001:00 you'll stand and join me for an opening invocation to be followed by the pledge of allegiance. Heavenly Father, as we enter this season of hope, joy, and remembrance, prepare our hearts to celebrate and honor all that this season represents. make us ever mindful of those who have great needs and our potential to make a difference. Amen. >> I pledge allegiance 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. [cough] Welcome all board members. You have in your packet the minutes from the November meeting. The chair request a motion to approve these minutes. >> I make a motion to approve the minutes for November 17th, 2025 meeting. >> Thank you, sir. Is there a
002second? >> Second. Thank you. Any question or discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Motion carries. You also have before you the stated agenda for the uh meeting this evening and the chair is recommending a motion to approve this agenda. >> I make a motion to approve tonight's agenda as presented. >> Thank you, sir. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, sir. >> Can Can I add one thing here? That's okay. I just wanted to make sure that that we addressed there was two two items that were last minute to be able to get onto the agenda for an amended agenda. I know we wanted to to take a look tonight at a middle school restoration project and also a Camp Leopold uh trip that's coming up for the middle school. And
003so, um those were all very very late coming in. I couldn't get it out in time. I shared it with the board, but I wanted to make sure that we um noted that the agenda was changed. >> Thank you, sir. >> Are there any additional changes or discussion you'd like to make at this time? >> All those in favor of the stated agenda as it appears before you signify by saying I. >> I. >> All those opposed motion carries. Hearing or no actually Seeing no indication of public input, uh the chair will defer to the superintendent. >> Great. Good evening everybody. It is great to see you. Um thrilled thrilled to be here. This is two days before our kids let out. So there is some excitement in the [laughter] air. Let's just say that
004from our students and also from our staff and our administrators. Everybody's excited. Lots to do. Very, very busy time of year for sure. But one of the things that we have to stop and pause is just to recognize some fantastic things that are taking place in our district. And one of the things that I would like to do is to recognize a young gentleman at Wsholes Middle School um who has a heart to serve others. And um very very proud of him uh of the uh the young man that he's turning into. He has a heart to serve his community. Um we're going to recognize tonight uh like to recognize Jaden Woods Le at the middle school. He has is very active in the Wear Scholes pantry food pantry and I think he was also
005involved in some emergency response meetings here recently. Um I came down we had a a community cleanup at our stadium and I look at him and he's covered in purple paint and I was like, "Oh, mom's going to be upset." and uh but he was [laughter] uh he he he had he was working extremely hard. Uh loves to help others get involved and it's really um there's some things that we can teach and sometimes we we hope for some things and it's for for kids to turn up um and in having a heart for others and Jaden loves to help. He works a little bit with his uh school safety team as well. Is that right, Miss Miss Webb? And so just uh just a heart for others. So I'd like to recognize Jaden Wood
006Lever this morning as as this evening as a heart of a hornet recipient. And so I'd love for him to come up and I think it is Mr. Vincent. All right. Would love to present you. [applause] Here we go. Got it. >> Awesome. >> You better get in there. >> Great. Very proud. Yes. Thank you. >> That's wonderful. Thank you. >> Thank you very very much. >> The chair will continue to up uh defer to the superintendent for end of the year updates. >> Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you to the family to coming out. If you'd like to scoot out, this is the time where you can do that and go home to stay, but it also makes an opportunity if you needed to leave. This is a great opportunity. But
007thank you so much for coming out. Uh this this evening what I would like to do is not only to kind of provide um our district and our community with uh an update of things that are coming uh but also to kind of stop at the very end of the year to take a look at what's been accomplished over a 12 month period. And I know it's not simply from uh from July to December, but looking at this calendar year, uh how we finish a year, how we start a year, I think that's always really important. And uh and so I had a great great time just pausing reflecting on some of the things that we were able to to get accomplished in 2025 and want to share them with you uh this evening. first
008uh with a collective feedback from our uh community uh from our teachers uh and from our administrators and um our community as a whole. Uh we solicited feedback and and were were able to listen and and then to be able to um put to you know into action um a mission statement. Now this mission statement is is a challenge for every one of our employees. It's what are we expected to do each day and and what's our driving force? And so our mission of We should School District 51, it is a a dedicated community that provides a rigorous and well-rounded education inspiring students to discover their talents. We're not trying to force kids to be, you know, one thing or another, but we want them to discover their natural talents and to achieve their fullest
009potential. Through our commitment to excellence in all that we do, we empower our students, our staff and community to be confident and ready for the future in Wear School District 51. Every student matters and every student knows we care. All right? And that's that's our mission when we come to when we come to school, we come to work and come to this district. You know, that's our mindset that every student matters and every student needs to know that we care about them. All right. I want to start off by taking a look that of uh where we are. Of course, we have a hundredyear celebration that's coming up and we've been working on this now for for several months. It's close to I guess close to eight months now that we've been kind of uh
010putting plans in place uh getting ready for uh next September. And what a what a joy that has been. You know, we can have a ceremony or we can have an event or we can have an event. And so that's the one that we're choosing to do. We are going to go do it in a very respectful way to rededicate our high school. But boy, there's also going to be a time in the coming weekend where we are going to enjoy each other and enjoy our community and be proud of of the high school uh that that we have graduated from and that we we we enjoy and we're we take pride in. And so that's a very exciting time for us. It's a huge responsibility because we want to make sure we do it
011right and have one shot at it and let's do it. We're trying to galvanize an alumni base um and for them to be able to reconnect and fall in love again with their high school. And so we're working very very hard on that. Uh I we talked a little bit about engagement of alumni. Of course, we we've worked really hard this calendar year in trying to uh connect with our alumni. We've had the class of 75, class of 85, the class of 90 um coming in. We had again our hall of fame uh event that took place this year. Wonderful um wonderful uh an event that was we we are seeing some some connection with their alumni bringing in some some older yearbooks. The you know the the championship year of 1964 the program uh
012was was delivered to us something I've never seen before. But people are engaging in our high school and and want to be a part of it and we're just very thankful for uh for our alumni and their willingness to come. Another great example is we have an alumni um Babo Border has been has just been in and out of our district uh recently taking a look at some uh some projects being able to uh work with some other alumni to to get some pro u some projects accomplished. um doing some painting, the the cleanup work, um doing looking at the press box remodel, uh painting the restrooms, the concession stand of course with the athletic association, things along those lines. But there's people who want to help. >> All right. And being able to connect
013people who want to help with a need has really been a focus this year and it's been it's been a joy. >> We also have a community focus, okay? and we're looking at how can we work our way into our community and make sure that that what we're doing is in alignment with with the objectives and the growth of our community. We're thankful for um where Scholes Community Foundation that's willing to support us. We have the youth association that was that's been a great uh uh support to Christmas for kids. So a really big initiative that we have. We've been working with uh Duke Energy uh of course being able to um be a part on their advisory council trying to see what we can do with w with with power electricity in our area
014and and potential growth. And of course we we also are again have another photo of our our hall of fame and what what a great um event that was. We're also working really hard on parent and community engagement. So not just pushing things out on social media, but how are we engaging with them? Uh, of course we had opportunities for uh conversation, coffee and conversation, taking a look at our district um mission, the direction that we're going uh having a listening session where people can be able to share their thoughts and concerns for our district and ideas and not necessarily always concerns, but there's a lot of really great ideas out there if we're willing to listen. We had the service project opportunity. Of course, we have uh donuts for grown-ups, you know, the first
015day of school trying to engage our parents um in the activities that are taking place uh across our district. We've also had opportunities to speak at at at many local churches uh sharing the things that are going on inside the district. And time and time again, it's just how can we help? Let us know. And it's been it's been great. As far as academics, this is just a real quick summary. uh we had pushed this out because we're very proud of this. We see tremendous growth in the ELA. Our grad rate continue has has jumped from the year before and one of our strengths is the culture and climate that's that's in our in our buildings, especially according to the state report card. What I want to show you now is is just a um
016a glimpse of of what I feel in appreciation for um our students hard work and also our our teachers. These next couple slides are are probably the most important I'm going to share with you. Over the past couple years here, we have seen incredible growth. This isn't this is data that just it doesn't lie. You can't you can't make this stuff up. This is this is true true data. And we can see an incredible growth of our students in this district, especially in regards to ELA instruction. We can see that years ago we're at 38% had met or met or exceeded on on SC ready. Now we've climbed all the way to 60% have u have now uh met or exceeded the expectation on on the ELA SC ready um assessment. So very very proud
017of that. That's a that's an incredible climb in a in such a short a short period. Mathematics as well we can see that we're kind of climbing. had a little plateau last year. We have pockets of excellence. We have areas that we need to refine and work on. Um, but we're excited about a new curriculum that's been uh brought in for for math. It's very rigorous. It's demanding. And so that's but that does what it takes to be able to to get that momentum going in the right direction. And so, uh, we're excited about about that. This next slide, this is important because as far as ELA, these are the percent of kids that are not approaches. These are the percent of kids that does not meet. That's about two grade levels below. >> Yeah.
018>> All right. And so we can see um uh starting back in 2020 21 that we were at 31% of our kids were in that bottom category of does not meet. That means they're somewhere around uh a grade two two grade levels below. And every year that number is continuing to drop, continuing to drop, and continuing to drop. So we we're having we're closing that extreme gap in in ELA and kids being able to read on level. something that just, you know, just warms my heart and something I'm extremely proud of and and something that our our district should be very very proud of too to know that when you put your kids in where school district 51, you're seeing that they're able to meet the expectations that the state puts forward and so very
019excited about that. But now the climb continues to get more difficult and more difficult and more difficult and that's just the area that we're starting to get into. If we're going to continue to see improvements, it takes so much more work just to see incremental GR gains. Um, but we're excited about that area that we're starting to venture into. So, very very proud of this athletic achievement, okay, is is now and things that we've haven't done in a couple decades as well. We can see that our baseball team last year, of course, we keep bringing this up, uh, upper state runners up, just an exciting time. Uh, of course we had an incredible football season um where we had uh crowds that we just I I just haven't seen in the in the 20 years
020I've been here. It's just a very special time to be a part of our of our district. Of course, having a north a north south uh representative, a north south uh coach um and also a quarterback who scored a touchdown and was uh a part of a a big game this past weekend. very very proud of them and athletics across the board. Enrollment is creeping up in all of those. We're thrilled to see that we have a JV team in basketball who just as I walked in here was was winning and so I was can't wait to see how that final result turns out. But uh we'll we'll keep you posted, but we're up by seven points uh towards the end of the first quarter. So we're excit excited about that for sure. Um and
021then our band, right, which is our largest student um our largest uh participation of our students is in band. And um and what a program that we have for a school our size. Um and so we've been able to to break through and come in uh third in the state in 1A, 2A. That's still working on trying to figure out how that works. But uh [laughter] but but to be able to to to perform at that level. Um, and it's just really high quality. Really, really high quality. The show this year was very very good and just I was very very pleased with with with that. And of course the the goals that they have for uh Hawaii and things like that that are upcoming and and we'll we'll talk about that in just a
022little bit. But very proud of our band. We have the new things like academic challenge now just came in second place in WEC and so not only athletically, not only extracurricular uh but now we're doing some things uh academically uh with with um with competitions and and performing very very well and the kids are just having having a great a really great time. Great kids doing great things and we have some great sponsors for sure. Just very very proud of that. I wanted to talk a little bit about the expansion of opportunities for students. Of course, we are seeing increases in our dual credit. Uh we have um uh really great numbers especially in comparison to districts around the participation rate is very high for students to earn dual credit opportunities. We have cheerleaders in
023the middle school performing at USC in a game against Kentucky. >> And I again I just was was shocked to to to see that and and was so proud of that. We have the FFA hopping on on a flight to Indianapolis for their convention and they have an incredible FFA sponsor and um that's doing doing just some really great work and kids love being a part of that. Um of course we are seeing some things across the board. our balora service uh that that took place in May uh was we uh were able to put some jumper cables and boost that back up and we appreciate the ministerial association being um very open-minded um very very um very giving in making sure that our seniors had an opportunity to participate in that and that was
024[snorts] uh fantastic. Camp Leopold in the bottom left is just a staple in our middle school where we um just have some great opportunities for kids to put their phones down and to to look up and look around and really uh enjoy creation and experience it. It's just a really um incredible opportunity for them. Um the list goes on and on. Uh but additional scholarship money that's been coming in, people want to to give to the senior class. So, we we've added scholarships to our graduates, which is great. And of course, [snorts] our our band's trip coming up in a year from now. Uh we have facility improvements. [snorts] Okay. We we finished up the softball field. This is a picture that took place today. We see the ry grass starting to come in. It's
025looking it's looking great down there. Of course, we painted inside the the middle school. Uh that was a picture on the right of the press box that you just wouldn't recognize it anymore. It's uh it looks really really good. Um, and we appreciate all the work for our community that came in and and volunteered um, their time and materials to to do that. We have projects going on all across the board in in our um, uh, during our Christmas break and we'll talk a little bit more about that as well. But the awning that's going in, the flooring uh, projects that are still still being finalized at the high school. So, so great things great things going across facilities uh, so far in 20 uh, in the year 25. a fiscal responsibility. So, if we
026want to continue to do great things across across the district and and make improvements, we need to make sure that we have um we are fiscally responsible with the funds um that that that we have and our are are bestowed to us. So, we're very thankful that we have a very low one of the lowest uh risk assessments that we can give especially in regards to our federal funding. >> And so, I I included that letter that came out in April. We've really kind of reshaped our activity account, especially in our high school, being able to look and uh uh determine where we stand athletically as far as things coming in and expenses. And we also have a very clean audit and in January we'll get our updated audit. I'm looking forward to to sharing
027that with you and and how that is [clears throat] trending in a very positive direction. So, um fiscal fiscally things are are very strong for us. But I also think it's important to prioritize our people. Okay, we've done some unique things this year. Of course, we're recognizing our bus drivers. Social media is doing a really nice job of trying to recognize uh the our teachers during teacher spotlights during um uh employee teacher appreciation or bus driver appreciation or secretaries or our SRO's all of that. So, that's important. Uh we did for the first time this year have an an employee appreciation event at our football game where we invited all of our uh uh our staff members to to come out and not just teachers but every staff member is is important in this team
028to be able to continue to reach our goals. Thank for our our legislators who have play a part in trying to recognize the accomplishments of of so many. Uh even this morning it [snorts] was cold cold this morning. Um, but we were able to go out, issue some hot chocolate to those that are facing the cold, our bus drivers, um, our SRO that are outside facing those uh, elements. And that's that's what it takes, right? Is is recognizing them and their hard work and we appreciate them um, and the job that they do um, for for our kids and for our community. We're very very fortunate to have them. Uh, we also think it's important to have teacher voice to be able to listen. Okay, we have our teacher forum that's continuing to grow. We're
029very proud of we've established a teacher leadership team that continues to meet just about every other month or so that we we try to get on the on the calendar multiple um surveys that we give to our our teachers to get a kind of like a touch base with them, get a pulse on how things are going inside the classroom. And so we think that's very very important. We're also very proud of our recruitment and uh this past year in uh 25 we've been able to land some very very strong educators and we have uh when we go to our um I guess we call it like our our teacher recruiting events or student teacher placements, we have numerous student teachers who are requesting to come into our district. Um and and we have very
030high placements across all three of our schools. And so we're we're proud of that. We're proud of that culture that's established and that people want to learn uh from great teachers in our district. And um and so we're very very proud of of that for sure. Um our board governance, our policy revisions that we've looked at in 2025. We've even started cell phone policy which is started in January if we if we remember. Yeah. No cell phones. And so we implemented that. We stuck really hard to that. And uh we appreciate our administration um really dialing that in and and the culture of our building is so much better. Um kids are talking to each other instead of texting which is such a a great thing to do. Um and so I put a list
031of those policies that we we tackled this year so far. And but I also want to make sure that we're focusing not only on what we're doing now but also the future. All right. We're working very hard on the future innovation center with Pimont Tech uh to be able to have something that's really great, really innovative where we're getting kids in uh cutting edge technologies. Um we also have been I've been in meetings with residential development uh taking a look at what that might look like, speaking with um builders as well uh to see uh to support growth, potential growth in this area, being proactive in that. And then also a project of mine that I'm I'm I'm really working here especially the last month or so is taking a look at being able to
032connect our uh within a 10 mile radius. Okay. um our students to these businesses that are around and and so um we'll we'll talk a little bit more about this, but I I I don't see much of this uh going on, but being able to um create this um a portal where we can connect a business with students who are looking for employment. Um and so we'll we'll probably talk about a little bit more about this in February. Um, but this is something that we're really working on because we want to do this 10 milei radius because we want our kids to be able to be employed nearby with great jobs and also to be able to to build homes here, have future families here and and be able to contribute to our community here
033in Marsh. At the end of the day, the most important thing we can do is be student focused and um it comes back to what our mission is that every every child matters and every needs to know that we care. And it's been an absolute joy to um to educate the the students that parents entrust with us and and we work extremely hard uh to make sure that they have a really great experience here and that they learn at a very high level. Then they can be proud of the the schools that they both be are a part of for sure. So, with that, that's just a little bit of a year um glance to take you through. Um I know that was a little bit long, but boy, there was a lot that we
034could still go down, but if you have any questions about the things that I had shared. Um I know that we have an event that's coming up for our our teachers just to kind of give you a little bit more insight. We're we're doing something [clears throat] again a little bit new this year. Uh for our employees and the board is is welcome as well if you would like uh to come on on December 22nd. Uh our our teachers, our our staff, everyone that has a child or a grandchild is able to come. Um we're going to meet in the high school cafeteria. They're make some cookies. We'll put them in the put them in the oven and we'll do a couple little couple little things um activities are planned and and then they can
035decorate them and take them home. But those are little things that we can do in a in a small district like this where we can say, "Hey, not only do we care about our employees, but also we we recognize that they are they have families and um and for us to enjoy them as well." So just a just been a great year and I'm thrilled to be a part of it for sure. >> Thank you, Dr. Crockett. That's amazing. Absolutely amazing. The next portion of our meeting will deal with action items and I will refer you now to tab one. Let me move back over where I'm supposed to be. We are looking at policy BA live streaming of board meetings and we are the chair is recommending and asking for a motion for a
036sec second reading. >> I'll make a motion to approve policy BA second reading. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Any questions or discussion? [clears throat] Just looking over the technical disruptions area. Do we have a backup to a recording >> system? If if we did, it would be an iPhone. Take one. I don't know if we want to have something in place, but okay. >> They say it's old school, but it works. >> Smoke signals, whatever it takes, right? >> That's great. Under tab two, we are looking at the policy and I think I got the numbers backwards last time and I'm >> That's right. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries. I'm thinking about the iPhone. We're now looking at policy GCLE E unencumbered
037time for a second reading. The chair is requesting a motion to approve a second reading and approval of this policy. >> I'll make a motion to approve GCLE unumbered time for second reading. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, ma'am. Is there discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries. Now the uh monthly finance review. You >> still got two other action items. >> Two action items. >> Oh, I'm sorry. You've had I'm looking at my other one >> and I will defer to you at this time. I'm sorry. Looking at the old agenda. >> Sure. Sure. [snorts] Sure. Um lots of we have lots of projects that are taking place across our district. We of course like I told you earlier um we are working on
038our um our awnings our floors at our high school projects [clears throat] everywhere. Uh when we we're looking at where Scholes Middle is now approaching 75 years old and uh we are thankful that we've been able to put new roof up. We've been able to have new HVA HBA systems that are in there. We're thankful for the paint that we put into the hallways and the the waxing of the hallways. But as we're looking further and further into this, we think that it's appropriate for us to be able to contract with an outside uh vendor to be able to do a thorough uh cleaning of our every classroom that we have, including our library band rooms. Uh to be able to uh thoroughly clean that, to disinfect it, to look at our HVA systems, clean
039those out as well, add new filters into our our systems. Now, we got to remember though, if we're going to do something of this nature and this size to be able to contract with professionals to be able to do this, especially those that are on state state contract, um we're talking nearly 70,000 square feet when we when we take into consideration uh the floors, the walls, the ceilings, okay, all of that. So, it's a massive project. It would it would require um uh crews to be able to come in. We anticipate close to about 10 days to be able to do this thorough cleaning. Um, and so we're looking at a cost of $17,000 $917 to be able to complete this. Now, as that's going on, we're still got projects going on at the middle
040school to be able to to work on. We're going to work on construction projects. Uh, we have some some areas inside the building that need some need some attention that we're going to be working on. We're also going to be working with our um our our our in-house folks to be able to wax floors and to really bring the middle school up to a level where uh we can be proud of and and also one that we think it's at a level that's conducive to to learning and teaching. And so with that, I'm asking uh for uh your approval tonight to be able to contract out um with Rainbow International Restoration to be able to um complete a project of sanitizing and thoroughly cleaning where Scholes Middle School um uh over this Christmas break. Uh
041they said that they would be able to work uh starting Wednesday afternoon crews coming in and uh to be able to try to have accomplished this task over a Christmas break. >> Now, it's it's incumbent upon me to address the board. And [clears throat] this is a project of um absolute necessity. There's no question about it. And there's no higher value that we place than the safety and the cleanliness and uh of our students, our teachers, our staff. And I know that the amount is staggering, but next to the welfare of a human being, it is minuscule to me. We can make that up. And it won't be easy, but I have no question that it will be. But I want you to give very serious consideration to this. This is something that's not been
042done before, ever. And so it is our responsibility and I I feel you all feel the same way. Um there's nothing more important than you [clears throat] and there's nothing more important than making sure that you're safe and you're in clean surroundings and that you have people around you that hold you in that esteem. So with that being said, and I thank you for what you've done. I thank you for the um walking toward the challenge and I will request of the board and it is a staggering amount when you hear it. Um [snorts] but I'm going to say again next to one one person to me it is minuscule. It it can be made up and I'm ready ready to move forward. Uh the chair is recommending that you address in your thinking and
043in your decision the spending of the amount and can you repeat the amount again? >> Yeah. Uh $17,917 >> for the complete cleaning, sanitizing, and this is every room, every facet of that building uh to eliminate any doubt or any question um toward the welfare of the people that are there. Do I have a a motion? >> I make a motion to approve the wear sholes middle school restoration project during Christmas break. >> Thank you, sir. Is there a second? >> A second. >> Thank you, sir. Now, I know there's a lot of discussion and questions and I encourage you please to speak up because that's the way we all learn and grow and move together in the right direction. Is there any discussion? >> Is there a plan going forward to maintain? >> Yeah,
044absolutely. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um I think what we want to make sure is there's there's two different facets here right one is um are we able to um work on you know simple things like as far as you know how frequently are we mopping how are we cleaning how how often are we um taking the trash all all those types of things. So, we've worked on that and we've gauged from our from our teachers, hey, how what's that what's that kind of look like and and to see if there's areas that we we can improve on and and which we will improve on and we've already seen improvement in and we'll continue to see improvement in. Okay. And the the other u facet too is to make sure that uh we are uh relying
045on experts to make sure that we have uh things as far as like um our our temperature readings u making sure that our energy efficient systems are are working properly, making sure that we have um a proper humidity rates, making sure that we have um uh the heat at a certain certain temperature, all of those things. So, making sure that the conditions are set moving forward. Um, that that yes, us getting in there frequent cleaning, making sure [clears throat] that's that's great um the way it needs to be. Um, and we we commit to doing that for sure. So, that's um that's our our plan going forward for sure. >> I think also too, Jason, for me, it establishes the baseline when we come back in and that's going to be very uh important to
046us in the maintaining of that building. Any other discussion? >> Do have one question. Is what if this does not get us back to a good foundation as far as cleanliness after this project's done? What's the next step? What's the backup plan? >> Can >> I'm not sure I I understand the question. >> Let's say let's say that this sanitizing project goes through and we come back and we want to test and get a baseline of how clean is it and what if it's not meeting expectations. >> Um if it's if for some reason we we come back and say, "Hey, it's not it's not meeting certain criteria or threshold or recommendations um then we would we would look at a whole sorts of things as far as where would we what would we do
047with um the placement of the students or rooms or adjustments that might be needed. So although I'm going to trust the expert to be able to do what I mean. >> Yeah, I hope so. >> I think that's part would that I might be. >> And could it be is it anywhere in in the paperwork or language that >> you're coming back? >> They come back. >> Oh yes. >> Get it to get it to a >> Yeah. Yeah. They they the the the project's not complete until it's >> all right. But I think your point is well taken, Rodney. Once that baseline is established, then we have a criteria and they were they would return. Anyone would return, >> right? >> And um I'm sure that's I haven't seen a contract, but I'm sure
048that's pretty standard. Are there additional questions? Hearing none. All those in favor of awarding this amount of money toward the middle school project signify by saying I. >> I. All those opposed. Motion carries. >> Thank you, sir. I'll defer you. >> Yeah, absolutely. Next on the list is we have something where we we've uh been be able to do for many years now. It's our middle school uh being able to participate in the Camp Leupold uh overnight trip. Uh we do have that event. It's already been sponsored by the Self Family Foundation who have generously said, "Hey, we need these kids to be able to to enjoy this experience." And so all of our middle school students, uh, our sixth grade, sixth grade, fifth and sixth grade, fifth and sixth grade, um, are are planning
049to go out and they're going to start on February the 2nd. And so we'll have, uh, sixth grade, we'll take off February 2nd, and then they'll come back on the 4th. And then the same day, the 4th, we'll be bringing our uh, sixth graders uh, out there, our fifth graders out there, and they will be going for the fourth, fifth, and sixth. Okay. Did I want to say that one more time just to make sure you know [cough and clears throat] that our our sixth graders are going first. They're going to leave February the 2nd and come back the 4th. And then our fifth graders are going to be leaving and going there the fourth and coming back the 6th. Okay. And so really excited about this. They've been great partners to us for many
050years. Just a wonderful learning experience for these kids and and they all look forward to it for sure. The chair asked for a motion to accept the middle school campa overnight field trip from February 2nd to through the 4th. >> When I ask the second through the fourth and fourth through the sixth >> fourth >> there's two different ones. Second through the sixth. >> Yeah. Oh, you want me to recommend it to >> Oh, I'll just say I just because you said the second through fourth. Just do we got to put >> I've got the second through the sixth. >> Yes. >> Technically, >> yeah. One is the 2nd to the fourth and one is from the fourth to the 6th. >> Fourth to the sixth. Okay. Do you want me uh would it be
051appropriate for me to say the 2nd through the 6th? >> Sure. For for both. Yes. >> Okay. That's where that's where we're headed >> for the dates this February 2nd through the 6th. >> I'll make a motion to approve where Middle School camp overnight for the fifth and sixth grade in February. >> Is there a second? Second. >> Thank you, Rodney. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those opposed. Motion carries. Now the uh again this is us the monthly review and I know you get um let me start with this one again. >> [clears throat] >> Dr. Crockett, when I um look over the this [snorts] part of the portion of our finances, and of course, we're never going to see in this district a discrepancy in my opinion and the lunchroom,
052but would you share with them the reports you got from a visiting State Department official? >> I was I was plugging along, got a knock on my door, and Sharon man walks walks in with a member from the State Department. So that doesn't usually happen too often. And so I sit up a little straighter and she said, "I just want to let you know I just finished an audit and um and I never do this, but for some reason I I feel compelled to come up and to talk to you to say uh what an incredible audit that I just had at Wshaw's Middle School. uh with in the cafeteria there was no findings. Um but what they were um uh institutional uh what they were kind of pulling into the programming that they had
053at the middle school was just top tier and uh the staff was really really great. Did their job well. All their um bookkeeping and finances and records all of those things that go into um food service one it's extremely demanding but every point and every box was checked. And so, um, I said, "You know what? We are committed to excellence in all that we do." And our our food service team does a great job and great attitudes down there. And they're they're a lot of fun. They do a great job and they have a great time doing it as well. And, uh, we're very very thankful for them. We're very proud of them, of the job that they're doing. And so, that that was a really u great time. They had a um they did
054an honor walk and so they they asked our cafeteria staff to to walk the halls and all the kids were up there and clapping for them as they walked u through the middle school to recognize the accomplishment of their food service team and and so that's that's that's what it's about is u you know >> absolutely >> taking pride in what you do and working hard. I just think that's amazing and um I I just thank you so much. That that just made my week. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> No question about it. Um in the activity fund uh that you have before you, we um are there any questions that might come to mind? I have just one and it's a positive one. And Maria, this year you um in the high school, can you
055tell us a little bit about the Christmas for kids? [clears throat] >> Um sure. I know. Um actually, we're we're kind of leaning toward the middle school. We're having so many middle schoolers come on and shop with us this year. They've done a tremendous job with raising money. Um so, um I I don't know figures. I I know that we had um I don't know figures off the top of my head, but um a tremendous amount of money, but we were actually very surprised at the amount of money that was raised this year um given, you know, the the community situation um and how hard we've all been hit um in the last year or two. Um but we also um heard great stories of people that were coming up in the in the stores
056and seeing our kids shopping for other students and and making donations um right there, you know, from people that we didn't even know. Um so, we were extremely pleased with that as well. >> That's fantastic. And I'm thrilled to hear that the middle school again is is in big numbers coming back on because that really made it uh when I was here. It was that's just and your contribution huge uh financially and I I think that's just great. Um the athletic fund looks amazing. Would you like to address that? >> Sure. I think um of course when when you have success on the field on on the baseball diamond and you know in in in [snorts] sports in general um that that does build excitement I think and um I think we've been very good
057stewards of our funds. Uh we have an opportunity to be able to um invest into our programming which we're committed to doing. Um and but but doing so we have to be mindful too of of this was a really great uh home stretch where we had some large really [snorts] large uh uh teams that uh usually will bring large crowds to come. So, we're very thankful for that. But next year, we also have to say, okay, let's let's put aside someone. So, so next year if there if we don't get such a large crowd, are we still able to maintain operations, which we're we're going to plan to do for sure. But it's really great, really exciting. >> It's just great to see that figure and not with a minus in front of it. >>
058No. Yes, ma'am. >> Really proud of us everybody. The last part of my report and I know you get uh it's the general fund balance and uh again I draw your attention to and ask you to just peruse this report. It's important every expenditure of this district is on this is on these pages. So when you're questioned there are no secrets. Nobody's hiding anything. It's kind of high. I mean, it's right there. And um the back the bottom line of the back page lets you always know what our percentage is. Uh and we're right in the ballpark, sir. And um are there any questions in your mind pertaining to this fund balance? Hearing none, move over to the Dr. Crockett, do you have any additions that you wish to make before according to those any
059of those financial reports? They're really important. Hearing none, uh I'm going to move at this point um to the next item on our agenda. And the chair is requesting a motion to go into executive session. >> I'll make a motion to go into executive session. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, ma'am. Um, all those in favor say I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Chair requests a motion to return from executive session. >> I'll make a motion to come out of executive session. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, ma'am. Any discussion prior to the vote? Hearing none, all those in favor say I. Motion carries. There were no action items taken during this session. So if there is no business further to be discussed or
060placed before the board, the chair request a motion to adjourn. >> I'll make a motion to adjourn. Not to me. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, sir. All those in favor say I. I. >> Motion carries. Thank you very much. >> And our next meeting is January the 12th.