001Again, that will be astral turf. There will not be or playground turf. This will not be living. We will not have to worry about mowing the grass in here um and taking care of this space. This kind of lays out the two the two classrooms that we'll be adding again in the commons and a resource room. Um it'll be critical for Clark and how we do this because space we're adding a classroom this year to get through the year. We got an extra fourth grade class Um, and so, you know, we can't give up a classroom to make three classrooms. So, it'll be a challenge for Clark to to work through this process. Um, they already know this, um, and what that looks like yet. So, we're still working on what that's going to be
002and how we're going to access the site during the school year and keep kids safe and students safe. Yep. Bent. Again, that's just the commons outside the two res the two classrooms. Bent everything's going to match the carpet. Everything will district standards as far as what we go with um will match the existing classrooms that we have there now. Um OT Yeah, OT room, bathroom and storage. Yep. And then budget. Um so on budget wise, uh we did add some escalation into this. Um and but we're $65,000 over budget. So we're doing roughly like 12,900 square feet per the square foot for the high school was like $583 per square foot. This one on their estimate comes in at 590 598 I believe. So we're within the high school but we have increased um for
003the square foot price just over and that was what three years two years ago that was bid. Um it we have seen slight increase in cost. Um and honestly this is a very basic addition. Um high standards as far as construction quality but yet very straightforward. There you go. Thank you. All right. And Jackie Jackie's got some announcements. opportunities for the public to celebrate our exciting openings and progress related to the bond. Um on Saturday, September 27th in the afternoon, I'm confident in saying at this point, um we haven't been able to get all coordinated with STEM boosters and other groups. Um we will be opening the Steam Center and the wait room to the public. We hope to have a a solid event with some collaboration from our students that are using the spaces
004as well as some important members of our community that contribute to those spaces. Um, and then in addition, we're celebrating the the start of the last football season at Crabtree Field on Tuesday, September 16th. That that I think is our first home game between our seventh and eighth grade teams. Um we're going to just do a presentation between those two games approximately 5:30 p.m. just to honor the space. Um that football field's been used as a football field at that vicinity for a very long time and of course it will look different um in the near future. And so before we wrapped up all of our football seasons on that field, we just wanted to to make uh that space known. We're working on a plaque. Um, both Jack Crabtree and Clem Corona were honored
005uh during a ceremony back in 2007 or nine, I would 2009. Um, and we pulled some of the language from that dedication into a plaque that will be displayed permanently on uh the bathroom facility that is close to Crabtree Field along with another plaque that was dedicated at the time that that facility was built. So, we should have that in place by that time and it'll just be a great opportunity for the community to come out, take some pictures of the field and say their har and goodbyes before it turns into a beautiful cloverleaf baseball diamond in the future. So, we look forward to welcoming the public to those events. >> There was some talk about um gifting pieces of the original track at some point. Is this these still thoughts that are percolating about
006or not? I mean, I've seen basketball courts that have been torn up. >> So, track would be a no. Um, the reason why because timing. So, because of our delays with a certain electrical contract manu electrical regulatory company called DTE. uh that's not the right term, but um we did we're running behind on the new facilities and so we got to have a working track to run our 300 plus kids for middle school track and so that that's a non-negotiable. The track has we have to have a working track in the spring for middle school. So it'll be it may be a middle school one week transfer to grab the new facility the next week and that's what that may be in the springtime. So, I don't want to let anybody touch the touch the
007track, but grass um some of um field goal, we've asked people have asked for a field goal, people have asked for the scoreboard. Those are things that maybe have value, sentimental value to some people. Um and that may be an auctional item for the foundation or but we there's not a the letters will be saved. I can guarantee you that. And those will be saved. >> I do appreciate that. Um thank you. I did have a quick question about the um uh heritage uh the path there was a wonderful pathway between uh Woodland Meadows and Harvest to the buses that the kids used to or still take to get to the buses. >> You mean between Heritage and Woodland Meadows? >> Woodland Meadows and Heritage >> where we have the gazebo between >> Yes. That
008will still be there. >> No, no. The pathway all the way through the school to the bus area. Don't the kids sometimes walk right the way through the building? >> Heritage students would exit out. They won't exit into that courtyard anymore. They'll have to come out the front doors of the office. >> Okay. >> But yes, they they come out those side doors and then they walk across to Heritage that walk. We're not changing anything there. Great. Thank you. >> We should Can I Yes, I was going to mention that right now. Thank you very much, Rex and Cara. Unless there's more in your presentation. Okay. Thank you so much, >> Jackie. Don't go too far. Uh it came to our attention during your presentation Rex that the live stream was down uh for uh
00910 15 minutes and uh during a very important set of announcements. So I just want to make sure that we're all uh we summarize what happened. We had uh Megan McCarthy here from Nova Environmental who spoke extremely highly of the fact that uh Rex was right on uh on the phone to them the minute it became apparent that there was a mold issue at the middle school and uh they were quite the reports going to show when it comes out tomorrow. It'll be published online and I won't say much more about the report except that it was quite glowing. Are there any things that you could maybe summarize extemporaneously right now, Jackie, that we may have missed uh during the downtime? >> I will just I'll note that we were able to get the live
010stream live about 20 minutes into the meeting and the full recording will be posted within an hour or so after we wrap up tonight's meeting on our website in the usual spot. I did put a notice up on our website and spoke to the apologies of on our behalf of technical glitches tonight unfortunately. >> Well, thanks for clarifying that. So, the the entire meeting was recorded. The live stream was just down for a piece. >> Correct. >> Thank you. That that's that's much better news than I thought we were dealing with. Thank you. >> Oh, are there questions or comments of the rescheduled report? >> Well, don't I Jason? No. Okay. We have one question from Jennifer Steen. >> Okay. Hi. Sorry. Um, so the heritage um presentation is really exciting. That's a long time
011coming for more more room in that building. I don't know what the situation is with the pollinators, but I did see a garden in one of the courtyards. Is that right? In the f in the first in the north. I'll take this one and give Rex a little bit of a break here. So, in our design process, as we're thinking that King Scott actually brought in um a professional to talk through what it would look like for us to build out those courtyards, we have a lot of different iterations and the opportunities for us to consider how students can contribute to that space in terms of their own design thinking. We've seen some schools, for example, Farmer Steam School has a really amazing um courtyard space and we also want to balance that with practicality
012and our bandwidth and knowing it's an enclosed space as well as the student use as well. Um the north side is um attached to our our life skills space and so we're looking forward to them being able to really use that space similar to the space they have at the high school. Um and we want to make sure that it's both beautiful, practical, fun, and maybe even educational. Um, so it's it's considering all those things. We haven't come to a final decision yet. Um, but we've we've seen some things that, you know, with projects and grants that haven't always panned out, um, that seem wonderful in the beginning, like beehives on a playground. Um, and then they turn out to we learned some lessons. So, we're thoughtful. >> I was just curious because I know,
013um, how much it's appreciated here at Liberty School. Yeah. >> Um, so I did remember to bring Steve's plaque. I didn't remember to bring it in the building. So, it's in my car. So, uh after we're done here, I'll go out for anyone who wants to see the plaque that um uh is to to thank Steve for his years of support of our school district, particularly around steam. Um and Rex can find a place for that inside of the the new space. Um my other question was, how are things going with the air conditioning at the high school um with the gym, gymnastics, wrestling, and that area? When you come back on the 2nd, I think we'll have it up operational. Hopefully Friday, but we don't have students in the building on Friday. A lot
014of work is going to get done on Friday. Punch list items. Um bringing that online. A lot of that stuff should happen this weekend. And then we should have cooling in the gyms, locker rooms, gymnastics, uh uh on Tuesday the 2nd. And the Steam Center should be available for student use and staff use on Tuesday the second. Excellent. Well, hearing no more questions, I want to formally thank you for your time and efforts and energy and your succinct presentation. >> Of course. Thanks everybody. >> Thank you. Uh administration board updates. I would start with as usual Dr. Kowalsski and if Jillian you're on deck and we'll start at you and if you have anything to say. >> Dr. Kowalsski. >> Thank you. >> Sorry. That's okay. I'll share a few things and then hand it
015over to Jillian. >> That's okay. I'm excited to hear from you. Uh beehives in the classroom. I might have to circle back to that. I kind of make little notes here and there of things I want to return to to hear more about, but I want to speak to um again not on the live stream. You'll see it. Um if you're able to watch uh the recording, we did talk about Sel Middle School, but I'd like to talk a little bit about the first week of school because we welcome back thousands of students in what I thought was just a terrific start to the school year. um was able to be with many colleagues yesterday at Selene High School first thing in the morning. Uh the bus loop welcoming many students. One of the most
016precious and really nice moments was watching one of our new pair of educators welcome two of our students um that he's going to work with this year. It was a really nice moment. So just want to thank all of our new hires and um how they've jumped into working with students. Made my way to Pleasant Ridge. That was just a a really exciting experience to be at Pleasant Ridge on the first day of school. uh was able to make some new best friends with the before the before school care uh students. There's a young lady in third grade there that I think she's really aiming for an amazing um administrative assistant job in our district. She was checking students in. She just already knew all the things um and the amazing folks doing breakfast and
017getting our students ready, you know, for those that have before school needs. Um met a lot of friends, hung out with Sting for a little bit. That was really exciting. um was able to after stopping at the middle school again, pop into Woodland Meadows to see lunch. Of course, our um amazing principal Washington there was running around like no other. Um just constantly in action either with students or supporting parents, lots of smiling faces. Again, thank you to our food service um staff who really nourish our students and um really nice to see them and engaging with them. I just want to thank once again the Seline Middle School team. so many amazing folks who are helping each other. That's when you know you're in a great place in a in a kind um secure
018environment when people are helping each other. And so I greatly appreciate all of their flexibility and their work together. Um lots of open houses. So just you know with Heritage Harvest open houses were great. Um I now understand the sense of a fourth and fifth grade building. So more on that. Um or maybe not. Um, so that was interesting. I'm used to middle school sense, but that was nice to meet so many students and also didn't know that we had connecting buses at Pleasant Ridge. That was a new, right, I'm learning lots of things this week and as the summer's gone on and so nice to see some of our siblings waving off their, you know, fourth and fifth grade siblings from Pleasant Ridge. I didn't know we did that and that was really kind
019of special to see. Um, just some upcoming events and highlights. We have um announced our meet the superintendent events. We've got a pizza and priorities event on October 6th and I believe oc uh September let's see 10th we have a community listing lab at Heritage. Um our staff also have will be receiving dates tomorrow for their events in the fall. Of course we have our first football game this weekend versus Rockford. I unfortunately not unfortunately I'm very fortunate to be participating in this link community fair both tomorrow and Thursday. So, we'll not get to see that, but I know I'm rooting from afar. And tomorrow, I'll start um my engagement with the community fair with students who are attending the individuals with different abilities day. So, I'm really excited to see that in action. It's
020really special. Um and of course, our Selen Area Schools Day at the Selen Fair is tomorrow. I am promised loads of fun and I hope it delivers. Um I I cannot wait. I saw the setup today as we were driving to another meeting. So, that is a little bit about what's been going on, but it has been a terrific first week. And Jillian, I hope you'll highlight some of those things also in the first week at Selen High School. >> I sure can. Seeing as I've been in the building for Link Crew, I've been helping out with transitioning the eighth graders to freshman year, including my younger brother. So, he's not that thrilled being in high school because he has to ride with me. So, sorry. Suck it up. you're with me for the next
021whole year. Um, but it's been wonderful to see a lot of the freshmen came up to a lot of the link crew leaders. I could hear them gushing about it at lunch of like, "Oh my gosh, a freshman came up to me and asked me where art was or asked me where health was." And it was fantastic to see that the freshman are utilizing their resources and reaching out to our upper classmen because we greatly appreciate being asked about all of our wealth of knowledge at the high school. So, I know sports have been kicking off. I've been seeing them around the fields cross country. I know I had to run over from that today to hear that was an experience. But with upcoming clubs, we have link crew web and harvest buddies most likely.
022One of them have to get back to me. Uh most likely coming on September 9th to that meeting and speaking about what they've all been doing. Miss Selene has been confirmed and I know I think connecting club has also been confirmed. So I am going to start reaching out to other clubs and reaching out around the school. So I'm excited about that one. Yeah. Three comments I'd like to make. First is at a recent board meeting, Trustee Tizzok accountability for some comments he made and just made a really good example to the community and to particularly your daughter and your family and I really appreciate that. Uh secondly is I want to recognize Dr. Kowalsski. the the your motor is just non-stop and at a recent uh pep rally for the football team. Uh she
023was there with her nephew and took the time to stay there and address the football team afterwards and I just want to personally thank you for doing that. It made a big impact. I think the football team really appreciates the recognition the district is giving them. And then third, I'm probably the only one that would think I'm so thankful for this mold issue. And the reason I'm thankful for it is it's easy to look good when things are going smooth. But to balance the opening of school with this mold issue, I don't know that it could have been handled any better. the transparency, the communication, the action that was taken. A+. >> So, just a couple things. Um, one is it kind of sounds cliche every year we get up here and we thank all
024of the team that uh pull this together. I mean, school starting is is a big uh is a big thing. And and when you look at the pictures on all the social media of all the kids going back to school and their new backpacks they have and all their excitement, you know, it just it it's it's pretty awesome. And um so thank you to all of our staff, all of the hard work that they're doing. And I too uh was going to actually call out Dr. Kowski, not because it's a football thing, but um that's awesome, but just because you know, you've been just kind of immersed like in this district for a short time and up to your chin in it. And uh we see the emails come through late at night, um seven
025days a week. It's it's um you you're you're working hard and uh I really appreciate um everything that you're doing with this district. Thanks. >> Thanks, Tim. I'll make an uh statement on behalf of Darcy Burwick who can't be here tonight and pass it along and I'll take the anchor leg myself. Uh Secretary Burwick sends her apologies for not being able to attend tonight. She also wanted to note that the STEM boosters social event went really well and she wanted to thanks Superintendent Kowski and uh Laura Lori Dawson for attending and the boosters are very much looking forward to the steam center opening at the end of September and they will be there. Thank you. will echo all of the thanks for the teams that worked hard um over the summer and especially lately to
026open school. Um I got to attend the opening of school, the official opening of school last Wednesday when the staff came back and there was a big relief I think um uh and got to talk to our SEA friends. I think a big relief to be going into the year with some positive momentum and some um good feelings to move forward. So, I really enjoyed seeing all of them um and hearing many presenters that day. Um and it's just it's just been really exciting to start a a new year. I think this is New Year's like the beginning of the school year is New Year's to me, not January 1. and there's a lot of excitement, but I want to pause because I also know that it's a little bit challenging for some folks and
027this could be students or staff who are have a little bit more of a challenging time settling into um newer routines. So, while there's a lot of joyous celebrations going on, just remembering our friends that have a little bit harder time getting into a new situation, um, and especially wanted to send love and care to Alt and to Pleasant Ridge as they begin their um, school years, uh, missing a loved one. So, all the best to everybody this year. Uh I regret that I was uh unable to be here for the special meeting but uh I am really pleased that um our negotiating team and uh the sea uh came to an agreement and uh am uh glad to see uh that we can all move forward together as the team that we are. Um
028so I apologize for not being there. It was the long planned trip. Um, good luck to all the students this year and um, hugs to all the parents sending kids off. Hugs to the middle school parents who have had kids home for a few extra days. We appreciate you. We're sorry you couldn't just gone on more vacation this week. Um, and uh, that's it. >> Uh, echo everything that uh, everybody said. Um the operations team had just did a fantastic job with the middle school. Uh I I really cannot see that coming out any better. Um Nate was 100% right. Uh it it it's really easy to look good when everything is going good. It's a different thing to look good when things are not going good. So uh big thank you to all the
029staff. They got everything ready for back to school. Uh the middle school uh mold remediation going great. Dr. Kowalsski is everywhere in the community. I swear I turn around and I see her. Uh so thanks for being out in the community. And to all the students and staff, welcome back. >> When are you going to tell us that you have twins or No, >> never. >> Uh maybe I am the twin up here. >> Oh, that's it. Uh I just have a quick thing. My anchor leg here. First of all, yeah, I will be at the fair tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to that and I'll walk by the booth and say only nice things. Um, there there are two times a year I really enjoy around the Seline. Um, there are big events and
030there are small events and I had I had both of them last week. The big event was greeting those 600 people who came to the auditorium, uh, the Euing Hall there, the Euing auditorium, and I got to celebrate my 45th first day of teaching with them, which was really a lot of fun. And, of course, we tried to isolate as many different groups as we could. And there's no way we could get everybody, but uh, it was it was wonderful. And this morning, I had the the tiny thing. Sometimes Seline pushes out at you. I live across the street from Heritage School. So this morning at exactly 9:03 I hear you welcome uh please stand for the pledge of allegiance. And it was the first time they read it aloud or spoke it aloud and
031a young student did it and it was just the sweetest sweetest thing and uh uh just spreading it out over the community. Now, we'll have to talk about those outdoor microphones or speaker system, but uh as a as one of your community members, I do enjoy it uh a great deal. So, thank you. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year with you all. Um I'd like to uh entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda now to authorize a consent agenda as printed. So >> Tim Austin moves >> support tides >> tides supports. All in favor please say >> I. >> Hi I. Thank you. 6. Thank you so much. Um >> oh could be Oh no we're not. Are there what items are on the next agenda or scheduled in the next
032agenda? Dr. Kwski. We had that conversation earlier and we believe um currently to share with you we're going to be introducing new hires at our next uh meeting and we're very excited to do that. I know that'll be helpful. We'll continue to fill a few a few gaps that we still have and I know that uh Carol and her department's been working very hard on that, but we will be introducing you to them and I believe that's an annual tradition which I'm excited to continue to carry forward. >> Thank you. Thank you. Looking forward to that as well. So, um there are no more public comments. Uh the next meeting of the board of education will be held on September 9th at 6:30. I'd like to entertain a motion to adjourn this regular board of
033education meeting of August 26th at 7:15. >> Nobody wants to entertain a motion. >> So move to >> support. All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Thank you very much everyone. Good night. [Applause]