001We do have just text you guys. We're good. >> Good evening. I'd like to call December 1st work session to all. Do I have a motion? >> Second motion. I have a motion in a second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Before we continue, we got Dr. Vincent online. Can you hear us, Dr. Vincent? >> She's not on. >> Okay. First, we have a report of the fall leadership conference by Miss Martin. Good evening everyone. But we wanted to be able to just give like a brief overview of some of the things that were my takeaways. I do want to say that it was an excellent leadership conference attended by Dr. Burks and our superintendent Mr. think he's also part of the leadership process and I'm thinking that the written portion of me memorandum that
002we've done is part of the packet now and in going over this just briefly one of the points I wanted to make sure we had a panel that from Dr. Burks he received his premier circle p3 and a half hours of official development. Same way you would be a distinguished circle pin for 49.25 hours of professional development. The leadership conference usually the focus is on um of course the things that school boards do along with the superintendent the governance team uh in order to heighten what school districts are doing. The first early bird session that we had, the name of it was ready to work, ready to lead, strengthening CTE programs. A few of the things that I have highlighted here were the points that were made. I think the major takeaway for me is
003making sure that the program is aligned with what MD has for uh workforce development. They have a model that we're supposed to be uh using to implement our programs. The next one was educators lead the AI shift stories from the front line. One of the things that my takeaway was here several things were mentioned of course is making sure that our students are receiving better skills in their writing. And I say that as a board because some of the times when we have students come to us with discipline issues and I'm reading through their packet. I look at how um their writing skills lack so much for the grade that they're in and what have you. Uh they pointed out how Unlike it used to be where a teacher who taught writing English language arts,
004they would have to take the time to go through and read which which which took a lot of time. But now we don't have to do that. And so a teacher can actually give instant feedback, immediate feedback, and I thought that was interesting for me as a board member to be able to take away that fact. The next workshop was is fishing. Don't take the bait. governing safely in the age of cyber threats and AI. I think the the point here was making sure that our section I that we have in our policies that we're going through that you know I always say Mr. Vick that we have policies but it's a matter of making sure that those policies are being implemented and that was the main emphasizing this is in this age of AI
005and cyber threats we have to make sure were following the policies, putting things out there to be followed by not just administrators and those people who were on that side of it, but also for our students. The main day on Tuesday, November 18th, the uh workshops that we had, the the one that really was powerful was our keynote address. This was mindset matters. Cultivating a positive mindset to strengthen school district leadership. And here one one of the things that that the speaker talked about is how uh engaged employees are they they matter. How employees engage with one another it makes a difference. The mindset of employees determines our inner dialogue. Our inner dialogue determines our efforts. And that is really critical when we're looking at the culture and the climate in our school district in
006terms of uh how we relate to one another. It said he said live with celebration in mind. I that spoke volumes to me there because sometimes we encounter people who have a wo is me type of mentality. We have to be willing to help them elevate the conversation. And he said that one of the simple things that he says is tell me something good. And I thought that was interesting because we may think that we're not in control of conversations, but if you're a listener, you're in control of that conversation. You can bring it back around to where uh we stay on a positive note because of the lives that we have at our hands. We should be willing to do that. The next workshop was start with hello governing for student wellness and resilience.
007And this book was actually studentled. But I thought it was interesting because they had several students presenting their uh effort to make sure that that that all students understand that violence is not it's not a good thing to even consider being engaged in. I would love for us as a school district to consider the um promise club and it's it's called save and the save stands for students against violence everywhere. And so that was one of my bringbacks and takeaways that I hope you'll consider implementing the next one the next workshop every when every word counts leading through misinformation crisis and change. One of the critical things here is in our policies, how we go about making sure the misinformation is dispelled and when there is a crisis, how we handle that. And I just
008thought that it was interesting to hear for a school board member, the things that I I do have a say in, and uh and I just wrote down all the policies that we want to make sure that we're keeping ourselves familiar with. I thought it was interesting policy J A equal access student organizations. The mention was that there there was a group that wanted to do a Charlie Kirk uh club and the policy itself speaks to how when we're doing things like that, we've got to make sure that it's studentled and that any adults in the space that they're just there to um monitor and observe. And I thought that was interesting an interesting point to make there with that particular workshop. The next one was it takes a community building trust creating connections. Let's
009see. Uh this was was powerful and I would love for us to have an opportunity if we could to actually along with our city board have some type of way whether whether we're going to Hattisburg or if they're coming to us. with their mayor, Hattisburg mayor and their Hattisburg's mayor and their superintendent, they spoke about how city government connects and links with with the school system. And one of the quotes that that the mayor says in public school or private school, it doesn't matter where our children go. It's a matter of understanding that our city rises and falls on the public school student and we have to understand that here for the city of Mcome as well that not a lot can be accomplished if we're not embracing the uh students who attend our public
010schools. The superintendent of schools, one of his quotes that I had to write down is that we need to graduate the community that we want to have. And that spoke volumes because when we are about the business of making sure that the community where our students live and and grow and and breathe, we should we should understand that when we put a diploma in their hand, we're saying to them that we've given you our best so that you can come back and give us the community that we're in need of. And so that was a takeaway, two takeaways that I had from that. And it was interesting to hear all the things that the city of Hattisburg does to heighten the um efforts of the students who attend Pattiesburg public schools to the legal lessons
011and leadership. And this was the title of this was that we didn't see this coming. We didn't see that coming. And I think for the legal team, for the MSBA, their point that they were making was is that sometimes we tend to forget about specific policies. And so the ones that I have listed here were the things that they mentioned about um how it's it's it's sometimes unbelievable that we tend to forget. And one of them would be uh let's see employees friending students on social media. That was that was something there. Oh, and the other one too that that Brooks and I were talking about that um we sometimes as a as a school district don't implement and that's policy JHA on booster clubs. And I know with that particular policy, it speaks to
012how August 1st is the deadline for us to receive financial statements from anyone call themselves a booster club. And I think one time that that I've been on this board, we've had those things presented to us, but it was not presented in a format that we could actually say that we received financial statements that they some people came in from PTA just documents in their hand, receipts and things like that. And I just wish that there was some type of a way that we could actually improve how we uh oversee what booster clubs are doing because um we there's people out there who were using the school district's name and and they're raising funds that never actually make it to uh the school district to help our children. And so those were my uh general
013takeaways. And I don't know if if you Dr. were to do things to add. But for the most part, the reason why I wanted to do this was so that it could be understood that we're not just going to get away from home. Sometimes it is, but for the most part, the the gist of what is is taken in is it's a waste of time to go and come back and we're still not um accomplishing the things that are discussed in in those workshops. And so that's that's what I wanted to make a point of and I appreciate the time, the opportunity. >> Thank you, Miss Ward. Dr. Vincent is online. Thank you for joining us. Do you have anything Dr. just want to add to that is that um Dr. Jackson with the um
014school board association, one of the biggest things that she said that is a big concern now is how we manage our booster club. Um um and I think that if I'm not mistaken that we began to have a protocol in place where they have to begin the school year um turn in I mean it's a copy of it at least to the uh central office. I don't know if that's that is something that that we have um been you know monitoring or not but that's something that we can go back and look at that's across the state because there have been several cases where there have been other districts who really have gotten into some serious trouble and I know that some of you have seen a couple of district on the news uh recently
015that same concern. The other thing that I just want to add to that is that as I shared with Miss M um Miss Mo is that um going forward we I'd like to see our um board as a as a whole represent the district on a u um to to be able to obtain and require the u the board merit award district for our attendance for our training opportunities. That's something that we can look into. So >> uh yes ma'am madam president one thing that was really kind of scratched uh during that workshop was AI and they went how moving forward we cannot be afraid of it but we must introduce to our students they can use it responsibly uh because it's a part of the world we live in now and there are several
016different resources out there where you can bring in AI and utilize it in English and math classes but use it responsibly for the students are not using it to plagiarize or cheat. They're using it to learn from. So, we going to look into some of those resources for the upcoming school year. Okay. Thank you. Next week on the agenda, we have discussion of December 8th school board meeting. First, we'll call into order Mcome School District vision and mission statement. 30 second of silence. Adoption of the agenda. Schools at risk. Higgins review of the minutes. Any questions or concerns about the minutes? Review and approval of financial statements. Any questions or concerns? >> Yes, Dr. B. Just declare this a on our budget status report the fund balance as of that's indicated on um the status
017report that that we received for I guess this is the period October to October October When do we uh first let me ask this portion. When do we budget um amounts for the in district department? >> You mean like just say for example maintenance and technology. That's what you mean? M >> cuz that's happening at the beginning. >> At the beginning. Yes sir. We do the um presentation. >> Yes sir. We going through that budget process then. >> So when I look at budget item number 1158 is shown an amount of 355.8. So, I just want you uh I just wanted to explain to you whether or not I make sure I I understand what I'm looking at. So, are we saying that that's all we're going to give? We're going to fund for band
018program. >> No sir. >> If you look, that's just what was like remain from the last year. Right. So that was that was why I asked the question at the end. When did we >> rebudget their amount >> at that? So that say so when you see anticipated revenues >> so that's the amount that we we're going >> Yes sir. And that includes what we give them and if they collect any dues or fees from the kids >> it included in that. Okay. That's that's what I need. I want to know that. The other thing is um I see that for for an example on our um item number 2594. So we have you don't know any kind of in anticipation on that funding. >> Now $25.99 for this institute. So there's no more funding
019for that. >> No more funding for that. >> So 25.98 is the only >> and we've expended all that was there right? >> Yes sir. With all Yes sir. I said all that we the deadline is so I I think that everything is spent out and we receive everything that we spent we reimbured for. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. >> And it's hard about making me mission too. We have a S2 uh market visit on December 8th. We're going to look at how we spend our S2 fund and we primarily looking for fixed assets we have two fun the next person ask on that. >> Yes ma'am. And what we did was we printed a list of all our institute inventory and we went to building by building and located those items. Uh we had
020the principal located the first day. We sent a team in like Mr. B's mother to >> put their hands on. >> Okay. What daily? >> Um on the hour um on item number 3462. Do we know um is is this the actual balance that's that's out there? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And um when is our you know our next payment >> around okay >> on that thing I'll be waiting. >> Okay. But but this is the actual amount. >> Yes sir. And we have those funds on hand. So we're just waiting to um you know get the project started and everything. But we got that lump sum. So we only in the bank account because it's a separate account for that. >> So has uh my next question is have we the transaction that
021I questioned at last meeting has it that adjustment been made? >> Yes. Um with the 16. >> Yes sir. If you look at the um the bank red, you see the adjustment on there. And so what happened is selling fully celebrate um Rex. So we went back to she went back to June. had to correct it from um 25 to either 25 to June and we made out the correct so everything can balance out. Yes sir. So if you look at the um October things everything should be cleared. So >> you okay I see what you see with you talking about the bank reconciliation. >> Yes sir. All right. Reconideration. So that's why she went back. Yes, sir. >> That's why we have those. >> Yes, sir. To >> show that correction. That's what I
022was trying to cuz I I didn't see, you know, there was no indication where the 3 million had been, you know, reconciled. Now, now >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> Any more questions about the um financial statements? Next up, we have the claim docket. Any questions or concerns about the claim docket? Dr. >> Me. Next up, we have the report and presentation of the business of the superintendent. >> Uh, thank you, Madam President. On the 911 15 session report, I guess I would like to report that uh on the 24th of this month. Uh, we did receive an adjustment uh on the abandoned property that they asking about the property now went back over to the district. We can now lease what we need to do to the uh board. Okay. >> Okay. uh teacher
023attend report enrollment breakdown in district report and teacher student this month teacher of the month well two through four I will get from Miss Keith uh by the end of this week and teacher student of the month will cover at the regular board meeting >> thank you >> um next we have a consent agenda items 1 through five >> any questions or concerns Hey, we have the regular general approval of policy review. >> Any questions or concerns? Number two, approval of the 2627 academic calendar. >> Any questions or concerns? I just have a statement. Um or maybe um superintendent might want to answer. We already approved this calendar. It was missing one day. So we went and corrected that. >> Yes. >> What day was it? >> Um Easter Monday. Correct. >> Easter Monday. So
024that date was corrected. So this calendar was previously approved but we skipped Easter Monday. Any questions or concerns? Uh number three, approval of curriculum course request of brief to career. >> Any questions or concerns? I don't have a question or concern. This another one of those items I would like to just say that the changes is allowing um um students who do not pass a state exam to be able to graduate with um a a new entity that um the Department of Education had implemented and it's listed in here. is called bridge to bridge, but they'll still be able to graduate even if they don't pass their state assessment, but I think it goes through the counselor and um the superintendent going to get with the student that this might affect and try to get
025um ahead of it before the last week or so of graduation. We don't need nobody thinking that they going to graduate and they can't. So this this right here gives the student the opportunity to graduate whether or not they have a state assessment. >> Yes, ma'am. So in summary, it give our a student at the high school another option to meet graduation requirements. Okay. We want to give them every level opportunity that we have them see. So let me deal with that. proceed. All right. Well, first question, this is not will this replace >> no. Okay. >> The next question um this will be communicated to the students and the parent. >> Yes sir. >> As an option, >> right? And once approved, we get communication uh to our student. >> Right. So you see
026where I'm going that make sure that that is clearly uh understood. >> Yes, sir. >> That uh it's not replacing the other things that are already in place. It's just another option. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. because sometimes those type of um things can be misconceived. >> Yes, sir. >> But I do have a question. Would this be available? How soon in the high school education process would this be available? And the reason why I'm asking that is because we on a block schedule. So that mean kids can take multiple courses. If they take this course in the ninth grade, whether they pass the state, I I'm just asking when they whether they pass or not, what grade would this class be available? Because if most of the kids take it, just in case they
027don't pass it, you don't want to wait till they a senior and then trying to catch up. So, I'm just trying to see when are we offering this course? Is it um freshman, sophomore, junior year? When would this be available? >> Uh madam president, I would like to get the principle. >> Okay. Does that Does that make sense? That way be on a block schedule and say say like if um I take it in the 10th grade, but I pass my state exams, I'm okay. But if I take it in the in in in the 10th grade and then I get a senior and I done took test three, four times and didn't pass it, I'm still basically qualified to get my diploma because I took that ahead of time. Win, lose, or draw. That's
028all I'm saying. I would like the parents to be available and understand that being on a block schedule most kids are graduating out of Mcome with way more credits than they need. So this can be a opportunity they could take it whether they need it or not but it's available and when they earliest they could take it >> and we will report back to the board our uh intention fully uh okay >> okay thank you >> uh number four appro construction >> any questions or concerns Approve number five, approval of agreement with education with material specialist. >> Any questions or concern? >> Number six, approve of our township range. >> Any questions or concern? >> Yes, >> Dr. B. >> Um, which one of the U ranges? >> Yeah. is the uh summit area. >>
029Mr. B, do you answer that? >> Not off the top of my head. That's right. I cannot I usually have to call transportation or the Pike County uh act tax assessor's office. See what I'm saying? >> Yeah, cuz it makes a difference whether or not we have elected or we have all of our board members appointed >> cuz you got to have x amount of um students that live outside the district. Attorney, would you know that question? What percentage? Cuz it's on here out of out of total out of city is 17.7%. Let me look at the statute. There's a statute that dictates that language that includes that language that requires We going to continue. Attorney D going to give us the answer for that. >> Yes, ma'am. Uh, number seven, approve of cyber security.
030>> Any questions or concerns? >> Yes. >> Dr. Bur's question. Um, and reading the policy, I I know that it indicated that we already have this company as an agenda. >> Yes, sir. >> With that policy and is getting ready to expire. >> Yes, sir. >> But um, and I'm just asking this because of some new information that has been brought to our attention. And as a matter of fact, as um it was mentioned in our uh fall meeting, I saw nothing in the um I saw about the breaches and you know the services that they're going to provide, but they are also um needs to we we need to have something in place for our um AI um concern. concerns. >> You might need to speak with them. >> I'll contact you tomorrow. >>
031Yeah. Find out what what updates do they have because the the we need to make sure that's a part of the policy that that we're renewing. >> Yes, sir. >> And still in the number 15. So we above >> we above >> any more questions about the cyber security insurance >> superintendent. >> Uh yes ma'am number eight approval to write off AP check. >> Any questions or concerns? >> Yes >> Dr. B. These are checks um specifically being requested to write off for what reason? >> They have not um cleared the bank and they have to cash and stuff which >> we just need to write on. So this 26,000 should be back in our account. >> Right. Once I do that. Yes, sir. Then I'll transfer it back to um the general account. >>
032General account. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, I think my question is, um, superintendent, what happens if they present these checks? Cuz some of these checks are just like this one right here for $3,225 is just from June. >> Well, matter of person, they bought something anyway. >> Okay. Cuz what what I'm going to do is once they approve, then I do a stop payment. I do a stop payment for each check to the bank. So, if they try to cash me anything, the bank won't cash. Okay, excuse me. >> But legally uh if they want to pursue it for some reason to say they never received the check and we received a billing afterwards >> and those funds have been expended somewhere else. >> And so what we can do is I can get
033um we can just contact to verify. So we'll just, you know, contact the vendor to see if they receive the check. What's the issue before we go out? Make sure you get that right. Am I correct, attorney? >> Yes. >> Because they can say they never receive it. The mail went to Jupiter, you know, make note. >> Yeah. So it would be good to follow, right? We'll contact you. Yes, ma'am. >> Any more questions or concerns? Number nine, approval of FY26 budget. >> Any questions or concerns? >> Number 10, approval to request to advertise for bid for cyber security RFP. >> Any questions or concerns? that um those that those funds are going to be expended out of technology or general fund >> that's actually a grant that was given to the Department of Homeland
034Security MHS. We're actually going to be reimbursed for it. So, it's a federal grant coming back to the district as we expend those funds. >> Any more questions? >> Super 10. >> Number 10, we have personnel recommendations. >> Any questions or concerns? At that time, we'll have closed the termination upon whether or not to go into executive session. >> At this time, can I have a motion to adjourn your meeting? >> So, move Okay. At this time, I would like to have a motion to call our special call meeting to order. >> Madam Chair, special call meeting to order. >> I'll second the motion. Can I have a motion to adopt the agenda as written? I move that we adopt the agenda as first. All in favor? >> I oppose. I'm sorry. First we have
035approval of agreement with um MSA. >> Okay. Um superintendent here, can you please let us know what this is about um the contract with MSBA? Yes, ma'am. Madam President, uh the Mississippi School Board Association have a survey they provide where they will actually go in and it's almost a sixmon process and look at all of our policies and they will review us the ones that are outdated that are no longer relevant to what we do now and replace and update all those policies. So, it'll give out from looking at our policies online, some of our policies have not been updated since 2020. And so it's it's time now to go back and do review and make certain they meet all legislative guidelines. And this is the process that they do for for school district to
036make certain that when they're finished all of our policies are up to date uh to today's standard whether it's AI we're talking about anything else that has happened. >> Any questions or concern for the superintendent? >> Uh Miss Martin. >> Yeah. I don't know whether or not it's a question or even a concern, but I would say that if we're going by the dates that we that we had next to the policies, >> that was that was one of the concerns that I know I've had because the way we had set up, it rotated from one section to another >> and by the end of the year, the calendar year, we would we would have reviewed all of our policies in in terms of uh from the perspective of the of the school board. An
037example would be the agenda for next week has uh policy section B school board operations. So it it would have been for us as a board, each one of us individually to take a look at that entire section >> and if we had questions or concerns during the work session would have been the time to bring those things up. And so, um, I I I understand what you're saying, though, as as superintendent, you can go in there and look and see yourself that there's policies that need to be, uh, reviewed and renewed. And I I don't know that it would be that far out of alignment when that's a part of what we we have employees to help us to do. So that that would be my concern would be what have we been doing
038since 2020 if we are um so far behind this is 2025. >> I I would say one one of the issues is that so the board has historically reviewed policies and updated those policies in accordance with the recommendations made through the MSBA. I think the issue is the dates. >> It's not obviously those dates are not being updated. That's the issue. That's probably the main issue is that the dates are not being changed. Correct. >> As we were going. Yes, that's right. So that was brought up in a in a training that Dr. Bur, Miss Warden, myself, and a previous superintendent attended. Miss Cameron was there. They use MCOME as an example and say our agenda and our meetings and our um minutes reflect that we were reviewing them but it was not being updated
039and I brought it back to the district. We talked about it and us as a board all we can do is tell the superintendent. So I think in retrospect um Superintendent Vic is now saying to take it off our plate to to save responsibilities. He would like the people who actually help implement the policies to come in and maintain our policies and get it corrected and make it accessible and correct to the public. That's that's what I receive it as. >> Uh that is correct. M president because they they have the legal expertise that we need to make certain that we are in line with everything when it comes to our policies. So that this is is the direction I would like to go um for coming school year. Like I said it'll be almost
0406 month process. Uh it takes about 6 months to complete the whole policy review and everything. Any more questions or concern? Yeah. And the cost >> $7,000. I'm sorry. I know. >> Do I have a motion? >> My question is, what will we do? You mean for Dr. B? >> Yes. >> We will still have the approval. If there are changes, >> changes, we still have a need to those changes, >> but MSBA going to correct the issue that we're having now totally and clean it up because we have a policy on online that has to do with the pandemic that's actually dated in 2016 and a pandmic didn't happen till like 2018. So the dates are wrong, but to get it off and get it corrected and keep it correct. This is the best
041way to go about it. That way that way it's not one particular employee that's monet. And when changes happen, they will notify the superintendent, then we put it on the agenda, then we review it and we approve it. And we also put also continue to to um customize um um policies to fit just McCome for some policies at some point we would have to say hey this does not work for us and this is not the route to go in fact I talked to superintendent Vic about our graduation policies that says that you need to declare in in a 10th grade that he would like to change to to a more um feasible time in their senior year. So our policy said one thing and he won't change it and and the stuff like that
042we could always customize it but this right here will get us where we need and get us corrected and once we know better we do better. >> Okay. That's basically what I want to make sure that we still have control. >> Yes. >> Oh yes sir. >> Say yes. >> Only with the only with the changes. So basically when they go in they gonna correct our they our system and make sure that it's up to date and maintained correctly because when we was in that training they told us and we brought it back and we had several issues and and but as board all we could do is give it to the superintendent and expect them to to pass it along and that just hadn't happened. So we we at a different juncture at this
043point. Well, with that in mind, will uh superintendent will they be responsible for making the automated changes or will we they give it to us and we make the automated changes? >> No, once we approve it here, they will make the changes. >> I'm saying if within the system. >> Yes, sir. >> So, they will have to have access to the system. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> Their system is the system is through NSBA. Yes sir. But but but I want to emphasize that you the school board will have to still find say so in improving improvement policies >> or changes not what we already have. What they going to do is and I don't want to get nobody confused cuz it's about it sound like it's getting confused. If we have policies that's
044that's legal and binding in the system what they going to do is update the dates stating that they are corrected. it has been reviewed and it is printed correctly cuz I think last month or the month before we received a policy that was three policies from we done changed it three times since then then we had to receive a corrected version of it which was a update that's that's no longer going to be an issue so when we receive stuff it's going to be it's going to be it's going to be the correct version the updated version the version that was passed by the lawmakers in Jackson so it's going to be correct Now when changes happen that does not is different than what we already have in the system those policies will be sent
045to the district and those policy will come on the board agenda for approval of the correction and if it's a policy that we need to customize for the district we can also put that on the agenda and correct those too. So that's how it's going to work. Unless something a policy that we have does not align with the law or MSBA, those will have to come back to us. So we might have more policies over the next couple of months than we normally have. But if they are correct as written, they will just update the dates. If that if that's clear, I was trying to make it clear and simple. Yes, ma'am. And just keep in mind that you guys are going to be reviewing and approving policy ongoing for the next seven months. >>
046Right. >> As we go through this process, >> any more questions? Next. At this time, we had a a student issue with the student. Oh, I'm sorry. I need a vote for the approval of Can I have a motion to approve the agreement with MSBA? Thank you, Miss K. >> So move. >> I second the motion. >> I have a motion and a second to approve the agreement with MSBA. All in favor? >> I oppose the student. We still got Okay. I need a motion to go into close determination whether or not to enter into executive session. >> I have a motion and a second. All in favor? A hole. to the board. You go double check before we close off. We went in to close the termination, but there was no need to have
047an executive session at this time. Can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> Move that to this meeting. >> Second motion. >> I have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I oppose. Thank y'all. Have a good day. Have a good evening. >> I tell y'all something. I am so proud of Dr.