001to order. All members are present. First item on the agenda is pledge of allegiance. 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. Item number three is a consent agenda item. It's discussion action of the 2025 financial statement. That's a B is discussion action of contract with energy systems group EFG for Bullers at Hillsboro Elementary School, electrical hot water heaters at Morningington Middle School and central office board. No notification redoing it. Whatever. Do I have a motion that the Mr. McCall's made the motion. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Mr. McNab second. A first. Uh there's no objections to discuss that. We'll hear it today. Now B, uh discussion or
002action for the contract. >> Wait a moment. She's ready to talk about the >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Good afternoon. I'd like to take an opportunity to thank each of you for coming here out of your time out of your busy schedules to attend a special board meeting. >> Miss Hamilton, make sure you get this book here out. >> I got it. >> Okay, everybody get this book out. >> Thank you. >> So that we can review the unodudited financial statement for FY25 before it's submitted to the state. Additionally, I'd like to thank Mrs. Sherry Radcliffe for her hard work and efficiency. FY25 was Sherry's year. Pocahontas is in a good shape so that we can make solid decisions while incorporating some needed change. For that, I'm very grateful. Pocahontas County Board of Education's
003financial performance provides an overview of the board's financial activities for fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. Though much of the information that you're going to find in that binder is needed for the state so they can utilize data analysis and comparison. I'd like to highlight a few areas that are great interest to us. If you'll turn to me with your first tab, there's a little classic tab. just turn that and we're going to go over a little bit on our income page and you'll see some exp revenues and expenditures on the first column on the left. It'll be the 11 fund. You'll see that's our main general current expense fund. It's not restricted. Uh it's on the lefth hand side of your page. We have state local funds that'll be there. So, let's go through
004that a little bit. You're going to look down. You're saying, "Woohoo! We've got 6.7 million. Where does that come from? That's your property taxes are 5.8. We have a little bit of an increase from last year, like a $600,000 increase. And you have your state sources of 10 million. That's from the from state drop down. And then we're going to get into some of your expenditures. Instruction you'll see is 8.3 million. Drop down a little further and you'll see we've got uh it'll be broken up. We've got some student services. You've got supporting services like your therapists and your aids. Continue down the list. You'll have your operation and maintenance of facilities expenses. You'll see that's a little over 2 million. Transportation is a little over 2 million. So outside of your instruction, these are
005going to be your two biggest expenses and they're going to keep climbing a little bit. >> Transportation, is that what you're talking about? It's going to be now how we get some money back for transportation and fillable cost, right? >> You'll get 95% back. >> Yeah, that's what I was thinking. >> And that's how we can keep our 11 fund balance. >> Yes, exactly. Thank you. >> Sure. But there's credentials we have to meet for that too. Like for meetings that I have to attend, that kind of thing, can we? >> Yes, we do get those credits. >> Thank you, Jordan. >> Let's continue on down your list. You're going to see, okay, so we have our total expenditures of being 15.6 million. We also have to think about our carry our transfers in and
006transfers out. That's that next little section in there. that comes where we take money out of our 11 fund and have to put it into our 61 fund. That's our special projects fund. A lot of that is for child nutrition. So, we need to roll that on over. But if you continue down, you'll see a net change in fund balances. We have a six 600 a little over $600,000 increase. And these are the bottom lines of what you all are looking for. Continue down the page. We have what what we started with in our 11 fund of being a little 6.4 and our ending balance for June 30th, 2025 will be a little over seven >> million. >> Yes, sir. Turn the page back one. You'll see where some numbers flow into that. Drop down
007on your your 11 funds. You're still on the left hand side of the page. This will be your balance sheet where you're going to look for your assets and your liabilities. And you drop down with your green line there across that's your unrestricted funds that we can use. And you still wind up with with restricted and the unrestricted. You're coming up with your just a little over 7 million right there. That's how we can roll it back and proof. Right. If you pull onto your second page, your second little calf, there's a few things I just want to bring your attention to because this has to go into the paper and I want you to know your names will be in the paper. So, I I don't want to surprise you. I'd like you to
008be aware of it. >> You won't be the first. >> And that'll be your supplement of schedules of expenditures where we pay you all. Of course, we had payback eos. She was in there, too. Uh, also, which will be displayed in the paper will be your non-s salary expenditure. Anybody that we've paid above $250 will have to be listed in there. So, we've got a, you know, 5.8 million will be listed in there. Few more pages back. >> Back or back? >> Back. This is kind of it's nice to know that our schools we have to bring all the schools into our big financial statement, but it's nice to know that they're solid, too. And this will prove that your high school with a cash ending balance of, you know, 440. But with them, we
009have to pull out some scholarships that still have to be paid. We're going to pull eight from from them for their huddle. But all the schools are in good shape. One more page will be for curiosity to let you know what federal awards we were given of a 2.1 and beyond that will be our state grants that we were awarded. So what does all this mean for us? How are we headed into 26? We're heading 26 pretty good. You know, we we're now in good shape. We can meet the needs of the recent upgrades to the high school and the upcoming renov renovations and the maintenance necessities. Though we may not hold as high of a carryover, we'll be able to meet the needs of our students and our staff and the community and we
010should be able to go in holding our heads strong. >> Do you all have any questions? Back to the one with the schools, something that I get like a question about a lot of times is about uh sports. Do each does each school have their own count for sports? Is there >> Yes, they each have in in their general >> count. Okay, there's the sub for their athletics. Of course, the high school is busted out in into all of the, you know, football, soccer, golf, all of them. Each one of them has a >> Each of them have a sub account in that. Yes. So there and they can't >> swap back and forth. >> Okay. And now all of that money is tied in to this. >> It is tied into this. Okay. >>
011So the high school has $440,000. >> Cuz I get a lot of questions like sports wise. Well, one of them came up today. How come you all didn't give money to the volleyball? I said, well, that was the agreement that we had with with volleyball, >> right? you know, so I I didn't know exactly how that works >> be created in their uh in their chart of accounts. Volleyball has their own, >> but they have their own account, >> their own line item. So when money is deposited from their fundraising, it goes into there. >> Okay. >> And it is a checks and balances, so we're good. >> That I didn't know how how all that worked and I get a lot of questions on it. Thank you. I know the state requires us to
012have a certain carryover percentage. What's that number? Do you know? >> We would we would like to hold it at 10 to 15% and they don't require that, but we would like to hold that. It's a good contingency to hold for us in case there's something where we have an MIP that we would like to put in through the spring for the roof. That would be wonderful if we get it. But if we don't, we still don't have to have our students suffer. We can still work with with doing a roof. >> Well, this stuff up, you get matching funds for grant. >> This is where we were able to come up with the SBA funds that we were able to to take for county funds and put up. And so, crossing our fingers in
013November, we're going to hear some good news. So, the number that you're asking about is 3%. >> 3%. That's what I was looking. >> Yes. And Sarah and I talked about carrying over between 10 and 15%. Another thing that's not in this budget, this is the 2025 budget. We still have our 2026 aotment that has unrestricted funds that'll be that we'll have in addition to that. So our unrestricted funds is not limited to the number you see the six points. Let me find that number. It's not limited to the page of balance there. The green your your first tab the 6.798 on 73 that is how much money we have right now in unrestricted we will get I I believe our unrestricted that will come in will be about 3.1. So for the projects that
014we done at the beginning of the year, the projects that we have to do and the projects we are going to discuss tonight, we have the money to do our projects and make sure that our needs are met in our schools. And I want there to be complete transparency moving forward. Um I've talked to Miss Hamilton about this. She is she's a reporter, recorder, financial advisor, but when it comes to financial questions about how much money we have and how much money we have to spend, it's a collaborative relationship. And ultimately, the board and superintendent makes decisions based on transparency of how much funds we have. >> I just inform you, you all make the decisions. So I think I that's what I wanted to provide you with tonight. A bottom line number of how
015much maturity this board of education has. >> So this then this is this is all based on the 1,400 funding um cycle. You know >> it is. >> Mhm. >> The law hasn't changed yet. So we we're finding out probably >> maybe you're going to break it down. I don't know. central office three notification that we're going to do to the central office. Now, I know that uh energy systems is going to do the Buller and the hot water heaters and stuff like that, but it's a central office. Could we not put that out for bid in POS County? Well, because we're already doing the um the boilers, the hot water heaters, we attach that to that uh source well contract to get it done as soon as possible. >> I I just thought independent
016contractors can do office in like rebuilt whenever they redid this office. They would probably be quicker. I'm I'm just guessing. They said probably be quicker and cheaper if we could get a local somebody local to do it. cuz I remember Taylor's construction. Dwayne, you helped me out on this. I >> think it was Ryan >> Ryan and and Groove, they they redid the whole board office at one time. >> They got the contract. I was on the board. They got the contract. I that I'm just thinking out loud. Would it be cheaper to put that out there because we already got, you know, we had signed a contract before we'd pay them $25,000 or whatever, right? But we are we are giving them uh a couple of jobs here and >> so let me talk
017a little bit about that and we can make a decision about that. >> So we still have jobs that needs to be completed. We still have two of the bathrooms at the high school doesn't need to be complete. That's not completed. We're still putting the AC units in at Hillsboro Elementary. We still have all the renovations that Mr. Gibson and I walked around on such as the steps at Marlington Elementary. Things are piling up for Mr. Gibson to take on his plate in addition to this of putting out an RFP cuz I would push that back on him hard because I have to start focusing on special ed. >> Um, we have to move forward. The board office renovations was supposed to be done July one. So, and I have put in as much time
018and effort um to getting this contract in place, but I want I want the board to do what they want to do, but I do not want to delay this being done past December 3rd. I want this place ready to go December 3rd for when I go back down to the state board of education. But with that said, I think that um we can entertain a motion. I do have Audra Blackwell on the line if we have some specific questions for her regarding the contract and then you can um pull something out, leave something on. Uh and I don't know how the price is all aligned in there. I did put the price breakdown but um do you want to unmute um Miss Blackwell? Can you hear us? Um, yes, I can hear you. Can
019you hear me? >> Can you hear me? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, you know, the way that these Sourcewell contracts work with you hiring ESG through that process is that means you have met your competitive bidding requirements. We're basically taking this turnkey project off of your shoulders, putting it onto ours. And that does not mean we cannot hire local contractors to work on your office. We can do that and that is something that we've talked to Dwayne about as well. So, um you know, he can provide us with contractors there locally. Um we've actually our our process is development, design, project management. um and making sure that this project is done correctly for the county, making sure it's done on time, guaranteeing you a price for it and that kind of thing. So, um you
020know, we always like to impact the local community by hiring local contractors if they are available and that is something that we have already looked at doing uh through this process. >> And I forgot to mention that she did ask um Miss Hamilton and Mr. Gibson for the names of the local contractors to to incorporate them into this. So what does that mean? That means that they'll manage the local contractors that's doing the job instead of me myself or Mr. Gibson having to manage that process. >> They'll hire them and manage them out. >> Yes. Subcontracted out because I don't I don't want to have to manage and I don't want Mr. Gibson to have to manage even if it's local contractors. I want somebody else to provide us with a turnkey project. Is that
021answering your question? >> It does hardly. >> Okay. >> The the question I have, if you have ever been out there in the contract world in the last year and a half or two years and tried to hire a contractor, they're 6 to 8 months out >> and we got to get this done by December the 3. >> Uh what's her name? Yes. >> Audrey, you're going to guarantee us that this work's going to be done by December the 3rd. >> Um I have also have my engineer on the phone as well if you'd like to unmute him. But yes, we have looked at your project. We already have a um schematic design in place that we've gone over with the staff and we've committed to getting it done. And let's just say the majority,
022I mean, really making a whole lot of progress on all of these projects, not just your board office, but the boiler. Um, also, you know, but mainly that board office has to be done by December the 3rd. You know, getting the boiler ordered and installed. It'll take some time to get that boiler in. We can't move anything like order anything until the contract is approved. So, I mean that's that's when the time starts clicking or ticking and um we also have a guaranteed price on this total with a guarantee of no change orders to the county and ESG that's their expertise. I mean, we've done about $4.5 billion worth of these contracts. This is actually a small contract in our world and we'll be able to get the contractors because we have a great relationship
023with contractors across the eastern United States and the United States. So, I think we can get it done. >> What What happens if it's not done? >> Are they a penalty at the end if you go to December the 15th? I don't uh David, do you know if there's a penalty in that? >> No, but I I understand your concern. Um the re the reality is most of the materials are available at the Home Depot or Lowe's. We can get those on site very quickly. As soon as we have a contract, we'll be ordering those items and mobilizing our contractors. So, we have a high degree of confidence that we can hit those dates. Well, and you got to realize where we're located, we're 40 miles from nowhere. So anywhere you have to go, if
024you need an extra board or anything, it's will be 40 miles to a load. >> Well, that's one reason why we do a lot of planning ahead, and I'm sure David Riceman can uh attest to that, too, because we've been on the phone a whole lot on this project. uh looking at our plans, you know, devising a plan for the office, going over it with the superintendent, with Dwayne to make sure they're getting what they want and that kind of thing. So, we're planning ahead so that hopefully we won't have to be running back to the store. And I have I have been to your office and I've been to Pocahontas County a few times and you know, we understand where you're located, but we're going to commit to getting it done. Mr. Gibson, how
025do you feel about this? You're the guy that's going to be in charge. >> Well, in this case, they would be in charge. >> Yeah, but you're you're >> still have to keep an eye on >> you're you're our eyes, >> right? >> For the superintendent and the the board, you know, you we're going to go with what you say, >> right? >> I just like to see all the work we're done. So we just keep moving on with other projects too because we do have a lot of maintenance at the other schools and time is of the essence a lot of them and with the three guys that we have working time is limited as well. >> Our maintenance guys I hate to say this but I feel like I've pushed them to their
026very limits. Mr. Gibson, look at that smile on his face. They've been pushed pretty hard. I >> understand. Any other questions from anybody >> said the what is it 400 whatever thousands that's >> that's everything >> that's key thing everything is the water heaters the work and everything >> yeah and they provided that to us now for the boiler system I don't know if Dwayne wants to talk a little bit more about this but we are um we're putting a seal in the one we have we're putting a concrete pad down for the second one and we're going to have Paul. Do you want to talk a little bit about that? >> The first will come in sealing one we have poured another concrete pad moving the water heater that's existing down there. We'll have
027access to it later. Put the second floor beside it. That'll give us a backup that needs to go through a gym because right now we have one heat source in that gym and that's it. If it down we got nothing. So you that way we at least have a backup there with the HVC things we're doing in not part of this contract but that would give us a backup heat with many splits because there's only one boiler to vent down we won't have any heat that's help out the motor by having a second boiler in Virginia they're putting a water softener system in right there water softener system want to protect the piping in it That will about >> So, we're getting we're getting a lot. We Mr. Gibson had actually asked about how much
028it would cost to do the water softener system for the whole school, but we just kind of move forward cuz we want to get this project done because of temperature. >> So, we are do we need a do we need a motion to move this forward? >> We don't we didn't have a motion. We just got a vote going. >> Okay. >> Uh are we ready to vote? Anybody got any more? Any other questions? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Motion carry. Sign this contract. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. >> Number item number four on the agenda is payment of bills subject to additions, deletions, or other changes prior to the board meeting. Payment of vendor listing for 70,27316 September the 17th 2025 payroll account 276,35668. Do
029I have a motion? >> Move. Mr. McCome's made a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Dr. Hollinssworth second it. Any questions? All those in favor sign by saying I. I. >> Motion carries. Item number five is discussion action on the gym floor camp templates. Have a motion then made the motion. Have a second. >> Have a second. >> Mr. McNe second. Do you want to talk to us about that? >> Yes. Um first I wanted to talk to you about a decision that Mr. Gibson and I made with uh regarding the stain on the gym floor. Mr. Gibson, help me with the the name. That's Guntock. He's the name of the the color for that threepoint circle. >> The threepoint circle in Guntock. And then after we met with the floor designer
030over there, the guy that's on the gym floor, and I did some research, um, a lot of the other places just keeps the lane its natural color. Um, so we went with the guntock and then the natural color. And then I wanted you to have some input into the design. This will be drawn to scale. There are some things I want to change, but I want to see what you want to change first before any decisions make. Get this up for the public. Maybe hold it up so they can all see it real quick and then we'll talk about it. Mr. Gibson, you want to unroll this? in that seam got the black line border was sort of highlighted but it wasn't there >> on this one these black lines are solid for that for
031that >> so it will be solid >> according to this it is see if you look at that one remember how they have it >> yeah see how they had that >> Mhm. >> So my question is do we want it really big like that going outside of the center the center circle or do you want the center it shrunk down M. >> So that's the question on the table. And then and I don't I'm just worried about the way this looks right here. You see up there? >> The W is outside >> the blue. >> I like it big. >> You like it big? >> Yeah. >> Do you want warriors the same size or would you like to shrink it down or just keep it just like it is? >> I like it
032like that. >> I'm going to go against him. I want warriors inside the circle and leave the hatchets and feathers the same. >> That's what I'm That's fine, too. Make sure there's a center. One and one. One and one. One and one. >> Okay. >> Inside the circle. >> Just inside the circle to make that cuz the way it goes through the W. >> I think I think that looks weird. >> What about the hatchets? >> Stay. Leave the hatchets the same size big as they are. And a lot of other schools does have like the um logo. That's what I'm going to call it because I don't know what else to call it. big and outside the circle. I have looked at that. Um I'm just worried about the way the W looks basically
033is my only >> like I'm like Mr. McNab. I think needs to go inside the circle. >> I just think it looks better. >> Make that much difference. >> It's not going to. No, but if we can put it inside the circle. >> Let's put it inside the circle. >> And that's >> maybe if they could just space that down a little bit. There has to be I just where it goes right there on that yellow line just doesn't look a thousand%. >> I think if they spaced it down it'd be on the dark dark part of the the thick part of the W. >> Oh that could be >> I think why >> I think so too. I agree. >> But if they could if they could drink it and put it all in
034there I think it'd be better. It my opinion look better be better for when jump balls and everything too. >> That's what I was thinking. You coach basketball. You're you're the basketball coach. So, do you want the line dark like that? And then they had it on this one like that. Do you want it all solid like that? >> That'll make it easier on me officials from the whole nine yards. >> That's kind of what I was worried about, too. And then down here, the tribe and Pocahontas is in a different lettering. And I really feel like they should be matching lettering. I like this lettering for down here, too. >> I want it to be perfect. What you want to do? >> Do you see this like changing this lettering to be the same
035as that lettering? >> I think it's fine. You know, >> whatever. Whatever. I don't know. It don't matter to me. >> We're giving you that. We're giving that to you. You >> It really don't matter. I'm not We redo the soccer field, too. >> You need to get You need We need tarps. I'm just I just want to make sure that all everything it's multiuse, every use possible, you know, and that's what I want. >> Mr. Gibson, what did he say about the volleyball court lines versus the basketball lines? >> Can you show Mr. Gibson that? Yeah, they're >> I think you can go back over to right here. I think you can get all the way over this line, but that indicates volleyballs. Yeah, volleyball strip to be 2 in wide white. They initially
036had this on the last print. They had this to be maroon and I did. They said, "Oh, this blue to be black." So, they changed it to black paint now. >> Okay. >> And are those the correct feather colors? cuz I really stressed about these feathers. >> That's got my vote. That's old school. That's Green Bank and Marlon. >> That's Wait, you're free middle school. >> Yeah. I like that. >> So once I email him this afternoon, it's a perfect done deal. >> Done. >> They won this Tuesday, wouldn't it? >> Yes. We're short. >> Yeah. Good. >> It looks good. >> All good. the color of goods office. This one right here. >> Yeah. Good. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Motion carried. >> Good job. Say >> superintendent
037updates. So, I meant and this is just going to be a quick little update of one of the things that haven't been done for a little bit with the board county office is just really sitting down and collaborating and communicating >> about our mission and our core beliefs, what we're about here in Pocahontas County when we serve our schools and how we work with our schools. So we all met together as a collective group and words met and came up with uh we started our activity with everybody picking three things that was really important to them when it comes to students and learning in our schools and we categorized that categorized that and then we wrote a mission statement and then everybody had an input. So, our mission statement is Pocahontas County School strives to
038provide an engaging and supportive learning environment where every student is valued, empowered, and equipped to reach their full potential. >> It was wonderful. >> And then we took that to our core beliefs about what we believe our staff will do. and all staff will engage in a team and growth mindset. Promote and model positive behavior behaviors and dialogue, create a safe and supportive learning environment, establish high expectations for academic excellence. And we kind of wanted to mirror what we want our staff to do to say all students can um develop a team and growth mindset. We want to facilitate that in our students as well. display positive behaviors and constructive dialogue um contribute to a safe and learning environment and meet high expectations for self- excellence for academic excellence and reach their full potential. And
039of course our theme this year is we are stronger together. So this mission statement will be our mantra this year. It'll be on every agenda. We'll read it before our me meetings. I'll have a special place on there all principal meetings because we we have a mission to accomplish these things for our students and I wanted to give you an opportunity to look at it see if there's anything you disagree with you want to change before we do that >> I think it looks great >> I just got to accomplish this you're doing great book. >> We're all >> I don't think >> No, only if you wanted to change it. I just wanted to Okay, >> you're done. Great. >> That's all I have. >> All right. Board members remarks. Mr. Mcomes >> not
040terrible, but could be better. I had been I mean starting yesterday uh just to reiterate that at that point we had 17 days of school and I said can you all tell them what 10% of our school day school year is so far and they said two days I said how many kids in the miss two days or more um surprisingly we don't have that many but we have had some illness and you know so they're sick now doesn't mean that as we grow through the school year and we add more days that our percentages won't decrease because you're not going to miss anymore. It seems like what I'm hearing out the public is that student morale is up. >> Yes. >> Which should be >> I am hearing that as well. >> Actually, >>
041yes. And I think that that helps tremendously. We hope when they feel welcomed and um comfortable at school, then they will be more likely to come more frequently. >> Yeah. >> We had a couple little hiccups with some clothes going around, but I think we're we're leveling out. I've been looking at them and um in in all fairness, we don't have that many as much. with the ones that haven't have truly been sick and they've been in contact the schools administrators have been in contact with the families that touch base make sure that they're studies they are documenting all this >> absolutely yes >> we have a new attendance process in place you want to give give a little update on that level process and um they're the first layer that's at the school so
042they've got a team in place and they're reviewing um they're going to be reviewing weekly and then do celebrations and um what they're doing is that not so much of a student mission day there's a phone call home uh to reach out finding out is there anything with community health you support you share information uh we have these have um been pretty uh successful in making that communication with the families just letting them know that we do care and um that that process is working when the student gets to um 3 days then they're looking they they're fluid up on that layer. Uh in four days they're four and five days they're looking at doing the SAP meeting depending on the reason for the absence of whether excused or unexcused it's chronic because they're bodies
043are not in the building >> and then that's when they have that meeting call the parent in and make sure that we have everything in place to support them as necessary. When they get up to seven of excuse and that's when we that's when the red flag is coming. You know, obviously I'm communicating with them all, but at 10 days sitting down and having a currency during meeting and hopefully I'll be able to have probation come and at least join me with those babies and have those conversations for that next level and hopefully we don't have to go there. >> But um before we jump into those things working on some other stuff, but everybody's on board. Uh they seem to have a good uh structure in place. They've got some similarities. We have the
044good news here coming Monday to talk to all the schools. has got a very tight schedule, but he's going to be talking to them and his thing focuses on attendance, the importance of being present. >> And I do want to read Miss Klein um interviewed two students about the school year and her question was um she asked the two students um how they feel about the school year and how it's going. So the first question she said, I talked to two randomly selected students while she was out participating at lunch. How are you feeling about the school year? The first student was a boy. It was a junior. And he said, "I think everybody seems like they care more about what we're doing and what we're learning this year. The teachers don't put up with
045any mess around, so I guess it's okay." The second student said, "Well, I feel like I have to get The second student was a girl, not sure what grade level. Well, I feel like I have to get to class on time." Perfect. Right. >> And I feel like I have to be at school on time this year. I have a new friend who is a student. So, I feel like we're going to make this a good year together. So, that's two uh students that were asked about how they're feeling about the school year. I will add to that that this is word on the street and this came from two boys and two girls. All four of them separately agree that this has been a good year. They really like the structure and the schedule
046and they feel a lot more comfortable and safe. We've been working very hard. So, thank you for sharing. >> Anything else with Dr. Hollingsworth? >> Um, I'd just like to compliment all the work that Sarah has done to get this all together. I know that people spread all over the place and Sherry was a big help with it. But but you know everything is going well with financially and I think educationally we're really moving along and um I'm hoping we're still doing putting the putting the emphasis in the science of reading. I haven't heard much about that. We are um days are running together, but it was either last I think it was last week or maybe the week before I had all of the principles in and we looked at students scout scores and
047we looked at where they are performing and what areas we need to improve on and identified our students and remember I showed you in that yellow block that we move. We've identified all those students. I've also had two meetings with uh Miss Burke Kinderman and Miss Burns facilitating a plan of how we're going to address our student needs and further advance those needs. So, we do have that. Um we're planning on rolling something out around the first week of October. That's when we will start our teacher PLC's and help them understand where we're going and how to get there. We're starting with our social studies adoption and writing from sources which is part of the science degree. The special ed special ed is trucking alone. They are working so hard. Um I have asked uh
048Miss Bland to be the substitute uh director for certification for um certified list. Um, uh, Lydia is making sure that all the IEPs are corrected and all errors. Miss, um, Hammonds has been working on our heirs to make sure all of our data is correct for the October one count. I mean, I don't think a lot of people knows that there's an October one count where we have to have all that correct and we have to have all our certified list and all of our attendance information correct. So there's a lot of background work going on to make sure that we are making the corrections. >> Anything else? >> No, >> Mr. McNab, things sound real good. I'm I'm very impressed with with everybody's work, the whole staff. >> Uh like I say, I think
049we just we need to keep on. It's paying off. We can already see that we can already see a difference in the in the students and in the community. And I think we're headed we're headed in the right direction. We just got to keep going. Thank y'all for all your work. >> Mr. Gibson, >> I don't have anything, sir. I'm uh I you know, we're almost at what are we at? Uh week four. So, we're almost at midterms. Um we have it's been pretty smooth. I would caution start any projects, you know, too much later than this because winter's coming hard and it's coming. We'll be here quicker than we know it. And I just think we want to get things finished up quickly as we could. >> I agree. >> That's all I have.
050>> How far are we? >> Anything else, Mr. Gibson? No. >> How far are we away from the bullard at Hills worth cranking up? Because put in that one probably this coming Tuesday. Okay. I just said there were a message here a while ago while we're thinking about it. Um and that should that one for right now get the other roll as soon as possible. >> I was I was a little bit worried about the weather. >> I've been sweating over this for two months. >> Yeah. Yeah. I was you know one morning we'll get up and it's going to be 20 >> and and then we got >> ice on my windshield place. That's right. And we got to remember, you know, >> conditions work. >> Yeah, that's exactly right. But we got to
051remember them them small children in Hillsburg. So we got to we got to keep heat down there. We'll be in trouble. Sarah, thank you. Thank you and your staff, Sherry, and everybody for getting this together. And I've told Sarah this privately a few times, so she knows this. You got to be very careful with financials because they're it's like a snowball effect. >> You can be in the good and then the good and all of a sudden when you start going down it starts rolling and it gets bigger and bigger and bigger and we're seeing that in some counties. So we want to be very careful and very I'm a very conservative person. So you know me too. I lay on the edge of poison, but I've seen that happen in jobs and and other
052things that, you know, once once it starts turning the other way, you you get in trouble. >> And that's the number one reason people lose their jobs. >> Well, yeah, it's it's kind of difficult to try to stop it once it starts, but there you That's it. I want to commend our superintendent that you've done a great job since July the 1st and we are very I think the whole board is very proud of what you've done. Uh we're proud of our maintenance staff and and Mr. Gibson and Mrs. Dunlap and and also our principles and our teachers because they've done a great job. You know, they're the they're the first ones out there, the bus drivers. You said this, >> they're the ones that our students see first. >> That's right. And you know,
053we can sit in the office here and all of us and say we got to get this done, but they're on the front lines. They're the ones that's making it happen. And if we see a change in our students, it's it's the teachers that's doing that. And the cooks and the, you know, everybody along the way. So, it takes all of us to form this team. >> And the our team out in the county, our teachers, our bus drivers, our cooks, and the central office are second to none in the state. The one thing that that always comes back to mind on mine, there's two things really. One of them is we've got somewhere around 130 to 150 homeschool kids and you know they're just that it going to Ponus County schools is like going
054to a private school in other places. >> Yeah. >> Do we and I've asked you this I think do we have people going out like community and schools and talking to these people and saying hey we got a great thing going here. Maybe you ought to bring think about bringing these children back to the school whether it's Martin Elementary or Hillsboro Greenbank and you know say we're we're doing some good things. >> That did a good job for the president of the board of education that came [Music] >> I really don't mind going and talking to these people. >> You'd like to talk to >> I made a living talking. I do that. >> But do we have two I know we got Miss Wilong, we got Miss Will Fong at the high school and
055some other ones. Could we do that? >> We are going to look at our homeschool policy and uh how we work with them and how we recruit students back. That is not on our front burner right now, but it will be mid October. We are going to work on that. Absolutely. >> And the other thing that I bring up about every meeting is a proulture high school. Um, you know, that that really that that really bothers me. >> Well, I would like you to know I sat down with uh Miss Hamilton. I've got to get every Let me back up. I've got to get everybody in the right slots to get every position funded. And then after that, I do believe that we will have a slot available because we're slightly under in our professional
056staff where we could look at that having a pro officer. We could look at that. So that is something that we sat down and we looked how many are we are we any over and moving people to the right slots and making sure those are funded ties into that. So I am working on that and I probably mid o the next meeting we'll know because it's October 7th certified list goes in October one we'll know October 8th is the final one so I will be able to tell you October 7th if we can get a pro officer and how we we got to discuss how we want to do that. Yeah. Does the state put in any money for that anymore for safety or >> they do not you have to absorb that cost? >>
057But I think we have a slot where we could. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for all and like I say, thank you for all your hard work because you really made a difference. >> Our next board of education meeting will be held on Tuesday, October the 7th, 2025 at the Pocahontas County Board of Education office at 6:00 a.m. We are hereby 6 pm. We were by a German