001Yeah. >> I've never been. We're not travelers. >> Josh, we'll go ahead and get started. >> Oh, he's just walking in. Okay. Yeah, >> these four meetings get us, don't they? >> 4:00. >> Yeah. >> Okay, Josh, we'll open up the meeting, do the pledge, and then we'll turn it over to you. >> All right, we're going ahead and start our special meeting of the Wayne County Board of Education. It's 4:00 and if you'll stand the >> will give you the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Does the record show that all board members are present in person this evening? >> Let's just go with the LSSC presentation. >> Local school improvement
002council presentation by elementary. >> Okay. Thanks everybody for coming. Uh we'll get into this. I want to thank I don't know if this house will listen to this, but I wanted to give her thanks for all the support she's given me, too. She's not she's she's moved to Florida and I don't see her much. So, I just wanted to appreciate everything she's done for me and everybody in this room has been very supportive of me and and and Miss Calbert, too. Uh before I got this job, you you were very supportive when I got hired as an assistant. You have been, you were supportive and and through now and today. So, thank you all for being a wonderful staff. U Kellogg Elementary is a top performing school. We know that every year academically there's it's
003a lot of factors there that you know we we have lost a lot of industry in this community. We're a title one school, so we're low at high SCES community or low SCES community, but scores are consistently high. And that's not what we see nationwide. That's that's an outlier. And we we expect that every year. That's due to the community support, the students, and certainly this staff. We have a veteran staff, and we have some some newer teachers, too, that are excellent, but they they are led by a veteran staff. And that's why along with community supporting the students that we maintain a high level of academic achievement. So let's get to some data here. Uh our enrollment as much of the state is declining. >> Yeah. >> But our SCS staff is going up.
004So we're we're losing more money in the community. So that's going up and enrollment is going down. our testing data is getting is is staying high. Again, that's supportive of of what our staff does here in the community that that is here uh supporting their students. Um before I get into our building needs, if you'll notice, our fourth grade this year um is at 50 57 students and I think we're going to get that third teacher for fifth grade next year. Um, we certainly need that. And our our third grade next year will have over 50 students. Please consider uh getting us a third teacher for third grade as well. We're right there. We're going to be over 50 students. We're quite certain of that. It's really difficult. And I know you understand this. I
005know it's a numbers game, but if we start the year with two teachers, then add one, it's just it's it's disruption. So if at all if at all possible please that happened to us with fourth grade >> and it was just you want you're separating kids to that third teacher it's hard to do and and it just it just doesn't flow as well and I know you know that please help us and consider that when you've been dropped in May. Um we are getting an interventionist for second grade. We know that also title one status. We I have no reason to think we would not maintain that especially with the two schools closing, but we certainly that we rely on that funding. Uh so push for that for us, please. Uh we did lose a
006title one teacher here last year. We did have two. Certainly we would love a second one back. But please please keep those things in mind for us. So, here's some of the data. Uh, this is for kindergarten and first grade. And you'll see that uh this is a little lower than where you might expect it to be, but kids are learning to read at this time. So, they're not really getting into the the meat of the the reliable data with early literacy necessarily. Um we also uh kids some a lot of kids are coming to school for the first time. Some of them haven't been to preschool so they're starting new. Um so this is a star early literacy data that Wayne County uses. Not all counties use star. We do. Um so we'll look
007at some of the numbers for the upper grade second through fifth. Of course we we want to see our own own growth which we see for the most part from fall to winter. uh 9% second grade and follow winter, 11% in third, 3% fourth. Of course, fourth started out a little higher. Uh so they didn't have much room to grow by winter time. Uh and of course we want to see ourselves above the district and we're at 46% in the winter with the district in star reading at 38. Uh we both both the district and us gain 5%. our reading levels. We are pleased to see that at this time uh of the year the students reading on level two star data there and our star math always stands out. Our math data is exceptional
008every year. Again, that's a testament again being a title one school. You don't t don't necessarily see these numbers. Very impressive data. Not just the growth which is very of our own school. Second grade 21% growth from fall to winter. Third 23% fourth 20%. Fifth grade started at 65% from the fall. Uh when you start that high you know here we want to be in the 60s. We're there in the winter time. Very impressive with staff and students here in the county is at 42%. We're at 61. That's very good. Our our overall growth from fall and winter 17% the countyy's at 11. The state benchmarking I I'll put a little more credit to because it's more aligned with the end of year test. So this is the format the kids will take. So this
009is third grade data. ELA you can see uh we had 27% growth from fall to winter. Math 41% growth. Very strong growth there. District at 21% in LA. We're 20 uh I mean they're at 30. We're at 27. I mean we're at 38. District at 27. Stay at 30. So we have state and district at this time and math we're at 44 districts and states at 30 and again our growth 41%. Very good data. Fourth grade ELA 43% proficiency uh 12% growth district at 38 the state of 38. So we're ahead there and math well above the district and state at 42% 27% growth. Very good there. uh fifth grade uh we were slightly behind in ELA um at winter at the winter point we did have 9% growth uh and the math again being
010strong we're at 504% proficiency the district's at 30 the state of 26 we had 39% growth very strong data we compare our schools others in district. You know, we may be down. We may be the third highest math score in third grade one year out of 11 schools, but our fourth grade might be first and another school might be six. Even though they were consistently high, first, second, or third throughout the district, no matter what class they have, these teachers are performing at a high level. Our science is our low point of the three tested subjects. This is only tested in fifth grade, but it's tested across multiple grade levels. Last year, we were at 50% at the end of the year. Right now, we're at 28%. Uh two years ago, I believe we were
01123% at the end of the year. So, we're not we're still in the winter time. Uh but we are below the district and stay in science. Uh certainly, we want to see that go higher, but uh there's no reason that cannot do that by the end of the year. our trend data. This is last year's data. Well, starting with last year and going back, we're in line to meet meet these figures again. Um at 65% proficiency in math and 55 in reading. Recently, we've had some academic accomplishments for some of our kids. We've got some students going to state math field day. Um, I don't know when that happened last. Uh, fifth grade FA Burns is a regional winner and Kennedy Buckman in fourth grade. Tracy's son she's going and and I I'm sorry I
012didn't introduce everybody. Melanie, Robbie Rash, Miss Buckman, and uh, Miss Amber Wolf on here. Who else? We got Maggie. Several LSIC members. Pam Rash is not here. She couldn't be here. We have several people here. Who' I miss from community members? Our robotics team. This is new for me, but Miss Gill May and Jesse Smith. Jesse's been the coach there, and Jill's really picked up with robotics, helping our robotics team. They've been very successful this year in multiple competitions and they they the fifth grade team won uh the past competition in Charleston and they qualified for the state competition and Fairmont which will be the weekend after this weekend the next weekend. Uh so that's new for us. Uh we are competing in a social studies fair. We did that this year for the first
013time since I've been here. and Miss Willow May, Jill's daughter, got third place in fourth grade. So, those are some good things we have going on. And Miss Calbertt, our assistant principal, is going to talk about attendance. She deals with that primarily her, Miss Gidget. So, I'll turn it over to her now. And Miss and Miss Jill. >> Hello. Um, one of the things I want to say about attendance is that when I arrived here before school started, I met with Josh and Gidget and we talked about, you know, things we wanted to see here at Kellogg. And one of the one of those things was increase of attendance because we know that we're going to the difference we're going to make when they're at school every day. So, I made that kind of my
014mission. Um and with working with Jill and working with Gidget, we have I feel have done an amazing job. Um as you can see, our chronic through today or yesterday, our chronic absence is at 8%. >> Wow. >> 86. >> I mean, we're well above the county. And then our average daily attendance, we're at 95.05. um and this is of course in comparison to where we were last year, but we're making huge gains in attendance and that is something that I, you know, I think we're all as teachers and the staff have worked together to ensure our students are here. >> Um some of the things that we do though to help with our attendance, I do daily shoutouts. So I get on the loudspeaker at the end of the day and I announce any
015classroom that had perfect attendance for that day. I also do daily shoutouts though for other things. Teachers may send in a daily shout out for um someone who's made improvement on something. We have students who help another p of another student who help in the cafeteria, help set up something. So, we're just trying to encourage those positive things. Shout out when they did math field day. Um of course, daily phone calls. Um Miss Gidget and I make those every day. If they have not called in or emailed one of us, we then reach out to them making that meaningful contact. The social worker of course does the five and 10 day letters. Jill and I do attendance um essay sats where we meet with the parents and we've had great success with those this year.
016Some of our chronic students once we've met with them it's made a huge difference. Um we've even increased one students who was had 30ome tardies. No more than that. >> 38 tardies and we've got it where he's here. He's for the past month he's not every day on top of it. It was it was um of course Jill does daily check-ins with individual students. Um, I as the first my first year here, my goal was I had to build relationships and I've tried really hard to build relationships with students and let them know that we're glad they're here. And so I and they'll tell you this, I walk the building every morning. Soon as that 7:30 bell rings, Gigg knows I'm leaving the office and I walk to every single classroom to say good morning
017to every single classroom. Um, and some classes will tell you if I'm not there. Miss Webster has added me to her attendance board, so I have to check in every day. And her students will tell me if I, for some reason, was not there. They're like, "You were absent." I was like, "Well, I was just farting. I'm sorry. It happens to all of us." >> We did catch you absent that. >> I know. >> I have to do better. Um, but anyways, those are just things and it's it's been a collaborative effort from everybody here and I'm just glad that we're seeing the changes and the growth and I know that it will just continue. >> Wow. >> And she mentioned building relationships and our discipline this year before this year. I I primarily dealt
018with discipline and attendance and uh when she came in I said well we'll just tag team discipline together. Anything more serious I'll deal with that. We've not really had serious issues. We had two two out of school suspensions mostly detention. That's mostly what you see at the elementary level but the amount of of of of discipline issues have have dramatically decreased. And I think that's the bond. Just the climate here. I think that the staff relationships with their kids is strong. Uh, you know, we're around Miss G's the first people f first person that a lot of people see. If you have the culture that needs to be in place, these things just kind of fall into place. and uh you know and and that's a testament to everybody here and the community as well
019and the students certainly they they want to be good but they want to be enjoy be being here and that's another thing with tenants too if they've got a teacher that engages them and they enjoy being with or whoever they connect with they want to be here and we've seen that with students who have really good connection with their with their teachers so all that helps to make our job at the office easier and just getting to know these kids being on the playground, being in the cafeteria, in the hallways. It's just it's just a better atmosphere that way. And you make you make these discipl things almost go away. Thank you for what you've done for us over the past several years. You spent a lot of money on us, so thank you. U
020the water fountain is the most recent thing you did. You might have seen it in the hallway downstairs. Uh kids use that every day. adults do too. Um, we just changed the filler yesterday. Noah changed it. So, it's being used a lot. You've also gravel our playground. That's we can use the playground a lot more efficiently. The the mulch that was there and the drainage was I mean, if it rained one day hard, we couldn't use it for three or four more days. >> So, we can use that every day now as long as weather permitting. So, thank you for that. And of course, the the carpet that you had removed and replaced with tile, I know that was very expensive and it got into bigger issues, but it's it's cleaner. It's it's more sightly
021and we certainly need those things. So, you've been very helpful to us. Thank you so much, and I know you do what you can for us. Uh I got an email today, Mr. Alexander, I trust, followed up on this yesterday again. um that our school project our school zone lights out front. We know that we've talked about this for I think two years. U it's it's a hazard in front without without lights. So my cart responded today that those lights are ordered and will be here I think May 15th. We hope to have those in place at the beginning of school this year but things fell through. Uh so hopefully we get those in soon and the contractor has been awarded the bid from my understanding and um Neil's going to talk about Jill's position.
022I didn't want to steal the thunder for that. Jill Jill is our community and schools person. She's been great and she works with Miss Gidget and and Miss Maggie and Miss Calbert a lot. So I'm gonna let Miss Calbert talk about that. And I know you know this. I mean, I'm not sharing information that's, you know, new to you. Um, the role that she plays in this building. I'm not going to get emotional about it. I promise. She's not been very emotional. I love um we know that she does she's part of our attendance. She does we create attendance incentives and she does one every nine weeks where if they've had perfect attendance for the nine weeks, she has a celebration. Mine is every month with grade levels. Um she check, like I said, she
023checks in constantly with those students who are struggling. Um her community outreach, not only is she doing the things that are here, but she is also providing school supplies. When we have children who have gone through um grief issues, she is providing them with a stuffed animal and a blanket, and she is delivering those to the home and checking on those kids. Um when we had a student who at the beginning of the year was in a pretty serious accident and was in the hospital, she was there to take care of the family, check in with him and get them the things they needed from us at Kellogg. Um of course the clothing and hygiene supply closet. Um the support just overall at the holidays um just stepping in with the robotics team, the things
024she has done. I cannot imagine how this school would run without her. I just don't know. I think it would be a massive um loss to this school this year. One of one of the things I want to say is that I think we have parents who I can call and say I'm, you know, Miss Calbert, the assistant principal, they don't know me. Josh can call and say I'm Josh Sammons, the principal, and they know him. But sometimes hearing that word principal, assistant principal, I think sometimes for some parents, it's a scary word. Um, but Jill can reach out to them and they feel very safe speaking with her and that is very important and I think that's what's helped us a lot, especially with attendance and those other things. So, we're just going to
025champion her as much as we can. So, thank you. Uh this is a minor thing. Uh not extremely expensive, but this is one thing we would like to if you could help us out with and the bus loop out front. It's not just the buses that pull in there, but the parents pick up kids there for checking them out or dropping them off. There are some big potholes there. So, if you could help us, the bus drivers have mentioned it to me. Of course, when we park out there, we notice it. If you could help us out with patching out front, that's one thing we would like to occur. We've asked for this for a couple years, too. Universal locks. Of course, it's a safety issue. You know, if we have something, if we're expected
026to keep the doors locked at all times, as we are expected to do, something happens, we need to have a kid in the hallway, need to get them in a room quickly, >> right? we can't get them in in that room quickly because we had literally 30 different keys for the rooms. It's it's a safety issue and it's inconvenience, you know, as administrators or other teachers going to other rooms to check in with teachers for whatever reason or walkthroughs and we're going through 30 keys to get in a room. Just not efficient. So, I know that's that's not an extremely cheap thing to fix, but we we certainly would appreciate considering universal locks for our classrooms. And uh if possible, we'd like a water bottle station upstairs for that hallway. We have multiple classes up
027there. And we have a lot of kids who want to come to the downstairs one. And and it seems like every every kid has a water bottle. That's the thing. So if they can get one upstairs and I don't know if there's one in the warehouse available. It might be one there already. I don't know. But we certainly >> appreciate that. Robbie Rash had brought made this part of our presentation last year. Uh if you've never seen our parent drop off loop and pickup loop, it's a really good setup around the building. Uh but when kids are getting out of their cars, >> they get wet and and we have students on on duty out there opening corridors when it's raining. They're just getting wet. And so if we could have a canopy there over
028that area, certainly we'd appreciate that. And the biggest thing, we need a prek on site. Please >> consider that. We're very good to work with. We're not going to step on people's toes. We're very accommodating here. If you could consider that, we would certainly welcome playmates. Um, whatever we need to do here to work with you, we certainly would do that. We know we lose kids to other schools because they don't want to start in preschool and then move to a different school for kindergarten. We know that happens. And it's I don't know. I don't know the rules. I don't understand everything. So, I'm not even going to try to pretend to understand, but we're certainly accommodating here. So, please, if we can make it work, let's make it work. That's the biggest thing we
029need. We know we lose enrollment to other places for that. And by that, we lose, too. And uh and we know that kids achieve more when they're in preschool, preK. if they're starting in kindergarten fresh and they need certainly some kids need more help than others and they're not getting that. >> We're we're behind they're behind from the start and these teachers have to get them caught up. That's the biggest thing we need every year here. So please work with us if you can and we'll do what we can on our end. We have the room and that's the last thing I have. Uh and I'm going to turn over Miss Lester. She's our faculty president. she has a few things to say and go from there. >> My name is Amanda Leser. I'm the
030faculty senate president here at Kellogg and um I just wanted to talk to you for a minute. Mr. Sammons and Miss Calbert has done a great job of bragging about us and I want to take a minute to brag about them. >> Um as you can see we have full attendance today. Our staff is all here. Um, we all adore our administration. Our kids adore our administration and as you know, Riffon transfer season is upon us. >> Both of our admin have received letters of one or the other. So, in response to that, I wrote a letter in regards to that from the entire staff that I would like to present to you. And if I could just take a minute to read it. It says, "Dear members of the county board of education, I
031am writing to respectfully and urgently request that you carefully consider the decision to issue reduction in force or transfer letters to our principal and vice principal at Kellogg. Under their leadership, Kellogg has experienced some of the most positive and successful year in its history. School attendance is better than ever. Staff morale is at its highest it's ever been. Students, parents, and teachers are aligned, supportive, and genuinely happy to be part of the school community. Kellogg has become a united front. We work collaboratively towards student success in a way that is both inspiring and measurable. The news that both administrators received letters of transfer or reduction in force has shaken Kellogg to its core. The stability, trust, and momentum that have been carefully built are now overshadow shadowed, excuse me, by uncertainty. Staff members are extremely
032upset. There's widespread concern about the impact that this change will have on our school culture, student progress, and community confidence. Strong leadership is not accidental. The positive outcomes that we are seeing at Kellogg are the direct result of intentional, consistent, and compassionate leadership. Removing or transferring both of our leaders at this time risks undoing the progress the district strives to achieve. We respectfully ask that you take into serious consideration the measurable success, unity, and morale currently present at Kellogg and allow our principal and vice principal to continue the important work they are doing for our students and our community. Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration. All right. I'm Melissa Breubac and my first time in Kellogg was September 1979 when I started school in kindergarten here. So, I've been here a long time.
033Um, so shout out to the previous Kellogg teachers because I did this on my own without hard. Um, so um, so anyway, there are seven people got letters at our school. Um, I could speak on behalf of all seven. That's the truth. And I could give reasons why all seven should stay. Um, but I decided to focus on one. And it was after seeing a quote yesterday. Um it had been written by former US Secretary of Education and it says there are no good schools without good principles. It just doesn't exist. And where you have good principles, great teachers come and they stay. They work hard and they grow. And when I saw that, I started thinking about because I had so many different paths to take for speaking today. So many different ones. So
034many that mattered. Um, but I decided to focus on our principal here and I started looking at our staff here and it's already been mentioned a little bit, but I really started looking at it and I had the professional seniority list and how lucky these kids are because our kindergarten kids between two teachers just two have 47 years experience between the two kindergarten teachers. Our first graders get to be taught by two educators with 48 years between them. Second grade 47, third grade 52 years. >> Wow. >> Between the two teachers. Um both fourth and fifth 42 years between each of them. Our special education staff 37 years. Our two special teachers 37 years with them. I've been here at Kellogg 18 years teaching. Went through elementary, West Morland Middle, Benson High School. I take
035a lot of pride. This is one of the best our school has been since probably when I went here and we were taught then, too. Um, but it's going in the direction we needed to go. Our kids are doing what they need to be doing. We're showing up. Um, we work together. It's just fantastic. So, in just the and I didn't even factor in our amazing pair of professionals, our cooks, our custodians, they matter just as much. I just had the professional list. So, that's what I did. 352 combined years of experience in just general ed, our special educators, and our special teachers. Again, not including the rest that adds to the greatness that we are. 72% of those teachers that I just mentioned, 72% of those each have 20 plus years between them. When
036as a staff we recommended Mr. Sammons to become our principal, 72% of us planned on finishing out our careers with him. We knew from working with him and the time we had with him as our administrator, we would be supportive, considered, and respected enough to continue our path to completion. We are family here at Kellogg. You hear people say it all the time and I know it's cliche and I hate to say but it's truth here more than it's ever been in the 18 years that I've been here. But we are um the majority of us have been here for the majority of our careers. We've celebrated births of babies and grandb babies. We've sat beside each other at funerals. We've laughed over new relationships and cried over old ones. Um, we've celebrated each other's
037children as as they've grown. Many of us teaching each other's children here at the school. We've seen each other through all shapes and sizes, in the best of our emotions, and in the worst. That is why when we got the unexpected news in Mr. Sammons's transfer last Thursday, the entire atmosphere of Kellogg changed. Our security was shaken. We were in a state of disbelief. The anxious teachers were quiet in their thoughts. The emotional teachers were fighting back tears. And the strong willed teachers preparing to fight. And that's one of the great things about Mr. Sammons. He fosters our differences. He accentuates our individual strengths. He understands passion is power. He handles us each uniquely and professionally while maintaining fair and equal treatment. He knows our pieces aren't exactly the same, but he realizes that they're
038all equally as impressive and important. He knows that together our Kellogg picture is complete. It's frame worthy and blue ribbon deserving. >> And we as a staff know that the principal piece to our puzzle belongs only to Mr. Sammons. Mr. Sammons needs to stay at Kellogg as our principal where he is valued and essential in our continued success. He needs to continue building on the relationships he has already established with the staff, students, and families here. And if years experience is the determining factor guiding your decision, factor the combined 400 plus years of this entire Kellogg staff and our combined unanimous support of our principal, Mr. Sammons. I will make short sleep >> and I hate following you. I like next time I'm going first. You all know me. I'm April Wallace. I have been
039in the county for 27 years and I've been here at Kell for 20. Um, we've been through some ups and downs and some crazy roads and as Melissa said, I really thought that this would be the place that I end my career under Mr. Sams. In third grade, we read the book because when Dixie and in Wind Dixie they make a she makes a list Indiana of the 10 things that she misses about her mother and she makes a list of 10 things about Wind Dixie. So, I felt it was just important that I wrote 10 things that are important about our our admins. One is that you always have our backs. You always have backs. Um, two years ago when I wanted to walk out the door, you made sure I did. you understand
040how to approach the kids. You they understand you and that's appreciative because not a lot of people do at the administrative level. Um number three always has his open door policy. You can always crash his office anytime you need to whether he wants you in there or not. But he would never say that but he always welcomes you. Number four, you are always visible in this building. >> Always. always you are always you come in and out of my classroom and for 20 years this is the very first year that I can say that when you come in I welcome you because you are so wonderful for us number five you handle the calls to the parents when we don't want to when things happen he's the first person that will say I'm I'll call
041the parent for you know I'll get this started And that means a lot to me because sometimes you need a neutral B to help you and he's always there. Number six is always encouraging to new ideas, even the crazy ones. Um, we can always come to you and we can always say, "Hey, let's try this." And you know what? He listens. And he's like, "Okay, let's try." Uh, number seven will work as hard as anybody else in this building. >> We'll work as hard as anybody else in this building. Whether it is >> outside the ice out front, rolling up their sleeves and jumping up our ice. >> I'm out there painting paw prints and he's out there doing mulch in 95 degree weather. You know, people work as hard as anyone else. He does
042not mind. Number eight gets things fixed when things happen. So you tell him that the toilet is broke. >> And I know that it sounds so trivial, you know, but it's those things that make our lives as as teachers and stuff work. You know, if he can't reach out and get it done, then we have to put up with it and we don't have to because he takes care of that stuff. Number nine, you can text him about anything, >> anytime, and he will he will respond. I mean, you know, if it's 9:00 at night and you've got an idea or you need, you know, something to bother him, you can text him. He does not mind and he will respond. And number 10, he has the best sense of humor to put up with
043all of us. Can I just say real I get a different perspective also. I'm the one one of the ones that he has stood behind the side you know after losing my husband and there's not a holiday or a special occasion that doesn't go by it and nobody really knows. I've never told anybody this. He always texts me. always beginning. Merry Christmas, Shannon. I hope things are good for you and your kids. Like, it doesn't m every single time. And I appreciate that more than he would ever know. >> That's all we got. >> There it is. >> He doesn't like this. >> Good. >> Thank you all for the kind words. I LOVE being here and you know it and I want to retire here maybe if that's the way it works out. I
044certainly love my job and it's because of these people here and the community. Couldn't have a better place to work and I want to stay. So I know Neil does too and Jill does and everybody else who got letters wants to too. >> And we want them to stay. We keep we'll keep them all if we can. >> You know that I've made that sign today and and one of my students it says communities in schools fills the gaps when the students need it most. And that's exactly what she does. >> It is true. >> And and and a little boy in my class that is going through a really hard time right now. She filled those gaps for him and she made sure that he had food this past weekend and he wouldn't have
045if it weren't for Jill. So you really need to take these things into consideration because their test scores are fantastic. The people in this building have great leaders and great people like us that help make it better. >> Well, and I will say too, despite the news that they have given were given, it'd be very easy for them to just be like, you know, whatever. >> They're providing a special treat for us Friday. Like they haven't missed a beat. Yeah, they're they're still doing those things that that keep our morale up even though they're the ones that are gut >> taking the gut. >> Yeah. >> I want to say one thing really quick. >> I'm a cheerleader. I want to say something. >> I've been here for 19 years as a parent first and
046a volunteer and then I was parent coordinator and then it's changed names multiple times. So I was that for like 15 16 years and then fell into the role at CIS and it was literally to me just brought into my lap and it was just the gem job like made for me like one of those things that was just that perfect fit >> and with our staff this year has been amazing. We can make so many changes. We could go forward in so many different directions because we're a good team. >> And to have Josh here and to have Nell and to have G and to have a teamwork and a support team >> makes all the difference for these kids. >> And I think when I had heard my news, I knew before everybody
047else. So, um, when I heard my news, I think my first response was, "What about the kids? >> What about these kids?" like my heart broke for that reason because I do wear my heart on my sleeve and I do love every one of them and I try to meet them where they're at and families and that's really what it's about in this ever changing world because my children that went here that are 25 and 23 it's a different school it's a different world it's a different community but it's important to be together and that's one thing that I've seen this year out of the 19 years that I've been here this is the most family I have ever seen in a staff. And I would like to say I love all of you and
048I'm very proud of all of you because that's what it takes for all these kids to make everything just be like a fine machine >> and we work really well together. >> Do you know as as a classroom teacher, >> you do the things that we don't have the opportunity and time to do, but we want to do. >> I mean, we know you we can come to you with any student like I did and and I did not have time to do those things because I was teaching in the classroom. But you fulfilled those things and you made it happen and you do that with everything that you do. So you need to know that you are a valuable piece here in this huge family. >> And I'll touch on that too because I'm
049a parent. I'm a single parent and Jill has reached out for through me or to me the beginning of the year. Do you have all your school supplies started? Do you have for the kids this year? Do you have anything that you need? not just during the year but also through the summer too as well. So I mean she is a big asset. >> But I also say both my kids will come home because I have two kids here in school. I know when they're not here they will tell me and Kennedy pays Miss Calbert in raisins every day. >> That's funny. >> She don't even like I want to say something as a parent. I have a bit of a troublesome little boy and Mr. Sammons has built a rapport with him. >> Yes.
050>> And like he's great. He's great with the kids. >> He truly is. Yeah, >> he truly truly is. >> And I do want to speak on Miss Calbert, too. Not only Mr. Sammons, because Josh and I have been here at the school the same amount of years. Um, but Miss Calbertt being added to our team has been a wonderful asset as well. Um, she also makes sure that she goes to every room. Our kids love her. Um she she's not afraid to get her feet dirty either. She just she jumps right in there. Feet dirty, hands dirty, whatever. Um but this this has been I'm a parent and an employee here, but this has been the most amazing year. truly has >> as a parent and as an employee that I've ever had at
051this school because there was a time that I was going to pull my kids from this school and go to a different a different county. But I'm not I'm not doing that now because this has been an amazing team and I'm very thankful that we were able to add now. And um like everybody else says, we would just love to be able to keep all of our staff who gets who got letters. But >> well, we we certainly appreciate you all coming out tonight >> and um you know, we talk about positive school culture all the time and it's just oozing here tonight. >> So we and every year in in previous year's meetings, we've talked about the performance of the school. This is one of the top performing schools not only in Wayne County,
052but in the state. And um it's it's because of the commitment of everybody. >> Yeah. >> So we appreciate you. As you know, there's been hard decisions that have had to been made. There's been two schools closed down and there are um designed um systematic things that are in West Virginia code that we have to practice when positions are reduced. And so we work to through the process we work to make sure that if at all possible we keep as much continuity as possible and that's in at every position level teachers administrators um whatever the position might be. So, um I can't guarantee you anything sitting here today because the way that that code works, but Josh and I have been talking um have been talking one-on-one some uh you know, regarding possibilities and same
053thing with the CIS position. um what looking at possibilities there and um so you know as soon as we know more um I'll communicate that through Josh so you know what's going on but just be patient with us >> okay >> thank you for listening thank you for listening to us >> you're welcome I'm glad to hear it >> we got the badge to prove how great this school is >> Oh yeah >> we got the Okay, I think they covered all their facility needs. If we want to recess, >> motion to recess. >> Recess by John. Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> 4:47 p.m. >> 4:47. >> And for those online, we'll pick up at Vincent Middle. >> Thank you. Real minor things all defend.