do we think that they'll continue changes or or is it kind of like there's some changes and we take a moment and then there's changes and we take a moment like where are we in that cycle? Currently there are no other changes besides the two that are listed here um in the pipeline. >> Thank you. >> In related to the changes um when we see the changes coming we try to prepare accordingly as far as making sure we get the acquired
259training and so forth. like one of the comments mentioned um that's one of the struggles that we have is that it's so large that we have to deal with in the trainings that we offer cuz I'm on the board of Casville for example and what we deal with is probably what only Jefferson County deals with. So we talk about this is in Fund 9. Fund 9 is a fund that a lot of school districts do not utilize but we utilize it just for liabilities. And the mistake that we made was we was thinking that because we didn't pay for them funds in 25, we should not record the liability in 25 although we record everything else. And so um we know better, we do better. Um we take any management comment that we get in
260here as opportunity for improvement and we do so and put definitely put together um a tracking statement, a training statement and um checklist to make sure we incur those things. >> Thank you. Following up on that, you had mentioned well in the response is that targeted training. Will that be um does that exist? And if it well, if and when it does, you'll bring that forward to us um for consideration. Is that correct? >> Yes. I mean, one of the trainings we do do is um what y'all call it? LBM University. Is that what it's called? Yeah. Um that we get to make sure staff attend that. That's in Louisville. Um and it's not overnight stay. We just drive down there and come back. Um but it's also again um [clears throat] to be able
261to do trainings with other urban school districts helps us understand and do more to make sure we talked about we have significant turnover in the position that was required for that. Um now we realize that we should have more insight in the fund n are going to structure oursel accordingly to address those. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Any other questions for me? Okay, thank you. >> Thank you all very much. Uh we will ask the board to vote and accept the audit at the December 8th, 2025 planning meeting. And now for our action items this evening. First, I would like to ask internal auditor Nick to come forward and introduce members of the district audit committee. The board asked this committee of community members to advise them regarding the external review of district budget and
262finances. They are here this evening to present that recommendation. Wait, he's holding. Good evening board. Uh again, my name is Nick Clark. I'm the internal auditor for the district and I have three of our voting members of from the audit committee. uh and I will let them present themsel and go through the recommendation. >> I'm Dave Osborne, been on the audit committee since uh 2014. >> My name is Lindseay Dial and I have been on the audit committee for the last six months. >> Uh Larry Forester, I've been on the audit committee quite some time too when we were in that old building. I don't know the exact date, Dave. >> It's fine. Um, it's like 10 o'clock, so yeah. >> Um, >> can you I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Forester. Can you all
263also just give some of your professional credentials as well? >> Yes. Um, I'm a 20 year banking um experience. I work for Fort Bank, senior vice president there. I've been in uh pretty much Kentucky these whole last 25 years. Uh 20 of those years I've been in the banking industry. and I am a CPA licensed in Kentucky. Formerly, I was an auditor just like um the auditors that previously spoke. I am currently with Gray Construction as a senior project accountant there. >> So, I am certified internal auditor. I worked 31 years at Ashland as an internal auditor. I am now teaching audit at Transsylvania University and have taught audit at the University of Kentucky. >> Okay. Um [clears throat] so we can start uh just kind of based on your guidance that uh we received
264and the scope of work. Uh we put out the RFP and I think uh everyone has the scoring sheet and that scoring sheet uh reflects nine companies that responded to the RFP. Uh we had five main areas of that which was technical, qualification, experience, availability and cost. Um those five um main areas was weighted by the audit committee. Um there was no County um public school employee involved with this waiting process. It was all us uh pro bono as we like to call it internally. Um and with that we had a uh basically the the company that received the highest score was Weaver. Uh but I want wanted to point out uh Weaver's score um between the first place score and the third place score. It was 68 um difference between the first and third
265place. So um you had a pretty tight window between the first, second, and third place score. And >> [clears throat] >> um I know Lindsay, you want to add to that? Yes, I would just like to restate that we selected and reviewed all of the firms requests for proposal, which is what RFP stands for, and that we essentially graded them for an optimal balance of technical methodology that they were going to be used. We um reviewed their relevant experience. We also reviewed any references that they had provided as well showing that they had performed either similar um procedures that we were looking for in our scope. We also um looked at which would be the most costefficient and the which one had the most timely resources available in order to meet our timeline. >> Thank
266you. So, with that being said, uh we would like to open it up for any questions that you may have um concerning that um that's kind of in our pro where we are right now. Not sure what those questions may be, but we'll do our best to answer them if we can. >> Thank you. B M Green, >> you can go ahead. I I just my question is have you what communication if any have you had with um or what information have you reviewed from the auditor of public accounts and uh how did that factor into your uh consideration of the RFP um and how whatever external audit firm we bring in could work in tandem with uh with what may be anticipated from them. >> Nick, you want to ask that? Yes. Uh as
267the scope that was created initially is very flexible in that regard. So therefore the intention is that if we choose to go with somebody that we work closely to make sure that we adjust adjust the scope where necessary to help reduce any redundancies and duplications of services and kind of work in conjunction with what the APA is doing, not against directly what the APA is doing. So, >> and have we received a specific scope from the APA's office outside what they've shared with the media? >> I have not seen one. No. >> Thank you. >> Murphy reminding, >> have you specifically reached out to the auditor's office and shared this scope that we have with them? Yes. Get their thoughts. Okay. I have I have talked with uh the our contact person not Allison Ball
268per se but the contact person for us two or three times and said hey you know we're when we first started this process saying hey the board has asked the audit committee to look at the creating a scope we're looking at this once you all approve the scope I did provide that scope to them to say hey you know our board has approved moving forward with RFP this is the scope of work they're looking at so >> and have we gotten feedback back about that and I only asked because the letter that we received was pretty clear that um if we are not working together that we would need to pay for their end of the state audit that they're doing as well. >> The only communication that I have seen is that letter that
269came to address to the district. So >> um I appreciate that reach out to them for that clarification. I would be very hesitant to move forward with anything without hearing back from them um and having to pay for an audit for ourselves and then having to pay for an audit any audit that the state is doing which seems to be fairly comprehensive. I mean it it's worrisome when we're looking at the full scope of our budget and the full scope of the ask of what we're being asked to look at as far as our facilities are concerned and programming. So, I'm asking if we could get some clarification at some point on that, even if it's seeing if we can get a meeting um before we move forward. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Board
270members, >> chair Murphy, >> Bor, >> can we get that clarification before we move forward? I just want confirmation [clears throat] of that because like I said, that letter to me was pretty darn clear as >> well. My understanding is we've tried to get clarification. Is that correct? >> I mean, I haven't reached out to them since that letter, since we received that letter, but I am I mean, I can reach out to them. That's not an issue. And I can try to see and try to make sure they understand that we want to work with them, alongside of them. We're not trying to work against them by any means. I can uh communicate with them to get that for sure. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. I just want to make sure we do
271our due diligence as far go as far as we need to go to make sure that um we're we're working together >> completely. >> And related to that, did the they indicate any timeline? >> The initial meeting that we had with them, the timeline was they would potentially have something for us in April. You're talking about the APA, correct? >> Yes, correct. >> They or well in spring. They would have something for us in the spring. Okay. But they didn't say if early spring, late spring, it just said they would try to their intentions were to have something in spring. And I haven't since all the information that they requested initially was provided to them, I haven't gotten any additional communication back on scheduling anything, asking for more information at this point yet. So, >>
272and what would the timeline be? And you all could answer this too. Uh the timeline if we pursue an an external audit, what kind of timeline are we looking at? So the audit is to oversee December 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2026. And roughly from reviewing all of the RFPs, most of them were about 3 months. We budgeted approximately 500 hours worth of work for the auditors to do. Um, so however they see that fit. Also, I'll include that in the RFPs, many of them had very specific schedules of what they would do weekto week in order to accomplish our full scope that we were looking for. >> Excuse me, chair. I also Mr. >> also would like to mention that the uh RPS also uh stated that they would work alongside uh the state
273auditor's office as well. Um and also Dr. Monday just so you that's about all we had up to that point. So I don't want to say something else but I did see that in their RFPs that they were they were aware of you know our concerns you know the citizens concerns very aware. >> Thank you. So it sounds like from the timeline is it possible that this external audit could be concluding as the state audit is getting underway and there is an opportunity for greater [snorts] clarity on avoiding duplication or using the services. I I think they could be going on alongside each other. I think because I think I have a feeling that and I'm not this is just speaking that the APA will start probably here in the next little bit [snorts] digging
274more into starting having interviews making additional requests. So it would be going side by side. So therefore, you know, being able to work with them is, you know, that's not an issue from my standpoint. Being able to help facilitate that and say, okay, hey, you know, uh, we need to, you know, APA is already looking at this. Can we, you know, scale back, look at this other area, you know, try to provide that additional guidance from them. So, uh, but as far as the final reports, I think, you know, really, like I said, I think like Lindsay said, they're talking these firms are talking 3 months, but there was a couple that were a little bit longer in there. So, I think we'll be, you know, the timelines are going to be pretty consistently the
275same. >> Thank you, Bree. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. Um, so I had several questions. The first was the RFP process itself. Is this um indicative of what happens in the professional field as well when you go for ex um to hire external auditors and can you explain that? >> Yes, I would say that this is almost the identical process. Um it's really up to you guys how formalized the process is. Um, but the goal is to the goal is to get multiple RFPs so you can compare and contrast against them to see what services they can provide. Was it the audit committee's understanding that part of the scope um that the board the scope of work was that there was a time factor to really learn about internal if there were internal controls that
276could be corrected so that it could be done for the next budget cycle was that your all's understanding in the understanding of those that answered the RFP >> yes >> that was that was clearly stated by the in the RFP that they would do that kind of work uh whatever was laid out how we worded the RF FP they responded uh to those points. So the answer to your question would be yes >> and then just a clarification on the answers to the RFP they they were very aware that we have the state auditor why we don't know the scope um that they may come in and mentioned a scope and then they're willing to be flexible with that as well. >> Yes >> from our stand understanding. Correct. >> Thank you. So based on
277the proposed [clears throat] contract then if the board opts to engage in this RFP then how much flexibility do we have to one how much flexibility do we have to tailor the scope of work to meet uh whatever additional information comes from the APA and number two um could we uh get to a point where we by engaging with a firm now that gives gives us an opportunity to work more specifically and precisely with the APA to give them someone to sit down with and see if they can work in tandem and collaboration. Do do either of those questions make sense? >> Go ahead. You want >> Could you repeat your first question again? Yeah, the first question is uh what how much flexibility do we have in a potential contract uh where if the
278scope needs to change based on additional information we learned from the auditor of public accounts? >> Nick, [clears throat] you want address that just a little bit? Yeah, I I think uh with the way our uh scope was originally created, it left that ability for us to be very flexible and work, you know, like I said, alongside each other. They can work alongside each other. Uh that there shouldn't be any issues with, you know, having to make changes to that as we progress forward. And then if is there an advantage in our collaboration with the auditor of public accounts, is there an advantage to having a contract in place with the firm? Um when we go back and ask for additional information? >> Asking for additional information from who? I guess >> the from the
279auditor of public accounts since we don't have a clear scope of work for them yet. >> U I don't know that I can answer that honestly. I I don't know the answer to that. >> It would be speculation. I understand. I appreciate that. Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't feel comfortable. >> Okay. So, you all I mean you see the whole landscape. You see the position the board is in. You see the we have the request from the community for um an external audit. You've seen the scope of work that the board uh sent out and then you've also seen the communic the communication we've gotten from the public accounts. So in light of that context and applying your professional understanding, uh is your recommendation still that the board needs to move forward with engaging with
280an external auditor? >> Yes. But I think it's very important that we get with the APA to get that scope as tight as we can get it because right now it is as broad as it can be. So, I think we would it would help us a lot in determining in answering your question if we could just get a little bit more definitive commentary from the the auditor. So, if we would we be putting the cart before the horse if we go ahead and engage with the firm before we get that clarity from the auditor or can we go ahead and engage with the firm and then sit down with the auditor and get additional information? If you approve it with the recommendation that we that the school district make sure that that's been in
281place and somebody follow up with it, then that's what should be done based on how the board approves it. >> Chair Murphy >> board Monday. >> I would be far more comfortable with tableabling this until we have that conversation. I just for me reading that letter, it was pretty clear to me um that that is what they expected to happen and I just think that we should do that. Um and also I would be interested in um tableabling this discussion because in light of discussions that have came up with the right size group and looking at contracts for student programs if we've got you know contracts for student programs that are around this same amount that are being looked at. I think we should take a big pause before we agree to move forward with
282paying for something that's that same amount and prioritize our student programs versus the audit. And then we just need to work with the state auditor and know that we're going to get the information we get and accept that because that's what our budget allows us to do. And I know when we set out we said, you know, we want to limit the impact on students as much as possible. And just while that's on the table, I just I don't feel comfortable voting to pay for an audit to look at the financial situation that we've put ourselves in and taking something away from the students in order to do that. So, I motion to table this until we talk to um the auditor to get a better understanding of the scope um and proceeding forward with
283um this piece and until we have a conversation um on December 8th regarding um the right size group recommendations. And I also want to say thank you for your time. I don't want you to think that I do not appreciate the the proono work that you do. Um I'm in public service. I 100% understand, but also um I've gone to the stables. I've seen these students. We just need to make sure that our priorities are in the right place. And if we vote for this tonight, I don't feel that they are. >> Well, and just to get clarification though, Mr. Forest, you recommended uh if we approve it with the recommendation that does that lock the board into anything if we don't receive what you're requesting? I mean, I'm not your attorney, >> so I
284want to speak legally for that. I would say, you know, discuss it with your attorney. But, >> you know, in the business world, you you can approve it subject to >> um you know, we are here because the board asked us to be here. >> Yes, >> we're not here, no other reason, but the board asked us to look at it. So, but we know there's a there's a lot of things that that are going on both sides. I too have kids in the school system. So, I'm just as concerned as Dr. Monday on everything. So, but um it just has to be the right thing for the right reasons. >> Mhm. >> And [clears throat] but the board, I think this is your decision to make. You have really three companies you want to
285choose. Of course, we we picked the one with the highest score, but we're not here to force you to make any decisions. We're here just to let you know how that we came up with that decision. >> So, we'll leave that in your hands to determine how that goes. Um, but I do think you may want to kind of talk to your attorney on that because I have not read the, you know, the legal jargon if Yeah. get out of that. So, I don't want to answer that question without knowing that. >> And and he would need to review that. And I do want to and I I certainly understand and I agree about the um priorities and I think it's also important because one of the reasons the board asked and directed you all
286to do this is because we heard consistently that we it's not just about looking backward. It's about looking forward and what type of internal controls might be necessary uh moving forward, especially board member Green mentioned ahead of the budget process because we could learn vital information from an external audit that will then empower us to create a budget that maximizes to the best of our ability uh the support for our students and families. So, uh, that is valuable information and, uh, moving with all deliberate speed. Um, but in a way that where we're doing our our acting in good faith and we got we I know that there's a desire among this committee and among our staff and uh, whatever firm we would engage in to work in good faith with the auditor's office, but
287we just need a little more clarity, it sounds like. So, uh, we're green. Chair Murphy. Um I would be amendable to um waiting till we hear a response from the um the auditor and making that I think that that's enough and then also clarity about the budgeting um where line items. I don't um there was I feel like there might be a little bit of confusion of taking money from one space and to pay for another. Um just making sure we're educating the board and the public that we're not taking from students to pay for any anything um on this space. Yes. So, I'm amendable to that and it doesn't I mean if the if the board is at consensus, it doesn't necessarily require a motion to table. We can just postpone uh no taking
288no action on this tonight would would automatically postpone it uh until Mr. Clark, if we can get a scope of work from the auditors pinned down uh the best we can, >> I will reach out to them and see what I can get from them. uh last conversation is they typically their request for information is kind of to the extent that but I will definitely reach back out and reiterate that hey we would really like an additional more in-depth more detailed scope of work. >> Yeah and they're they're welcome to come to a meeting uh if they want to present or or >> give us a chance to ask questions. I will provide that as an option to >> and uh and again I think it's important though that um we the board acted with
289uh directives to the audit committee to engage in external audit to evaluate all of our internal controls and processes. That's our obligation uh to the community and to the district. And so that's what brought us here this evening. And so as much information as we can get to clarify that. But I do think that we need to uh see the full scope of work. >> Green, >> I just wanted to say thank you again to the committee members that are here and not here. It is a substantial amount of proono work that you all have provided and your expertise is invaluable and so I appreciate that. I think at the very beginning of this process, some of us me, you know, we don't know all these terms um and even understanding the process. So I
290appreciate this is just another example of how our community is dedicated to our students because I think the overarching goal of what we heard from the community developing the scope of work and creating the RFP process as we are trying to move forward and make sure that we are providing the most resources and in the best appropriate way for our students and you all are a major part of that. So, I just wanted to highlight and recognize your work >> and and I still have some questions. >> I mean, there is a motion on the table. I don't know if it needs to be withdrawn or if you want to withdraw your motion or there is still a motion on the table, but um I also thank you for your service. I'm sorry we're here
291at 10:15. Um I just wanted to know how were the how was the RFP shared or distributed? I'll answer that. It was through our typical chain. We use bidnet and we reached out through any firms on that. And then additionally, we looked at contacting large firms throughout the country. So, we reached out. There was, you know, we had one firm uh from San Diego, a firm from New Jersey, New York. Uh I think there was a firm from uh I think St. Louis or I think as well. So reached out to, you know, numerous different accounting and auditing firms to try to get see if they had any interest in putting in an RFP. >> Well, >> I should also mention on bidet, any audit firm or advisory services firm has access to that. They
292don't necessarily have to be directly invited in order to send us an RFP to review. >> Right. Correct. >> Okay. Well, well, that helps and that answers some of my question. But then so you did reach out to specific firms. >> We reached out to to some of the larger firms across the country. >> And can you tell me which of these on this list you reached out? >> Harsh uh Harshwall, CLA, uh Plant Moran. Uh those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. >> You didn't reach out to Weaver and >> Dean Dorton and Sherry Beckert as well. >> Weaver is on bid net. Uh we were Dean Dorton, Barnes, Denning, you know, the firms of course that responded. Uh >> but no, I did not reach out
293to Weaver. They were on bid net. So they before they received [clears throat] that information. >> Well, and I apologize if you've already said this. I assume the scoring was blind. You just looked at the proposal without the names, >> without the company names. >> No, you can't. >> No, we all the RFP is like has all their branding on it. Yes. >> Everything. Okay. So, you knew knew who it was when you were scoring them. Okay. >> Well, and then I mean my tendency is to use local if we're going to do this to use local firms. It's with local tax dollars. I feel that way about architects, engineers, construction. I feel that way about >> um and always have. So are I guess are any of these now my question is are any
294of these headquartered in Kentucky or even in Lexington? >> Dean Dorton Deanort >> is that is that the only one >> uh in Lexington? No, Cherry Beckard has an office here in Lexington as well. Uh >> but they're not necessarily headquartered here. >> I'm not sure. >> No, they are not they are not headquartered and you may not know. That's okay. Um Forbes also has an office in Louisville and other locations. Yeah. >> Um, >> so that's going to be the bottom three. Okay. Those would be all the local. I mean, and you mentioned >> except for Dean Dean Norton was one of the the top three. So, >> right. >> Yeah. Bottom three of your table. >> And they scored higher on cost, but not necessarily on [snorts] technical or I mean it's very
295close as you said. >> Yeah. Less than a point spread between the top three. Yes. So in any of those that are out of state or was was travel to the district included in their in their proposals? >> No. >> So we would have to pay extra >> if they came into the district. >> Okay. >> So travel costs and then is the um and I know it's a somewhat of a stab in the dark based on 500 hours. The 121,000 is that uh the limit? Is that a maximum? That's what they're estimating at 500 hours. So, you know, if they went over 500 hours, of course, the cost >> Well, I was going to say we can't say you can't go over this amount. I mean, >> I mean, we could, but they may
296not stop in the middle of their Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. So, so it could be more, it could be less. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's all. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Chair Murphy, >> can I ask one more question? >> Um, what fund would this be paid out of? This would be coming out of general fund is where it would. So, >> thank you. >> Yes. >> And you all are auditors. So, um the auditor of public accounts obviously has a small shop. Um does the auditor when the auditor of public accounts engages in uh extensive audits? Is it uncommon for them to contract with outside firms? >> You can answer that one. I have not worked with the auditor of public accounts. >> Thank you. >> Me either. And I I don't
297think it's actually we should answer that question. >> Okay. >> I think that's a question they need to answer. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And that may be something worth exploring as well if they intend to engage with an an outside firm in this work because that can also help inform us as well. >> Question. And if there are additional questions that you all think that should be proposed to the uh APA's office, then certainly you can share them with with Mr. Clark or with us and we'll make sure they will get uh to them. >> Okay. Are you is everyone good on the Do you withdraw the motion to table? >> Yep. I withdraw the motion to table. Okay, very good. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you. >> Uhhuh. >> So, just to
298recap again, we will uh hear hopefully [clears throat] on December 8th. Uh we'll put this back on uh the agenda and hopefully have additional information from the auditor of public accounts. Um it's also on December 8th, I believe it is that we're expecting an update from the project right size group. Is that correct? or one of the December meetings >> potentially. >> Yes. Okay. And so hopefully that can help clarify some of the uh misinformation uh that has been circulating about that work. So thank you all and I'll turn the agenda back over to Superintendent Ligans. >> All righty. Thank you. At this time I would like to call uh Rodney Jackson to go over our monthly financial report. Please. Good evening. This is the monthly financial report for the month of October 2025 portrait
299of a graduate our strategic priorities which is be organizational health and effectiveness. Here's a general fun comparison. So last month we discussed what changes you would like to see related to how we present this report. So um the changes that you see immediately is that we've added the fund balance. So you can see that owners report. It wasn't on there before. We've also um addressed the carry forward balance and you see that shows an um actual 26.6. Now again we produced this report before knowing that the auditors was going to restate 2024 related to um Gatsby 101. So as we worked with them we will make that adjustment accordingly. However that all falls out. You see in revenue 35% last year versus 44% this year. Um the majority of 44% again is related to property
300taxes that came in through receivables that we got at the end of the year. I mean end of the month, excuse me. Expenses on line 19% for both and I will discuss that in more detail later. [snorts] Another way to look at is through these um charts and you will see for 2024 25 um it was 20 234 million at this time versus $34 million approximately $70 million difference. Um most likely this will level out in Octo I mean sorry in next month's report as I reported to you last month we have about 100 or so million to come in in October and about anotherund or so million in um November. So we we we still are getting probably tax funds that come in, but it may level out as far as comparison previous years.
301So when you take out the beginning balance, um which shows the true where we're truly at, you see 191 million versus 277 million, which is $86 million difference. On the expense side, we have 128.7 million in 2024 25 versus 132.5 million. That's $3.7 million difference. [snorts] Okay. On this report, um you asked me to remove the ad valorum and break out utilities and occupational license tax and I did that accordingly for this month and it shows the revenue related to that. Again, you'll see that um Avalorum is a 77% has a large part to do with the property taxes that we received on expenditure side. Um this shows it comes down to 19%. Um and you can see um fund transfer and I will discuss that um later in the presentation is one of the
302largest expenses there. Related to safety you asked me to add general fund safety that we do in addition to the safety tax nickel. As you can see we received 19.5 million. The whole amount is budgeted and expenses accordingly. We spent 6.1 million remaining budgets 13.3 million and 32%. Um this um account changes whatever working with the budget team. We're going to make sure that we realign that based on what's actually happened. That 955,000 has something to do with the technology safety thing we had to put in place. So we would adjust that accordingly to make sure it realigns. But again at the time you know when we had to produce this report we produce it as it see at the particular time. Investments you will see that you will note that the dates that investments
303come due is in um on paydays. We do that on purpose to make sure we're maximizing the amount of money that we can get off of interest and also to make sure that we have the enough money to pay our payroll when it actually occurs. And at this point, there's an additional 1.5 approximately that we will be getting throughout the year. Um, as more funds come in related to property taxes and or other sources, we continue to work with our bank to see how we can maximize getting the most out of our investments. So, notes for October. Um, we received notes notices by email from the um sheriff's office. The first two 92.4 4 and um I'm sorry the 192.4 and the 18.4 we received the notice on October the 29th that those funds have
304been received and we'll be receiving them any day. That's why receivable was booked and we have booked that accordingly very early. And then the 15.5 we got on October 28th and did that accordingly. Also Marcy Thomasson fund we transferred completely to Bluegrass Community Foundation. the Marcy Thomasson um board said that they can maximize um better through Bluegrass Community Foundation with other opportunities. I talked to Mr. Thomasson and I talked to the Bluegrass Community Foundation and we've finalized that in relation to fund to revenue. Um there's been some issues, concerns raised about that. Um we've looked at this very closely and we are expecting approximately $12.5 million that's going to be coming in at any time. Hopefully with the federal slowdown being over we can work through that in relation to fund 52 um that was
305brought up early related to the inter fund transfers. At the time um we did that we did that in the end of the year again because we noticed that as enterprise fund we have not been taking indirect cost that covers everything from utilities c um custodial work anything else overhead that we normally have for those funds. Um when we did that, we did it immediately. Then subsequently with conversations with the superintendent and others, we basically looked at it closely related to enterprise funds as they tie very close to the general fund. And so for example, in 2026, we're not going to take indirect costs on food service cuz food service is already in the hole. Additionally related to 2026, we realized that immediately, so on day one, we make sure all the budgets for 152
306were fully functional and fully um booked. So any school can purchase anything they wanted to as part of new process. We also looked at um how the workbooks work. So when staffing workbooks happen, they buy up teachers and [music] other staff utilizing those funds. We waited [snorts] that was reconciled along with the the actual audit and we booked the revenue to them and then we took out $1.6 million which covered the amount of staff related to that accordingly. Are there any questions or concerns? >> I have a question. >> Yes, ma'am. Um, sorry, I'm going back to I take take notes when the public speaks. Um, since you did address some things that people have had concerns about, can you address Mr. Vid's concerns that the district moved tax exempt construction dollars to to the
307general fund? >> We did not move tax ex exemption dollars to the general fund. all of our money is in one bank account except for food service account. So, there are six different ways that you can address um that type of situation used throughout Kentucky and none of them are illegal. The first one is maintain a healthy fund balance and a fund balance is not enough. As I reported to y'all, even if it was at 6%, it wouldn't be enough to how much salaries and friend we have coming out at that time. >> I'm sorry. You said you can use bond dollars to maintain a healthy fund balance. Is that >> No, that's not what I said. I said, "I'm giving you six different ways and I'm going to tell you which one we used."
308>> And what was the first one? You >> The first one is maintain a healthy fund balance. So [snorts] you have a healthy fund balance at the end of the year. You don't need to do anything. >> If we do that, we won't use what you're saying. >> Um cash flow planning. You can use cash flow planning to say you only place salaries and fringes and you delay other things such as purchases during the year. Um timing of seek payments. Um some school districts there's a tenative seek budget. you can utilize that and we know it's tentative and you can take that amount and then on the front end it' be a higher amount and then you know on the back end it can go from there. And then there's inter fun utilization which is
309where you have funds already in your bank account to avoid paying for interest and other tax um anticipation loan and so forth. And then there's um short-term borrow borrowing. If you wanted to do a tax anticipation loan to do that, have to incur that expense. And then expense and payroll scheduling. Well, we have no choice. When we pay our payroll, it comes out from there. So, we chose option four and utilization. And immediately because of the timing of how everything worked out, we were fine. >> I'm sorry, you chose option four, which is utilization. Can you explain that? utilization of the cash we had on hand in our bank account. >> And what was the cash we had on hand in our bank account? >> Um about 200300,000 $300 million, I'm sorry. >> And where
310did that come from? >> It it came from several sources, but one of them that was mentioned by Mr. V has to do with um the bond sale. >> Okay. I I mean, I'm really just trying to understand. So um >> Okay. Thank you. Any additional questions, board members? Thank you, Mr. Jackson. Go ahead. >> Okay. At this time, if there are no further questions, entertain a motion to accept the monthly treasures report. Is there a motion? >> So move. >> Second. A motion by board member Christian, second by board member Green. All in favor, any discussion? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> No. >> Motion carries. 32. >> Dr. Ligans. >> Thank you, Rodney. And board members, I conclude action items. Underformational items this evening to include six
311written reports for your review, including the personnel changes for November. the running board approved contracts, fall 2025 Brigance kindergarten screener data, the monthly construction update, the budget transfer report, and the school activities funds report. At this time, I would turn the meeting back over to you, Chairman Murphy. We do not have a need to go into close session this evening after all. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, at this time, I'll enter a motion to approve the consent items as listed. Is there a motion? >> Some moved. >> Uh, the motion member on Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Borman Christian. All in favor of adopt. Any discussion? All in favor of approving the consent items as listed say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Uh motion carries. 5-0. Uh the next portion
312of our agenda is where members of the public may address the board on any topic district related concern that is not on the official agenda for this meeting. This is not intended to be a time for debate or direct engagement uh with the board. Uh members of the public are encouraged to model civil respectful behavior. We do have uh 25 individuals signed up to speak. I'll ask them to keep their remarks to 90 seconds or less. And our first speaker this evening is for this portion of the meeting is Kevin Ferris. Uh, thank you all. Uh, my name is Kevin Ferris. I am the program director or principal of the stables program. Uh before I begin tonight, I just want to give a big shout out to all the stables family, friends, and supporters. And
313specifically, we have about 10 students here tonight who have been here since before 6:00. And as it goes past 10:30, I'm proud to say they're still here because that's how much they care about their school and how much they care about their program. When I talk about program schools, uh I honestly believe they are the crown jewels of Fyet County Public Schools. Program schools show that FCPS recognizes that education is not a one-sizefits-all endeavor and that we can provide multiple roads to achieve success. We all have the same goal, high school graduation, and the Stables is proud to be a valued option for Fyet County Public School students. The Stables provides a unique evidence-based therapeutic learning environment that cannot be replicated because of our unique community partnership with Central Kentucky Writing for Hope. And as
314the clock ticks down, I want to say there's been some several statements about misinformation and that nobody has talked about closing or consolidating schools. But the committee last week was discussing cancelling the contract with Central Kentucky Writing for Hope. And as I said at that meeting, I want to say here cancelelling that contract would end the stables program. Uh because we cannot be replicated. It's a stu it's a support system for students who cannot exist successfully in other schools. We offer smaller classrooms, emotional mental support, and work with PATH certified instructors via Central Kentucky Writing for Hope. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Paris. Our next speaker is Jeffrey Zhan. I'm a special education uh PAR educator. I come to the stables in 2022 with an extensive background in mental health education and over 38 years
315associated with 30 uh with the thoroughbred industry. I've even trained horses for the races. One of the things that I've been able to do is not only work with our students in the classroom, but I'm one of the few staff that have been able to walk into the barn and continue to work with the CKR staff with the students. I have seen the autistic frustrated student calm down with our therapy horses. I have seen the high anxiety student gain confidence by being with our therapy horses. I have seen uh the student who was belligerent, not wanting to complete their task, learn how to complete tasks in the barn and come into the classroom and learn how to finish their task. I want to be real clear that these are therapy horses at the CKR. They're
316not just horses out there eating grass. They have to be trained to be therapeutic horses. If they don't meet the standards, they go back to their original owner. And finally, being in the thoroughbred industry, there is money that could be ma uh help us with our program. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Our next speaker this evening is uh bless you. Our next speaker this evening is Tera Moer, who's had time yielded from Theresa Menty Krovo. So, you'll have three minutes. Good evening everybody. I'm Tariq Mohler. I have Lyric and uh London with me. We're here to support the Stables. I have a child that attends the stables. She's been at the stables since 9th grade. She is a senior this year with the stables. She's been able to complete tasks, become a social butterfly. She
317I wanted her to get up here tonight. However, she didn't get up here. But she did write a letter. Her and her teachers sat down together. And I'm here to read it for her. It says, "Being at the stables has enabled me to be more independent and to begin to open up to new friendships and possibilities. I enjoy going to school now because I feel like I belong and can relate to people like myself. In my regular school, I often didn't understand or relate to the students. This caused me to have behavioral issues and struggle in the classroom. I had autism in my former schools. Being at the stables, I have a sense of belonging. The teachers assist me and encourage me to think of my goals and help me to see that I can
318achieve anything I put my mind to. They assist me with my assignments while teaching me to be independent and to think how school work relates to everyday living. Working in the barn has helped me to learn and neuter and not to be afraid of the animals. This also helps with my emotional and mental well-being. Working and taking care of the horses and animals helps me to focus and to be calm when I'm having a bad day. If the stables closes, I really don't know where people like me will get the help they need. Um, she has done a complete 360 in my eyes as a parent seeing her. Um, when we first came out of middle school, she went into Bron Station High School and they had a day, Bday. She was so confused. She
319didn't even know how to do the locker. and their go-to was send her to MLK. And I was like, MLK, that is a behavioral score. She has autism spectrum disorder. Not only does she has that, she has been diagnosed with uh selective mutism. I didn't even know what that was cuz I personally have selective hearing. So, I Googled it and it was a thing. And now she'll get up here and she'll talk. She sees a doctor, she hasn't even talked to this doctor in three years. This doctor don't even think she knows how to talk. She started out at the stables, she was not talking. Now we can't get her to stop talking. So the stables and their staff have been a blessing to my child, not only my child, other kids. Each child comes
320through different walks in life. I can personally say the stables has definitely helped my child and hopefully they'll be around to help other kids like my child. But that's all I have to say. >> Thank you. >> Say the baby. >> Thank you, Miss Miller. Our next speaker is Donna Verhovven. kind of continuation, but it is a different and it wasn't on the agenda and kind of someone asked for it. Um part it does relate to the agenda. It actually is dealing with the uh position control document that famous words. And by the way, that governance manual that is not on y'all's month on the calendar anymore of any type of position listing. I'll send an email on that. Um anyway, last year when the audit was presented to the board, the only thing that
321really talked about was how the fund balance had reduced and I'm because of timing and it was mainly due to salaries and she said that it was due to uh increase additional salaries who come to the district because of those salary increases. Well, Superintendent Lianigans asked for it to be clarified that what she was talking about was additional staff was not additional staff of new people. It was replacements. Dr. Ligins, let's not forget you added 140 plus more than 140 staff in this building in less than three years. During this time that you said it wasn't due to that, you hired 78 people in fiscal year 2024, which was last year, not this one. You hired 78 people. You have spent 15 million now with raises. So if we need a h 100,000 a year
322for that stables, one position, they're all over [music] $100,000 positions. One position. >> Our next speaker is M. as Micah Nicole. Uh after um Micah Nicole, we'll have Katherine Nicole. >> Hello, Mike and Nicole. Hey, all you students, if y'all are here with the stables and the family, stand up. I want all of the students. These are the students from the stables that have been here since 5:30 fighting for their school. They want this this school. They are st they are here fighting for their school. Y'all are supposed to find waste, fraud, and abuse. Y'all are looking for funds because of waste, fraud, and abuse. look at those students and tell them that they are waste, fraud, and abuse. They want their school to stay open. And y'all are going to cut that school because
323y'all messed up and y'all can't find the money. You've been to their school. My daughter's a senior. She's graduating with a 3.75 this year. That would not happen without that school. And y'all made them wait for 5 hours so that they can sit here and tell y'all what a great school they have. Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? I am upset. Yes, I'm upset because we had to sit here and I had to wait and watch these students fight for their school. That's what y'all are supposed to be doing. You're supposed to be finding waste and fraud. I'm I'm sure there's lots of abuse that y'all can find with these funds and it is not that school. >> Thank you, Miss Nicole. Catherine, our next speaker is Katherine Nicole, followed by uh Miss
324Freda Downey. Let me get up here. >> Hi, my name is Katherine Nicole. You probably heard me by Katherine Sims or you know from the news of course. My name is Katherine Nicole. I'm a graduating senior at the Stables High School. I am deeply concerned about the potential loss of funding for my school. I know I won't be here next year, but I must speak for the hardworking staff and the future students. They all deserve the same opportunities I received. I started at the Stables as a freshman. This place changed my life in a big way. I am graduating this year with a 3.75 GPA, a personal achievement that I credit almost entirely to the supportive and rigid structure provided by the school. I would not have exceeded as well or at all in a
325larger traditional classroom or school setting. Our staff always puts students first. They really care about our mental health and every staff member treats all students with respect and fairness, no matter who they are. Our teachers don't just teach the basics. They truly push you to do better and help you plan for a career in life after school. I saw teachers every day take the time to teach kids one-on-one. The idea of No Child Left Behind was what we did every single day. While the Ecoin program is a great part of the school's identity is not the only reason for my academic success. The undy the undeniable factor that makes the stables the success that it is. The one-on-one experience of the smaller class setting. This individualized intention is in the backbone of student achievement here.
326I ask you to consider the tangible results of my school, the stables and is essential lifeline for students who thrive in a smaller focused environment. Please preserve the funding and the small class structure that defines our school, ensuring that future students can benefit from the same life-changing opportunities and dedicated teaching I have been fortunate enough to receive over the past four years. Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. Our next speaker, our next speaker is uh Freda Downey [applause] followed by Javon Johnson. Miss Downey. Is Miss Downey here? >> Uh Freda Downey. >> Uh Javon Johnson. >> And then following uh following Javon Johnson, we'll have Madison Reynolds. [clears throat] Thank you, sir. >> My name is Jayon Johnson and I have hated going to school my entire life. Then when I was in
327middle school, I would get bullied and harassed for I developed acute deficit and sephomalitis when I was in middle school which transferred and which transformed into MS and which had me need my wheelchair and sometimes I needed a wheelchair and sometimes I didn't and I would be harassed relentlessly at my old school because I because I couldn't do what everybody else could do home when I could do it. They thought I was faking with my wheelchair when I I left I left my [clears throat] middle school to go online and I just became insanely depressed. My sister was already going to the stables and I transferred there and I was expecting that lonesome like feeling that I had always carried through school and that hatred I had but it didn't come because my school cares
328for people. My school helps people and my school makes sure that nobody that steps into that school of roles that goes to that school is alone. And I'm fortunate enough to have a very well a very good structured um home life and a lot of people don't have that. If my school gets shut down, what are kids like me going to do? Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Madison Reynolds. After uh Madison Reynolds, we'll have Isabella Lewis. >> Hi. Um I would like to speak to you all today with no dog in this fight. I don't have children. I don't have anybody in the public school system. All I am is a taxpayer and an aunt. Um my niece Mariah, she's back there and we'll plan on reading something
329to you later. Um this school has changed her life and I would appreciate if you guys could look at me. Leadership comes from the top down. So you should try that. Um these kids have been here for hours. We've been here for hours. I had to have somebody bring me food cuz I was hungry and needed to eat dinner. And some of you guys aren't even looking at us. These kids want this school. This school has changed their life. And you're worried about $100,000. Look at these kids. $100,000. That's it. You can find that somewhere and keep that school open. They're dealing with mental health. They're dealing with physical health. And all they're asking for is their therapeutic courses, their moment where they feel like normal everyday children who are getting an education that is
330going to propel them in life. That's all they're asking for. They're just asking for a normal shot. That's it. And you guys have the opportunity to give that to them. And I hope you take it. I really, really do. You guys have been kind of drugged through the mud up here. And I don't want to do that. I don't think anybody should be drugged through the mud. I hope you guys make the right choice for your children, for the children in the district, and for the taxpayers who are funding these programs. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Isabelle Lewis. After uh Isabelle Lewis, we'll have Becky Tandy. Hi, my name is Hi, my name is Isabelle Lewis. I'm an eighth grader and I'm just going to make this short. This school would not
331be anything without the teachers, the students, the horses, anything. And it's made me feel like I belong. It's all I really can say. >> Our next speaker is Becky Tandy followed by Becky Tandy. We'll have Mariah Jones. [clears throat] >> I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? >> I'm Becky Tandy. I Noel Gray. >> You may. Yes. Thank you. Our next speaker then will be Maria Jones, >> Mariah. I'm sorry. Um, good evening. Um, my name is Maria Jones. I am 15 years old. I'm a sophomore at the Stables and Locust Trace Aggra Science Center. Um, I have been at the Stables for two and a half years. Um, I joined the Stables in 8th grade. Um, at the time I was emotionally and mentally in a bad place for my experience at Wimber Middle School.
332I had been severely bullied by students mentally, emotionally, and physically. Um, I didn't even have a good rel relationship with any of my fellow students. Um, I trusted nobody. Uh, I had very little interest in getting any work done or keeping any of my grades up. The stables though absolutely helped me get back on track completely. Um they helped me to learn to trust again uh and helped me to learn and understand what was actually being taught in the classes which I had never you know understood before. Um and my grades have absolutely skyrocketed since joining the stables and I have a genuine desire to keep my grades up and make sure all my work is done um and in on time. Um, the stables has helped me look more towards my future, and now
333I have um an interest in continuing my education in college, which I have never had before. The smallness of the stables and the closeness of us all has truly created a school family um that you wouldn't see in a regular high school. Um, everybody here cares and everybody feels that. And as I said before, I'm a half day student at Locust Trace and this is my first year there. Although I really enjoy attending Locust Trace Ecoin Pathway, it is nothing like the stables. Yes, Lucas Trace has the horses, but we don't do the things at Locust Trace that we do at the stables. The stables really has changed my life for the better, and I don't know what I would have done. So, I speak for everybody when I say please don't close our school.
334>> Thank you. Our next speaker is Noel Gray. You'll have uh three minutes. Noel Gray. And then after Noel Gray, we'll have Pat Klene. Hello, my name is Noel. I'm a sophomore and I attend the Staples. I started going to the Staples at the beginning of the year. It's made such a difference for me in multiple areas. For example, I had very bad social anxiety at the beginning of the year and now I'm here talking in front of all these people. I've went from having very bad grades to now having a 3.8 GPA and doing college courses. And this would not the things that I get here would not be offered at a traditional high school. Um they offer more one-on-one than a traditional high school. Um which is something that I need to learn.
335They have an ecoin pathway that is very different from Locust Trace. Um they do therapeutic riding which I part participate in and they make us feel very welcome no matter what. It feels like just one big family. We have meals together. We do all the stuff together and cutting the school because people don't know how to spend their money right would just be wrong. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Pat Klene. And after Pat, we have we will have J. Mariah Johnson. >> My name is Pat Klene and I'm the executive director of Central Kentucky Writing for Hope. Um, I want to start out by trying to clear up a misconception that came out of the uh rightsize meeting the other night. Um, where they said where where it was mentioned that
336Fyet County is in partnership with the Kentucky Horse Park. That's not right. You are in partnership with this nonprofit. Um, our nonprofit is 45 years old this year and we've been at the horse park for our whole being. So, we feel very akin with the horse park, but that's not um that you are really in a collaboration with this non with our nonprofit. Um obviously, I I know that you've just listened to many passionate stories and everybody at the stables is so passionate about the program. We cherish this collaboration. We love working with your teachers. We love the students that are there and we feel grateful um all the time for that. I want to mention also that our program is path certified that stands for professional association of therapeutic horsemanship. So everyone there that
337is trained in working with people with disabilities and around horses. So, we are pretty astute at keeping them safe while they were in our barn. Um, I guess I'm running out of time. Thank you, Dr. Mundy, for visiting. And I'd like to issue an invitation to the rest of your board to please come and visit us in person so you can see what's happening. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Klein. Our next speaker is uh Jamra Johnson. And after Jamra Johnson, we'll have Mary Prof. Hi, my name is Jamaria Johnson. I'm in 12th grade. I am a proud student of the Stables. The Stables has shaped me to the person I am today. I have major depression and before I went to the Stables, I felt like I had to do everything perfectly. I thought
338I'd be the perfect student, perfect daughter, perfect anything and everything. I they are my family in every situation, in every way. They're home. They are my home. I don't want to see the school get closed down. They help people who have anxiety, depression, anything you have, they will accept you. They have always accepted anyone who walks through that door. You are family. No matter what you have done, no matter what has happened, they have helped me from they have helped me from suicide. They have helped me from selfharming. They have helped me for realizing that I I can make it past 18. I can do what I want. They re they helped me realize what I can do with my life. And I understand this may seem very small cuz I'm I don't know what
339to say in this ex exact moment, but this is not going to only ruin the people here. Future kids who might need this. Future kids who might my sister needed this. I needed this. Kids in this entire room has needed this. If this closes, this could potentially kill people. This could damage people. This can ruin someone's life. I'm sorry I'm yelling, but this is my house. I'm not going to stand by and watch them get taken. >> Thank you. Our our next speaker [applause] our next speaker is Mary Prophet. And after Mary Prophet, we'll have Jennifer Payton. >> Jennifer Payton. And is Iris Prophet still here? >> Iris. >> Okay. And then after Miss Payton, we'll have uh after Miss Payton, we'll have Matthew Ven. >> Good evening, guys. My name is Jennifer Payton. Um
340I do have some petition papers that some of the students took around different high schools and signed to show that their love for the stables. Um, I'm here tonight on behalf of the stables and I want to tell you a little bit about my story. When I came to the stables, um, I'd always thought about teaching and it had always been on my mind. I actually never thought I was actually smart enough to be a teacher. But when I walked into the stables and I started working with these students and these teachers, I realized that that was where my heart was, with the vulnerable, with the kids that felt like they couldn't be nothing. Through the encourage encouragement of staff and students, I finally knew what my calling was, and that was to help vulnerable
341kids. I have never felt so loved by a group of young people or staff that was willing to accept anyone who walked through the door. Many of these kids are labeled as not wanted, but they wanted each and every person that came through the door. [snorts] It was when I watched them complete assignments and get through the day, I knew that tailoring instruction to each individual need was the way that academic acceleration needed to be. I was at I was that student that fell behind and I sat in the back or laid my head down. My mental health declined and I fell further behind. [clears throat] If I could have been at a school like the stables and had worked that tailored to how I learned and accepted my mental health with hands-on experience such
342as ecoin therapy, I feel I would have been a butterfly >> just like these kids are learning how to be. >> Thank you for your time. Our next speaker is Matthew Vid. After Mr. We'll have Robert Barton. [snorts] >> I'm going to say this a little slower with a little less adrenaline this time. The construction bonds are for three things. Henry Clay, a new elementary school, and buses. Here here's here's the the language from the document the bond document t on regarding the tax exempt status of the bond. The status is based tax exempt status is based on the continued compliance by the district with certain covenants relating to the proceeds of tax advantage bonds. Failure to comply could cause interest to become subject to federal taxation retroactive to the original date of issue. The
343board is required by the internal revenue code of 1986 to comply. Failure to meet those obligations could result in the interest becoming subject to federal income taxation. The board has covenanted covenanted to comply with all such obligations. In order to assure the purchasers of the bonds that the interest thereon will continue to be excludable from gross income tax, the board has covenanted that none of the proceeds of the bonds will be used for any purpose which would cause the interest of the bonds to become subject to federal taxation. You guys used taxexempt municipal bonds to fund working capital for three months. The ending balance was negative $23 million and you floated that gap with taxexempt municipal bonds. Mr. Jackson said it today and it was in the it was in Ligan's email previously. There's no
344question about this. Thank you for your time. Our last speaker this evening is Robert Barton. [applause] >> My name is Robert Barton. I'm a father of a student at the stables. When I got out of the military, we moved back to Kentucky. And we didn't move to Lexington first. It wasn't our first choice, but we moved to Lexington so she could ascend some of the attend some of the best schools in the state. Elementary was perfect. But when district lines were redrawn and she was assigned to Tates Creek for Middle School, that's where our challenges with FCPS began. During middle school, my daughter endured relentless bully bullying. She was stalked in hallways and restrooms and even physically attacked while trying to board the bus. I reached out to the school administration. No help. I called
345and emailed the district office. Stonewalled. I was told we couldn't switch schools just because she was being bullied. Faced with no other option, I pulled her out of Faget County schools and homeschooled her. Years later, as her educational needs grew and my work demands changed, we tried to reenroll her in public school. Eventually, we were told about the stables, we made our way over there to, you know, find out more about it. Before enrolling, we met with Mr. Ferris, and I'll never forget what he said. He said, "Part of our mission here at the stables is to help students and families heal and reintegrate into the public school system. In just three months, he has kept that promise. For the first time in nearly four years, my daughter is thriving. She no longer needs weekly
346therapy. She's confident, engaged, and earning good grades. It's more than a school. It's a lifeline for our most vulnerable students. And if you close it, you're extinguishing that hope and that lifeline. >> Thank you, Mr. Barton. >> That concludes our public comment period for this evening. Can >> I make some clarifying statements? >> Super. >> First of all, thank I certainly appreciate all the students coming. I wanted to just make a comment about the rightsize committee to make sure that everyone's on the same page and understand the right size committee will be looking at every single program that we have. Um the stables rise and George Washington Carver will prioritize due to a contract and due to a building being built. Um, and so every other program in school, whether it's a special program or
347any school, please be respectful, >> will be looked at and considered. So just because it's looked at, I don't want anyone to think that any make any preassumptions that something's been decided. Every single program will be looked at, every single campus, and there's no way we can close 100% of our campuses in program. So I appreciate your passion. I I greatly appreciate hearing from everyone and excited uh that this program is doing so well for our students. But I didn't want anyone to leave with any misconceived notion that just because the committee is speaking about a program that it will be closed. That's the whole point of the committee is to look at every single program. So all 70 that exist in Faget County Public Schools will be looked at and go through the same
348process that these three have gone through uh here recently. How >> about JP? I'll entertain a motion to make the agenda date November 24th, 2025 on which action has been taken this meeting a part of the minutes as of copying the minutes verbatim. Is there a motion to that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bor Mundy. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 5-0. I'll now entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> I move we adjourn tonight's meeting. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Christian. All in favor say I. >> I. The oppos say nay. Thank you. Have a happy Thanksgiving everybody. >> It exists in draft form. So and that's the