001[Music] We're going to go ahead and call the uh what date is it? April 8th, 2025 work session to order. The members have an agenda before them. Is there a motion to approve? I make a motion. Excellent. Remember, there's only two of you, so if you don't cooperate, we're going to go home real fast here. A motion by Mrs. Hois, a second by Mr. Usherwood. All in favor? Unanimous. All right. Welcome everybody. We're going to go ahead and say the pledge. So, if you can rise with me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We'll pause for a moment of silent reflection. All right, good afternoon everybody. Um, first up on
002our agenda is class A graduates recognition with Mr. Joey Perl back. We're going down there. I said it's been it's been quite a while since I've Can I make a quick request, Joey? Sure. Can you We've got two new board members with us. So, before we jump down there, could you share just a little bit about class A? I mean, I could go into it, but I know you'd be much more brief than I am. I' I'd love to share a little bit about class A. Please do. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Well, um I know that Dr. Low shared with you some things about class A leadership and all the other leadership development programs. But uh probably about seven years ago when I was deputy superintendent, I found myself um having conversations, multiple conversations with
003principles about how that they really would like for their um folks in their building, different folks in their building to have some leadership training like their head custodians, their food and nutrition managers, uh directors in different department. We started with those and it really really um went on and extended to folks at the district office level um those folks who were working with as a principal secretary. So in transportation we've always had transportation employees who were lead supervisors. So with that, then I said, "Well, we we really need to develop a leadership program to really help develop these folks." Because having been a former principal, I certainly understood what they were saying that if I'm having to spend all my time with my food and nutrition manager or my head custodian or my sec whoever
004in my building to really help them in in being able to lead their teams, then that that became somewhat of a burden for me as a principal. So we um partnered with the Georgia Leadership Institute and I also then formed a task force from the district to really determine okay what are the things that we these people need and so long story short we developed the class A leadership and this is our sixth cohort that has graduated from class A leadership development program. I don't I can't remember maybe Dr. Lo did tell you all this, but the class A leadership program was recognized at the National Leadership Conference in Nashville. Was it right after I retired or the year you were in transition? It was my first year up here. Yeah. So, we went to
005Nashville to talk to uh superintendent from all over uh the area and the nation about what class A means. and we I had a lot of people from a lot of places to call and say, "Hey, we would rock to really um develop this kind of program." So anyway, obviously I'm partial to it as you can tell and I'm very passionate about it. Um I do wish that because we're I know that we're we're going to recognize the folks that are here that graduated from cohort 6 and I'll have them to come up in just a second. But I I do wish and I will um I do wish that you could have heard their testimonies at their graduation ceremony. I'll make sure that you're invited to that. That was really my fault and I
006apologize for that. But um so that you can hear them. I mean telling you um just to hear them talk about what this program has meant to them. And you know we start the program out by talking to them about that they're not a justa. We have no justice in Forite County School District. You know, I had a secretary years ago. I could hear her on the phone and she would say, "I'm just the secretary. I'm ju and I'm no, we're no justice. These folks are not justice. They're very important leaders in our school district and they hold very important positions and they make a lot of things happen." And um so anyway, do you want me to stop now? Probably. You know, I was just I was just going to say, you know, we
007we said it at the beginning. I wasn't there at the end to talk about it again. I'm sure you reinforced it all the way through, but what what are you guys in the business of doing helping? Yep. There you go. Okay. All right. So, if you um if you were a graduate of cohort 6, I'll ask you if you'll just line up and when I call your name, if you'll come forward and um the board members will want to recognize you and shake your hand. So, and forgive me because I'm not sure who's here, who's not. So, I'm just going to run through all the names. We had 28 folks to graduate from this cohort. Typically, we've we've always had in all six cohorts 28 to 30 every year to graduate. So, anyway, okay. Uh,
008Mildred Nunez, is Mildrid here? Okay. Adriana Zavila Tenorio, is that you? Yeah. Come on. Yep. Come on down. Yep. Just Oh, no. Come go right ahead. Sorry, I'm going too fast. Adriana, you can come on. Patrick Johnson, Jeffrey Mulligan, Amanda Henry, Sanita Caribbe. Yeah. Thank you. Congratulations. Gloria Martinez D Barrera Nicole Smith Mindy Jones Dory Lori Dodd Isabelle Oh, you're welcome. Isabelle Leazima, Lisa Lopez, Robin Gravit, Ivonne Opina, Alicia Hester, Rusty Vanderford, Jan Selts, Tammy Ridings, Deborah Fischer, Gian Breits, Garcia Gracelia, I always miss that. I'm so sorry. Ansley Auff, Carrie Isaac, Todd Wentz, John Hazelwood, Jeff Plinky, Congratulations. Yeah, thank you. Karen Haymon and Steven Clack, I don't think is here. So, so these are our graduates for class A leadership for cohort six. Yeah. squeeze in here. Joey, the aren't here. All the
009way across. Yeah, good idea. little tighter together. You guys want [Music] [Applause] And while we're on it, how about our fearless leader, Joey Perl? [Applause] All right. Thank you guys. [Music] Thank you very much. Thank you, Joey. [Music] All right, Mr. War, let's get this show on the road. Not you. All right, next up on the agenda is a presentation and discussion items. The first couple of items are review of policy E and EA. And I'll ask Mr. Todd Mlelen to come up and uh give us the rundown. Good evening. members of the board and Superintendent Young. Um on the policy in front of you, um it talks about the sale of food um non-program foods in the middle of the school day. There are some regulations uh most most in our industry, it's called
010smart snack regulations that basically talk about what it is in schools. Um and that means in school stores and vending machines um that can be sold during the course of the school day. the school and just so you know the course of the school day means um from midnight because schools start at different times throughout you know the state of Georgia and the United States all the way until 30 minutes after the bell. So once we get to 30 minutes after the bell and we're talking about snack bars at basketball games or football uh things that we're not that's not that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the sale of foods during basically the school day. So, um, in in the policy, so this is the first policy that didn't have any recommended
011changes. Okay. So, all right. Thank you, Susie, for making life easier for me. Um, so this is policy as it currently stands. It's in line with federal regulations. So, I don't recommend any changes at this time. Let's see. X that one and double click that bottom one. That's the one that had the changes. Okay. Um there are some uh proposed changes in the uh policy that's currently up before you. Basically, it's just some language changes. Um first, I would bring your attention to uh the word needy. Um feels like that word should not be in there for needy children. The children who get free and reduced meals in the school system, they are children who qualify based on federal regulations. So, try to tighten that language up a little bit more. Um and it the
012it says the board of ed education will provide free and reduced price meals. So the food nut nutrition department actually does that and but we do it under the umbrella of the US department of agriculture and the Georgia department of education is kind of the regulatory agency that's our most immediate. They supervise um they implement um interpret things for the department of agriculture. So, um, basically, as you can see there that it's just cleaning up some language and just talks about how we basically follow federal, um, guidelines. And so, even though it flows through the state, they're having to follow federal guidelines, which is why you got rid of the word state in there because everybody's following federal. Correct. Yeah. It's they're they're basically the the agency that the Georgia Department of Education is the
013agency that kind of is our immediate supervisors, but they follow USDA regulations. And there is a um, we are not a part of the US Department of Education. were part of the US Department of Agriculture, our program. Okay. Any questions on this policy or the proposed changes? And so then we'll have that put out there uh for the next 30 days or until until uh next month and then uh if there's any feedback, we'll bring that to you on that and go from there. All right. So, we'll see this back on our agenda in about 30 days or so for adoption and uh with feedback from the public. Yes, sir. Thank you, M. Mlen. Thank you very much. All right. Uh next on the agenda is future agenda items. I have one that I would
014like to add which is uh for the upcoming work session a week from today and that's board consideration on a resolution regarding growth and specifically high density growth in the county and city of Um between now and then we'll have a resolution developed for consideration. I'd like to make a motion. Second. All right. You guys have any other items you'd like to add? Mr. McCall, Mr. Grimes? No. All right. Mr. Not not an item, but as as I look in the back and see Sarah Vanesh and and Todd and Steve, obviously you guys are aware that that we had a a family tragedy in our community. And um you know, there's there's no words. There's nothing nothing we can say to to comfort that family in what they're going through and still going through right
015now. Uh but when whenever we have a tragedy like that, it it impacts the family, but the ripple effect, you know, is great across the schools for the teachers that were involved with with those children in that family, um counselors and so forth. I just want to I just want to give a shout out. I know it's them doing their job, but our folks do their job so well. But Sarah Vanesh, uh, Christine Keith, you know, all them are part of Todd Shirley, you know, his leadership and, uh, they've just done that. I I continue to get unsolicited phone calls from principles and counselors thanking me for the job that Sarah and her team have done with this crisis response. And um, I know there's more work to do, but I just wanted to say
016publicly, Sarah, great job. Yeah. And and I'll say I actually received a phone call from two two different folks who are their children are classmates with with some of these kids and they were just over you know bragging and so grateful for the support they received at the school level and the counselors and everybody that wrapped around them. So thank you guys. We appreciate it and we'll be praying for the family and and um you know obviously there's nothing that we can say to to correct this but we'll we'll have them in our prayers. Yeah. Thank you. All right. Well, this is a record short agenda. So, uh, next is executive session. Do I have a motion to enter executive session? I make a motion to enter. Second. Oh, excellent. For personel. Yeah, for personnel.
017Correct. Excellent catch, Dr. Young. Um, motion by Mr. Usherwood, a second by Mrs. Ho. All in favor? That was close. Unanimous. Thank you guys. We'll be back shortly. Thank you guys. Have a great night.