001Good evening. We're going to call the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education regular meeting to order for Tuesday, May 19th, 2026. Um, if you would like to stand for a moment of silence. We'll take a moment of silence uh for reflection. So, if you want to take a deep breath, think about this question. How can I serve my community today with passion, compassion, integrity, and purpose? Whether it's through our roles as educators, leaders, neighbors, or advocates, each of us has the power to make a difference. Let's take a quiet moment to reflect on how we can uplift those around us and lead with intention. Thank you for your thoughts. You be seated. >> Treasure, will you please call the role? >> Mr. Parker, >> here. >> Mrs. Barwig >> here. >> Miss Barnes, >> present.
002>> Mrs. Girkin, >> here. >> Mr. Vasquez, >> here. >> Great. And at this time, we'll have the pledge of allegiance. Do we have a video? >> Yes, we do. >> Great. If you'd like to stand for the pledge of allegiance, please do so. >> I aliance 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. Thank you. And Dr. Durant, the mission vision. >> TPS mission to provide innovative educational opportunities that ensure each student prepare for their future. Our vision statement to power each and every student to lead and live a purpose-driven life. Can we hear from them too? >> Do we have a video as well? >> Yeah. Okay. They did the video. provide independent
003educational opportunity. We empower each and every student. That's the best part of the meeting. All right. Um we will move to 1.05 which is the uh May 19th, 2026 board agenda adoption. I'd like to entertain a motion. >> So moved. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? >> Haron on. Treasure, please call the role. >> Mr. Parker? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barwig? >> Yes. >> Miss Barnes? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Gerkin? >> Yes. >> Mr. Vasquez? >> Yes. >> Thank you. And now we'll do uh section two, which is presentations. And we'll turn it over to Dr. Durant. >> Miss Ma. >> Thank you. Uh it is my pleasure to recognize and congratulate the retirees for this month. We have Flora Levens, a bus driver retiring with 29 years and 8 months
004of service. A McIll she is a science teach science teacher at 30 years and 6 months of service. Dorothy Moore a secretary here in the board of education 28 years and eight months of service. and Judith Truman. She is an MD par professional at Robinson. 29 years and 11 months or a total of8 years and two months of service to Y INCREDIBLE. OKAY, we're going to move to section three which committee comments and we do not have anyone that has signed up for this evening. Section four is our organizational input and I do know that the student and parent rep are not here this evening. So we would move to TAP which is Mr. Amelia RmIrez. >> Thank you. Just want to say this is probably one of my years from my 30-year career here
005at TPS and what we've gone through and I know we're not done as a principal administrator. I also feel for those parents and students that are going to make a change this coming year. Also, the community that's going to leave a building state in your area for years. So, I do know there's still some challenging times ahead of us, but I most optimistic. I think we're going to get through this. strong. We are thinking about through this change. >> Thank you. Um TFT would be Mr. Dalton. I don't see him this evening. Um ask me Mr. Dale Parker. Is Mr. Parker here? >> No. Okay. We're going to move on to section five, which is comments by the board. Mr. Vasquez. >> Uh the only comments I have uh for today's meeting is that this
006is graduation time and I know they've already begun. Some of the board members and Dr. Durant and some of the leadership have already uh uh been present, some of them. So, congratulations to all of our students uh who are graduating and uh it's going to be a great season. Thanks. Okay. >> Thank you, Miss Grian. Thank you. First graduation down, right, Dr. D? Um I I was at the tech to a little early college graduation today. It's always a pleasure to see uh the young people uh who were in such a rigorous program having um not only their high school diploma, but most of them, the vast majority of them this year got graduated with an associates degree. a couple of weeks ago, even before they got their high school diploma. Uh, so it's always
007uh it's always a pleasure to to get started with graduation season. Thank you with Barnes. >> Thank you, Madam President. I have a couple little notes, so I'll try to make it quick. Uh, first, I want to recognize Asian-American Pacific Islander Month as well as Jewish Heritage uh Jewish Heritage Month as well. um just want to continue uh uplifting all of our students uh from various backgrounds and diversity. Um which brings me to my next talking point about what's going on once again at the state house. Uh even today um in the education community they were talking about or testimony fighting against another anti-dei bill that's going to happen now in K through 12. Um, and the sting of what Senator Briner is doing in his statements about DEI needs to be removed is this
008came um the same week 72 years ago, anniversary of Brown versus Board of Education. Um, and it reminded me that the fight for public education did not end in 1954. the attacks just evolved. And I am personally um not only because I am a mother, but I say this proudly that my family have fought for equitable accessible education for all. um my great I got to do the numbers great great great great greatgrandfather Edmund Weisinger uh won his law his Supreme Court case um to establish his son going to public education and that was one of the preceding cases in the Brown versus Board education that third good Marshall used. I am very proud of what my family have fought for to make sure public education is accessible to all. I am very frustrated that
009once again um his lineage now have to fight for the same thing he fought for um in his time. You can't say you are for students all students and still un uh underfund schools erase honest education. eliminate supports, attack teachers, and then you say, well, this is this is not about just one type of student. We are choosing what type of student we're going to see thrive based on their zip code, their race, their gender identity, sexual orientation, income, or disability or ability. When I hear the removal of anti- ant when I hear the removal of diversity, equity, inclusion, that's another thing. I'm sorry, my glasses keep fogging up. Hot flashes. Um, when I hear the removal of diversity, equity, inclusion, for me as a mother, I think of my son who is autistic. I
010think of the IEP measures that the teachers work with him on to make sure he is thriving with the curriculum to his learning level. I'm thinking of the wonderful uh ability games we just had backtoback at Rogers. I didn't make it to the one at Rogers. I went to the one at Woodward. Uh that can be against this law because it's so vague. We don't know what it means. If we say, "Okay, the abilities games is for everybody ability to come and play at their own level." That could be discrimination against this this bill that's if it's passed. If a teacher wants to talk about their heritage because it is uh Asian-American Pacific Islander Month or Jewish Heritage Month, that can be against this bill and we could get fined. Um this is a very
011dangerous bill. Um and we saw the impact it had on higher education. It's going to be double impacted for K through 12 because we have so many vulnerable students in our population. And I always say if you want to take over the world, you take over the youth mind first. And that is what this administration at the federal and at the state level is trying to do. Also, I have to be uh acknowledge knowledgeable about today is Malcolm X's birthday. And his quote on education is education is the passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. What kind of future are we trying to give our kids if we're taking away the passport? And so it's really bothersome. So, I'm going to go and end on a light note
012because it is graduation time and we have fought and we will keep fighting to make sure our students thriving in our district. Um, and I am really excited for graduation uh season because my own baby is graduating. I am a TPS proud parent because I believe in the the business product and supply that we do here. I'm not just talking about it. I'm about it. I walk it. And so I get to see um my son and my community babies uh graduate. And I'm going to try not to cry. We'll see. I don't know. I don't know. But I'm I'm so excited for this because you know sometimes you need that little moments of joy and and um definitely it's been very hard. Like Mr. Romero said, this has been a very challenging year uh
013in education space period. And so I think we all need to see these celebrations because we all need a little joy right now. Thank you, >> Bishop Parker. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, thank you, Miss Barnes, for your your comments. I think sitting in this seat um many of times once we say something madame president it's like they've already heard it through the other board members but um again this is a time where challenges are challenging and we just have to continue in the fight. I think one of the things that I want to say before I go a little bit further is that we we live in a society of the crab barrel. And the premise of the crab barrel is once a crab gets to the top, the other crab tries to
014come and pull it down. And I never really understood why crabs fought each other. realizing that the issue wasn't in other crafts. The issue was the barrel. >> And with this fight against public education, I think the bigger picture for all that are affected by public education needs to see that the barrel is the fight that we're in that is trying to destroy uh every component, every piece to the puzzle of public education. And so I'm saying to my colleagues and to all of you just to continue to stay in the fight. Um because we'll fight until we have no fight left in us. So continue to stay in the fight. I'm excited about graduation season since we've already heard that four times already. Uh but last year this time I had the record or
015at least last year's record of going to every graduation. Well, that streak was broken today. Um I wasn't able to make it today. Uh, but I'm excited about every graduation and also the graduation Madame President and I will do with Toledo PMED and Health Science Academy, their very first graduation. So, really excited about that. Um, and just seeing our students and regardless of what we're going through, they deserve the recognition, the honor, and the celebration for the work that they put in to be able to receive their diplomas. So, we're really excited. Uh, graduation time is one of the most wonderful times of the year and we're going to celebrate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I will add that certainly I want to thank Burroughs Elementary for the pledge of allegiance. Again, it's
016probably one of my favorite parts of our meetings because we get to bring students into our meetings which otherwise are pretty um straightforward, right? And so it's a good reminder of why we sit up here and we do what we do. Um, I would also like to shout out to the retirees again. Um, they are the backbone of this organization. They put in the work and so congratulations to them on their retirement. Certainly wish them well. Um, I'd like to kind of piggyback off of what Miss Barnes said about the um the state continuing to attack public education. Um it is evident across the state of Ohio right now with so many other districts that are feeling the impact of it whether it was 68 million or 58 million today in Cincinnati or 50 billion
017um times 2 in Columbus right um or Cleveland closing down 29 schools. This is um forcing districts to do something they never thought they would have to do, and that's dismantling communities. They continue to push for vouchers and charters and the lack of accountability reeks. We will continue as a board, I know, to continue with testimony. We will try and find the purple where we can. Um, unfortunately, we are, I believe, second only to Florida right now when it comes to um the attack on public education. I'm going to end on a light note as well. I did get to go to Toledo Early College uh graduation today and got to give the diploma to Ella Iikenberg um our former board member's daughter and um really excited about her future as well as the other
018students. Um I believe Dr. Durant said what about 78% of our students have an associate degree for free walking out the door. Uh that's an incredible testament to the opportunities that are available in Toledo public schools. Um, so we're going to continue to lead the way in that endeavor. All right, with that I will move on to section six, which is our consent agenda. Agenda items 6.01 through 6.30 are the consent agenda items. Board members may request to pull an item from the consent and move to discussion section of the agenda. Item 6.01 to 6.05 is human resource committee. the chairs Paulie Taylor Girkin, co-chairs Randall Parker III. Item 6.06 to 6.14 is budget and finance stabilization operations committee chairs Bob Vasquez co-chairs myself. Item 6.15 to 6.19 is academic and program redesign committee chairs
019Paulie Taylor Gerkin co-chair is myself. Item 6.20 to 6.22 is legislative and policy committee chair is myself and co-chair Sheena Barnes. Items 6.23 to 6.25 is the bridge committee chair Randall Parker III co-chair Sheena Barnes. Item 6.26 to 6.30 is approval of board meeting minutes. I would like to entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> So moved and second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? >> Yes. >> Madam President, I just wanted to um call attention to one of the items in the program redes uh redesign committee. Uh I know it's been a heavy lift um these months that we have worked uh so hard on this uh transformation plan and and I want to give you kudos for leading that starting in January. We've come a long way. We still
020have a long way to go. Uh just um of interest would be that the two new courses are approved for seventh and eighth graders at Bowser High School for the two career tech pathways. The introduction uh to visual design applications of AI, health and science technology and mental health. So I think it's going to be the first dedicated course at the career tech level uh that is going to focus on mental health. So for those families who are choosing seventh and eighth grade lounger, uh that's kind of why we are doing it is to have those particular opportunities to explore. The other thing that I think is noteworthy is uh courses don't get approved easily around here that that course had to go through the joint uh curriculum committee of the the TAP and the
021TFT. So uh just wanted to put it on record that folks are working together to get this curriculum up and running. uh at least uh at least a first baby step to our actual transformation plan. And I uh and I wanted to just show some progress uh where it feels like the light of the super super fast, it's also a whole lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. So I thought that was pretty cool that that was brought to our curriculum committee um last week and we're ready. We're ready for it. >> Thank you. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Treasure, please call the role. >> Mr. Parker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barwig, >> yes. >> Miss Barnes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Gerkin, >> yes. >> Mr. Vasquez, >> yes. >> Great. Thank you.
022Section seven of the agenda consists of reports and minutes from this month's committee meetings and are here for information and reference. No action is required. So, we're going to proceed to section 8 of the agenda. Section 8 um is our discussion item section and 8.01 01 is a resolution in support of maintaining local property taxes for public education and opposing House Bill 420. So, let me pull that out and I will go ahead and read that. Whereas locally voted property taxes are the largest local funding source for Ohio public schools and play a critical role in supporting district operations and educational services. And whereas these funds directly support the recruitment and retention of highquality teachers, ensure the safety and security of students and staff, and provide necessary classroom technology and resources. And whereas strong, well-funded
023public schools are vital to the academic success of students, the stability of our communities, and the long-term economic health of our region. And whereas without sufficient local property tax revenue, public schools would become heavily dependent on state level funding decisions which may not adequately reflect the unique needs of our local community. And whereas in addition, pending Ohio House Bill 420 would eliminate continuing property tax levies and require all levies to expire and be periodically resubmitted to voters, fundamentally altering the local school funding framework. And whereas requiring repeated voter approval to maintain existing funding would create revenue instability, increase administrative costs, and impair long-term financial planning for school districts, and would undermine the district's ability to sustain consistent educational programming, staffing, and student services. Now therefore be it resolved that the board of education of the
024Toledo City School District, the board hereby one affirms its strong support for maintaining local property taxes as a critical and necessary funding source for public education. Two, advocates for policies that protect and sustain local funding streams to ensure continued investment in teachers, student safety, and educational resources. three urges policymakers to recognize the essential role of local property taxes in preserving the quality, equity, and stability of public education in our community. Four, opposes Ohio House Bill 420 and any similar legislation that would eliminate continuing levies or destabilize local school funding. Five urges the Ohio General Assembly to reject such legislation and protect stable locally controlled funding for public education. Six, this resolution shall be in full force in effect from and immediately after its adoption. It is found and determined that all formal actions of this
025board relating to this resolution were taken in compliance with all legal requirements, including section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code. May I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? >> Okay. Treasure, please call the role. >> Would you like to know how that will affect >> I absolutely would. If you'd like to. Absolutely. If you'd like to intervene, I'd love that. >> Uh we have six levies that would be affected by this. all the pre76 levies and then five additional ones. And those would total or they do total to $81.3 million that the voters have approved and now we would have to go back to the voters to ask again. So that is a sign significant amount of our property tax revenue that we would have
026to go back on the ballot for to get approved not only this year or not only before 2030 but then they would have to be renewed again in the future. So they'd be no longer continuing. >> Okay. Madam President, Madam President, >> uh just want to say Mr. Stick Schulty, thank you for uh providing the uh comments that you just made. I think what happened so often is that uh we uh know that uh the things are negatively impacting the school district, our students, and our families. and we don't uh spend uh a lot of time talking about how how that happens. So, we we pass these things. So, the fact that you brought up exactly how that's going to impact us is is uh really important and I'm glad that you stopped us and
027made sure that we talked about a little bit more than than just pass a resolution. Thank you. >> Any further discussion? >> Yep. Miss Barnes. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um once again we have to uh take what's happening or was given to us the conversations that are being pushed out of state with a grain of salt because I don't know about anybody else where you stand is not even a political thing. Uh gas prices is not low, food is not low. People are going to be losing their Medicaid at the end of the year. Things like that was supposed to be happening right for us. So when they say, "Hey, property taxes are bad. You shouldn't do it." That should be alarming to you cuz right now they haven't said anything that we should
028or shouldn't do that actually helped us so far. But when we get to how it impacts the school, people have I've seen comments like, "Well, the kid should learn how I learned." Yes, you you had property taxes that paid your public education or your private education. Let's just be real with that when you're in K through 12. But we're not thinking about the impacts to the hospitals uh to fire and rescue to sewer. These all things cover our property taxes. And I was not around, you know, back in the day and I was definitely not in England. But I don't think I want to wear high heels so I won't walk in to poop and stuff because we don't have someone to do our sewage. I don't want to have to see loved ones die
029from common illnesses because we don't have a way to get them to the hospital in time. Um, these things were and are provided because of our property taxes. It's not just we're giving money to the schools and they are just wasting it. No, these are sustaining lives and community. And so I I want people to start questioning the noise. Um, it's a lot of people talking loud right now. It's all noise. Ask them when your house catch on fire, how many pills you want me to bring because we won't have fire anymore. This is the things that we're going to be reducing and losing beyond education. But let's think about how it's going to impact education. Maybe not today. Maybe we'll figure it out. Maybe I'll marry a millionaire and be able to provide for
030TPS all the money that we lose when property taxes go away. Cool. But what type of education we going to give our kids 10 years? Where your doctors are going to come from? your nurses, your teachers, the people who you're going to be depending on. I don't care how old, religion, race, you're going to depend on the community. What kind of education are they going to have if we don't have any type of education system? So, I just want people to start questioning the noise because sometimes I feel like I'm going insane. Um because some people throw stuff out there and it's like, "Yeah, that sounds good. I would love not to pay taxes cuz I want to keep my check, but I I I do want my kids to go to school and I
031do want to be able to call fire or rescue or 911 when something happens to my house and I like going to the hospital when I'm sick. So, I think it's okay for me to take a little bit of my money out and pay for those things, but I want you to start questioning and pushing back because so much is getting talked about and I'm so afraid we're going to lose so much because we did so little. >> Rain's over. Okay. Anyone else? >> Sorry. >> Sure. >> Madam President, we can spend just a couple more moments on on this on the subject. Um to uh uh extend a little bit of uh what uh Miss Barnes had had mentioned. I think I think that the you there's a there's a bunch of issues. I
032mean, when you think about about eliminating taxes and property taxes, there there's a whole conversation that has to happen that never happens. I think for most people, it's if I don't have to pay taxes, then that's it. And then they say, well, we'll let somebody else figure out some of the issues that Miss Byron's brought up. But you don't hear any solutions coming from the state. There there are no solutions in this discussion. There are no solutions. There are no alternatives being discussed. And I and I wonder how in our society that can happen. And I the only the only thing I can come to is that what happens sometimes with people is I'm going to uh vote for and decide right now this moment what is what is what I want and not really
033think about what the uh circumstances uh or how it's going to impact uh us personally uh the society families as a whole And um that just doesn't seem to be a re to be a real uh thought out intelligent way to to approach issues. But I think that happens. I think I think it is ah we'll we'll we'll figure it out. We'll we'll decide this. We'll make this happen today. Then then we'll just figure it out. Um I think that that's just not a way to to approach um any kind of significant issue uh when that impacts so many people. And when you ask I think that what people should do is go ask their legislator what is your alternative and see I'd be interested if they could pass that on to me whatever answer
034they get issue the end game here is to destroy is to destroy public education. Make no mistake there is no reasoning behind it. um all you have to do is look at what's happening at the state in terms of the fair school funding plan or any other way that the state is supposed to fund us. So first on one hand they want to not pay their share and then on the other hand at the same moment they're messing with our ability to raise our local share even if we happen to live in a community that's willing to provide the local share. It's not enough that they're not bringing us state funds, but they got to make sure we also can't uh adequately collect funds from the local. So, what is it? Is it state or
035is it is it local? Is it a combination? No, they don't care. They want to destroy public education. They want it to be a fee for service, a pay pay to play, uh whatever you want to call it in the name of of choice. But they absolutely know what they're doing. First you sow distrust in the public schools and then you systematically dismantle it. They know exactly what they're doing. Um, I'll just add that I was fortunate enough to be a part of um an alliance of schoolboard members uh that created an event um called the future of property taxes and it really was about the public services and the impact of axe the tax uh and how that would impact all public services not just public schools but your libraries and um you your
036your fire and your police just like Miss Barnes had talked to about and you know I think the more that we can provide education around this I think the better. Um but to your point Mr. address cuz what I see happening unfortunately is um I don't listen I don't think tax is going to get on the ballot this year but that doesn't mean that be back it'll be back next year and what that really does is allows the state legislature to continue bringing bills attacking public education right we talk about death by thousand cuts this is what this is that's what it is and so that just gives them coverage because they're doing something right. >> Yes. And Madam President, I think something else just happened uh today or yesterday that actually uh negatively impacts
037our ability to even be financially stable and that is in the sports uh and and how we're able to do that. We were hoping that we could do some very uh creative things that would be very helpful to our uh uh students and um they didn't vote for that either. So I I every every every way you turn uh we try to come up with answers and then they they shoot those down. >> Well, and we wonder or I don't wonder but they wonder why um people are leaving the state of Ohio. Okay, with that said, we'll go ahead and vote. >> Treasure. >> Mr. Parker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barwick, >> yes. >> Miss Barnes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Gerkin, >> yes. >> Mr. Vasquez, >> yes. >> Thank you. We'll move to 8.02,
038a resolution approving the employment of P. Ryan Lockwood III as treasur of the Toledo City School District. And I'll turn this over to Mr. Vasquez to read. >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh this is a resolution approving the employment of P. Ryan Lockwood III as treasurer of the Toledo City School District. Whereas the board of education of the Toledo City School District, the board is authorized pursuant to Ohio law including revised code section 3313.22 to employ a treasurer as the chief fiscal officer of the district. And whereas the board has identified a need to ensure continuity, stability, and effective oversight of the district's financial operations during a transition in the treasur's office. And whereas P. Ryan Lockwood III, Mr. Rockwood holds a valid Ohio driver or treasures license pursuant to revised code 3301 period 074
039and possesses the qualifications, experience, and professional expertise necessary to serve in this role. And whereas the board desires to employ Mr. Lockwood in a limited interim capacity beginning June 1st, 2026 to assist with transition and continuity of operations. And whereas the board further desires to employ Mr. Lockwood as the treasure of the district for a term commencing August 1st, 2026 and ending July 31st, 2028, pursuant to a written contract setting forth the terms and conditions of such employment. Now therefore, be it resolved that the board of education of the Tulsa City School District hereby one approves the employment of P. Ryan Lockwood III as interim treasur of the district for the period of June 1st, 2026 through July 31st, 2026 under the terms and conditions set forth in the interim contract presented to the board.
040Two, approves the employment of P. Ryan Lockwood III as treasur of the district for the period of August 1st, 2026 through July 31st, 2028 under the terms and conditions set forth in the treasure contract presented to the board. Three, ratifies the board president's execution of the interim contract and treasure contract on behalf of the board. Four, authorizes the superintendent and treasur to take any actions necessary to implement and administer the terms of such contracts and ensure continuity in the district's financial operations. Five declares that the resolution shall be in full force in effect from and immediately after its adoption and determines all formal actions of this board relating to the adoption of this resolution were taken in compliance with all applicable legal requirements including section 121 period 22 of the Ohio Reise Code. Madam President,
041I request a motion. >> So moved. >> Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? Mr. Vasquez. >> No, I congratulations. Uh looking looking forward to it. Uh we uh uh are uh uh disappointed. Uh but we know he can't stay forever. Uh Mr. Sexy, um you and I have have have worked very closely together. Um, and I'm looking forward to working very closely uh with you, Mr. Lockwood. Um, we have a lot of challenges uh ahead of us, a lot. And it's going to take a lot for us to try to figure out and and I think you've heard some of the discussion going on here. So, u uh I'm but it's a challenge. We accept the challenge. Uh we're excited uh about what the future holds and um excited that you're going to
042help us uh get through this and and uh make sure this district is the best district in the state of Ohio and possibly the country. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam President. Congratulations, Ryan. Ryan and Ryan will get used to that, right? Um we'll get to know each other uh in the HR committee. As you know, we have very active board committees uh and they all have um lizons from either the cabinet or or the superintendent or treasures office. So, we'll get to know each other there and look forward uh look forward to it. If I look at this um resolution when we were talking about our our Ryan, our first Ryan, um did we just rope you into an extra month? Did we get that extra month out of you? No, because I saw
043this twomonth interim thing and I'm like, "Oh, does that mean Ryan will >> No, he's out. All right, I'm just checking. I thought maybe it was a little quiet extra month we were going to get out of you." All right. Thank you. Thank you. >> This one, Madam President. Thank you. So, Mr. Blackwood, I will be calling you Ryan because I couldn't say Ryan's last name. Um, so it's ingrained in me just to say the first name. So, if I do call you Ryan's because I know your name now is easier to pronounce. However, just to stay cautious, I will be calling you Mr. Ryan. Um, I want to say welcome to the TPS family. Um, I believe personally you do have some big shoes to fill because I don't want to say old, Ryan,
044cuz you're not old. I mean, it's like a, you know, but Ryan up here, >> Ryan A, Ryan B, I guess, right? And we have Ryan Cidia. But Ryan uh was is amazing at helping me understand financial which is very hard. I used to be a C plus maybe a D+ student in math and so you have very big shoes to fill with that alone. Um besides the challenges that Mr. Vasquez have said um and so I am really excited to be working with you and Ryan I am really excited for your next chapter because you deserve all the good things. >> Mr. Parker. >> Thank you madam president. Congratulations Mr. Lockwood, we are looking forward to working with you and excited. Um, I believe that if anybody uh understands more than anyone the job
045of a treasurer, you know, about the bullseye, whether it's on your chest or your back. So, uh, we're really excited about the opportunity to grow with you and to learn with you. Um, Ryan Steulty, um, we are going to miss you. Thank you for being who you are. um my colleagues allowed me the opportunity to be appointed in 2015 when you were uh selected to be our treasurer and so um enjoy your life and I got your number and now we can't tell jokes next to each other but nevertheless uh we thank you for your service and everything that you've done for this district. Again, congratulations Mr. Lockwood. Look forward to working with you, sir. >> Thank you. Um we certainly welcome Mr. Lockwood. Um you do have big shoes to fill. Uh Ryan, I'm
046not saying anything nice about you right now, so we'll we'll do that later. Um I I do want to take a moment just to thank Ohio School Board Association um and my colleagues for uh the extremely streamlined process that we uh embarked upon. Um most districts take much more time. Um and unfortunately we were in a position where we needed to move ahead and um be uh exped expedited approach. So uh we handled it and we're moving on and we welcome you. So at this point let's take a vote. >> Mr. Parker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barwig, >> yes. >> Miss Barnes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Gerkin, >> yes. >> Mr. Vasquez, >> yes. >> Okay. At this time, Mr. Lockwood, if you'd like to come up uh with your family, you're more than welcome
047to introduce everyone. Uh say a few words. >> Thank you. >> Anyone want to come up? >> So, first with honestly a word of thanks and a word of excitement. I'm excited for this opportunity. Thank you to Board of Education for making this go true and Dr. Grant, thank you for being part of that committee. hopefully. Again, keep keep gas where it is. Um I I I'd be remiss if I didn't mention something about Springfield Local Schools. Uh I I I told Dr. in the interview, I was I've been so happy about how TPS has been such a big supporter of the outline and county as well. So when you give a message, it helps us as well and and we're grateful for that. And and Springfield helped really hone my financial skills. Uh I
048started there with $600,000 and and was able to grow our carryover to a very healthy level. Not not unhealthy per state standards, but healthy um for the district. Uh I I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about my wife giving up sharing me with boards of educations over the last 25ish years as I've worked through public ad. Uh and then and then my daughter Evelyn. And Evelyn's taught me a lot of things throughout my my my life with her. uh she's 17 years old and and autism down here. So, so I'm feeling it when you said that. >> In my in in my interview, I use the word resilient >> and and I think that's an appropriate word based on a lot of conversations tonight when with our challenges uh with our legislature. Uh you
049know, I was I was happy to hear that our union is that it's been a challenging year. It has been a challenging year for all of us and and and that's across public education. that isn't that isn't just a a to public school problem. That's a a problem across public. And so, uh, you know, with the using the word resilience, that's what I want to bring to the table. I want to bring I want to help bring TPS back to to where it wants to be. I want to fight at the state level for all the students of TPS, you know, and and and talking about my my special ed population, I I want to make sure that that those kids get the life skills needed to live a successful life past high school. That's
050a very important part of my life as a dad. So again, thank you all for this opportunity. I promise to work very hard and and and help DPS continue to be awesome. >> Thank you. >> Sure. If you guys would like a picture, we can certainly go do that. So Mr. Lockwood, if you would entertain us. Okay, we're going to move on to section nine, which are walk-ins. Are there any walk-ins this evening? No. >> Okay, we'll move on to section 10. Section 10 is our early childhood education action items. Uh looks like there's no action items. Uh we're meeting this month. The chair was is Sheena Barnes and co-chairs Randle Parker the third. Um are there any there's no ECE action items? Okay. Okay. Section 11 of the agenda normally consists of early childhood
051education reports and minutes from this month's committee meetings. However, due to the meeting cancellation, there are none to report. We're going to move on to section 12. And are there any early childhood walk-ins this evening? Okay, we're going to proceed to section 13 uh through 15, which uh we'll start with superintendent comments. >> Yes. Again, uh congratulations, Mr. Lockwood. We we look forward to bringing the other member of the team. So, uh thank you for all that you do for Springfield and Northwest Ohio, and uh we're excited to have you on board. So, again, Mr. Tech Schulty, appreciate you over all the years uh you spent with me and uh uh appreciate all that you've done for this district, the accolades that you've achieved and uh can be even prouder in essence of all that
052you've uh accomplished. We've had a lot going on in the month of May. Obviously, all schools are having activities and and whether it's clear day or decoration day. Uh but uh this season is graduation. So there's 12 graduation. Uh premed health and science academy will have its first graduation this year. So I know Pastor Parker and a few will be there uh to give his first ceremony. Uh but Twitter Early College was today's show and uh again just as Miss Varwick said 78% of the graduating class uh received an associate degree May 2nd from the University of Toledo and uh today they received a diploma. So we're just excited to move through this evening. Uh but again now and forever more TP proud. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Sexual Ty. >> Congratulations Ryan. look
053forward to working with you over the next month. Uh we'll get you brought up to speed hopefully and we're ready to go. And then we'll keep watching the legislature right now because we're getting ready to go into the lame duck session and it seems like >> there's a lot of uh bills that would be coming out and if I'm not mistaken Brener didn't get reelected, right? >> No, he did. >> Correct. >> So I'm expecting a few extra ones from him just >> correct >> to talk to us one more time. Yeah, we have one in the standing and one in the house. Going to do >> Yes. Is departing shots. >> All right, board members. >> Yeah. Uh I just want to uh reiterate my uh comments about it being exciting season. Graduation's always
054always exciting. Um I also want to uh extend my thanks to the house school board association for their assistance in this. But I also uh want to thank my colleagues and I also want to thank Madame President. Uh you're right, that was one of the most expedited uh hirings of such an important position that I've ever seen and been a part of. um you know when you take the transitional um and I'll talk about it some some more uh maybe a little bit later another meeting but when you take what we did in the uh transitional uh plan transformation plan u and all the things that you did putting that together and I think it's important for people to understand that uh uh the president was responsible for organizing all of that uh all the
055way to organizing our committees going into this year uh knowing what we were going to be facing and uh putting everything together. And then on top of all of that with the community meetings, everything we had to do uh which was also an expedited timeline to uh uh be able to take on the task of finding a new treasure. And uh Mr. Steulty didn't do it on purpose. So I know I know I I I understand that. Um but uh the the the timing of of everything just just uh without somebody who uh has the organizational skills that you have uh wouldn't have gone as well as they did. So Madam President, I want to extend thanks to you and also to my colleagues. Thank you. description. >> I think you mentioned earlier today that
056we're exactly four months in from when uh our organizational meeting organizational meeting uh we set this set this plan into motion or sent tasked the administration to come up with the plan and then the plan actually got unveiled just a few weeks ago. So, we really have uh have been up against it and um I too appreciate uh my colleagues and particularly uh your leadership uh Mrs. Varwig both on this um getting this underway for the whole transformation plan at least the first part of it uh and and on this treasure search. We do know that this is not I mean this transformation plan that's out out there that most of our cabinet is at a meeting right now trying to help families understand what their options are going to be uh and and there
057are more meetings the rest of the week um you know these aren't just buildings that are closing these are communities that are being disrupted so I really do um have faith that our our administrative leadership is going to um handle these difficult times with um with intentionality and with uh a lens towards uh understanding, you know, what what what's happening. And that's before we even start talking about um employees and people who are going to be disrupted from their jobs or possibly even lose their jobs. So, we still have a lot of work to do. our HR committee uh will continue to meet every other week um to get through this and and and do our you know very best to minimize uh minimize the the damage that this trauma is calling causing. So, I
058know we're harping on it a lot, but I I also um need folks to recognize the amount of work that is going to go into this, not only um for our board, but for our administration day in and day out to to pull it off. U I am looking forward to um seeing where it takes us. >> Thank you, Miss Burns. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, first for folks who are viewing, um, I always say the saddest thing, uh, of my experience so far being a board member is, uh, means only being packed when the fire has already happened. So hopefully people are viewing this. Even if your child is not impacted by the transition, I think you should still go to those meetings to get the correct information because it's still so much
059misinformation going on about what's the process. And so I have seen it on Facebook and let's rely on information that is coming from us versus what people think we are saying out loud. It's not through a cousin on Facebook that you really don't know. Um, the second thing uh I want to talk about cuz both of my colleagues said about disruption and dismantling I I want to throw out there uh and I'm going to look to our legal legal amazing queen because I can't I don't think the bill has passed yet but it's a bill and house bill that is uh allow allotting money that we have for public education to be taken I want to say 160 something mil uh something like that is going to be taken uh to be used to buy
060the buildings that they are forcing us to close. This is a bill right now in the house uh that is trying to allow charter schools uh it's right now charters and not provokial school but just charter schools to uh buy empty public schools buildings and as uh madame president has mentioned we have a lot of those especially in the urban district now because we are forced to do so to consolidate to make sure we are sustainable in the future for the community and the students that we serve. So just think about that as we are moving into these things. Uh what you're seeing school districts do across Ohio is the reaction to uh to the attack. Um plain and simple. Um a lot of every school board member I talked to across Ohio and actually
061in other states who are also you know consolidating buildings and unfortunately um releasing some of their employees. They don't want to do this. Um but once again we have to stay stay up on it. our information, making sure that it's the right information. Question information, question us. Hold us accountable, but please show up and know that we cannot control the purse strings. That's at the state level. We just cashing the checks. So, if they cut the purse strings, we can't cash no checks. So, let's talk about who's holding the purse strings and see what they're doing at the top, too. So, hold accountable for local board, also at the state, and then the federal as well, cuz your vote does have power. And if you don't believe that, why they're trying to take it away
062right now. So forcefully. Also, once again, I'm happy. I am really happy, y'all. Like, it's a lot going on, but I am happy about graduation. So, >> thank you, Mr. Park. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um, as my colleagues have stated, and I just kind of want to put my uh part to this train of moving forward that we've had to deal with a lot in a short time, >> but we've come together. And I I do want to publicly salute and celebrate, Madame President, the vision that you have given to us to get to this point in this place. And my colleagues, I want to salute and celebrate you realizing that I hear Chris, excuse me, Miss Barwick say that we can do the hard things. And so it has been hard things and
063we've been able to continue to navigate through them. An animal that's backed against the wall has two choices, to adjust or attack. And we have uh the animal in us known as CPS has attacked with proper information. We've attacked with accountability. We've attacked with transparency. Um and Miss Barnes said it best. We can come and have these meetings. And people talk loud, but they don't talk long. And even with the community and our administrators uh this week in the community meetings, I do know that there were some people that were there yesterday that left with a better understanding because of the opportunity to be able to take time to understand the direction that we're trying to go. So again, I say to my colleagues, let's continue to stay in the fight. Let's continue to stay
064in the fight and realize that the bigger issue is the barrel and not each other. Um, finally, uh, Miss Barnes, you said you would not cry about your, uh, your child graduating. Mari says that's a lie. Um, as a matter of fact, uh, today in my memories on Facebook, uh, was when my twins graduated from Bower High School. And I believe that there's no greater joy as a parent than to give your child their passport to their purpose. >> So, I'm really excited about graduation season. And, um, Go TPS forever proud. >> All right. >> Um, yeah, I I I think I would reiterate everything that you guys have talked about. We have done a a huge lift in a very short amount of time. Usually districts take a year to go through some of
065this process. And there's not one of us up here that is not heartbroken about the decisions that we have had to make. Um, sleepless nights um, you know, and I tease all for $1.56 an hour, right? But I want people to understand we obviously if it was about the money, we wouldn't be in these positions. Um, we care and we care a great deal. Um, and it is absolutely um, gut-wrenching to dismantle communities and I place the majority of the blame on the state house and I think our community needs to um, get more engaged. So, I guess back on us to help engage them in this fight. Um because I don't know about you guys, I I I would imagine you're this you feel the same as I do, but you know, I'm going
066to die in the sword of public ed. So with that, I would call for an adjournment. >> So move. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, treasure, call the role, please. >> Mr. Parker, yes. >> Mrs. Barwick, >> yes. >> Miss Barnes, >> yes. >> Mrs. Gerkin, >> yes. >> Mr. Vasquez, >> yes. >> Like I got to go home. might get that was hilarious.