001bus for a couple years. We've kind of kicked that down the road. Uh we do need to make a couple purchases this year. So Chad has been doing some research in regards to pricing a little bit and I just want to have him get this out in front of you. This potentially could be an approval item later here in March or for sure in April. Uh there's probably, you know, there's some lag time from the time we order the bus until the time we get it. So uh anyway, but that would have to be a board approval. Um, and depending on the I'm sure we're gonna have to probably go out and get a couple bids because of the prices of them. >> Um, it's just actually what I looked at. It's a state bid.
002>> It is a state bid. >> State bid. >> All right. >> It's all there. All the companies are on there, so it's all state. >> All state bid. Okay. So, we're fine, man. Yeah. So, anyway, um, Chad, >> take it away. >> Well, I'm just looking to see what um an agenda or what kind of a Obviously, they haven't had school buses for two years. Uh we have four route buses that are 2012s. So they're age- wise they're starting I don't know you know how the school if it if you have to put into consideration depreciation when it comes to making decisions on buses as in the school industry as much as um age miles uh buses range anywhere fromund starting the school year at 130,000 all the way up to 154 between the
003four route buses. Um, at the end of the year, one of them's going to have projected to have 165, 152, 153, 138. So, the miles are getting up. They're putting on anywhere from 10 to 12,000 a year. So, and it's just kind of seen what the school board wants to put together for a plan. I know your guys is in the past with talking with John, it was always kind of every other year, buy two, three buses, skip a year. And I've been talking with Donnie and Beth and asking if there's any chance that the school would be interested in getting into a rotation where you would just plan on buying buses every year. So it's not like you're trying to one-year budget 450 or 500,000 and the next nothing where we say, "Hey, every
004year we're going to budget have a budget." So it's kind of built into your budget every year versus trying to find the money. So that's kind of one >> and that's an option. I mean >> it's an option. It's not a requirement, but it's thinking, does it make it easier in the long run where if you say, "Hey, can we budget two buses every year?" Because with running 24 buses, if you get two every year, that means they'll be, you know, by the time you turn them, they're 12 years old. >> Is there any concern if your proposal would be to approve two buses? Would it be two buses for this year before the end of the school year potentially? >> No, I think we discussed it would be the new school year starting in
005July. >> We don't have it in this year's budget. So, we would roll this into the next fiscal year which starts July 1st. So that would be our >> we would we would >> we're pre-planning >> dismiss billing until >> correct >> fiscal year 2027. >> What I have is I have a meeting tomorrow at 10 o'clock with the bus guy. He's coming up tomorrow to have he met with I met with him last month and he's coming back tomorrow to kind of go over things and okay >> get kind of a build timeline because when I talked to him >> a couple weeks ago it was we were able to get them in April. They were only about two three month lead time. So the lead time isn't bad. What kind of kind of
006range are we talking on a bus >> for pricewise? Um, a route bus with the same specs as you guys been getting the last two times. Right now, the current pricing is about $148,000 for a route bus. >> Is that propane? >> That is a propane. >> Yes, it's um >> Sorry, don't say the price again. >> 148 148 126 is the way it's specked out currently. There's a few things I want to go over with them because right now they have us um from factory we can get heated wiper blades on our buses. So when it's icy out that they don't freeze up. Well, it's 450. For an example, they want $450. I can go out and buy them directly from the um from the blade company for $15 and we can put it
007on oursel. So there's things that we would change because that's what we did this fall is I we reached out to the company that I've used before and we just bought them direct. I remember with the I think it's the vans they had like their life was only so long. >> It was there was a 12 year but that there went away a couple years ago. Yeah, that was a statute. >> That was a statue for you guys. >> That you only could run bands for 12 years. >> And how about buses? Is there >> is long as it can pass the DOT? Oh, >> it just gets to a point where like right now we have two of the bus 13 and 14 within the last well bus 13 over Christmas or no 14
008over Christmas we had to run it and put a oil cooler in. It's about $1,000. >> Mhm. >> So there's I mean but you got to look at it's also 12 years old. So that's not a lot of repairs, you know, from what I'm seeing so far is there's not a lot of repairs big expense items yet. But I don't know when they when does that kick in. Negative buses aren't worth nothing, >> right? Sorry, I was going to ask what's >> what could we get on for these? >> Three to five probably if you give them a trade in. My goal would be as I've already talked to Donnie would be is to probably just try to put a list together and reach out to smaller school districts that maybe can't buy new buses
009and throw them, you know, let's say if the deal they would give us, you know, put enough to offset our sales tax and then still put a couple thousand dollar in our pocket to go to them and say, "Hey, you know, here's a bus that we offer to you for six, seven, eight grand depending on whatever the trade in would be, >> right? Because there's because I know they have so school here has sold to Swanville in the past. So there's some smaller schools that maybe would buy them, you know, where a guy can get a little bit, you know, it's not nothing big, but it's got you got to make it worth your energy of >> trying to market it. >> What company do we use right now? >> North Central St. Cloud. >>
010And that's the Bluebird line bus. >> They know the propane site really well. >> They do. Yes. Yes. Um, propane is the way of the future. Um, it is a more expensive motor. You know, it is a more expensive motor because it's an $8,500 upcharge from the line sheet. So, if you buy a diesel buses, diesel buses line, you know, here if you want propane up $85 $8,500 more. If you want gas, $3,000 credit. So, there's 11. >> Ask the guy about rebates when you talked. >> So far, the only thing I found is there's a a $4,000 propane rebate for propane. That's the only thing that I found out there so far that's going on all those the only thing that's been out there recently is electric and I would hope you know that
011we don't have to have that discussion cuz I just don't think until they can figure out the batteries electric. You would think it would be because you're you run a route and the bus sits for six seven hours they could charge up and go again. But I've heard stories Morris has electric bus and it's not working. They can't run it morning and night. it doesn't get charged up enough that I can go back out which is just >> yeah wasteful >> right >> okay >> so um that's on the bus side so depending on what we would approve I mean I have there's four I would like to if depending on where we are approval I also have an idea I talked to Donnie about you know trip you know we I might take one
012of uh our route buses or trip buses and move it to a route bus and get a newer trip bus keeping them buses newer so they look nice they're also more sound for going on when you go on trips at night than that. They have a newer one. So, that's an option depending on what we're what you guys approve or how many. >> Again, the big the big I don't know if we can do four. >> No, I >> one fiscal year, but if that you know, we'll come up with options. >> No, that's what I figured. >> We'll bring it back to you as a board uh and look at you know what get better more involved in the conversation and just look at budget stuff like that. Yeah, like I said, we're also
013looking at saying, you know, when we go forward, do we want to put a plan together that it's like we we're figuring, you know, everything there is specwise. I don't know if there's really there's the government more or less from what I understand is there just certain things you have to get and you can Yeah, you can >> there's a few things you can change and that's a few things I want to talk to the guy tomorrow to see if it's really do we want to spend $243 to have a white roof bus versus a yellow roof bus? What's the pros and cons? >> You know, the wiper blaze is another one. Um there is they do come out now with a longer a trip bus that can be 2 ft longer same number seats
014so it gives you a little more room between the seats so everybody's got a little more but then when do that it's only hundred and some dollars for the base cost but then as soon as you do that then you got to put a heavier axle on. Well now there's a couple hundred dollar there but it also gives you a little more room >> and they still fit two more extra feet would fit in the garage. Okay. >> Yes. Yeah. Long as we didn't get too many. Where our problem will come down the road is when we get rid of our 54s because right now with the number of type 3 vehicles we have we had to reconfigure our bus parking to get everything in there that to um to keep all the type 3es
015together versus spreading them around different buildings which I don't like you know but when we're 54 when we start getting rid of our four there's four 54 foot passenger when they go then we're going to have some spacing issues >> okay >> just because of the length of it we've been able to put mixed we can put a 77 and a 54 and then have a type 3 all in one row. They can fit in the building, but we can't do that. 277s can't fit with a type three band in front of it. So, we've been able to mix been we've been able to mix and match and make it work, but down the road because I don't know if there's really when you look at the pricing to buy a 54 passenger when it's
016only $1,000 or $500 less than a 77, that's really not costy. I mean, why not have bigger buses everywhere? price pointing. So unless there's a savings or a reason that you know which I haven't seen yet to say there's a couple routes where yeah it's nice to have a 54 because it's easier for them to turn around but you know if we need to make adjustments on the routes and make adjustments cuz routes change every year because the kids change. >> So all of a sudden that kid that's causing you to need a 54 could be graduating gone or getting his license and he's not there no more. That's on the big buses. Now, depending on what you guys want to budget or how we can budget, I do have like a part B to
017it. Um, we have two minibuses. We have one minibus that's right now currently at 148,000 miles on it. It's a 2015 15. Started the year at 136. It's currently got 148 projected to be 154. You know, to say do we problem is with minibus, they're not cheaper. They're only like $5,000 cheaper. But I'm going to find out tomorrow when I talked to them last. They did have some used ones. They had a couple used minibuses. Same passenger. It was a 2018, so we're only going up three years, which is not a lot. Usually you won't make that move, but it's only got 58,000 mi. So you're shaving, let's say, 100,000 miles off, getting three years newer, and their price point they wanted was 35. So it all going to come down to what will he
018offer us for our used minibus? Mini buses have a little more of a demand than big buses. >> So, I mean, if if a person can move into make a change for 20 $25,000, something we have to decide, you know, is it worth getting rid of 100,000 miles on a bus versus for that kind of money and then that would take that out. Otherwise, you know, that's going to be something that's going to be on the table shortly to say got to change that, too. >> You have any other questions on the buses? How many miles you put on a minibus here? Then about >> everything so different. We have like our our sped minibus 2500 miles. But this 132 that does our ALC run. He's putting on anywhere from 80 90 miles a day
019cuz he's got his route. In the morning he goes all the way to Padwell, picks up a kid, then he goes all the way to the north end of sock lake to pick up another one and then runs to Melrose, you know. So that's the morning route can is 57 or 58 miles. The night route is mid30s because at night takes a kid all the way to north side and has to go down halfway to pad and drop off a kid and that's only two kids on the whole bus. It was more and I'm looking at possibly switching that to a type three also. Might have to be something we're going to have to do too. But some of these kids, you put them in a type three van, then they got to sit closer
020to the next kid. And that's a problem has where now you put them in a mini bus, they're all sitting two three seats apart because they're obviously they that's why they're on some of these buses for disciplinary reasons or behavioral reasons. So, but like even the four even the four route buses, you know, they vary, you know, the routes and what they're doing. If they're putting on 70 or 90 miles, it adds up over the year. So, they they fluctuate a little bit. >> Lot to think about. >> Yeah. So, moving forward, we'll come we'll you'll meet tomorrow. You and I, Chad and I will sit down. We'll come up with a couple proposals and bring it to >> Yeah. So after I meet with him tomorrow, I don't know if the prices are going
021to change much as much as just I'll get timelines, you know, >> couple options, couple options just to see what the school what the school can, you know, budget. If we can we do two, can we >> if we do two, can we follow up next year? Possibly two right away, right? They can, you know, cycle them or >> it was it's been four years since we last. >> You haven't gotten buses since 23. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> You got buses in the fall of right before the school year of 23. probably not something you want to do every single year, right? >> Would not. I think you would be better. >> That's what he's proposing is that we do it every year. Put it in a budget that we don't because right now
022what you your your history has been like in 22 you got two buses in 23 you got three buses. So and then all of a sudden you skip a couple years. So then you got to go get back in get back into it. Now it's like why are you >> or even if we did every other year two every other year or something just >> or one one and two my proposal my thought would have been two one year one one year two one two one >> just to kind of keep the cycle >> so you guys can figure out >> we'll figure it out. >> Okay. Anything else? >> Not on the buses unless you have questions I can answer or questions that you have that I can take back to him tomorrow and
023get answers for. The other thing I'd be curious is the full inventory of the 24 buses like what you rattled off for beginning of the year age and just kind of having an idea of that plan the short term for these four buses makes sense if you guys could >> the next group of buses after this there's too many buses that are 15s and then it goes into some then there's some 17s. >> Okay. >> Then there's 17s 19s 20s. >> Do you have a list all your buses? >> Yes. >> So if you could just give us a list of what they got what they started the year off from miles. >> Yeah. have a spreadsheet that's got everything on it and at at the beginning of the year miles and at the end
024I'm done but like VIN numbers all that's all there so if I ever have a question or something it's easy to go and what what fuel they're all if they're propane gas diesel >> because our our goal is to switch everything over to propane is it not >> yes unless there's some reason unless something changes you know in in the economy right now propane is propane numbers are awesome they're not the greatest so you can't sit here and say I'm going to go run the fuel economy numbers because their fuel my like my two propane buses that run routes, they're 2 34 miles a gallon. They're bad, but your inputs are lower. When you're putting $158 propane in versus 338 diesel, you can see >> your diesel bus has to now get 9 10 miles
025of the gallon to offset that and they can't. >> You know, you would think because there's no weight they would, but the stopping and going is is what eats up the fuel economy. you know, so for the input, so usually right now, well, every time I've kind of been running numbers is the diesel buses are running in the low for low 40s. You'll get a few that are in the high 30s, but traditionally, let's say 38 to 43, 45 is if you run a bunch of numbers, that's where you're going to get your cost per mile on a diesel bus. Your gas buses are going to be in the high 30s, the higher 30s, but a lot of people don't like gas because they don't have power. They're just they don't have the power to
026for that size of a vehicle. And then your propane is in your high 20s. At the beginning last fall, they were lower. Right now with the idling and that, the numbers aren't as they're as nice, but last fall when I checked them, they were in the high 20s. So, your cost per mile is better. >> And then you mentioned the engine is more expensive. Is that based on the limited supply or the limited demand? So, they have a a lower volume like is the maintenance and >> the oil change on a diesel vehicle expensive. It's all the same for >> right now. maintenance. We're changing them all are about 5,000 mi. So, if it's propane gas, that doesn't matter. Um, if it's just because of the style of motor, I haven't had that got that
027answer yet. >> You can The thing is you can, we've even looked into it that we've taken our gases and convert them. It can convert them, but it's 10 12 grand to convert it. So, it's like it really don't pay because gas and you can't. The converting of diesel really hasn't been done with gas is convertible where diesel isn't yet. So, but then it's like the gas numbers just don't it doesn't offset enough to justify the expenditure. So, side of it makes sense. So, >> looking forward to your numbers. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Well, like I said, if you have questions, you have to get a hold of me. I said I can. This is my first round of buying buses. >> So, I'm learning myself on some of this stuff and some of
028the ins and outs and, you know, spacing and all this kind of thing of what what you do and don't do. >> Yeah. I was a little surprised the cost they were, but >> everything has kind of gotten ugly lately. So, all right. >> Yeah. Unless you have other questions on, but that's what I got so far. >> Sounds good. Thanks. Uh on to our second item, RFP discussion. >> Yeah. Yep. We are in that uh cycle for us having to go back out for RFPs for food service. So do request for pricing um open it up and get companies and MDE has a shift in the game on this as well. Um we have to send our our you know our request for pricing and and some data to them. uh they actually haven't
029sent out stuff to us to initiate it and they've been delayed. So if you look in the portal you have kind of a timeline for what the RFP look you know is about today obviously we're discussing it at the committee meeting um on the 16th you'll have to approve solicitation for request for proposals okay to for food management and services. So that'll be part of the agenda um on the 16th. We're struggling. Sharon plays a big role in this. She's got to interview admin, administrators, teachers. There's a whole process that you have to follow in order to submit these successfully and get approval through the Minnesota Department of Education. So we're going to go through that this year. Um we, you know, you can look at the timeline that's in your portal. will kind of
030give you an idea of where these benchmark dates are. Doesn't mean they're going to stay the same because again, we've been waiting for the MDE to give us information so we can actually go out and request and submit data to companies for um getting the RFPs out. Does it mean we're going to change our food service provider? You know, you've had Jason here and talking to you. Uh I think we have got a really good thing right now. really good thing. Their price might go up a little bit, but our food is really good. Our lunches are very good. Our kids, you know, the numbers of kids eating hot lunch has increased from what it was with our previous food provider. So, I, you know, we'll monitor that. But right now, we've got a really
031good thing going. >> We don't have to take the lowest bid on this. I believe I believe I'm acroning that. you just you just got to go out and get bids. It's part of the process. So, if you have any questions in that timeline, you can take a look at it. Um, but it'll be it'll be coming up and then, you know, obviously we'll offer somebody contract the next couple years and this is one of those processes we go through every couple years. So, that that's got to have that on your radar. Any questions? >> Not for me. >> Okay. Uh third thing here uh cardiac emergency response protocol. >> Yes. So this is new uh came through MSBA. We have to have exactly what it says a cardiac emergency respon response uh protocol. So
032we're going to build that. That's got to be in place I believe by next year by the fall 2026. Um we'll add it to our list. Is that like having one of those machines? >> How many ads do we have >> on site? >> There's one in each building. Uh I think we have actually with the gymnasiums. There's a couple cuz we have one right out here. We have one outside. Uh trainers bring it for football games. Like they have portable ones. So we're not in bad shape, Rob, in regards to the number of AEDs we have. We have one down by the auditorium as well. Could probably use some more. I mean, we're gonna have to, again, this is very infantile in its directive, right? We haven't got a lot of data back from
033uh, you know, the department on what does this mean? What does this protocol look like? What do we have to have? So, just giving you a heads up that this is this was new. This is just something that's came out. So, um, that's something we'll be sifting through here in the next few months, try to figure out what that looks like, what are the requirements or what are the protocol that we have to have in this emergency response, this cardiac emergency response plan. Um, so, you know, that's I'm guessing it'll come through the policy committee. It'll sit through there. We'll discuss it and then it'll get back in front of you. But, I just have they sent you some sort of a base outline. >> Not really. We'll just have it. >> We'll see. Y
034Okay. All right. Um, number four, programming for 2026 27 school year. >> So, I brought this up uh as part of my report at the last board meeting. We are looking at an online partnership with Falcon Academy. Um, I think we will go that direction. I know I've talked with Sheila and Heather uh more length and Sheila was here and we talked about it, you know, at the last board meeting. So, again, I just want to keep in mind what the partnership there's no upfront cost. We just joined them. We sign an agreement with them and it would be our online provider. Ingenuity is their platform. They have counselors, they have teachers that are there for help. The caveat with all this is right now, let's say we have four students that fully enroll in
035an online, you know, they go to whatever school it is, the Houston, whatever, every dollar is walking out with them. with this program which is a does provide competitive online courses. We're working through looking at what you know what our exact what exactly their um you know their guides look like and what they do provide. It's pretty elaborate. It's very comparable to what some of the other online providers that our students in our district enroll with. It's very compatible. Um actually it's probably better because again they do have a counseling department. They have five teachers that can help them. Um, but again, the caveat is they're going to pay us 40%. So, we lose four kids at a total of 50 grand, we're getting nothing right now. Next year, if those four kids enroll at
036this with the Falcon Academy, which we will partner with, you can do the math. We're going to get 20 grand back and that's huge. So again, I want to be careful and we would like our kids here, right in our building, in our walls, taking our classes, but you all, we've also had the discussion we have some kids that just go online. >> Now at least we have the opportunity with this partnership to get some revenue back. >> Do the offerings for the Stealth Academy feel in line with some of the online classes there or online schools they're going to right now? >> Correct. Ingenuity is a a online platform that provides classes. A lot of these same schools use that same program. >> Okay. >> So, um just stay tuned. We're going to we're
037we're getting more information. >> Okay. >> On that and and as we move forward, that'll be something that our kids >> Is there a timeline we have to have this for, you know, future? >> Well, we want it ready for next schedule. >> Yes. >> Yep. We want it ready for next fall. Sure. Do we have to like vote on this by >> No, I don't think it's not a vote, Josh. I think we're just just because there's no cost. We're just gonna form a partnership. It's it's a you know, I know that the gentleman that is superintendent Melonstead who used to be in at Water Cosmos Grove City. You you know Pat are real good friends. It's a good friend of mine too. He's at Lava Shop Kellogg as a superintendent and he just
038kind of came up with this idea with a couple other people. You know, we're not getting anything. So let's for you know so there's and again he's not going to pack it with 4,000 kids. He wants to keep the number down around 3400. So he reached out as give it a try. We're not out anything. So >> and we would just offer that to the kids. They can go wherever they want but we would give them >> it would be yes. This would be you know maybe a little bit steering towards them and here's why if you're get the same class why wouldn't you know here's a direction you can go. This helps the district. >> Yep. So, and just so you know, right now we have six registered AEDs in school. Is it okay?
039>> Okay. Well, I think it sounds great. >> Stay tuned. >> Yeah. >> Uh, number five, unpaid student bills and graduations. >> Yes. So, we have issues getting payments from some of our students. Um, >> like lunch >> lunch, you know, Chromebook, when kids break Chromebooks or we have to do repairs and they have to pay for them, we fix them. Um, they have to have the Chromebook. And we have, and it's not a huge percentage, but there are a percentage of kids that that we don't see payment. Um, I think right now Sharon said our unpaid lunch account is in the thousands of dollars. We've sent out letters. We've called home. So really, I guess, you know, we we've had this practice in the past, but I just want to make you aware of
040it. Remember, you know, I don't think we can hold their diploma, but the the the ceremony itself of graduation is an earned right, not automatic. So, I think, you know, I don't know what else to do. I mean, I don't like playing hard ball as much as anybody else does, but we're losing significant amount of money on this and it's it's hard on our office staff trying to keep badgering these people. I've made calls personally myself, especially in regards to lunch, very little success. I mean, I don't, you know, minus getting a collection agency after some of these unpaid bills, uh, we're kind of got, we kind of got our back against the wall. And it's, again, it's not 50 people, right? It's not 50 families at all. It's much smaller than that. But I
041just want to give you a heads up that this is a road that we can exercise and probably will if need be. And of course, when someone can't walk across stage on graduation, your phones are going to ring. My kids, >> but at the same point, we can't sit we can't sit there with somebody having 950 a,000, $1,500 bill unpaid. And that's what do we, you know, we we we can't run business like that. >> Few years ago, there was that angel fund thing. Still >> that's still there. And we do get PE and again especially with the negative lunch balances that gets trimmed down. I mean we that fund has been used and we do have people will donate money specifically for negative lunch balances. >> I didn't I didn't know if that was
042>> still it's a point Josh. It's still a thing. We still have it. >> Yep. >> It's just >> you're not you don't have enough in that fund to >> No, we don't. Not even close. And where do you draw the line and which one do you >> That's and when we use that it's typically distributed evenly, right? For all the negative lo balances, you know, that are beyond $50, let's say. >> So anyway, >> have to think of a creative way to >> Yeah, we're working on it. Um, >> get that taken. >> Yep. Nope. And and and I'm going to tell you this right now. We are very upfront with people about it. There's not no one's getting blindsided. this a week, you know, a week before graduation. This is an ongoing process
043all year. We make the call, we send the letters. >> Yeah. >> And do you have in that letter now that this is one of the consequences that they >> Well, it's going to go out. We're getting this ready. Yeah. You know, we're March. We got to get this out and say if you're, you know, >> and some of these outstanding balances aren't just from this year. They've been compiled over three or four years. We just they just roll over the next year and we just don't ever see any >> cash we can do. >> No, there's nothing unless we go after them out of collection collection agency, but they're not cheap either. You know, they're going to get their cut, >> but you can't shut down, I think, is what I >> No, you
044can. Oh, is that what you meant? No, we can't. No, you can't. >> No. And And you can't because again, remember right now lunches are free. First, you walk through the line. There is an aotment portion that is put on your tray that's free. If you grab other stuff that exceeds that aotment portion, which is right now a good portion, our kids get that that free lunch, you know, delegation they're getting on their tray is good. It's it's decent amount, but some of these kids that's, you know, they peanut butter sandwiches, they get sandwiches, they got pizza, they've got all this other stuff. So what they're paying for then is those extra extra pieces. >> You have to allow them to take those extra pieces. >> We have to because we have no way to
045the only the only we can't sit there. They don't have enough people to sit there say no you can't take an extra. They get to they get to the checkout line. They punch your number in and it's too hard. You know that line moves so fast it's too hard to regulate that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So anyway, just a heads up. I want to be proactive there. Let you know that >> the heads up. >> Yeah. um staffing for 2627 school year. >> Met with our admin team um you know our processes. They give me a wish list of needs, wants, so to speak. Uh we sift through it. I go sit down with Beth. I say, "All right, what can we afford? What do we need?" We prioritize. And then there's some more.
046This isn't just it. There's some other things. Um but we got to wait. I want to wait and see. we can wait kick some of that stuff down the road till we see what comes out of the finance committee at the legislature this year for you know we are in a a monetary year where we're going to see increases. So um anyway so that's our that's our process. We have a need to add a first grade teacher. Right now, remember in kindergarten we're down a section through attrition. We took one section out. We had someone retire. We did not rehire it. But what we have done is we've hired paras in each one of those kindergarten sections and it's been very successful. Um, we need, you know, with dynamics, we need to add another FTE
047in first grade to cover um the needs of the students. So, that that that's legit. Um, also our sped population, you know, we hear T chat about talking about busing, our sped population has increased. So, we're looking, you know, we've we're looking at adding a point4 sped position as well in the elementary. So, that'd be a 1.4 for FTE. Uh math, we've got a larger group in the middle school. So, we'd have, you know, to get those kids again the best possible experience in their math classes. Sheila's asked for a 0.25 math position um in the secondary. And then the last thing I'm looking forward to are looking to add is a PBIS parrot in the secondary. Remember, I think Amy Mard was here. She was here and talked to you about what the structure
048looks like. They have the PBIS ring positive behavior intervention systems in the elementary which is manned by a parent. It's safe place for kids helps navigate behaviors and has been very successful. Sheila is asking for that same type of model which then would make smooth transition into the fifth and sixth grade and middle school seventh eighth grade and we could use that. >> Would you say 24 >> 25 math but >> you did give us these numbers and you're >> Yeah. So what is the cost right? I mean, what is this going to cost the district? Well, again, I sat down with Beth. We did spend down fund balance a little bit this year, but we're still in the mid30s for SOD. You know, we're unrestricted at about 5.1 million. We're in good shape. To
049pull this off, we'd have to spend down a little bit more of our fund balance, which we're in pretty good shape. Um, our enrollment, and you've seen the enrollment numbers, we have not seen a decline. In fact, we had a bunch, you know, we've had, I don't know, three or four more kids enroll this week. So, that update will be to you in March. So, our enrollment is steady. Um, which is good. It's not like the decline we saw last year. So, you know, a long conversation with her. Um, I think I think this would be best for our community, best for our families and and kids if we would make this ad. We're still going to be in good shape funds. So the process would be, you know, sooner or later we'd have to
050approve these positions. We'd have to approve them probably at the next board meeting, regular board meeting. I'd like to get in the game on that first grade position and get it at least posted, get it out there simply because of the fact that it's March and the pool, you know, we want to get the pool's good right now. If we wait until the end of March, early April, now you're already, you know, you've lost some candidates. So, we'll go ahead and get that out there. That doesn't mean we hire, you know, I mean, it's out there, right? People can apply. And if if you guys say, "No, we're not going to do that," then we just redact it. But, >> is it feasible to hire a point4 sped teacher? >> Yeah, we've got us. You
051know, we our we can juggle our sped department, John. We've got we've got some part-time going on right now. So, that Yeah, this we've got the ability to do that in house. >> Okay. It would just be an ad and then it would have to move something somewhere else, >> but it wouldn't have to be someone who's coming in for point four of a >> Wouldn't have to be. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, >> anyway, >> any questions? Nothing questions. >> So, we're going to get that first grade position posted. >> I I think Yeah, go for it. Okay. >> Sounds like your biggest need. >> Um, number seven, second reading of the following nine policies. Um, policy 207, public hearings. Policy 209, code of ethics. Policy 303, superintendent selection. Policy 512, school sponsored student
052publications and activities. Policy 517, student recruiting. Policy 607, organization of grade levels. Policy 609, religion and religious and cultural observances. Policy 713, student activity accounting. Policy 807, health and safety. >> And those nine policies will come up then on the um 16th for >> Approval. Yep. We've done the second reading, so that's we're not have to read it through them again. It's just yay or nay. >> Okay. >> All right. And number eight, March regular meeting agenda items. Um, approve hiring and resignations and staff leaves. Resolution for donations. Approve food service RFP. Approve Chapel Central. Well, Chappelle, sorry. >> Chapel. That's right. Chapel. That's the chiller on top of the auditorium that I updated you on. Remember that was not part of the That was not part of the remod. That's my memory fails me.
0532000 2000 when the when the uh um auditorium went up before that was settled. >> Wow. 26 years. >> Yeah. So anyway, >> Fair enough. That's all I have. >> Thank you. >> Meeting a journ. >> Perfect.