11/25/2025 - Board Meeting

001Well, welcome to our board meeting this evening, November 24th. Appreciate you coming out in the cold in the big crowd that that it is. Sorry for starting a little late. We were chatting over here. We'll start with our public comment. Public participation is encouraged in the Laurel School District. All meetings of the board will be open to the public except as provided by law. Scheduled meetings of the board may be recorded. Audience members may address the board during public comment for non-aggenda interests or during the discussion of the relevant printed agenda item. Your attendance is welcomed. If you plan to speak to the board, please look over the information on the agenda, then complete the public comment section on the other side of the cards at the back, and please give that to myself or

002Superintendent Torres. Public participation is a right that carries certain responsibilities such as informing oneself in advance of the issues being discussed voluntarily being as brief and germanine as possible, not unduly repeating remarks others or you have already made and showing respect at all times for the rights and opinions of others, whether citizens, board members, school district employees, or students. Do we have any public comment for non-aggenda items? Hearing none, we'll move to the next section of our agenda, which is correspondence. And again, we appreciate all of the donations made uh to the district by our community. It truly does make a significant impact in the areas where the donations are made. So, thank you. Moving next to the consent agenda. Do I have a motion? >> I make a motion to approve the consent agenda

003with removing personal hiring number three. >> We have a motion to approve the consent agenda with the removal of number three under person under section B personnel ironing. >> Second. The second by Donnie. Any board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion to approve the consent agenda with the exception of B3, the security inspector position. Motion by Britney, seconded by Donnie. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. Are we wanting to discuss number three specifically or not? >> So, it says replace. It's a replacement, I guess. And I apologize. I don't know if we changed this during union negotiation, but I don't remember a security building inspector. Do we have we always had that? >> We have. >> Maybe we called it a night watchman

004or something. >> We call it a security guard. >> Okay. So, we just changed the name. Do we do we have that in the union that way too? >> That's what the job description said. Uh, so they're a security guard. So, they go and inspect inspect the building and stuff like that >> and the doors and all of that. >> Right. Right. Right. >> So, we were probably calling a security guard, but really the tech >> we were all calling it security guard like in conversation, but the official name was >> So, and that had not changed. Correct. >> Pardon? That hasn't changed. >> No, nothing has changed. >> Okay. Is that what it is in the the CBA? Is that the wording? >> I was going to say because I I know that we

005did I know this last year when we did some negotiations, we did some some changing we did a little bit of >> that wasn't one of them, >> but I don't remember that being one of them, but I don't remember that. So, I was >> It's just called security in the >> Oh, that's what Yeah. So that's why I'm like not security building inspector. >> Do we do we have an actual like job description for security inspector? >> Let me pull it up because now I'm second guessing myself. We haven't had one for three months. >> Yeah. >> Two two >> three months, I believe. Um, we uh moved that individual over to a different position that he applied for. So, it's actually been open. >> Yeah. So, the actual job description says security building

006inspector. Okay. So, what's the next move then? Because if it doesn't match the union and that's what we have, >> why are our job descriptions not aligning with our CDA? >> Well, we jobs that >> we do try we do try to catch a lot of those. We we really try to and then we decide okay do we is this not a new position or have we made a modification for maybe the naming of it? I mean I know that we discuss I'm looking at you two over there. I know that we discussed that as well during this last but I don't it does say security/building inspector and it does say security in the CDA. It's just missing the building um inspector part. I guess what's the next step to ensure that they're pretty matching,

007I guess? >> Well, what we could do is we could take the job description back to district operations, just changing the title to just security so it matches with the CDA and then bringing the job description back here to this. >> That's probably the easiest thing. >> It is the easiest thing. It shouldn't prohibit us because we would get without an inspector for months. It shouldn't really prohibit you guys from hiring Carl, but that's up to you. >> This really It's not It's not that the the duties have changed. This is sort of like >> just making sure they match. It's it's more like a spelling error than a clerical than it is changing. >> Basically, it doesn't change anything that's going on. And then we The duties and the pay are the same. >>

008Yes. But I do agree we should align that and you know the only way to do it would be through anou and that >> or or change it on the other side like Peggy said job description which is the easiest not having this duty this position filled for months and does it pose a threat to them just redo it correctly so that it's done to the board that way or you got it done that has been doing that position. >> So that's a lot to keep doing, >> but it part of it is also that position goes and checks boilers and stuff. So that's coming up as being a need that's going to hold. So >> boilers really that's bad. thoughts. >> I'm okay moving forward with hiring Carl and then bringing back the job

009description, but I would like to hear if it's okay. Make sure the union that it's okay. >> I don't know why I have access to >> I don't think it's a issue. I mean it should be right. The message we got sent put him in that um that tier. >> Yeah. in the right spot as far as >> I make a motion to approve the hiring of our security building inspector with the understanding that it should go back through for alignment on the union and the position itself. Well, a motion by Britney to approve under the action item B sub3. >> I'll second >> seconded by Jenny. And I'll just add make sure to note the condition which Julie which uh Britney placed on that. >> Any other discussion by the board audience? Hearing none,

010we'll move to vote on the motion by Britney to approve under the consent agenda B sub3, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving now to number six, the action items. Action item A. >> Oh, we just hired somebody. We hired a new person. Um, all right. Is she here? Yes. Oh, there she is. Okay. So, Carrie Kaufman, please stand up. All right. So, Carrie is stepping in as one of our new middle school secretaries, but honestly, she's already been running the show since our last secretary left. At this point, she probably knows the office better than the furniture. Carrie says uh she genuinely loves helping others and believes everyone who walks into the office deserves to feel supported and cared for, which is adorable because she clearly

011hasn't met every middle school parent yet. That's a joke. But don't worry, Carrie, you'll still love them. And if you're wondering whether she can handle the chaos of a middle school office, rest assured this woman has rung in the New York Time New Year in Times Square and driven a camper all the way to Alaska and back. Anyone who survives NYC crowds and a 5,000mi road trip is more than qualified for this job. Welcome, Carrie. If you can survive Alaska, Times Square and middle schoolers, you might just be unstoppable. So, welcome. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Now we'll move to action uh the action items under number six number A policy revisions first reading. Do I have a motion? >> Anyone has any questions? Do we like

012discussion first on any of these items? >> Yes, >> so are these policies part of the process to work our way through the entire >> Yes. >> They're not anything that came from policy notes from school. >> Correct. >> Okay. though we do have a that I an email I got this afternoon from the school board association with a list of about 12 revisions some of which we just revised like 1 1700F they just came up with their own 1700F that we just approved or just excuse me I think we yeah just proved it the last week >> so and that and they're coming back with some even changes to um uh the was it 2 335 or 3225 >> whatever whatever the one we just had all the conversation about the uh the controversial

013subject one where we were talking about identity instruction and we talked about sexual behavior sexual sexuality uh training and all that. So uh there's some changes to that that are new. So, we're starting to work on that right away today and uh we're putting off all of the other policy revisions. Starting to work on those schoolboard association updates. So, these ones right here are just the normal update. Uh these three, any other questions on those items? >> I thought questions that you like. >> Yeah. And those were questions that I had written in >> yeah before leadership and learning and we talked it up and in leadership and learning and then they're reflected in the changes that are that Matt made in the so leadership and learning is comfortable with what's presented perfectly. >> Wasn't

014anything too groundbreaking but some good word changes. Then I move to approve the first reading of the policies listed under the committee action items. All three. >> Have a motion by Jenny to approve action item A. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Renee. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion. Hearing none. We'll move to vote on the act the motion presented by Jenny to approve action item A policy revisions. First reading seconded by Renee. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Action item B, policy revision, second reading. Is there a motion? [clears throat] >> Make a motion to approve the policies listed under action item B. >> Motion under action uh motion to approve action item B by Renee. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Jenny. Any board

015discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion to approve action item B by Jenny, seconded by Venet. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item C, approval of out of district foster student. Is there a motion? >> I make a motion to ratify the approval of out of district student as recommended by administrators for first grade. >> Have a motion by Britney to approve action item C. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Renee. Any other discussion? Audience discussion. Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Britney to approve action item C, the approval of an out of district foster student. Seconded by Renee. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed. Motion carries. Action item D, resolution calling for a bond

016election recommendation. Would we like to discuss this first? I think it'd be good for us to give explanation to the people that aren't on the on committee to know why we're doing this so early. The >> change in the law uh now requires that we do this 145 days before the election. Used to be 70 some days. >> And all this is saying is the board is calling uh for for a bond. It doesn't have bond language in there. you're able to change it. You're able to go ahead and decide later that you're not going to run it. Uh you're just giving everyone a heads up. This is what's going to happen. Similar uh for E as well. Same same concept behind that. You're calling for the election for the trustees uh and levies. So

017tonight you might be approving high school bond. You might be approving the election. You might be approving um a building reserve operational levy. a building reserve levy, a technology fund levy, but you don't have to run those, but we have to commit now to say we're going to do that. So, in a in we have like another 70 days or something to make changes and actually put all the bond language in just like we did last time. So, it's very specific to make decisions about any levies you want to run to all that. So tonight, you're just committed to doing this, but you can still change any of them down the road and and decide not to do that. But you can't do anything beyond what's in the wording. Um the wording, you know, we

018can't decide, well, we're going to call for a bond election for the high school. Oh, now we're going to try to do a bond for the elementary, too. Well, we didn't do that at this meeting, so that kind of goes out the window. Uh, you do have one more meeting you could pass these at if you We put them on tonight because we got the language late last week. So, we went ahead and put them on tonight. We were going to have them on as just a discussion item, but when we got the right language, we went ahead and threw them on as an action item. So, if you choose to just discuss it tonight and to table it, then you we still have timewise you could bring it back on uh December 8th and

019address it at that time if you so wish because I think it it's December 9th, but it has to be to the county. So, [clears throat] that would be kind of your last thing. So, we thought it would be good to put it on this one. Now, if there was any discussion, change these things you like, didn't like, then we could uh change it on the ETH and then get it to the county on the >> Does that make sense? This is a real high level sort of >> This is just to run a bond probably. >> You're not you're not bound by any of it. If you choose to change your mind, you're not bound uh by anything to it. a question on that thoughts, Donnie? >> So, the it kind of feels like

020there's a a disconnect between the bond resolution and then the call for an election. Like, shouldn't the call for election also include the bond issue on the high school? And if not, this one doesn't say are we going to do it by mail ballot or we have to discuss that. We've always done that. >> I know that. that this is standalone the bond for the bond whereas all the other collection pieces are in the other call where it says that it's now ballot or polling place it feels like the bond should be incorporated into the call for election I don't know but you guys got the language from >> you just don't want to miss a step and >> no no that's a good question. We did get the language from uh was it Dan

021Simmons? >> Yeah, Dan Simmons who we work with. Um, >> yeah, this is >> it must be a bad idea at least probably like Bonnie says now that I think about it on the call for election on the just the high school side just include in the bar, you know, along with all the levies and then the bond, you know, just to proposing to consolidate both of these to one. Well, I would say you still have to pass the bondship, >> right? >> And separate or separately, but then >> but incorporated into the calling >> just that high school um call for election, >> the trustes election thing, we should just add a sentence for the bond. >> It does make sense. >> I call for election. >> I follow what you're saying now. >>

022Okay. >> So, the approval of additional the approval of the bond to operate and maintain that language because it says approval of additional levies for this, approval for additional levies for this, approval of additional and then approval of bond for high school. >> Fourth sentence there, >> right? A fourth sentence. >> I have a question. >> It just would hate to have the county come out and say, "What? You can't do that cuz that was the name you call for." >> Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's a good idea to put that on there. >> Safely. Sorry. >> Yeah. This number number D. >> Number D. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And then we just I mean somebody could probably just amen. >> Well, we're going to have to resolution. >> Yeah. We can

023do that in the next step. >> We need to decide if we're doing that. >> Right. On the resolution, it says that the board authorizes Julie Jones. >> Do we want to say or >> I was going to ask that >> district? >> Yeah, we probably need to say >> district clerk >> or current say district clerk or >> it just says Julie Jones. >> Yeah, it should say district. >> Yeah, we weren't to that point. So catch cuz that's what I was used to. >> Just so used to seeing your name on everything. That's not going to be easy. >> Computer thing, you know. >> Sorry, we're not taking it off. You have to stay. >> If we Yeah. If we pass this, you have to stay at least through May. >> Your name's

024on it. >> You don't want to mess up our bond, do you? >> No, not really. There's too many things in the action right now. I'll tell you why. So, I'm okay proceeding with action item D. Do we want to bring back the high school calls for election just to make sure or are we comfortable? >> I think we could take it so that we move to that action. Yeah. Then they could and then when I when we sign it, we'll >> make sure that it's on there. >> If we can come up with the right language for that. >> Yeah, we could do it tonight. Yeah. >> Sorry, we just make >> We're still And we're still on feed. >> I make a motion to approve the resolution calling for a bond election. >>

025I second. >> She beat you. Sorry. So, a motion to approve action item D, the resolution calling for a bond election fiber, seconded by Jenny. Is there any other discussion on that? Audience discussion hearing? None. We'll move to vote on the motion by Renee to approve action item D, the calling for a bond election, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Are we still going to be okay to make a name change? >> We sort of melded those two discussions together. So, >> we'll move then to action item E. So, we'll open that discussion. Again, to be clear, we need to add Yes, go ahead, Britney. So, I guess my question is that I know that we've always talked about mail ballot to poll election and we've

026always opted more for the mail ballot because one, it's less money and resources because the poll election does put a lot of that on us, but do you think that it would behoo us to do that this time to try to get them in the building and have >> I know we can't discuss it with them. I know we can't rah rah rah when they're in the building, but is it something to get them face to face with what's going on? Because I think sometimes that mail ballot is a disconnect. >> And I think sometimes people get busy like that sits on their counter and they always mean to to vote, but then they just don't. So, if they had the opportunity to vote while they're dropping off their kids or driving by on the

027way to work, that could be >> I know there's a I know the resources part we'd have to really look into, but is this one where we really need to do a little bit extra and putting it in the in the actual folder. >> What couple can I comments on that? >> Yeah. First comment is I was supposed to get the number for tonight and they she didn't get it to me uh from the elections administrator in county and I wanted to figure out how many absentee ballots they're sending out right now versus people who don't get absentee. I think there's a lot more absentee nowadays than there are people who are coming to the polls. I agree with you on the polls, but then there's a ruling and I was just trying to find

028it on the polls. Do you have to have a percentage of so many people vote? And then depending on the percentage of people who vote whether that election is um >> good or not, >> it's not simple majority. It's not simple. >> Yeah. In a full election, you have to get a certain percentage of the people to show up with the poll. just going to try to >> or send in their uh mail in ballot for uh if they're absentee ballot members um for it to even count as an election. >> I'd like to know those numbers though. >> I'll get to it. >> I do remember this discussion >> with the elementary bond now that >> she I thought she was going to get us all that stuff today. But >> do we have

029to declare mail or poll on this? We can't say mail or poll. >> Well, this could be one that we could table until the next meeting, too. Okay. >> So, that's that's the advantage. I wrote down some some uh language, >> okay, >> for that approval of a a high school bond for the uh school building and grounds for school build high school building and grounds improvements for a period of 20 years. So, we can we can add that in there, but if you guys feel more comfortable, that's why we put it on here tonight so we could come back later if there's something we needed to fix. And I guess sorry go ahead. >> I mean the other question with because I'm with Jenny is do we have to put a name in for

030the election administrator or can we put authorizes current um >> what's your title? >> I think it's clerk. >> District clerk. >> You could say district clerk. >> Actually it would be the county uh county elections administrator. Well, it says, but authorizes but that it looks like it has to have a name. Can it does it and does it require a specific name? >> Well, that was that's >> I think maybe authorizes the authorizes the clerk of Laurel Public Schools maybe. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yep. You're right. Okay, I get that. Just >> I just wonder if I think about the um the polling we would all probably it would be best for us to all just stay like 10 miles away from that building so that we couldn't be accused of trying to influence the

031election by being there. I don't know how would that work. I mean that that's and then this may not affect your point but we are looking at moving all polling uh elections to the administration building out of high school. We've had the elections. Uh Dana came out and uh Dana Cosby, >> why can't we? >> She came out to uh to to just, you know, they have to look at the facility and say, is it is this going to work? And she was very happy with the facility and thought it would work really well. Then it won't interfere with school or anything new. So >> yeah. >> So that's something I don't that changes your thought process, but >> does [clears throat] it have to be the admin building or can it be the high

032school? cuz I mean that's where we've all I mean >> most of our p our pole station has always been at the high school. >> We can >> Well, they're asking for it to be changed. >> We we asked for >> which I have mixed feelings on. I think like as far as parking and that kind of thing. >> I'm an election judge so I've sat there. So, it is an issue the parking piece of it, but I do think that um there's value in having it at the high schooler at the high school because we have kids that see people going to vote and there is that piece of it that I think is important. um not because they vote one way or the other, but just that civic duty part of things that

033is as you're there watching and it encourages those kids to vote too, the ones that are I mean they they come in and they're I I don't know. So I have mixed feelings on moving it down to admin the admin building. Um, but I mean I I can see both sides of it, but >> yeah, when I I kind of briefly talked about it with Dr. Bington. Um, um, during the last like election that we held there, we had people just wandering the hallways. So, there were there was a random person in the history hallway and that's not where they should have been. They should have been in the depot. Um, so that's one of the reasons why she brought up it being at the administrative building is because kind of like a safety thing

034of just having people there. But I do think that there is value of having it at the high school. Um, there's another thing I was >> I've never been more intrigued by voting in my life than when there [laughter] >> and uh with more people um being there, parking is a nightmare. And then I know last time a lot of kids were late and it's like the same with track days. Um it's hard to find parking and we do have like elections there. Uh so I get both sides of it but that's the reason why >> we do have pretty good parking at the admin building. We have about 42 or 41 something like that spots plus four or five uh handicap spots as well. Um so we're we're pretty good in shape parking. We

035just we wouldn't be competing with kids or anything along those lines. Um, >> yeah, something I never even remotely considered. Renee, that's a good point about kind of that, >> you know, this. >> Yeah. Just it isn't. I'm not sure. >> But our voters see it, too. >> And then we're asking for a bond for our high school and then we're having them walk through our high school and then they're seeing the product. It's tangible to me. It's tangible. And then they have to look at those students and go, "Oh, I'm voting no for you." And I'm sorry, but that puts a little pressure. Sorry. >> Have students stand outside the door. [laughter] >> You got to come banging. I don't know if that's allowed. Banging is not allowed. I think that would be a

036turn. >> You have someone wearing like a something on their head. Oh, and Ty just fell. >> Oh no. [laughter] >> Yeah. Go ahead. That just sounds also like global propaganda and like just a bunch of people assumed to >> like just begging for their lives like me. Please save us. We're hot and miserable. We don't want to be here. >> Chase isn't below doing that though. So >> if it works, it works. >> She just can't get caught. >> Chase, that is the one I do legitimately wonder about. like if we could be accused of that. >> Yes, pretty. >> Okay. So, um to be honest with you, I would like some information on numbers. >> I'd like some information on polling and what that those look like for >> the true election compared

037to mail. >> Yes. So, I would like to make a motion to table the resolution calling for the election on both the elementary and the high school just to confirm language on ballot and poll uh administrator whose name has to be on there and bond for the high school. >> We got that motion to table by Britney on action item B seconded by Renee. Any other discussions >> with the bond language? Um, can that also be like a levy? So, it's not strictly a bond, but if we decide to go for a levy, whether it's a technology level or like the building reserve levy, is that also a part of that? >> Yep. That that was my grand B. It' be a separate separate item on the on the ballot. >> You can run multiple

038things on it. Okay. >> I just want to make sure. Yep. Yeah, we're trying to keep like we're trying to since they put such a long time horizon on us, we just decided to crack the door open on every option. That way we can um narrow that down as we get closer to February, I guess, is when we really have to start saying this is exactly what we're doing and how much we're asking for. >> It is crazy they put this this far out on us. You really have to >> I mean, again, I mean, we've been thinking about it for a while. This puts makes districts think even more ahead which is probably a good thing. Any other discussion on that audience discussion? Yes, Lee. Yeah, >> I have one. >> Oh, no. Sorry.

039I met Lori [laughter] metal. I mean the gates have been pulled in the past and it's not to keep our kids out of it is to keep the public from wandering the halls cuz that is a safety and so we've pulled those pink gates on the return is the pink gates before and the kids can easil they can still navigate the high school very easily and it's not it's not to keep the students away from the voting area it's to keep [clears throat] the public from wandering in the classrooms and into all you know kind of things. So, it is very doable. >> Yeah. >> I've always liked it being at the high school, too, honestly. So, I I think I'm in pretty firm favor of that as well. >> My question was like, is

040there ever an option to have a satellite drop off place so people don't have to drive to the buildings if they didn't send it in? >> Did we used to have one here? I thought we did, didn't we? >> We did at the high school, but the county wanted to do it. Where was it? uh the there's that was actually something you could do, but your polling place or your uh county elections office has to agree to that. And with a lot of the goofiness that's taking place in elections, that's one thing they our county doesn't allow the drop boxes in different places. >> A lot of people do get [clears throat] mail for everything at this point, but they don't always get them in the mail. And then if you have to drive into

041buildings, >> I think you and I, as I'm thinking about as you're saying this too, the last city election in Laurel >> might might actually turn people towards polling cuz it was a mess. I was I live out I just live right outside as well. >> Yeah. But it it's a good it's actually a good um it's a good case for polling to be honest I think >> because it's still going to be in everybody's heads that they might miss that ballot or it's in the wrong spot or whatever >> or they send the wrong ballot to the wrong >> correct. So I think I think it might not just that one thing alone might make it where polling makes a lot of sense at least in this community for this election cuz it's so

042fresh what happened to them in November. Those are really good points. Any other discussion on that? Do you have a motion to table action item E, the resolution calling for an election by Britney, seconded by Renee? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving next to the superintendent report, the resignations information items. Student board report. Let's hear it. >> Pull it back out. Hold on. >> Okay, so um as of November 20th, all of the fall sports and activities um have come to an end. Um football is done. Um the musical that happened last week. >> Last week. >> Um and so we're going to give you a little bit of an insight to everything that we've done so far. So Gabby's gonna start with the ball. >> Yeah. Um

043so regular season they uh had a win third and one loss goes to our rivals central. They had gone a first round by due to their improvement of being number one in the country conference. However during that uh during their first uh playoff game they lost to white fish at close at close 20 to 27. Um I had interviewed some some football players I interviewed before grade level. Um, they said that each of their crunches really helped them grow. >> Do I need to speak louder? >> Yeah, you do. >> Sorry. Is this Can we turn that? What is this? >> It's the milker. >> Milkers. >> We just have to remember to plug it in or we have all sorts of problems. >> Okay. >> My chocolate milk. >> What's happening here? >> They're

044going to unplug the fridge. >> Okay, there we go. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Um, okay. You have three things to do after the meeting. Look at it. >> Deon's putting a fail safe there. [laughter] >> Okay. Sorry. Thank you. >> Do I need to repeat anything? >> Nope. >> Okay. Um, so according to some players, um, they said that all their coaches really helped them grow um, every day on and off the field. Either it was on game day or it was during practice or like uh during like weights. Um, overall they said that they worked well as a team and they bonded closer and as like more as like a brotherly brother type of bond and I'm going to hand it off to Michael with volleyball. >> Yeah. So volleyball did really really

045good this year. Um they went to divisionals and they took third. Um and then they went to uh state um volleyball in Bosezeman. Um and they did really good there. They put up a great fight against all the teams that they've uh played. Chase was there cheering his heart out. Um [laughter] it was really fun seeing him in the back of the video cheering >> and I got to skip school that too. >> Um the best >> um a lot of the players that were interviewed said that their coaches helped improve them every day and that there was a really good atmosphere there. Um the coaches uh really like created an atmosphere by giving like their ribbons to like their MVPs of the games and really fostering that relationship with them. Um, so overall overall

046volleyball did really really good and um we're excited to see what they can do next year. So I'm going to hand it off to Chase for cross country. >> I'm going to do both cross country and golf. Um so with cross country obviously I ran this season again. Um it was good. Um a lot of the team members PR um frequently throughout the season. That was great. This is the first season we've had a [snorts] foreign exchange student be on varsity the entire season. Um I was so surprised. Um we ended up racing each other a lot for the first and second place. Um so that was good. Um we took sixth overall in state which is actually two places higher than last year which was super surprising to me. I thought we were done.

047Um unfortunately at divisionals we lost to both Park and Forgus who are kind of our cross country rivals this year. Um but we actually got both of them in state. We were not expecting that. Um, but yeah, it was great. Um, we had a pretty large team this year. Um, and so it was good. Um, and then golf. Um, 12 students in total, which is one of the biggest turnouts we've had so far for golf. Um, we had two eighth graders play for the team. Um, and then five girls, uh, is one of the biggest girls teams we've had in a while. Um Royce Taylor Jr. took ninth at state. Um and he was able to go to all state uh which was the top 10 places for doubleA and a golf. Um overall our

048team took fifth at division so not overall. Royce took fifth at divisionals. Um and said that the season quote unquote was okay. Um Harper Anderson who's a sophomore um she took 15th at divisionals and qualified first state. She was the only girl who went to state for golf this year. Um, so it's pretty cool that she's a sophomore, so she'll have two more years. Um, overall, boys golf played second at divisionals and then every single boy on the team was able to go to state. So that was pretty cool. And then we're going to move into like activities and things like that. And Michael is going to talk. Okay. Um, so I'm gonna just start off by um talking about kind of student council and homecoming because they run that. Um hope homecoming happened the

049second week of school which was September 8th through the 12th. Um student council made a bunch of plans um like the homecoming kickoff uh where we have powerpuff football and then manly volleyball which we had great turnouts um less than usual but it still was really good to see a lot of the student body there. Um they planned uh the spirit days and then the homecoming parade which had also good turnout um which we're really happy to see. Um hopefully next year we can schedule homecoming a little bit later so student council has a little bit more time to plan and advertise it um to the student body. Um that was one of the reasons why we thought that we had a little bit less of a turnout than what we usually do. Um so

050maybe if that's a possibility in the future scheduling it later that would be awesome. Um just talking overall about student council. Um we've done a lot of service projects. Um, we had Thanksgiving place mats um that we gave to um our old folks homes here in moral um to kind of brighten up their year with Thanksgiving. Um we also did babysitting for parent teacher conferences um so parents could have a more of a one-on-one time with the teachers and actually talk about it without having a kid distract them. Um and that went really good. Um we got most of the spots filled for all the schools which was really good. Hopefully we can get more spots filled in the middle school cuz I know that's something that we lacked this year. So that went really

051good. Uh we also did World Kindness Day which uh was really really fun um that we did I believe last week. Um we got little clothes pins that we put on people that had kind messages and it was really good to see the spirit. Everyone was smiling and I thought that was very fun. Um >> can I add one more thing? Forgot to me, forgot to put this in here, but uh student council's actually been doing interviews with the student body. So, it's me, Jason Jars, who is a current junior, and Hayden Wall, who's a sophomore. We go out during flex whenever we are free, and we interview um one freshman, one sophomore, one junior, one senior, and one staff member, and we each ask them a different question. Um our most recent one was

052kindness. We talked about um we asked them what was the kind of thing that someone did for you or what is the kind of thing that you did for somebody. I just forgot to mention that and that's what we expect. >> Yeah. Um so most recently we went to the Montana Association of Student Council's uh state conference. Uh this year it was their seventh year and I was lucky enough to be on their executive committee and help run that. Um, some of the things that we did, we had uh really good keynote speakers that really spoke to student leaders across Montana. Um, we also had um a lot of great workshops. Me and Chase probably had the best student one, not to brag. Um, and yeah, and then uh we also had a couple uh

053adult workshops where we got to meet like the mayor of Helena, which was really cool. Um, and then we had the business session, which I also plan on sharing with the board. Uh the business session is where uh students around Montana that are in student council write resolutions um that affect students uh on the daily. Um and then we vote on them to see kind of if students agree across the state. Um and it's a good place to kind of see if students agree with certain topics. So I plan on sending that out to you guys. Uh we had some on mental health, school safety, parking lot rules, and all of that good stuff. Um, so I plan on sharing that out with you guys when we finally get that. So that concludes the student

054council segment and then I'm going to pass it on to Gabby. >> Uh, so for fine arts, which is our usually our music department, um, recently in October, which is October 16th to the 18th, which was our 4-day weekend, we had six students to go to Great Falls from the Montana High School Association's all state music. Um we had four choir students and two students who were in band and orchestra. Um for our choir students we had Michaela Spindler, Octavia Weiss, Riven Mccertie and Aaron Ballad. Then for our band and orchestra we had one orchestra student which is Mitchell Coffee. He did a French horn and Mason Evan who did a band at Ela saxophone. Later, right after that, choir choir had their first concert on October 21st where I think we did pretty good

055as a choir student. I don't know what other people may may have thought. However, a week later, band had their concert on the 28th and then I'll pass it over to my Chase Michael for uh the musical. >> So, I went to both of the opening days of the musical. Um it was just really good. I was there for both of them. Um, and it it was really good. Uh, their, uh, play was, I mean, the musical was over Dare to Dream. Uh, they were the first Montana school, um, to be able to put on this musical. Uh, which I thought was really cool. Um, I thought it was really, really good. Um, it was it was a whole bunch of Disney songs, so it was really great for the kids. Um, I saw a

056lot of comm community members go there, and I thought it really like brought people together there. um kind of going off the bottom and let me bringing them in there to kind of see all that's going on. Um I think that also helped the case with the bond kind of seeing that. Um but the turnout I thought was pretty decent. It wasn't the best, but I still think having some of the community just being there that really helps. And then getting that word out, um it was really good. So, yep. And then I'm going to pass it back on to Gabby for FFA. So FFA, also known as Future Farmers of America, they went to nationals in Indianapolis during Halloween week, which their dates were for conference was October 29th to November 1st. So basically,

057what I was told by Brook Elick and Addy Wright who are junior and senior that anyone in FFA can come is not just if you can place at state. It's actually anyone can register since it's a great way to build on your leadership since they have workshops to build your leadership and your future careers. They have general sessions to work on um just [clears throat] talking about FFA as a general. Along with that they did have those who are able to qualify. Along with this there was two different types of nationals. There was national officer elections where uh many people all over the US were able to be part of this national office where they helped run the FFA as part of the student body organization. Along that they had national awards for different students

058along with competition. Um in our chapter we had nine students who went most of them were officers in this in Valor in Valoral chapter along with along with this they've been very big busy in their competitions they went to two um before and after nationals were the Nile and Jace now known as Montana Expo but upcoming in December we have Sweetgrass and Districts we have some noble placers in the Nile with Kinley who placed fourth out of 300 students students in horse, Addy Wright who plays ninth in vet science and Cultter Phillips who plays sixth in livestock. Now I'm going to end it with Chase Mlan and the others. >> Um so just a couple things to close out. Uh two new clubs have come to Laurel High School. Um these are student led organizations.

059Um there is the Laurel High School Worship Club. Um so they meet before school. So just to make sure it all follows policy, they meet before instructional time um in the auditorium um and they just go through worship stuff and then Turning Point USA um which meets before school now [clears throat] as well I think. Um and they do their stuff as well. So those are new to our school. Um we'll probably give a report later on if we have that as one of our things about how that's been going. Um, the advisor for Worship Club, I believe, is >> Wendy Graves. >> Mhm. I can remember her first name, not her last minute. Um, and then USA is Blake Pierce. Um, and so maybe we'll talk to them and see how those are going

060later on in the year. Um, so that's all we have. So now and unless you guys have any questions, >> questions, concerns, comments, we would love to hear from you. >> Busy, busy, busy. >> Mhm. >> Feels like you guys, that's like 10 months worth of stuff in like the first 3 months. That's crazy. >> We were a little bit behind last year. I know we had this report a lot earlier, but it's been super busy this year. So, um, >> yeah, but we're on it. We're getting there. Um I did have a question. Um so for upcoming board reports, is there something that you guys would like to see um not only at the high school but expanding into like um the intermediate school and also the elementary school >> and the middle school.

061Oops. And uh kind of seeing a report on them and what it would kind of be about. Um just wanted to get from you before. >> We'll still do our general one that we do every year where we interview all the students. But is there anything specific that you guys would like to see? cuz last year we did culture and climate and then we got that. Um I know last year we kind of talked about doing that again and seeing kind of how it adjusted with the new buildings and then people switching grades. So, >> that's kind of what I'd be curious about actually is how did how do they feel with do they even know how how the teachers and stuff feel with these new buildings, but how are the kids feeling? And yeah,

062I'd love to compare that to the climate and culture things from last year, especially since we brought fifth grade back down into elementary school. I think >> it'd be pretty interesting to hear. >> so yeah, um we can work with Dr. fine tends to set up times where we're able to go and out and interview students. I would probably do this during afternoon where it's less busy and kids are more generally hopefully calmed down from lunch and recess. But >> you'd like to think that? >> Yeah, >> I would like to think that, but in reality, I know that >> maybe if we go early in the morning, they'll still be sleepy. >> It might be amped for the end of the day. I'm telling you. >> Yeah. I think they like being done as

063much as anything. So, >> but that's all we have. Yeah. So, we'll definitely pencil in culture and climate again and do that. Um, if there is something that you guys want us to do, just come talk to us and then we can kind of put that on a radar and be able to interview kids or be looking for certain things that you guys want to talk about. So, if there's no other questions about any of the activities, more >> um when you're doing culture and climate for the high school, focus on like CTE options and like that kind of stuff. I would appreciate. And then also, yeah, just mirroring really just asking the younger kids how they like the new schools, how they like the different grade divisions with fifth down with kindergarten and and

064kinder booths together. I think it'll be an easier transition for the kindergarteners to first grade since it's all the same school. Yeah, just kind of see what their firsthand impression of the school is. >> And we do have some interesting polling on that CTE stuff from A&E, but I'd love to have it enhanced and we'll have A&E do a whole thing. Wonderful. >> When we're kind of a little more solidified in that discussion from that committee meetings that have been going on, >> but very interesting stuff about especially about music. I thought was pretty pretty neat that a huge amount of students in the high school that are >> Yeah. >> music >> loving music. >> Wonderful. >> That's great though. That's good. >> So good. Yeah. But yeah, so they're they're and they have

065a whole nice thing for it. So >> wonderful. >> They'll be I'm sure that we'll be doing that sooner than later. Probably after this next meeting, I guess. >> I would guess. So after the next uh >> Yeah. >> Probably not in December, but probably the first one in January. >> Great. Thank you guys. That was awesome. So we'll move next then to the discussion items. The first one here, uh, before and after [snorts] school programs, >> Britney, >> so I kind of brought this up. Um, I noticed some parents um just asking like was there other options in Laurel because one one then it turned into several moms you know are paying up to $1,800 for you know getting their kids dropped off to before school having them of course then bus to school

066because of time limits on jobs needing to get to and from. Right. So I had just asked knowing that we no longer have our big brothers big sisters program and we had students doing that. Is there an option for us to somehow I mean cuz years ago we used to use the admin building and we would do a before and after school program and I know it was different. It was monitored different but it was fairly reasonable in pricing as well. So, it's just kind of an idea of bringing it back up to the forefront, asking for more information, and um seeing if there's anything that we as a school can help kind of take off some of our parents' stress. I think I was sensing the biggest concern is with the busing issue. We

067would love to offer busing for in town students. I think there was a lot of confusion amongst so we do offer busing to some of those districts, Southside being one even though they're within the three mile radius. Um there's a weird age gap I feel like middle school, fourth and fifth grade where they're too young to drive, too old to go to daycare really, you know? It's like but they could be home alone if they could just get a bus home. That's the vibe I got. I saw that. You know what I mean? And so there's this weird group that that really is a is a tough call, you know, and so I saw that too. >> And the walking and I get that there's, you know, they might be in a in an area

068that they could possibly walk, which is understandable, but then weather permitting. And I mean, so I I just feel like is there is there another option? I know we've talked about in the past, but should we bring it back up? And is there something that is here? Are we not notifying the public that we have it? Are they not aware of it? That kind of stuff. >> We do send out stuff on the CARES Academy for the United Way. Uh probably haven't since the beginning of school, I would think. Uh I haven't seen anything, but we could certainly keep advertising the Cares Academy. Um and what that is being run are both of our elementary and our intermediate and they would like to expand in the middle school and they have middle school programs and

069aren't they're a little more they're adult you know a little for older kids and not just little kid things. Um but they just haven't been able to staff it but they would like to expand into that. I did talk to Zeta. She was in charge of the last time it's been a few years, but uh she was in charge of the after school program. They ran a pretty robust program. >> Pretty uh pretty impressive actually. Just talking to Zeta about it. >> Um quite a few staffing. Uh they staffed it with kids and they did have an adult that ran it >> uh that was beyond >> like a principal. They had a they had a after school coordinator. Um and she talked about all the things they did. kind of had a homework room

070and actually would take the kids on some excursions, you know, short excursions here or there. Um, and uh I I told her to start thinking about how anything we run like that really has to be self-sufficient. Uh it's not we're not trying to make a profit on it, but we also can't afford to run something and lose a bunch of money on it. It have to be fairly self-sufficient. And I don't know if if we would have to charge what United Way charges. We could do it for less. Those would be some good questions and we could do a little figuring, put pencil to paper and try to figure it out. Um, one thing I would not want to do is compete with United Way. If they're running our if they're running the afterchool program,

071then it's it's it's theirs to run. If we're running it, then it's ours to run and we would no longer have them in our school. That would be my feeling on it. I don't want to be kind of that dueling banjos the whole time while we're um running an after school before school type program. >> Yeah. >> Uh >> but are we I'm sorry. >> No, >> so where where does United Way run their program? >> They have a classroom in this building. I don't know exactly which classroom they use. Yeah. >> It's down at the very end of the hall right by the exit door. Oh, was it that uh that first classroom >> and then they run one on the first floor of uh uh intermediate as well. They have a couple of

072empty classrooms over there. We have an empty classroom here. So, we're using those I believe. >> So, they're basically grades K to five. >> Correct. [clears throat] Now, >> the middle school, too. >> Do they they are they opening that up now? So, maybe they do have the middle school. >> I don't know if they have kids or not, but I know that they're in the room over there. >> Okay. She told me just the other day that she was still trying to hire someone, but maybe they have someone that's going over there. >> I don't know if there's >> okay >> an active room. >> Okay. I don't think they interacted, but I know they have a room over there in that wing that we exited the fifth grade out of. So, um it's

073very basic. It's just pretty much and they only do a little bit with them, but it's pretty much babysitting. It's a place for kids to go to be safe so they have a place. I know in their middle school if if they go by their u model program they do have more activities for middle schoolers uh more so than uh what they do for the little kids. I think they have a they call it something I don't know what they call it but they do some exploration stuff for you know activities with the middle school kids. >> Well I guess if they have that it would be nice to I mean because I'll be honest with you I where do they sign up? Where do they where do they sit and meet with kids? How

074do they let the community know? I mean, because if they're if they're here, then it'd be nice to maybe >> we do advertise that stuff at the end of the year, and I think they send it home in packets and we let people know, but I don't know if it's a constant advertisement, but I can certainly do that. That's easy enough to advertise it out there for the public. Um, I put on here the current cost. They do give our employees a bit of a break. Uh just as a courtesy. Uh nothing's cheap, per se, but >> I mean 650 is cheaper than 1,800. >> Mhm. >> I Yeah. I don't understand where 1,800 come. Maybe if you had three or four kids. >> That was just that >> because this would be per kid.

075So if I had three kids, I mean, it's obviously going to be 1,200 bucks. >> Yeah. I mean, it's going to be up there uh if I had three kids. So, >> it's nice that that we had it and I was not overly aware and I have kids in this exact age group and I I'm if I asked my wife, maybe she knew more than me, but she tends to read more of the stuff that's coming home in the bags cuz she just gets them first. And so I wonder if we could do a better job at advertising because legitimately I did not have much of an awareness of this program. >> I will definitely get it back out there and get some stuff. They have a flyer they send out and I I could

076post that as much as they want to post it. So >> yeah, >> we want to post it. >> We could put it back in the backpacks maybe even and send it back with the kids. I don't think there's any getting around that. [clears throat] If they do before and after school care, there is going to be a cost to it. >> Like the bus, as much as we want to offer a bus, we just don't have the drivers for it at this time. So, in this community at this time, we have to offer before and after school care, and that right now is United Way. And I think they do a pretty good job. Like I think they do pretty good, you know, and so >> we've not lost a kid yet. >> Yeah.

077High [laughter] bar. So, but I will say I mean school times, even with the early outs, aren't that much different than when we were going to school. I mean, they always get out around 3:30. So, it's been kind of a a struggle. I was driven to school by my cousin, you know, >> both ways in the snow up, >> right? Which is unfortunate. It is a little bit different nowadays than when we were all young. So I understand the hesitancy and the concern. So >> I would be interested in knowing the numbers. You know what what kind of student numbers are we supporting in each of these schools? >> That's easy to find out. >> Yeah. So, I wouldn't mind having Zeta talk to us a little bit more about a school administered program that

078what it took and what it was like and >> Yeah. And I I talked to her about having something uh for future meeting. I could see if she can get something ready by the 8. >> Yeah. Thanks, Charlotte. Did you have something? Yeah, I was the administrator for that program for a couple of years and um then we had a staff member who actually was on site and and worked with the student workers and worked with the families and helped design the curriculum and the programming for the program. They went to Zeta and then to me and then to Alice reverse for a hot minute and then back to Zeta. So, I think it's it's changed hands a few times. One of the the big challenges was finding workers, consistent um student workers. We go

079through, you know, the e and flow of finding plenty of workers and then none. And so then you had that one adult with, you know, upwards of 30 kids after school trying to manage homework room and activity rooms and movie rooms. And so it was it was a challenge when we couldn't find student workers to work. Um the before school part was really difficult. There were many mornings that it was me and Misty there at 7:00 um opening doors and getting kids in and taking care of kids until the bus came. Um so that was a big challenge was finding workers um especially for the morning session. And then it kind of ebbed into a summer program which really we tried as Za is 100% right. We tried to do activities and like themed camp

080weeks and it got taken over of as like very inexpensive babysitting for my kid. And so it just really started to lose the educational aspects that we were trying to do as an extended um summer camp type of program uh in the district. And then when United Way came in and offered to do the before and after school programming, like Mr. Torque said, we just didn't want to compete with that and we really wanted to try to build that partnership with United Way at that point in time. So I mean that's just a very brief history of the programming and world over the last 12 years. Who else? >> Did you have something to add? >> Well, and that's why I was trying to get at is too is helping because we had students that

081did >> Boys and Girls Club or Big Sisters Big Brothers that it was kind of >> for those students to be able to connect with younger, >> you know, potentially. >> Yeah. and then help with some accreditation or credits or volunteer work or something like that. I was just trying to connect that. But I'm not here to go against what United Way is doing. It was just like what other offerings do we have? And I know that the busing would potentially could help that too, but it's just not in >> it's just bus drivers. >> Does anyone know when that ended? When when the school after school program ended? How many years ago? Um, last ended probably was >> I was I was moved upstairs already and I was upstairs for 3 years. So it

082was probably about 5 years ago. >> Yeah. Five or six co-ish >> about a year or two before CO. >> Yeah. >> So maybe six years cuz my kids were my kids were in that program. is really I think the the failure of the programming like that we we were able to manage okay the before school and the after school part of it. Um but we really were trying to build it as an extension of our educational programming and have purpose and meaning to it not just have it be a babysitting service. And so we tried to do the themed camps and we tried to do the educational aspects of helping kids do extra reading time in the afternoons. And then the summer programming really just started to get away from us. And um we

083would try to do a theme camp for six weeks and we would have kids not show up to work. And so then we would have to try to figure out how we're going on this field trip and then I don't work all summer. I'm not on staff all summer. So I wasn't there with my staff member to help support her. She was left all alone or I would have to come in. It just became kind of a mess because we didn't have the oversight for the summer programming that I think you would need to have. So, I would definitely make sure to think through just all of those pieces if we decided to bring the the last program back. Um, it's it's not been gone so long that I don't think people still have a

084memory of it. And there's a lot of us who were a part of that. I mean, like I like I said, Allison had it for a time. I have it for probably about two maybe three years at the most. Zeta had it before that and after that. So, um, yeah, there's lots of us who have the experience with it, who probably had different experiences within our time. And so, I think just thinking through that and asking those questions about what worked, what didn't work, what were the hindrances, what were the difficulties so that we could study those and make good decisions. >> So, Donna, you were the business manager at that time. Do you remember anything financially that was >> Yeah, it was it was a challenge fiscally. It was not a self-supporting program. Za

085ran other programs that helped to support that last program. Um, and you got to be careful when you're running a program like that. It's got to have the educational aspect to it or you end up being a daycare and have to be licensed by the state and that's a whole another package. So >> right now United Way has all that licensing and that's basically what they run is all kids with homework but it's it's pretty much >> and it takes the right person to run a program like that too. Misty was amazing but she >> her life took a different direction and replacing her was almost impossible. I did share a room with the United Way people for a while and they had like themes for each week that they were reading. When I was

086sharing the room, it was um Hannah English teacher um she was in charge of it. So they have like an educational aspect to it and then during the summer they do run >> weekly camps. They do run stuff during the day or the summer and I don't know the cost is a little different but >> yeah I'm sure it is >> but yeah they do run some summer stuff as well >> maybe there are things that we can do to help promote their help kind of bolster what they're trying to do. >> Um I personally would not want to take on last weekend. I've got way more important things to do as do I think like I think Zeta has a love and a passion for it. Um but I just I would not recommend

087to this board to take it on. I would rather go a different direction and help improve the the footprint that United Way is trying to capture. They have the staffing. They have the oversight. they have the the um manpower that I do not feel that we have. >> Well, maybe to that end of Kelly is that knowing those members, maybe it is a maybe they would love to be able to serve more students, but they can't because of their staffing, too. So, could we >> I'll ask those questions. I think that's >> could we could we add to again back to our student body to help with that. So, I >> and I know they've hired students. In fact, they have some hired now. So, >> okay. [laughter] hand. >> I have one more question.

088Student board reps, could this be something you ask those fifth, fourth, fifth, sixth graders? Like what? >> Maybe they have something that we haven't thought of. Like I have no idea. Just >> Or they're doing something already. Just an option. I know you can't ride the bus. You're in town. You don't want to go to a babysitter, you know, just >> I don't know. just think outside the board or outside the box from a student's perspective cuz it's not cool >> to go to the you know what I mean. So that would be a middle [laughter] school targeted question. >> Well, and I think it's important too that I mean that's another area to asking about the >> um you know the loss of the big brothers big sisters like I mean those are the

089kids that >> they know what it was like to have it and what it's like not to have it. Is there any feedback on that? >> Yeah, it's a good one. >> Yeah, >> I do know that most kids I mean just giving it from like a student perspective and if I was in that situation, I wouldn't refuse to go to a babysitter. So, I would think I'm too independent and I had all the freedom in the world. However, I do know that some kids are unable to be alone. So, having that like babysitter type situation would be great. However, along with this, many I think many students during the warmer months actually go to the parks. >> Sure. >> And hang out, but that can actually but that usually causes spikes and the school

090is actually more responsible for that. I would break out. >> So, I think that's just like what I >> Okay, good discussion. >> Okay. >> All right. Back some data. Uh, all that. >> Great. Anything else? >> All right. >> Let's move on to the most pleasant topic we have on the agenda today. >> We'll just table I motion to table this discussion. Let's just sweep it right out underneath the rug. >> Well, we got to address it. >> A revised taxable valuation and protested taxes. Does everyone sort of understand what we're talking about? If not, we'll go through it when next. >> Go through it, please. >> Go through the explanation. Okay, Julie, I'll start, but I want you to supplement anything that I screwed up on. So, when when um we have protested

091taxes, so we're looking at two different things. Businesses, individuals can protest their taxes. and uh they that money they have to pay their taxes and then that money is held by the county. Now uh and then districts like school districts like us, we can go ahead and request that money uh from uh uh from that entity because we have bills to pay. And uh that did happen in our district where a large entity uh protested their taxes. The impact on our district was about $380,000 uh protested taxes and uh we didn't ask for that money. Well, they were this entity was given a tax break uh by the the tax board or whatever they call themselves at partner revenue here in the county and uh their taxes were lowered significantly about a million dollarish. Our

092our share of it was the $376,000. Um, so what generally happens is because schools have a guaranteed budget, we can't just say, well, you got to figure out a way to lower your budget by 376,000. That's not how it works. Uh, what happens is is when a when any entity, including an individual, gets their taxes lowered, then their their tax burden that they were paying gets respre. So, uh, it it does it does that tax still has to be paid. It's just paid by everybody, including that entity. They'll take their percentage and pay that percentage. Um, with that being said, that also lowers our taxable valuation, which is how we set our mills in the fall to tax. So, when someone uh uh so our taxable valuation went down and no one bothered to tell

093us. So if you remember right, we set mills in August and we say here's our budget and here's the number of mills based on our taxable evaluation how much our district is worth. Okay. So if you change that taxable valuation number that changes the mills that we have to tax in order or levy in order to get uh our budget. So they lowered the taxable valuation slightly. So that lowered it should raise the number of mills. It doesn't change how much um we pay because we because our budget is set. So they did not levy at this county level. They did this county level. They did not levy enough money to cover uh taxes for um the county taxes for Lockwood and Laurel and I believe Billings. And so they didn't everybody's taxes came in

094a little lower, but it's cuz they didn't levy enough. So we're looking at options. We thought it was just us initially, but it's not us. There's a lot of schools and other entities this affects. >> So can we protest the protest? >> No, [laughter] we can't protest the protest. So right now, uh, the county is looking at options. We did talk to them today and they are thinking about a a special uh uh >> assessment, >> special tax assessment to be run. I don't know when they're going to run it. They not even sure if they're going to do it, but because this affects so many entities, what they do is they say, "Oops, our bad. Here's what here's that extra you have to be taxed." And then that money then goes to the schools

095during this fiscal year. Now, there's other options for us, but frankly, they're not great options. I I don't think I think that this is probably the best option. And the county, I think, realizes now that they got to fix the problem. >> Um because this is going to affect a lot of people and you can't just cut the cut the school. So, the numbers you have in front of you, Julie, you can explain those if you would please. >> I didn't pull that page up. Anyway, first of all, you know, I did give you some information and then I gave you the information on the protested taxes. Um, they protested them in June, so we didn't have time to do anything with them. So, I booked them as protested taxes. And then in um August,

096I requested that they send back the protested taxes, which they did. So, they showed up on the September bank statement that we got those taxes back. And then in October they took him away [laughter] plus charges interest. So I called the county and said what's going on here? And they said well department of revenue made a deal you know and dropped dropped the protested taxes dropped what they owe and plus you know that lowered their taxable valuations like no you can't do that. So all at once they're telling us in October all that you know. So anyway, um he figured about a 7 and 12% hit is what we were going to get. I don't know. I sent in a letter last Wednesday to the Department of Revenue. Actually personally script got it because I

097trust the mail. Anyway, and um they are working on the new taxable valuations. they'll get a new um so I'll get those figures when I get those figures then I can figure out exactly how it hits each one of our products and then then we'll have to do a budget amendment have to do a resolution probably in January we'll have a budget resolution we'll have to have passed [clears throat] have to be advertised all that stuff and then they will do a special assessment and when I talked to Hank this morning today. He's our county treasurer. He pre felt pretty certain they were going to have to do a special assessment because of the fact that it hit several people, several uh schools. Plus, it hits the county. They have uh they mail for retirement

098and they mailed for transportation and it for the schools. So, it hits them too. So if they So another tax bill unfortunately will be going out prior to the June to the May uh 30th deadline of paying their property taxes. People are not going to be happy. So that is not going to bode well for our >> I do worry about that. >> What's that? >> I do worry about that. Um, just so you guys know, in statute, even though the board approves the budget number and then you, you know, you have the mills on there, the mills are actually by law are supposed to be figured by the county. >> Yeah. >> Or by the the the department of revenue. So, so our you are approving a budget and that is the budget we

099get. The county, we had to argue a little bit with them because it was kind of like, well, you guys are going to have to cut your budget, figure it out. >> Um, we're like, no, no, no, that's not how this works. you're the ones who screwed up on the number of mills. Um, you're the one who has to. So, we we approved a budget and that's what you collect. If you screw that up, then you have to fix it. And they were kind of giving us a little bit of a runaround, but we feel like uh we contacted, you know, our our one of our lawyers and had a conversation. Um, then we found out it affected a lot more. So, that's kind of where we're at. We should know more relatively quickly. Mhm.

100>> Um it's uh we're going to get bills paid >> December meeting. I could have the at least the valuations out >> so we can figure out just how much how off how much we are off in each uh fund because this affects general fund, transportation, building everything affects everything that we collect money on. Everyone gets a percentage and she has that broken out on her document there. If you look um there she's got some estimates right now. Yeah, that's the seven and a half% but >> it could be different. Uh now we were also told it could be as little as four and >> it could be yeah the department of revenue was she felt it was only 4% but >> so they're still they're still figuring it out at their level so we're

101not 100% sure. Uh so that's where we're sitting. Uh there's some options out there, but we feel like the best option is for them to assess the taxes themselves. So you got the long board illusion. >> Yeah. I have nothing to share but just frustration. I mean it is what it is. There's no Yeah, exactly. It's just frustrated over the timing and >> Yeah. The timing >> the timing is bad. They have some new people and they just made a mistake. But >> I don't know. I shouldn't say that in a public meeting, but >> it's going to hurt us a little bit. >> My goodness. >> Yeah. >> But it >> because they send those out in traditionally they send them out in like April or right before >> No, August is when they

102get the >> Well, when are they going to actually send it out and tell everyone they got Yeah, they're going to send in April. Why? Exactly. >> The assessed values. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Can I make a couple of comments? This isn't totally on the county. The county gets caught having to work between the do and the schools to get to a resolution. And every time we go through this, it's a little different twist on things. Um, we're pretty fortunate. We've at least been notified now. Lockwood and Billings have not even been notified by the county. >> The schools notified the county to say, "Hey, what do we hear?" We that's because we called the other two schools and said you better check because and they had no idea. >> No. >> Um >>

103but the the biggest fault in this whole thing lies with the department of revenue. >> Yes, it does. >> And we've done this in the past, gone to them and tried to >> on the side of the department of revenue forever and >> and we end up paying the price. But >> there is resolutions for us. They're just not very >> regrettably untimely, >> right? We could take out a a what do they call you? What do we call them? Intercap. >> Yeah. But then we have to pay interest on all that money until it is finally maybe it's assessed next fall. But we'll have to pay interest on, you know, a million dollars uh over a year until we get it. So that we we ruled that out right away. Um so it's like,

104well, if they're not going to do a special tax assessment, we can take out a loan. The other thing I looked at is moving uh bust depreciation, you know, fund balances over to >> loaning the money from our souls that cover us, but >> borrowing from ourselves, but >> it's not even enough from ourselves. But then how do you cover that money? >> So that's a question for Julie or Matt. Did the county tell you or department of revenue tell you what percent of a settlement they gave the refinery? >> Um well just in that email as well. >> Well that was the percentage of the >> No get the exact >> of the taxable value but in the past they've only given them a 20% reduction. >> I think it was >> this time

105it sounds like it was bigger. >> I I think it was bigger but I couldn't tell you what it is. Bless you. >> It's just, you know, they're watching their bottom line and that's what they do, these big corporations. >> I mean, that's why we should [clears throat and cough] pay their lawyers to try to >> get a tax break. And >> I think it's fair to say that it's not >> the folks who live in our community running our So, I just want to make that clear. >> Yeah. This isn't We acknowledge that it's not >> the folks here in Laurel doing that. No way. [clears throat] Correct. >> It's just going to be a communication struggle getting them understand way communication struggle with the county and the voter, you know. >> Well, unfortunate

106thing is we was able to open those lines because of the way they handled my our protested taxes, you know. And then I needed information for the auditor uh for the management and discussion analysis and discussion part of the audit >> which by the way we might have our audit done by the end of December. >> Awesome. >> Fortunately we have a consulting firm helping us with messaging for a bond. >> Yes. >> And this is absolutely a part of passing that bond. So hopefully they can help us formulate some forward messaging about this change >> so that it it's not we don't just sit silent on it and then April 20th they get these in the mail and you know depending on how we decide to run this election everyone's hot and fuming over

107this already if we can get out in front of it ahead of it be in front of it I think that might help >> what I'm worried about is that when they get the the new tax assessment they >> well what are you doing with all this extra money we Yeah, >> we're it's not extra money. It just brings us up to what should have been. >> But again, it's it's people don't understand how all that works. That's why we got to be crystal clear on it, I think. >> Yeah, >> you can make videos. >> He's involved in this. >> We uh discussed uh making one really quickly over about this situation, informing the public what happened if that's something we'd be interested in doing. >> You know, that probably be very, very, very

108good once we know a little bit more. If the county is going to do their special tax assessment, >> then then let's do that. We may know in the next couple weeks. >> Yeah. >> And so we'll email you cuz you know obviously that's a pretty big lump sum of change right there. >> So it's good if we can >> we'll have an exact number at some point. Yeah. >> So right now these are all just what they're giving us. We don't know how accurate it all. >> Yeah. When a specific refinery decides they don't like to pay taxes then >> we'll probably won't lead with that. Let's not even this is this is what protested taxes are. This is how they we don't need to talk about the people. >> Yeah. >> And people

109in town know and yeah I think we don't >> they do provide a meaningful amount of taxes to this this community and so >> right and so it's hard to sort of pin it on the local folks running the refinery. Anything else on that item? Unfortunate, but we'll get through it, I'm sure. It's nice to know we have at least a couple options available to us. >> We'll move then, and this is kind of tied to this. This is what kind of got me thinking about this next item, which is a district grant writer. This would be in my mind a full-time grant writer for a district our size, I think. could be very um useful especially in times of shortfall. Anything it can give back, this grant writing position could give back to the

110district and it's general fund. It's just less money that we have to worry about levying from the taxpayer. And so they can have a a real direct impact on things like this. If we had a grant, right? I mean, imagine, and I know we'd already had the money spent in different ways, but imagine if we had had a grant writer who had already brought in a million or $2 million in grant funds for this school year. The impact of this could potentially be less. Now, I know there's a lot of restrictions with grant money and that kind of thing, but um the uh the thought is long-term for the district, especially with like career technical education, uh different different um programs within the elementary districts, um that this would be a good position to explore.

111And my thought behind it was if we can find one who we either employ full-time or we we gig out because there are a lot of that gig thing is a real deal even in my industry now where consultants are are big. The one thing that I think about consultants is they don't know the district as well but they could help us get the data and prepare and be ready for grants when they come along. But you sort of the grant writers that I've seen in my other parts of my life have been like mo paid by what they bring in. So it's almost like a commission structure if you will to think of it that way. So if they are a high producing grant person, they could make quite a decent income um from

112doing that. And so just the thought of you find a good one, they're going to be motivated. But the fortunate thing is is if they're not so great, you're not paying them very much either. So um I just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on what it what uh they think about this because really it should be a self-paying job and sort of if if we find the right person, it should be budget neutral as far as we bring them on, they pay for themselves. Um, a lot of times grants will actually provide for at least in the nonprofit world. I don't know how they work in this at the school side, but you can actually carve out administrative cost to administering grants. So, I wonder if they pay for themselves in that way and then

113also just by what they bring to us as a value at. So, that's where I wanted to start the conversation. How many grants does Laurel have currently that we're administering or tracking? >> Not really any. Uh we have the state we have the state grants, but those aren't headed. Those are just things we fill out and >> get all the paperwork. >> Had a literacy grant twice in a row. >> Just once. >> Okay. >> We didn't qualify for it the second time. >> Yeah. They changed the qualification so we didn't even apply for it. Um and there may be other things out there. That's what grant writers do is they go after things um that just take time and effort that you know assigning a principal to or a curriculum director to it's just

114an overwhelming if you want to bring in a significant amount of money. >> So the grant writer would be responsible for pursuing and then managing the grant once. >> Yep. >> I used to be a grant writer. That's how it was. Um although we got paid upfront to get the application out. Then once the application went through then we got a certain percentage of administrating and all that. >> It was not for education though, right? It was for nonprofit >> water. Yeah. >> Charlie. Yeah. So, the high school admin team and I recently met and there's a grant out there. The application opens up in January. It's called the advanced opportunities grant and we have talked about it but then like we missed the webinars to figure out like and learn how to fill out

115the application. The application that we've read seems very simple like you just need to have your board discuss it and have your board sign off on it. but like the minutia of how to write the plan. Um the three of us cannot find the time to sit and watch the six webinars that are out on OPI's website to figure out what we need to do. And we did see one presentation that had a list of all the schools. And this is not for next year. It would be for money for the year after next. Um so they're already a year out on this grant. Um, and so we're like, "We want to do this. We want to do this." The three of us cannot find the time to do it. Um, it's been on my

116calendar twice in the last probably four weeks and I've bumped it and bumped it and bumped it because other things come up. Um, and so a suggestion, finding somebody who just does grants, it's a great idea, but having somebody who's like a career and counseling um, specialist or a college and career counselor type of position who is a teacher on a special assignment who is working with that CTE entity of our educational system who could then sit and watch six hours of webinars to learn how to fill out this stinking grant so that we don't miss the deadline, right? Like having somebody who could sit and do that like work just on the stuff that is already available to us. >> Um you know last year I think about how our team was just like

117scrambling to find the time to sit down and do that um application for the charter school >> for the charter school. That was a struggle to find the time to um make that a priority because everything on our calendars is a priority. Why do I like state testing? Oh, I've got deadlines coming up next week for state testing that I have to make sure that we meet or you know like there's just always that list of things amongst our already busy jobs. So, if we're looking at adding a staff member, I would recommend we add somebody like a college and career counselor to our secondary school. They can work with the middle school and the high school. We've been trying to do that. We've been trying to bridge that CTE realm of the programming that

118we have at the middle school and make that feed into our high school better. Um, and there are so many pieces around CTE. We've done presentations. We've talked to you guys about how that is just a big big beast. Um, and we are barely touching the beginning of it because the three of us are already stretched. So, we had somebody that was on our team that could work with the teachers, do the academic audit on what we're offering, what we're not offering, how does that fit into a pathway, what classes feed into that graduation program? Do we have um you know a pathway that we could add as a CTE concentrator if we tweaked it this one little way? Somebody who could work with the three of us and then also be that bridge to

119teachers and sit and watch the six hours of webinars and get us the draft of the application and then if they needed to go talk to students, go talk to students that have the flexibility to help us tighten all of this up. That would be my recommendation to the board to think of a position that would get us the money, right? We aren't going to get the money. We're not even going to be on the table to be considered if we don't get this application done. The application is due in four weeks. Well, it opens in four weeks. It's not due in four weeks. It opens up in four weeks. And I can tell you honestly, we are not ready to fill out that application. The three of us just are really struggling. But we,

120you know, whether we're doing it at night or on the weekends or over our holiday breaks to get it done, that's what we're doing. And that's not fair to us either to say, well, we missed that grades opportunity because we didn't get the application filled out, you know, and and we don't want to do that for the district either. We want that application in, but it's it is a real reality of a struggle to meet some of those deadlines and to get the information for stuff that's right in front of us. So that's >> yeah, >> it really needs to be a position that can pay for itself. I mean, the focus of it to me does need to be obtaining money. I mean, >> yeah. And if we did that, that other the position

121you're talking about could be paid for with somebody who can provide that sort of like very focused data driven gathering information, knows how to write these grants, has connections within that community, um, knows where [clears throat] all of that money is and and then goes after it, I think is at least in my mind that's step one. And then >> well like like the advanced opportunities grant, the one that we're looking at now, >> we can build into that grant administrative costs. >> Y >> um with the the comprehensive literacy grant that we just wrapped up two years ago, we had staffing that was a part of that that administrative costs and salaries that were built into that grant. So, um, to some degree, if we could have somebody on a staff who could do

122that, most of those grants you can build in the administrative cost. Maybe not all of it, but I feel like that's also a responsibility of the district to look at that financially. And if we want to deliver on some of this, we got to Annie up. Yeah, >> that's how I feel, too. I agree. I think that's where I've just seen the power of that. Um, I do a lot of work with the community foundation in Red Lodge and I see we have a staff grant writer for that organization and the many many millions a year that she's able to pull in more than more than pays for her and she knows the most obscure places to get grants. And the way that she has it set now, boy, if a grant comes up today,

123she can because she's got she's got the housing study already, she has the data on this or she knows where this is or and she knows how to write them in a way that is compelling and a lot of it is how you can compel it, how you paint your narrative that if you're data driven and and if you're timely, that's what I feel like are a lot of the big pieces of grant getting. We have some success at the community foundation and that's what really got me thinking about this more and more was they can pay for themselves because we can write administrative in if we have a highly motivated person who's who receives a portion of that grant money as a part of their income that's a that's a big thing could be

124really big >> I think this is a great thing to explore Chris I would like to to know maybe see a job description or position description of that grant to see how the the funding is structured. >> Donnie or Mr. Sporex, if there's any like even double A schools who employ grant writers or other schools, if we could do that as well from the education uh side of things and not the nonprofit cuz that seems Yeah. Yeah. That seems like a great avenue to explore that's not hitting up the taxpayers again. you know, we're we're and it can show the community that we are trying our best to explore additional funding for these programs, literacy or CTE or whatever it might be. I mean, we can explore. There's nothing there no cost now to explore.

125So, um maybe put on the district office committee to really dig into that would be a fitting place unless we find a better place for it and then bring it back in say March. or what do you think >> in the spring or late because I think that I think it's a good idea. >> I'm sure Peggy has access or could find a rating system for that job and we [clears throat] can maybe well school district. >> Yeah, some people already have that. They maybe I wrote down like a the pay system. How does that work? Uh you know current job description and kind of what they how they pay. So I'd be very interested to see that. Yeah. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> Awesome. How's everyone else feel about that? >> Certainly worth exploring.

126>> I think so. I think it's we're at that point, I think, where >> this this is proven right now that they look at what happened and we're kind of just holding this bag of a mill, $200,000 that now we're going to have to pass back to the taxpayer pro. They already owed it, but >> it's a new tax, not new money. But >> I'm hearing >> Yeah. >> From what I'm hearing from Charlotte is that is there something that we can help with them do now for this potential grant? It sounds like it closes in January to submit our application. >> We haven't even started on the application because we aren't really sure when >> Is there something in the meantime? Is there a grant writer out there that would be willing to do

127that same thing. Okay. >> Sort of gig contract out to that. Yeah. >> Wonder how quick you could get a contract like that in place. >> It' be the money to pay for it. I mean, it would be I understand if you get the contract or get it, you can put some of those costs in, but there's all the upfront costs. >> Yeah, >> we don't we don't know. So, let's find out what that looks like. >> I agree. >> And if we contract it out, what does that look like? >> Contractor, you you usually pay this little like and then you pay a bait when they when they nail it for you because that's I mean, they're getting paid to get you the money. >> Well, it's kind of like real estate. You don't

128get paid until the deal. >> Kind of like us, right? if if you don't close the deal, you don't get paid. You could put hundreds of hours into a project into something and not get paid. And that's I think how these grant a lot of these >> and that's what I'd like to know is that something like that. >> Yeah. >> I mean, there's probably some kind of retainer. They get something for time, but would it be then they get their full percentage of commission when the grant is approved? >> Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. kind of kind of plan for that kind of thing too. Watch a webinar appointment. >> Well, hopefully we can uh get some more information on that and move with some expediency and doing something there. Great. So, we'll move

129down to the SNA job description um number D under the discussion items. >> So, I just asked for this to come back. Um trying to just truly understand what this position does. Um, I know that we've been provided some information that I think would have been helpful if we would have received it prior to last meeting so that maybe we could understand a little bit better. Um, so what honestly cuz I'm and I'm sorry I'm trying to do two different things on looking at what we have on the agenda and the email that I have. Um, so I guess the the one I have is okay. So this particular job, who who is the true oversight of this job? >> Oversight. Do you define that by who does the evaluation? >> No. Who who is

130the direct supervisor of this position? Of this position. The student services director is in charge of this position and all the testing that goes on for special education in the district. >> Okay. So, and then we know we kept talking about the administrating of the tests which sounds like there is not just online. Is that accurate? There is some physical testing that >> Oh, yes. Correct. 100%. Yes. Yes. It's physical testing, >> but that's not what was told at the last meeting. And I'm very frustrated about that. We were asked and it was told, "Nope, it's all online." So, is it online and it's in person or is it all online? This this is this is a physical test that someone will sit at a table. If I was giving the test, I would sit

131at a table with the student and I have directions that I read in a scripted format and I I would uh go through and say, "All right, on the next question, you need to point to the something or you need to tell me what order that these pictures go in." And then they simply mark, did the kid student accomplish it? Did they not accomplish it? uh and they go through a a series of academic tests. The school psychologist will do a a battery of a a different test that's more on the behavioral side, but this would be for the uh academic testing. >> There is no writing at all. >> So you're not scoring it? >> No, no, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying so there is no like so who is there or

132there is administrating is online but is there an actual like paper document that the student then actually has to do with handwritten >> correct there's a paper document so the online we probably talked about the last meeting wasn't testing like physically um going on a computer uh I've seen the test it's it's a paper and pen test and I don't remember the exact conversation But I remember we do have a school psychologist uh that that is online. Correct, Peyton? >> Correct. >> Um they they do things virtually because we don't have one on site. Uh >> but the school psychologist is taking this as part of their information to make a determination about the student. Is that a fair assessment? Yes. So this is a portion because the way I'm I understand it from gathering

133information outside of what was shared last meeting because I watched it I was not here is that there so a parent requests however that comes to be that their student be evaluated. So that student is evaluated. This is a portion of that evaluation that the school psychologist in the end is the determinant of. Well, she's not the sole determinant. She gives she determin that puzzle that they're using to make a she's he she is making a determination uh about a student. So it's my understanding in the information that I've gathered that this test is I mean initially I was thinking this test because I don't know is like a ACT test where they're going on so we have somebody administering it it's like you have 15 minutes to complete this portion of the test if

134they need help reading it okay fine but that that person administering the test is not holding any um determination within the test. Well, if I mean they are deciding whether the student is pointing to the right thing is so they do have more authority than just a administer of a test that is saying okay we're going to start this 15 minutes read through this. So, I think that, and again, I wasn't at the meeting, so I didn't vote on this last time, but I'm frustrated by the fact that I think the [clears throat] the scope of this work is greater than adding a line to a job description. It seems like this is greater than this job description would allow for. It needs to be a separate job description. And I understand that then that's

135going to have us work with the union to rework some things there. But I I I don't think that [clears throat] I I I'm frustrated as with Britney about the fact that I don't feel like we have the entirety of information to make a good decision and that's frustrating to me. And uh this is a just a discussion item, but I think this needs to go back to district operations. And I think we need to know what what percentage of this person's position is going to be doing this testing. >> How many hours? >> What >> I want to know how many hours? >> Yeah. Like how many kids on average do we do this every year? How many how much time does that take? than how much time in the report whatever they have

136to do for reporting because I I just don't feel like adding this to a current job description is appropriate. My I have lots of questions about the emails chain that we got about timing of things because it says we had an applicant for the job but it that was on the 10th of November. So how did we have an applicant for a job we didn't have a description for before the 10th of November? how the I there there's just so much around this that doesn't make any sense to me and looks quite honestly pretty shady. And so I I would request that this job description go back to district operations and that that information be taken there and then subsequently came back to the board. If we want to skip district operations and bring it

137back here, I guess that's fine. But I I I'm very concerned with the way this process laid itself out. I think there's people on this board that had information that the rest of us didn't have. That concerns me as well. I do not have any more information than anyone else on this. It was presented to me the same as it was presented to everyone. And I do agree maybe the testing is more involved, but I did not have any additional information at that meeting than anyone else. >> If anyone would care to see the test, there are some like uh there's some limitations because we we we buy these tests. We have to follow certain protocols. So, I can't take a copy of the test for example and come in here and show you. Uh

138but student services director did say that we can uh have anybody from the board come in and actually look over the test where they just have to sign a log saying that they you were a board member, you came in to look at it. Uh you didn't, you know, make it you can't make copies of it, things like that. So, if anyone does have a uh want to do that with our student services directors, she'd be more than happy to to uh show you a copy of the of the test so you can see it. You'd have to do it on site, but but you certainly can come and do that. You'll understand just what exactly uh I think it would help you to understand what this entails. Um, I I can assure the board

139there was no clandestine, covert anything when it when it comes to this process. The testing process, frankly, is is fairly simple. It's the interpretation of it is different, but that's not this person's job. Um, her job is test administration. uh it it it then does go to that school site and they do the interpretation. Uh in my own feelings, this to me is a very simple thing. Uh I I don't feel like it's complex uh at all. Uh I think it's something very simple that we can have somebody do that puts teachers back in the classroom. Uh instead of uh spending two hours testing a student or doing observations in the gened classroom, this person will also do some just some observations and mark down how many times a student's off task. Just basic uh

140data things they can collect. It's very simple. Um so in this whole process I've never felt like it was a a complex task to figure out. Uh this is something that our student service director came to me uh I guess probably three calendar years ago um and asked about the position. We actually advertised it at one point in the last couple years. Didn't get any applicants. So we we moved on to something else. Um, it's also come up in our specialed conversations we had. I don't remember the exact time of that. Those were spring of 24 I think is when we had those conversations. Maybe spring of 23. Uh we had a lot of conversations about the sped department and some worries that we had as a as a group and one of their just

141one of their ideas was well um you know help with the IEP writing, help with the testing, help with so what are those options? What's out there? Um, so I I honestly have not >> Well, how did we advertise for a job for a description with an app? If we're just adding it now, how did we advertise for a job? >> When we looked at the job description, we have that magic line at the end that says other duties as assigned. So, I didn't feel as we sat there and looked at it. Well, sure. We can put that, you know, you're going to go and administer this test and and uh work with this indivi these individual kids. We certainly could have done that. Uh I felt at the time that we let's go ahead

142and put a line in there that just talks about administering the tests. Um, we actually had and I know I'm not getting on my HR director at all, but we actually we had the this ready prior to uh the board meeting where it was in question at the last board meeting and we just didn't get it on the agenda and I think that was sometime early mid October. Um, and I'll let Peggy if you don't mind uh if you have anything to add to this conversation, please do so. Um, I'm more than happy to hear that. But um I I honestly feel like this is a fairly minor addition to the SNA's job description. It never once and still even right here hearing the frustration, I still don't even remotely consider this a a big

143ask of any SNA. I think this is a fairly minor thing to be honest with you. um and takes that away from people that we can have in classrooms teaching kids as opposed to pulling students and and testing for two hours at a time. So, uh I understand the frustration, but I >> my president, but Aaron Meadows was a teacher. She administered the test. She didn't think it was simple. And then having talked to um Dr. Arnison Bolton Ar he didn't feel it was simple. So and then talking to Michelle Shard a teacher she doesn't think that something is so simple it should be handled by an aid. So there's kind of a difference in opinion about how simple it is and then exactly what kind of oversight that a has while they're doing the

144test because they have oneon one and how do you provide direct supervision while somebody is doing something in a room with the student oneonone but um ultimately it's the district's decision if they want to do these things. I still don't think it's a great idea. >> I guess that's what was asked at the last meeting and and then it's this this in this job this job is actually going to have oversight of the HR department and how is the >> so the evaluation the HR will be doing the evaluation I told the >> evaluation of the job of the person >> of the individual person. >> Okay. Well, how do you do an evaluation of a person that you're not in the same and no offense to you HR, it's just how do you do

145a evaluation on a person that you're not in the same building with? You're not with you're not watching them or administrating what they're up to. You're not seeing what's going on. And I guess we've never HR do that. So why are we having HR do that on an aid? >> There's a potentiality for a conflict of interest. uh because uh I I'll give you another example. We have a principal who has his sister in the building and he does not do an evaluation on his the a teacher that he's related to. Uh I've never done an evaluation on Mrs. Torx. I it's always gone to somebody else. Uh this the principal uh we give it to another principal to do the evaluation on that person. So it's not that we don't have a precedent for

146those things. Whenever we feel like there's a conflict um through a relation, marriage or or blood, >> now we're talking timeline. So, this came to the board with the job description change and we already were prepared that this was going to have a person fulfill this job before it came to the board. >> I had already I'm sorry, P. Go ahead. You know the timeline better. >> Yeah. All right. So, I'm going to give you a little context about how this all went down. And I think that's where you guys are missing it a little bit because you don't know the whole story, >> right? >> Um, so when we met with the SPE team, you remember you were part of that. >> Uh, one of the things uh Mr. Tur had us do, had

147them do was to write their challenges down. And challenge number five was the Woodcock Johnson test. They takes a lot of time to do that. two hours if the student is just your average student, four to five if they're a special needs student. So that's a lot of time that they were away from teaching their classes. So that was one of the things that happened then >> and I was part of that. >> Yes. And then so um after these meetings we all sat down um Mr. tutorials, myself, Christina, and I don't remember who else was there, maybe a couple principles, but we said, "What can we do in the immediate future for these individuals?" Because there was a lot of stress there. They were really struggling. So, one of the things that we thought

148we could do was relieve that Woodcock Johnson testing that takes so much time that they had written down was a challenge. So, we posted a specialized needs aid back in I don't have to have my old lady glasses, but I need you to read your copy so you can take a look at it. Uh, we posted this position back then uh for a specialized page and the idea was that it would be it would fall under all other diseases assigned. It wasn't in there. So um we didn't get any applications at that time and we decided to uh do something else with our finances at that time. So we pulled the job description or pulled the job ad posting at that time and Christina never forgot about it. She really wanted this testing. So we

149reposted it. Well back at the beginning of the school year uh we had a hero training. I don't know if you're familiar with that what that is, but we have the Shukuro training for all of the SNAs and sped aids. Well, about 70% of these individuals said, I can't do it physically. So, we went back to the job description. We said, "Well, that's part of their job description, but we didn't clearly identify that they had to do and be able to handle additional curo training, which is essentially defense to ensure that the student isn't injured or that the staff isn't injured in the event that we have availed child." Well, at that time when we did that, we changed that. We were going to change the job description to reflect that new hero training. Well,

150then we said Christina of course hadn't forgotten about this testing aid and she wanted to have this testing aid to help with the spent teachers and the testing and so we said well we'll just add it to the job description on the bottom that any SNA could do testing. So we took it to district operations we had our meeting with district operations. uh the main discussion put in district operations was really about the the yukiro training and the physicality of of the job description was never brought up at that time. So then we went ahead and I wrote the recommendation for that job description updated on October 23rd. I wrote a lot of recommendations that week. I send them off to Julie and this one didn't get put on the board agenda. After I have

151these meetings here, I come to these meetings later in the week, I'll sit down and go, okay, what do I need to do, you know, for the board? What kinds of things do I need to do? Well, it wasn't until the end of the week that I realized that this recommendation didn't get on the board. It was the end of the week after we had the board meeting. So, I went to Julie and I asked her if she got it. She said she did not get it. Then I went to my email and I noticed I had not sent it. So then I sent it and Mr. Torps had made the decision, we'll just add it to the next board meeting in the meantime. So in the meantime, we had Mr. Torrs wanted to transfer

152that employee. So we had the transfer letter. So in other words, it was a huge comedy of errors that led us to this point. you did the transfer letter, but the board had not officially approved this job description because it was my error and not sending it to Julie. And that is the context of what >> and we felt like that one line was important. And yeah, we could have shoved it under the and other duties as assigned, >> but we really felt like as a group that we needed to make sure just that line was in there. So, uh, down the road we don't feel like it would be a problem. It would always just be in there with the proper training and and, uh, >> okay. Genesis was and on the back of

153that sheet I gave you Genesis was the only employee that applied. The only person that applied was Genesis. >> Okay. So this training I'm trying to see what it says on sorry I'm just trying to go through everything. So the training you say it's physical but I thought it was an understanding that this training was so that this particular person job could do administrating of these tests. >> No, that was entirely different. >> Okay, that's what I'm talking about. What training? When did that training occur? >> The beginning of August. >> The UK training. >> Yes. >> Okay. So the training portion that did participate. >> Okay. So then what is the training that this >> that the the testing aid? >> Yeah, the testing aid needs. >> Uh from what I understand, she needed

1546 hours of training on an online course that and that's I so I remember that one. So I'm trying to get to that that name of it. So when did that particular individual do that testing for that specific six hours? Do we know? >> Yeah, we got a certificate of completion, but I don't know off the top of my head. Um, but it was uh the week that So, she would have done her she would have gotten her transfer letter. >> It's the week after I transferred. >> Yeah, she got a transfer and then that weekend she did the 6-hour training, but she's still not doing these by herself. >> Okay. >> She she's having people. She's still in a training mode. So then why at the board meeting wasn't this just said, "Hey guys,

155it's our fault. This is what's going on. We're coming to you now." But it wasn't. And I'll be honest with you, I stood up for you and I have mud on my face. And I don't like the feeling of it. I feel like I was lied to. I feel like I didn't have all the information to make the determination. And I feel like I was the one that sat up here and and begged for you guys. and then the whoever in the district comes and then starts telling us what's going on. And I'm glad that we have trusted sources because there was a time where this board and that seat at the superintendent spot was not trusted by our employees. They wouldn't come to us. They wouldn't talk to us. But now we do have

156those people. And if they're going to come to us, it really makes us look bad as trustees. It does because they're then they have they have what's going on and we're like, "Oh, that's not the information we have." So, I wish it would have just been told to us at that time. I'm okay to say, "Hey, we messed up. This is what's happening." And I would have been like, "Oh, okay. I understand." So, then we could have dug in a little bit deeper, but it's not what happens. And it felt shady. >> It wasn't happening [laughter] because it wasn't discovered until after the board meeting. >> Okay. Well, and I understand that, but I'm just letting you guys know after I left and then was discovered through information through employees, and I appreciate that our

157employees do trust a few of us that they're willing to come to us and kind of give us the lowdown because it really did and I'm okay to say that I probably should have asked them better questions and probably cuz I there there just looking back now there felt a few things off, but I ran with it. And so I'm just letting you guys know I I did not feel good after I felt that I discovered some information as well. So I appreciate it. I understand that everybody makes mistakes, but really doesn't feel good at this side of it. Just doesn't. So it would have been nice to have all of it. And I know that it didn't come down, but I'll be honest with you, we didn't get emails about it until we started

158chirping about it. Lori, >> just a couple of So, we have numerous SNAS on staff. Are they all going to get this treatment? Because it's not one job description. The SNAs are doing this can do this testing. So, it's not for one person, it's for the whole SNA. >> It's it's so anyone who's an SNA could transfer into it. There's things in there that not every SNA does. >> It's not it's one position. It's added to the SNAS. Correct. >> So they're all they can all get trained. >> Why did she even have to trans was was she not an SNA before this? >> She was SNA. >> So then why transfer her >> transfer location? >> She was no longer >> like if I if I make you an SNA at your SN. >>

159So is this only advertised internally? We weren't going to hire a new SNA for this position. Correct. >> Not a new FT. Yeah. So it was only advertised internally. >> Was it only offered? Was the training only offered to this one SNA? >> Currently? Yes, because she's the only testing one. But if any SNA wants to get trained on it, absolutely. The more training the better. We would prefer people to be trained on everything. >> I'm just not I I go back to I'm not convinced that every SNA should be doing this. I don't think that it's a bad premise that we have some SNAs that do this, but I want to make sure that this has a huge impact on K the kids >> because it's a determinant into the information that the school

160psychologist is using to form an opinion and and so I don't think that it should be just every SNA could have this ability to do this. I I think that it needs to be a separate job description. It's something more than just being an SNA. >> I agree with you, Renee. >> I I just I I have a really hard time. I don't I I'm not opposed to an SNA or someone else doing the testing so we can free up some teacher time, but I want to make sure that it's that person is the right person to do it, not just any SNA we have. We have varied SNA skill levels. I think we can all agree on that. And I I just I don't know. I just I struggle with the fact that I

161don't think the premise of the idea is bad. I don't think that it should be >> I agree with that. I do I agree I do agree with and Renee said it best. I do agree with the premise of what we need in that. I'm not I'm for it. It's just I'm struggling on how it all went down and now even even in this conversation now every SNA can take and we're now we're administrating every SNA with this additional 6-hour training can do the testing. >> We won't be doing that >> but it says it in the job description. It's not separate. Matt, >> it just says that they're able to do that. If we want them to do that, it it doesn't say they will have to do that or they will do that.

162But was it offered to other SNAS that do have potential more experience and higher understanding of what that >> had they applied for the job then yeah they would have >> but there was no applying for the job. It's you guys didn't bring us a brand new job description and a brand new job. You added language to an existing job. >> Correct. And that person asked for the transfer. I transfer student or teacher or a aid between SNA between elementary and intermediate. I'm going to send them a transfer letter. We just did that with a another SNA at a different level. We they we send them we're transferring positions to the different part of the district. So we open up we have an LEES SNA opened and maybe a high school SNA would like that

163position. So, she applied for that position and then I would transfer them internally. Uh, >> but are we sure that that's the right person for the I mean that's the other thing. I mean, I don't know. But it's like we want to make we don't just want to make we have one applicant so that's who we give the job to. I don't like that. >> Well, we wouldn't we wouldn't though really. We if we don't feel like that one applicant is a good quality person, we won't do it. uh this person that we have that we transferred in is a two months short of her uh bachelor's in psychology. She's already taken college level courses on administering these tests. um and and is working towards being a school psychologist and will go to grad school

164in order to do that and has is is very close to her undergraduate I think two months away a month away uh in completing her uh her bachelor's in psychology >> and then she'll be getting her spec degree >> right so these are [clears throat] I mean this this is a person I feel very confident in in in doing this not because this is a relation to Christina Yeah, Peterson. But if you take that away and I didn't give you a name and I just said, "Here's what this person's doing." I feel very confident with them doing this. Now, would I feel confident putting them in the a class? Well, not really. I mean, but I feel confident in this position or >> one other comment back to negotiations. I think we're interested. We had

165a long discussion because that was this creating this new position of the special ed coordinator and at the time they were going to do all the testing that was discussed long and hard. They got the training they were thinking that valid teachers played and the chief training was going to go to them somewhere. That ball got dropped. >> No, it did not get dropped. Uh they they are doing it. No, it did not get dropped. Lori, they are doing the testing right now. We have a coordinator doing it, but one of the things we don't know is how all that'll play out as a special coordinator. Can they do the things we're asking them to do? Uh the person that's doing we we gave one of the coordinators more case load. The other coordinator is

166was doing the testing and her case load, but not not as many. And then also teaching some uh uh ECS, the early childhood classes over at the admin building a couple times a week for the preschool kids, uh preschool special ed kids, and we just don't feel like that they can do the job properly. And in doing so, then we look at options. Uh we want this to work. We want this to be benefit to our special ed programs. And so one of the solutions was something that Christina came with to me three years ago and that's hey what about this testing aid? Uh how could we make that work? Well if we don't have the funding for it then we can't do it. Um but we feel like she can make it happen with

167her budget this year. So that's really where that came from. It evolved from what can our sped coordinators accomplish and and are they can they accomplish what we want them to accomplish and we don't feel like that they can take on that testing role but it was Lor's right we did initially want that in that position we thought that they that could happen but it it's we don't feel like it's going to be productive and we can't do the other things we need to do >> um can I ask because they don't have the time >> it's time yeah So, I would like to say that this um one of the spec boardings was supposed to be your just your preschool ECS slash something else and then in July they got transferred into the spec

168coordinator position and that preschool job didn't get filled. It didn't get posted at all. So, I guess that's part of the reason why they don't have time to do the testing is because that position that would have already been budgeted for was never posted or advertised to be filled for that part-time preschool role. >> It isn't even part-time. It's uh a couple of afternoons per week and it's not a position. We do have 120 hours of instruction in here. You can get one quarter A and B for each of those kids. They changed the law this year. >> Correct. So, you want to make sure that you're there. >> So, it seems like that would have been the thing to do is to go ahead and make sure you were reaching that 120 hours a

169year so that you have that money going towards your job. But it was already budgeted for doing the two coordinator expand this other position in the spring up until July. and not transfer it. >> I think we had to hire another sped teacher based on the case load, but I can't remember where >> high school, >> right? Yes. So, we didn't have the funds to hire that. >> It was already. No, we because we had to give an additional teacher. We didn't have the funds to do both. Lori, >> so back to last meeting, I think Lisa brought up, you know, once again, we feel like you're writing a job description for a person. And here we're going again because we're saying no, not every SNA can do the testing, but this one can. So

170it it kind of sounds like no, no one ever they're not all qualified, but yet you're putting it. So it it still feels like we're writing for the first. All my colors have the same job description, but they don't do all the same things depending on qualifications. >> Mr. said we wouldn't want every SNA test. >> And that's probably true. >> Why is an job? >> Because if we have an SNA that needs it, you want to have a to you have SNA and SNA with teach with administration of death. I don't have six color positions. That's not how those work. You have a teller position. You you can assign work. Just because it's in the job description doesn't mean it has to all that they are all subject to all of those tasks. But

171having it in the job description now allows that to occur when you have a qualified individual in that role. Then then that then leads it to the administration's discretion to say this is a qualified person. They fit within this job description. That's a task they can have. They might not even be able to do that when they start. They have to obtain the qualification, but that's now the administration's duty to do that because it's working with inside that job description. And so that's how that's how I see it. I don't this is my belief. I don't believe that it needs to be a separate description. we should rely on the administration to say this person possesses adequate qualifications and we deem them um acceptable for this function of this job of this job. >> But

172was every SNA given the opportunity to take that 6-hour course? >> No. If they would have they weren't given the opportunity to take it, they were g the opportunity to apply for it and then we would give them the specific training in order to administer those tests. So they have to apply >> and be qualified >> to complete the training. >> No, they're saying >> no. So if we put it in the job description, [clears throat] >> you don't apply to become a special teller at your bank, right? It's it's assigned to you. It's not an application. >> We're moving the This is an SNA position. That's Let's assume for a moment the job description was approved. So we move a person over into that SNA position. uh from an SNA or maybe it's just

173a gen ed a that says I'll apply for that and are they capable of doing those things and that's where we talk to them about that and they need to understand this is what this job will entail uh you'll be working with kids oneonone you'll be administering these tests you'll need to go through this um >> so this is a building specific test that's completed so in order to apply >> building specific it's >> transfer that I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out >> transferring cuz there was a need there was a need from this building. There was a need for that in the the other building. >> So, she'll be working in the other building. >> She'll be working in every building as opposed to just >> this building. >> She'll be

174working in every building and it's a very um >> so in the transfer letter, it's transferring from >> what to what. >> I'd have to go back and read that. I don't remember how exactly how it was worded. >> It was a transfer from position here at least to >> making it more complicated than it is though. I think it's >> I know wait say that again. Say that again because Okay. is transferring a >> from an SNA position here at >> lees >> to the SNA position as a testing at for the testing >> but that was applied for before we approved the testing job description >> I know I want to go back further I want to know was every SNA given the opportunity or asked if they wanted to take the course

175whether they wanted to pay for it or not. Were they asked? >> No. >> This one person was >> No. It's part of her schooling. She had already taken it. >> So, she came to you and said, "Hey, I've done this this class." >> Well, I got the certificate of completion. >> She did that after I transferred her. She took an additional third party that wasn't involved with the college. She took an additional We had required an additional training. It's great that she did this college one and that that's wonderful, but uh her degree is not completed and so we felt like a additional third party training was required. So she's done that. >> So the position was advertised as part-time testing, part-time after preschool as a date. That's how it was advertised. So some

176people might have been thrown off by that >> and she will do she will do that too. So she'll be an SNA in the special ed >> special ed preschool. >> She's currently working in >> Okay. So we had a job. We posted it, but we didn't fill it because we don't really don't have a job description for that. So then we add language to this SNA job description. Well, we didn't actually we weren't going to have a separate line item of the testing. It wasn't until we were changing it for the cur training that we decided, let's just add this, okay, new curo training. >> Um, let's add this and take this to district operations, >> right? It was something where, well, it can fall under and other duties as assigned. And I looked

177right at the two gals I was sitting there with and I said,"I just feel like it's big enough it could have its own line item." Yes, it could go under and other duties as assigned. So, we're going to give you this training and you're going to administer these uh academic tests. Um >> so, so she's an ECS aid and we're saying that's 4 hours a week. Uh it's more than that but it's >> yeah they they run they run >> more than half of her job is just going to be testing. She won't be doing >> and observing. Yeah. You have to do observations as well but it's all part of the testing process >> which should be >> it's a case it's a prek through 12 [clears throat] test >> reinvolves a new new

178>> every school. >> Correct. >> Which I believe is >> I think it's a different job. I think it's a different job. >> Then over half of her job is testing and only it's one tiny little line item on the on the job description. >> Teching your job is administering tests with maybe a portion of this other duties and assigns to me that means it's a whole different job. >> Are you saying it's more than half of her time's testing? >> Um Christina would have to attest to that, but I would I would say yes. Yep. >> I would say yes. >> But >> she's doing it for all four buildings. >> More than half. I would say probably closer to three quarters. Okay. >> I think that's >> that sounds different to me then.

179>> I think that's the crutch for it. I don't have any problems with this particular person doing that particular thing. It's just there's confusion over the job description itself and what the job is. And what I'm hearing is that I just >> a majority of >> you need to send it back to district opt and look at this position and >> again I want everybody to know I believe that there does need to be this position. >> Correct. >> We've said that. I do believe that and I know there was some discussion. Thank you Flory for bringing it back up through that negotiation. So I'm not against that. It's just it it makes it really muddy. it just like this how it all happened and now we're just sitting here. We've taken now almost 30

180minutes just to understand what it looks like. So I I really would prefer it go back to district operations and re-evaluated as is this truly a separate job instead of just up underneath an SNA job description. So if you were wanting it to be a separate job, where would that fall on the nutrients? >> Exactly. >> That would be aou. It would have to be anou, >> right? >> Be a genetic be a whole separate testing aid. >> Well, it has to be named different. And I know and that's why I wish I I wish we would have had more of this information before we did that because this would have probably been said, wait a minute, we we have some confusion. Let's not approve it yet. Let's and then we could have dug into

181a little bit more information. And so that's where I feel, yeah, we're kind of we're steamrolling what we have, but we are going to need to relook at it. So I mean it's been approved right now, but >> we can change it out. Yes. Yes, we can. [clears throat and cough] >> Well, and to hear that 34 of the time is testing. >> That's my estimate. I don't I I'm not quoting if that's I'm guessing that would be pretty close to what it is. >> Then I feel like that's dominant to the position, but you would never think that in the job description. >> Yeah. I think that's fair to say. I agree. >> Yeah. The predominance of the job is that thing. I think that's >> it's fair to state >> and it is

182unique to this uh position more so than >> is that still a position that could be assigned or would that then change it? It would have >> it'd have to open up and apply have to and it then they would have to still follow the training. There would still have to be an internal application. There probably would still have to be an external application. It's [clears throat] a full job. It has to go through the same process. [clears throat] >> I can see the benefit of that also. >> What have the external because Mr. Charles right to say it doesn't >> if we feel like there's a good internal we don't [clears throat] have >> but as long as we do it through internal though has to go internal. Yes. >> Okay. And we never

183open up anything externally. If we have a candidate that everyone agrees who's involved, whether it's principles, directors, whatever, we feel like this would be a good person for this job, then we make the change without going extreme. >> So is that to go? >> Correct. And I can give you the guidance. I do think that this was productive. >> I think >> so I thank you guys for bringing productive. So I thank you guys for having that brought back to the the meeting and thank you Peggy for kind of giving a better timeline to sort of demystify it like you comedy there is exactly right. So, we appreciate you coming back and letting us know um what exactly is going on there. I do think uh it would be a good second position needed, but

184I think that I do think it given the predominance of the testing portion, it does probably make sense to do that. I guess my only [clears throat] other comment which is purely a comment not something that would be directed by the board is that I I don't like the idea of HR evaluating anyone. I think that we have administrators in our district that could evaluate that are that are educators that are in the schools possibly at the same time this person is um principles that are at those schools that are observing that person. I I think that HR needs to be independent of the evaluations of our I mean I don't like I don't like it at all no matter who it was that HR is evaluating anyone and I that would just be that's

185my comment that's something that obviously falls under the superintendent but that makes me really uncomfortable that we have the AHR should be like Siberia they are the ones that are outside of that and I don't like the idea of HR evaluated by anyone >> especially in the school setting where we have lots of other people that could do that evaluation that have >> experience in the classrooms that could do that. I I don't it can be assigned to anybody. It's administrative degree. um anytime we do have a shared staff member, for example, this person's in multiple buildings, you know, administration works together to say, "Okay, >> gather that information and then evaluate that." I just don't I don't like the idea. >> I think it puts them in a >> but how would that be?

186Because she would have to call each each school administrator and almost because again, she's not in the school. She's not evaluating. She's not seeing this direct. I mean how how would you give an evaluation? You'd have to you'd have to ask questions from people that have worked within that person. >> So we had discussed this and we had decided that um I would work with the coordinators for them for their feedback and also also school psychologist um who is not our employee. So, we can't ask her to be validator. Um, which is where ideally that would be is the school psychologist would be evaluating her. And so, it was that's how it was decided. But to answer Renee, I already evaluate my own staff. >> Well, your own staff, but you're not evaluating our staff

187that are certified or our staff that's in the school work with kids, >> educational. >> That's a totally different thing than evaluating. I I >> Cuz you work with your staff. directly watching, you know, are they complying? Are you >> a principal might not be with this person every single day, but they're going to see him once or twice a week. They have way more information than you would. I mean, I just don't I don't like that our HR is evaluating our people in our schools. I think that that's not a good precedence, but again, that's up from Matt to decide, not us. Okay. Any other discussion on that? >> Is it safe to assume that will be on the agenda for the December 8th? >> Is there between >> I just want to make

188sure I get invited this time. >> Yeah. She said she she's fixed all [laughter] she's >> um >> I don't think we have a meeting December 8th. I think we're going to have to move that if it's still >> scheduled on December 1st. >> Yeah, I'm not around. I'm not here on the 8th. I'll be with Charlotte the CTE. >> Is it possible to have this? Do you think? >> Okay. >> Um plan on it coming back potentially. >> Okay. Then we can go back to the board >> potentially. Correct. >> Yeah. As long as there's not too many questions on the first talk about it again. >> I just anything else on that? >> Thanks for the discussion. >> We'll move on then. Is there any future discussion items that we would like to

189bring at this time? Chase is shaking his head. Get me out of here. >> I'm sorry, sir. Turn your seat around. The gas hasn't been landed yet. >> These chairs roll too nicely. We should have seen him in here rolling around before. >> Good for some. >> Any other future items? >> All right. If you have them, please let us know. Thanks, J. Yeah.