001Call order the November 24th, 2025 regular board meeting for WL City School. Roll call >> here. Nuke >> here. >> Lamb present. Lazinski >> present. >> Mr. Craft is unable to attend due to a family gathering. >> If everyone will rise for the pledge allegiance. >> We've got some students here. Do you want to kick us off for the pledge? Okay. I liberty and thank you gentlemen. We always like to start off our meeting reminding us why we are all here today. Uh and the mission and vision statement. The Westlake City Schools mission statement is we educate for excellence empowering all students to achieve their educational goals to direct their lives and to contribute to society. And our vision statement is West Lake City Schools will provide a dynamic student centered learning environment. Our digital
002will be characterized by high achievement, actively engaged learners, mutual respect, shared knowledge, pursuit of new skills and capabilities, collaborative learning, willingness to take action, a team commitment to datadriven continuous improvement through our strategic planning process, and tangible results. Thank you for all of those who are here tonight. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? >> So move. >> Any discussion? Roll call. >> Zinski, >> yes. Manukan, >> yes. >> Lamb, >> yes. Pear, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> And I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Gardin. >> Absolutely. Um, thank you very much, Miss Pier not. Uh, we do have Greg Planter here, the principal of our elementary school, and two young men, very dapper, in front of their computers to to share some information with us tonight. So, at this time,
003I would like to invite our elementary school principal, Mr. Planter, to the podium. to explain our presentation for this evening. >> Good evening everybody. >> I'm joined this evening by two young men from our third grade. This is Joel and William. I'm going to present some information to you this evening about a program that we've started using uh more robustly at West Elementary called boost reading. I'm going to give you a brief overview of what booth reading is and then Willie and Joel are actually going to show you how it works and they're going to give you an idea of how the program works and talk you through what it's like from the students perspective and um be happy to answer any questions that you have about it. Okay. So, Boost Reading at Westlake Elementary
004um is a student led digital intervention program. It's based in the science of reading. It provides students the opportunity to this literacy skills within a story work student move through their lesson. So we have some assessments that we administer to students each year and several times throughout the year that matches their reading skills and it boosts reading um them into a lesson that matches their current level and helps them make progress through that level. and kids can improve their learning without the need for direct adult support once they have their QR code and they're logged in. They're kind of on their own doing their own things. William and Joel will show you how that works here momentarily. We use boost reading during school hours and this year we've also invited students to use boost reading
005at home. So I'm gonna ask Mr. Hopkins to click that little video there and see if we can get a brief overview. Boost is an immersive story-based reading program that accelerates your students literacy development. With this story based approach, not only will your students learn to read, they will love to read and eventually read to learn. When your students first enter the program, they will be greeted by Alex, their friendly guide through the boost world of Booker. During their first session, Boost will utilize students MC class data or Alex will guide them through a series of activity so that Boost can get a sense of their reading ability and properly place them within a personalized English or Spanish path from our comprehensive skill map covering 14 skill domains based in the science of reading. Once
006this calibration is complete, your students will adopt the pet curios that will accompany them as they enter their first quest. Quests are made up of two components. One, a story based layer to keep your students engaged and motivated, and two, a skills based layer to provide your students with the precise skill gaps they need to grow as readers. While the story based flavor provides the same age appropriate storyline for all post literacy student of the same grade. The skills based layer adapts to meet each student where they are in their literacy development and provide them with the practice they need to grow. >> So showing the voice the presentation earlier today. So it does a nice job of taking the student data um and then putting them on a path that makes specific for that
007specific student need and then they work from there. So, our students each uh receive a QR code at home that they can use to access the program from a home laptop, from an iPad, from a cell phone, and that's a Hopkins screen. This is their personalized login credential. So, it's got four very simple directions. The parent need a QR code reader or the student a QR code reader and that QR code is specific to the student. So it's super easy to log in and then able to follow that path from where they are meant to begin based on their prefest. You go to the next slide. So this gives you a little better overlooked video, but it shows you where the students start from a primary level where will eventually end up going because boot
008reading can be used in fourth grade, fifth grade, fifth grade. It can be used for a higher level reading field as well. And we were looking at it today, they were kind of like, oh, we get to go there and we get to do that. So, it'll give you an idea overview of how it really work all the way through uh up the middle as well. >> Supplemental programs on their journey to become powerful readers. Start where students meet their very own companion grows alongside them as they learn. Students begin with games like word bots where they practice segmenting words into their starting and ending sounds. games like curios accuracy and fluency. Students continue to practice and build on these keys through games and texts that are right for them every step of the way.
009But soon they'll unveil a mystery from the past when the strength comes to tap to learn more builds they need to become confident readers starting at the sentence level and progress into longer texts that require them to form coherent mental models. For instance, in unmasked math they'll practice matching pronouns to their ensuring that they build a clear understanding of what's happening in each sentence. Students will then apply these newly acquired reading skills to authentic text, moving seamlessly from text embedded in games to games embedded in text, setting them up for true success in reading. The more they learn, the more their curiosity in abandoned cup where students discover that their world is just one of many worlds to explore and comprehend. Focus from learning to read to reading to learn. Hunt for story elements for
010a front page headliner. Learn the power of persuasive and look for inconsistencies hidden in current stories. And they can counter a variety of activities that build on the skills they've acquired so they can take on more. When students are ready, they'll delve into a dystopian future world where machines rule, depriving humans of the right to read and think for themselves. They join a band of rebels called missions that give students a reason to carefully question the text they encounter while discovering the many ways authors convey meaning with their words. While students are immersed in the engaging narrative worlds of amplified reading that mature with students as they grow through elementary and middle school, the program ensures that students are always getting the targeted skill practice that's appropriate for their unique reading level. Meanwhile, teachers are
011receiving the insights they need all of their students on a journey that can change the way they read and engage in their world now throughout their school years and into the future. So Joel and William I know are very good readers and I know they've spent hours on this program um and that they enjoy it and I think D will share with you in a couple minutes. But I also had a parent teacher conference with a father the other day of a of a one of our children who is a struggling reader right and his daughter really struggles even when one-on-one attention she struggles to pay attention. she struggles to focus and he says she's been using good reading and absolutely loves like she will focus on that program more than she'll focus when he
012sits down with her and tries to do her her her homework with her with her. So it's a very program I think across the board. So they mentioned the data that student our teachers are able to use. I'm not going to delve into that to provide a lot of data for our teachers to understand exactly where the students are growing, whe that's what are called trouble spots because that's when the teacher knows that the program's not really doing the trick, right? The teacher knows that's when it's time that I need to spend oneonone with whether it's during our enrichment time or during class. where the student is stuck and give that personalized attention because the program is still just a program and doesn't do everything that teacher can do. So at Westlake Elementary uh program
013it's an investment there is price tag to it um that our students use effectively so most of them are to and um motivated so because it is a fun program but we also have an incentive program that we put together for our students. So uh the goal of 30 to 45 minutes a week if they meet that goal then in first and second grade they can work their way towards uh what they've created as a pet shop. So first and second grade teachers have little plush pets and the students can earn the little pet and then parents for it and hat for it and all these little things that the students are motivated to work towards if they reach their weekly goals. And then third and fourth is sort of a card program where in
014their weekly goals um over a certain amount of time they get to come to a treasure box and they get to get prizes from there. So we approached our fund both of those incentives uh which they have generously to do and we've been able to really kick it off and and run with it at Westlake Elementary. >> So that's enough for me. All right. show you first how boot works from his perspective and then Joel's gonna show you as well. So I told the boy just kind of play with it, talk to me about what they're doing and what they're seeing and and why they're doing what they're doing and I let them know that you might have questions. So chime in at anything. >> All right. Well, you want to talk to us and
015log in and tell us how it works. And there there's different levels. Um you I you start off in school and then you work your way down and then you can um you can go down um to like levels. You want to be where you want to be? Okay. log out. >> After you complete a level, they'll talk about it. And then after they'll like after you complete all the levels, then you go on to like um like What? here. William's obviously a very proficient reader. Some of our students in third grade get about four basic skills if they need it. And if students are a higher level, they get to have a higher level skill. The program does a nice job of giving the kids feedback as they're working through the activity. What happened?
016like three or more um times to do it and then it'll give you like something out of something and then if you get it too lower to the thing, you move on or um if you get it like three or four lower, you you won't move on. You'll have to redo it. >> So, it gives you additional practice if it shows that you're not ready to move on. And how much time did you tell me you spent on boost trading? >> Um I in one week. Yeah, one week. >> You want to show our board members until Joel shows us his boost reading? All right, then we're going to switch over to Joel. >> William, what grade you in? >> Third grade. All right. This is the first year we're doing this program, the boot
017program. Last year did it >> last year. They did it in school. Uh it was sort of a pilot year for our teachers last year. Uh this year they're using it much more extensively and we've rolled it out to families to use at home. >> Now this is also in comfort with direct instruction on the classroom. It doesn't replace that. >> Absolutely. So uh it's used more often than not during intervention and enrichment time in school. So if students are sort of on track for reading and math, they may spend time on boost reading instead of working individually with the teacher. Uh but for those students who work individually with the teacher during that time, then they also have access to use it at home or as other times during the school day. Like we
018said, the goal is to use it like 30 to 45 minutes a week. So it's not meant to be at home. All right. Everybody clue. None and try again. That's the right trains. What you're a lawyer Can you do anything? You guys have to do things with that like update it. >> So, what can you do with that guy? >> Just do that all day. Limit how much time you can spend on it. probably spend the entire time. So that and that they are using the program so they can fun with it not the primary focus of what they're doing. >> I'm guessing as they progress they unlock additional features for their avatar. You guys set how it works. As you make progress, you get like extra things for your >> maybe like one or
019two levels, it will pop up and like like it'll show you like some like automatic put it in there. >> Yes. And then you can add it at >> basically like the pet store. >> Yeah. Yeah. Kind of like the first and second grade pet. Does that motivate you? Do you like to do the curios or do you like to do the left? >> No. You like your curios how it is. Yeah. The right way and and leave it right. >> They use air or something. >> Okay. >> Headphones. Okay. >> Right. Right. Absolutely. Willing and Joel, is there anything else you want to share about the program? Anything your favorite parts about it or show anything else to the board members? Inklot. All right. You want to show them how Inklot works real quick?
020parts come at the beginning or at the end of words. Tap the glowing part to it. >> Rachel, what were you saying? on the word means between thought that the rock formation at the end of the route looked like a gallop corn or single. thought that the rock form at the end of the loops like a galloping unicorn. >> Great job. Let's keep digging down. international like four. He has three diamonds. at the very bottom there's like these things where if you go it'll put your three diamonds in it and then you're >> do you feel that it's increased your vocabulary and you're learning >> new words? There's like this um one one that's um vocab app that like it gives you text and it like makes the word bold like classify. It gives you
021three things like it was um it was the right one that match What about we have a couple parents here too. From your perspective is have you do you think it's helped um interest in reading or any type of skills or any type of thing like that? >> Yes. struggle going on that although I'm struggling to get as much into the evening as much as I would like that he will gladly program and we have a role he has to read on paper some days >> so he still has to read on paper but will gladly like when kids and then this is his teacher we were kind of talking she's like I feel like he's in the classroom displays everything I want to display >> a lot and she's like I think this will
022help because for read a passage that maybe is diffult to read it's not pick all that work just behavior what's comprehension question >> and a lot of the practice skills align very well with the type of assessment students are going to be taking right whether it's the local assessments or the state test a lot of the read this passage and identify the characters read this passage and identify the setting those are the type of skills that they're asked to do um on the state side. So this aligns well with that. Also really what we students that we've got about 1,200 kids at Westlake Elementary and a lot of them do go home after school and they do look at a screen. So if they're going to spend time looking at a screen, we'd love for
023them to look at this rather than some of the other activities that they're doing after school. >> And you answered my question. I was going to ask if it took the place of silent reading, but apparently it does not. It's just a supplement. >> Ideally, we still want our families reading with their children at home. Yeah, absolutely. And want our students reading books on their own as well. And some of them are motivated to do that on their own. Some of them get support from a parent to do that, right? And parents had expectations at home, but some of our students are reluctant readers all around and they don't have that type of support at home. But for those students, they have a program like boost reading that could really be beneficial. >> So, build
024confidence. you know, where you can have uh students who may not choose to read aloud or or read because it could be a struggle. But then as you build vocabulary skills and being able to put put together context clues and and to be able to piece together things, then as you build the the confidence and skills, you can also see an increase in reading. Absolutely. >> What do you guys think? Do you think this builds your confidence, made you better with your vocabulary and your parts of speech and everything else? And William's over here doing his boost reading even though he's not here next. Yeah, >> it's his work through his Google classroom. He knew how to make it work already. >> We just got running, but um like we don't I don't feel like
025I can ever find good programs for her and she of course wants to use her iPad that she had and I'm like, "Okay, I'll I'll let you use it if you turn on your drinking." And then, you know, she only use it at like three days, I think. >> Yeah. You guys both tell me that your little sisters just started using this, right? Yeah. >> Big brother just for K through four. All of our students at Westlake Elementary have access to it. All of the parents got their QR code. We have their students logged in. And again, our lessons are obviously a lot different from what these boys are doing. Um, but as we continue to use the program and it's potentially used in fifth and sixth grade, their programs and their activities are going
026to look a lot different as well. >> It does require internet access. >> It does. >> Okay. >> As far as I know, I haven't even looked into an online or offline option. There may be a downloadable content option, but not that I know of. >> Okay. And it works on, I'm guessing, an app for Apple devices, but then it works on Chromebooks. And >> yeah, we had a teacher try out the QR codes before we sent them out to families if it would just log them right in and it there's no need for a password or login ID or anything. I know uh Mr. Hopkins set that up for the boys on the Chromebooks before getting here today. But at home, the parents can literally just put the QR code on the fridge and
027the kids can take their iPad or their phone or whatever they have to do their um machine. Go scan the QR code and they should be able to get right in. >> Anything else you guys want to share? >> All right. Appreciate it. >> Nice job. >> Well done. You guys did a great job presenting >> come a long way from SR days. Do you remember that? >> Remember, >> but it was sort of you read it and then you answered the questions and now it's >> really much >> that instant feedback too. Yeah. >> You know, just to be able to get something right away, >> think again about >> Yeah. And as as far as our our guests, uh the elementary, please don't feel like you have to stay. You're you're definitely excused
028to go home, go to dinner, do whatever you're going to do. You don't have to remain for the board meeting. As exciting as we are. >> I I if I were you, I would want to go home and do >> Okay. All right. Sounds good. Thank you for coming. Appreciate it. Really appreciate it. it with you. >> Yeah, that's great. Um, they took a lot of my time in regard to a report. Obviously, it's nice to see some of the enhancements and some of the investment that's made uh throughout the district to try and uh support our teachers as they are taking their direct instruction and looking to see how they can either g data, gather data or build skills. um uh with the children that they're working with. Um >> do you have any
029idea what the program costs? I know PTA is paying it. >> U pay for the kids. >> Yeah, for the the gift to provide the rewards program the district paid for. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. >> Program that we purchased. >> Sure. Huh? >> Uh, I know it's part of Amplify, so I'm sure it's included in the package that we put together, but I don't have that information. >> So, it's part of the ELA program that we rolled out. >> Yeah. And and it it is aligned with science of reading, which is the the the path that the state of Ohio is going with. So, it's really nice that all of that matches. Um, you know, looking at focusing on our our buildings, we are entering the holiday season. Um, Thanksgiving
030is the start of it and well, actually Halloween could be the start of it, but it's really just uh as we get into this uh season here, we have Thanksgiving this upcoming Thursday. Um, and this is where the school year really starts to move. We're switching from our fall sport season into our winter sports season, but we have a lot going on. We just had our fall play that I know other that I went to and and others had gone to as well. Um which I'm sure people will mention in a few minutes. It was a great show on Friday. Um kids I went on Friday as well on Saturday night as well. Our our high school team uh the the play was called Clue. Um, really what I was most impressed with were the
031scenes, uh, the way that the the set of the way that they actually structured the sets on wheels to be able to bring the different rooms in and out. Um, I thought the kids did a great job with the acting and performing as well. So, all around it was a great show. um was at the elementary school today and I didn't expect this but it was I was it was a pleasant surprise as I was walking in where the second grade did their Macy's day parade which I didn't even know that and because I saw kids coming out and it was really really cool where um the kids had decorated um balloons and they had them on sticks and so they were to so they made their own um uh floats like the the what
032are those called with the wouldn't it be balloons like yeah the balloons >> and it was really cool some kids really went all out had like faces taped to it wings taped to it and and everything so I w I didn't expect it and walked and they were doing their parade so it's really really cool it it starts to show um as we're getting towards you know all of the holidays that it it's nice and with Thanksgiving coming I thought it was really cool that they put that in. Um, but also as Greg mentioned, we do have our conferences. Um, that's happening this week across the district. There'll be no school for K students, uh, PK8 students tomorrow. Um, and we will have our high school in session and no school for, um, anybody on
033on Wednesday, the day prior to Thanksgiving. Um, I really don't have anything additional other than my agenda items. when we get to them, I can answer any questions on those. Um, but I would like to close by wishing everybody a happy Thanksgiving. >> Mr. Hopkins, >> thank you. >> Um, we are in November now and so, uh, first, we had an election here a little while ago. Congratulations to Mr. Penukin on your re-election and congratulations to Mr. Brown on being elected to the board. So, you'll be joining us in January. And uh you know I think Mr. Lzinski we're down to one and a half I guess we'll call it one and a half scheduled meetings >> for the rective today and then uh uh December 8th I think our last scheduled meeting. >> How
034many year apart? >> This is my 14th year. >> 14th year. >> So we we certainly appreciate you uh uh serving and uh I'm sure we'll discuss more as we get through next meeting as well. Um I have uh some resolutions in front of the board tonight. We'll get to those a little later on. Uh I do want to touch upon briefly uh as of uh earlier today. I have not checked this afternoon, but uh there were four uh house bills that were recently passed that are were on the governor's desk for signature. I don't know if they've been signed or not yet. Uh these are four that are specific to impacting uh West City schools or school districts in general. So I just want to discuss them very briefly and then answer any questions
035you may have. Um, first one is House Bill 129. Uh, it's recalculating the 20 mil floor to include emergency and substitute levies. Um, so I'll give you, you know, that kind of what the bill is. My I won't give you my opinion, but I'll give you my impact on Westlake schools. Uh, at this time, this would not have an impact on Westlake school. Uh, West schools uh does not uh have any emergency or substitute levies. We run all continuous levies currently. uh and we are above the 20 mil floor uh slightly above we're around 22 mills right now uh for operating funds. So um as an immediate impact it will not have uh uh a uh impact on us but uh it does change some options in the future. So it's unfortunate it will affect
036a number of of school districts on how it's changed. We have house bill 186 which is your inflationary cap on 20 mil floor uh district. This is uh specifically uh uh holding back some of the uh retroactive provisions going I think to last year on districts are in their reappraisal cycles so that where they had these inflationary increases under uh the 20th floor the state's going to pick up some of that uh expense instead of having it passed along to the homeowners. Uh the other piece that they're changing is we talk about the homestead roll back and homestead exemption. Homestead exemption is your means test for over 65. Your homestead roll back is for your residential properties at 10% and an extra two and a half% for your owner occupied credit. They're changing that. Okay.
037And over the next four years, fully implemented in uh fiscal year 29 for us. Remember, we're in fiscal year 26 right now. So, uh starting uh they're phasing it in gradually up until 29 will be fully into play. They're removing the 10% uh uh residential roll back and they're increasing the owner occupied uh point instead of being uh the 2 and a.5% they're raising it all the way up to 15.38% or we'll round it to 15.4%. So instead of having a a 12 and a half% incre I'm sorry roll back right now for a residential property owner occupied residential property it will increase to a 15.38%. So that's a benefit to our homeowners. Okay. Specifically I think they're what they're focused more on is giving relief to uh owner occupied residential properties. So if you
038have uh vacation uh uh properties, second home, something like that, or if you have investment properties, um you will lose now that uh homestead. Uh so it's not just going for all residential properties like it was with a little bit of bonus for owner occupied. They're focusing solely on owner occupied properties. So that's good for a lot of our homeowners. Uh but it will affect other Um, we have House Bill 309, which uh changes some of the rules for the county budget commission. Um, again, I I'm not sure exactly how this will impact Westlake schools going forward. Uh, our county budget commission has been uh good to work with over the uh past couple decades I've worked with them. uh it gives them a little bit more uh freedom to change tax rates on uh
039voter approved uh initiatives um on what we would collect. I don't know how Kaigga County budget commission will uh react to that. uh other budget commissions throughout the state have uh started rolling back some some millage or some uh uh some tax levies if they don't feel the district needs it. And even if the district presents yes, we need it, we're going to be, you know, having a a deficit going forward. Uh they've taken a viewpoint of well, if you don't need it right now, you don't get it right now. And so, uh, it may have an impact on us, but, um, uh, it is yet to be seen and it would be determined by each county and their specific budget commission. And then finally, we have, uh, House Bill, uh, 335. This is making
040some um, modifications to your inside millillage uh, uh, cap. We have, we know we have inside millillage. It's uh, uh, in Westlake here, it's I 99% sure it's 5.8 8 mills uh but I believe it's 5.8 mills on our inside millage. Uh this is uh trying to tie it to inflationary increases uh instead of um I believe I believe based on your uh consumer price index. So that your home value going up may not increase may not increase your inside millage or the revenue collected from your inside millage uh as much as it could have because of just home sales. So they're kind of looking at how that impacts a little bit uh as well. Again we at 5.8 mills that makes up about a quarter of our uh revenue for operating funds. So we
041have seen that inflationary growth. Uh in in fact the past cycle here that impacted West schools by about $2 million. So having that tied to either a three-year average or to uh a consumer price index could have an impact on us. We're not sure exactly how it will play out. Uh but that's something that we'll be watching. Those are the four bills that are currently uh approved by both chambers and is sitting on the governor's desk right now. Uh the legislative body continues to work through um uh different pieces and we expect to see more bills. Uh I'm not sure they'll be back in session this calendar year, but um we expect more uh come January and some changes there that will continue on pending bills, pending legislation, and I will let you know more
042as we're informed more. I uh can't stress enough how much I appreciate uh the district participation in the alliance for high quality education. Uh I know the board attended uh their annual meeting down in Columbus there. I thank you for attending that. um the the work that they've done, especially over these uh past couple years have we've had just some very uh uh uncertain times. Um you know, it has been instrumental uh for us, not only in helping uh minimize the impact on Wesley schools, but also helping us explain this to the public uh as we uh get this information and they're able to chunk it for us to explain a little better. Uh the last piece I do want to say is I know uh Mr. Planter has uh said something about me setting
043up uh Dr. Gray was instrumental in making everything work tonight uh and getting the technology together. It's great to have our students here and Mr. Planter present and I want to thank Dr. Gray for his work uh tonight and little complicated tonight but uh we appreciate it to make sure it all worked for for this. So thank you. That's all I have for tonight. I'll get to my uh resolutions a little later. Okay, on to hearing of the public. The our board of education meetings are public meetings. This means it is a meeting to publicly conduct our business in front of the public. There are times when the public may address the board during the period of the meeting designated for public participation. We the board of education do not engage in public debate and
044especially do not have public discussion about individual student situations in this setting. Each person addressing the board shall give their name and address. If several people wish to speak, each person is allotted three minutes until the total time allotted is used. During that time, no person may speak twice until all who desire to speak if they had an opportunity to do so. Recognized speakers cannot transfer delegate their speaking times to others. If a person wants to speak longer than three minutes, at the end of the three-minut period, the speaker needs to stop. If additional people wish to speak, they will be given an opportunity to speak. If no one would like to if no one else would like to speak, the original speaker may continue for an additional three-minute period. Period of public participation may
045be extended by a vote of the majority of the board present in voting. Is there anyone who would like to come forward? You got the time. Okay. >> Evening. This is my first time at a board meeting. Welcome. >> My name is Donna Wayne. I live at 2641 Kimberly Lane in Westlake. I moved in in about 1992. I love West Lake. It's an exceptional city. But ever since I moved in, there's been one thing that's been on my heart that's bothered me. And people might think this is nothing. I think it's a big thing. I've never cared for the fact that the mascot is a demon. I think it's a negative image for children. I don't know why anybody would want this image. Um, from a secular perspective, it's an evil spirit. It's cruel, evil,
046or destructive person or thing. A tormentor in hell. These are definitions. It's a negative association and it's not empowering for children. If this is the team mascot, I have to say what team are they on? It's not empowering from a religious perspective. If you have any religious or church affiliation, if you pray to God, if you celebrate a Christian, Catholic, Methodist, any type of, you know, that religion. I didn't look up all the other religions. My belief is that they also have these um beliefs. I have to say to people, to children, and to the board, how do you reconcile this with God? How do you go to church and pray and say our children are associated with demons? It's negative. And I'm asking the board to really consider this. Times are changing. Um I'm
047asking the board. I don't know the process for this. I don't know if anybody's ever brought this up before. It's been on my heart for a long time. Actually, since 1992, but it's gotten a little bit stronger with me. Um, it's not a ranger, it's not a warrior, it's not a tiger. There are many, many, many other mascots that we can have for our children. Um, I wish there were more people here. I thought about inviting more people, but I thought I had to jump in and do this. I don't know the process or how the board considers this about changing this, but I'm actually deeply requesting this be considered, and that's really all I have. I don't know the process. I know we're not allowed to ask questions. So these are rhetorical questions. The
048two questions are how do we go about changing this? How do we reconcile this with God if we go home and consider this with our children? Think about this when you go to church the next time. All I have. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Moving on to approval of the minutes. Everyone had an opportunity to review the minute from October 27th meeting. All those in favor for a voice. >> All those in favor? Any opposed? All right. Back to you, Mr. Hopkins. >> Thank you. Um, I do have four resolutions in front of the board tonight. I'll very briefly go through them. Uh, the first one is uh approving the uh five-year financial forecast. Um, as the board is aware, we've already done the forecast. We did it back, I think September this year as
049some of the new requirements are put in place. We'll be doing it even earlier uh going uh next year. But um as you recall on at the June 27th uh 2025 board meeting uh in direct response to a legislative action of a 40% cap on carryover funds, the board of education authorized the transfer of $10 million from general fund to a uh continuous improvement project fund capital improvement project fund. Um which is from our O1 fund general fund to an 070 fund capital improvement. Um as we submitted that forecast uh because we were showing a deficit okay in this we're in year one of the forecast year two we were fine but in year three we were showing a negative balance of three and four that triggered a review with the state of Ohio um
050we uh were contacted by the state of Ohio and uh was were instructed to uh put together a plan on how we would address address that deficit. Um Dr. Gagen and myself met with a representative from the state of Ohio on it because some of the plan is you you know you can't count on a new levy. Uh you can't uh uh there's a number of pieces that you can't uh put in the plan. So basically it's just a plan of cut you're going to make. Okay. Now as Dr. Gagan and I spoke about it, we certainly could do that if that's the intent of the board, but we don't believe that's the intent of the board. And so in talking to the representative from the state of Ohio, uh we were saying, "Here, we
051move this $10 million as a direct response to the threat of a 40%." Okay. I believe the intent of the board uh would be to move that money back or rescend that capital project. Okay, which would wipe away that deficit in uh year three of this four-year forecast. Uh so on advice of uh the representative of the state of Ohio, I'm asking the board to approve a revised forecast. The only difference here is you will see on line I think it's 2.0 2.04. It shows the $10 million transfer coming in. That's the only difference. No other changes have been made. It's the same forecast that you approved earlier this year, but now with the $10 million coming back in, this is my assumption. This uh by the board approving this forecast does not uh bind
052the board to making this move. It doesn't bind the uh the board to make this move at that time. The board could do it earlier or later. It's at the discretion of the board. But in for the purposes of forecast and my associated assumptions that are along with it, this is my assumption. And so, um, we're a, if the board approves this forecast, we're able to refile with the state of Ohio. Um, and then that would take away, uh, the requirement of having a a plan that would cut x millions of dollars, um, that we'd be required to fight. So, I am asking the board to consider that tonight. Uh, and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about that. >> Is it a fivey year or a fouryear? >> Well, they remember they
053changed it now to a four-year forecast. >> Okay. They did. So it's brand new this year. It's this year plus three additional years. Um there's been significant changes to school funding uh in the past uh year or so. So that is one. >> Thank you. >> Uh moving on to B. I have a handful of then announced. Please let me know if you have any questions. Moving on to C. uh met in our finance my treasur's finance uh committee uh and we discussed uh going forward uh we have an opportunity right now and the reason I say an opportunity is we have a little bit older of a fleet on our maintenance truck um and right now we have seven maintenance trucks one of them is is down uh estimated repairs are about $6,000 uh
054but once they start doing an engine tear down they're saying that expect to have another $4,000 that may be needed if you have to do X Y and Z of work. Uh and that's on a 17y old truck. >> Yes, just about 17 year old truck. So, um we don't think it's wise to invest uh uh you know, say $10,000 into a a 15 plus year old truck. So, uh as we looked at options, u our business manager, Mr. house u met with our maintenance uh crew and looked at thing, okay, what do we need the different trucks for? Um really we need we need the number of trucks because of plowing for the for the winter. You know, we have a lot of property, a lot of parking lot. Um uh and so we
055need to clear that before school. And so we looked at alternatives that could be a possibility instead of a truck that would give us more flexibility throughout the year could be used for other projects that we have in the school district. Uh the solution that is being proposed here uh that we discussed in our finance committee is a uh small articulating wheel loader. So it's a essentially think of a front front end loader with a bucket on it. Okay. Uh that bucket would be removed and you would have a 10-ft box that would push snow. Okay. And most likely, we haven't finalized everything, but most likely it would be parked at the elementary school and it would be used exclusively at that lot during winter. Although we could load it up on a trailer and
056take it from uh property to property, but we would think it would sit there. At least you could start it that way. Um and uh uh it would also give us flexibility throughout the year whether we're moving dirt, gravel, drilling holes. There's uh different uh adapters or or uh apparatuses you can attach to it uh to make it do other, you know, help us with other. >> You can rent those, right? You don't have to purchase those, >> right? So, we would just p purchase the scoop, the standard scoop that it comes with, and then the box for snow pushing. The rest we look at running, and that could be for uh uh uh digging, that could be for um doing uh post holes, that could be doing abrupt cutting. There's a number of apparatuses
057use. We feel this gives the most flexibility of the district uh long term, and so we're asking the board to consider the approval of that. And then finally on D, I have some uh you know the board approved uh deeming several school districts, I'm sorry, school private schools impractical for transportation. These are just the students that have been added. We've been notified that these students attend these schools. This is not changes to the actual schools that are deemed impractical, but additional students that were added. Those are my four that I have uh in front of you tonight. I would ask that forecast be voted on separate and apart from the other three. And if it completes the board, you can combine the other three into one. >> Okay. Is there a motion for 5A of
058the financial forecast? >> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you both Mr. Hopkins and Dr. Hogan for taking the time to stay in updating. >> Absolutely. >> Roll call. >> Was >> Yes. Motion carries. Is >> there a motion to approve 5B through D? >> Second. >> Any comment? Roll call. >> Wait, I have one question for Adam. >> So, the little Bobcat would have it couldn't travel down the street to another school. It would have to be >> in theory. It does have brake lights and tail lights that on it. Yeah, it could. >> It could. Okay. because when they're doing road construction with them, they, you know, they're on video and something similar is driving equipment on the road. You wouldn't want to drive it everywhere, but it's >> And I do want
059to point out, thank you for bringing that up. This is not a new concept. If you go to shopping malls, you go to shopping plazards, if you look at anyone who has a large amount of property uh to plow, you'll see them out right now waiting for you. So uh it would be a similar piece a similar piece of equipment um that we would use and then could use the other. >> So do the drivers have to be trained how to >> we'll provide training through the vendor. Yes. >> Wes has left the high >> but we have a little more time in the morning um than we do at the uh uh at later. >> Correct. And we'll have appropriate Westlake signage put on it also. >> Yeah, we'll have logo put on it.
060>> Thank you. >> Any other comments? >> Call. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you. >> And Dr. Gogan, back to you. >> Thank you. Uh would like to read off the gifts and donations. Uh Kevin and Beverly Ecker donated $100 to Westside Connections at Westlake High School. We had a an anonymous donation to Lee Bernettton Middle School of $500. Another one and by the way that was I believe that one when I sent that uh parents were out saying that you know we had people contacting us wanting to support us and you know with with helping people out during the shutdown. That was one of the calls and and so we we really did have people calling to say how can we help how can we contribute and we figure things out. Um, another
061anonymous donation of $1,344 to the Washington DC trip. I think this was also connected there as well. Um, Nancy uh Lang Driver donated $200 to Westlake Connections at Westlake High School. Greater Cleveland. This is the Homebuilders Association donated tools and power equipment to the know your home class at Westlake High School. and Rocky River Animal Hospital donated $1,500 to the library at Dover Intermediate School. So, we thank everybody for their generosity. Other items in my recommendation that I would want to point out would be uh yet another revision to the 2627 calendar. Uh this one is uh um less impactful. It's a day. um when uh when the days when the calendar was counted up, we typically are off the Wednesday before um Thanksgiving like this Wednesday coming up and but it counts as a
062a teacher workday due to conferences with people staying at night. So they do two half days after school that was not that was not counted in the previous um calendar that we just approved. So we just need to make sure we get the dates right which is happening in letter in the rest are going to be employment for things like camp link um uh camp blank handbook uh ski chaperone ski club chaperones um athletic supplemental contract uh event worker classified substitutes really nothing excessive in there and and we do uh uh volunteers um but they also go through background check checks and that's in so those are the items that we have um I would say if six A on its own um to acknowledge those who give so generously and then I am fine
063with B through O being included. Okay. Is there a motion to approve uh stick day donation? >> Move. Second. >> Thank you as always. Uh Mr. Wilson, since I know you're here, the donated uh tools and power equipment, this isn't like, you know, a school box of things. This is a pretty substantial donation. between four and 5,000 class >> schools for kids. >> Yes. >> That that the kids get to keep. >> That's amazing. In addition to the gift cards that they gave us last round that were >> pretty substantial. >> They made an investment. You were the first school on the west side. Uh Bayfield is kind of flagship with this. Uh we were the first school on the west side and they really have it's really been a nice boost to know your
064home actually the curriculum they provide. I think Adam is doing a few sessions this year of that and continue that year and actually incorporate a >> that's awesome. Thank you. that leads to it could possibly lead to internships for students because of some of the connections. >> I'm also curious about the animal hospital donating to the library. What's the >> I I don't know. >> You don't know the >> No, I don't know the backstory of that one. >> Thank you to our anonymous donors. >> Any other comments? Yes. >> Lamb, >> yes. >> Venukin, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Is there a motion to approve uh superintendent's recommendation 6 B through O? >> So moved. >> Second, >> comments. >> He'll send out the updated calendar again. >> Uh Katie is going to
065do it. Perfect. >> Thank you for approving the uh overnight field trip. I appreciate that. >> I'm sure >> the DC trip is always a good one for our student >> and I know a lot of parents will be excited about getting the information about camp link for next year. >> Yeah, >> it's that is growing and growing and growing. >> It really is. >> I do like the fact that priority enrollment is going to u full-time. I think it'll help because I know it's one of those where we always get more demand than we can as we try to >> I actually spoke with somebody down at OPA that I'll pass their information along that could be something that integrated into camp like >> okay >> the inventor's hall of fame >> there so
066>> okay >> any other call >> yes Mazinski, >> yes. >> Lamb, >> yes. Darn, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> This time we have the second hearing of the public. >> Okay, moving on to board comment. >> Well, I thought ODA was very informative this year. I attended a session on Title N and sexual harassment and was all very legal legally. It was conducted by an attorney and uh and I'm just glad that Ohio, the state of Ohio did pass uh I think it was in April that boys cannot play on a girls sports team or be in a girl's locker room. They were very specific about the language that even a mother can only take her child in like to the girls locker room if the a boy if he's under the age
067of 10. And so it was all very very specific. But I was glad to see that because I think women have fought too long and hard for the the right to play sports and title n I was not able to participate in sports but thankfully my daughters and my granddaughters were. So um that was resolved but it was the all the sessions I attended were extremely uh informative. uh a lot about the property tax uh next year and homesteaders and uh it was real interesting because at one point they mentioned the state of Michigan which I know for a house state >> I know I know >> Saturday but they I guess apparently they have a very unique way of funding their schools and it's uh quite um successful and I guess maybe we need
068to take a look at it. All right. If that might be, but they did talk about that as the number one thing and then the uh the homesteading act to uh to increase that. So, uh all in all, I thought it was a great great session. I loved the speakers at the alliance lunchon. >> Yeah, they were very informative. So, um it it it was a very good uh good trip down to Columbus. Yeah. Barbara and I spent three hours together >> in the car. Oh. But three hours in the uh spotlight session. >> Oh yeah. >> One day which was all about property taxes and all the different bills that are out there. ones in the past, once once you're probably going to still be there kind of in the near future. But there's
069does seem to be a lot >> uncertainty going out and hopefully Governor >> Govern was good enough at the um Alliance because I think that was the best panel they've had in all the years I've They were really good. >> I concur with all your comments about >> uh council December lunch is going to be on December uh Wednesday, December 17th from 11:30 to 1. They don't have RSVPs out yet. Um when I get that out, we'll forward that on to folks, but in case you want to put it on your calendar. >> Can you say that one more time? Wednesday, December 17th from 11:30 to 1. >> Location? >> No, >> I don't have any of that information yet. >> And then at our next meeting, uh definitely bring your calendars with because we're
070going to have to schedule the organizational meeting. >> Has to be done by what time? >> 15. >> So, more than likely, it'll probably fall at the normal time, which would be the second Monday, which would be the 12th. President like Dr. Goagan, I went and saw a clue on Saturday night. Uh, and I know also >> Tom on Friday. >> It was really a standing job to the cast crew and staff who were all involved. Well, I mean, just amazing as a lead and it's great. >> It's great. >> No, I mean >> they decided on the spring music. >> It's Newsies. >> Who? >> Newsies. They've already cast it. >> I didn't know they >> they were already um they started that a couple weeks ago. >> And we have no board items.
071Is there a motion to adjourn to executive session to discuss the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, motion, or compensation of an employee or an official? >> Second. >> Roll call to >> adjourn into executive session at 71 p.m. Land. >> Yes. >> H not. >> Yes. Motion carries >> and no business will be taking place after