001Evening everyone. Good evening and welcome to the Lancing School District Board of Education regular board meeting um dated for December 4th. Um if everyone could please rise for the pledge of allegiance, please. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Trustee Kavanaaugh, could you please read our um mission statement and land acknowledgement? >> Absolutely. The mission of the Lancing School District is to provide a highquality education in a culturally safe and nurturing environment that supports all students to live purposeful and fulfilling lives. We collectively acknowledge that the Lancing School District occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anisha Three Fires Confederacy of Ojiway, Odawa, and Badawadami peoples. >>
002Thank you. Could the clerk please call the role? >> Dr. Kavanaaugh, >> present. >> Mr. Heard >> Mr. Lopez >> Mrs. Moore >> present >> Dr. Nars Martinez Mr. Noiski [Laughter] >> Dr. Rodriguez Mrs. Strode Miss Williams quar is present >> wonderful and I am aware that um Dr. Naris Martinez will not be in our presence today and also trustee um Strode. All righty. Moving on to public comment on agenda items and seeing none um are there any um for our approval of minutes from our last meeting um from November 20th. Are there any corre corrections at this time? All right. Seeing none, we have a presentation this evening, our audit presentation. And if Kim could bless us and introduce our guest as we move forward in our presentation. >> Thank you. Good evening. I'm
003pleased to have um our auditors here from Mayor. We have Steve Piesco and Sherry Blinkenship and they will be presenting um the audit. >> Thank you. >> Uh thanks Kim. Uh start out with thanking Kim, John, rest of their team. Some of them are here. Uh great job. The audit went really well as it has in the past. Been done for a couple months now. Obviously, uh just get into the summary with the exception of the single audit part and the federal part which Sherry will discuss in a little bit. But just a quick overview of Mayor here. Um we do over 135 schools across the state. We're really involved in all the school uh business official groups and school groups across the state. The MDE groups on standard setting guidance and uh help with
004all that stuff. So pretty entrenched in our schools, one of our most important niches and we appreciate the opportunity to work with Lancing. Uh so summary on the audit results. Uh this is unmodified opinion. So, as you've seen in the past, the best opinion the district can receive. Uh there is one new paragraph when you look at the audit report on uh a change in accounting principle for Gazsby 101 or government accounting standard 101 which was we talked about last year for those that were here uh changed the rules for recording compensated absences at the governmentwide level. again doesn't affect your general fund, but this resulted in uh lowering the bar, I guess, to what c what's considered a liability to from more likely than not to probable um or from more like from probable
005to more likely than not, sorry. Um that resulted in just over a $3 million additional compensated absent adjustment that you'll see when you look at the audit report. Uh we do a pretty extensive uh review of internal controls especially in the federal compliance area. Test compliance and controls there as well as your key transaction areas. Happy to report there was no material weaknesses or deficiencies in controls and and all the controls are taken very seriously. Uh from the management discussion and analysis uh couple highlights here. This is the kind of the 10 to 12 page I we call it the reader digest version if you will of the rest of the 80page audit report. Um highlight a couple things. You'll see the student enrollment. It ticked up a little bit in 23 24 and then
006it was down about 86 students uh blended count for 2425. And then there's one section that's got a lot of good information on bond and several other things going on but highlighted one on factors bearing on the future. There's a couple pages on things that are ongoing and and looking forward versus the rest of the audit report that kind of looks back. Uh and that's obviously the uh extensive eight eight almost $9 million on the electric bus project that's continuing as well as several solar projects around the district that are continuing. Uh from the fund level, I was there's four four major funds. the general fund with about 142 million of assets predominantly cash investments as well as state and federal receivables for July and August. And then on the liability side about just under
00790 million which is predominantly unearned revenue for categorical grants that have specific expenditure requirements that haven't been spent yet as well as uh July and August teacher pay and retirement is the the the biggest liability side. Ending fund balance of 52 million. The other three major funds are capital projects funds. You'll see the new new fund there for the 2025 capital projects fund where you receive just over 71 million including the premium for additional new bond projects. Uh altogether though uh total you have about $84 million combined to spend as of June 30 on on the various capital projects. On the revenue and expenditure side, again general fund, just under 20 $227 million of expend or of revenues, just over 227 million of expenditures. Uh there were you were able to transfer or you did
008transfer about $4.9 million out to other funds out of the general fund resulting in a decrease in fund balance of 5.4 million. uh ending your fund balance at the 52.1 million that I mentioned. That's 22.94% of your general fund expenditures. Uh so a good good fund balance. Just to put it in perspective, the the prior year average because that's all the information that's out at this point for the state of Michigan was 24 and for Ingram County was 21.5. So you're right in the right in the middle there on the the major capital projects funds. uh you you were able to have revenues of about 2.7 million which is your investment earnings on those funds. So that was good and you spent just about $45 million of on capital projects throughout the year. So there
009you also see the 71.7 million on the new bond for the sale of those those bonds which was 67.5 million plus plus about 4 million in premium. On the notes, a couple highlights to again mentioned a little, but the capital projects funds we audited extensively in accordance with section 1351A, which is your bonded construction fund requirements set by the state as well as the voter approved bond language. Uh, no issues identified there. Everything was spent as as intended. Uh, there was, like I mentioned, $45 million of expenditures. We also audit the syncing fund very extensively in accordance with the syncing fund requirements. uh the the total millage was maintained and remained 4.1 mills for for the district uh which is which is fairly on the low side. Several districts along across the state are in
010that 7 to 12 mil range. Um note three just again highlighting your capital assets. You added about 56.5 million of which you had 7.3 million of depreciation on your total capital assets across the district. net of depreciation is just over $261 million. Uh there's five bonds outstanding counting the new one at year end. Those are payable through 2047 and in total just over 224 million. So you can see you're you're you're paying your bonds down even with the new ones um much faster than your your capital assets are depreciating. So that's good because you still have $84 million of cash related to those bonds at this point too. Uh couple new notes note 12 and 13 in the last couple notes in in the financial statements again referenced the the opinion where we I mentioned
011the compensated absences where you adopted it in accordance with standards as required. So that's good and resulted in that $3.3 million adjustment on the governmentwide again not your general fund. Uh probably the most important statement, the general fund budget to actual uh tremendous job on this. Uh quite impressive really. The uh original budget called for about $9.9 million use of fund balance that was amended to just under 6.4 million. In the final budget, you end up using 5.4 million. So $980,000 favorable uh budget variance. That's 4% of your general fund expenditures. So, uh, on $227 million, that's very, very close. Basically spending 99.6% of every dollar and you're not allowed to go over. So, very good. Very good. On the budget side, um, from the graphs, just this is just putting in graphical form the
012revenues that we mentioned. Uh, you'll see a couple shifts here. The biggest one on the revenue side is the the orange, the darker orange, the federal revenue went down substantially. Again, that's because the ESSER funds came to conclusion beginning of this year. So, those went down quite substantially. And then on the expenditure side, some the dollar amounts didn't really shift, but the percentages shifted again predominantly because of the extensive this is all your funds together. So, the extensive capital projects activity in the in the yellow orange color there. um you spent $77 million in capital outlay this year which which obviously lowered the construction and support on a percentage basis because you spent so much additional but uh from there turn it over to Sher to discuss a single audit which is a little unique
013this year and a few of the letters comments. Um yeah. So if you looked at the um if you looked at the financial statement packet that was um given to you uh the financial statements only have the financial statements and notes. The single audit is not included because the compliance supplement um that we're required to use to audit and follow those procedures was not issued until um actually the day before Thanksgiving. So we had the draft, we performed all the audit procedures. um we knew what was coming. Um it's just it that it was in draft form and so now we're just waiting to finalize that. So I have all of the results um to present to you today. Um so for the single audit uh the district had total federal awards of over $39
014million as you can see there. Um we looked at two major programs the child nutrition cluster and coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. Those were tested um both a programs were required to be tested due to rotation um once um every 3 years. Uh the district did qualify as a lowrisk auditee. Um which means we were only required to test 20% of federal expenditures. And with those two programs um we tested 27% for coverage. And then now kind of going back to the top um when we look when we're looking specifically at those programs for federal awards uh no material weaknesses were identified no significant deficiencies. um we're issuing an unmodified audit opinion over the um single audit and there were no other findings uh to report there as well. Uh so the next
015slide with the audit there's two letters that we provide. The governance letter it's required communication. Uh there were no issues identified in that letter. Um and there was a management letter issued just to state um that the food service fund has excess fund balance. Um 33.3% is fund balance uh allowable and the district is at 51%. you can see that there. So, uh you'll just be required to submit a spendown plan um for fiscal year uh 26. Um and then future considerations. Uh you can see uh this um state aid foundation allowance increased uh for fiscal year 26 um up from the previous two years. And then for fiscal year 26, there's going to be two new gazs fees that are going to be issued. It's not going going to be as extensive um as
016what you would have seen for fiscal year 25 um compensated absences. Uh there's just going to be some additional reporting uh related to gaze 103 and gsby 104. We already present in that way. So there will not be any change uh there. I'll just reiterate what Steve had said at the beginning. Thank you to Kim um and the the whole team. We get to present the audit, but it's really the hard work of everyone at the district that allows us to um present an unmodified opinion with no findings. So, thank you. >> Thank you for that complex audit. Um, are there any questions from our board members at this time regarding the audit? Yes, Trusty Ninsky. >> Yes. One question would be on um the tax millages. Uh, you mentioned here we're a little bit
017lower than some other districts um in the area. Related to that is when we collect our millages. One thing we have some municipalities that collect 50% summer and winter. Do you have any experience with that in other districts? Is that common or we'd like to collect 100% in the summer? as many as possible have shifted to full summer collection just for on cash flow. You obviously accelerate that and you guys have not had to borrow stadium notes, but a lot of times if they don't do a summer collection, you don't have the extensive unearned revenue and uh that that Lancing may have. Uh they they often have to borrow on the state note to cover the September. If you if they shift that up to all summer collections, it's it's better cash flow and obviously
018a lot of times they can avoid having to do that. >> So is that fairly typical in most municipalities? >> It is fairly typical now. Yep. Okay. I have one other one. I know that's split but most of them are have shifted to full summer levies. >> Okay. >> For the school. >> Thank you. And my second uh question would be more for the administration. Is there a spend down plan in place for the food service budget? >> There is. Okay. >> Question actually been able to all of the equipment for the cafeterias for our new builds. It would have been fine, but there's a delay and when we can actually make the purchases, it'll occur this year. So, we should be spent down. Plus, we've hired additional staff. >> And you did spend it
019down 440,000 last year, but it's still it was 56% I think before. and and it it has allowed now the flexibility to any kitchens or renovations on the bond stuff can come out and be paid for directly >> by the food service fund and that's what'll get it down below at this point. >> Thank you Trusty Ninsky. That was my ask. Thank you for lifting that. Are there any other questions from our board members at this time? Vice President Lopez. >> Thank you. On the students uh and this is probably for staff. Um are this uh reflect students that are counted or does it include the GSRP adult ed? Oh, the 10,000 >> the the the the number reported here for >> I believe that is K12 >> K12 it's not GSRP or adult education
020and uh also the um or um online >> that those would be included >> those would be included okay >> all right but the GSRP are not >> correct >> so students per se then we We we have more than what's reported here. This is just K12. Okay. >> We included GSRP. I think it's like 450 more kids. >> 450. So it' be put us over 10,000. >> Yeah. Okay. But just Yeah. Thank you. >> Welcome. If I may, I would like to introduce you to the four um directors that work on audit. >> Yes, please. >> John Lang, our director of purchasing and risk management. Danielle Hard our budget director, Nikki Mczy, our competitive grants director, and Joshua Renier, our grants director. >> Wonderful. Thank you so much. Thank you for joining us this
021evening, and thank you for all that you do for the district. Thank you. Alrighty. >> Yes. Any more questions? Treasurer Kavanagh, >> not a question, just a comment. I just want to commend um Miss Adams and her team for their great work this year. It's been really a pleasure to work with them as part of the finance committee. Um, and it was no surprise at all for me as treasurer to have such a positive conversation with the folks at Minor Costa um when we were uh doing the or when they were doing the audit. Um, so I just want to congratulate uh the team on their great work. >> Thank you. >> Wonderful. All righty. Well, thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Alrighty. Moving on to our reports from our officers.
022Um, Trusty Williams, could you please be so kind to read the secretary's report this evening? >> Good evening. I hope you can hear me. So, um, the secretary's report, high school performance, high school arts performances and middle school and elementary arts performances. Check your school for the December performance dates, but if if the president would allow, I already have them wrote down if I can give those. Okay. So, yesterday, Pat and Gil had their winter concert uh at held at Eastern. Uh, Willow's winter concert will be 5:30 on 12:10 at Riddle. Everett's fall dance showcase will be 6 from 6:00 to 7:00 on 1212. Everett's choir concert will be 12:16 at 6:00 to 7:00. Eastern's winter dance concert will be the same day from 7 to 8. And Saxton's winter choir and band concert will
023be the same day, which is December 16th from 7:00 to 8 as well. December 17th, Dwight Ridge holiday showcase will be from 1:30 to 2:30. Guy Park holiday around the world will be from 2:15 to 2:45 and Easter's band conference concert will be from 7:00 to 9 that day. Um, please remember if you are uh participation in Lancing Parks and Rex basketball is free for the winter. Check your school for more information. Winter break will be December 22nd through 31st. No school. Our next board meeting will be next Thursday, December 11th. It's a special meeting at 4:00 and then ISS will follow at 6. Then December 18th, we will have a regular board meeting. And then January 8th, 2026, our annual organizational meeting and regular board meeting. Madame President, >> thank you, Trusty Williams, for
024that thorough report. I appreciate that. Moving on to our um our committee reports, um the equity committee. Dr. Kavanagh. >> Um yes, uh Trusty Store and I are working on reconstituting the equity committee with um community uh partners, community folks. Uh we don't have an update at this time, but hold the space for 2026. >> All righty. Good to hear. Uh facilities committee. Um Vice President Lopez. >> Uh there's no report. >> No report. Alrighty. You could tell it's the it's the holiday, huh? Okay. Um our finance committee, Dr. Kavanagh, >> the finance committee will be holding our December meeting on December 15th at 12:30. These meetings are open to the public. Uh, and I will have a report after that meeting. >> Alrighty. And we have our personnel committee. Um, Vice President Lopez and
025Mr. Trusty Ninsky. >> I will send it over to Trusty Ninsky. >> Uh, personnel committee has not met since our uh, last meeting. The next meeting is Wednesday, December 17th at 8:00. We'll be continuing the policy review of of staff related policies. >> Alrighty. I had a um Okay. Next is our policy committee and it looks like uh Dr. Nav Martinez uh shared with me that you will be reporting on behalf of the policy committee this evening. Doc Trusty Ninsky. >> Yes, thank you. The policy committee met on November 25th. Board members present were uh Dr. Nvarz Martinez, Dr. Rodriguez, uh Trusty Herd, and myself uh virtually. The following policies are being presented tonight to the board for second reading and board approval. PO0122.1 school visits, PO0175.1 schoolboard con uh convention and workshops, PO4120 employment
026of support staff and PO 9150 school visitors. So those are all on the agenda for action after this report. The committee did discuss um looking into formation of policies around board committees, the types of committees and uh details for those. Also, we began discussion about the student handbook to be reviewed for board policies that have a reference to to some item that needs to be included in the handbook to see if those still should be included in board policy as requirements or not. And then also there was a request to do this similar kind of review for any mentions of items in board policy that should be included in staff handbooks or parent guardian um communications as well. So uh there was a request for the personnel committee to look at the staff portion of
027that work and so we'll be reviewing all the board policies to try to find any references to see if they're still relevant uh if they are actually in the handbooks or if they should maybe be removed from board policies. Also, there was initial discussion about policy 5610 on emergency removal, suspension, and expulsion of students. This is going to be under further review with assistance from the office of school culture. Junior Board of Education uh shared some newly developed administrative guidelines to complement the current student government policy, which will include junior board officer attendance at one board meeting per month, starting with an ISS meeting and consideration of the addition of seats on each side of the horseshoe for students. Um the policy committee met again this week on Tuesday, December 2nd. Board members present for
028that meeting were Dr. Dr. Navarz Martinez, Dr. Rodriguez, Mr. Herd, and myself. Uh we had Pat Kger from Niola presenting fall updates. Their recommendation was to look at nine policies. Um there are three mirrored policies under administration, professional staff, and support staff. In each section, there'd be three policies that they're recommending to combine into one policy. They address uh similar enough topics. So, we had initial discussion on shaping proposals on those and there's still a little bit of uh final work to be done on those. So, they may be ready for next week's board meeting or or soon to come board meeting. Uh the policies that were discussed in that regard were 2910 uh 4162 7540.02 8300 8305 and then a rescending of 7541. So again, these are Niola updates to what they recommend. The
029committee is going to continue to review policies 5517 and 1422 uh and the committee formation um board bylaw portion of the policies and how committees uh communicate. So, the committee is pleased to report the completion of many policy reviews, revisions, and approvals during the year. And if there are no other questions, we can move into the motions for the policies that are being recommended for adoption tonight. >> Yes. Trusty Williams, >> can you repeat what us >> 2910 2266 uh 2412 5740.02 and 7541 to be rescended. >> Thank you. All righty. May I have a motion, >> President? >> Yes, Dr. Rodriguez. President, I move that the board of education suspend the requirements of by law 0131.1 for previous notice of the policy amendment and allow for im immediate amendment of the bylaws 0122.1 bylaw
030175.1 policy 4120 and policy 9150. >> Thank you. >> Second. So, it's been moved by um Trustee Rodriguez, second by Trustee Herd. Um if there's no further discussion um with our board, could the clerk please call the role? >> Dr. Kavanaaugh, >> yes. >> Mr. Herd, >> yes. >> Mr. Lopez, >> yes. >> Mrs. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Noiski, >> yes. >> Dr. Rodriguez, >> yes. >> Ms. Williams, >> yes. Motion passes 70. Thank you. Alrighty. Um, moving on to the second motion. It looks like >> Madam President. >> Yes. >> I move that the board of education amen by 0122.1 by 0175.1 policy 4120 and policy 9150 as proposed effective immediately. >> Second. >> Wonderful. It's been moved by Trustee Williams. This has been second by uh Dr. Kavanaaugh. Are there any discussion
031amongst the board at this time? Seeing none, >> I'll just briefly kind of give a highlight of what these are for people following uh and for our own recording. Two of these items have been on the agenda for several meetings related to school visits and then specifically uh school visits by board members. So the change there to 9150 is primarily to remove the end portion that had referred to board member visits to schools and change a small piece in what's left for general community and parent school visitors. And by removing the school board member portion, we are proposing the new bylaw which specifically applies to board members of 01122.1. and that includes the the guidelines that the board adopted in the fall as as norms for visits, but puts them into the bylaws. There were
032some changes to that from the initial proposal, and that's why that's been on the agenda for a few weeks. So, you see the final addition that the committee is now recommending for that new bylaw. that would no longer then have the board section in the later 9150 other than the small reference to if a board member is a parent and they want to visit a school as a parent, they would they're referred to that later policy for parents. >> The other two policies um being uh recommended, one came from the personnel committee which was to um strike a line in 4120 regarding the employment of support staff. That policy currently had two conflicting statements about whether the board could employ a a family member. Um, and this recommendation is to remove the the line that
033says they will not but may re-employ certain family members and instead leave in the line that's consistent with the employment for professional staff, which is that the board may employ a family member providing that the board member does not participate in that discussion or vote. So that's just removing the conflict within that policy. And then the last one is on schoolboard conferences, conventions, and workshops. This is a change to the current language on reimbursement for meals. Currently, there's a set amount for the meals with the provision that certain cities could follow the GSA guidelines um and some other details. And this proposal just says for all conferences, meal u reimbursement should just follow the the GSA guidelines. Thank you, Trusty Ninsky. The motion is already on the floor. Um, if there is no more discussion,
034thank you for that clarification. Could the clerk please call the role? >> Dr. Kavanaaugh? >> Yes. >> Mr. Herd? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lopez? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Niski? >> Yes. >> Dr. Rodriguez? >> Yes. >> Ms. Williams? >> Motion passes 70. >> President, >> yes. >> Thank you. Um I want to thank the administration because this year this committee has worked really in many many policies that won't be able to do it without the support that we received for the deputy superintendent and for the the office of the school culture and many others administrators. The same way that we tell everybody how much we appreciate this administrators really were there and also the executive secretary of the Claudia secretary of the deputy superintendent. They all of them were there
035telling us or giving ideas and directions and thanks to them was able to do all these policies this year and thank to the board members. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez. Alrighty, moving on to our rec. Yes, Trusty Herd. >> It didn't make it into the report. Um, but on a lighter um note, we also took the time in our last meeting to congratulate Dr. Dea Navaris Martinez on a job well done as chair of the policy committee as she will be leaving us um to go and serve the city of Lancing. and I wanted to do that from this space as well to congratulate her on a job well done. Um, I'm going to take Dr. Nino's words. Um, I haven't been on the board, but he said it's the most
036efficient policy committee he's ever been on since he's been in the board. And I will say that um, once the policy committee gets rocking, it starts rolling. Um, and we've seen so much um, policy change for the better um, making this a more excellent Lancing school district. So, thank her again. Yes, she's a great leader. Alrighty. Thank you, Trusty Herd. Matter of fact, Trusty Herd, recognition ad hoc committee report. >> Hi. The recognition committee um did not meet at its last um meeting, but we will be having um a meeting with the board, members of the committee this coming Tuesday at 5:00 PM in this room. Um wanted to also thank Mr. Ryan and his team for the nomination forms going out to the whole city. Um, and want to invite our neighbors. Um, please
037nominate someone to receive this honor. Um, that comes directly from the board of education. If you know a shining star, whether they're an alumni, um a community member, former teacher, um even a student, um that you want to nominate to be recognized for what we're calling the highest honor outside of a diploma you can get from the Lancing School District, please send that into us. Fill out the form online. Um and we would love to hear your story. The best part about this is that even if you're not one of the 12 people that gets the big medal or anything, we still are going to tell everyone's story we get. So, one way or another, we want to recognize you. We want people to know what you've done to serve the Lancen community. Join us
038in our efforts to do that. Thank you, Madam President. >> All righty. Thank you, Trusty Herd. Um, moving on to our student achievement committee, uh, Vice President Lopez and Trusty Williams. Thank you, uh, Madame President. Well, we finally did it. We finally got together with the with the committee and, uh, had a really, really nice, um, meeting on December 1st. Um, and we worked on our on our vision and mission statement. We, um, we worked um on on um on on asking for some of the information that we need to do a work from administration. Uh thank you to Jessica Venavidas who was there as a staff person. She she gave us a a report on the uh multicultural uh process to date. We're reviewing that and taking that information and uh I'm going to
039ask um Trusty Williams to read our our vision and then uh Trusty Rodriguez to read our mission. >> Okay. Then I'll read it. >> Okay. Go ahead with the vision. >> Put them on the spot. >> The vision. >> No, this is a collaborative collaboration here. Okay. >> It is. >> Huh? >> Give me the first one. I'll do the second one. Okay. So, which one am I doing now? >> You're doing the vision. >> Okay. Our vision is every students to be prepared to start at a university trades skills or a professional living um once they leave the len school district. That is our vision. >> Okay. And our mission is every student meets or exceeds all standards and objectives per grade level according to school district and state metric matrix. So, um that's
040that's the mission and um I think when we uh talked about it, uh you know, staff president was was really uh following us and and and indicated that some of this is being done. So, we're we're going to have a presentation at the next meeting of what things are happening that are that are fitting our mission. And of course, there's a lot of work to do. This was our first meeting. It was very productive and I will let Dr. Rodriguez and Trustee Williams to say anything they they want to add to it. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice President Lopez. Um I think the whole board need to study clearly and take time to study the mission and the the vision and the mission of this this um this committee because it's really the mission and
041the the vision and the mission of the whole district. And um I think we need to realign the this miss vision and mission with the strategic plan >> and start all over. Maybe we had a challenge. We had an opportunity for all of us and for the district to really move our students and what we should be doing learning, teaching and learning. And that's what the our vision is and our mission is. And I hope we spend time all together and dreaming what we really want to do in the next years. Thank you, Madam President. >> Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez. Trusty Williams, you have anything? >> No, I'm good. I think we covered everything at this point. >> The the only thing I want to add is that this mission really supports our district mission
042>> and and and that's what we're trying to do that uh there's no conflict there, but we should always keep an eye and be present with that mission and the mission of the committee. Uh this is a working mission, the committee. All right. And of course, our overall mission for the district. this is a support to that mission. So that is our brief report of our first meeting and we have uh scheduled uh our meetings on the first of each month at 3:00 >> and president. >> Yes, Dr. >> Since we are in this spirit of holidays, congratulations to Mr. Lopez for be consistent and having these ideas about having this committee because you wanted that this committee long time ago. And finally we have it with us now. It's our time to get it
043and go on but congratulation and thank you. The one who are going to benefit for this are going to be the students, the families and the communities and the future of our nation. Thank you Madame President. >> Thank you Dr. Rodriguez. Alrighty. This is great work that you all are doing. >> Um moving on. Our superintendent is not here tonight, but I was told that there is a video for us to to to queue up. Is that is that the truth? >> All righty. >> It's done. >> Is it? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, our Hispanic Heritage Month video is being shown tonight. One When I moved here, I noticed how easy it is for people to put Hispanic in a single box. But then I met others. >> I was raised in Mexico Chile.
044>> Our family came from Cuba. >> I am Chana. I am from Venezuela. >> We all spoke Spanish >> but with different rhythms. different words. >> Basically bingo, just uh the Hispanic way and instead of numbers, we use pictures like the star, the frog, the moon, >> different music in our voices. >> It's always fun to to share that with uh my students because, you know, culture shapes language and language shapes culture. And that's when it clicked. Our diversity is our strength. >> When I was younger, I used to be ashamed of being Mexican. Now that I become older, I'm like, being Mexican is amazing. It's like me giving back to after being ashamed and hiding about being Mexicans. And I'm can say, hey, I'm Mexican. I'm Latina and I'm proud. Our strength is in
045our diversity and our strength is in our multicultural makeup of our students. And we're stronger together because of it. >> Excellent. When people first meet me, they often look surprised when I say, "I'm Hispanic." Blue eyes don't always fit the picture they expect. I smile and I say, "I'm from Argentina." >> No matter what your background is, that you can you can grow up to um make a difference in the world and and enrich your communities. >> We are united not by our uniqueness, but by our connections. We building relationship and a strong sense of team work and this value help me proud to teach my students. >> It is okay to come from another country and it is okay to come from a country where Spanish is spoken and bilingualism is a superpower. >>
046Hispanic heritage month isn't just about who we are, where we come from. It's about being together. >> A lot of our population comes from uh Hispanic countries where Spanish is spoken and it is very important to honor and feel proud where they're from. >> Hispanic heritage isn't one face, one color, or one story. Diversity is the most important thing in this mall because the student share with the other student come different countries. >> It's millions of stories all connected by a shared language and love for family food and celebration >> to give the kids some motivation, some encouragement and empowerment to see others that have been in their shoes. um and and they can strive for that future success based on the role models that are Latinos, uh Latinos, and um Hispanics. >> Today, I
047celebrate that I'm part of a community as colorful as our flags and as very as our accents. >> Every time I roll my eyes, I can hear my parents' hard work. >> I celebrate every child who sees themselves reflected more than one way. I hope that working here at Cumberland and and Lancing School District that I can possibly inspire some of our Latino youth to pursue a career where they can help others and lead and serve. Who learned that Hispanic means many shades, many roots and one share pride. [Music] >> Wonderful. Thank you. >> Nice. >> All righty. That was wonderful. never too late. So, thank you so much for sharing. Alrighty. Um, next on our agenda under new business, we have updates to our board calendar. Um, it is recommended that we adopt um
048Janu or December 18th as a regular board meeting and January 9th as a possible special meeting. We have um several things we'll need to cover before the year begins. um we will be appointing a new board member and we will also be um having dialogue about what's next for our superintendent. So with that being said, may I have a motion to adopt those dates? >> Clarification before you do that. >> Yes. >> So you're um we're adding December 18th. >> Yes. >> Okay. So there's no other special meeting because you said we' be possibly looking at January 9th. That would be a special meeting for >> 2026. >> Okay. Because right now it says January 29th is when we created the calendar. That's when we created the calendar. >> So it doesn't say anything about
049our because our organizational meeting is on the 8th of 2026. >> Right. And we want to adopt January 9th, 2026. >> Yeah. We want to adopt That's So that's just a typo. We just need to It says Yep. Yep. resolved that the board calendar previously adopted on January 9th. Okay. Be amended. I'm sorry, by inserting December 18th or December. Yeah, December 18th. Pardon me, Trusty Williams, you are correct. Um January 9th though was on my mind because we'll possibly be adopting that date as well for our appointee um interviews. So, thank you for that clarification. You're right on point. Um so, with that being said, may I have a motion, >> Madam President? >> Yes, ma'am. I um I move resolved that the board calendar previously adopted on January 9th, 2025 be amended by inserting
050December 18th. >> Second. >> Thank you. It's been moved by Trustee Kavanaaugh and second by Trustee Williams. Is there any discussion about those dates? >> Yes, Dr. Rodriguez. >> Thank you. Um is any way that we can have the kind of the schedule about the appointment of the new board member? Is there any way we can have a discussion about that? >> No discussion, but can you send to us when you know it? What kind of the schedule? >> Yes, that's exactly what I'm I just confirmed the schedule and I'm going to send it out tomorrow. >> Okay, I'll send that. I >> appreciate that. >> Of course. >> That way we can plan our lives, too. >> Right. We all have lives. Yes. So, I will be sending that out. Trusty Herd, your finger
051went up. >> Yes. I had a point of clarification that I just whispered over to Trusty Ninsky. Are we able to vote about January 9th before the organizational meeting? >> I don't think we I'm not for sure. That's why I'm glad that No, >> I don't know the rules. >> We would have to schedule it at the organizational meeting. >> Could you give clarification? So the the bylaws are state the board shall hold a meeting at least once each month on a date and a time and place determined annually by a resolution of the board which occurs at the organizational meeting for regular meetings. For special meetings of the board may be called by the president or by any two members of the board provided there is compliance with the notice provision of these bylaws.
052So I think it's depends if it were a regular meeting that needs to be on the calendar which we're amending right now. If it's a special meeting, those can be called at any time by the president or two board members >> and we'll know. So that meeting on the 9th would be considered a special meeting, not a regular board meeting. Yeah. >> So yes, Trusty Williams, >> I do have a question. >> My understanding is we cannot have organizational meeting until we have a >> I just want a clarification on that. >> Y great questions. Alrighty. So, I have a motion on the floor. It's been I have a motion on the floor. It's been discussed. Um, could the clerk please call the role, please? >> Dr. Kavanaaugh. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herd, >> yes.
053>> Mr. Lopez, >> yes. >> Mrs. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Noiski, >> yes. >> Dr. Rodriguez, >> yes. >> Miss Williams, >> wonderful. Motion passes 70. So, we have adopted December 18th for additional regular board meeting. So, I have comments or um public comment on agenda items and I'm going to >> non-aggenda items. You are on it. Thank you so much. Um on non-aggenda items and I'm going to call LeBron Stit. Did I pronounce If I did not pronounce your name correctly, please do not charge it to my heart. Please join us at the podium over here. You have three minutes to speak. take your time. The board typically does not respond, but feel free to to go Friday. >> Okay, awesome. Uh, hello. I'm LeBron Stit from Sexton. Uh, I just wanted to
054come here with a concern some of us seniors have. Uh, we were told we weren't we won't be able to decorate our caps and we feel like it violates a a right in a sense. Um, it's a way to express ourselves. We feel like we feel like it's a way to express ourselves. We seen like people on internet do it. I'm not a huge fan fan of trends going into like like real life. I guess like trends on the internet going into like people's like day-to-day lives. But I feel like this is one of the things that could be an an exception just because it's very minor and I feel like it won't affect it won't affect a lot of people. I feel like it's a it's a very personal thing as well. So yeah,
055that's all I have. Well, thank you for that. >> Alrighty. Alrighty. Um, Eric. Eric, I did not I can't read you. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> Yes. >> Thank you, school board, for allowing me to be here. My name is Eric Almquist. Um, I attend a group in Lancing called Lancing 360. It's a gun violence group and it's open to everyone in the community. Um, and I liked it so much I actually drove out to where it was modeled after in Omaha to take a look what they were doing. And I sat in on their meeting and that was an auditorium that was filled with everyone from the community from the superintendent to school board members to teachers to the mayor to the fire chief. Everyone was there in the community. So I came
056back and thought this would be a great place that I'd love to see some more of the community come out. So I said, "Hey, let me go ahead and write a letter to invite the school board to show up." Um, I did get a response back that it is uh one that said, "Should we send this to school board?" So, I don't know if it ever made it to you when I sent that invitation off. Uh, the second part is they seem to be a little upset that they didn't think they had representation. They gave me a list of who showed up was showing up at each meeting who was scheduled. Love that. Thought, hey, at this next meeting, I could go ahead and say hi to them. How are they doing? The last two
057meetings there hasn't been any representative from the school. And I think when we have 12 and 13 year olds with uh shots fired as charges against them, I think it's really important. One of the big things that happened in Omaha, their graduation when they involved the schools, their graduation rates went up and their school reading uh levels went up as well. I love to see that same thing happen. Um so I have some I have the information here if just have someone show up to go ahead and chance to be there. Um, one of the thoughts is was said to me, if they don't want to show up, let them know that they don't want to be a part of it. I think you guys do. I think you guys want to be there and
058help uh mold this uh community we have. But I I leave that up to you guys. So, I please hope you guys will show up. It's on Wednesdays. They're doing one at night, too, so you can't miss it. Um, it just we need you guys there as part of the community. You're a big impact on the people who are experiencing a gunshot violence. So, I hope you can be there. I have some information she chief. I'll drop it off to the clerk. And I appreciate your time, guys. >> Thank you. >> Katie Lane. Hi. Um, okay. I'm a senior at Sexon High School. I came for the same reason as LeBron, but I have a little bit more to say, I guess. Um, so we do want to be able to decorate our caps. I
059know that Waverly is able to. They've been able to for a while, and they don't have seem to have any issues with it. Um, I understand the problem of the possibility of people putting something inappropriate on their on their caps, but I've spoken with students from Ever and Eastern, and their student governments have volunteered to kind of go through those to make sure that it's not like interrupting a teacher's time, but it's still making sure that everything is appropriate. And yeah, so it's really important to the seniors of our class at least. We really want to be able to like show off our heritage and like just express ourselves through the caps. Um I'm not sure why it's not allowed um other than the possibility of something inappropriate being on them, but I really do
060hope that this is something that at least we can start the conversation on to get it implemented and allow us to be able to express ourselves this way. But thank you. >> Thank you. Alrighty. >> Are there any comments from our pard? >> No, no, this is take care. Is there any comments from our board members at this time? >> Madame President, if I may, Williams. >> Um, first, um, as we know the holidays are coming, we usually adopt a family here at the DAS. Um, one of the suggestions that I made this year was that we support old news boys. As we know, many children are going without shoes, coats, and everything like that. Our board secretary, if you are interested, will be collecting money. I have already made a donation. I just think
061this is something that we as a body and anyone that's interested that's hearing us, if they would like to, please reach out to our wonderful, wonderful Secretary Alex, and help us support old news boys and our children who can't get coats, shoes, and boots. This is another way where we support our families in the community. Secondly, as I was watching the Hispanic um the Hispanic National video, I had a piece of paper I was writing it on because he kept saying um where did I write it? Give me just a second. Just had it. Caitlyn, help me. Oh, he said, "Our diversity is our strength." And he kept saying that and I'm a person of words in my mind. So, as he said that, I wrote down our diversity is our strength. If we capitalize
062on our diversity, differences in our multiculturalisms, we have created a superpower, which is the Lancing School District, we just need to remind ourselves that each one of us, even sitting next to each other, are different, but we all bring something unique that can change the world, that can impact the world, that can impact our our district, but it starts here with all of us. So, I think I want I you probably will hear me say that from now on because it just resonated in my spirit that our differences, our diversity, and our multiculturalism can create an awesome superpower, and that's us, the Lancing School District. >> Thank you, Trusty Williams. That's awesome. I'm so glad you shared that diversity is our strength. Are there any other comments from our board members this evening? Uh, Trusty
063Herd. >> Thank you, Madam President. Um I I wanted to send a shout out to um Superintendent Ben. Um I sent him a letter um after the last meeting I was able to attend um about the AfricanAmerican graduation recognition ceremony. And I kind of laid out for him where my heart was about it. and he wasted no time mobilizing his team for us to see this inaugural ceremony happen this coming spring um for graduates, African-American graduates in the Lancing School District and has brought this to fruition. Um, I wanted to say thank you to him and his team and to those um with the um National Association um for the advancement of colored people um teachers, friends of the district who have already been working with the superintendent um to see this done. I think
064it is huge um for us, frankly, long overdue um and huge, but there's no time like the present um for us to do this in a very grand way. He's got great ideas already about what this is going to look like and how it will be. Um, and I sent him a text said, "Hey, I'm going to shout you out for that." Um, also, um, I wanted to, uh, say a special thank you to, um, really all of us. Um, Dr. Dea and I were talking at the policy committee about the this concept of um siblings in a way working together and sometimes we squabble. Um but at the end of the day we get things done and um I've had my fair share of squables. That's no no secret. Um, but it has been
065a pleasure to see actual things moving the needle to make sure that those babies like those ones that are here tonight remain the central focus of why we are sitting here. Um, and I wanted to say to the community, there's so much happening in our community, so much happening in our schools, and we're certainly up for much transition. Um, in the next few months, and then again, um, in the next election cycle, we're going to see lots of changes. Um, but I think they will all be changes for the better. Um, if you have been teeter tottering about sending your kids to Lancing schools, um, it's high time that you come home. Thank you. Alrighty. Thank you, Trusty Herd. Are there any other comments from our board meet from our board members at this time?
066All right, Vice President Lopez. >> Thank you, President Moore. I you know, as we are thanking staff for many things they do. Um, I like to thank our staff with the um what is called CPI, C, the group that meets with the building of the new schools. capital improvement committee and and that's her. She leads this group and uh and as you know that's the group that um kind of uh brainstorms of of in terms of our our new schools. Uh we've seen one new school already, uh Moh Hope. Uh next week we're going to go and visit uh uh the next school which is um um the north side >> Willow School and u and we're going to ride on a but an EV bus. So um and those things don't just happen. I
067think that there's a lot of work that went on to get the buses for one and also to talk about the u the efforts of of the architects, the uh the other staff that that we contract and that we sit here. Uh I've missed a few meetings, but I've been to a lot of them. But we sit here and and look at the progress that's going on and and squabble about the color that we want to have on the walls and and uh you know all those little things that uh sometimes become big things but but it's a lot of work and uh the um our uh representative uh and help me with his name again >> yeah he does a great job in keeping and the the construction folks um on on time and
068on task. So to all the group, I just want to thank him for it and we're coming to the end of the year, but and we're going to continue doing that, but thank you very much, Christina, for for your efforts and ultimately the board will decide, you know, uh everything, but the work that goes on behind the scenes is is is a lot and I I on behalf of the board, thank you for that. Thank you, Vice President. Well, if there's no more business before the board meeting adjourned at 7:01.