001Good evening and welcome to the regular session, regular board session for 2026. First one kicking off. If you would please stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you very much. Hope everyone had a nice break. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Uh board members, you do have an agenda with some personnel items and some checks that are to be approved. Entertain a motion for the agenda and agenda as presented. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any comments or concerns? >> All those in favor of saying I. >> I. None. The eyes carry it. good things. 2026 is off to a bang banging
002start. So, I mean, we're back to school and we were able to hit the first day. I'm not sure what other good thing you want to put into that blank, Mr. Banks. >> Well, we had a really good uh meeting with our CKH represents capturing kids hearts. He had shared some data with us and um he was supposed to have that to us today and I don't have it tonight, but he's supposed to get to me at some point. Anyway, our schools are doing really well with capturing kids hearts. Um, as you know, we uh have had many schools receive that national distinction and u uh our schools are doing excellent with it. in particular. Uh things like good things um the uh launches at the end of the class period, students involvement in their
003own leadership in the classroom, the uh um con social contracts that they have and uh even u high school is usually the kind of the last to come on board with things like this. The high school's doing very well with those things, too. And sometimes with these items in in in a program like this, you have to kind of tailor it towards the age of the student so that it's more relevant. And so I think our high school teachers have done a a a good job of tailoring it to uh their needs. But uh I'd hope to have that data with you tonight. So I'll bring it next time. But just wanted to share that and say that we're off to a good start for capturing kids hearts. >> Anyone else have a good thing
004kickoff? You know, last year at this time it was like four or five degrees out and we had to cancel school. >> Yeah, I do remember that. >> It's not It's not It's a good thing that it's not 5°. >> I believe I believe there was a lot of staff that uh and students that wanted it to happen that way again. >> Sure. >> Mr. Le, how was attendance first two days back >> for students or >> for students? um for students not I haven't heard anything um our uh the data that we have the first semester data closes next Monday. >> Okay. >> So the last time it it creeped up a little bit there in December which we expected that because of all the time out and just sickness creeping in and all
005that good stuff but so far this haven't heard anything. So I think no news is good news on that. >> It is. Yeah. >> Most people I talked to are ready to get the kids back to school. Mhm. >> So >> that's the parents. >> Exactly. >> You have one thing I'd like to share. This is just an observation. I think I think maybe we take it for granted because of the small communities we live in. But I'm always impressed with uh when the holidays roll around and everybody bands together to look out for our kids who are the most needy, who don't have Christmas typically. >> Uh and there's several programs. I mean, I can throw out a bunch. Audrey Morris, Denell Smith, uh is great at coordinating a lot of things. Um we
006do an exceptional job, and I'm not just saying school system, the community at really reaching out to those families that need it. >> And I I just don't want us to ever take that for granted because we make sure that kids do have a Christmas. And uh we had, we may have shared this with you, but we had how many Christmas trees? >> Seven Christmas trees that we had downstairs in Miss Betto's office. and they were available for people to have to take with them. And that was our architect who called and said, "Hey, we've got some extra Christmas trees." But, uh, I just didn't want to leave that out. But our our community is just always so great with, you know, that little thing. So, shout out to them. >> Presentations. Up first is
007Morgan County Schools calendar for 2026 hearing number one. So up here um our 267 calendar. Um so on this side right here first go through two public meetings and today's the first one and then our next one will be at Pleasant View. So, in this right here, again, we did this last year, uh, the last couple years where we just kind of give some description about what days we have to use when we get to the when we get to the actual calendar. Some of these make sense. Um, again, you have to have 180 days of instruction. That's a must. Um, you get, uh, two prep days, one at the beginning, one at the end. You have some curriculum development days. You see them sprinkled in usually at the beginning of the school year. Uh
008non-instructional days of course are you know holidays or yeah and then the next page is some more description of days that we have. Um and then lastly is again more of those. The thing on this is to remember graduation dates on this one is that has to be a minimum of 175 instructional days. So they have seniors have to attend that and then professional learning days we can have up to five of those and we do use all five of those. We use usually two at the beginning of the year then three out the end of the throughout the year on at the end of the nine weeks. So we get three breaks for students and we also do PL and planning and such for classroom teachers. Um this is just the holidays for 2627.
009Um I always talk with the calendar that these are the this my favorite slide of this. This means that none of us have to work on these days. Um so again going through here and again they always want in the counter guidance document they provide they always give us when Good Friday and Easter are because generally that's where we uh put our spring break around. Um this is just a summary of this of of the proposed calendar we're giving you guys here this evening. So the first one here is our first day of school for students will be August 18th. We have a full week of Thanksgiving. We have two weeks of Christmas again. Um we have a full week of spring break. Our last day again that's tentative is May 27th. So actually the
010Thursday before Memorial Day. Over on the side there are just important dates. Our first day of employment for staff, our first day of instructional term which is a PL day at 8:13. Um we have our first day of instruction, our last day of the first semester, our 100th day uh 175th day. So notice our graduations are after that date. And then we have um our last instructional day and then our last employment day for 200 day contracts is that Friday before Memorial Day. >> Oh, so graduations the last day of school, too. >> Y >> and note that paws on a Wednesday. Yes. Instead of a typical Friday. >> Oh, really? >> This year we have >> this year. Yeah, >> this year they're going back >> Friday. They've put kicked it back to Friday.
011>> They kicked it back to Wednesday next year for 2026. >> Yeah, correct. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yeah, I just June. It was all over me because I said I can't do that. So, it's in that's in the document. >> So, when is Paula graduation this year? This May. >> It's on Wednesday. >> It's on a Wednesday. Okay. >> I like that. All right. And then I know this is probably hard to see up here on this board. I'm going to scoot it around. It's hard for me. You have a copy of it there. This is just the employee view of what it looks like for us. So again, all those dates that we just talked about, all those typical days, that's what all these letters mean in here. Of course, you know, we
012already went through all those, but we um moved our PL days. We kept them at Mondays again for next year. That's been kind of the consensus that we've received um for different whether it be child care, whether it be for a soft entering back in. It's also a three-day weekend for our students at the end of each nine weeks. That's that's been kind of a nice little break for them. Um >> can see that sorry mess back. >> It it was better. >> I could actually see it. Um and then again this reflects our um uh full week at Thanksgiving, two weeks at Thanks, uh two weeks at Christmas, full week at spring break. And then again down here, this is if you notice here, this holiday is late next year. And so is Labor
013Day. It's like a that's a whole week later than what it has been. So that's why we're able to get that last day of school in before. >> Yeah. Okay. uh if it would have been you know like it normally is we would we would have been in school after Labor Day or after Memorial Day >> only a day or two. >> Yeah. So this is uh this is where that ends at. And again this allows us to have that Thursday of graduation and faculty senate day. All of our buses are back. We did implement last year of having a a bus uh moving from Wood or transporting people from Woodmire to the Purpose Brings High School with having that early out day. that helps with that too, having bus drivers back and they're on
014time and all that good stuff. So that works out for that. Now again, that's tentative. If we get 11 snow days, of course, that backs up one day, you know, after that. So, so that is what it looks like for our employees. Um, the next slide here that we have is >> I'm just moving the screen there. Give it just a sec. >> There you go. All right. And this again just uh highlights the professional learning days. Um and then our twohour early dismissals uh for faculty 7 days. That's all of those. >> Would you mind just telling them about the questionnaire that we had about do you prefer? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Right here it is. All right. So this is our survey results. We send the survey out uh um every year
015before the calendar goes out. And on this one again on our responses were down a little bit this year. But what I equate that to is that we've really our calendars have been pretty good the last couple years. And this is this calendar right here is really good. I really like this one uh for a multitude of reasons from the tenants side of things from just a just a multitude. I I was worried that we weren't going to be able to do two weeks of Christmas, but we were able to figure that out and then also still be out before the Memorial Day before June. Um, so in this here, you'll notice that there was 138 employees that answered this and 82 parents. So, decent enough. Um, and then on this again, we always ask
016this. We know what the answer is. We ask it anyhow. Um, what type of break do you prefer? Thanksgiving is always always always until I mean I guess I should say always but this always will be favored to be a full week. Um you know it's an important week in the state. Uh uh so that's that. And then of course spring break that's kind of waffled or kind of wavered a little bit every other year. This year it went back to a full week. Um sometimes in the past it's been kind of 50/50 on what people think if they want to do like a longer weekend uh for spring break. Um and then of course this next one here is uh professional learning days. Uh we asked which date uh that they'd like this to
017be. And again this one was pretty closer between Monday and Friday. Uh Monday had the more votes on this but we had already planned for the Monday for next year because we had we've had some better attendance on those days this year with staff. I wouldn't say it's like you know tremendous or nothing like that but we have had some better attendance um on those days this year. Uh the next uh the last question on that again two-hour delays or early dismissals our community or the folks uh want to early release that's been that's been the common theme since I've been doing this um with that and then this last box right here is the comments and just kind of again we I equate this as not a bad thing. We went down to only
01836 comments this year. I think it's because our calendars have been pretty good. Um uh again last year we had 58. Uh this year we had 36. Uh 14 comments about the start and end of school year. Again that is a lot of that is why aren't we starting till after Labor Day? Why aren't we start? You know that kind of stuff. And just if we go back to this right here this will kind of give you a visual of that. So, if you, for example, if we were to move this week to this week, or let's just say in this next year's case, we're going to be up into September. We're starting after Labor Day. If we were to move this week up to this week, that's just going to back you up clear
019into June. >> So, that's why that can't be done. Um, again, it's I I too would love for that to be just Labor Day, Memorial Day, but it's just with the 100 day 100 day 18 day requirement. >> You could maybe you could do it, but you'd have to get rid of your week breaks. You're not going to have a week at Thanksgiving. You're not going to have two weeks at Christmas. >> Yeah. So, that's always that's always a that's always like a comment that's on there. And I I I've messed with that and trying and it's just backs you so far up into June. But the other part of that though is you're you're scheduling this with the other tri counties or whatever for >> for Rumsy purposes too, right? So I mean we
020kind of have to >> be in line with them. >> Yep. And we did that this year too. We had two meetings with Berkeley and Jefferson uh back in December. >> Um Berkeley came last year. They they approved two calendars uh for two years. So they 26 and 26 27 calendar. So their calendar is already done. So we face a lot of ours. Not a lot. I will say just the big breaks is what we try to get with with county. We're our PL days are always going to be separate from theirs. U they have true semesterers classes. So they end their semester always before Christmas break. We could do that. We would have like a 45day and a 38 day and a 42 day. It just messes with our staff doesn't like that. So
021we we've always just done short 45day uh brown weeks. But so that's that's where that is. So um that's why we really can't get that start after Labor Day is because it would back us up clear into June. >> And then again the variety of topics is a lot of different things. Um you know Columbus Day. So um but that's where that's where our survey results came in. And again, that's the calendar we propose to you guys this evening. Next time we do this, we'll do real quick and that'll be it. We're approving the next meeting. Is that accurate? >> Yep. >> And then is there there another way for anybody to have comments online if they want to do >> we have these meetings advertised, right? They can come to these. Uh we we
022closed the survey uh before this meeting so that we have the results for that. So we we run for the we ran it for the pretty much the whole month of December. >> Okay. >> And then close it for that. >> So they had plenty of time. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Yeah. You know to start after the the the argument about okay when's our summer break and we got to get 180 days. I've got extended family members. Their kids are in school the second week of August in Georgia. I think >> I've got nieces and nephews that Yeah. they start later, but they're also in school later. >> Yep. >> And it's just, you know, if you start later, then at some point you're going to have a short summer. Then people are going to
023get mad that we got a short summer, >> not much of a break. So, is what it is. >> Yeah. Yeah, this kind you the whole month of June office as a student and in this case this year for staff the whole month of June is off for 200 day employees the whole month of June and the whole month of July. Um you're not you're not working for those two months. So >> I think it's cool that 138 staff answered the survey. >> Yeah. >> Good. Mhm. >> Good deal. Thank you very much. >> Thanks. Conversation is kicking off for 126 vote. >> Okay. So, I have three separate items for you tonight. The first one is the timeline. So um I took some information that we took from code about levy timelines and kind
024of put it into simplified version. So the first first one we're going to talk about tonight is that the timeline of events and you also have this in your packet and I emailed it to you as well. Um superintendent presents to the board tonight um the call and I'm going to give you a couple options. um to consider for the levy call. And then uh following that, the next step is I submit that proposed levy to the attorney for review. And that that's in code that you're actually required to do that. And then we would like to have that back by January 27th so that we could have it go on the February 3rd agenda for approval. So that essentially gives us from tonight to February 3rd to review the levy call and make any
025any changes. Uh we would obviously like to have it in its final version or recommended version to Jason before that. So we still have some some time there. Once the levy call is approved, the superintendent takes the levy to the courthouse by March 3rd. And then the next sentence is just kind of says that is the last possible day. March 3rd is the last possible day to take the approved le to the courthouse and then election day is May 12th, 2026. So, um, Ann's kind of my partner tonight. So, is there anything that you would like to add to that? Did I cover your thing? >> No, just a little tidbit. We didn't talk about that. It also has the county commission by >> Okay. >> Is there a date on there for that or
026is the same >> same date? So if something happens and we have a big snowstorm on the 3, that still gives us time to approve it at the next meeting for the March. >> We can always have a special meeting if we need to, but yeah, we would have time. >> So the next thing that I have for you tonight is uh I know you can see that, right? So we in your in your folder >> in your folder there's a version of that that's larger and much easier to see. I can. >> So essentially what this is is the levy call in a table format except I added a section in the middle examples because sometimes when you see these buck these different buckets um it's not necessarily clear about what those actually mean.
027So I'm just going to kind of go through these individual buckets, give you first of all what it is, second of all some examples and then finally the amount that is in that bucket. So please stop me at any point and ask any questions. So as you know before I talk about this first one, we struggle to recruit and retain teachers. We have districts all around us that provide higher salaries um even better benefits. And so it's very hard to uh compete. Um our pride is that we uh have a family atmosphere here and we bring people in and look out for them and provide them the support they need. Um in order for us to continue to supplement salaries um we have included this in here. So I'm just going to kind of read
028this to you. continue the local salary schedule with the required social security unemployment compensation, workers comp, and other employee benefits for school personnel. Such funding would allow the board to employ retain high qualified personnel to provide a high quality education to the children of Morgan County. So, what's that mean? What are some examples? uh dental and vision are two examples and uh school districts that do not have a levy um do not aren't able to supplement dental and vision uh in their districts. We tend to receive a lot of positive feedback about those benefits. Um so those would uh are really important to everybody not just our employees but their families. Um support positions and supports positions not included in the state's funding formula. We talk about the funding formula a lot and we know
029it's not adequate to fund what we need to run a school system. Some of those positions as examples in treasure and technology staff as well as other positions. And I'll give you some recent examples that we've brought to you. Nursing is a big one. Um we have a student move in who has a need. Um we could have to hire a nurse. We could have to hire an aid on a bus. We could have to hire an aid in the classroom. those types of positions are not covered in any way. So to supplement um and provide services for students who are the most needy, sometimes you need additional support there. And nurses and behavior support is one thing recently that we have really needed to provide additional support. So we had the BCBA that has
030been hired. We also have a behavior coach uh who was recently employed as the assistant principal. So those are some some examples and of the 5.5 million total um 2.5 billion is in this particular uh bucket. Um the next um is to provide critical education programs including but not limited to alternative ed prevention resources enrichment remediation social emotional support health and well-being extracurricular activities and STEM programs including vocational. So, some examples there, um, alternative ed programs at Berkeley Springs and Warm Springs. Uh, our pro officer is funded through that. Uh, our program support for James Ramsey, it's included there. Um, we supplement our school allocations for athletic trips, equipment, and officials fees. And by the way, officials fees have really, really blown up recently. And then also Morgan County, uh, we are pleased to be
031able to offer free admission for students to extracurricular events. So again, just some examples there. And that's 1.5 million of the 5.5 million. So those first two make up about 4 million of the 5.5 million. Those are the two biggest. Um, and this again, this is a proposed uh ley call based on similar um breakdown from the previous years. And this is a result of uh Mr. Close, Miss Bell, and myself sitting down and looking at this and making a couple couple tweaks here and there. So, we're bringing this to you tonight for some feedback. Uh the third one is to provide for security operations and the maintenance of facilities. That's a big one. Um recent upgrades, some examples, addition of man traps at Windmire and we're hoping to put a man trap at football.
032And then um locking me mechanisms for classrooms has been a big focus this year. Um security camera replacement is always happening. And then ongoing maintenance at our older facilities and we talk often about that, not just roofs, but we have a lot of other needs in our older facilities that we're constantly putting money into so that we have the safest and healthiest environment for our kids and staff. And that's uh 500,000 uh for that bucket. Next one is to provide for capital improvements or purchase of property. Um this one is you have been hearing a lot about this lately too. The roof projects that we submit to the SBA. Our local match comes from um this bucket and any matching funds for anything else which would include a building renovation, an addition or even uh
033any health and safety upgrades that people want to consider uh for our district. That amount is 370,000. Next one is to improve access to technology through the purchase and lease of hardware, software, infrastructure repair and training. So our as examples, our onetoone technology initiative comes from here and uh needed technology for office and teaching staff which always has to be updated. I think Morgan County Schools is is excellent at providing the right technology for our teachers to use in the classroom and maintaining it and that does cost a lot of money. Also, as example, software needed for instructional programs including EXL, uh, I Ready and Eden. Those are all very important programs in our district and that's 125,000. Next bucket is to provide instructional materials, programs, textbooks, and equipment. We have every year a textbook
034adoption, uh, instructional materials adoption every year. Some of those are really large. If we adopt the English language arts or math, those can be very expensive, whereas some other years they're far less expensive depending on what we're adopting. The state has a cycle that you uh have to follow for adoption. So examples, classroom materials and supplies, county initiatives like letters, IE and CK would be partially funded out of this. And then a lot of our materials like reading selection, science and math, hands-on experiences in our classrooms and that one is $400,000. And then finally, the last one, last bucket to support the county public library and Paul Public Library, a total of 50,000. And obviously that example is just providing support to our local libraries for a total amount of 5.56 million anticipated collected for
035that. So, uh, that's just a document we created today to try to, um, not only give you what's in the bucket, but some recent examples of things that there. The next two things, there's two options um, for the appearance, the ley call, what it looks like for our voters. Um, obviously I know you can't see that, but this is a table format. This is something that we've talked about that probably simplifies it uh for a voter that they can see a table as opposed to writing in a paragraph. So um that's the the format that it would look like uh if it's in a table format. Those things that are in that table are exactly what I just read from you from that first column. And then you'll see the amounts. Obviously I included examples
036on the last slide, but we wouldn't have that in this one. Or maybe we could. I guess we could have examples in the levy ballot as well. So that's the appearance of levy ballot the first option. And then the second option, this is the traditional one that we're used to. This is a paragraph format. You'll see the same thing that you saw in the table except it's just in a paragraph A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. And then the additional information that you see on the uh typical writing class. So, uh I guess the first question I would have would be any feedback that you might have about um the very first thing I went over which is this and then we can kind of go into the the options for what the
037ballot would look like. Any questions that we can answer or Ann could answer? Uh when we were looking at the total funds available, our main goal was kind of keeping the same breakdown from prior levy calls for the buckets of each one. Uh the first two are always the highest of importance because they are the most impactful for students. Um so that's why we basically always fund those two categories to the uh tune to what we have them at. Uh the other ones are impactful for our community. Uh the one thing that Mr. Banks did not mention that I thought about mentioning was our community's use of our buildings and we're able to do that at minimal to no cost uh with the help of this excess lobbying tool. Um, I am a fan of
038the table format uh ballot versus the I'm not sure if you all can remember four years ago or eight years ago when you voted on the ballot, but it was very long and very lengthy whenever you were scrolling through pages and reading through and it it kind of gets lost into what you're actually voting for and it just turns up for levies or against levies. And so you can really kind of glance over what this money is going towards. Um, with the table format, it shrinks that into a very quick synopsis of each bucket and explaining of how much money is going to impact students, how much money is going to impact facilities, really the two differences. Um, so I'm a fan of the table. Uh, I did pull that from a couple other counties
039that have run excess levies that have done a table format. Um, so >> I would agree. >> I didn't reinvent the wheel and >> I think it's very clean and easy to read was how I looked at it earlier. >> Yeah, I was I was going to ask that question. Has anyone other counties done it this table way? Um, and I assume all their levies passed. >> Uh, they were allowed to be run. I cannot speak informed that they've all passed. Uh, they were all allowed to be placed on the ballot in that format. >> Oh, in that format. Yes. >> Yes. I did not research on these. >> Well, I like this format myself, too, because it's so much easier for the general public to just look at it and go, "Okay, here's this.
040Here's this. This is our money's being spent." I think it gives people an opportunity to make a much better judgment rather than just reading text. >> And by the time you go through four pages, you're not even going to your brain dead. >> So they might just walk away not >> which might be a good thing I have. >> Why is there a difference here? So you got the separate and aggregate assessed valuation on the longer format versus like you know >> actually that's what I was going to touch on not that format but the we are still at the reduced rate at this current levy. We're still 30% below capacity for the levy. Um >> can I speak to your question? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> That that will all be there. >> Okay.
041that that has to be there as part of what but instead of the first page that's has ABC D it'll have the chart so >> okay >> but the rest of that all has to be included as well you'll join my memory what I was going to ask mention but >> I'm glad you said it because I was going to ask that >> we are still at 30% >> thank you >> one thing I didn't mention is our field maintenance that we've added. I think that's >> going really well this year. We'd like to continue with that. Um, not just the appearance of the fields, but making them safe and we've heard from our community about uh fields that aren't safe and we're making great progress there. >> Yeah, Nick did a lot and it
042looked pretty good. So, I'm sorry, Ann. You're saying so where this on this table form ended here, you're saying these page three and four is still going to be on here. >> That that data >> just the data >> that data >> be shrunk down. >> See how you only have one class one, >> right? >> That that this this page with all the will not issue bonds in conjunction. Well, that's already on that >> it's already on here. >> This is the ballot portion. >> There's also a portion before that that's all all that I have. >> I mean, I was just curious if we really are eliminating pages or we'll be eliminating a couple. I mean, this is the poll that we call and it's basically repetitive. It has all the all of
043the different buckets that we're using and then it also gets into the property values. And >> so these first two pages will be replaced with that chart. >> I believe we go from 4 to two >> on the le call >> is what is what I think it will end up. >> That's what it looks like. And then at the end of the levy call is here's the official ballot and and then you do the ballot and this basically repeats the same thing again. I mean, I still I do like this, but I'm just >> You're going to eliminate about two pages by section by doing that. >> Yeah. The ballot repeats basically repeats the same thing again. >> I guess as you look at the buckets, is it is it clear enough about what
044>> Yeah. >> we're asking the much clearer than all these words. And I I think putting the examples on there so that people know like you know if you just look at the number it's like well what does that you know what does it mean >> whereas if you give an example this pays for dental and vision we cannot provide that outside of this. So it this pays for the pro this pays for putting in man traps to make our schools safe which is a big concern that people have >> right. So like having having that example and making sure that the public understands what this money is going for is that I think it's transparent. It lets people know what what they're voting for and why they why why it's needed. >> We will
045need to check that with our attorney. There is some specificity with what we have on there for what the money's going towards. I'm not sure if we'll be able to put examples on the actual ballot or not. >> Right. >> So, but I believe for a wonderful handout for us to communicate to the public is going to be >> you're going to need to familiarize yourself with talking points. >> Yeah. I have a few different counties that have the chart printed here >> and none of them have examples. They have the purpose and then the amount and all in their charts. I have several of them here. So, you that's probably to your point. probably have to. >> Yeah, >> I think it's a valid question. I think it's a valid question to ask. Um,
046and we can get an answer back to all of us, but I think we need to be prepared to might not be able to put examples on there. So, >> is there any examples and not covering something that somebody may >> Yes, that's true. And >> you know, I mean, it may cover what they're thinking of, >> right? But it's not there. Yeah. >> Well, you can put band on there. I put band extracurricular is something that we do fund and I'll levy with funds but it's to what extent you could have turned someone off of it as well. Well, I think I think that's what Nan's saying. >> Um Mhm. >> So, are we comfortable with the levels of funding of each of the categories with what Zuma Banks and Bill and I have
047kind of put together and then a consensus that we're going to submit this in table format to the attorney for review for approval. >> Well, you've you've said you've looked at previous uh data that you know and so you're kind of in line with what we currently have, correct? Yes. >> Okay. So >> Mhm. >> takes into consideration how things are increasing in cost. >> Yeah, sure. >> All raises alone. Raise the line to get that first bucket of hours accessibly for all of our staff that are over the formula. We're paying for every dollar we raise out of the excess le. >> There is discussion of a possible pay raise. I don't think it's likely to happen, but there is the governor has said there's going to be a discussion. >> There's also discussion
048locality back. >> Yeah. That's every >> also discussion governor wants to cut 10% too. Tax tax cut 10%. >> We are keeping things level is where we're at. So, I had asked the question about at the end there for the levies against the levies. It I don't know, just made it sound like we were asking for more than one levy. But I guess you had the word levies because it's x amount of categories. I went back and looked at the ballot from 2018 and it said levies. So, >> if if I had to guess, I don't know that I don't know this answer. Um, since we already have potential have a regular levy on your tax bill and this is the excess levy. I think that's why I got to vote for this is your
049plural plurality >> of the levies that you're being taxed on. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. We used to have county access where you all were born. >> Used to have what? >> A county access. >> Oh, yes. >> All right. On my regular scheduled agenda here, maybe This reports and communications is up next. >> I don't know anything board members. >> We have 135 days till graduation. >> I'm a senior, so that's sad. >> We moved from Christmas to graduation. >> 353 days till Christmas. Oh goodness. Goes too fast. >> Superintendent Banks. >> Yeah, we have a a PL day coming up Monday. Um, as Jeremy was going over the calendar, I was thinking about some of the superintendents in our region in the eight counties. It used to be called RIA
0508. Some of them had PL days Friday, this Friday before. And I was curious. I wanted to follow up with them to see how their attendance was. So, they had their week and almost two weeks of vacation, then a PL day right before they come back. So, I think some people like that because it kind of gets them back in the swing of things and then others are like, "No way. I'm not ready for this." So, I just thought that was interesting, but not everybody does the same way. Um, also, uh, and listening to you guys, uh, ask questions. Um, we really need to come up with a process that we can let you know what events are happening in our schools, please. >> And so, Tanya and I are working on that. >> Um,
051our information will be as accurate as what the schools tell us, but we just need to get them used to it >> on a regular basis, saying what's happening this month, and we're going to pass that on to you so that you have an awareness. >> And even if there was a way to utilize the band app for something like that. >> I mean, I don't know if there is. Um, >> probably. >> Yeah. >> And we're just talking about how great the band app was today, weren't we, Mr. Joy? >> And ironically, I talked to another school district in Pennsylvania today and they used the band app as well. Um the other thing is we I had a really good meeting at James Rumsy recently. Uh there's a lot of discussion about um adding
052programs, deleting programs. Um there's a study that's being done about what are the jobs that are going to be most in demand and looking at that. I think um I don't know if it's James Ramsey or Berkeley County doing that together, but I thought it might be a good idea to invite the director of James Rumsy here >> so he could pre present what James Rumsy offers and what their vision is. Uh because I could tell you that tonight what he told me, but I think it might be a good idea for Mr. Sherman to come and and let you know what our students have available at James Rumsy and what their again what their vision is. So if you'd like me to do that, I can ask him to come and present. >> There's
053a Mr. Sherman's pioneering a lot of new things. >> And of course, I'm relatively new on that board, but some of the people been for around for a long time felt that um the direction had sort of stagnated. Mhm. >> And so, uh, he's looked at grants and things to get new programs in, get more students in there, get more of our kids in programs. Um, it's it's a good time. >> So, having him come up and explain it, I think I think you all would really enjoy hearing him speak. >> I don't know, there was some kind of program or something we were all invited to and we went down and we had lunch >> course meal >> and then it was excellent meal. Oh yeah. >> Um and then we did a tour.
054I mean it was just amazing all the stuff that they do offer. >> I don't know when I was on that board they used to have a program with Volvo teaching the kids how to repair Volvo engines and they had an automatic job as soon as they >> I'm an actual actually actually an adult graduation or graduate from James Ria and that that's a good school. Mhm. >> I think one of the things that they battle with is the state pushes certain programs, but some of the programs that the state pushes, the kids aren't really interested in. So, they feel pressure to offer programs and put their enrollments down. And I think Mr. Sherman's looking at it more like what do our kids want? What do our kids need? Which I I think that's refreshing.
055And so, some of the programs that are coming out and and we're talking about are welding and plumbing and some of those things. really speaking of going to work immediately um the kids could really benefit from. So I just like his his vision and he's got the challenge of working with three counties. That's not easy to do to please all three counties, one one of the largest in the state and then us being one of the smaller counties. So those are challenges. And how many slots do you offer to each county for each program based on how many kids you know? So there's some challenges there. And uh he's doing a good job. He's the former principal of Barnesburg High School and just was hired recently as the director for James Romy. So I will
056invite him to come to one of our meetings. So >> you would have him come to one of the board office, not one that we were out to LSIC. >> Okay. >> He has a background with his father in some of those crafts too, building a house and things like that. So I think he had more of an empathy than someone who was just a pure academic kind of person. >> He was in the trade. >> Yeah. Built a lot of his own house. >> Yeah. >> And I've said that here before. I mean that's a neat school because they can they can pretty much take care of themselves. >> They have a networking course. They can you know >> run networking, fix the computers. They have >> everything's kind of inhouse. That's all I
057have. >> Okay. Any questions? >> No public comment tonight. Uh on the consent agenda, the superintendent recommends approval of the following consent actions as presented minutes of the December 16th regular meeting, payment of bills, budget, adjustments, and volunteers. Entertain a motion to approve. >> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you. Thank you. Comments or concerns? All those in favor say I. >> I oppos. I car. >> Personnel superintendent recommends approval of following personnel actions as presented. All right. So under the agenda there we have we're bring on a restricted substitute teacher starting tomorrow under service personnel. We're bringing on unassigned bus operator starting tomorrow. And then we have a leave of absence from November 4th to January 20th. Um, under the agenda, uh, we have two resignations at Perky Springs High School. We are bringing
058on a long-term substitute and one of our inter PSSN multiat special education teacher positions. And we're also bringing on another long-term substitute, multicategorical special education teacher at Middle School. And then, um, we have a retirement on here. Um, the individual is not here tonight. He says he has something to do. Mountaineers are playing. I know where he's at. >> I like how he kind of tried to disguise his name there. >> Thought we would recognize who that was. >> So, we we've talked him into staying for a good for a couple years now and uh, you know, ultimately he needs to do what's best for him. We're going to miss him greatly. He's done a lot for this county over the years. Um so we're on mission but again after retirement. Um and then under
059extracurricular we have a um bring on two specializ specialized healthc care being able to perform those procedures under the transportation. >> I move we accept the personnel as presented. >> Second that. >> Thank you. >> Any comments or concerns or questions? When do we post that job for them? >> So, we'll probably get it posted maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday. The goal is to run it for about three weeks. Uh, we should get a pretty decent pool, I think, in that. Think we should get some private applicants as well that may not have the school background, but we'll see. One of the things I just point out, we kind of cycle and this has been one of those years where we've losing a lot of experience in one year in all kinds of different categories. So,
060it's it's tough. Any other questions or comments? Motion on the floor to approve the personnel as presented. All those in favor saying I >> I carry it. Thank you very much. Item A, finance and budget approved payment of invoice 14B from Williamson and Shrivever Architect in the amount of $3,82 from Mor County Schools SBA HBAC replacement project at Woodmire Elementary School. I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Concerns, comments, questions? >> I'm in the wrong business. All those in favor of saying I. >> I. >> Motion passes by. Majority of those present. >> Item B, approve payment of invoice 2025 1111-1 for professional services from October 125 to October 31st 25 for BSHS roof replacement in the amount of 10,9770 to ZMN LLC. >> I'll make that motion. Thank you. >> Second.
061>> Thank you. Comments or concerns. All those saying >> I carried it. Item C, approve payment of invoice 202511-2 for professional services from November 1st, 2025 to November 30th, 2025 for the BSHs roof replacement in the amount of $38,422.65 65 cents to ZMM LLC. >> So move >> second. >> Any comments or concerns? >> All those in favor of saying I >> I motion carries by majority of those present item D. Mr. Roland, may I ask you to Yes. recuse himself for item D. So we're going to approve the inperson registration for Mr. Roland for the West School Board Association winner conference February 13th to the 14th 2026. >> I like that motion. >> Second that. >> Thank you. Any concerns? >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Mr. Burger
062and Mr. It's warmer out there. >> Leave the door open. >> Or is it Charleston? >> It's Charleston. >> That's what I thought. >> All right. We are approving. I'll make a motion to approve the virtual registration for Mr. Bergen and Mr. for the Washington School Board Association Winter Conference February 13th to the 14th. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Comments or concerns? >> All those in favor of saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries. You guys remember to mute mute your mic cuz on that drives me crazy. >> Program planning first reading uh 5460 graduation requirements. >> Just a quick comment on that one's been on there recently. Niola is out of Ohio and in their policies they use the term district in West Virginia we call them counties. So
063any policy that has district instead of county we're revising. >> So that's my >> we have to go back like I I saw that are we going which way are we going? >> We're going from district to county. >> We're so everyone that we've done in the past we got to send we got to >> we're asking that question. I hope not but it sounds like >> it's a lot that we we did a lot. >> Yeah. We're >> hopefully they changed those and maybe they didn't change this with district. >> We changed a lot from county to district. >> I move we accept the first reading the graduation requirement. >> We we normally don't need to approve a first reading. That's why I wanted to make sure this conversation this goes out for 30
064days. This is not a second reading. Correct. >> Okay. There's no approval for this. So we be out to comment for 30 days and then we will come back with a motion second action. >> Gota >> no action be taken. Uh calendar of events uh for just a comment on the calendar to make sure that we are all okay with this on the February 3rd meeting where we will be voting hopefully with the attorneys approved levy call. We will be at Warm Springs Intermediate School. Are we comfortable with that? >> Yes. Mhm. I have to make it short. Okay. Um, >> at least we'll have somebody at the meeting listen. >> Any other comments on the calendar? >> Just notice it's 5:30 instead of 6. >> Yeah, good point. >> Thank you for that notice.
065>> Mhm. >> Starting in the next meeting, right? >> The next Uh, at this time I do need a motion to go into an executive session to talk about a personnel item. Uh, so I can have a motion for that. >> So move. >> Thank you. Second. >> Thank you. Any comments or concerns? >> All those in favor of an executive session at that >> 656. >> 756. >> 656. >> Glasses aren't working. It worked too much. One day like 8:00 already. >> All right, we're in executive session. Thank you very much. There'll be no action taken after this errand, so we don't need to come back on air. And you all are welcome to go home the evening. >> And Tanya, I'll send you the I'll send you the >> Thank you so much.
066I appreciate it.