001All right. Today is February 25th, 2026, and this is the regular board meeting for Mobile County Public School System. At this time, I would like to have Mr. Stringfeller lead us in prayer and the pledge. Our [snorts] gracious heavenly father, we thank you for this wonderful day. Our father, we thank you also for the opportunity uh to serve our community. We ask that you grant this board and our superintendent, his staff the wisdom and understanding that is needed to conduct the business for the children of our county. our heavenly father. We also pray for all of our staff and especially our teachers who work on a daily ba basis with our most valuable resource, our children. Give them the inspiration and the strength they need to be good role models and to set good examples.
002our heavenly father. We also pray for our first responders first both home and abroad and all the things that they do uh to protect us. And again, we pray for the leaders of our state and our country. Uh bring us together so that we can work together with understanding for the needs of our people. We pray these things in thy precious name. Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. >> This meeting is now called to order. May I have [clears throat] a motion for the approval of the minutes? >> Yes, ma'am. I so move. >> I hear a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? I I >>
003I Okay. All right. Approval of the agenda adoption. >> So move. >> I hear a second. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any discussion? >> Mr. Freddy, you'll have any amendments to the agenda. >> Do you have any on amendment? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Uh first I would like to pull an item. We'll pull action item G4. Action item G4. Okay. >> And I would like to add um five items. G1, G2, G31, G32, and G51. G1 is our 2026 budget amendment. uh one it is our proposed district uhwide budget for fiscal year 2026. So I'll be asking you guys to approve the G1 2026 budget amendment. We also have our G2 refunding of our board series 2016A 2016B our warrant um that uh we will Lori will explain it once we start our action items
004but it's basically that we're refinancing our bonds. So that's action item G2. We'll move on to G31. G31 is Grand Bay Middle School chiller replacement. We had four bids. We went with the lowest bidder, James Donna Donnahe, for $949,400 and that's coming out of ENT fund. That's action item G31 that we will be adding. G32 is a lease agreement between us uh and the health department uh leasing the old Sims Middle School uh for a dur duration of 3 years. That's action item G32. And action item G30, G51 is the Navy JRTC instructor uh that we will uh split with state funds and federal funds 50% split. So if you will add first of all pull action item G4 and add action items G1, G2, G31, G32 and G51. >> Madame President, >> yes. Pursuant
005to the item agenda items that the superintendent has pulled and added, I amend uh my motion and we accept the amended agenda as said. >> Okay. Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I motion car. Okay. Do it. All right. Do we have any announcements? >> Yes, ma'am. I do. Uh, we have a I I'm trying to look to see if that distinguished gentleman is here, Mr. Harwell. Is he still in or has he made his You put him out. >> Thank you. >> Well, he probably [clears throat] deserved it like that. But anyway, we had Mr. Harwell, former board member here who's now running for legislative uh Senate seat 34. And I guess he wants to move into bigger and better things. But, you know, as God says, be
006careful what you want. You might get it. So >> anyway, I just thankful to see Mr. Har. Thank you, ma'am. >> Miss Parson, >> Mr. Hatcher. >> Okay. Well, I have an announcement. Congratulations to the four high school boys varsity basketball team for making the final four and 5A basketball [clears throat] district four. Y'all caught that right. >> Okay. All right. >> Oh, Murphy. >> But Davidson plays today, too. >> Brian, you be there. >> See, they weren't aware of that. >> They weren't aware of that. >> I can read. >> Oh, yeah. But you didn't mention it. Okay. Now, we have reports and recognitions. >> Great. >> Excuse me. Can I go back to that? >> What's that? >> I would like to go back and I would like I just got a report
007brought to me today about removing computers out of the schools because these children are using these computers to cheat. Uh, and we found this out because I think we've tested a few of them, let them do it with the computers, and then turned around and done it uh paper and pencil. And we found out they're not as high as they would be had they studied out of the books. And I think that's why, if I'm not mistaken, Mississippi just went to 16th in the nation because they removed all the computers and well, they didn't remove them all. They limited them and have uh computer classes, but they brought back the textbooks and such. And that's what this is about here. And I'd like to share this with you later. >> Okay. >> Uh yes. Well,
008all around. >> Well, that's huge. I think it's something we need to discuss and that's, you know, right there. That's something we need to think about. Seriously, I don't know about it. We get some clarification on that to verify. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Propel Mississippi based on what the superintendent has conveyed over there. >> Madam state superend. >> Madam [clears throat] President, Mr. Fredgill, Miss With all due respect to honorary Councilman Mr. >> Hatch Hatcher. Yes, sir. I know your name. Um, we have to be careful when we make decisions like this. because there could be other reasons why those things. I'm not saying that it's not and I'll be happy to read the report you've got like that. >> Yes. >> But we are in a different world now that we've had to adjust
009to. So we have to be careful that removing computers from the school to do something like that might have more effect than what we think. Just my thoughts. >> Well, I think that is something we discuss. I mean we got several things. Another the cell phones. I think we got to come up with a better a better procedure on what we're doing with our cell phones because the procedure we have now is not working. >> I think we all maybe we will address those issues. U Ms. uh will you make some additional copies of that report that Mr. uh had to receive so that we can go over and discuss it at a later time. All right, back to reports and recognition. >> Yes, ma'am. So today we're going to recognize our three countywide teachers
010of the year. And um so I'm going to call them forward. We have Jennifer Asbury from Council Traditional and Daniela Yunker from Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies. So Miss McDade, can you come up and stand with them? And then we have Dr. Chelsea Tannis of Davidson High School, the high school teacher of the year. So Mr. Stringfellow, can you come up with her? I'm going to tell you a little bit about these fantastic teachers. Um, first, Jennifer Asbury. Wave to everybody. Okay. She has led council's STEM lab. She created the school's annual family steam night, which attracts more than 250 attendees to engage in collaborative learning. She also coordinates the school's annual STEM day celebration. Serves as chair of the fifth grade science fair and sponsors two afterchool science exploration clubs. Miss Aspberry is
011a Utach South mentor assisting STEM majors at the University of South Alabama and has written elementary science curriculums and served on state level AAP summitive committees. She believes that instruction must be experiential to be transformative and always strives to spark a lifelong love of reading in her students. So congratulations to Miss Asbury. On this particular day, we went to visit Miss Asbury to make sure that she was aware of it. So, Miss Strea gathered all of us in a conference room and we walked up to her classroom, but she was in the middle of a STEM class project. Uh, it was very interesting because we went to present her award and when she saw all of us walk in, she just started crying and apparently she knew she didn't know what was happening. But when
012we made the presentation, she was so emotional and the kids was looking at us like, "You guys are disturbing our class." And so while we were making our presentation, we did what we were supposed to do. And M they were taking pictures. And I was walking around asking kids what the the project that they were doing. And they went straight into details about it, just telling me what was going on, what what was the accomplishment that they were trying to achieve. And this and one little girl told me she said, "You want to try it?" I said, "No, I'm not smarter than a third grader." Well, anyway, Miss Ashberry, on behalf of Mobile County Public School System, we would like to present this certificate of recognition awarded to Jennifer Ashberry Council Traditional School, Mobile County
013Elementary School Teacher of the Year 2026. So, congratulations. And her principal, Miss Strereer, I know, wants to get a picture. Huh? And we'll get some. All right. And next, also from district 4, we have Daniela Yunker, who is known as Fra Yunker to her students. She teaches German at Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies. A native of Germany, Fra Yunker worked in the hospitality field in several countries before earning education degrees and becoming Barton's first German teacher. She has implemented numerous classroom innovations to excha to engage her students in her love of languages, including the creation of the school's German honor society and sponsoring a student trip to Europe. Through project-based learning assignments, she works to enhance cultural connections. She encourages her students to actively engage with the world around them. Congratulations, Far Yunker. [applause]
014>> When I went to visit uh Miss Yoner in her classroom, she had her two boys with her as well as her husband. The you know, if you ever been to Bordon, they real sneaky over there. And Mrs. Jones, Dr. Jones was trying to get everybody situated, making sure that everything was in place. We had two different classes in at that particular time. And um just listening by me being the woman that I am very nosy. I was listening what her husband was saying. Well, he had to take the kids to get the kids off to school to make sure that they didn't call back and tell her that the kids were not reporting to school. So when they picked them up and we brought them back in, the kids brought the signs in. Ryanka
015was in there teaching her class along with an additional class. And when we walked in, she paused for a minute, but she continued to teach. And and that's super amazing because they never stop that they continue to go on regardless as to you see your two boys there. You see about seven or eight different people with a sign that say congratulations. But she continued to teach and and those are the great things. That's why we love our teachers and that's why they do great things because they never stop doing what they're supposed to do. Teaching our kids kids, making sure that our kids are teaching that they're teaching and learning. So on behalf of Mobile County Public School System, uh, Miss Yoner, this is a certificate of recognition awarded to you for Barton Academy for
016Advanced World Studies, Mobile County Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2026. Thank you. [applause] [snorts] Her proud principal, Dr. Jones, was taking a picture. Um, and next for high school teacher of the year, we have Dr. Chelsea Tannis. She teaches honors and international balorate French and serves as the world language department chair at Davidson High School. Students learn vocabulary through immersive sessions that include collaborative learning, decoding strategies, and the use of authentic materials. Dr. Tannis has coordinated educational trips to Europe as well as Davidson's mini international festival which brings together students from other world languages and from culinary programs to celebrate cultures. Dr. Tannis celebrates a learning or creates a learning environment where students grow in their knowledge of the French language and culture enhancing a greater understanding of their own culture in the
017process. Congratulations Dr. Tannis. Well, it's my pleasure to uh recognize uh Dr. Tannis the day that we visit like Miss U McDade. The day we visited her class, of course, she was totally surprised. I was somewhat afraid she that she thought we were there to arrest her or something. I didn't know what it was, but her husband was there. And I didn't stop folks just talking to the administrators and the adults. I went around the room and I started talking to our students. And I wish I had time to tell you all of the good things that they were talking about Dr. Tannis. And u that tells me an awful lot. And and I wish when I was in high school I had taken French. I took Latin. And don't ask me why. So I
018did, but as a a former principal, you would love love to have staff built around people like this and uh they do a wonderful job and Dr. Tannis is doing a fantastic job at Davidson and we are greatly appreciative of that. So Dr. Tannis, if you would come forward please. We have a certificate of recognition from the school board awarded to Dr. Chelsea Tannis uh for your high school teacher of the year for 2026. Congratulations. >> So these teachers were selected all 90 of our schools. pick a teacher of the year. And these teachers were selected from all of them and they will be recognized at our teacher of the year lunchon on um Friday, March the 13th. >> Congratulations. All right. I know that some of them need to get back to class, so
019you're welcome to stay or to leave, but thank you so much. Oh, and also I'm gonna call up um Miss Hall from the library. She's gonna make a presentation. You can go. Congratulations. >> Uh good morning. Good morning everyone. My name is Jere Hall and I'm the Mobile Public Library director and um I bring greetings again from our uh organization, All Library Locations. Um I just had a couple of quick community announcements. First, thank you so much again always to Superintendent Threel for partnering with us, guiding us, and letting us support you all. I want to share just how important the partnership with the schools is. I went to a community meeting at Baker on Fentel and and the crisis. As you may know, when your students are released from school, they go to libraries.
020Many of them do in the afternoons. And at that particular session, of course, I learned so much with so many other community members. But I took that information and then got fentinel training for all library locations, including the Narcan kits and things in public libraries all over the city of Mobile. That is really, really what partnership is about. Looking at things that are important to you all and finding a way to continue to support anything that you are doing that supports our students. And so I'm just excited about that. Um, another exciting thing that is happening, I am moving through my leading learning university and learning. So I see superintendent go just smiling. I am so so happy to learn so so much along with other business leaders. Um, some of you may recall I
021I joined uh the Mobile Public Library last June and so learning opening that door, Superintendent Greg Gil for the partnership and for me to continue to to understand how to support the school system is important. Last thing I want to share is three new administrators that better support our districts and I just want them to wave. Our lead group administrator, Miss Veronica Maku, uh, has been with us for years years, but she has a group of libraries and manages programming under her. uh Miss Lannne Margaret Null Post uh and she can wave. She is at our Ben May Library. Uh and also Miss Carly Acres, special programs and projects. So that means summer learning falls under Miss Carly uh some of you may know her already. Also our book sale coming up uh which is
022a big thing at the grounds. We love for people to support and most immediately the literary festival is March 7th. So at the Ben May Library. So again, thank you for your partnership. Put me to work, Superintendent Thret Gill. I know you know how to do that. Put put me to work. And to our commissioners, if I can do anything to support you all, I appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. I got to see phenomenal services done there which reaches out to the community. You talking about chil students, just the whole community and all the services you through there. It's amazing. Y'all do It's a great a great place and um y'all do a great job. >> Okay. Do we have any citizens request? >> No, ma'am. >> All right. Let's move on with
023our agenda with action items. >> Yes, ma'am. We will begin with action item G1, our 2026 budget amendment one. It is our proposed district-wide budget for fiscal year 2026. I ask that you approve action item G1, our 2026 budget amendment. >> Do I hear a motion? >> I'd like to make a motion to accept 1 through 38 since we had vetted them previously. >> Okay, we have a a motion to approve action item 1 through 38. Do I hear a second? >> Can can I make a pause just for a second? Um, I would like to um visit G2, our refunding of our um board series 2016 A and 2016 B for our warrants. And I have Lori here uh to explain that because I think it's uh worth mentioning. >> Okay. Oh, that's awesome.
024>> Podium, please. Just just so everybody [clears throat] that's watching online can hear, I'll stand behind the mic here. Um, so you've got a packet of information uh on the bond refinance. Just a couple of highlights. Um, we sold about 68 million of bonds and and when I say we, the team was comprised of Raymond James, this financial adviser, but really the heavy lifting was done by Steve P and Piper Jaffrey who uh I'm sorry, Piper Sandler, who uh were our two underwriters that were selected through an RFP process. They sold 68 uh.7 million in bonds. At the end of the order period, they had about close to 300 million in orders. Um, so a lot of demand for a little bit of bonds. What that allows us to do is lower the interest rate.
025And so that with the market moving over a period of time, uh, move those savings from 4 million to six million. Just a huge accomplishment to be able to save that much money. The way that'll be materialized is we save about $220,000 this fiscal year, about 915,000 over the next five fiscal years, and then about 600,000 over the last two fiscal years. after that fiveyear period. So, um just really good news. Uh we're keeping this the term the same. It's fixed rate. Uh the rates going from a 371 down to 2.54%. I know you guys have a busy agenda, but u thank you for pausing on that because I think it's worth bragging whenever you have investors show up in that magnitude. Um Lori and Howard, uh we're just, you know, we have to go
026through a process where we where we get a rating for the bonds. That's a third party that comes in and gives us gives us a credit score essentially. Um that came back uh just a great A1 A+ was our our credit rating score. They had very positive things to say about the board and the reserves and the job that Mr. Fairgill and all the staff are doing. Um so if you get a minute, it's probably worth a read of those four or five pages that they wrote. I think it's very glowing on the board. All things considered, I've got nothing but good news, but I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you. Any questions from the board? >> No, I have questions, but I not for you. We need to spend some money. We
027need to do some stuff. So, yeah. >> Madam President, Mr. Super Mr. Superintendent since you added uh not only one and two but 31 uh 32 and 51 and of course Mr. at your uh you might want to amend we pull four so make sure we didn't vote it while we have an opportunity you might want to dis have either your staff you discuss those before we vote on all of those items again like that that was >> 31 32 and 51 >> those were ones that you added right >> anything we need to know specially about >> No sir they're self-explanatory >> yeah they're self self-explanatory yes so we are we jumping to what? Uh, Commissioner Hatcher >> be 39. Now >> 38 to 38. >> We have 1 through 30. Is that right,
028Mr. Hatcher? 1 through 38. >> 1 through 38. >> And we have um a motion for action items 1 through 38. Do we have a second? >> We second. >> Second. All right. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposes? Motion carried. >> All right. Action item G39 is the easement to Alabama Power for Pillings. It is an agreement with Alabama Power to in uh to do an installation, maintenance, and overhead of underground electrical lines uh for the facility. I ask that you approve action item G39, the easement to Alabama Power for Pillings. I'm going. Do we have uh >> Madame President, if we could please, I would like to add for approval action items 39 through 51. And uh Mr. Thragill, is there anything about 51 that you added you need to
029say? >> No, sir. >> Okay. So 39, I move for 39 through 51, sir. Ma'am. >> Okay. We have a motion to approve action item G39 through 51. Do I hear a second? >> Second. Any opposes? >> All in favor? >> I. >> Motion carried. >> All right. Moving on to the consent uh agenda which we will consolidate. Uh you have listed here H1 consent agenda agenda to H23 which will include outofcount travel as well as various bids. Uh that's consent agenda H1 through H23. >> All right. Do I hear a motion to approve consent agendas H1 through 23? >> So move. >> Second. [snorts] >> We have a motion to approve H consent agenda H1 through23. All in favor? >> I opposes. Motion carried. >> All right, moving on to our flow through items
030uh which these are our private and parochial school um funding, federal funding. We have listed here I1 through I14 for our flow through items. >> Okay. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Madam President, I move for approval of flow through items 1 through 14. >> All right. Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> All right. Those in favor? >> I oppos? Motion carried. >> All right. Moving on to our student expulsions which will be listed under separate cover. We have J1 through J6. These are our student expulsions. >> Okay. Um Mr. Stringfell, do we have any recommendations? >> I I move for approval of J through six. >> Okay. Second. >> I don't have a second. All in favor? >> I motion carried. All right. >> All right. Moving on to ourformational
031items. We have K1, our monthly f financials, as well as K2, our purchase orders over 5,000. >> Okay. >> Mr. Attorney, >> Madam Chairman, uh I discussed Monday that we have seven employment agreements. Two sent to the board on 22, >> four sent to the board on 26, and one sent to the board on 211 that we need action on. >> Okay. So everyone understood that. [snorts] You understand? >> Did you get the emails? Any questions? >> No. >> All right. >> Do you have a motion? >> Uh Madame President, uh pursuant to the settlements by our attorney in these cases. I move for approval. >> Do I hear a second? >> All right. So we have a motion to approve those items. All in favor? I >> I >> Okay. Motion carried. All right,
032Mr. Hat, do we have any any [snorts] scheduling of meetings? >> Mr. Hack, it looks like some of those are ones that have been put off and now they're coming forward. Is that correct? I thought one I may I may have been wrong. >> Oh, you did? >> Oh, okay. >> So, so everybody got the calendar updated calendar that Miss uh Aan shared with us? >> Yes. >> So, please make sure you put on our calendar. All right. All right. Any other question? Any announcements now, Mr. Strings? >> No, ma'am. >> I just want to wish uh Mr. Parson a happy birthday. >> Oh, happy birthday. >> Is it your birthday? >> Well, I'm still celebrating. >> He's still celebrating. And >> it's not every day. You make 90. >> So, he's doing good. >>
033And I And I do want to report we just uh confirmed that Brian Girls just just won. >> I had no doubt. Right. Congratulations. >> Congratulations, Mr. Hatchet. Catching up. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> I'm trying to catch you. >> Yeah, that's gonna be hard to do. Anyway, but again, um, thank you all for being here. And sorry, we're sorry that we were detained, but we had student hearings that that overran, but uh, I think we got out in a timely manner. Uh, do I hear a motion for adjoinment? >> So moved. [snorts] >> Motion carried. There you go. We're done. All right.