Board Meeting Regular Session - 7/14/25

001Good evening everybody. It is July the 14th, 2025. The Mer County Board of Education is in regular session. It is 5:00 p.m. All board members are present. Uh let's have the pledge of allegiance, please. 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. >> So, we've got some recognitions. Uh we've got one attendee that's not here. So, we'll move on to the 110% club. If the board members can get down here in the front, >> okay, is our favorite part of any board meeting is when we're given an opportunity to recognize um staff and students or community members. members. Our first board recogni recognition for this evening is 110% club. Candy Folk, school nurse

002for Mercer County Schools, consistently goes above and beyond with an ex as an exceptional school nurse. She is always ready to step in and make a difference in a child's health. Candy has been instrumental in both planning and implementation of Mercer Mobile, student health on wheels, and the West Virginia smile program. Her dedication ensures that students in Mercer County receive vital immunizations, sports physicals, and muchneeded dental care, directly impacting their well-being and access to essential services. Candi is a true team player, earning respect from all of her colleagues. Her incre incredibly positive attitude combined with her vibrant energy and can do spirit is exactly how critical health initiatives get off the ground and succeed. She embodies the proactive and compassionate care that Mercer County School strives to provide, making her a highly valued and trusted

003professional within our district. Candy's direct involvement in Mercer Mobile and West Virginia Smile means countless students across Mercer County are directly benefiting from accessible immunizations, physicals, and dental care right in their schools. By bringing these services directly to students, she helps reduce absences and improves overall public health outcomes. Her instrumental role ensures our most vulnerable students receive the care they need, fostering a healthier and more resilient student body and community. Candy Folk School nurse [Applause] in the middle. That was good. So on behalf of the board making sure the ones that are taken care of on bad [Applause] thank Our next 110% club is for Wendy Frost, school social worker at Princeton Senior High School. She exemplifies what it means to give 100% every single day. She does not view her role as a school

004social worker as just a job. It is her calling. Wendy consistently seeks out ways to make meaningful, lasting change in the lives of our most atrisisk students. She takes a holistic approach to family support, identifying root causes of instability rather than offering temporary fixes. Her responsiveness is unmatched. Families in crisis can count on her quick action and thorough followup. From helping families gain access to the extra mile program for fresh food to creating individualized supports for students struggling with attendance, Wendy always goes above and beyond. Wendy is a powerful ambassador for Mercer County Schools. Her recent presentation to alternative education students on distracted driving, STDs, and sexual violence was nothing short of stellar. She captivated students from the beginning with her authentic delivery, personal stories, and respectful, engaging tone. She tacked difficult topics with grace

005and impact and created a safe space for students to ask questions and reflect. Wendy's passion for her work shines through in everything that she does, and she represents our school system with professionalism, empathy, and deep dedication. Wendy's work is transformational not only for individual students but for their families and the broader school community. She is a vital part of our efforts to combat chronic absenteeism and is actively involved in implementing MTSS and developing SOS plans. Her involvement in the MTD and attendance meetings is instrumental in removing barriers and connecting families with resources they need. Wendy is a collaborative team player, always open to new ideas and strategies that improve student outcomes. Her work has helped evolve how we address attendance in Marshall County and the ripple effects of her dedication can be felt beyond the

006walls of any one school. Wendy Frost, school social worker at Princeton Senior High School. [Applause] That's good. Okay. >> So, the first thing I want to do is thank you so very much for what you did. This is such an essential part of what school is doing now. Taking care of the children having child is hungry or worried about about the bill or homeless or things like that, they can't they can't learn. the things you're doing are so critical to making sure that they're taking care of that makes you such a special and we appreciate very much because we can't do what we do without such a great new addition. We talked about [Applause] that one later. [Music] You got those? >> I'll take the >> Yeah, me too. >> Well, they all >> So,

007uh, you are certainly welcome to stay if we awarded you and rewarded you, but now's the time to go. If you're going to go, uh, we appreciate you coming. you're certainly if you want to set through the meeting that's fine but we know you got my life and things to do. So uh >> that is always our one of our favorite parts of the meeting. So the next the next matter on the agenda is the superintendent's remarks. Yes, President President Prudich. I uh we have a few presentations, but I just want to get you these brief remarks uh that I have. But again, on our table, you have Mercer County's mission statement, Mer County Board of Education goals, and that's something we'll work to adjust here in the next coming days of working on the

0082526 school year that we'll schedule that. Maybe that's something for a workshop also to work for. the update. Um, Jason Argonauts, they're going to do a brief presentation. We have uh the Jason Argonauts from the Pacific Northwest Expedition, Princeton teacher Argonaut, Jennifer Mlanahan, Princeton High School Argonaut, Miles Munique, and Bluefield High School Argonaut Elena Finn Codell. Uh, they went Friday, June 20th to Tuesday, June 26th, 2025. And they have a brief uh presentation to give you here in a few minutes. Also, we have an update on the Jason National Conference that we went to on June 30th to July 2nd in Leburg, Virginia. Also, we have Mr. Dr. Howard A call that's now with the school boards association, but he worked with the SCSC on a policy manual update from Mr. Jason Butcher. And Dr.

009A call is over here to my right and uh he'll give us an update soon. federal programs uh update uh FY um is it 25 26 I'm sorry for that typo the department of ed we have a team's meeting tomorrow at 1:00 getting an update on the federal programs what's uh going on with that that's something that they've talked about and we've got a meeting tomorrow uh Mike Mlanahan's um purpose-driven management we have that training on July u the 30th at 9:00 a.m. here at the central office. Also, I put a copy of a waiver of disciplinary hearing expulsion hearing uh discussion that's on the agenda at the end of the meeting. I put a copy of that uh waiver that I used in other districts and I put that together that we could utilize

010here in Mercer County Schools. Dynamic district and states where and how literacy is improving. 2025 Mercer County Schools was one of nine districts in the report that state superintendent Michelle Blat announced and you have that in your copy right here that Mrs. Harrison put out on her social media last week and again the state department released it in the metro news I think Sunday. Uh that was uh one of nine. So thank you for that group and uh all the work they did there. Uh, also majority whip delegate Marty Gearhart said November interims are going to be here at Pipe and wanted to know if he could get a group of uh, legislators to come toward the tech center. So, we are going to work that out and lay out the red carpet to let

011them see what we're doing here. And it's a chance before the um, legislative session to see and showcase what Mercy County Tech Center is doing. So, uh, we want to share that. Also, um, a memorandum of the SBA. Again, they sent that out. there's so many new superintendents, but let you know that the needs funding, you have that calendar in there. Then an update on um Timberwood Elementary River County date is set for t Thursday, August 14th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. And Mrs. Harrison has do you have copies of those uh um invitations or they're getting them. I got you. Good deal. And let you know that. And then we've got a list there that Mrs. Harrison will ask you later to look at and see if there's any additional lists that we want to

012add to that. So with that, President Purich, we have our presentations and I believe our first ones are Argonauts. So thank you. And you can see them over to your left in their Argonaut shirts. But thank you all and we'll let you take it from there on the mic and you got your presentation. Mr. Mr. Bailey, we had an opportunity to meet Jude who heads June Kelsey that heads the Argonaut program and uh she just got back and was over in Leburg, Virginia. And Mr. Bailey, she's uh she's a fire and she she goes 90 mph. So good. So good. There you go, Finn. >> All right. Um I guess I'm going to start. I'm Jenny Mclahan. Uh so we got to travel to Oregon to the Pacific coast this uh last June and our

013trip started really really early on that first day like way too early. But we got on a plane. We flew all the way to Oregon. And from Oregon uh from Portland, we drove two hours to the coast immediately starting our day with an a whale watching trip. The oceans were pretty rough that day, >> but we did uh get to go out on the bay. Okay. >> Okay. So, >> some of those seals we saw there. >> Okay. And then on day two, we went uh to Silence Bay and while we were there, we did some bird watching. And you can see in that middle picture there, that is an osprey at its nest, which I thought was very cool. And while we were here at Child's Day, we did a lot of birding, you

014know, noticing the native species in the area. Um, and that's what you can see there on in the right hand picture. We went to an overlook where we observed a lot of different seabirds in the area. After we had done our birding, we went to the Oregon coast. Okay, we had intentions of tide pooling, but those were not able to be carried out because the tide was rising at an insane rate of 4 hours too early. So, we walked around the coast and saw a bunch of jellyfish and looked at hay stack rock and saw a bunch of seagulls and a puffin. Really sick. >> And he was sick. >> He was sick. We went back to >> it was a jolly old >> I thought the same thing you did. >> And then we

015went back to our greenhouse and we reflected on our day and that was a very big theme on this trip. >> Um, one of the big themes really was supposed to be on AI as well. And what we didn't tell you, so those birds and then the jellyfish and then everything else we did from there. We used I naturalist and Merlin bird to identify these animals and these plants and things that we did. Um, and it learned how that AI actually worked. So that was part of the big picture. Also, the kids had no idea that Hay Stack Rock is from the movie The Goonies, which shows my age and most of us teachers, but the kids were like, but we were pretty excited. U so on our day three we were actually at Minutia

016which is a conference center um outside of Portland and there we did a lot of um nature watching slugs. Slugs was the kids favorite by the way. They loved kept getting those slugs. Banana slugs are are really large slug yellowish slugs as you can see. Uh Finn is holding one there. And that probably wasn't even the biggest one we found. Um and then we had several presentations. This uh presentation here he uh run he is a gentleman who runs wild me and um he told us about his AI program and how he uses it for whales to identify whales using spots and conservation. Okay. And that was one of the primary purposes of our expedition was learning about conservation and how AI affects and improves that effort. Um and then in on day four we

017were still spending our nights at Manuka or Manuka depending on how you say it. But throughout the week we would take bus trips to other areas. Here we went to Boltma Falls which was very big waterfall very cool to see. And then later that day, we went um in that right-hand picture uh to observe someone's trail cams that were professionally set up around Mount Hood, I believe it was. Um and unfortunately, we didn't see anything really, really cool, but we did see some squirrels, some flying squirrels that they have in that area. >> And these are the pictures of Mount Hood. And the I don't know, some sort of hotel. It was in The Shining. I thought that was really cool. >> And the mountain was absolutely gorgeous. My breath was taken away because I've

018never seen snow cap fight like that. I was just I don't know. I was a little emotional up there. And then again after we had gone on our trips, we went back to NA and listen to the presenter talked about her ideas like compost and a service for business and we had a discussion that was really cool. And after that we did a reflection for the day. Um one of our last days there we were actually used to collect data. each group. We were grouped off in twos or threes and we had different data things that we were to go out and collect. And here we are. U some groups did um birds, some groups did slugs, one group did ferns. I did a group that did water sampling. Um pretty sure I'm forgetting a

019group or two, but the po jellyfish, that was a big one. Uh but the they the point was to use data that we collected all week and put it together for a presentation. And so that's what we were getting ready to do here, all our conversations. >> Okay. And our final day we spent at the Bonavville Dam, which was, I do believe, my favorite day of the whole trip. Uh, so we opened by presenting to the Bonavville park rangers, which you can see in all of these pictures actually. Um, and there in the left bottom lefthand corner, you can see those park rangers who were very attentive actually. Um, and I did a presentation along with my partner about uh slugs and the banana slugs of that area, which it was really amazing because while

020we were um collecting data and that sort of thing, we found a slug that was probably about 7 in long. Um, >> that was that was interesting after, you know, living here and his name was Biggie. But um we we did a a presentation to the rangers about that. Um Finn did his presentation about jellyfish and the uh amphopods which were eating them on the beach near Haystack Rock. And as Manahan said, she did her presentation on water sampling. >> This is us observing the very cool sites at Bon which were there. There were a lot of I have three slides on this but this was the water like that you could actually see it was all water stuff but you could observe the real water with your eyeballs here. This is the spillway me

021and miles standing in front of and then the fish ladder which we were observing a lot of cool stuff in there. There was this big fish that was literally swimming back and forth like chilling out there. Who knows how long that fish did. >> And it was probably about that big. >> Yeah. >> So, and it was this close to our faces. So, that was pretty cool. >> Yeah. They said they could stay in there like six months or something. >> A long time. I was like, "Wow, I don't know if they can stay in a place that long." >> Um, and then down here in the on the left corner was the fish hatchery where they would like grow the fish to stock the lake. um more of the fish ladder and then um

022Bonavville dams are hydro hydro electric and they are one of the first hydroelectric and they were built for World War I two two yes I have to remember that. So, we got a history lesson on that as well. And the top picture is from the locks that they have that they on the Columbia River so that they can let the bigger barges. We didn't get to see one. Usually you do, but for some reason none came through at that time. So, uh, here are some of the bonus pictures. That, uh, left-handed picture is Finn wrest arm wrestling this dude. um which um was not something I thought I would get to see on this trip. Perhaps one of the most exotic things we did see. Um uh there in the top middle picture is us

023all uh in in the lodge that we would stay the nights at at Manuka. Um that bottom picture there is uh Finn's selfie as we were walking into the uh core of engineers at the bottom dam. I had to send that picture to my speaker. >> And that right hand picture is the beautiful picture of the sun as we were flying to or from Oregon. And these are our last bonus pictures. And I wanted to make sure that we all knew that this was a truly different experience. You got to see beautiful things that you don't see here. just because they're not here. And like this picture, there's no filters on that at all. I was like, where are these colors coming from? So, I just had to get that ingrained in my head in

024my head because I was truly shocked to see like this was the Columbia River Gorge that we were staying on top of basically. Where else would you get to do that? Um, and this was us meeting for the first time. And it wasn't like we clicked immediately. It was a very human experience. We were very awkward at first. And I thought it was really important to highlight how we really connected. We really learned how to connect. It wasn't just, "Oh yeah, hi. It's me. You're you. Let's be friends." Like, we have these businesses. let's learn how to overcome them. And we did that with a whole group of people in less than one week's time. I thought that was really something special. Um, if you back up, if you don't know, that is Jude. That

025is the person that is in charge of these. And if you've never had the privilege to meet Jude, Mr. Toman will tell you. And I believe Mr. Bailey has now met Jude. And so she is an awesome woman. She she puts these together and she takes care of every every little detail. The pe the ladies down here are the bug chicks. Uh they are also really cool, Jessica and Christy. And um Jessica's from West Virginia, so it made it really nice to be able to talk share experiences with her. Um so they are the ones that basically taught us everything this that week with the bugs and and using the AI apps to uh do what we needed to do. And we do of course want to say thank you for this amazing experience because

026I know whenever you're here in West Virginia and you don't necessarily get to directly see the fruits of your labor here then it might not seem worth it. But to us and to all the kids that have gotten to go on these trips it is so unbelievably worth it. And personally, I do feel like my life has been changed because for the longest time, I have had an interest in nature, but this exacerbated that tenfold truly, and I'm so grateful for the experience and the experience that I will get to take for the rest of my life even and share with the rest of the kids in the county. It's a it's a wonderfully enriching experience and we're all very grateful for it. Thank you very much. Hold on to the mic a minute. >>

027Yeah. Questions. >> You might have some. >> You You're going to have some board members are going to have questions. Members, >> over this way. There you go. You're good. >> Anybody? >> Why the hell banana slugs? >> Well, look. >> Yeah. Well, when they get about, you know, they get up 10 in long, so about like a banana. And they're yellow with black spots. So >> grow [Applause] something. >> Yeah. There's something of like a trademark for the area just because of I'm It's such a weird looking animal. >> So yeah, it's very very significant for that area. >> Yeah. >> Did you have any preconceived ideas before you went on what you were going to do? Did they give you an agenda and then you thought, "Well, I wonder how this is going

028to be." >> They did not. >> They purposely didn't give us an agenda because they were like, "We don't know what we're going to do. We're just going to do it." >> And it changed every day because weather messed us up. >> People couldn't show up. Technology didn't work. It was We did not We were flying by the seat of our pants a lot of days. So, that was probably the best thing about it. >> But, it worked. We did a lot. >> Yeah. I mean truly we probably never had more than about 45 minutes of down time on anything. >> Never. >> I think I slept so good on that 45. >> How many were in your group? The the entire group. How many were there? >> About 20 total. >> I think >>

029including teachers, >> including staff and everybody. >> I think 20. >> In terms of students, there's probably only about like what eight, seven. Yeah. Seven students. >> And where were from? Where were some of the teachers and students from other places? >> Uh, so we had some from Fairfax, Virginia, >> North Virginia. >> Um, >> Arizona. >> South Phoenix. >> Southside Phoenix. Um, Ryan's from Ohio, a kid from Ohio. And I think those were all the groups. >> And Dodgers, West Virginia. >> Wow. That was very interesting though, meeting someone from, you know, Arizona that's so far away just how different everything is. You really don't recognize we're in the same country, but it's so impossibly far away how different everything is compared to here. >> How'd you adjust to the time schedule and coming

030back? And when you got out there, how'd that work? He's up early when you was out there, I bet. Right. >> Honestly, I think it was my body runs anyway. So, >> the week I was there, I was fine. So, I came back. So, >> so you you said this, but I just want to reiterate it. So, it's your recommendation that we persist in this and continue to give students the opportunity. >> Yes. No question. No question. >> Okay. >> And you are excited to go out to the schools and present like we did before. Ready? Ready to go. So, we got a we got a big team on the wall there. So, we'll have you guys on there soon. So, good. Thank you. Yeah. But I do want to mention though just for for

031the future years that you guys will continue to um persist in allowing our students to do this for those you know upper more highly motivated students. I it's it's so enriching and so life-changing for them. I I felt it was for me just for those students that are willing to put in that extra effort and that extra time out of their lives. I think it adds so much to the experience of their own lives and adds adds memories and you know experiences that alter the way they look at the world. And I think these experiences are very rewarding for students that put in that extra work but don't necessarily feel that they're being recognized for that. So I would very much recommend that you guys continue um in allowing our students to have this opportunity.

032>> Thank you. >> No, thank you. Great job. >> Thank you guys. Thank you. So, next president preach we have the Jason uh the national conference that people we have several people that weren't able to come tonight but they they wanted to give some of their information but uh those that we want to give an update on uh the national conference anytime we go to a conference we want to come back and present what what do we bring back from that what are we changing how are we changing our system with uh any national conference so who do we have starting out I'll just call Dr. Rackkins or Miss Mitchell uh on who's up first. Uh >> Donna jumped up. Let her jump to >> Come on up. >> Thank you all. >> We got

033a mic. >> This one's really nice. >> This is it. Or we got the mic. You can stand right here. Whatever. Whatever's easier for you. Whatever you want to do, Miss Donna. >> You got to get the mic. >> Got to get a mic. >> Got a mic. >> Give her Give her that mic. >> Give her the See if it works. >> Check for the green light. >> Do it. There you go. >> She ignores me. >> I was able to attend a session that was about the eco village. It's um gear for grades three through five. It's a studentled adventure where students design and build their own outdoor town. Okay. And they have their own specific spot in Ohio where they have been doing this for several years. I envision us maybe being

034able to utilize Camp Creek State Park or City Park or something that's near one of the schools, Leonard Park. Um to do this they will be collaborating to solve real world challenges while learning about sustainability teamwork and civic responsibility. There is actually now a tile in Jason learning where there's three missions and each mission has several lessons. In uh mission one they will be exploring their resources and collaborating with classmates to gain ideas. So they actually go to uh go there and look around and explore and find ideas and then they will start building their outdoor town. In mission two they'll decide to decide the name of their town um create a currency and vote on laws. They will also create a town map so that when the visitors come, they will know where to

035go to explore in their town. In mission three, that's the grand opening when you have visitors come and go to their little stores and be able to find out how they can make money. Um, and uh when they have problems, they have to come together and collaborate and decide how they can fix it. One of the examples that they had, uh, one of the groups had used Buckeyes as their currency. And what they realized is that as people were walking around, they were just picking up money off the ground because there were so many Buckeyes. So, what they had to do is come together and say, "Hey, let's use three different colors. One color will be worth a dollar, another color will be $5, and another color will be $10." So then that solved that

036problem. So and then before they they leave, they return the area back to how it was when they found it. So leave no trace. So I was really excited about that and I think the the kids would really get into that and be able to learn about the laws and how that's made and working together. >> Thank you. >> Questions? Anybody? Do you perceive that as a project like for one individual class or for school or how do you foresee that working? >> What they suggested is they have usually one class at a time but depending on how we can work because we have five technology integration specialists. We can figure out how we can maybe have five at a time >> to kind of do it. >> So is it a day I'm assuming

037it's a dayong uh activity? >> Yes. Okay. Start in the morning. When you leave, you're cleaning up and heading home. Okay. All right. Other questions, members? Thank you so much. >> We're getting up. Look at that. Go ahead, Miss Emily. >> Come together. >> Settle. >> So, um, part one of the things that I do with Jason's learning is I send out lessons to my special ed teachers. We have a special education group in 365 and so periodically about every six weeks I will send in a lesson and try to link it to their standards and how it's available to special ed students. And so some of the teachers will say, "Hey, I need these materials because I have to do some pre-teaching because some of the lessons are more advanced for special ed kids."

038So, one of the lessons or one of the sessions we went to was AI, Bronco and that. And so, we could explore different versions of AI and how to utilize that in classrooms. And so, one that kind of sparked my image and I thought my special a kids would love was creating AI images because you see that so much on the news like is this a real image of the politician? Is it not? What's real versus fake? And so, there was a lesson on that and the legalities of sharing fake images and what it can do to hurt people. And so there was a big lesson on that and at the end the kids would create their own AI product and their product was something fun. It was an AI dance video that they would

039create and use those images and then share it with the class because part of Jason's learning is creating a project and doing presentations on them. So it's getting kids used to public speaking and sharing their ideas and working collaboratively with each other. So that was one of probably one of those sessions that I'll let you go. Do you have any questions on that? And Miss Lopez and so she agreed because she was a one of our special ed teachers who uses um Jason's learning in her classroom and so she has agreed to do our first training. So, we do have Jason's learning lessons for our genetic teachers and special teachers are are more than welcome to go to those sessions and do, but she's going to do one just for special ed teachers um to

040show them how easy it is to use your classroom. Any questions? >> Thank you. >> Do do you think that AI can be effective >> in the special ed environment? >> Yes, but there's so many different ways to use it. You can, you know, you can use it something like AI chat. You need to type your essay and then use it. Hey, how can you make this sound better? And it will give kids ideas. It's not necessarily you copying. It's your it's still your ideas, but they're just making it sound better for you to utilize. And so it teaches kids that way. So there's just different components of AI. There's not just one version of AI. So I think that's good that they know the right way and the wrong way. Um the packet that

041I just passed out to you is a list of the AI websites for for educators. One of which that Emily talked about but also for classroom teachers. Behind that list I provided you samples of what teachers can do with these AI. I was amazed that you just type in you want a lab activity for water cycle and they've got everything for material how to run the lesson um Another little activity that I put in your packet is jig ball. You can have students become experts. Just take me a matter of maybe two minutes. Go in a what I wanted in water cycle and it gives you a dashboard and you click an activity with experts. I clicked on TikTok and this is what it provided with. You want to do an art project. It's amazing

042the time that will be saved for classroom teachers with AI. Um, as I was going through and looking at these, we both saw what a benefit for teachers and for students. One of them was it, as you can see on the list, we've already talked about the chats. We've talked about the notebook HTML, but there are some in here that is amazing. Uh, the Ed Cafe, you can go in there and it will provide you every national geographic video that is on whatever topic people want it. It is just amazing the resources that the AI can gather for our classrooms and for our teachers. I mean, no more wind down to the library, I hate to say it, and look for a book or something on it. Now, we just go to AI, tell them

043what we want, and they provide it for you. One of them provided I think it was like 60 different videos for water cycle and you just go in and pick which one you wanted for what topic you want to do. Not just for science. It did it for social studies. It did it for any subject that you wanted to do. It's just amazing. I'm just in awe of AI scared. >> Did it did it find things that were already existing or did it >> Oh my goodness. It had powerpoints already created. You could download a PowerPoint. some teacher did in Texas or someone did in California and you could download it. It gathers it just keeps gathering all this information >> because while I I don't oppose AI, I'm also being understanding early adoption that

044we we know right now that AI is still it's junk in junk out. It's just looking out there on the internet whatever's out there and it finds something and it uses it that may not necessarily be accurate. So that's where the human comes in, right? >> That classroom teacher has that. That classroom teacher knows what needs to be taught. We're looking at the standards. We look at those standards. Is it covering the standards that we're teaching for West Virginia? If not, then we don't need it. We can just pop it on out. Yeah. The human person. We can't just play. AI is a tool for us to gather information and to be able to use that information for >> Anybody else want to share >> questions? Well, questions. I'm sorry. >> Thank you again for

045letting us go. >> Absolutely. >> So, we uh so I I've attended a session for lean six sigma and u for those of you familiar with six sigma around for a long time. It's actually I think from the 50s and Toyota manufacturing processes helped to retool most all industries at some point with just efficiency gains and methodology to get better is really framework. Um so the the interesting thing though I asked the first question I asked is what is lean? What what's what's lean about it versus six sigma? this uh this company maximum potential that we had a presenter um at Jason they they presented the u their approach to it the lean six sigma where in 2017 they presented this material to high school students and they felt like it would be very beneficial

046for high school students to start while they're juniors and seniors and actually earn these belts is what they call them they're certifications they're showing your knowledge of the process process of six six month, but there's a green belt, the yellow belt, and they're vary their levels. And so these students could take this credentiing with them before they graduated or as they graduated high school. And actually, it translates very well to most all industries recognize this standard. They recognize the accomplishments of the students by earning these belts and it makes them marketable. And so, of course, my ears perked up with with MTech and with our students that any of our really our juniors and seniors benefit by um gaining this credentiing and then making them more marketable in the workplace. So just a few facts

047that uh that I gleaned from it was that um in 2017 was the 15 students uh was in Ohio district that gained uh the green belts from maximum potential and this was actually noted by the US Department of Education and since then the Ohio Department of Education has noted the success of recognizing this valuable industry credential could transform the lives of students around the state in every career. So, it's not just career specific. We're not concentrating on one. We all know these students will change their careers several times, but it gives them the tools to be marketable in whatever career choice they make. Um, and really what it is is is just a formal structured problem solving method that relies heavily on the collaborative teamwork. uh solving a problem, implementing a lasting solution, focusing on

048continuous improvements, reducing unnecessary costs, and improving quality uh for the customer. So, it can translate to anything, but um it is a with maximum potential. We're exploring the idea of they sell it by district licenses, not by individual licenses. So, it's very appealing to a school district heavily discounted for schools. And they they really u the same package that they would take and present to a a business is is like I think you said 350% more in cost than to a school district. Um so they they heavily discount school districts. Uh it's it's a really neat program for the high school students and we're exploring it to >> awesome questions. So the belts are just a tiered just the the level of expertise you've obtained as you move along. >> Yes. Yes. You can get

049and they could take this even and obtain a I think it goes up to the black belt. Um but you could you could use that as a stepping stone and even in your later on after high school go ahead and get that that black. >> It gives them the foundation. They're gaining the foundation. Gotcha. Okay. >> Do it right here. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Obviously, you can tell that I don't like to speak in front of people, so I'm sitting. But, um, good evening everyone. I'd like to say a few words about my experience going to the Jason conference. Um so as I told you I don't speak in front of c crowds very easily so please bear with me. Then I thought about um the mo the motivation that I felt there. It

050was it was just unbelievable. It was so energizing and exciting. It was um I can't even tell you exactly how I felt. But I it was like the next day I couldn't wait to to to go back and learn and learn more. However, I was not on the original list of the intend attendees. Okay, so now you wonder why I'm here. I was just going with my husband who happened to be invited and I was going to sit by the pool, get a facial or or just enjoying my time away from home. But after much thought, I thought, "Hey, I'm an educator and I need to know more about what Jason offers so I could be more beneficial in my classrooms." So, we asked if I could attend and was told that I could at

051my expense. So, I thought about it and realized I would get more bang for my buck, so to speak, if I did attend. So at first I felt like I was at camp. For example, when I went to sports camp, we woke up every day with the saying, "Oh, what a day. Make it your best." This is how the conference made me feel. I was just intrigued. I wanted to learn more, which I did. You have heard from these experienced educators and professionals all about the sessions that they attended and will bring it back to professional development. for understanding and STEM instruction for our many educations here in educators here in the county and for me these modules tiles are designed by educators for us educators it so it's helped meeting the standards and while

052making science relevant engaging and career connected I've met so many people from all over the United States however However, Congressman Mullahan, which was a huge supporter of Jason and has been for years, was instrumental in the creation and organization of USA introducing this um probably be in the fall. Um, but it's going to be a great source for history teachers. There's going to be activities and it's going to just talk about how all the politics and whatnot goes in on in the United States which I think is very important. So I realize now that my investment even though I still have fine lines was a good one cannot wait to reap all the rewards. I really thank you. >> That's awesome. I don't know who told Kathy she wasn't good at speaking in public. I

053think that she did wonderful. Um I will just share one thing. Kayla Harden would have done a much better job than I, but she was unable to be here. We attended um on the third day they had PBLS and uh we attended on early childhood opportunities and tiles that are in Jason for your prek through 2 students and that was something that has really grown and they've expanded in the platform over the last three years and there are some amazing um PBLs and activities for young children. Our her trainer was from Porsche School District and her name is Dr. um Peace Branch. Um Deise is her first name. Her last name's harder for me to remember. She was incredible and amazing and we would love to go down and visit that district um because I

054think we could learn a lot. But we would just really enjoy the opportunities and Kayla will share that with her fellow TSJ coaches on how they can integrate those lessons and those tiles into the classrooms. One that we participated in was about the five senses. And we actually had an activity using Braille, which I had myself no idea how that worked, using tennis balls and egg cartons, and we had to spell a a four-letter word. And then the other person could feel those under under a piece of cloth. And I I spelled it. And then Kayla had to figure it out. And she figured it out, but she didn't realize it was a word. And because she figured out backwards, but it was July. She was like, "U L Y? What is this a word?"

055I said, "July, yeah, this is the month we're in." So you know it was uh it was a wonderful opportunity and um my biggest summary is you see STEM as a whole from u not only classroom instruction but how it's a part of industry and how it's a part of society and how those things are integrated and it's really a great experience for everyone that was able to go. >> Anyone else? >> Okay, >> we got Dr. call on policy matter. >> I think Jason >> Jason Butcher get him to join. >> Thank you. >> What's that, sir? >> He's got a mic over there at this thing. >> Just make sure the green light's on. >> Thank you, M. Turn it off. There he is. >> Oh, >> I can. Thank you. >> I

056got you. All right, gentlemen. The floor is yours. >> Can you see Howard's Mr. Can you hear us? >> You see Howard with the >> I can thank you very much. >> With camera on Mr. Dr. A calling. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. Jason, do you want to go first? >> Do you want to go first? >> You want to go first? >> No, I'll let him go. >> Privy to members of the board and Mr. Tomman and Jason and others. I do thank you for the opportunity to be here this evening to go over what's been basically a two-year process relating to looking at policy in a different way sometimes than we do when we think of county boards. Now, my remarks for explaining it, but you do have a copy of something that

057I'll refer some some of this in a moment. When we think of policy, we often think of policym and that is correct because there are policies that you must have as a county board required by the legislature required for the state board or just simply to set boundaries and know what you need to do as a board to operate your system. But when we think of policy, we've gone to what's called the policy governance process or the idea that policy is really part of the visioning for the school system that is done by the elected board with the superintendent de CEO of the board and also uh the state department of the state board the chief instructional leader of the school district. So we started with that premise but then as we began to work

058on this now this has been a work in progress as good things are it's a work in progress wasn't nailed down to specifics and it evolved as we went so we tried at least to go back to the very essence of schooling and in the code 18 uh 18545 in the calendar section I want to read this to you this became our motif what we actually worked from and it says the primary purpose of the school system is to provide instruction for students. So we begin to build on that and I hate that word deconstruction and all that sort of thing but really what we did was if you want to look at the most basic element of school it is the classroom and if you look at the classroom as the most basic element

059of schooling involving the uh instructor and the student then you begin to see the school district not as a school board administration so much as a collective of classrooms. Then you begin to see that the second thing that became important here was now the state board uses word optimize. We use the word uh maximize student learning and achievement. So we all these policies that we have are built around the idea the county board can actually work toward optimizing or maximizing student learning and achievement. And that ought to be the main goal because after all the main output are that you have at school district are educated students who are ready for the workforce who are ready for higher education or whatever the their vocation would be. So as a result of that then we began

060to look at your policies that you had in place and but most of the policies you had in place were up to date. Now this is current through 2024. We made that point clear. We haven't actually most the legislative session this year is not included within this but it's it's through most of I think February of 2025. So then we begin to look at your policies and once we begin to look at your policies and you have a very good way of doing this we were instructed in April of 2024 to remove the regulations or the rules and separate them from the policies which we did. When we did that, we came up with very short policy statements. Now, policy in the sense we're talking about is indeed a short statement of the will of

061the board, what you want to get done, what you want to get accomplished by the policy. It's not a regulation because we have a separate place for those. And it's not like state board policies or many county board policies. It is indeed a short statement of the intent of the board on a particular topic. and it narrows down what you really are trying to accomplish and then you build from that. So we begin to the charge we had and this is on the first page of the document that you have got blue and green sheets you know you're on the right one you have this document first charge we had was again as I've already said to look at your policies to take the rules from the policies and the way you had done your

062policies compared to some ways county boards have policies. This was very easy to do and very instructive because you did have a short policy statement. Then you went into basically the rules or regulations that you might need. Then we determined that your policies and we were to see if they were timely and they were most of your policies are up to date. We added two or three things, not very many. And uh then we wanted to see if they reflected the law that was current of the state board policy and that is the case as well. And then we began to take all the policies the board had and we put them in chapters. And the chapters we put them in were nine chapters. They were spread out a little bit. And this is something

063we were told you would find them all over spread out. That really wasn't the case. They had a rhythm to them, but we put them into nine chapters. First chapter we have is, and you can see this, it's in the document here. If you go to I think it's the green sheets shows you uh first chapter we have relates to the board and the school district. Now even though we were trying to eventually come to the point the county board could use law as it's already written or state board policy as your policy. Then we but we started with something that is informative to the public and that tells you policies that relate to the board and the school district. So we start out that is chapter one. Then chapter two is something that has

064been really pushed by the state board and for a very important reason that is your fiduciary responsibility. Now we're working with county boards on this now because we we're convening a group of people who have a great deal of expertise in finance. Now, county boards probably need to know the generalities of school aid formula, but you really need to know your fiduciary responsibility because that is where the county board is held accountable for the entire direction of finances in the system. If you look at some of the recent state board interventions, they have been about this very subject. the county board may not have been totally it seems to be on point about financial or fiduciary matters and so as a result of that the county board gets into trouble financially but it's a little

065bit deeper than that because this points out one thing that I want to point out fiduciary responsibility is largely provided by the treasurer school business official or whomever that has charged this and it's related to the board. Now we and this is good to segue to what what I really want to start out. We are talking about monitoring and oversight. Many of the county boards that have been intervened historically since 1992 they weren't really on top of things. It's very difficult for a county board and certainly the state department of education state board very difficult for the state board of course to be knowing all about an agency than it is you as a county. So what we've done is we are making it so the process is one whereby through monitoring and oversight you

066get the data and the information about various topics you want financial academic um transportation whatever else and then you put together a calendar at the first part of the year or July would be the first part of the year and then during the year you get reports so that you are on top of those things and you're not dependent upon an agenda or administration necessarily to do that but you're saying we are the county board this is the information that we want and this gives you then I think a little gives you great discretion then to know what is truly happening in the system you put this together you don't do it unilaterally you work with the superintendent I mean who works with administrators and others and this gives you the ability to really work

067through not only fiduciary issues issues, academic issues, but it also gives you the ability to see what may be uh out of cure, what may be going something you need to delve a little bit deeper into, you've got it a calendar, you've got it systematic, and you can begin to work from there. Now, third chapter is since we begin to look at this and you really stop to think about it, the true constituency of the county board is the student. Okay? And we talked about a moment ago the purpose of the school system. So then the chapter three is in fact relating to students. Now most of your policies already fit into that. We most we use most of the policies but we add some additional things to those as well relating to monitoring and

068oversight. Then chapter four relates to personnel. Now the way we did this was we took what you had relating to personnel. Your policies are very up to date. Then we added two dimensions to this. One is we separated out the parts of personnel that didn't really relate to the wall or rule or whatever and they relate to your relationship to your employees in the school system as being the primary place to start. Then from there we move into the regular uh such you know the regular school walls and things of that nature. And then to move to this idea maybe using law or rule instead of developing policies that include those things in there. Then we have a list of all the personnel laws that relate to personnel in chapter 18 and from the state

069board as well. So you can build from that if you eventually want to move to that model. Now it's easy to say we just want to go over what the law or state board rule is. But it's something that I think is going we started out that way. In fact, you remember that conversation we had in this very room. I believe we started out that way. But then we begin to think this is an evolutionary thing we need to work toward. So you're comfortable with that. So with personnel, this is where you can really begin that. You can do that in any chapter, but you begin I think with personnel if you're going to do that. That's important for two reasons. One reason is uh often the law or the regulation the state board has

070or the rule suffices. In fact on discipline uh you don't need to go any farther but on other areas you may want to. And the second thing is the legislature over the last two or three years has been saying if we write a law why do you as an administrative agency want to add the law into what we've already written as poss. So in other words, the law could suffice or the rule for the policy that you have, but I think this is an evolutionary jump to do. I don't think you can jump jump into that immediately. I think is kind of evolutionary and and I think it will make streamline policy in certain respects that it also means that you have to have for the public and for yourself a pretty good understanding of

071what that law is which is why it's often embedded in policy and we started uh again this was a work in progress we started to try to do that and we we've got enough of this that it can we'll get to Mr. the book this part in a moment. We have enough of that we can do by pointing out all the laws and state board policies to actually uh mention county boards and requirements on county board the things you may or may not do things for which you have discretion. So that has been in place and that is what you would ultimately need because you would need that if you go to this process to understand exactly what the law says to have pretty good understanding and have a pretty good understanding also of policy

072if you would be moving to that area. So that is that is what we have. Uh that's something that we use chapter 4 here or to really begin or begin to move toward. Then chapter five we move into other areas. Facilities is chapter five. You had very few policies on facilities but they were you know they covered everything you needed to cover. We included those. Then we went to food service. We went to safety transportation. Then the last group of policies we covered are those that relate to an actual school. We call them school sites or educational facilities. These are policies that you had in your policy manual or that we believe you may want to have how actual school facilities operate and these are called administrative guidelines. They're not really approved by the county

073board. They're really presented to the superintendent by the principles and others of those facilities. But sometimes you need to know those and be aware of those. Which moves me into another point that we were trying to get across. The a lot of times policy is done in such a fashion that it's kind of hard to figure out what the board's role is and the role of the administration and others. So we what we've done is we say that the main point of the policy is to direct the system and to get everyone to know and have a comfort with the policies so they know how the system is operating and and flowing uh flowing as as an as an organization. But these policies are built on something else. You have a handout and I'm not

074going to go into all that. But in West Virginia, we live we actually have a state system of education and we don't need anyone to tell us that we actually have that. So sometimes county boards feel like there's no discretion they have, but actually there is a lot of discretion you have and it's whether you want to have the return on investment to make that discretion judgment or not that becomes important here. So we developed some ideas like when a law is passed by the legislature or a rule uh the superintendent goes prospecting actually to see whether or not you just want to accept that rule or that policy as it is or if there may be some discretion you want to add your own waiver within the bounds of a policy. So that's an

075important consideration as well is see if there's any leeway in these rules and regulations or policies for you to do your own thing or if the return on investment is better just to keep what's been provided to you to get back to this idea we talked about by about having rules and policy in place. So that that's I think that's something you need to do as a board and figure that out. Um the sometimes boards are criticized for really not knowing the public doesn't know you know the role that you have and how things are constrained um by laws or rules or regulations. And this would be a way to point out to the public that this is what the state board or the legislature has really written and we're going to follow this because

076we feel like this is the best degree for our system. But if you want to add your own flavor to this and there's a way to do that then you can do that as a county board. So the first thing we talk about is the idea the of prospecting or the idea that really there are things I think we counted 30 or 40 different policies uh including 1825 that allow you to maximize or optimize student achievement by simply going and presenting to the state board ways you might want to do do things differently or ways you feel like would bring that about in a better manner for your school system. You have to look at those because when you do that which you it can be done if the state board were to approve it

077then you're totally accountable for that which means a lot of foresight and thought has to go into that part of the process then then we also move into some other areas as well. Uh one of the things that we get into is you know finding out what the role of board is and the role of the superintendent and really working to ensure that over a continuum and the basic way of looking at this is the longer a superintendent stays in position and trust is built then we get into escalating expectations of the superintendent and then the superintendent and board can work toward higher level things and accountability is grooved up as well and so the system flows and works very well. What we're seeing in West Virginia now is we're seeing superintendents who may be

078appointed for one year. They may have been principles uh who really have had only the levels of accountability of a particular school and now you get to be the superintendent and on day one you have all these crossurrens of pressures and people who want this and people who want that including the five members of the board. And so as a result of that we we need to work toward longevity. So when the superintendent is appointed, you work with that individual so that you have the longevity to make the expectations and the trust that will move the system forward. And I think that's a very important consideration because a lot of times um elections happen, things like that. And so when elections happen, you're refreshed every two years. That does enter into the prospect here, but

079you are a continuing corporation. And I think you need to work and build from that to actually get to some of the important things u you know that the school system needs to be concerned about. So um other things we talked about is we've already mentioned about um the school system works for the student but the school system is compris it's a human enterprise uh organization. It's comprised of so many different dynamics. So your role as a county board is to bring all those interests to the degree that you can to the board for so that you can then work to see what the public interests are and how you may be able to capitalize on those and move the district toward meeting the need of student achievement and yet others involved with that. It

080just be one example. You are in that process indebted to your administrators and all your employees. So again, effective employee relations is part of this process as well. And another part of this too is that if you really look at things, um there are some things that and there's a political science term. We're just going to get into all that. There are some things that are considered to be so important by the legislature and the state board. They don't want you to make decisions on them. Okay? It's kind of a left-handed comp. we're going to decide this ourselves. Well, when they do, again, there may be a latitude within those because compliance is really part of the game here. It has to be part of the game. There has to be things that could be

081measured at the state level as far as what you're doing. There has to be some kind of way of looking how successful you are. You cannot do without compliance. But again, compliance is not for compliance's sake. And I don't think the state board would say that as well. And uh then you again have a lot of discretion. We pointed that out. And finally um the role of the superintendent under this process is to continually stand the environment to see how you as a board might have latitude and the policies you need to develop and address issues that arise in the counts. So that's the role of the superintendent, but they cannot do that alone. It's really informed by a lot of other people, the constituency, the constituents within your communities and working toward developing a

082sound system that really does not only concentrate on student achievement, but moves the whole district forward. the board and I think the superintendent have that ability to move the system forward, the aims and the goals that are best for the system that are determined by the county board. Now, as in in these blue sheets here, we do an introduction and I'm not going to go over all that, but the introduction is really kind of the history of how we have gotten to where we have in West Virginia and every state has its own history about how it schooling has been done. But over the um when the county unit system was developed in 1933, actually it was the first it was really developed as one of the uh first tax limitation units because there was

083a lot of people who because we had 396 independent magical districts and people were losing homes. If you read all the history and things like that, livelihood homes. So the legislature decided that we would need to move to what's called a county unit system, meaning each county of course has its own county board. In doing so, um a study was done in 1945 by consultant hired by the legislature. And actually this consultant studied the public school uh system we had after about 15 years in existence and he pointed out that it's really efficient. It does really. It It's very efficient. Uh Dr. Trouy when he came here in the early 1980s, he said the same thing. He'd been to Idaho, they had all these school districts. He was saying this is so easy to run

084because you have 55 school districts, 55 administrations. But the downside of that is if there is a downside is that efficiency then leads to standardization. So in 1970s, school aid formula was very standardized, school buildings are standardized and things of that nature. So you have to ask yourself, is standardization really the best way to go? Now the answer right now is it is because that's how the system operates and works. So the county board has to find within superintendent leadership the ability to find flexibility within the standardization which you can have because there's walls on the books and policies that give you this to move your system along in the way that you want it. If there's any message in these policies, it is that purpose of school system is instruction of students. The second

085purpose is to be able to give you to find the leeway that you have within rules and regulations to build a system that best works for your county by taking advantage of the flexibility in those laws if you're willing to take the accountability for them. Now, that that's a long and short. You got these documents. You can read them on your own. I mean, um, it's if you look at policies and you look at how county boards have evolved over the years, a lot of people have said it is what it is. You know, throw up your hands, we can't do this, we can't do that. Well, you can't do this or you can't do that perhaps unless you find a way to maximize or the state board says optimize for student achievement ways you

086can get flexibility. But some boards may not want that. You may be a board that says, "We like it like it is. We'll follow the laws, procedures, or regulations, and we want it. We'll be happy." That's a big chore. And then to go out and prospect and find different ways is another big chore. But when you really get down to it, and this is point here, when you really get down to it, what are you doing best for your students? And sometimes prospecting is really takes a lot of time, effort, and energy, but it really does work out for your students. and they're your true constituents. So these policies are built on that. In fact, they're building on monitoring and oversight to be sure you get that done. So every policy in here in most

087degrees under these chapters have some kind of monitoring and oversight. Fiscally, the superintendent is to present a and to present a report quarterly to the county board himself or herself about the school finances, where you are, whatever, what things you may be seeing in the future that may constrain you and building from that because that puts the superintendent as your CEO giving that report. Of course, it will be informed by your administration because a lot of times in some of these takeovers, you begin to learn that maybe the superintendent is that's not his strength or her strength, but maybe it does show. But in fiduciary responsibility, you are responsible. So again, it's stepping up the plate and accepting that responsibility for the students and in the areas that you're responsible. Now, you can read these

088things on your own. You can read what Straer wrote in his report. You can read all that. But again, uh and and I'm finished with my remarks and maybe Mr. Butcher has some as well. He's going to he will be responsible uh since I've been called to another vineyard, he'll be responsible from now on with working with your board. But I think the policy governance part of this, the idea of having policy monitoring, oversight is something all county boards really could use training about because I think it will help in those situations where there are state board interventions because in those cases, in my opinion, reading those reports, there didn't seem to be a lot of knowledge outside what may be required. And so the board was in the dynamic of getting a full perspective

089on the system. So >> thank you. Thank you. >> Hey, I'd like to thank you all for this opportunity. Um I would have been there in person, but I'm on vacation. So >> um but I'm excited about this project. I've worked closely with Dr. RO call and several other people who have been involved in this process and it's certainly a different way to look at policies and procedures. Um, but I like the fact that it's a different approach and how much I feel it in enables the uh board and the superintendent to function um as freely as they possibly can. So, um, if this is something that you all are interested in, we will continue to work on this. Um, you know, I think that it's pretty much ready to go. Um, I've got a

090call tomorrow with my computer guy, but we've got a uh an online system that he has built that would house this. Um, if you all decided that you all needed to make a change to a policy, it would allow you to go in, make the change, save it to the system. Um, if it was a situation, which we we're expecting to run into with smaller counties where, uh, there may not be a person who's working on policies, uh, we would be able to go in and make the changes. Uh, another piece of this are policy updates. As you know, the legislature, uh, oftentimes when they leave, there are policies that are required by law. Um, that's something that we will continue to pass down uh, as a service associated with these policies and procedures. Um,

091so that you stay up to date. And we also have title N with that as well. Um, with the legislative updates also comes the title N updates. We have have an attorney who uh takes care of Title 9 stuff. So, I was able to work a deal there um to where anytime there's a Title 9 update, we would have it to provide to the counties um who are subscribing to this service. So, again, I'd like to thank you for the opportunity. I'm excited about what has been uh produced. Um, it's taken us about a year. Uh, but it's done in a uh a different way and it's uh really something that we can pass off to the counties at a very discounted rate as opposed to what you might be paying through other providers. So,

092>> thank you. Well, I we certainly have discussed the need to clean up our policies and get it in a better format uh particularly a better electronic format. Uh so we appreciate the work and we will certainly be communicating with you further about the next steps. >> Thank you. >> Go enjoy your vacation. >> Thank you. You all have a good one. I'll talk to you all next week. Anything with Dr. >> Any questions? >> Board members. Dr. Okall, >> may I ask you a question about your new role? >> Yeah. >> Why does it appear that the legislature doesn't like the schoolboard association? >> Um, well, I haven't lobbyed for the schoolboard association in two and a half years. I think the legislature um there's a lot of I will say county boards used

093to be called the darkest islands of American politics. Okay, that was in the '9s. Right now you're not the darkest island of American politics. Everything you do is streamed. Uh everything you do as an agency is really out before the public and you have to make controversial decisions. And I think maybe that's part of the process. You have to make decisions on CO. uh you actually um now I'm going to apolog I don't know if you had a lot of people saying we want this and we want that vaccinations is next that'll be the next election cycle is vaccinations so you serve as a and this is something I want to say and I hope it comes out the right way you were created by the legis as a legislative policy bot at the local

094level. You were not created by the state board. I went to a meeting once uh it's been very recent as a matter of fact and someone said they didn't know their school board members weren't constitutional. Well, okay, we need to really educate people because you're not constitutional. You are a local legislative lie. There's a lot of salmon that you have messy meetings that you have bad decorum and I pointed out to a recent meeting I went to and you're going to get these readings for the fall conference because a lot of the conference is devoted to these topics. This situation happened in Pendleton County and I and it's in this book the whole part of Appalachin. There was a group in Pendleton County who were they were private enterprise and they said well we can

095run your school system and save you all because they were having financial problems. Now let's just be blunt about it. They say during that time you got extra waiting for special aid. Almost a fourth of the population of students were special a existence. Legislature basically changed that. So this group came in when it's being changed and said, "Hey, look, we can we can just take over system. We'll do it all right for you. Uh we'll we have all the wherewithal." And uh so it was two to two on the board. Two people were for it, two people were against it, and one person was in the bed. He put himself in the middle because he wanted to make the decision. Somebody had to be the tiebreaker. Nobody knew how he was going to decide. So

096700 people crammed into what's probably the biggest auditorium in town. They had about 650 students a year. And so the role was called, this was about Circleville school that was being closed. And this group said, "Well, if you're going to close all your schools, we can manage for people brought in this room." They and it came time for him to vote. It was messy. And he said, "I am going to vote against this." 700 people erupted in chiefs now because that saved your system from private enterprise running it because two board members wanted. You will never see that at the state board level. That is a regulatory body that works over a regulatory agency. So you get all this sort of thing as county board members. Some people don't understand that and they don't understand

097it nor do I think they appreciate because you are right in front of the public. I mean, you go to the grocery store, you go to church, somebody will knock on your door and say, "Why did the Lord do this?" or somebody get on Facebook, maybe a board, because that happens all the time. But, so, so I think part of the problem that you have is communicating what you do and I think we can do a whole lot better job of that. Part of the problem you have is people not understanding your role. And part of the problem we have is that in this state, and this is a bias on mine, the only time people are really interested in your schools is where you're closing. Let's get them interested to keep it open. You

098know, that's just a b again. I said I was pontificating, but that's part of the whole process because Canal County, they closed all these schools in Canal County in the east county. Well, they're busting in about 15 10 or 15 miles away. You close all the schools in Randolph County. What do you bust those kids to be like hundred? That was another example. So what you really do as a board is you meet the people where they are and that can't be quantified very easily. So it gets into decorum. It gets into rules and regulations and it gets into being whether or not you're actually tight in meet and you can't be tidy in meetings all the time. But in not being in tidy, not being tidy in meetings means that you actually work at

099the local level to meet the needs and leave and you're refreshed every two years because vaccinations again I've already heard it you're hearing it now that will be a big issue and that's going to bring some people on the school board. >> Usually won't. >> It just appears that the animosity between the legislature and the state school board has just exploded. you know, the legislature makes a law, sends it to the school board, so the state school board to interpret the law, and then they send it down to us. So, we have no choice but to do what we're told. But those two, it's like they're in a I can't say the word I want to say, but a match >> well, >> between one another. Who's going to who's who's the biggest dog in

100the in the hunt? >> I I don't I don't mean to interrupt this conversation, but it's a it's a >> it could go on for an hour. Okay. >> Sorry. did um >> our purpose is to discuss the policy manual and I think we >> I said I was >> shouldn't ask a question >> when we can I ask a question just I'm kind of you know black and white so are all of the policies in green on the green sheets have those all been updated already >> yes they have they have been updated for the board of review they have not >> we haven't we haven't voted on any of They haven't published. >> It was it was was handed over to a third party. There are organizations in the country that do this

101and they charge you huge sums of money to do it. And we thought that the SCSC could do it better because those organizations are more focused on Florida and New York and Ohio and Texas and California than they are West Virginia. And we have so many state specific regulations. We thought it would be better if the SCESC did it and so we haven't even begun the process of approving this this yet. >> So I I was just asking because in particular the travel policy needs updated for example and I've been waiting and not updating certain things because of this. So I wasn't sure whether I need to proceed and go ahead and update that now or what needs to happen. Well, we're going to talk to Jason pretty quickly and see what we can do.

102The the question becomes, and we've discussed this, do you do you try to swallow the elephant in one bite and approve an entire new policy manual or do you do it by sections or by policies? That's something the board just has to talk about. That's probably going to be one of the things we talk about at this work session. >> Okay. We we use these religiously, you know, as we pay payroll or we look at someone's leave or what have you. I think you should probably go ahead and update just because we don't have a time frame. >> Travel would be we we had hoped to have travel done before >> then I would >> when you say update what what what exactly are you talking about? >> Well, for example, we pay $45 day

103per deal, right? >> We we could instead of having a fixed amount refer to the West Virginia cutting so we don't have to constantly be bringing it back just like we do the >> Okay, that's kind of what I was thinking though. Wouldn't we until we vote? Wouldn't we have to follow the policies that are already >> an update? I thought >> and that's why I'm saying should I go ahead and make the change to that because we hope to have it effective this year or should I still be able to do this? >> If it's something that needs done quickly, I would suggest doing it. I'm I'm guessing this is probably going into the first semester of next year before we get where we need to get with this. >> Okay, that answers. >>

104Let me see if I can clarify for my understanding is that they've done their work and they've rewritten these policies. Now, it's for us to look at them and see if we agree or want to change. >> I don't I don't know how much they've rewritten as as organized looked at the policy because again, as Dr. protocol kept point. Now there's a policy and there's procedure and this is a policies manual and that's the focus of the manual then we've got a procedure issue that we we probably need to have a separate manual of procedures. Uh historically we've put them both together and I think a lot of counties do and we may choose to do that. I don't know. It's we're going to have to look at this document in full. It's a proprietary

105document. The SESC wants to use it as a a tool to for other counties, but because of the time and effort the energy has been put into it as well as dollars, they want to be able to sell it. So, we can't distribute or disperse it. Uh, at this point, we don't even have the whole document. We've got parts of the document. So, we have to see it and then we have to decide if we want to do it. If we want to do it, how do we want to do it? Is it a do you want to spend a meeting going through 600 pages of policy and procedure and decide okay we'll do it all at one time or do you want to do chunks? That's basically where we're at. One question I have

106is based on what Leslie was talking about, would it be best for us to go ahead and separate policy procedures and move forward in that direction for these new policy for the revision of these policies because I'm like Leslie, there's a policy I want to put before the board to revise and should we take those procedures out and create a procedures manual at this point? Maybe we will do that. But I think you need to follow the process we've had in place, which is put it all in one document and then as we move forward, >> if we choose to separate them because we may not choose to separate them. We may choose we want them in the same. >> Uh there's logic to both sides of it. Uh you know, sometimes if you got

107the policy and then you can just look at the procedure right under it, that's more convenient. >> So So moving forward, we'll make some of these decisions at our work session. Well, now we'll look we'll talk about this in the work session and then if I don't decide >> the idea is the idea is to decide how we want to approach it >> In the work session, right, the approach we're going to take, I think is more uh what we'll do there. Okay. >> Somebody's in agreement. Um >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Oll. We appreciate your time and the work effort. >> No, you're you're fine. We we appreciate the information. It's always useful. >> Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Good luck. >> Be safe going home. Thank you. >> Uh there doesn't appear

108to be any citizen input this evening, so we'll move on to 2322. President Prudich, I have Mrs. Mitchell or Dr. Atkins, if you want to report out anything 23:22. And I think if Mrs. Wellman, I think Mrs. Huddle has something to update also. But uh for me to take. >> How many trees y'all kill this week? >> Talk too loud. Anyway, don't scream with everybody. Um, with secondary, I guess the biggest things for us is as we ended up the year, we we showed growth, we showed improvement. Um people have taken accountability for what they've needed to do at the administrators level in the schools as well as at the central office and we have already started looking at the plan for how we're going to approach things for the this coming fall and how

109my team will be used in the schools based on what they need. Um, we also have updated our data wall at the board's office and it's I actually am planning on a meeting with my principles um in a couple of weeks. I want to sit around the table and let look at it because when you see it up there all at one time, you realize how much progress or lack of you had. And so for the most part, the schools have done really good. We did have one school that we did not feel, you know, reached the potential that they should have. um and we're going to work on that, but we're targeting specifics for this next year. So, I I feel like that's going to be a big plus for all of us. And

110then the other thing that we're doing is we are working this year um with their social workers a little closer and going to have them involved with the students more on a basis of attendance and um academics. You what can we do to help you this high dose tutoring? Do you need extra help outside of school? So, we've got a good plan in place and it will definitely create the um scenario of people being accountable for what they're responsible for. [Music] So I don't have a formal presentation but I just wanted to mention in 2322 um that one of the biggest factors are our our audits as to how we handle things successfully. We had our um last SSR ARP review and as you know we had many millions of dollars. The only finding that

111we had was that some purchase orders were dated after the date of the invoice. We know that's a violation of law, but when you have when you're paying 1,700 employees and have such widespread purchasing um and and payment of employees, that's a big deal. However, what I wanted to emphasize most is who who is impacting this. I'm here. Dr. Philip is here and we're the basis, but it's our teams who make this happen. They pulled hundreds and hundreds of invoices. They pulled employee contracts. They start from the beginning to make sure that all of the processes is done correctly. They look at the contracts to make sure that that what was approved by the board was actually conveyed to the payroll department from personnel. They pull personnel records. They pull a a numerous amount of

112purchase orders, invoices, etc. This is a a very remarkable and hard work that goes in from personnel and from the business office. Um, and and we have very strong internal controls and processes in place. So, I know that that he mentioned you don't know what's going on. And I want to tell you it's because of the teams that we've built and the internal controls and the processes that we built. Tom cannot the the maintenance director cannot go secure a contract to buy something without going through us. Everything he does is going to be reviewed through us. If it's not on a co-op or a bid, it doesn't come to you. And and these are the things that we have in place. And I wanted to commend um our personnel and our business offices because to

113have just that one finding if you look at some of the other reports, I won't mention the other counties, but that's where a lot of those problems surfaced. They didn't buy things on bid. They didn't, you know, they didn't have contracts with employees. You know, these are fundamental things that people don't necessarily get recognized for day in and day out, but but our teams did a phenomenal job. And I'm proud. I know Dr. Philip's proud and I hope you all are proud as well that that our will training came back so strongly and I'm going to let Dr. Philipe think it >> I just want to say I I totally agree with Leslie. You know, we're the face of things but our staff the continuity and the consistency in what they do every day is

114it it's it's amazing what they do. And I um you know, when you think about contracts and these purchase orders and all the things that Leslie's talking about, those are very um intimate processes that have to be done individually with the amount of people that we have, making sure that they're signed, making sure they're they get filed in the right places. And when these um auditors or anyone comes in and they want a certain thing, you're thinking, "Oh god, please let it be there." and and nine helps out of 10, we're we're 100% and we're good to go. But, you know, once in a while there will be something that we're like, "Oh, I know where that's at, though." And what's challenging at the during these times that we have is, you know, we're moving

115to digital files. And so, we have some files that we have that are, you know, regular file folders that have information in it. And we also have our digital files. So, now instead of just one one place to look, we've got two places to look. But I will say when you have digital files, it's there somewhere and we're going to find it. So I do um you know Leslie's department and my department, we work very closely to make sure that people are paid the right way and if there is a little slip up at some point where you know somebody's missed an email, we work it out and and everything runs smoothly and never once is the um employee ever penalized for that. We try to work with um what we have moving forward. and

116to have an audit that looks as strong as it does right now. I'm I'm really pleased with what um both of our departments do. So, thank you. >> Just to echo Dr. O' Calloll quickly, it's amazing how the public doesn't understand that the board are not full-time employees of the school system working every day in central office. We do this and we rely on the professionals that we've that that uh through the superintendent we've hired. Uh and we believe in your integrity and your honesty and your hard work and so we rely on that. Uh and and it's not it's human to make mistakes. They happen but they're never material and they're never it's like oops, you know, missed that one or missed this one. And this goes back for decades in this county. This

117is not new. We've we've prided ourselves on making sure. You give us way more information than we probably could ever consume. We try to, but it it can be challenging. Um, so we have the information we need and we know that it's reliable and we trust it. and uh you know working together uh that's why uh when we go to state board meetings I brag because I can uh we don't have situations like they do in some other counties. Uh and uh it's credit to the people that work for the county school system. The public needs to know that >> and and you are absolutely right. It is the foundation. We we walked into this. I believe we've improved it and we've streamlined it, made it more efficient, but this foundation has been there. When

118I started in this county, there there were checks and balances as well. So, you know, we might not know why someone signs this one green form in this place, but 30 years ago, someone knew and that's why they had to start doing that. And and we learned that very often, but but this has been in place. It's absolutely not just us, but um I personally would, like I said, I told Dr. Okay. The main things that were pulled were invoices, purchase orders, and making sure it was an applicable purchase. I will say, um, you know, Alicia Crawford had money. You know, through this, we had what, $70 million in total. And for this to be all we found, all they found it it is phenomenal. But it has been across the county. Um, you know,

119Alicia Crawford, Mandy, Dr. But primarily I will say it it was the the purchasing and accounts payable and and personnel payroll that did just did a phenomenal job. >> We appreciate it. >> Yeah, absolutely. Kudos to all of you. >> All right. More 2322. >> Mut you have a pink folder laying on the side of you and so in that folder is our annual desk audit. And so um special education the federal government and the states. So the state gets and the state gets certifies from county. So as a state, West Virginia as a whole is under needs assistance, but Mercer County met our requirements. So Mr. Toman called me this weekend about gave me a heart attack because they sent us one email that said we did. >> Tell tell them more of the

120story though that the the first letter was inappropriate or not correct. >> He called me after 4. He was like, "Have you checked your email?" I'm like, "I have to take like 4:05. I'm at the grocery store. And he was like, "Well, check it. I did do we do we make it? They send us two emails. I don't understand." I'm like, "Let me get off." It said, "Did not giving me a heart attack like >> at the store?" And I'm like, "Get off the phone and check it." I'm like, "No, we're good. We're good." >> So then that whole night I kept checking my one and say they made another mistake. 10 after 10 after 4 we got the first email and then state how it stated in the in the memo that it >>

121said we did not make it >> but we met the but it did not meet but we met >> yes >> that's the confusion >> and I read it 50 times there and then and u and then 20 minutes later we got >> the correction >> oops we made a what kind of mistake a minor >> a minor mistake >> and it wasn't minor so >> it was not minor Yes. So I think yeah >> so we are good. Um so um so in that is our formal letter that we get from the state and so they base it on eight different components and as you see it's graduation dropout state assessment for our special ed students our suspensions for special ed kids at least restrictive environment which means they want our special ed kids

122in general ed classrooms as much as possible. um our preschool outcomes and that just means they want us to show growth for our special ed kids in prek. So when they get in they assess the kids and they give a different assessment when they leave prek and so we want to show growth for our prek special ed kids in those programs. Parent involvement and that's surveys that they send out to our special ed parents and then post school outcomes. So, a year after our special ed kids graduate, we have a fun time finding those special ed kids on Facebook and whatever means they have to and calling and we have to do a survey with them and we upload that survey um in them and so they want the criteria 85% of especially kids that

123had a job um or be in that school. And so um and then the other two papers shows where our deficiencies were. And so we had um one student caused us to not make the drop out criteria. So we had one special aid student that dropped out that where we lost that point from. And then we do not make graduation rate and one of the criteria for graduation rate that hurts us is our students on alternate assessment. They can come till they're 21. So if they do, they are not considered graduating with their cohort. So that's kind of a battle that we face in that criteria. And then some of the testing um criteria in indicator um three 3B and C is our testing criteria. And so you'll see that some grade levels are tests

124our special ed test scores. We met the components and we passed. And then in some grade levels the high school is one that we struggled with with those not passing that benchmark for the testing for 11th grade. And so our other one that we did not make was um our LRE. And so that just means that we are pulling more kids out into special ed separate classrooms and speech and our therapies also impact that. So if they pull those kids out to receive those pair those therapies then that also hinders that. So those are some things that we're going to work on for next school year. >> So how would you do speech in a classroom? You can't. >> Yes, you you you can. And research shows that you can and they say it's actually

125better if just the speech person pulls the kid out for 10 to 15 minutes and does direct therapy and then goes in and does actually a whole group with the teacher. >> Okay. So another thing for the classroom teacher to do on top of the other >> No, the classroom teacher wouldn't be doing anything. the speech therapist would be and it would also be impacting all the other kids in there to get good language based services from a licensed speech therapist on how to pronounce different letters >> and sounds and stuff like that. >> I think where he might have been going and where I was going is is that just takes away from direct instruction on the other things that they're measuring us on. That's >> it's more of a prek classroom that they

126want them to push into. >> Oh, okay. All right. Well, there you go. >> Kind of like reading instruction then, didn't it? >> What did you say? >> Kind of sounds like reading instruction that goes along with that. >> It's more like the phmic awareness in prek. So, it's getting students to say the correct sounds with the different letters. And so, that's >> I'm not trying to give you a hard time. I'm I'm questioning the way they're scoring the the data. >> Yes. Uh because you did a given the number of things you're scored on and how many options they have in scoring you. >> Yes. >> You did a great job. You're all to be commended. >> I have a great team. >> You're all to be commended. Yes. >> Thank you. Good job.

127Thank you. Dr. Atkins, is that is she next? Real quickly, I just want to go over two things. I know we've had a lot this evening, but we did provide you. Thanks, Miss Harrison, for creating using AI and other tools to create these charts and graphs. These are our third grade success act performance data for last school year. We have these ready in June, but we wanted to share this on an evening that all five board members were here. You will see the first page is um literacy and what that graph represents is the number of improvement plans. Those are the students that fall below that designated scale score that need improvement. And the blue is the beginning and the gray is the end. And you can see that we other than kindergarten, we had

128a slight increase there. But in grades one, two, and three, you see from the beginning to the end, there are less students that needed those improvement plans. You know, these are the plans that are kind of like um a SAT, but they're very targeted and very specific to students. And we've had when we started this two years ago, all of these numbers were three and four times greater than what they are now. So, we do feel like that each year you'll see reductions in that. The second page is the same data for numerousy and again reductions uh in every grade including kindergarten from the beginning to the end. So these are the foundational skill components that will provide students that are better prepared for grades past grades grade grade three. The next pages um for

129grades four through eight. This is the reports Amy fills out for the state department um for Mr. Jeff Kelly in the office of improvement. And for grades four through eight, they want the lowest performing students. So what we've done the last two years is use the students that scored um red on the our state approved screener, which is I Ready and very pleased to see there all the grades um four through eight in literacy um drastic reductions from the beginning of the year to the end of the year in the number of students that are read. And so you know that it is much more difficult at times to move students from red to yellow than it is from yellow to green. You know your yellow or your what you just call bubble kids. They

130call them movables now but that is uh it's huge. And then numerous see the same thing. So seeing large reductions there in students that are your lowest performing students. So great job fourth and fifth grade and then great job in the middle school grades. Um as measured already. So Amy reports that to the state. >> Any questions about those? There >> less a question and more just a comment. Uh in numerousy for example the number of students dropped from 304 to 208. That's pretty impressive. >> It is. And and what's interesting is these numbers and and we maybe should do that sometime are much lower even at the beginning this year than they were last year. So, you know, we're seeing progress across the board and then that will lead to better achievement, better prepared

131students again as they go into secondary. >> That's the whole idea, right? >> Absolutely. >> Dr. Hkins, I had a just what's on the first two pages. >> Yes, sir. >> Um why the uh huge increase in identified intervention plans between grades one and two? Well, that that is a good question and keep in mind that the the students that are in grades two and three are students that haven't had this program in place since they were in kindergarten. So, they did not have that specific plans identified benchmark threshold to where they get that more intense instruction. So, we saw that last year even more so than we do now. So, the students in Ken one that are in first grade this year experienced this last year. So we predict that that number next year

132in second grade should be much lower and then that will feed all the way forward. >> That's what I was hoping. >> Yes sir. >> So you know and that that is an interesting observation that there is a relationship there you know between the two because the grades two and three did not had that in the beginning. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions on that? And then real quickly just want to brag on Marshall County Schools um in general on the upswing labs report. You know, we always talk and that we know that we have the potential to be one of the highest performing districts in the state of West Virginia. There are many school districts that we often name that we know um often are the highest achieving districts and that we say

133we can be with those. Um on this upswing upswing lab report, it is on third grade literacy and there were only four states in the nation that had you know a significant improvement there. West Virginia's number two uh at 5% and only behind one other state at 5.4. And then we are most proud of there were nine districts in the state that were identified as dynamic districts, meaning that we had the highest growth, much what Mr. Goth is talking about. He sees in that chart um in third grade and it is many of the districts that we're used to hearing and then a new district on that list called Mercer County. And so we're super excited about that. And I will echo what um Leslie and Emily and Crystal said. We have an amazing team.

134We have an amazing literacy team that also includes two principles that I think is integral to our success. And of those nine dynamic districts, Marshall County has the highest percentage of average change in growth above all the others. So we are number one of nine there. So just super proud of that and I encourage you to look that if you have any questions, let us know. >> Well, let's applaud oursel for that. Thanks, Greg. Anyone else is 2322? And I I just want to mention I spoke to a new superintendent Saturday and Mr. Prudish, she mentioned that her board member wanted to know that she talked to that they must have talked to you talking about policy 23:22 and she wanted to know what did you what did your board pass on 23:22 that you're

135doing at your meetings? And I said, "No, we just have it on there." And that got back. So, we shared that. We talked a little bit Saturday several times. >> We We steal from each other all the time. >> Yeah. So, I just want to share that. That was interesting. >> All right. The next item on the agenda is approval of minutes for June 23rd, 2025. >> Second. >> There's a motion to approve. >> Got a slight problem on there. >> Okay. >> I'm really proud of myself. >> All right. >> From from Nashville, I was able to make the motion to adjourn the meeting. >> Wow. Bless is the standard. >> We We know you didn't. So, we'll take care of that cuz I think that was Mr. Bailey. So, >> I didn't. >>

136That's funny there. >> You even had an email that >> quick. >> I think it's a form fill and you're just filled in right there. >> Oh, that's true. That's what it is. It is. >> Oh, that's great. >> All right. So with that correction uh to send it and Jim will you amend your >> Yes. I would like to amend my >> motion and your second motion to make include make the change that Mr. Hodes was not here was me myself that made the motion and after just sending woke Mr. Godfrey up he second it. >> Yes. All right, with that then uh all in favor of the motion signify by saying I I opposed. Likewise, that motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. Under old business, board amendment number 415 is policy

137uh second reading policy G38. If the board does not disagree, I would like to move that to the work session so we can really dig into it and we don't spend the next hour discussing it now >> because it's going to take some time. It's going to take some time. Uh we need to there's a lot of things we need to talk about and and so if the board if that's agrible to the board, we'll move it to the the next uh work session. Uh it'll be one of the topics we discuss. >> I had my negatively speech already, but hopefully we'll make it positive by then. >> There you go. We'll work on it. It's it's a work in progress all always. All right. With that then board memo board memo number 414 is

138second reading of policy I41 which is the Mercer County Blended Robotics League. Uh the changes were made and it it came back uh there were no comments received. Is there a motion to approve? >> Is there a second? >> A motion and a second. >> Questions, comments, or discussion? Then on the motion, all in favor sign Oh, I'm sorry. This is old business. All in favor signify saying I. I >> opposed. Likewise. That motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. >> Thinking consent agenda. >> Board amendment number 413 is uh second reading of policy I49 summer school. Uh no comments were received what was out on public comment. Uh is there a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's a motion and a second. Any discussion?

139There appears to be none. On the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Oppose. Likewise, that motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. Forward memo number 383 is the second reading of policy J10, which is the attendance policy. Four comments were received and I think in response to those comments there might have been some changes. There was one in particular where an and I think was added maybe. Was that in was that with the one that Sandy Gallamore sent in? >> I think it was I think it was highlighted with yellow if I remember correctly >> to show that it was fixed. Yeah, that's what I thought. >> Okay. >> Got the language correct and stuff. Yeah, I got you. >> Tennis director, Mr. Russell Limpaugh. >> Okay. So, um, with

140those changes, um, is there a motion to approve the the move? >> We approve. >> Is there a second? >> A motion and a second. Thank you. >> Any further discussion on the matter? >> There appears to be none. Then on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed? Likewise. That motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. We're on to the consent agenda. Back to number one. Board memo number one is the contracted services agreement for speech language therapy with Linguia Care Associates for the 2526 school year. This is a contracted services agreement. Compensation will be paid at $42 per half an hour with a guarantee of eight sessions a day. Maximum case load is 20 students per if they're traveling from one school to another. The maximum case load

141is 15. Uh year prior year amount paid was 252,126. Year-to- date amount is uh 37,377. Superintendent recommends approval of this agreement with lingual care associates for speech and language therapy services for the 2526 school year. Board amendment number two is uh contracted services for speech language therapy services with best life therapy for the 2526 school year. Compensation is $72 per hour. Uh prior year amount was 752,118. Uh year to date is 620,000. Superintendent recommends approval. Board me number three is approval of contract services with Tammy Bot substitute cook class. The purpose of this memorandum is to request board approval for contracted instructional services to be provided by Tammy Bot in the role of substitute cook instructor for the 2526 school year. The purpose being to ensure that substitutes are properly trained in kitchen operations, safety,

142food handling, and district policies. Superintendent recommends that board approved the contracted services at a rate of $25 per hour for a maximum of 10 instructional classes in the 2526 school year. Board amendment number four is uh the purchasing dire's request to seek authorization for the purchase and installation of Musco Sport Cluster LED lighting system at Honeyut. The total amount of this is 190,000. Superintendent recommends the purchase of this funding is from a donation from Honeyut Foundation. >> Thank you, Honeyut Foundation. >> Yes. >> Uh board memo number five is Eaton UPS units for network equipment. director of technology says we need 12 Eaton UPS uh units to install in our networking to support networking switches when brief power outages occur. This will complete all schools. Uh the cost is $27,498. Superintendent recommends approval from 12

143for 12 Eaton UPS units from zones LLC. Uh this is from a 21st century CL uh technology grant. Board a memo number six is bid number 976 serving counters at Princeton High School. Uh this is to obtain competitive bids for hot and cold serving counters and a utility serving counter at Princeton Senior High School. Bid was advertised in two local papers. The low bid was HPS LLC Middle is am I Michigan >> Michigan for 58,75663 funding is approved through the equipment support grant and state revenue match granting to child nutrition programs. Okay, let me get up here some more. All right. Board amendment number seven is placing the students from Bluefield University uh for the fall and spring semester 2526 to complete a minimum of 300 hours required for their counseling coursework. Placements are contingent

144upon uh completion of the appropriate forms, background check and naming of a site supervisor. Board number eight is placement of the student from Libya University to complete 200 hours in internship in school administration during the fall 2025 semester. The individual will be placed at Spanishburg Elementary School under the supervision of Melissa Booth. Uh placements are contingent as always on the appropriate forms, acceptable background check and site supervisor being named. Superintendent recommends approval. Board member number nine is placement of students from Bluefield State University into education 280. Uh they will meet or convene every Tuesday for 15 weeks at Timberwood Elementary. Uh they will be under the supervision of Dr. Daryl Thompson. Uh placements are contingent upon forms, background check, and site supervisor. Uh Bluefield State University. Uh this is board member number 10. Bluefield State

145University is requesting placement for year-long residencies one and two and Mercer County schools for the fall and spring semesters. uh placements are contingent upon forms, background check, and site supervisor. Superent recommends approval. Board member 11 is the agreements with colleges and universities listed below regarding the uh responsibilities and the placement of student observers and student teacher candidates for their clinical experiences during the years 2526 and 2627. All student teaching placements are pending the receipt of background checks and site supervisors. The listed colleges are American College of Education, uh, University of Phoenix, Western Governor's University, and Western University Parkersburg. Superintendent recommends approval. Board amendment number 12 is Concord University's request for year-long placement residency 1 and two in Mer County Schools for the fall 25 semester. Uh, again, contingent upon forms, background, check, and site. Supervisor,

146superintendent recommends approval. All right. Board amendment number 13 is an addendum to the previous uh memorandum of understanding with New River Community and Technical College. They are requesting a access to the faculty facility to hold evening night courses. In add in return, New River will pay partial salary of all nighttime coordinator and provide all dual credit students with access to sgage unlimited at no cost to MCT. Uh working together. Um, board man number 14 is bid number 977, floor replacement at central office. Competitive bids were requested for finishing and polishing of the existing concrete floor. Bids were put out. We received one bid uh from Claude Herbs Construction for $149,750. This will be partially funded by flood insurance proceeds and the remainder will be funded through the excess levy. The last action item on the

147agenda is board member or consent agenda is board member board memo number 15 which is the payment of invoices. Uh these checks have been written or being held pending consideration by the school board and they will be issued upon schoolboard approval. Uh that gives us the consent agenda. Are there any specific questions about any items on the consent agenda? >> Whose department does the speech therapy a week million dollar worth of services. Is that a lot? Seems like a lot. >> It is advertising. months and no one's apply. You have to provide those services, but they can obviously make more money somebody else than they can. >> I mean, so the fact that there's not more resources available those those ser those companies kind of have us by the >> correct we have reached out

148to different companies to see if we could get better deal somewhere else. company in Kentucky, a lady who just started not >> two ways. >> And then we reached out with like stuff like virtual a lot of virtual and so as far as these two companies >> and Emily, how do we have that many students that they're spending that kind of time with? >> Yes, sir. which is the largest exceptionality in special education. You look around at a restaurant. So by law we have to test and stream every day. >> Yeah. Thank you. I was just it just blew me away. you know, two companies we're spending a million bucks with and it's for the same type service. >> So, some of this stems from the fact that parents don't talk to their kids enough

149when they're really young. >> Correct. It is. It has grown probably dramatically over the last six years. I would say >> some speech issues are hearing related >> some speech issues are mechanical in nature with malf formations in the mouth and >> but so there's a lot of areas but I'm guessing >> has occurred from >> from lack of communication >> right >> because by policy you follow that by a certain age you should be able make certain samples in certain letters. That's how that screen is based upon. >> Were you the one I saw with that love learning book the other day >> when you gave a presentation any I'm reading it and it goes along with what you're saying. >> Put your glasses on, Paul. You can tell from >> Is there anything

150else on the consent agenda? Any other questions? Then on the consent agenda, all in favor signify by saying Oh, I'm sorry. I need a motion. >> Motion. So, >> second. >> And a second. All right. Now, there's a motion and a second. I >> So, I'll do it, too. >> On the motion. All in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed? Likewise. That motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. >> All right. Give me a second to get all made the motion. >> Additional business. All right. East River Soccer Complex is >> that's a deal. >> Number 16. And I tell you, they're they're wonderful to deal with. >> That's a deal. >> The we're entering another yearly agreement with East River Soccer Association and the Board of Education to authorize Bluefield High

151School and Bluefield Middle School as well as Glennwood to play home games at East River Soccer Complex and Bluefield High and Bluefield Middle practice there. The terms are the same as in prior years. It's $18,000 for fiscal year uh 2526. That's what it was last year. the agreements from July 125 to June 3026. Superintendent recommends approval. Is there a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Questions, comments, or discussion. >> On the motion, all in favor sign. I oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. >> They get to play on the big field up the top. And it's nice. It's nice. It's it's a it's a nice organization. >> We We appreciate them. All right. Board amendment number 17 is

152a summary of fiscal year 25 audit findings for schools. You'll find listed by school uh and the principal's response the audit findings. 11 schools had no findings and I'm going to announce those 11 schools because they had no findings. Athens school, Brush Fork Elementary, Mountain Valley Elementary, Lashmate Moka School, Oakill School, Mercer County Early Learning Center, Silver Springs, Spanishburg School, Sun Valley Elementary, Princeton Primary, Princeton High School, and Mercer County Technical Education Center. And you'll have in your packet the rest of the findings as you go through. Is there a motion to approve the audit findings? >> Is there a second? There's a motion and a second. Uh any comments, Leslie, about the findings? Any any you see any trends or just just human error? Again, >> comments, you know, sometimes there's a learning loss

153over the summer as well. Someone has done something and and they forget. Um that frankly is what we find. They have very good school financial secretaries. Um and and I appreciate that you recognize those schools who didn't find any findings. They work very very hard at this. >> Just so for the public, it's it's not these findings do not relate to misappropriation, mis or or spending money or taking money. It relates solely to the the way they're supposed to to respond in handling money. Correct. >> Absolutely. And and this really refers back to the process that I mentioned is that there's there are internal controls built to make us sure we comply with with state code. Some of it we might think is minor. You have to stay if every invoice is paid. Um that

154sometimes they forget and and frankly I'm going to if they forget one or two I'm going to let them go. If it's a repetitive problem that's when it needs to be a true finding or if it's something that we trained on and they just kind of refused to get it. Um, you know, but overall these are just the procedures that are in place to make sure that when we come in and we're audited, when the state comes in or external auditors come in, we're following policy. There's been no misappropriation of funds, no misuse of funds. These are all procedural. I >> I just wanted the public to be aware of that. >> Thank you. >> Since they don't see the list of findings, you're >> right. Thank you. But a lot of times they're just

155sometimes things are done and they're they're just out of order also date wise. It it is it is um and sometimes coaches are not always the best to get a purchase order before they buy something or you know a lot of times there's just not the the communication that that needs to be there for new coaches or things and unfortunately the financial secretary and principal take the brunt of that and we encourage them to meet you know have your ads meet with them and follow those you know especially new coaches make sure they know >> every year you're dealing with new personel And there's a lot of hoops they have to jump through to be compliant. >> It absolutely is. But this is what causes us to have good audit findings and have a clean

156audit report or these things. And and we have a very very good um young lady doing these audits. Her name is Chastity Whitlo. What we also don't see is that she's the one that trains them. So when they make mistakes or she is there to support them. Her job is primarily to make sure they know what they have to do not to get finances. It really is. It's not to punish them by any means. >> And she knows what they've already been trained on. So she's able to >> absolutely does. And to Dr. Phil's point, consistency is very key. It takes, you know, she's been in this job a couple of years. They, you know, she knows it now and she they know to call her and rely on her. And and I will say

157we had low turnover in financial secretaries this year. That helps too. >> Absolutely. It helps everyone. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. But you know, we we do have some really great especially, you know, I have to shout out those those secondary financial secretaries. We found that we cannot pay them differently. Um there is nothing in code that allows us to pay them differently. the only thing that we could do is is extend contracts. And um you know that's not something we were prepared to do this year. We we want to get their their buy in. We don't want to necessarily just hand them here you got to work extra days if you want extra money. But we are still working on that. >> Can you give them a different title? >> Have you looked at that? >>

158I don't want to do anything I don't want to do anything illegal or criminal. you know, >> when you're >> there are some problematic things, as you would know, with the same duties under the classification, that kind of thing. But I'm not saying that it couldn't be looked at and and possibly some >> Well, maybe what we need to do is talk to our elected officials and tell them that they need to carve out a >> Yeah, >> that that's the easiest solution. >> It absolutely is. If it's in code, if it's in in, you know, as a potential secretary job description, it makes it a no-brainer, >> right? Maybe that's the best approach to take. >> That's an excellent point. >> Okay. >> Well, I'm I'll elaborate on what she said. >> Go ahead.

159>> My department, we spend and constantly probably say department. However, with Princeton High not having that's really aggressive. I mean, Betty Betty's did a great job for me. I'm sure she and Chris are working well together. But Princon High spends a lot of money >> does a lot of purchase orders. So they do a good job. >> It is tech as well. >> Tech as well. >> I know personally from Princeton that's >> right. Right. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Princon primary. It's a huge school. >> It's a t it's a tough Yeah. It's a tough job. Yeah. >> Um Okay. So, we haven't voted on Williams at Bluefield High School. I wouldn't have her job. I wouldn't have any of those ladies jobs. >> I will also say, >> go ahead real quick. Yeah,

160go ahead real quick. >> We'll just vote without you. >> Yep. Okay. Um, so on the motion, >> so move. >> All in favor? We've got We've got a motion in a second. So, on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. >> Opposed? Likewise. All right. So, we've got four in favor. None opposed and one not voting. Momentary break. Board memo number 18 is budget transfers and supplements. Uh from June 125 to June 3025. Budget transfers are 17,178,594.96. Budget supplements are 13,44,76.3. Superintendent recommends approval of the budget supplements and transfers. Is there a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> There a motion and a second. Any questions, comments, or discussion? You should had in your packet the information you needed to review that. If there

161is no questions, send >> on the motion. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Four in favor, none opposed, and one not voting. personnel agenda. Board member number 19. Uh we didn't have any addendums or improvements. So, uh we're on to the personnel agenda. Uh is there a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Is there a second? Second. A motion and a second. Are there any questions, comments, or discussion on personnel? Any need to go in executive session to discuss personnel matter? There appears to be none. Then on the motion, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I oppose. Likewise. That motion carries. Five in favor and none opposed. That is the last action item on the agenda. So we need to talk about scheduling a

162work session. I gave you a sheet of paper with some potential >> areas of conversation for a work session. It's probably going to be a lengthy one. You we might want to split it in two. We also need to give staff time to look at what we're going to talk about and be prepared to to discuss it with us so we don't just hit them wide open um with it um >> so at least the first one and then and then I'll get your list. I ask you to write down anything else that you were interested in and I'll get with the superintendent and we'll divvy up the u figure out if we can do it in one day or if we need to split it up or if it's going to be a really

163long day. That happens too. So you can look at your calendar. >> Yes. >> Um our policy uh information should we have some is it's I don't see that on there. set for I added it as number 10 when I we got done because I didn't I didn't know that we would do that and then after hearing everything we need to have that conversation >> so I've added it on there myself the cell >> uh cell phones number two >> expulsions is number three >> achievement data is number one >> u just heads up to people that might be hearing this future funding issues we may face considering budget cuts state and federal level and proactive response responses instead of reactive responses. Um, maximize, we talked about this several times, but we've really not taken

164any action. Maximizing income streams from athletic events via streaming and other methods. >> U, it's time for us to get the cut. I mean, it's going to go to the schools, but we need to be more organized about how we do it. Um, >> the discussion of real estate acquisition for Princeton Intermediate. uh promoting the our public schools to the public and those choosing alternatives to public schools needs project for 2526 which we may take up here shortly. Uh construction projects updates projected construction projects needs and any board thoughts about that and then policy uh manual. Uh anybody else got any other thing they'd like to talk about at a work session? right now. >> You got goals and uh also >> Yeah, that's probably better in a work session than a board meeting can

165get. >> So, is someone working on the SBA? >> Well, we're going to talk about that here in just that's the next thing on the agenda >> tonight. >> Yeah, >> I think not >> for discussion. >> Okay. >> Um so, >> calendar. [Music] So, um, >> somebody throw out a date. >> I'm going to here, Jimmy. Just a second. I'm looking. >> Amy, we're not having printed calendars. Paul just asked me. Correct. >> Yeah, we are. >> Oh, we are. There you go. That's where he wants to keep them. I'm running out of >> We had to wait for the attendance policy to be approved. Um, >> okay. >> Change it in the calendar, but we should have them before the admin back on August. Uh, anybody? Let's see. The Friday the 25th. >>

166Friday. >> That won't work. I won't be in town. >> Okay. Well, we want you to be here. How about Monday the 21st? That gives a week. That's if we 21st. >> No, >> I'll have to leave town that afternoon. >> I don't I think that's a live meeting. We only have one. I'd rather not do it. >> That's fine. That's fine. >> Unless it depends on what time of day you're doing. What time of day you talking about? >> Morning. >> Well, you typically start in the morning. >> Yeah, that'd be fine. >> And you're leaving that afternoon? >> Yes. In the morning. >> So, you want to do 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning and then the superintendent and I will discuss what chunk of these we want to talk about which ones. I

167mean, cell phone is going to take a good chunk of time. So, >> talking about like that day. >> Is she out that day? Okay. Then we'll That's why I need to talk to you about what should be on that. >> Well, that's why I said we Huh? >> I just round 28. >> Yeah. Ernie won't be either. >> Uh, how about >> How about the 24th of July in the afternoon? >> That's good for me. >> So, we can't do it the 21st. >> What is it? >> 21st hour. cell phone. >> What about >> you could do something else? >> We could do other things. It's probably going to have to be broken up in two chunks. >> So, what about the 24th in the afternoon? >> That works for me. >> Can

168you do that to Thursday? >> I don't have it on my phone. >> I'm pretty I'm pretty well free, though. >> Okay. All right. >> You'll block off your thought. >> Yeah, that's going to mess up my go. >> Well, we just won't do cell phones that day. We'll have to pick a different day for that. Yeah, state >> on the 24th. Well, I was going that's why I said afternoon. So, do you want to do 1:30? >> Sure. >> So, July the 24th at 1:30 >> till like 5:30 or something. >> Probably. Yeah, probably 3 hours. That's, you know, after after Okay. Well, after four hours we're all kind of punchunk four hours >> because some of this can some of this is more you just telling us than us really getting into >>

1691:30 to 5:30. >> What time did you say December? >> 1:30 to 5:30. >> And then then I'd ask the board also when we look at topics, let's look at what we >> 4:30 is after Can I >> We're not going to get >> Can I bring up something? Go ahead. I come back. When when we have a topic though, we got to look at what staff we got involved cuz we got a lot there's a lot of crunch with school starting on the the you know, we've got administrators back on the fourth and I could ask our team, but that's a whole thing to wrap up four hours with you all. That's a tough thing. >> You know, >> I don't disagree with you, but let you know. It's been that way all summer.

170>> Well, I just want to let you know. Plus, we got some a lot of trainings going on that you guys put on us, too, that we've got coming up that, you know, we've got mornings taken and other sessions and all that, a lot of stuff. So, I just want to let you know and plus they do have time >> that they need to make sure they take and take off also. I just want to let you know. So, >> sure, >> I'll be the stroken one on that. >> We'll work we'll work around what we can, but these are things we need to get done with. And >> I mean, you know, it's it's uh they're better served in a work session than in a board. >> Those are those are four hours too

171long for my program, but >> Okay. Well, we may not we may get done quicker. Just depends. >> Well, it depends on also what you decide the topics are going to be. >> Well, that's the whole point is we can >> start at one. Who knows? >> So, um Okay. So, we've got a date for that one. Then we'll see after that one what the next one would be. >> So, we've got the 21st and the 24th. >> No, not just the Couldn't do the Couldn't do the 21st. >> Just the 24th. >> It didn't work out. >> 24th at 1:30 here. >> Very good. >> We good here? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> 24th, right? 24th. All right. The SBA needs projects. You should have had on your desk when you got

172here a timeline situation >> from the SBA. Yes. >> The SBA needs uh project by everything needs to be into them by the 12th of September. Um >> are we going to do MC again? >> That's for the board to decide. That would be my view. Um >> we don't have any property for Princeton Intermediate. So we can't they will not consider a project if we do not have real estate >> though >> uh is the consensus of the board to to proceed forward with that >> you need any um official position on the property out on >> no about selling >> no >> why don't we discuss that >> it's not on >> we certainly can but we can't tonight because it's not on the agenda >> we put that on the agenda for

173the work session >> and then do you want this action item to be on the next agenda too after we discuss here? I think that's a good idea. That's a better way to do that than discussing it and asking >> I agree. >> I think we'll do it that way >> if you're okay with that. >> I just before you put it on the next agenda, just want to get a sense of the board. >> If somebody got another project, um okay, uh expulsion hearings are the next one on the agenda, but that's going to be on a work session, so we can discuss that. Then you should have a form that superintendent provided you showing the the process that's been used in the past. Um, okay. Anything else from board members, future agenda items,

174any requests or information needed from anybody here? >> I didn't I didn't have on there administrative updates, but I'm not sure if anything you want to request. >> I think we pretty much covered everything. 2 23 22 is very good >> and I I'm I'm appreciate the board and the staff that what they report out on that that's huge and there's a lot of people looking at that and >> you know that the state board looks at your minutes how much is worked on academics and all that I think we cover that very well and uh again had a few discussions on a Saturday got an email and I replied back and and we worked on it that day from another county that I think was pretty impressive and you know Mrs. Wellman's notes on

175what she did on how the rating with 23 22 that was shared of how you did that and who typed it up and who did this and and another counties wanting that to how you did that way. So that was very impressive that that has some heat and having some watch on them. So that's huge. >> Thank you. >> I do have one additional thing if that's okay. >> Yes. >> Um the ribbon cutting ceremony for Timberwood will be on August 14th at 11 a.m. Uh we're based on all the arrangements. Uh Dr. Bose and I are working closely together on what we're purchasing and what we're going to have. It's going to be a big shinig. It's going to be great. But I wanted to pull you all a list of who has been

176invited. And if you just want to email me and tell me any additional people that you feel need to be on the list >> that we somehow missed. >> And many people I've already emailed, they already have an email digital copy of the invitation, but it will also be on them as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I'm glad you I had forgotten. I'm glad you >> did the governor commitment for the pending. >> Not yet. >> Okay. >> Not yet. >> Hopefully not. >> Sorry. >> Just real uh >> Amy. >> Yes. >> Just real quickly. The county commissioner. >> County commissioner. >> Yeah. I thought we had mention that there. >> Oh yeah, he'd be real. >> That's part of economic development. Big schools and >> good school systems part of economic

177development. >> Um, anybody else? >> Well, if you said you said that if you're talking about economic development, what about president Chamber of Commerce? >> I think that's probably appropriate, too. I agree. Justice >> I think that's appropriate. >> I think extending a that's a really good idea. Extending an invitation to the presidents of our higher education >> facilities is a good idea. They can come or not, but be extended. I >> mean, we're working together, you know, why not let them see what we're doing in our building. Um, what about did we get any money from the shots foundation for the school? >> No. No. >> No. In fact, I I think the first time we've ever requested money for a construction project on a needs project was for MCT. >> I think that's

178the first time we've ever done that. >> Okay. >> Also, >> that's true. But that that's really not a needs project. That's a a county project. But yeah, we appreciate that, too. >> Um, >> emergency service. >> Jane is the clerk of the works. >> Yes. >> Sheriff Emergency Service. >> Yeah. Sheriff and and Pyfield Rescue Squad. >> The the president of the rescue squad. >> Okay. See, you're way ahead of or way ahead of Jim. Uh but sheriff's not on there. >> City of Bluefield police chief. They don't come out there. But >> we could invite Leslie's new friend Shannon Reines. >> It's a big party celebrating a wonderful thing. And the more the marrier property, >> we just don't have a big enough Give her Give her the mic, Mrs. Walton. Give her

179Give >> Give her the mic, Mrs. >> Okay. Should you should anybody think of anybody between now and >> and this week, just >> send Amy a message. U because you may think of you may come up with some people. Um >> I'm trying to think. Um, >> so there appears to be nothing else coming before the board. Mr. Hodgees, >> what about the parents and the kids? Could they be allowed to come? >> Well, they're that's the whole point. It's a It's a Yeah. >> Are they on there? >> This is not that. >> No, because this very next week they're having meet the teacher at the house and all of that. >> That's just staffed. something out there to where potentially some of Ashley's friends in the >> other school meth [Music] school

180we've opened when we do the ribbon cutting it's been open to the public this would be a new news to me we Oakville everybody was there when we opened it Pike View everybody was there when we opened most of them aren't going to come, but it all be open. I think >> for >> I mean, we had a we had a ceremony. We had a big ceremony and then opened the doors up to the kids and the parents and they I I remember cuz I always remember Oakville because I kept walking around thinking this is exactly why you do this, why you fight for money because those kids, they're saying things like >> I I can't believe they did this. >> We spoke with Dave Ferguson at CNN because when Dr. and and I spoke

181about it. Um, three days later they're having a big open house and meet the teacher. This was just going to be the media with Harry and >> we did speak with Dave Ferguson at CNM and other places in the state. He said usually they don't open the public for the business. >> Well, I appreciate his opinion, but I don't agree with him. We've I guess my view is is we've just never done it that way. When we open it, we open it so everybody can come in and see it. >> Well, one way to handle it might be to >> announce both events at the same time. >> Well, >> it's not going to be ready. The teachers will not have been able to move into their rooms. The furniture will not be finished until

182>> that day. >> So, so that that >> will not be set up. >> Okay. So the question that needs to follow that in is why is that? Who dropped the ball? >> That is enough. >> All right. So that needs to be recalled when we do another RFP. >> I started in October asking >> I know you did. That's why I'm asking. Who did it? >> I just think it's a community event now. Shut down. um blue well and you shut down airport. >> There you go. Brush and now you've got a new place for I think it's community event not let community come to the meet your teacher day >> in elementary. >> Now we're not talking about the parents. We're talking about the community >> the people that are out there. You

183don't know how many people those people there are that would like to come up and see what that new school looks like. They're already gone. >> Yeah. >> And we did look at having the grand opening a few days later. That was my suggestion because then everything would be set up and I did remember Mount Valley and everyone going through. But it doesn't allow teachers time to set up their rooms if >> and that day. So the decision made to have it before and >> well I think I think the board would like to relate to ZMM. We are very unhappy about the fact that the furniture's rolling in days before the school is out and it could cost them in the future. I can only speak for myself but it's not setting well with

184me at all. >> Absolutely. We will >> maybe they don't need our business. I don't know. Move we journ. >> Oh man, >> there a second. >> He beat >> you wanted to do. >> He beat you. >> He was egging it all. >> Excuse me. >> I've got one more thing that I need you all to know about. Okay. >> In case you get questions about >> please. So, we had a meeting today, a webinar from the retirement board, and through Senate Bill 712, there is a um I don't even know what to call it, but it's one of those things that's going to aggravate you, Mr. doesn't take a lot anymore. But >> so there is um when we have a retiree that retires, there has to be a 60 consecutive day um

185period of time that we do not offer them any kind of employment whatsoever. >> I saw that. So, the way that I'm thinking through this, we're going to have some problems obviously with substitutes that retired as of July 1. Um, now they have given us a little grace period for this statistic going into effect until July 11th, but let's just theoretically say it's July 1st. That means that we cannot offer them any kind of employment. We can't talk to them in any capacity and they can't talk to us or they'll or the retirement board can take their >> retirement and there's those procedures there that maybe lacks terms the way I'm using that but you all think about this in this context we have somebody that is a coach and they retire and they by

186law they have to retire from their or they have to resign from their football coaching position and I advertise that position. I can't consider them until 60 days after. So that's that's problematic in one way. And the retirement board really council, but based on what they're saying is we couldn't in any type of conversation with them at all for 60 consecutive calendar days. So that's one problem. The second thing, one of their solutions were because our school calendars usually end like at the end of May and start later in August, which ours does not do. They they're telling us, well, maybe individuals need to retire effective date June 1st and then they can get the 60 days in before we start school again. Well, what happens to the nine or 10 days left of school

187that we have to worry about all these teachers retiring? >> So, I don't know what's to come out of this, but you all probably will have questions if somebody calls and says to you all that they won't even talk to me about something. >> We'll know why. >> You'll know why. >> Well, the question we should ask, have you retired? >> Yeah. >> All right. >> So, I just wanted you all to know about that. No one's happy about it. Um, >> well, is there logic or do they even have >> the legisle The legisle >> did it. Yeah, they put it in. >> They did it behind closed door because somebody's relative couldn't get a job because a retiree got it. So, they put this in. That's what always happens. a hold of and

188they sent the article to that we were not in compliance with what other states were doing. So Tom's right in that aspect, but you know the frustration for us and and you all know this as well. It's one more roadblock to getting people in our classrooms to teach the kids. And it's very frustrating that you can't even have a conversation with people without somebody chastising. And that's that's basically what I got off the and the other piece of it was they all the HR directors and payroll all these people are on this webinar and were asking questions and they can't answer the questions because I don't know that they and I don't want to say they but I am going to say they haven't thought through all the different aspects of how this impacts schools

189and people >> it sounds like people making decisions that don't know haven't run a school this is this is what happens when the legislaturator's operated like a private club instead of having hearings and letting different points of view come in and make commentary about proposed legislation. They do it behind closed doors because they're not subject to the >> the acts that we're subject to. They prepare the bill. They rush it through. Nobody knows what the consequences are. They're told, "You need to vote for that. I'm the leadership. Vote for it. You want that that committee appointment, you vote for it. That's how it's going to be." This is what happens. And it's just going to continue until we make some changes. keep it. >> It sounds like they had one goal and I think I

190already know what the one goal probably was in my head, but they don't understand that that one goal is going to create five or six problems. And that's true with so many things. I And who cares what Ohio's doing? >> Thank you. >> Who cares what KY's doing? We may have a Maybe they need to be doing what we're doing instead of vice versa. And boy, we've lived I lived that for almost 40 years being an educator because we it was what California and Texas did. >> Let's lead instead of follow. Right. >> Exactly. So, but anyway, >> I didn't want to leave you on a bad note, but you just >> I'll leave you a good note. So I was at a conference last week in Wheeling with all the facilities directors in the

191county and the SBA and lots of people there and heard nothing but wonderful things from SBA about Timberwood how it's going to be showcasing in West Virginia. Very excited to show it off. >> It is a beautiful school. >> Y good stewards of their money and they're proud of us. >> Exactly. Lots of really cool idea. I just told Leslie, but I'll share with everyone. Uh some of the tech centers now they're going to renovate and we're building them. Uh they're leaving. So you can see the grades in action. And one of the things that they talked about was that how not only does it showcase for the students, but also the workers that are doing it take extra time know >> it's going to be seen. >> It's going to be displayed. Yeah. >>

192It's directional and it's colorcoded. It's a really >> That's cool. >> That's a good idea. That would be really >> That would be a great idea. Yeah, >> great idea. Awesome. >> See, I ended on that. >> There you go. Good job. Thank you. All right. So, is there a motion to adjurnn? Is there a second? I did. >> Okay. Any objection? Good night, everybody.