001Very good evening everybody. Today, September 20 or September 15th, it is 6 o'clock. Um, like to call this meeting to order at GFW school district 2365. The pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. And I have a motion to approve tonight's agenda. Motion approved. agend second. >> I'll second any discussion. All in favor. All right. Uh any business recognition or public comments tonight, Julie? All right. Moving on to the consent agenda. Can I have a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda? >> I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Uh any discussion for anybody on it? Maybe no >> financial report actually looks a little
002more positive than >> no. So >> that was good. >> Let's look report anything. >> No. >> All right. All in favor? All right. on to information items. Uh we'll look to superintendent for superintendent report. >> Yeah, just a few things this month. Um first of all, I want to say thank you to the staff, the families and the students for a great start to the school year. Our word of the year is pivot with moving into the new building and all these types of new experiences and the staff and the students have done an awesome job um over at the elementary school with any new experiences that have been brought um on us. I also want to thank our local law enforcement. Um, you know, starting the school year in a new building, learning
003new traffic patterns and everything. Um, both Given and Fairfax PD, they were out at um, right on 19 when uh, new families were coming in and helping get the buses in and out for priorities so we could run on time, which is great. And then Logan over in Winthrop 2 was doing a great job over at the middle school high school um, helping with that as well. Um, strategic planning. I mean, I know our committee of the whole um last week we kind of took a break from that, but strategic planning um on October 6 for our next committee of the whole we'll have MSBA's um Gil Gilman um there to present on the MSBA model and then we'll look at some other models as well for the board to consider. Um I want to
004thank Ken and George for being a part of contract negotiations. They sat in today and kicked off with the teachers and it was a really great um first meeting. Uh next week, school administration is going to be meeting with local law enforcement as well as the city administrators, and we're gonna um walk through what it's going to look like in January. So, we've got a couple months of planning ahead for when our middle school high schoolers all come to join us, making sure that we're all speaking the same language when it comes to lockdowns versus holds versus evacuations and doing those training protocols as well. And then also looking at the safety of um the traffic in the area as well. So, when our high schoolers start driving, um, one of the things, and I
005just want to throw this out there right now that we're looking at, um, is making sure that our high schoolers can't turn left out onto the highway. So, our high schoolers will have to turn right when they come out of the parking lot and then they'll have to loop around given or the current elementary school before they can go. We just think that's um, working with local law enforcement, too, planning for that is that's the best approach for the middle of January depending what the ice is going to look like. And we want to make sure all our kids make it home safe as well. Um, today if you drove by, you saw our elementary PE kids out on the football field having a great time and um, getting to practice on that. Today was
006the first day that our students were able to be out there and our football team was out there practicing, gearing up for homecoming on Friday night at the new stadium. So, that's very exciting. And, um, then the last thing is September is schoolboard appreciation month. So, I want to thank all of you for being a part of the board and helping guide our district. So, thank you very much. >> You too. >> Thank you. >> Um, yeah. So, I was there the morning I saw you a lot of excitement in the school, all the faces, young faces. But, we get like 8,000 stars from the >> We got 8,000 stars, which is pretty exciting. >> I don't think it's better than that. I think uh there's a few of us there for orientation night and
007there was a lot to do prior to orientation and uh it was organized chaos but they all did a great job. Fantastic job actually because when you came back a couple hours later when it was time for orientation it was a whole different looking elementary. So good good job to all the staff for sure. Um with that said uh any else you have any comments? Okay then we'll look to you Mrs. Thompson for a little school high school update. >> Um well, it is really great to have the students in the new building. It's just beautiful and um every day when I walk in there, I I truly am like, "Wow, this is just amazing and and very grateful." So, um since it is school board appreciation, thank you also for all that you do.
008Um we're getting settled in there. Um the students have really been enjoying the new playground and the equipment on the playground. um they're looking forward to getting that concrete um put down so they have basketball and all that again which is happening I think as we speak. So that's exciting. Um you know our our mornings kind of look like um students get off the bus, they come in and they can choose between breakfast or they go to the pods. Um and that's been working out very well. Um and this year our students are rotating between music, steam, and physical education for their specialist time. Um, our movein days and back- to-school conferences went very well. Um, we did have to pivot a few times, but everyone did and um, we had excellent parent attendance for
009our meet and greets. Uh, parents really appreciated the opportunity to see the new school and things were a little down to the wire um, with getting everything ready. Um, but I want to give my entire staff a shout out um, for all that they did and the positive attitudes that they kept. And um it was really just a team effort with everyone coming together and um being ready for everybody to be in that building um in the timing that we needed to be in there. Um so I give them a shout out. And I've also just really enjoyed getting to know our new staff. Um we have new some new teachers, new paras, and um new interns. Um our interns this year are from Spain and Colombia. And it's a pretty exciting time right now
010to join the GFW staff. Uh we're looking forward to going over to the middle school high school this week. On Thursday, we're going to go over there for a homecoming pepfest. So that'll be a lot of fun for everybody. Um and in addition to that, our students have dress up days each day this week and a spirit day on Friday. Um football players, um we call it the buddy program are coming over and will be in our building on Thursday to be present for recess and lunch with our students. Um, Tri Community Arts Met and we're planning again to help with concessions during sporting events and planning for a Canata over the holidays. Um, our musical for next summer has already been chosen and will be announced soon. >> Thank you very much. >> And
011of tonight, >> yes. >> Yeah. So, you know what the rope is? It's over in winter. >> Um, I just know where I have to be in line. I'm driving class of 2029 float tonight. So, Uh 8:30 concerns. Um not sure they're out, but I'm the last person, so I just got to follow. Um anything else, anything comments? Okay. Uh Dasher report. Uh pretty simple and quick. Uh uh they're still continuing to move a few things from this school to the new one. Uh doing some training on the new facility. Um and along with a few repairs at this uh facility, um little elevator work, a little cooler work in the kitchen and uh continuing lawn maintenance. Uh no student council. So then we'll go to um board reports. So we'll start with you, Mr.
012Reese with Riverbend. >> Riverbend. Riverbend. continues to struggle for teachers like many institutions do. They're down two teachers as a matter of fact on Hayen. His teaching himself in addition to being a superintendent. So it's incredible workload. The school itself is stuffed with students there. 65 is the number I got at the board meeting. I thank superintendent B 61 perhaps. But they that is a lot. So and then of course finances as the school has grown quite dramatically in the last 10 years finances and managing that was always been difficult but they are managing thus far so that's about it policy committee or George >> we didn't have just some don't >> that's because it's just the second reading of them. >> Yes. Okay. FRP. >> Okay. We forgot about the initial. >> Yeah. [Music]
013Uh engagement. >> Yep. We also had very short meeting tonight. Um we talked a lot about proper social media usage. GFW does have a social media policy. Um, from what I can tell, Alan has done a really nice job coaching our staff on social media usage and what is acceptable, what isn't acceptable, and um, so thank you. >> Mural children. >> Yeah. >> Yep. And then we also um within the school building in the commons area, there originally was a mural of the train tracks in um each of the three towns, but that has since changed to a >> really nice design that they put together with the train >> and it still has a train, but it's outline of a very old school looking train, sunflowers. Um it has a field >> barn >>
014and a barn. Yeah. just much more representative of what giving fairs and win really look like and stand for. So >> that is why the movements are >> there because Alan liked it I guess. >> Yeah. So for I guess anybody listening in the community that don't know the building is to represent a training people with the tracks running through our three towns. >> The connection. >> Yeah. In the connection. Um, and I'm surprised there's not a big rain falling back. >> Sure, we can add it in. >> So, that's uh that's exciting stuff then. >> Yep. >> And then uh executive committee George, >> we didn't meet either. >> Oh, we didn't have last well two weeks. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. You guys had meeting that night, right? didn't have it. >> Okay. I
015didn't miss anything. >> Um yeah, it's uh we kind of consider that down one month before. >> Um okay, we'll move on to action items. So action item A is recommendation to approve maximum preliminary levy amount as required by statute. And I have a motion to approve recommendation for maximum preliminary levy amount. May your motion approve maximum second. I'll second both you. Um, Superintendent Berg, would you like to discuss that a little bit? >> Sure. Absolutely. So, um, school boards and governing jurisdictions legally by September 30th have to, um, approve a levy amount so that the county can start prepping for true taxation notices. Um, really what, um, districts are encouraged to do and recommended as well as other governing boards is to approve the maximum amount allowed at the preliminary stage, which is kind
016of like the worst case scenario. um we have until December to adjust the levy amount, but if we choose to under levy below the maximum now, we can adjust later. So, um adjustments will continue to come. So, for instance, the first day that we saw um the levy, it was missing all of our long-term facilities maintenance, the abatement bond, and some other it was missing about $4 million. Um and then after working with MDE and saying, "Oh, no, this isn't right." and stuff. So now currently our levy sits the preliminary maximum is $6.5 million uh which is about a $77,000 decrease from last year. Now however enrollment is going to continue to kind of bump around a little bit here for the next couple months. Um so like our enrollment with this $6.5 million is
017not true to what we currently have for enrollment. So over the course of the next couple months we'll watch the levy, see what it's doing. Um and then in December after truth and taxation that's when we would put the file out. Same thing that we do every >> Yeah. Any questions? >> We talk about all this behind the scenes, but it's a good explanation. Every district has to do it and they go the same way. Okay. Um >> something about it is it is standard just for clarification. It is standard chat to request the maximum like you said if you under levy there's no >> correct. Yeah. So the counties are prepping right now and we can't we can't pull back. We can in December, but we can't right now. All right. All in favor.
018Um item B recommendation to approve donations. First, I'll read donation. Well, actually, first of all, I need a motion to approve. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. Okay. So, now read these quick. So, we have from Central Regional Cooperative $2,500 towards the uh FFA Greenhouse, which is a very nice donation. We have $83 from Peace Lutheran Church for Community Bus and Seal Bank. I'm not sure the seal bank. Okay. another toy and $500 uh for the farmer's legacy which was a very nice donation as well. And then uh Tim Adeline $10,000 and towards the spirit of the season. So it's a lot of 15,000 and $16,000 this month. Um we'll do a roll call. >> Rosome. >> Yes. >> Turtle. >> Yes. >> Stair. >> Yes. Miller, >> yes. >> Breeze, >> yes. >>
019A yes. Thank you. >> And I would like to on the board thank all them for those donations. Very nice. >> Those are super amazing. >> Yeah. Y um Okay, we'll get back those. >> Yeah. And action C. Can I get a motion for recommendation approve the second readings of policies as follows? Policy 418, drug-free workplace. Policy 501, school weapons policy. Policy 516.5, overdose medication. Policy 534, school minutes. Policy 621, literacy and the react. And policy 802, disposition of obsolete equipment and material. >> Make a motion approved. second. >> I'll second. >> We'll put Mark. I think that's his first one of the night. >> Um, okay. Uh, Superintendent Bird, if you like to touch on this a little bit. >> Yeah, absolutely. So, um, this is the second reading of these policies. They were
020before the board last month for the first read. Um, the drug-free workplace refers to updates to the cannabis statute. um school weapons policy um further the definitions of dangerous weapons. Um overdose medication and this one's probably one of the more interesting ones. Um the state statute changed to allow students in grades 9 through 12 to deliver and um utilize Narcan. And so our policy specifically calls out that a student could transport Narcan but not administer the Narcan. They would have to give it to a staff member in order to do that. um we didn't want to have anything in policy that could potentially penalize the kid from um delivering narc to a teacher if a student needed it. Um the read act was once again um there were a lot of substantive changes to the
021read requirements again and sorry um disposition of obviously equipment and material was another one. So, um, this is, uh, added language about donating surplus books to nonprofits or families is that wasn't previously in there. So, um, that one's very relevant to us right now, um, as we work to empty out this building. Any questions? Anybody? Okay. All in favor? All right. And just like that, I have a motion to adjurnn. >> I have a second. Second favor.