001stand for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. First item on the agenda continuous school improvement director A to direct training regarding county school train by hired Mal West Virginia school board association in executive director and J County Board of Education West uh you have one of the most beautiful things that I have seen really beautiful drive here. Um as um Mr. Brian pointed out this is a direct training and it is regardless of the subject that he listed out. What I did was in order to get ready for this meeting put together a little case study and it goes into protocols procedures and it also gets into an individual uh board member. If you read this
002and I know blockers have a lot of job you know employment and everything but this actually relates to an individual who could really hit the ground running back let's say thing he did we get in and I'm going to give an overview here then we'll get into parliament procedure an open meeting Jason will speak out of that we'll take the context context from chamber Well, anyway, this guy newcomer. He had lived actually he moved out of state retired as CFO of a company that was located in the triangle area of Raleigh uh Tap Hill Triangle area of North Carolina. and he came back home. He retired early and so he decided to run from the school board and uh during a he basically said that school board uh you know county board must ensure maintaining
003this high standing in the state despite our big. So he was saying this is how this is what we got across we've got to shepherd and see that our academic stand even though we're rural county is maintained and then uh then the president who now running election there are two chapters one member decided not to run he decided he did not reelection so there's just a majority that happens every four years. So the first thing the board president would say for is that uh the county board has a lot of other duties uh to decide a lot of other duties. And what he was really saying is we have to be aware that because of how important works and close our schools, we may be moving into a new reality. So he's just being bullish.
004Initially he's just trying to explain we may have closed school there's only one school they can close to in a moment. So a reporter then began to ask well consolidation he finally says we cannot. So in other words, he as president is bringing this to the top that this is something as they go down process and then newcomer and he he's all he said well schools rise to challenge especially looking at innovation. So his deal is innovation and what he says here is that innovation he called it something that's unconventional but realist that's why he called innovation. So his whole deal here is to be coming to bring the idea of innovation to the county board. Well, as we move through the uh debate forum, then the president says page two here, line 30, he
005says, "Well, you're losing the forum when you get into things like innovation." This is something for the public may not fully understand. And he says, "As all come down to what require a bunch of make this, make that." And uh then he went on to say how another board member another incumbent he goes in and says sometimes complying or compliance means end up being the only approach of given laws and regulations we struggle with and then uh stone one of the other people who's running she also came back and then she said that we really don't know why she's running but we do find out she wants to So, she's getting her uh campaign started. She doesn't make it and I don't think she's very upset. And then she's all over. She works in a
006place in Ohio or picking pod outside Columbus. It's just 800 acres of distribution warehouses. So, that's where she works. And so, we get into that first. Somehow she gets into extraction industries, you know, have nothing to do with any of this. And then u again says the economy must improve. She says education the only for attracting and bringing high tech alternate energy businesses and small businesses, big box warehouse. She's directing her lady uh don't cut. Okay. Then he goes on and um Thirsten says he goes into the litany of superintendent they had. Now we don't know who was before uh uh Roy Casey at the back. We do not know who was but anyway he was kind of a native son. He someone like someone who was a native son who used to be principal
007of Capital High School or some big princip. Then he decides he wants to come back to the county to this county superintendent. Well, he had experience in a principal and when he came back to the county, he didn't really make transition from the small amount of accountability. It's not small in the sense that it's not work, but the smaller amount of accountability you get put in a workplace school community rather than all crosses you get when you become a county board member or superintendent. Everybody wants ECU particular superintendent. He's the CEO of the county. He's the CEO of county board and also by saying law policy the school district is chief instructional leader. So he never really made the switch and he he agreed with the lines here. He just he he he was really
008eating up ego. Okay, that's basically so he so badly that he got rid of Mr. CL who was the uh treasurer who was beginning to say we've got to pay attention to this because we're maybe in financial difficulty of declining woman and he ran it off because he bear bad news he doesn't okay well then it moves on a little bit and then they talk about uh this then the superintendent in the middle here her name is daughter Sophia Patreon. Now we learned in the very end of this she came education late. She didn't she like that starts out depression and becomes pass. She came late to calling and she brought six things and they really liked her. Um and we don't my wife she said she sounds like super ask. So he she actually
009introduces the board to what's called monitoring and overycling. have 18514 school policies for schools actually gets into that concept and if you kind of ded down those big words you really need to keep tabs on the system by getting data and monitoring that you ask for so you're not surprised in other words fiscal data now I recommend county policies from Jason Richard during his uh region One of the things that boards often get and it's criticism because it really requires policy. You get a lot of data and meetings, but do you ever have your superintendent say to you quarterly here's where we stand here's what may happen here's the big rocks we may run into. So that's kind of an example for mom. It could be for other things, academics, special ed, could be for
010leadership like principles and others. So she kind of goes into that concept and they like then they go to say well we like but it's kind of hard to explain. In fact, president said we had to realign our agendas because we had to fit in we had to in athletics and complain about cheerleaders and all that kind of thing. But we did it because first of all we we got a hold and we spent time on each meeting to know us to know about things and then uh then Mr. comes back. Uh he comes back and he says really monitoring a really good but it would all become work. >> He says it's about school being spoken transparency and uh then he gives an example. He said you know when I was a kid in
011high school uh VH we they didn't have HV18 that the air conditioning thing that's never worked. We didn't have one for 15 years. We fix it. It cost the public much more than we had been intended to. So that's sort of his response to all this, you know, but then he comes around. We get into when we get into he comes around and he is really one of he's one of these people that just catch what's in the environment to make to really exploit and release. He knows that this is the way to grow invisible so far. And then mom said, "Well, you don't really prove that all you have to do with these rules of laws and regulations and work quickly regulations strangulation killed. So he he really to where he eventually lands here,
012but president is a wise man. maybe as a third term he's seeking he said is very important I concur in principle but it's far more complex so in other words he's laying out reality of it where despite Elijah he's just getting in both things so eventually we won't go through all this now they primary election his his dad apparent people the polls and all that in this part of county his mom in another part of county. Here's what he said about schools. Um, this area county, they really decide partisan elections because the countyy's kind of split. So they're whatever anyone they get they may be elected commissioner every four years. The person elect. But they need to put it down school boards that school from M with the M constituency they have a cl and
013you have to look the whole is what he's really saying here and then his dad went on to say some other things that are purely philosophical. He said, um, and I'd like to read these book. Sometimes we kind of forget this. School board members are elected on name recognition. Basically, we're not elected like everybody was worried that Jefferson B give come by Congress. They because board members are people elect that the public puts trust in. They maybe don't know what they certainly don't. I think sometimes they don't know all the rules, regulations and things. But he's he goes on to say Jack and he he's kind of making fun of his son. He said Jack that's a big word they call him that's his nickname. He said their whims hoping board me achieve something done
014unrealized schools. So in other words, if you now a lot of people don't vote in the election board members legislators that elect us, that's really not true. Some people only vote legislators or others members. I've never known anyone but there is. So in other words, he's saying here that what you're really talking about individ words that's what he's saying. So he does win re-election or he does win election. And then first they have a newspaper it's called B and uh there's an old guy who caught Rex column said the board election was predictable Mr. Innovation what's next because he knows that they're going to be going down a path here. Now we'll get into some of these other things in a moment as we go through these things that are uh after page four. We
015get into parliamentary procedures. We get into obedience laws. we get into what you can and cannot do at meetings and then we see a shift in the board. They didn't really like the innovation thing but then when they realized they had closed mouth school that suddenly they all began to talk about this political suicide. So then when they got into that aspect of it, they they they actually said, "Well, we won't vote you. We don't." So they directed the superintendent to kind of figure out if there were options to not close the school. Well, superintendent, now this superintendent talking about his name is Christian. And he is really matter of fact. He's not theoretical. He's not like and he's not egotistical. It's just theoretic. It's like this is what he really that's kind of his
016position. It's like this. You may not want to be but it's like but then realizes too that in this direction he can reach tea le tie up my staff time. We'll do them anyway. And that's such suffering. He says, "Boy have another year before we have to make decision." It didn't come out. In fact, had to make a decision quickly. And this was written abruptly. The way I wrote it was abruptly because uh Elijah's dad said, "Everything works well if something happens out in the environment. There's a crisis on the school system and then people have to make a quick decision." So during the process of trying to figure out what we might do school, Elijah went to the LSIC chair. He went out to find employment as a member of decided he go chair
017and set up this big thing $2 billion and he had friends in research triangle and said we'll give you million raise 500,000 $500,000 and they to adapt the micro school concept for uh you know private schooling choice schooling into a public school concept. Well, the superintendent you need to shake his head. This is not in CFP. It won't fly. Charleston will like this. I don't even know if we can do it. You might have to suspend it. Who's reliable for he was all these things? He said like they would. But then he does, you know, they begin to put all these things together comes back her name is she comes back and says, "Well, it is new, but we think we might have legislation." Well, you could just see this superintendent. Okay, now we might
018have a school. We don't even this probably can't even happen anyway. But she realizes that LSIC has been way. So what she does is she kind of takes that idea and but in the end of course nothing saves the school. So now this guy has been Mr. Innovation but he was a former CF former financial officer for a big company. So he takes it upon himself to go to his spaceport and says, "Guys, we have to close the school. I'm sorry. It's all for." So the last thing here is if they thought they had him in their pocket, he thought they had, you know, so he says, "You're selling out. Your vote conscious man joined by shouts around the court." In other words, than the entire breaking news. He who was put in by his
019group then he goes I guess he gone out. [Music] So this is what this is the scenario and it's really a lot about you first get elected to the board you go to orientation and get a support you're >> I mean you're literally told the first handout that I got last orientation was you can be removed from well that's not a very good way to start something is okay I don't know you remember that sort of how you start rather than saying these are potential things you could do starts out the whole things you can't do and it never really ends because you can't so we may need to change that one or but the superintendent makes a really good point here is there a lot of good return on investment if we are studying
020and this is we get anything out of these you know these ideas and things like And so when I worked on those policies for JC for they had the concept that if a law or a state policy why would you put all that in your policy man which is what the legislator is saying agencies if we have a lawyer special included in that group of people because the legisle often writes state that is mine like this that's coming out of it. So now let's go through the page. Uh let's start on the let's go to page uh four. This is where they have relations and of course it's not predictable president first and reelected as vice president and they begin. Now the agenda not only had officers but it had an item to deter agenda
021local setting work section. In other words they have local work section and uh so bring your goals whatever you think we should do. Well the superintendent said goals are by schools and the school district and that's their responsibility. We used to term county superintendent evaluated goals. The board cannot carve out a school box. Well, that's in my opinion not and Jason want to comment on this weekend. That's really not. You can have your own goals. They do not have to be superintendent goals. If you feel like you need to have looking at student achievement, that can be a goal. It's as long as you develop the you have nothing goals go. So 1854 it allows you to set your own. So they may be guessing they may be goals on look at sites transportation efficiency
022which is in uh when respond go down let's get legal advice for work session comments into a motion well that motion that motion died to the two well of course Robert uh which small group rule says when stitch two it doesn't pass there's not enough to pass if you know people there so uh the uh had read must be 50 years he said that we have revoked pretty well the newcomer protested asking if Rob was permissible and And on page page 56 the superintendent tiebreaking procedure is set in customary practice as I policed a policy that says we will newly revis but then states on a complaint policy that says they don't have to incorporate every vote. In other words, u now here's kind of limitation Robert's rules of order human small groups. It's less
023formal than Robert's rules for larger. So, as a result of that, there's there's a situation here where somebody has to figure out which one of these statements actually or the remoting. And so, uh, he asked for interpretation making a second motion by and then out of order declaring it need nobody second. So, it's out of order. Now really under Robert's rules order you don't have to have a second never try that because everybody should have that's one of those things you can make an exception to have a second. So then um what he does on line 37 he said I'll get my own people I'll just go out here and see what all lawyers say a lot of lawyer looked at this very carefully and he said well based on your policies you're bound to
024small groups thus any amendments to these rules have applied for but he also said in line 144 policy related to agenda preparation. What does any of this have to do with the question? But then you move into real estate. He goes on a chief consideration whether it by a member at a meeting and it will include agenda for a specified meeting. Now again this is all getting old but he's looking into some things and really um he go through the yes uh it may be 15 however must clarify if any now what does this have to do with one of these things are okay but then we go over and Ulson is another one. Now we cover but the work the vice president board said um you're really doing a private investigation. You're going outside
025the role for county. It's really a corporate. You have an agent forward. He was not agent for but he then goes outside the role board and does an investigation. Well, then they hop. He says, "Rard says, "Okay, the man." And they say, "You said if you conduct crime investigation that it is problematic, no matter what you find." So, newcomers that campaign, they're now trying to hold it accountable for it. and then they decided they move in uh and now we get to part of proced uh and I don't like made a motion that consideration of items raised by council placed on the for additional discussion and for county board action now so we haven't really heard from law answer the question so he wants to discuss this by moving it into uh things about Jenn
026something like that or word item and uh but then said well is there man this and there wasn't because somebody made an objection so with an objection that's also in the groups a lot of times don't understand that but it can be is there any objection to this deciding so there was objection so that means they couldn't do this. And so then he begins to realize that um in line 169 if section would like facilitate you cannot decide ahead of time who specific And I think Jason correct me if I'm wrong. You can decide position or what you may want to do but you can't say this is no longer needed help pay attention but this is we don't know what they're really talking about. So then newcomer comes back again he knew that this
027area said newcomer asked the county superintendent as CEO of county board. He's done his work and this you know instructional school district had already closing facilities. So before the superintendent and could respond to that this old guy named makes a motion go to talk about facilities because if you make a general motion let's talk about facilities then you are not following the uh ethics law related to now I think he might have been okay if he had said I don't even think there would be a way he'd do a motion because this is all prospective Vermont this year. So you would not be very easily able to go to the executive talk about something that's problematic. That will have to be brought up in a more formal sense. So uh anyway uh they they know
028then um then newcomer says well I'm going to give I'm just going to give a um you know he did it right and of course then they uh and they don't believe you can make aation when indeed rules newly revised or small group does say you can do I'm not recommending then he said I'm not going into executive session you're going into that's really really not so I got a quote she said they always go into executive sessions and they make I said did you join she said yes I said well then if they ever get on this she be part of She sat on that wall. So you don't go in exact section that you say things that the most like then if you real badly enough about it you wouldn't go in because
029it may be something that catch us up for. So then this is then we hope it then of course things they do learn that school it's a small school it's a very successful small school sometimes school I went to Kentucky when I was in grade school we had eight kids but we had very high standing academically because it really literally it's not one room school we had split grades first graders learn they second graders second graders you know on like that and it was very tightnit but you learned a lot. We had fourth grade for two years and we had fractions to your brother house but that's different. So really what happened here is he said um he thought the idea of looking at these alternatives was kind of do but he was surprised because
030okay this is this. So anyway, um they go on to superend those guys. He knows the he knows the process. He knows what Charles will want and predict said work for us and we want this done. So he's saying Mr. Superintendent you're our own you work for us and want the son comes by and says superintendent I'm your CEO you evaluate me as such not your employee because superintendent is the CEO of the school district and in the same section of law it also says at the end of that sentence and also responsible for banks. So the superenditution and then the super directly uh direct fully investigate this matter the motion was so the board is saying they adopt this motion and then um Richard then he gets the board count not private count the
031board said, "Well, I'm glad you didn't do this because that motion is really sort of illegitimate and if you had it then it may not have had any practical so now is a concept that's very important training whole training which is making and then train where you consider And this is why I think we said all the time people the board is 60 it's 60 because superintendent is secretary that is a codified car exception in law. So never say we have a five board we have a six we have five whoever shows up. So he's trying to make here. So uh the motion then the motion passed. Now this this one board member um always stands he doesn't like any he always and I know board members like that they always do something for the
032vote and shy away. This is how it's always 41 41 states. Now by law you can't abstain there's some kind of theory goes around that board members should not abstain from voting and I don't know the announce that I don't think there's been any state interpretations on that >> no he had so he just says I'm Yeah, he said >> I don't have that. It's really good because he didn't write about that other place too. So in other words or the zero move do all these things and the section to newcome technology power something gives the ins and outs of all this alternative way of doing things. He says do and then he declares that maling is the only dime and they seem to be pretty accurate some were born they seem happy. So then
033um then the um LSIC chair she presented the next meeting and she said this is a heavy lift. We can do this acceptance school. She's gone by a little bit more about you know and we're thinking funding legislative support and then says what state education and nobody really responds to that and then as the discussion continues he said despite all the stuff here I think we fin have read the board because they know was heading and this was his whole brother. He knew that they didn't have to do this immediately or anything. So he says um he goes on and says in line 244 despite this w despite all this stuff that's going on here I think we financially will be able to come here we need to revisit by next year this time we
034mustect more and more and then projections he provided the board will likely need to cons you know considerable Now we don't know what those initial projections are. Were they done with the central office? Were they done with the state department? He just said by alternative uh or by initial projections. So the board might have said well you know where's this information come from? So we don't know that. And then on the next but he says he doesn't throw in the towel it's the will throughout the next year knowing our may or will be in other words he's saying you can tie a time he looks at every superintendent say hey we have a small office will tie us up for a long time this is the way will do this and uh we might have
035a buy and then told Elijah that he thinks the whole thing's changed because of this thing. So then he went on to start asking. So this Mr. said, "I'm a false conservative." He said, "I'll never vote with you, but I like some of the things you say. Kind of got some good ideas here." So he g then um when he got into he began to realize uh new that there is flexibility in law for county boards including 1825 which is the section the state board uses when they adopt policy. There's a section of that law that allows you to put ideas of student achievement to the state board. They adopt those then that might be how you feel like you can optimize student achieve. That's just one example. I think there's about 392. [Music] Yeah,
036it's the second part of there is infection there. Now I don't know. I think I don't believe any board has ever really done that but during the time we were in common the county came before the state board and said he was a former math teacher I think or had a math experience he said what you're doing math would be much better he did this so the state [Music] such So that's what this 1825 basically says. If you're really, you know, really concerned about food and you think you can do things differently, then bring us some you can show us model and it's all throughout and then so he said the superintendent superend to discuss wheal and And he goes on to say, well, you know, on the discipline policy, the legisl two or three
037years up state policy make a consistent state. But then he goes on to say there may be other ways we can maximize or optimize the state board use the word optimize our flexibility for innovation things like that. And then uh he uh weeks later 272 the board learned giving in all figures that the school district more students than expected. Now remember somehow he had this projection or somehow we got a gut. This is going to happen and then school. Now, as this newcomer, this was his base. He he knew the heated that was his political base. That was the transaction. Then he goes to that community and tells the LSIC, "Hey folks, this is what's happening." what he says um on line 277 or responsibilities. Has he ever mentioned that before? I mean he's got
038an idea but has he really ever mentioned that before? His CFO idea his previous career is kind of catching up with but then he goes and he says I can't change. Can you imagine being in a or some place in that county area and you've got this guy who really you kind of elect everybody else knows it and they sort of he's gone along with this innovation idea to stay the I see one do and he breaks the bad news and he needs like every other board member and board is bound by uh fiscal responsibilities I can't And then of course the city they thought they had been pray. So as we go through this and Jason get into legal things. There are some things in here that I think out um parliamentary procedure and
039those are different. In fact I sent the ethics commission about some things about county and reports about county. A county board does abide by parliament procedure but a lot of things that are in court are things like speak to the audience we have delegation state doesn't if somebody comes before you delegate come before you speak to you then it's really you can actually clarify what I'm saying but it's not really a good idea in fact that even may be unfort to say, "Well, you know, I bet you're right. He's a, you know," and then get into an interchange because the ethics commission that's moving agenda item you have approved from your agenda. But if you just sit and listen and then somebody has the um says, "Well, let's you know, let's consider this for a
040future meeting." Then we get into whether get that on the agenda in some counties because the agenda is put together by the superintendent of clearance with board to the board. So in fact that's a big issue. So Robert handshot to his who has expertise in parliamentary procedure explain he thought and I changed he thought that what you really could do is you say if somebody brings to your attention something like way or something like that then you could say well let's put this on a what would that happen then you're getting into talk about a future agenda during that portion of the when you're talking about something that's sort of what I think we don't really get into those changes like that even has to be put agenda you may be you might be if
041I understand right violating the final point of the ad commission to designing agenda in so I don't know the Jason I don't know the answer to that question but I do county the other day talk about this and the board president she said what we do is we wait to the involved delegations they have five groups of five people then she says there any board to add any comments to the future I think that's the I don't think you can comment because you ended your delegations first they sometimes leave room and then she we do get spirit about this. We say my board members you've heard this do these items on future agenda and then that could be a way and that is pretty good because some of those items bring up they're not but
042where smoke fire sometimes so they may be something you want to look at and that would be a way I think about so now I've done the and I've done the uh looking at individual board member that you know after you've gone through you still have a little fire left hey we want to get this done I've been waiting for years to get this done there is way work in group and have a group have a culture that whatever you bring up as a board there is some way we can deal with this it might not end up we might have to discuss it at a work session we might not even like it and we might brought it up it's premature because it might get into something that's not really fully developed yet enough
043to discuss. But anyway, so that's my portion and again we'll get to some other things in a moment. So Jason >> I think Dr. organization has or has in the past in terms of your future I think you indicate that hey they can do something. You know, I'm hopeful in the future it's not, hey, here's all the things you cannot do because there's so many things you can do, right? >> Yeah. >> But I just don't think that they're exposed to that. So, I'm hopeful that that will kind of change the future for these folks in terms of understanding things that they can do, >> right? And that's all flexibility flexibility in the law. So >> and and then when we talk about goals and things of that nature, for example, I know this boy
044has to do an ass at some point, right? For example, you know, if I'm a student and the teacher gives me a text and says, I'm going to give you this same test at the end of the year. What I'm going to do, I'm going to look at that test between now and the end of the year crazy with it. Right? So one of the helpful tools that I think from a roadback standpoint and outline standpoint I get on your web page I see counties board members appraisal forms I see as our board include discussions about county goals means to achieve among other things pages pages of their self appraisal that you'd hate for the first time that you see that to be when you sit down and see that right so again just in
045terms some guidance to the board to be a successful board to feel like tasks that are appropriate that the state has an expectation of one of the things that I would strongly encourage you to do is go on the school board association's web page or you can take this in terms of the guidelines that they provided for that selfra otherwise you'll sit down and at the end and x amount of months you sat down and have to do this self appraise think gosh I have a look at this from the beginning, you know, because that gives you an idea of the things that you can and can do. You know, I'm I'm a person that never likes to say no. I find a way to get the result and the balance of education. You know,
046one of the things that that we talked about here was this. What was it? Someone abstained. >> Yeah. You know, if I get that phone call, I'm asking I'm like, Morgan, want you are elected by the people to do what? Vote. So, let's not get into that situation. I get it. There might be an abstain, but there might be a reason for that. Whatever that reason might be. Maybe it's your wife or relative. And what are you going to do? You're going to refuse yourself. You're going to leave the room. You're not going to vote. You're going to reflect that. But, you know, you're elected to vote. And I don't think any counties have done this. I mean, my position is if we get you a policy in place, when I've seen us in counties
047and them state votes, it's a yes vote. You know, I kind of wish that were a scenario face in terms of folks saying, but I don't think this is the board that has a history of doing that. You all know difficult issues whereby you don't have kind of that related issue. But Dr. First of all, in terms of the legal aspects, you tell me kind of and talk about um you know, one of the things I will say is we're looking back this this board started generally some fresh. We've got a new superintendent. We've got experienced board members. We got great staff and and man, you got an opportunity to write your own script with a new superintendent with those goals and expectations. So I know it's easy to say we can't do that, we
048can't do that. One of the ones that I was thinking about if you have a two policies that are conflicting, what did you do? In other words, you have this policy voting and then you have all the rules bound by which one takes precedent. So from a policy standpoint, what you all should be doing every night because you are incurring a significant expense and whether it's an expense that's well or well paid, it's policies that generally you have to have in place um in your county that has those from a vendor, right? You have a vendor produces a significant amount of policies. There's so many times that you as county board members even as a superintendent often don't even know you have a policy on that. We have a search box we've got to type
049into Morgan if we're trying to hire personal employee classified. There's always that issue of wait who's going to get the job depending on seniority. Guess what? You have a policy on it. So many counties don't realize what those policies are. Pay attention when you're adopting your policies. Okay? Really try to pay attention. stamp those, read them and and pay attention to the product. How are in terms of the conflict in terms of Robert and the policy conflict um in terms of who takes preference? Was it the issue with the two to two? Yeah. >> Or the two to two. So, as it relates to that, two to two is what? two is the type of that means it's what >> and that often means often times board members will say and I've had superintendents do
050this it doesn't happen very often that they can break the tie now but I'm serious you know I still get that I bet you check my emails and Google that question somehow 25 years that's come up but in terms of a 2 to2 That's that's a dead agenda item that did not muster appropriate vote. Right. >> Right. It's defeated. >> It's defeated. >> There's not three or there's not a majority. >> So whatever was being voted on on that instinct is is a dead motion. >> Right. Um then some other things here like when you're uh going to executive I understand uh important matters I understand the ethics commission rulings on open meetings you have to be pretty specific where you want to discuss the effects and such relating to facilities at the high school
051something like that you can't just say facil transportation I've not looked back at meetings I've not looked back to your minutes. But I can look at meetings of of other counties and I tell you what, there's there's big misuse of executive session throughout the state and it is eventually becomes recognized when there's an audit that comes in Canada. The ethics commission if you go to talk about executive session, you know, they do not want an agenda that at the end says executive session. And if our agenda has that, again, we should probably address that and fix that. We just cannot have a standalone executive session. There has to be specific agenda items that the public knows. We discussed that. Executive session isn't meant to protect you all. It's meant to protect other things. Now, we
052can go to an agenda item and we've got personnel that might make a recommendation to hire um you know a director of special education and if it comes to that item may have questions and on that personnel can we go to executive session discuss that personnel in there? Yes. You know, can we go into executive session? I've got to have an agenda item. Okay. I've got to stop if it's occurring executive sessions being misused and abused and just placing on agenda and using that to talk about everything from A to Z. >> There's only so many reasons you can go. >> There's only so many I know the easy thing is and I've been meetings. I'm guilty of it or maybe I something as it relates to pending litigation or pending agreements and next thing
053you know that conversation kind of tells office to a number of other topics. That's the easy thing to do. We've got to find a way not to do that. You're a public school board, public school meetings, a lot of discussion and things that aren't easy occur where they have occur right out here in the open for the community and folks to see. >> I've got a question. uh we were told at some point that anyone we discuss in executive session has the right to be there. So if there's a person on the agenda that they're not intermediate can we go to talk about that. So there's two things I think the ethics commission they they've kind of taken this you got to think of two things you got to think of you're talking about open
054meetings and you're talking personnel the ethics commission was kind of taking the decision hey from an ethics standpoint there's no requirement that that person be there and then they go on to say but from a personnel standpoint you better be thinking about what the nature of that discussion is and why you're going back to discuss and help me out to tell me how you even got back there to begin with on that agenda item. Like how are we going in and talking about for example um you know the social studies teacher at school X and the board members are concerned about what's occurring and what they're hearing. Wait, how do we even get back there? >> Right. Where on the agenda did we have the right to go back there? >> Well, what I'm thinking
055is social studies is on there for transfer. >> Yeah. or to step up to administration procedure. We know the history. Yeah. You can't just talk about that in I think that you're going to go in executive session. The superintendent has made a recommendation. Superintendent has made a recommendation based upon who he or she believes is the most qualified. And when we look at making those hiring recommendations, I get it. You folks in this community know everyone. I mean, Pocahontas County is so unique. I mean, you know, you you might I know you're 219 to the other. We're making those hiring decisions. You know, the superintendent makes those recommendations. You folks have the right to ask the questions, but always make sure we're going back to one thing. We're having to hire the person that's most
056thought about. Agree to disagree. The code outlines what it is that we look at. You know, when we're looking at administrator, we're going to look at nine different factors. That's it. Those nine factors are where do they go to church, who really friends with, things of that nature. So, there are some limitations, but that doesn't mean that you're not going to go back and ask questions about recommendations of people who are being recommended for employment. Again, I don't think that about any employees due process. But I'll tell you this, if that employee doesn't get that job, I want you to understand the executive session, your conversations aren't privileged, okay? They're not privileged. So once you talk about an executive session, and if we're back there talking about an employee that didn't get a job, when
057we find ourselves in agreements or otherwise, and the employees representatives ask you what was discussed back there in executive session, you're under oath. You got to tell them. Yeah, you got to candid. So, executive session isn't meant to be a cover whereby what discussed does come out. The only time that there's a privilege if it's an attorney client related privilege. If we're back there talking about litigation, giving you some guidance on what who I think maybe should or shouldn't be hired from the standpoint of our qualifications, what the exposure and risk is. Always keep that in mind. Hey, whatever. perspective second you got to assume could find its way back out. It shouldn't from you all individually you know in terms of preserving that but it's not meant to so so basically like during a
058meeting like right now say ask Mr. President go executive session. So I say um Mr. President, can we go executive session on policy? That would be appropriate. >> No, because we don't have any agenda item for that. >> We don't have an agenda item for the public. >> It's not agenda. I think and Dr. probably would be more familiar with this as well is a lot of counties who have been kind of audited by the state for example. Um I forget which county it was really took a little bit of a ding and it might been Tyler County for example really Mingo. Yes Mingo I'm sorry. They went in and looked at like, my golly, I want an executive session a lot, but not only I believe a lot, but maybe at times when you
059shouldn't be going, they're just calling for an executive session. You know, it needs to be I want to go to an executive session to discuss an agenda Harrison County tonight. I was supposed to be on the phone with someone else's government. The agenda is discussing disposal of excess real estate. We have a few buildings there that we need to dispose of. As Mr. Grimes indicated, there's, you know, a handful of times when we go in executive session. One of those is to do what? To discuss real estate matters. The reason for that is is those buildings are worth something. Maybe we want to sell them. Maybe we know what the value is, but we don't want to sell them so short. So again, we have a specific agenda item that we're going into executive session
060on. >> Specific. I can be very specific. Well, it's got an agenda item. You can't say exactly that. >> Has to have an agenda item. You can't just say a word like it's got to be reasonable. >> Okay. But again, and and Miss Klein, I think you've seen this, counties have to get away from abusing and misusing executive session >> and and it has been and continues to be kind of an issue here. I went off about sandwich. >> Yeah, it's because again over the years and and you know about that's been on the board years, you've seen a lot of changes over the years. Now everything is what we're make sure this is broadcasted maintained and kept. So we have that visibility. So, you know, went and state and others look at your board
061meetings and see >> number of executive sessions and readings or lack thereof that can be concerning. Yeah. Or you go the most qualified person. You know what I'm saying? So that's their name is on the agenda. Morgan calls for an executive station. We get into executive said I know this person. He did this in uper county. So we go back out the station and we tell the superintendent to bring us another name. What happens at that? Do they have to bring us another repost? >> What is the right lingo for that? >> A couple things and I know we're all different things but superintendent is is statutoily indicated to next recommendation. The only thing I would caution the board on is often times the superintendent might not be in the position to do that at
062that particular meeting. Maybe that would come to the next because often times at the superintendent standpoint personel we've got that number one individual not back about two three four or five. So be patient but have an expectation that the directive is is that the superintendent will bring another recommendation to the board. >> Yeah. Well, if that never happens. >> Well, moving forward, you know, I think your recommendations that came up years ago, wasn't there a specific board member asked for a specific personel? >> It wasn't with Kate. was with my predecessor fine man who hired me >> and the board asked he'd been off for some back issues for a while almost a month or more and they wanted and happened to be a sports issue. shocking. Uh but they wanted a coach recommend and
063he was not prepared to give that and told them that this is way back before the new hiring procedures back before the days of interviews and such. This was in the ' 80s and it was a Supreme Court decision. I think I was in college. So, it's been a long time, but they sumearly fired that superintendent that night and then he went on and appealed the decision. It went all the way to the Supreme Court. He was reinstated with complete back pay. >> Jason, that question about you work for us. You're, you know, you are our employee, so we can direct you around. That's purely erroneous with superintendent, >> right? >> Then I guess so talking about the agenda proceed. So media say I want to get something like fundraising on a month's agenda down.
064What is my what's the proper chain of command you do that for me as a board? Do I do I send an email to Miss Superintendent here or what do I do? >> So again, I think this falls in kind of that topic that Dr. Oall had some of the questions. So if if I went in and looked at your policies and looked at agenda setting, I'm going to assume I'm probably willing to bet it indicates that the agenda is probably set by the superintendent along with correct >> that all motion, >> right? I mean that that's kind of that language in terms of that's kind of where that dialogue is in terms of trying to um get an agenda item from those two individuals. And to the extent that that it may not make
065itself on an agenda, I like to determ talked about earlier. How does a board member get that on an agenda and maybe where agenda? because your discussion was about the group that came again to end a presentation and I know if you sat there and you listen to folks and you feel horrible that you can't respond to them and you know they leave here you meet still going and they're already put on Facebook that you just sat there and staring at this office right be want to be on the board they're the ones voting for you they don't understand what your limitations are so on that issue you know I think it's always good at every meeting and I don't know if you or don't I know Grant County used to have a nice little
066script that they read that the people in the audience kind of understood that to us today >> and you know engaged so you know that that helps in that regard but I like Dr. call soft in terms of a board member making a request for something that's being potentially placed on the agenda at the end of a meeting. And I don't know how you articulated maybe how that would look on an agenda what it would appear. My my opinion would be is that though that still requires the approval of the majority of the board on an agenda that makes sense for the future. So like you say future meetings then you could have consideration of agenda items by board members or something like that and then that way if no one has anything then and
067I think still with the policies we have most all five policy you mentioned superintendent board president terming the agenda that you would still have to go through that process to abide with your policy but at least you're mentioning it in PP And then if it's not on the agenda resolve um then they're you know you can keep I guess it policy that says that three boards. >> So if Mr. some months on the agenda, >> right? and our board president and superintendent if he get two of us >> okay >> agree with him the >> still it's it's it's appropriate and my proper change channel would be to present my concept for the agenda to president and super that's that's >> all right any matters of the board because I try to move matters to
068the board stuff brought up then can I suggest or make make a request that it be put on the next agenda for next board meeting and if they like say back on what we said I can follow that up by saying can I get approval of the board and and that I only thing I on is >> we're not really get in a whole lot of dialogue about it. Right. Right. Explain otherwise these folks will kind of respect and understand what you're kind of asking for and what your thought process is. But again, you know, I think initially when you come to these two folks, there's a strong chance that a lot of the clients are going to find themselves on that, right? >> We've never seen what what if we are in a discussion
069with school personnel, teachers, and a board member calls for an executive session. And I say can't because it don't fit in the criteria, >> right? I mean we get that to >> happen to understand and maybe you all do a good job with this maybe others need on that learning curve is the easy thing to do make an executive session you go in but you're really supposed to be an exe >> and one of one of the nervous I had to say you know this does not fit have to happens. >> Whenever I was interviewed by Miss Crown or the ethics board, she made recommendation that let's say and it's on our agenda. Now, anytime there's personnel, there's a a sentence at the bottom says that we may go into executive session discuss >> it
070may sub with approval say that's the way the state does it recommended. Yeah. >> One last thing called objections. What I've never heard back to me if you were having consent is consent before that we do this. So in other words, if everyone if and it's not heard and it's something that's maybe pretty simple procedural thing, then that would be almost tamount to an object or I mean to to an action like you would say is there any objection that we do this or that and there is no objection. It's us it's usually used for very non technical things and said you sort of do that also but if you take things all the extent you know this word kind of gets into that role then I say it then it kind of turns into
071maybe not a really good functioning board right you got a great system we run this gentleman report nothing but positive things for the school system with Awesome. So I want to advance that right. So and and I think recognized that people talk with the state there is no other place. This is just kind of additional training otherwise and somebody votes no there's four yeses and a no. I'll always say let's show that Mr. have voted. >> See, I didn't pay any of those things. I'm just pointing out some people tied up and things don't even the same way if if we're voting on one of the board's family members. I'll say let the record show that they know. >> Yeah. So, if anything ever comes up, it's in it's in the minutes, >> right, of
072the meeting. assume a case like that because three of us qualified to sw but one of our family members is on the gender and we excuse ourselves that leaves two people >> correct >> it does happen >> yeah I think Dr. S will kind of move to the next point. But I think you know again I'm not sat back and participated watching the board meetings or otherwise historically I really haven't. I'm only here in front of maybe uh personnel season like two years ago and then maybe a couple of months ago. So it's far between. But I think one thing as board members you always got to keep in mind as well is always just trying to keep that somewhat calmful composure even though you know difficult related issues because we love our eyes in
073the sky watching right now who watches but hello to those who you know don't want to be the poster child the doctor news and presentations hey you got to do this but at There's some other topics. I'm sorry. I know that. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Yeah. I just wanted to say that sometimes um discuss discussing the agenda and I know we as superintendent you have to direct people back to the policy that regulates that particular thing. That's the secretary. >> That is the role of the secretary is to say in policy this is the procedure for doing this and this is how we have to live and follow this policy >> and and and you all have to understand that from your superintendent secretary of the board >> that the fact that maybe it's
074no don't take that as as closing the door. it is is we have to function in a way that is you know organized and uniform and I know I hate policy driven but they're there for a reason and the outcomes turn into success >> right they they really do board members thank you all have here that you sat in on the interviews I get it they truly do So you know one of the part is to educate folks on really what your role is for you all to understand that role is in conjunction with the superintendent >> right you kind of that lead unfavor chaos >> I had some other things that I made request for the person and and your is already doing this one of the issues that comes up on some of
075these reports would be if you uh are discussing something and you see someone in the audience you think may have expertise on that. I think the way to do that and this they didn't answer it this way but I think the way to do that is what Dr. Williams is already doing. She would say does any member of the board have any question for someone in the audience who they feel have expertise in this that way you're not saying Mr. Jones, you're not just pulling it out of the air. Mr. Jones, what do you think about this? But you're letting the secretary of the board direct so you can ask that question. And I see nothing wrong with that. Now, do you need to put that on the agenda? We may when we talk about
076this subject, we may need we may allow questions from the audience. Maybe you can say that you say we may indeed have, you know, maybe do that. But I think the way of directing it is very important here because that way the board is not leaving its role as a board member. You're actually responding to your CEO and your secretary and she's asking if you need to ask anyone in the audience later. I don't see why that would raise an issue with any >> you're going through the superintendent >> and and I think that's I've heard you say that before going through the superintendent for those issues and when we're we're meeting questions for these folks as well kind of utilizing treasure folks >> and I think that's critical because you come before meeting sometimes
077and uh we'll say well treasure don't you know what do you think about this really I think the superintendent should be the one who says after the treasures report because the treasur does not report to you the treasur you only have one individual who reports to you as a CEO so it's kind of improper I think I'm more than this for me to say well can we treasure I mean you really need to ask the superintendent is there anyone else you would like to hear from the treasure present, you may say superend questions for president or anybody, you know, business division or something like that because that shows respect for the superintendent as the CEO and it also shows that you're going to stop working out and talking to the ministry. But I brought that
078up in Berber County and they don't do that. They didn't like something as an idea, but I like the idea because it keeps the the decorum correctly because the superintendent reports to you. No other staff reports to you and they certainly should. So I like that idea, but that's in a board individual in a small county like ours, you know, that financial person. >> Yeah. a great person, you know, always more like just the we had a treasur report >> and she just told what the budget was or how we could get through her budget meetings or stuff. >> Yeah. Do you have any questions? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> And again, it's whatever practice you have. What I'm really talking about too is just simply seeing something comes up on the agenda. You see
079someone in the audience who you think may have a good response to that and I think there will be a formalized way of doing that letting the secretary lead you into that. But if the treasurer says anybody have any questions well then that's >> we take that to happen. >> Yeah. want to I guess be Sarah now. So you question >> but I can be quiet and wait till Dr. William to address this and then >> I think that's what don't use the board meeting to ask there for example you know let's say you notice the electric bill of the field 100 right you send out that information the extent the board has any thing that that in advance if they have an opportunity to love reach out >> right I reach out and I
080know you're going to find a way to communicate with all these different people the ways they like it whether it's email phone call you know everyone's got their own unique thing that's superintendent >> so when I when I present something to the board I always try to collaborate with whatever director it is when I have Mr. Gibson when I was working on facilities I have Mr. gifts and available for questions. I think it's a reciprocal relationship >> and and you have to include your director >> but and and make them available for those questions in confirmation. And that's really how we've done it. We said discuss discussion review and possible action and I would say Mr. Gibson >> would you present on this portion? Yeah. >> Any questions for Mr. Gibson? And that's how we
081>> doing it. I think that's worked out well for us. One of the things that sometimes happens in meetings some say in the audience I like I like us you know say they want an executive session I don't know Jason if you've heard that in some audience delegation well I want my to be taken up an executive session they have no more authority that I think I you know anyone in the audience does the only the board determines who goes into exact. We talked about some that who goes into the exact section. know one has the ability to do that and it used to be another thing I've seen happen some say someone in the audience will say point of order really I don't know how you effectively handle that but a delegation cannot say
082point of order to a board that is convened and I don't know how >> well I think we have to remember whenever we have meetings it's a meeting of the board of education not a meeting of the body anybody to be involved >> meeting in public not meeting in public that pregnancy that's saying that's very true because some lost children don't and I think another thing you may want to do is say here is the way we conduct our meetings and and anyone who comes in gets gets here's what you will look at in the meeting here's how the flow would be is here are things that are really how we are going to have things like that and then no one would ever be able to say they didn't well I got question for
083Jason we have 30 people show up the same question we it used to be >> and say you have five minutes >> right >> can you still do that or do you have to go through the whole >> yeah hopefully before that fire starts the superintendent folks are kind of prominent down before it comes to you. If it does come to you, you know, again, I bet you your policy and typed in delegation or open meetings, there might be a window of time, for example, as to the window of time for you that amount of time that maybe it's a month for example, what that window does that make sense? Um, so that you're on set here for 30 people that get unlimited amount of time. Again, you're not I get it. You're you want
084to listen to the public. If we told them no and we didn't have public comment on our regular meetings would be on this floor that public comment is not mandated, but it is in policy and expectation regular meetings, not really special meetings like this. I wasn't on the agenda for tonight, right? Um but again there is a window and an expectation I would have to have a cheat sheet of sorts maybe I'll get done for the future buyers come along something big that working with people calling us. We say, you know, talk to your superintendent, talk to your principal command. >> Yeah. And I think you got to recognize that command is successful account. You know that if we're going to tell these folks to follow, you know, tell a new comes up follow the
085chain of command that person's going to leave talking to you be upset like what do you work? So there's an expectation that that change is followed by administration superintendent and what part of delegation someone makes a statement about someone individual as a likely employee of the school name by name and or a student or someone in the community in ter of the employee. I think the ethics convention says that that is to an extent allowable. Like if you say I don't like how the principal of this school did this, then I think to an extent that's allowable. But practically is there any other way to handle things like that? In other words, someone complains about an individual student. >> I think in that regard, it makes it difficult for one person. He's elected to be
086what? >> You're the royal president. And there are times when someone goes outside the scope of that public policy probably has some language in there about what those limitations are on public comment and and the way that you need to do that. There are times when to be shut down. >> Well, I hope it doesn't. I think we get this come up in a meeting. >> You know, I can inform them. Now, you can't we don't hear names. >> Yeah. I can tell that. But if they go by that side, that's we can't control what they're saying. >> I think the satisfy is a football. He's not treating Mike right mention any names. >> Yeah. >> But he goes on to say coach he is and then that's on him at that point. Yeah. You
087can call him you can name whatever young people. >> No they upset so they want to go ahead and >> and stream now. I don't know if it's taken care of, >> but but I can totally tell that. >> That's exactly what I can't control. >> And that might be something to put on a lot of paper. You know, if you have a statement you wish to make about a specific situation, beware that you know, make it as general as possible, something like that on my handout. You get people to know about your events that that may work. And again, it's not uncommon for superintendent when they see those public comments and people signed up to maybe talk with that person a few minutes in advance and say it's it's really the form if you
088want to talk you want to come in tomorrow. >> That's the word, right? Versus broadcast out you all in tough situation, our staff that people just want to be heard, right? So if they're in front of you folks, they feel like they've not been heard, they've gotten disappointed. Um I I I know in your your in terms of in my world in the legal council's name in your factual scenario except that individuals were reaching out to legal counsel you know often times in counties they they they take that I'm represent the superintendent or I'm beholding the superintendent. At the end of the day, my decisions are based upon the board that that is the client. It just happens to be secretary to the board is always my point of contact. That doesn't occur in terms
089of throughout the year a contact from the board president maybe on an agenda item or something to that effect or maybe the board has directed another board member the spokesperson reach out on some sort of specific topic they may be more inclined to but otherwise you know I don't phone calls folks or anyone else feel like that's been a pretty good understanding of folks throughout the state are on board members because otherwise board members I understand are probably will be personally responsible for um you know >> yeah and and one of the questions I asked the ethics commission it's not something they can answer the attorney basically said if you get private try to present the poor >> yeah your council is like Excuse me. So this superintendent did the right thing. They asked him
090to get counsel. He went right to court counsel and there's probably a procedure you have for that. he didn't work out and say, "Well, I just so a lot of times I think constrained what we might really it works to your advantage. You know, if you follow the right procedures, you know, you know those policies in 0000, you might want to read those." Some doctor was you talked a little bit bringing about bringing those up. then you really have a good way to conduct meeting that is efficient and it can be effective. It's what it's though it's it's when you go beyond formality and you don't understand or you try to recreate it on the spot like they did here in some of these cool seen this over the past number of months right and
091um you know we want this school system to be successful absolely Absolutely. That success is content. You know, our superintendent, our board, you know, us making sure we're following policy procedure. You don't follow policy procedure. Um, you know, when I give a legislative update today, there's an expectation that the state superintendent has to update our legislative oversight committee. And a lot of those updates were linked to individual counties or those individual counties following policies and procedures. there's an expectation that those are being followed either like them or not but um you know your superintendent has a boss who was I get you know to an extent and it's also the state superintendent um these board members and I'm might be putting you on the spot I've not been here see otherwise anything that we need
092to address with them specifically from our standpoint in terms of making sure we're on the right path of a good functioning board with a new superintendent. I would just like to say uh in a very sincere way that I have seen lately tremendous growth, teamwork, collaboration and pro mind process, mindfulness, intentionality and how to do things with the board of education and the central office that is going to benefit the citizenry and ultimately the children of Pocahontas County Schools, which is everything we do should be the focal point, the children, period. And and I believe that ultimately the model that they are now setting for those children as to how to do things in a beautiful, messy, democratic society is on display. And honestly, I am thrilled and I mean this sincerely with the proactive
093leadership that I see here this evening. the fact that you all pulled this off and brought the capital THE Howard Oll here this evening and Jason Long absolutely a a paramount legal advisor counsel to the board to lead this and that you have the fearlessness to face yourselves and a lot of these issues as you well know have been laid right there on that table throughout the past months. I think that's amazing on your part. >> Congratulations to you. And I mean that very sincerely. And they will tell you long I've told them otherwise >> before they didn't necessarily want to hear and I asked them >> and I did and so this is wonderful to see and I'm so grateful. >> We've got said you know these decisions in the best interest of students.
094I've always said I was like just write down on a sheet of paper and everything just down every decision we're talking about everything but everything except decision um you know you're going to have some bumps in the road we got some vacancies that we need working a lot of long hours so again you know you're on that strong path success what else we had >> I think some of these were not even really covered in the scenario if they come up in other counties. The I guess one question is when you get to personnel matters that are going to come up and you are going to have to take those up. I think they want to go to executive session and talk about it people who will truly be affected. I think you cannot do
095that if I'm not mistaken. >> So actually that is Mr. Brown on the board or not. Dr. Ferris was here on the board. So remember um and I guess kind of the scenario there for example when we go into personnel season it's not uncommon for example for the superintendent to give a board kind of a summary of what to expect and and in this town was so small. What happened there is Dr. Bear said, I don't know the facts extent, but it was let's say if we're going to make a reduction to Spanish at the high school, what how many how many Spanish teachers would there be? Well, it's only one because we're such a small county. So, it led to agreements among other things. It was upheld in terms of valing, but you really
096have to be cautious in terms of not being prejudged. >> Get the overall pitch or have any discussion beforehand or that would be the easy thing, right? I look back at the last time I was here, the easy thing would have been for the superintendent to call each board member, say, are you going to support this? And you know, that's not the right thing to do. One of the things I take very seriously as well is the rights of our employees, right? We follow the code and the code tells us the employees to do a hearing in front of the board and not I take that serious you know the superintendent usually makes recommendations leave board support not really trying to work behind the scenes as it relates to that. So >> I guess one
097of the questions that came up here is they privately discussed how it's going to be political suicide. Now when we say privately discussed, does that mean that they all somebody sent somebody an email, somebody sent someone else an email and somebody sent someone else or did they just see someone program? But I think the I think point about that is you really can't get in private discussions like that. you have to really wait to hear your conven meeting and as tough as that is I think that's the right way to go because like like board members take that too strictly sometimes like some board me board member someone in the system passes and they go to the we can't have in this scenario is let's say we're in a different Catholic position and school closure
098is occurring here let's Say we're in Denver County. You three, you know, on Sunday go down to shownies and you talk about whether or not support the closure of school tax buyers need. Are we able to do that? >> No. And that has happened. You historically go back and you look at F County where it started off with and how it ended there. That was kind of the domino of an unfortunate history of FA which has now of course been successful and great. But they went through a period of time where that first issue is what snowballed into a number of issues because the school closure process was invalidated because of you know that the show but um >> well let me ask you this question today is putting on a school board association meeting
099at the Marriott in Charleston >> and we decide to go. Can three of us ride together? >> All five of you can ride together. There was a point when they said only two of you can go together. >> Well, you're you're not conducting business. >> I mean, enjoy the trip. Enjoy the travel and stay away from any discussion that relates to things that may come before the discussion. So, you know, I think you know, again, those are the things that we have the fear over that you hear you can't do, you can't do, you can't do and and I'm glad to see Dr. Call back in his own situation, you know, in terms of his relationship with the boards, a discussion that can have that positivity. Let's give some goals and expectations in the group
100or her own goals that are created by going. So yeah, those things for the drive [Laughter] together and save some money. You hear the voice from the truck. >> It's always raining. >> Starting into that. >> You have to least man bring you the bill. >> Yeah, I think you got a fiscally sound school system as well. You got to keep that in mind as well. You know, it's ever changing throughout the state. one of the issues that can create really difficult for any school systems. >> Yeah, it can it can come and go kind of quickly, but I understand that you're in pretty good shape here. That's awesome. >> I guess one question too is the superintendent for kept saying it's not the CFP. It's not the CFP. You can't really think alternately about
101it or anything like that. I think you can but you have to realize there are certain things and certain documents guide what you do and so you can integrate to change it but I don't think you can easily change and let you go to state I think it's state board state so that may be the conversation you go to see so again the last thing is a lot of people are concerned about screaming and things like that u that was not a law passed by the legislature state policy. I don't think the legislates does not like streaming. They do now. They have audible street, but that was put in by state board in policy 22322, which is the main policy that governs county board. And so that's how we got that. And I did hear
102a board member say, well, we have no time to really talk to ourselves about any kind of issues, you know, privately or anything like that. I think do have through work sessions like this, it's still but and I think that's where you talk about things that you wanted the future be look to look at. You can do it candidly and things like that, but uh there is a study done by the old people's law in Florida that it says it constrain these uh public interactions of boards and bodies. You just have to live with this. That's all I can say. I can't I can't change that. You have to live with this. So make it maximize it or optimize it so you can really make it effective to have work sessions. you get paid now
103more than you've ever gotten paid before and that that's an acknowledgement of the kind of meetings and things you you know to really maximize your role >> and I think you know if I'm on the board you said CFP CF comprehensive education >> facilities plan if I'm a board member maybe tomorrow I'm reaching out to say our CFP something years it's pretty expens Use that sign on that board to educate yourself. Don't think you got to rubber stamp everything because you think there's to do that. It's not the case. And those of you have been on the board for a number of years recognize that Mr. I don't think that there's nothing that you can do. Again, board members, there's been a lot of things and policy that you can set in terms of an
104expectation that's facilitated through the superintendent having a candidate conversation one supert often where I reach out to super and I know past couple weeks there's been a few things like did you talk with the board about that or she been in there otherwise you know And again, we've talked more than I talked last week, but that's her understand ways to communicate with each individual first. Uh we did this crew and you want to go through this or sorry drive back. Well, this crew involves put together orientation because when you do orientation and you do this for one or two member things orientation, they really are very good handouts, but I was trying to get different member together. So, we'll just throw these out and see what you all know. The are you a constitutional body?
105Yes or no? True or false? >> I got you. [Music] >> You are less a legislating body created by the legislature to operate at the local level. You're not cited in the constitution except indirectly and that is in regard to no more than two members for one magical district. So they're not really a constitutional body like the state board or the legislative play. So that that's the response to that. The other one is on that I may public school systems there is nothing bad school system. So when you hear talk about you know whether it's consolidations otherwise that doesn't take any sort of constitutional change all right here. Yeah. And it used to be you're right. It used to be that people said that you had to have constitutional change. They can do that on
106May 26 on the first day of the session. Yeah, they won't. I don't and there may be at some point consolidation consideration consolidation of services rather than consolidating county boards because one of the things you do as a board and kind of came up in here, you are a safety battle for them. Okay. as people have questions about co how many people came before the legislature and how many people came to the board during the co period said why aren't we doing this why aren't we doing that so I think real a real thing you do is you provide a forum for people and to express concerns and things and that's valuable but then there's there's this thing in law where some decisions total work they're not going to pay that's a lot in the
107state of competing with that lead and things like that is that actually all that superintendent can do prospecting if we put what superintendent can do is they show you leeway do you have but sometimes policies don't have leeways and it's better just to say well we spend a lot of time talking about this but let's go ahead this go some other But it really leads to the leadership of a superintendent to lead the board to know if you have leeway and stuff like that. So sometimes you do have ways policies or you want to do it the wrong way without getting around. So now the second question is all these terms it is true they are interchangeable. County board now local education agency is a term used for a school district or a county board.
108It's a federal term. It's found essentially it's maybe one or two other places in law but it's mostly found in the fine section but it is found in other sections of law and then school district and county board of the same state board in their policy says the county superintendent is CEO of county school district I don't say county board whereas in law it says county board but really I don't know why they change that but it means is the same here. So that's that those change those terms were all interchanges. Now this 1945 were around but this is called the strayer report straighter straer light and I'm not going to go a lot into that actually the strayer report is 900 pages long there is very there's only one copy of that and it's
109in the culture center there's one in harbor some other places like that. This strayer guy, he was hired by the legislator, contracted with the legislature, studied how effective we had gone from 396 independent magical districts to 55. Few other states had done that at that time. And he said it's really really efficient. And then he went on to say that it's really deficit, but you have to remember that West Virginia, and this is his exact words, is a state system of education. We're not like a while. Uh Kentucky has a little bit more flexibility. We are really a centralized system of education. Now, when you say centralized system, you're really what comes out of that is standardization. So strayer got in things that might come out of that standardizing the school formula. So one size
110fits standard standardizing the school building. So so size fits all. So, and then in my own bias, and I'm going to be very blunt, what it really does, it creates a managerial level of superintendent who really don't know how to go a managerial be leaders, but they're really not encouraged to be leaders and not perform leaders. Now, that's a lot of this Dr. Well, or Dr. While I'm in her, she probably would agree because she's comes at a phenomenal educ. But education really works together more as a unit. It can't really have a lot of entrepreneurs. >> Yeah. >> Just like this board didn't really need this guy on the board who's entrepreneur. But my question becomes who leads innovation? Who leads you to innovation? Does anybody lead you other than what you think you
111have to do with the state laws? and this like this one board member said, "Hey, if I get down there, but you have a superintendent who that's willing to work together, you can use some of these flexibility codes. I'm going to send you to give to the board. You can use these laws to give you flexibility. There's one I'd like to mention. I'm taking time but under the county commission laws chapter 7 if you find that there's a rule you don't like and it's also added an amendment to include the state board and county boards you can try to eventually take that to the governor's office and have them check now how you take it's in there but there are other sections that are far more flexibility and I'm going to get that list to
112you do that so the strayer may point that out that it is a centralized system and it actually works by the state board and the legislature kind of inviting you to do certain things as long as they do not click with the laws rules and regulations. So if I patient you can do the things that are a new brain but it takes a good superintendent leadership to find what those are and the board is willing to actually accept the fact there are some things it's just better for return on investment you don't need like this new discipline policy I think state level that's a blessing for you because it's laid back that's part of the centralized way of looking at things and then uh now so there is way But it's invited. I use the
113word invitation. It's by invitation. If we want you to have it, we'll say you can have it. It's basically and who can disagree with that. If you look at our laws, look at these laws. when I first started working organization probably for that that's a long time ago and I don't see that it's really changing okay so that so I have learn some if you read what education history or the history of the state they really system 1933 reason we did that was during the depression people were losing their homes and everything so the legislature in West Virginia in 1933 they created the first tax limitation section because most of our taxation is done by law and everything and so that's why California had proposition 13 but he makes something that goes along this way
114he says or they say to followers that the county unit system didn't have to come into being at all it can all directly state like Hawaii is enforcement system and the audit done in 2012 parallel since it said we're second only to Hawaii as far as all the rules and regulations. So they came up and said this, they pointed out that the county unit system 55 55 county boards is compromised between people who want a greater state control and people who want a greater. So you're in you don't know the public expects this out of you and you can't say it's so hard to explain the things you can't do. Like in other words, you don't have public expects you to be able to do things that you know cannot do. And it's hard to
115explain to them you can't do this because they see you in the superhead as one view. So that's sort of what they are saying here. Um now this is true number five here. It used to be that school boards were considered the darkest islands of American politics. Nobody really knew what they did. Nobody really cared. Now, can you say that about school boards today? Why are you going? Why are you being straight? Somebody wants to know what you're doing. You're that important that someone wants to see your meeting. But I don't think it's backwards. I think that when you get to um public bodies and institutions, you are very close to the people and that's something that the stratified agencies and regulatory agencies don't like because you're they can't put it in a quantified compliance.
116So that's why I think they have trouble sometimes saying that you're a legislative body at the local level. We're not a regulatory body like the state board that has very stratified meetings. Now, that doesn't mean you would need to hop up and down and have, you know, bad important meetings. Although I might point out that the legislature has had uh people who jump up and down on their podiums and things like that or a legislative body, they were reporting that I don't know that it would be considered good for or good for. But that's so what I'm saying is that there is something there is an intense interest in this state. I've never seen this before that everyone wants to know exactly what you're doing. I don't know recently but I just play a little
117you know make it your advantage. do the good things in your meetings without and and know your needs, know your stuff and maybe I don't know. Okay. But that's my own advice. Certain coaches now boards of education that have little leeway and flexibility. We've already talked about that. It's finding it is having a leader and a board a leader that will help you see flexibility. Prospecting is what I call that >> and a board that is really really wanting that. when some boards really don't want that. It's easier to go by state law compliance and say the state made it because when you go out on that limb and you get flexibility, you're one out of 55 who's doing that and all the attention will be to the superintendent scenario said what's a return on
118investment for this? We'd be the only bunch of people doing this, the only one doing this. cuz sometimes that might fit your board back. So it takes leadership to be able to do that. Um and monitoring we're going to be taking this up either in November or at the winter conference. the West for some reason was set in Morgantown. I I don't know why that but the way we're going to do that is we're going to have a meeting in Morgantown and then we're going to stream it live to all superintendent. So other words, if you don't want to go to Morgantown, you'll get the meeting stream to and the department has a grant they give us each two years for training to try to do the back leg. And I'd like to take up
119the issue of entrepreneur oversight at that meeting because that is the way that getting data and setting telling the superintendent what you'd want to know about and how you want the data delivered to you would be 18410 which is about superintendent role and it's also an 18 uh 514 schoolboard effect. So in other words, you might say, "We want to know how academic achievement is going in the district and these are the specific things we want you to bring to us." In other words, we want to know the impact or finance. It might be about every four months, give us a report on where we're headed. Don't have the treasury rewrite it. You give us a report and then you guys who have questions that may be referred to. So that shows your articulate to
120you as your CEO secretary that in this case she knows where you're headed. is one. So and that superintendent in a good position of leadership because she in other words superintendent will be saying okay based on what our central office has done and our projections I'm articulating to you as your leader and superintendent as your leader this is where we're head and so that way you the state comes in and says you never knew any of these things because you can never know you will Bloom County would never have known people who go to jail. How does Bloom County work? Okay. Unless somebody whispered it to them. So this issue in monitoring oversight is it's a big work for saying these are parameters. These are our system. These are special reports. We want to know
121here's a calendar of those. Here's some meetings. We want those brought up. And then you're in the driver's seat of getting information and you're not left out in the cold. Some of these people apparently were just left out. >> And I would say don't hesitate and feel embarrassed to say you don't understand something maybe because I would >> I got it broken down in terms of >> hey help me out here. I'll need, you know, maybe an expense or otherwise because >> the spreadsheets I mean, you know, the average person unless they're in that world often. I just think of it from a personal stand. But again, hesitate to say, you know what, you give this to us every week. We kind of rush through it. You slow down here a little bit and make
122sure I understand where we're at and where we're at next year for better things in that quarterly. you would be able to check and see if you're moving through the year like it's been. Another thing too is um I heard about this guy once he was in David like he wanted to get fired at CAMC hospital there. So what he did was he just brought in records 800 sheets of paper. this in my opinion. Okay. Well, that seems to me like what you sometimes get, you know, kind of bills and things or so you need to have a way it probably be a violation state policy saying simplifies this to us this way and I think the treasurers would be glad to do that and beneership of it and more direction of owning all you.
123Now these bills you another thing is cited. How many people could look at all county's bills they pay if they were under state office audit? I look at all the bills county board. I mean it would take trouble. How would you know? And is it okay if you ask what we do? Well, you know these reports because that's your fictionary. They hold a certain share of responsibility. In the end, you're liable for it to be taken over. So, find out what's going on financially and get some reports that are more simplified and get a quarter rejection, then I think Rome County would have been maybe on the right path. But again, they got all their information on the deficit. So anyway, that old fight for your big words for, hey, we want to know what's
124going on in the system and we want some reports about us and here's what we would like the superintendent to do and then be up to him and her as administration to bring you those a lot of a lot of board members or um course we talk about the only employee never say you're super and we were doing these policies I have shock board members saying well the superintendent is our only employee know that it's not the superintendent they'll never get into that scenario because you say the county board elected the superintendent then very say appointed so now it says appointed but it used to be you were elected by the public and you weren't elected the superintendent who used to be elected by the public by the constitution. So again, uh never considered a
125superintendent as your own um CEO of the board. We've already talked about number nine, number 10, um school district instruction. Now that's very important because what happens here is I went to the county board recently and they called superintendent and they said he really nothing about the finances. So now think about this in the environmental. So they've got to really have strong financial leadership they can trust. So that's important here because even though superintendent what if my forte was finances but not not instructional but I have hopefully people on my office like somebody didn't get super in county because he didn't know enough or when they interviewed him about special they have about 20 people working special couldn't rely could he rely on those people they didn't work he didn't know So that's some of
126the things here that kind of come up. Um now is the superintendent the only one who can make a recommendation to you for an action item? Now personnel he knows for sure but if it's just a regular item does super does it have to come from the superintendent or are there things that you can actually recommend without superintendent both I can send you back out but I think again getting back to what we were saying probably it would be better if like most agendas I hereby recommend we recommend this then CEO it It's though they were doing this but there are things easy and you need flexibility that's not >> it's certainly for personnel but there are areas you can make your own but I think the is it is true the county board is
127almost solely responsible making recommend she the CEO and the second. So I think that would be important. Now again number 12 does answer what I guess number 12 does answer there are certain things uh that you can make recommendations about but for the corum that nature I think it's better and most agendas already say that hey something like that um then you personally you already that brought up your board here you as a board can decline a recommend And I think Jason, as it's been pointed out by the ethics, by the previous procedure and administrative law, you better have a very good reason for not accept recommendation. You can deny the recommendation. So if you deny this code, you don't want the recommendation, you may be able to. But the superintendent, what we did was
128we said if you bring us a recommendation as superintendent, then you are saying to us, you checked all this person's credentials. You know, they're certified. You know, they don't have any background you need to know about. And so when you vote on them, you're voting as though the superintendent said, "Oh, this person completely clean. Nothing." you know and I think that's a major flexibility now that's going to be part of but work on that because I think kind of a compromise there that bring accountability to that recommendation but again it's like a lot of things what is return on investment so so and I don't know most boards do basically put faith in the superintendent to know recommendations were okay because They're actually done by personnel. Probably >> they they they were not in this
129county. They were the superintendent and Miss Barkley were functioning as personnel. Uh but the super the new superintendent is looking to hire a a director of personnel and human resources. That's a good growth point. But the board ultimately has supported superintendent's recommendation first working relationship with her board. She gonna have kind of a gut feeling how about >> and she bring recommendation that work whe and and I like to follow up on that you know we have training section called stay in well okay that's child stay in it's like talk to the top what you're really talking about is that the longer view as a superintendent long that's what you call the board will have of you that you must trust your leadership and then the greater amount of trust to be able the pipe
130as you go down the pipe then more that it becomes a collaborative please your rel saying stay in your lane and saying stay in your >> I mean that's on our program I hope that's one of those those friends that you'd like to just have drinks but but because it does not allow it doesn't take consideration that if you work together with and you have to put up a lot sometimes you'll make mistakes and they'll make mistakes but don't pull off and get your superintendent because that's really where you get into trouble sometimes. So I think I think it's really a relationship develop over time and the more it develops sometimes superintendent will sort of get into policy and sometimes we'll work with students sort of get into hey look for 15 years we're sorry
131for the excuses that's what I mean you can't go with this stay in your lane because they don't even have any relationship Next thing we read is that LSIC's they do have a powerful role. They were really created as a means to get involvement. They never really reached their potential. They have a tremendous amount of potential. But what would you expect? They really are. They don't get any fee, no monetary compensation dollars or anything. They're all volunteer. They really don't know what they are to do. They're often led by principles and even though they're not, they have other people on the LSIC's. I think this is an area if we're going to build public trust and public education, we've got to really develop like a local level who can speak well of schools and let
132the LSIC's do that. Tell them this is your role. Go out, see what's going on in the school, things you may want to change or not change. So, they have a lot of potential. When you talk to legislators about LSIC's, they don't the accurate means and then you explain it, it's often explained as well, they're not doing a very good job or not doing it. Well, that's up to the board has no controls in the sense that they report to you. They do report to you, but be sure they're have that as one of your talents that you get over a monitoring oversight. Has our LSIC have they been appointed? Do they know? and then maybe do have somebody do some training like that for them and then county boards uh you can optimize through
133effectiveness in 1918 514 that's school board effectiveness statute it gives you every le in the world a lot of things that have never been done because it takes a lot of prospect to go out and do those things and mostly mentioning those um then of course we have the idea that the state board does have supervisor power or uh school boards. Uh actually the state superintendent is the only official who can remove a school board amendment. It's under 183 or three. It's for the 186 state superintendent can actually remove school members says school laws and that probably mean school board member principal or anyone else. I'm sure the state super be wanting to do that. So we do have process we got into where intervention is really a process where a a legislature that created
134the county board as a local legislative body then vacate your role and they bring someone else in to control your district and then you're elected but you can only do what you're allowed to do permitted to do it and put you in a terrible Yeah, >> because the people in your counties, they may not understand that, but how many people in counties really >> and so what I my main message would be never get yourself in that position. You know, do everything you can to be prevented like we're doing tonight or you can do the whole cycle. So, you have a pretty good handle system. Now, some people think interventions are political. The state board says they're not and so we have to try not political. Really, when you read them, those reports, a lot
135of those reports point out things that board members train state for because they're not doing it. So, it's not really effective or something like that. That's part of the oversight, I believe. But you because training done in Charleston at the Mar totally different things. So have program agenda about special one hour to learn about special. Well that's so we're going to get into quadrants and we're going to have special ed directors work with the board members to have training quadrants so they'll know a little bit more what to ask about special ed. So that's getting into monitoring and compliance and things like that. And then um again we've already talked about last thing is there is a provision of law in the county that says the primary purpose of the school district is to provide
136instruction. If they don't say to students or they don't say any provide instruction but then this next group of considerations and I think this classification we have it puts all things you have to say one is more important than the other I don't know maybe you put on but my advice you do that is in one point it's correct primary purpose so account for interchangeable would be instruction but then you also have a primary role of being fiduciary responsibility you have a primary rule in academic you're held accountable for that so these things cannot be strike they cannot be in my own mind you just have to figure it is and that's the best way I think to look at do all these things now I did go to one meeting where we were talking
137to toally elected member and she had she wrote it and she came up with that statement instruction first. She was a former teacher so she thought that was the first thing she wrote right down the line but it really is not that simple because Mr. problem. It's really not that simple, but you have to do all these things and get the old data things like that. Then the last question or the last question is when do you know your board's back? What do you know is your back? You don't hear a lot of complain. Does that mean that people are proud and happy with the board or you just have a bit of academically effective? >> Yeah. Well, well, effective means yeah and I think this question is kind of hard to answer because you
138may know you're effective but some nerves it like I said then people think they're in so but I think academic standard and this school board in this scenario they were third in the state and academic law school they were third in the state. So one thing is really academic achievement for being one good physical data getting yourself not in physical trouble things like that to show that you're effective and really engaging with your people. >> Yeah. Uh, one of the things that streaming has done is makes it almost impossible to take some of your meetings outside the schools so you can't take the schools sometimes and that is something that people have been mentioning about that and then how do you know when you're well I guess that's one complaint you hear and well you
139hear complaints about decisions you've made and then you have to think really could we have done this differently and then the Mango County Board was for uh following Robert Cru's order order for a large group and they could they for reconsideration had to be on the majority at a meeting like actually you can reconc building can't say right now we don't want the bill okay but there are certain flexibes you have to think about those and then but this is the county board's true constituent is the student true >> it is true back policy governance you get very uh nense of who or the very core of who you're working with it is your student you're going to see your the student in a different way than your teachers will your administrators and others but
140the board of superintendent so your student is recruitment it's not the voters it's WDA and AFT. It's none of those groups. They fit in, but they're not recruiting distinctions. I don't that's my I learned from Johnny who thought policy governance. Then we've got some other questions here. I guess that would be Yeah, the staff would be a constituent group. Yeah. Have all kinds of constituents. When we did county policies, we told county boarders county school district constituents. It's a long certain times benefits will be in certain times will be um then we talked about this already and everything stay in your lane that's a bigger value question number 17 number 18 the world school system that's provide instruction to students I think we've covered that enough we can't isolate things um controlling in the magnitude
141of the school system 188 or 185 takes control of mag school system. After all, you can't educate that teacher. That's your own master. So, you do it through policy and through the super. Exactly. Right. That's how you be told. You go out, you do not go out and develop your own things, your own investigations, things like that. Um then for the board to progressing board must have the whole thing you hear people come before the board that prove what if you did that how would you be what if you had two groups that came before you hyper responsive you couldn't figure out who's so you can't you can taking validation from getting comments with allegations is that part where the public something that doesn't even have to do it some things they might what people
142work at. So then usually when we do this orientation identify some of the reasons you ran from sleep orientation then you get into things then you have all these things that come up with the environment you came for you ever think why I do this you do but really you're doing it because of your true decisions we've already and and you're elected by the public. It's a transactional thing. They elect you to do certain things that they like you have the ability and recision. So, it's very it's there are more school board members as elected officials than any other group in the state. Think about that. And you're not you don't have a cloud of maybe political bodies that are partisan, but you also don't activate the cloud. impact sometimes by getting people involved because
143when Canola County closed all schools in the eastern end of the county that's when people started worried about the school closing because the kids would have to cry be a little bit far get so schools stay open because they care about keep but then you have to have school a form that rewards you and Okay. Well, I would like to thank Mr. Call and Mr. Long for coming and doing this training for us today. We really appreciate it. Thank you and Howard, it's good to see you again, buddy. Thank you. Now, in terms of followup, I think what we really want to do is I want to get you some material that I said ago and uh then if you want to have to see where you are in a few months, we can do
144that. If that's something the board suggest something suggest you want that we see where things are, but I think Mrs. Cl or client gets your final sense. Jason, thanks for all the help me help us get through it. >> Yeah, it is good to see you back. We we had fun and that's what makes it under new course we got discussion review and possible action on the 2025 and 2026 fund director you >> yes it is so I wanted to talk to you a little bit about fundraising and I do have a list of topics attached for the fundraisers however wanted to talk about get this list and then fill list of topics that you will approve that you say okay we are these types of fundraising in our school system but if we go
145to our >> state policy there are some guidelines that we have to have fun so a fundraiser has to be generated at the school level by a person or individual that is associated with the Um, so I'm just going to read you what it says. It says, "Fundraising activities must be covered by by our liability insurance. The school board's commercial general liability policy drew the board of risk and insurance management brand generally includes election and appointment of officials and faculty members, employees, volunteers and student teacher student teachers acting within the scope of their duties regardless of whether they're on school grounds. Volunteers must be acting on behalf of the school board and not a separate entity. So what that means is if and then it goes on to say therefore volunteers working for the school
146working for a school support organization with a separate FIN number or an IRS 501c3 status may not be covered by the school board's policy but volunteering volunteers working for the school support organization that is not a separate legal entity and runs their funds through the school system. So when it comes to regulating fundraisers that are have specific names on them of an athletic team or school organization, those funds have to be run through our school organization to be covered by our insurance. >> The insurance >> So why is that important? So, let's say hypothetically, cuz I remember this happening one time, we get $10,000 worth of candy bars, okay? And we're an organization out there saying, "We're selling this for the school system and we support it." And then they don't give that merchandise out
147or they consume that merchandise. They're not covered by our insurance because they're have a separate account, right? But they're representing us. So, we really got to think about that process. In addition to that, we have the list on here of topics you're going to improve. We we agree with having these topics as fundraisers in our system, but you still have to by state code by state policy and by our policy. And our policy says that it has to be we have to know the dates, the times. It has to be sign of the person leading it has to submit the form the request. The principal has to sign it and the board has to approve it. So, even though we're approving these topics tonight, everybody that's doing a fundraiser has to submit a fundraising form
148to the board. So, really, all this fundraising topic form that we're approving, and I don't know where this originated, and I will continue to do this for you, but it doesn't approve everybody doing fundraisers. They have to they have to submit a form. So, if somebody wants to do a bake sale, whoever's doing the bake sale submits the fundraiser to the school principal, the times and the dates and the locations they're going to do the bake sale. The principal subs that fundraiser, they send it up, we approve it, and I put it on board agenda for you to approve. So, we have to have that form process. And that's that's in our policy policy 1224.1. There's an example form in there that they have to use. Now, we have a form and here's what I
149think's happened. I think over time, maybe that process and procedure of using the form has been eroded away a little tiny bit, but we got to have that form submitted. does does provide insurance just to keep as per our conversation tonight to keep you informed in control of what's going on with that. So, you can vote to approve the fundraisers at the bottom of the fundraiser. And I didn't bring my mind and I see that um [Music] can you read what's on the very bottom of that form for me? EA policy 432 and will be handled on a one on one to one basis license and other supporting documentations are to be submitted to central office will be considered. >> Yes. So, we've had a couple of raffles come up and there is a charitable
150gaming license that you must have to do a raffle. You have to have that charitable gaming license. I do not feel like as your superintendent, it's my responsibility to micromanage getting that license. If somebody needs it, I will delegate that to Miss Hamilton to assist them in getting the license. But they do have to submit that because code also says somebody has to be responsible for taxes. So we have to make sure that we are responsible for taxes. We have to just make sure that we have everything spelled out appropriately and then I'll bring it to you and I'll bring every single fundraiser request submitted to me to you in a timely fashion for you to make the decision on. But we just have to have that process. And there may be one that you
151don't want to do. There may be one that you uh that somebody asked you about, but if we could just please say, you know, we have a fundraising form. Could you please submit that through the appropriate channels? I promise you I would get it on the agenda. Now, there has been some problems with trying to get something on the agenda after the agenda goes out. So, I want to communicate that to our staff. that the agenda goes out the Thursday before our meeting. And if you want something on that agenda, you need to get it to me by 3:00 the Thursday before the meeting so I can get it on there and get it approved for you because I cannot I'm not going to approve things that haven't been gotten to me to get on
152the agenda in time. >> So, just need to get enough time. >> Well, we have to get it out by four. So I'll take it to the very last hour. >> Okay. So if you want more >> I mean I want to be as as as fair and as diplomatic as possible. All you and I work on that agenda. We are are working all day talking backwards and forth the emailing backwards and forth. We have a shared document. But I I do want people to have time. But we have to set some guidelines. and I'm going to speak with the principles that it's their responsibility to say I'm signing this but didn't get it in time for the agenda so it won't for till the next time you may have to adjust your dates. Uh
153that's we want to empower our school leadership and we want them to be making those decisions not following up and saying on Saturday hey I didn't make it on the agenda I want to do this on Monday. Yeah. we go, you know, because we really are establishing funding procedures. So, I do want to open it up for discussion. Any questions for me or any questions for Sarah and Miss Hamilton on this topic of fundraisers and the process or any policy related to that? >> Thank you for your clarification. >> All right. So we will send a memo out to the principles and start this process and get them in place so that we are following our own policy and what is required >> uh the probably should have this because a lot a lot of
154athletics it's the biggest majority of they should get that too. Yes. And I will >> convey that to the because ultimately the athletic directors are directly supervised and report to and evaluated by the principal. So if an athletic director does not know then I feel like it is the principal who has not correctly communicated that would that be fair to rather but you can write that list of topics if you would like the example of that would be the third page in that where Mrs. Scotty turned in a a fundraiser form and that's what you all will be received >> and that's what all the policies say that you are to receive. I like the list but the list isn't it I don't even know it doesn't adhere to any policy that we that is
155state policy or local policy >> read excuse me everybody read over the list of the fundation approve the list and the scotch. >> Yes. >> All those in favor sign by saying I motion carries. Now we're going to superintendent updates. >> Um I do have a couple of updates. Um we have made uh progress with our special education. I have spoken with Miss uh Hazel and the West Virginia Board of Education via email. throughout the week. I submitted our plan um what we're going to do and how we're going to do it and I received an email back from her that uh this evening that that's a great plan moving forward and she's very excited about it. Additionally, I have secured two presenters for well I've started the process of securing I just got to
156get the paperwork in place. Two presenters for the opening day of of school. On August 28th, we're going to have one presenter. His name is Larry Bell, and he's going to talk about the power of relationships and learning and vocabulary words that sometimes our students don't have access to that prevents them from excelling in achievement. And he has a very powerful message that he delivers. I've also worked with solution tree today and for senate bill u 199 which is about discipline and the I think mr call referred to that I have secured a presenter that will cover that regulatory assignment that we have but that is going to really focus on our overall uh agenda of having uh relationships with students having high expectations that are consistent from classroom to classroom and from school to
157school so that students have one expectation and they don't have to learn multiple expectations. Sometimes when we have individual little pods of expectations, it's hard for students to comply to them. So a universally communicated um message to our students and to our parents and to our community and I'm really excited about that. >> Okay. works really and just fun things. I was an employee. We submitted private request to each board before I have seen I don't know if that was possible because that seems to have went away people just go to conferences I guess the superintendent but the board members never know >> that's next on my list. Okay, >> it's already on my radar. I've already talked to Miss Hamilton about the travel process. I've started um asking for those um whatever form is
158my first date. I think that form needs to be readvamped. And you're absolutely correct. That should be something that the travel request should be coming um through the board. I have pulled our policy to see what's in the policy for doing that. And as soon as I get that kind of lined out, we will start that process. So yes, it's on my list. Hey, >> we should we should be see travel until we get paid for that. They got paid for. >> Yeah. Israel call is an extraordinary human being. I mean that guy just I wish and I wish that he would have came six years ago started this would clarify a lot and I think he was very I think he brought us a lot of things to me tonight um for us and
159you know clarify those things I like I like the way things are going too I really like the way things are going right now I think it's good and that's all I for you. Misery man [Music] vice principal public school assistant principal. >> We have had some applicants. We have not had any applicants that met all of the criteria listed on the job posting. Um we have reposted that. It will come back down and any applicant that was on there that interviewed we have said please reapply. Um because we just we really have to search for the most qualified applicant because of the situation with our special education. We need we need a a a conglomerate of experiences. So we're working on that diligently um to find someone who can meet our needs. >> I'm
160noticing one that's 110% off. It's all >> I was just talking about Miss Holton's work, Dr. Holland's words with >> Miss today. Yes. And she she like special situations before and she has a lot of expertise. >> Well, she worked in the state department. She exactly >> earlier today Dr. Hogs is fun when you're just Mrs. time has always told us what a job uh what a great job was doing you know but she's not took any credit for the job that she messed up >> she is amazing she asked me what kind of person she is and I said she has been a blessing she heard me say that same thing that you all haven't heard me say I don't know what we have done without you >> but I'm super proud that you
161are here >> thank You all are amazing to work with. Every the I haven't met Lacy yet. If Lacy's here, I haven't met him or her. And so I'm having fun. Now, if we can just convince Dr. Hollinssworth bus good work. You've done amazing job and we're happy to have you with us. >> Okay. Our next board meeting is scheduled for PT August 5th, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the P County Conference room.