001Good evening. >> Call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. Miss Stan, [cough] [clears throat] >> get my computer to work. I will. >> Miss Williams, >> here. >> Miss Miller, >> here. >> Miss Chzny >> here. Miss Karns >> here. >> Miss Lanning >> here. >> Mr. Moore >> here. >> Mr. Richmond >> here. >> I'll stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> 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. Members of the board, if you can join me in the front, please. We've got a few recognitions. Okay, thank you. Um, our first recognition tonight, we're proud of uh this young man. He's actually no stranger to the state cross country championships
002and and championship type running. So, I'm not going to spend a lot of time. Um, we we're going to recognize Cruz Bigum from Benton High School uh in his uh state tournament birth and his qualification. I'm going to let his coach Dan Benz and him come forward and talk a little bit more about Cruz. >> Thanks. >> Okay. All right. I guess it was being um good evening. Thanks very much for having us here and for recognizing Cruz. Cruz has uh uh he's a three sport athlete. He has me he's gone to state every year in cross country and he's meddled uh three of those four years. He's also uh had multiple podium appearances in track, but that's another story. But uh Cruz um you know a leader's actions are tone setting and Cruz is
003a leader of our team and through his kindness and his example uh everyone on the team accomplishes more. So you you don't think of cross country as being a team sport because everyone's out there just doing their best. But the tone that he sets helps all of our athletes just be better students, better citizens, and they all make Benton proud. So, even when he graduates this year, and I know he's going to do great things, his legacy will continue at Benton. So, thank you very much, Cruz, for uh uh being the the leader of our team. [applause] Congratulations. [applause] >> All right, president, members of the board, and superintendent U. Dr. McInness and those here tonight to celebrate. Um the St. Justice School District is proud to celebrate five outstanding educators who have achieved a
004national board certification. It's one of the highest honors in the teaching profession. This remarkable accomplishment reflects their commitment to reflect a practice student centered instruction and continuous professional learning. As members of the district's inaugural national board professional learning cohort, these educators engaged in a rigorous and demanding process that require deep analysis of their work and leadership as an instructional leader. The newly national board certified educators represent a diverse range of roles and grade levels and I am proud to announce their names. Bana Fig, Jennifer Hail, Erin Roachcha, Kelly Shelley, and Samantha Epley, who could not be here this evening. We celebrate these educators for their perseverance, their professionalism, and leadership. Their achievement not only honors their individual dedication, but strengthens our district in tier one and positively impact student learning across the St. Joseph's School
005District. I am so proud of these individuals. [applause] All right. Congratulations. [applause] >> Okay. Um, our next recognition, um, each year the Missouri State High School Activities Association and National Federation of State High School Associations recognizes one coach in each sport at in the state of Missouri with its highest honor, the coach of the year award. Uh, this award is presented to an individual who's made a lifelong commitment to the ideals of coaching intercolastic sports. Misha presented the 2425 coach of the year award in basketball to Jared Boon, head co head boys basketball coach at Benton High School. [applause] Coach Boone was also honored last year as a Midland Empire Conference and District boys basketball coach of the year. He guided Benton boys basketball team to a 28-4 record in the state championship game for
006the first time in 84 years at Benton High School where they finished second place in the Misha Class 4 championships last year. According to Benton activities director Brett Goodwin, Coach Boone is a relentless worker who holds our student athletes accountable and is passionate about Benton High School, his players, and the Southside community. I saw this I observed this last week at the Misha presentation at the uh Benton High School game last Wednesday. I can attest to this is coach when coach Boon received this [clears throat] award uh he turned immediately to ask his players to come out and share that award with him. It was a neat testimony to what coach Boon stands for. Misha stated we're pleased to honor coach Boon as a valued contributor to intercolastic activities in the state of Missouri and
007through the coach of the year recognition program. So, congratulations to the 2024 25 Missouri boys basketball coach of the year, Jared Boon. [applause] >> Yeah. Nice. Okay. Audience participation. Mr. Leak. been doing this so long I didn't need reading glasses when I started speaking these things. Um, you guys know where I stand. I'm not going to rehash all that. I just wanted to touch on a few things tonight. Um, you know, in the current system there's there's plenty of problems and we know what they are and and I I believed, of course, that we could improve upon them. We're going to change systems and we're going to have new problems, but we need to be very proactive in trying to hit those problems off before they happen. Um, I fear we're going to be put
008in a lot of uncomfortable situations and the board is going to be presented in a lot of scenarios where they're going to have to make votes. That's that's going to be the only thing I think of is like a gambler trying to gamble their way out of debt. So, I I I still think we're going down the wrong path, but if we do go down this path, there's a couple things that I want to touch on. Um, I've said this before, I'm going to say it again. Every adult in the building is a teacher to a child. And I always remember at Lafayette, we didn't have most influential teacher. We had most influential staff member. And my junior and senior year, that was that was that was won by uh an aid in the library
009and a custodian. And I still remember Miss Diane Taye is was one of the most influential people in that building because of her work ethic and and she she touched so many kids there. and my concerns that come the the people are approaching me with concerns and the and the two things that I'm getting the most of is the parents of special needs students are terrified right now. So whatever decisions you make, we got to make them faster because they are they are terrified of what's going to happen with their students from the environments. You know, they were told they were moved from one school because it was too crowded. Now they're going to be moved back to that school even though there's going to be more people there. uh they weren't fitting in there,
010so they moved them to a different school. Now they're moving back to where they didn't fit in. They're terrified and they're they're coming to me um with those concerns. And the next thing is is uh all staff certified and classified. I know we're working as hard as we can and as fast as we can, but in this timetable, it makes sense on paper, but it's not really practical. The extra duty assignments are what keeps a lot of people in education, but for a lot of our staff, it's the difference between being able to pay for child care and not paying for child care. It's the difference between making a house payment, not making a house payment. So, to offer someone a guarantee of their job without those extra duty assignments is really not guaranteeing them
011a job because some people can't afford to to stay there. I've always said in education the hardest years are 5 through 15 because that's when you're buying a house, raising a family. Right now I I could afford to take a hit, but a lot of people can't to make monthly bills. So what I propose here is since we are doing this regardless of what anybody says at an expediated rate and there's going to be some problems, there's going to be some messes. Our our staff shouldn't suffer. So I propose a one-year guarantee to all extra duty pay for certified and classified staff. so they can at least have some financial security for their family. And I think that's something that should be able to be decided a straw poll discussed tonight to put people at
012ease through the holiday season. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Lee. [snorts] >> Is there a motion of the approval of the agenda? >> I'll make the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Rond and Jennifer, whenever you're ready. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzn? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. All approved. >> Well, I'm going to ask for FNG to be pulled from the consent agenda. >> FNG. >> Mhm. toformational items or action items? >> Um, they I mean they can still be action items. >> Excuse me. >> They can still be action items. It's fine. >> Are you making a motion to that effect?
013>> No, I can remove anybody can remove anything from the consent agenda. >> Which which one? >> F and G. I got you. You're moving them to action items. >> I'm just taking them out of consent agenda and in order to vote on them into vote on them separately. >> Okay. On the consent agenda, is there a motion for approval? >> Motion. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> I have a motion to second. Jennifer, >> Miss Williams. Yes, >> Miss Miller. >> Yes, >> Miss Chznley. >> Yes, >> Miss Karns. >> Yes, >> Miss Lenny. >> Yes, >> Mr. Moore. >> Yes, >> Mr. Richmond. >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. I'll approve. Dr. McInness. >> Sure. And I just want to make one comment on
014something that you just approved on the consent agenda. We have a community member by the name of Deborah Flint who has donated generously over $7,000 to pay for negative lunch balances. And I just think that is worth lifting up um in appreciation for her generosity. I'd also like to point out on the donations, we had a community foundation that was the Tenderloin Challenge with many businesses in our community who also raised funds. $66,000 54 $543 that went towards negative lunch balances and I think that's worthy of celebration. So I wanted to point that out. Um the only other thing I have on my report is our facilities plan. So as you know we are in the process of revising that. We have met once uh with our team. I'd hope to continue that discussion today
015but we have about half of our leaders who've taken vacation. So we will continue those discussions in January and then once we have a draft we will share that with the board hopefully at the January work session. So my other agenda items will be discussed in the district reorganization item underformational reasons. So I will turn it over to Miss Williams. >> I had a question a couple questions while we're still on super court. Um the individuals that had sent in the petition for um the stoppage of the consolidation plan had reached back out to me just to ask that whether or not you received it. >> I have not. >> We all re we didn't all receive it. So there was an email that was sent out that there was a petition with several hundred
016people on it that had signed it. I believe it went to the administration and the board. >> Can you forward that email to everyone? >> I am confident it did not just go to me, but I can look it back up and then we can I do we have maybe another board notes. I can bring that back up. Um he had just reached back out to me and asked if everyone had received it. Apparently people have it, so it's good he asked. Um the other question that I had so uh policy GBC is the inclement weather policy. Um believe that it had been mentioned that we're talking about whether or not to have principles come into the buildings on inclement weather can where is the pro where are we at on that? Is that for
017sure happening? I mean winter is approaching. So, I know that we met with a with a committee and we have not made any changes to that. Um, I'm not for sure if we're going to implement that as soon as we return. Um, the group that Matt voted 5 to2 to have all building administrators um report currently it's 260 administrators um plus district staff. And really kind of our thought process was this is a an opportunity for um building principles to collaborate. It's also um some safety concerns because we've had students show up on these snow days. I think Lafayette had a student show up um on our on our past snow day. Um so based on collaboration, but I don't know when that's going to go into effect. >> And there was a clause in
018there that stated it was up to the superintendent on who came in. so that if it was dangerous road conditions, then we could have people work from home. But if it's a cold weather day, we think it's important to have our staff there to make sure our kids aren't dropped off and left without any supervision. >> So, is there a way to do that with the um camera system to make sure that you can see the entrances and things like that? I just worry that we're doing we're doing so much. Um I think that could have a negative impact on climate and culture that you know the the changes that came out with administrative assignments. I just worry that adding that might be uh problematic or negative a negative impact to that. Um and it
019seems like if it's a um [sighs] inclement weather situation that we could monitor cameras to make sure no one gets dropped off. we could partners with SRO's. Um, I don't know. I'm just that was just my concern. But if I'm again, if I'm the only board member that's concerned about that or would like to take that up, then I'm only one person. >> I think it's very hard and difficult to assist a student without being present there. SRO are typically called to work on the streets when we do not have school in session. Um, >> but again, it would come down to if it was safe for our staff to come in as well. So, we wouldn't have them come in if it was dangerous for our staff. >> Okay. Well, I just saw the
020change, the potential change, and how that may happen. So, I have some concerns. Um, the other thing that I wanted to bring up was um we had another um student pass away recently. Um I know that that that that's not the first time that this happened this year or in previous years. Um, and I just wanted to check and see if there was um any discussion around whether or not we're requiring our staff to use their their leave banks um and if um there was any interest in us not requiring that. >> It's actually on the agenda as anformational item. It's number nine. It's about the bereavement policy. Oh, that's what that's on there for. Okay. All right. Then I can wait for that. >> Sure. That's all I had. >> Any other questions about
021Ashley's report? >> Okay. Next, Mr. Good evening. I am pleased to share a brief update on the St. Joseph School District's um national board cohort program that was launched in 2425. And I attached for you a program evaluation. I'll be concise in this, but um interest in the program was really strong. Um and from that pool, 12 educators were selected representing um elementary, middle, and high school um teachers as well as elective special education reading and English language roles. Um, I I'm grateful for the professional development committee um and being innovative in their work with particularly Barb Spencer that's here tonight. Innovative in their work on how we reach and develop our teachers. Um, of the 12 educators who began that process, 10 submitted portfolio components, all of the portfolio components, and five achieved national
022board certification. Um, we now have seven in the St. Joseph School District that are national board certified. So we were we only had two and now we just added five to the um the um teachers um that um understand that that certification success rate was a national average at 40% and we were at 50% with the district. Um we recognized that there were some key strengths but we also recognized there were some opportunities for growth and they're both listed there. We had strong candidate commitment. um there was effective use of time and resources and um the certification results above those national benchmarks. Um but the opportunities for growth now that we actually have mentors to help build and that capacity um those additional checkpoints throughout the year will become important. Um this year the PDC
023um wanted to see the impact of this work to ensure it was successful and so we were leading right now currently six individuals through this process. Again in closing I again I just want to thank Barb Spencer, Elizabeth Hoskins and the PDC for being open um to change and to being um thinking how can we support our educators. Um, one of the key pieces is this that they they are compensated um in this. So, they receive 30 uh $3,000 a year once you obtain national board certification. Um, and you have up until that fifth year to renew. So, again, I'm grateful for that. The whole program evaluation is there for your study. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. The other piece I wanted to share was the um Missou's
024Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Um in March of 2024, they released um acade academic achievement data through a new web-based application. And what you'll see there is the Missouri data visualization tool. I have attached the St. Joseph School District's reports for 24 and 25. And so what you'll see on the screen there is 24. Um, this is just an overarching view of where we were in 2024. Um, you can see that it breaks down. Kevin, can you scroll back up right there? Um, you'll see the value added to instruction um there and with the growth indicator. Um, what I'm really proud of is the 2025 data. Um, so it was just released early December and so Kevin pulled that back up and there you can see that um, our growth indicator um, and the
025growth index they are we are exceeding um, growth with our work with our students. Um, we do have two targeted areas I already identified um, for us to kind of look at and the work of curriculum um, and the work of professional development. um it's teaching is really complex and so when you look at this you'll see seventh grade in English language arts is a target area for us of course I'm looking at mathemat mathematics even though we're um moving to the ontrack level there it's an area that we have our eye on and then you will see the government which I've already um versed and and shared with you at the performance level that's not a surprise to us as [clears throat] well as algebra one um even though we are showing growth there
026um in in our scores it's it's minimal compared to the state. Um and so um our instructional coaches are supporting those still. Um and that leads into the next piece um that I wanted to share with you which is the um data from our internal progress monitoring which is the new assessment platform Mastery Connect. Um what I've attached there for you guys is um with the close of this quarter and the semester that our district continues to progress monitor and evaluate the quality of instruction that's happening in our classrooms. And so you will see it outlined um by school um according to grade level where we were in the work with um Mastery Connect this past semester. So, you'll see, and I'm sorry I'm moving really quickly here, but you'll see in your folders here,
027um, where it outlines for you by school, um, where we where we are in that work. Um, it starts out with third grade ELA here. And then you will see the breakdown of middle level, which contains all the assessments, and then you will see all of high school's assessments that work there. that was shared at the academic committee meeting on Thursday. Um we are still waiting on the math results. Um we had an internet um outage um that uh needed to extended the window and so our math results are not quite finalized yet. Um but I did want to share with you um the data and um the work that's happening in our classroom. These will be talking pieces that we lead at midyear reflection with our leaders and PLC teams. Um we've already um
028conducted and um had district department chair meetings where we shared this data um and and provided some um you know reflection in the work that we're doing. Are we on track to meet the goal of 45% of our students scoring proficient in advance? and if we're not again what resources and um supports we can put in place to ensure that happens. I can say with the u visual data here with the seventh grade and the fifth grade math um we're looking at our curriculum pacing. We're looking from a district lens to see if there's anything we can do academically there. What standards we have outlined according to scope and sequence. um digging in to ensure are we reaching the level of um rigor um when it comes to the curriculum writing itself. Um but again
029I I do feel um that we are on the right track with the assessment now being on grade level. Um and that again I shared this at the academic committee meeting was that um assessment is not the end. Assessment is just the beginning. And really for teachers, standards are meaningless until I see it how it's assessed. So if I have a question in front of me, I see how that is being asked of my students. Um how do I get my students to that level and that rigor of of the question? Is there any questions um in this work? >> I'd like to make a comment. Um, I was able to attend the academic committee meeting and you did a really nice job. We we kind of had time to go through this thoroughly and
030do a little bit of a hands-on workshop, so to speak. Um, I thought that was really good, actually. Really good. So, it helped me understand this information better. And, um, you were really clear. And also regarding this national certification by the way my one question though tonight as I see this for the first time the Missouri DBT and looking at 2025 and you referenced this but in the GLA English language arts the fact that sixth and 8th grade are exceeding and seventh grade is significantly below. You know you mentioned that there's a lot of factors that can go into what those changes are. Um, do you have anything to elaborate on that particular one? >> Mr. Richmond, I think that a lot happens at that seventh grade with that particular subject area. Um, for example,
031um, just because I have taught um, English language arts, you move from the literal to the abstract. Um, and so um, at that level, you can look at a story, you can tell me the sequence of events that are happening in that particular text. At the seventh grade level, there becomes more figurative language. Stories start in flashback. Um they don't start in sequence like beginning, middle, and end. Text becomes more complex. And so um providing our teachers with um those strategies to teach students how to close read. Okay, this really isn't the start of the story. Um the story is actually begins in a flashback. and teaching our students story structure. Um, where it does become more complex, those are key pieces. And at that seventh grade level, that's where it tends to happen. You
032know, in math where they say something just clicks and it just automatically like it becomes an epiphany for students. Um, I've had that joy of teaching a student um reading um and looking at that and saying, "Oh, this isn't the start of the story or this doesn't mean um that it's, you know, um raining cats and dogs, for example. What does it what's the abstract really mean there?" Um and that that includes the skill of inferring. Um and when you infer something, you have to have really strong background knowledge to understand it. So you can use your text evidence, but what's key there is that skill of inferring, which that's why that um core resource is so important in grades K to six because our students sometimes don't have strong background knowledge in certain subject
033areas. Their experiences sometimes are very limited. And what the core resources provides is they've done a study of what's important that kids understand and know in regards to background. Um, and so as we go through each particular unit in K to six, it becomes very explicit and systematic. That way in seventh grade when we go to move to the abstract, they have the background knowledge to understand the text. Um, reading is so so very complex. That's why it's so hard to move. Um, but I know our teachers can do this and I know our students can do this. It's just us as leaders to ensure that we're putting the right explicit and systematic instructional support to ensure that they can reach that success. Background knowledge is so critical um to reading. >> Yeah. Thank Thank
034you. I didn't I realize this probably shouldn't get into that detail, but I do appreciate that explanation and and again, I appreciate what you did at the academic committee. Um, and it allows us to analyze that information. So, thank you, >> Mr. Richmond. I can talk about this all day. I I I love studying, you know, how kids learn to read, the complexities behind it. Um, you know, I've grown to love math as well. Um, and that conceptual understanding and, um, but again, reading's the foundation for many of these core pieces to move. >> That was a great explanation. >> Thank you. >> I would just like to add it's a huge transition year. And so, you have kids who has have historically been with their same peers for six years and then they come
035to middle school and they are transitioning classes every hour. So, it's just a different environment than what they're used to that seventh grade year. >> Well, I think also thinking about where these kids were during CO. >> Yes. because it's highly likely some of those inferring skills and some of those things that they would have gotten where would they be in third would they been in third grade is where the beginning of all that teaching actually starts too and so they may have missed out on some of that good in-class learning because of where CO is because they're also below in math as well so I think maybe we're seeing a big impact and maybe this is where it's at um Just just curious about that too and how that could impact them. >> Okay.
036Approval of bills, Dr. Hedgecore. >> Yes. So, you have the checks and PE card statement for this month. Um, if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer those. >> Make a motion to approve the bills. I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. Motion second. Would you call the vote, please? >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzn? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. All approved. >> Financials. >> Yes. So, I have an extra memo in the financial agenda for this evening. Um, back in September, the board approved our tax anticipation note um, up to $10 million for um, expenses incurred in our general fund.
037Um, and we were only um, needed 5 million after doing some cash analysis for uh, what our cash flows look like for the upcoming months. And I'm happy to report that that TANOD has been paid in full uh, back to UNB Bank. Uh the total amount of interest and origination fees was 55,294 and44. And so I know in that September meeting um some of you had asked me what I thought the estimate would be. I believe back then I estimated somewhere between 70 and $80,000 in interest. Um that was assuming we'd only be able to pay it back in January. Being that we paid a month ahead of time, you know, the cost was only 55,000. I say only. Um it's a lost opportunity um unfortunately. Um, but I am glad that we were able
038to pay back in December and that was due to our community uh paying their local tax bills in an early manner in December. So, I I thank you community. I thank you for um getting those payments in because it did allow us to get uh many of those payments in December. Um, of course, those tax bills are due December 31st. And so, those received during that time, we'll receive that in January from the county. Um, and so we will get that larger deposit in January. We received a larger deposit than normal in December and so that allowed us to pay that note early and save on some interest. So, uh, wanted to point that part out of the financials. Any questions on the tando? All right. So, you have, uh, your typical financials for the
039month. Um if you look at salaries and benefits as well as purchase services, supplies, materials, um we're running just a little bit higher than budgeted um but but lower in than that 1% uh variance range that we talked about as our goal. Uh last month I talked about supplies and materials. This year was unique year where we purchased a lot more upfront. Um but I will make sure that we are within budget on that as the year goes on. um our district administrators and directors know what the deadline is for those expenditures and and what they can spend within those budget units. And so just want to make sure as you as you have the months go on, you will see that percentage narrow um as we go forward. On the revenue side, we're a
040little bit higher than normal. Um especially of course in federal programs um of course that's from the the payments that we received in uh July and October uh for our title funds. and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about our financials. >> If there are no questions and thank you, Mr. Curl, personnel report. >> Yeah. So, the personnel reports been submitted. >> We need to vote. >> We have a motion. >> I'll second. >> Motion to second. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? Yes. >> Miss Chzny? >> Yes. Yes, Miss Farn. >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning, >> yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Richmond, >> yes. >> The motion passes. All approved. Now, Mr. F. >> Let's try it now. >> That's all right. The personnel report
041has been submitted for for your review. Plus, the supplemental was added today. It's also at your workstations. There's nothing major to note. Uh, if you don't have any questions, I ask for a motion for approval. >> I'll second. >> I have a motion in a second. Any discussion? I have a No, I'll wait for the other one. >> Okay. >> Can you come vote, please? >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Jesus? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. All approved. >> Okay. Next is our audit. >> All right. I welcome Mr. John Cummings from KPM to present our audit for fiscal year 2425. >> Thank you very much. Thank
042you for giving me some time to present tonight. I am John Cummings. I'm with KPMCPA out of Springfield. And tonight I'm covering the audited financial statements for [clears throat] the year ended June 30, 2025. We're going to start on uh page four of the larger bound booklet that you have. The reporting package is a little bit different for you this year. You may have noticed normally you get one big book and couple of letters. This year you got a a pretty good size book, a small book and then a couple letters. So the reason for that is that the federal government did not issue the federal compliance supplement for auditing the federal programs until around Thanksgiving. And that led to a variety of things. Uh the biggest thing was that DESIE basically changed the reporting
043requirement. And uh in the past everything's been due to them by December 31st with board approval where for this year because of the delay on the federal side uh they kept the December 31st deadline in place for financial statements and state compliance piece uh pieces of the engagement but then separated off the federal component piece and made that deadline January 31st. So, uh, not knowing when the Fed was going to issue the compliance supplement, we opted to split the reports so that we could make sure that all of our districts were compliant on the financial statement and state compliance side of uh, the reporting requirement so that your state funding would not get held up. And I used to think that that was not a thing like Desi wouldn't really hold somebody's funding back, but
044it's oh, it's a very real thing. I've seen it happen to two different districts. uh one district didn't get any uh federal funds until about May uh or any state funds until about May. So, uh that would be a a rough way to go and so we so far have never caused that to happen to anyone. So, 25 year run and this year it continues. So, we're we're going to see how 26 goes. So, with that, we'll go to page four, the bound booklet, the big one. uh this is the independent auditor report. This is where we give our opinion on the financial statements. It is the point of the exercise and in the second paragraph there you will see that we say in our opinion the financial statements referred to above present fairly in
045all material respects the respective modified cash basis financial position of the governmental activities each major fund and the aggregate remaining fund information of St. Joseph School District as of June 30, 2025. That is an unmodified or a clean opinion as the best possible result. And the basis for that opinion is that we conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in government auditing standards issued by the comproller general of the United States. It's important to note and it's in the letter further down but management is ultimately responsible for the financial statements. So the process is we come out and do field work. We go through everything. you are on modified cash basis. And what that means is that if
046cash comes into the bank, that's a cash receipt. If cash goes out of the bank, that's a cash dispersement. And so what we're looking at mostly is your cash and investment balance. And then we're looking at your total receipts and your total expenses or dispersements. And so that's basically what makes up your financial statements. um based on that unmodified opinion because in the testing of receipts and dispersements and then basically reperforming the bank reconciliations as of June 30. All is well any questions so far? Okay, with that we'll go over to page 13 and get into some numbers. I don't know if you all want the very detailed or the high level. I'll start with the high level and if you want more detail feel free to ask. Uh this is the statement of receipts,
047dispersements, and changes in fund balances for your governmental funds, which are the general fund, the special revenue fund, the debt service fund, capital projects fund, and then there's a total column. And um there's quite a bit going on on these, but basically this gives you the financial statement snapshot for 2425 fiscal year. And in your general fund, total receipts were $86,346,517. That's up about $7.5 million from last year with about 8.3 uh million being the increase of local revenues. And then you did have a decrease of 1.8 million in federal revenues at 12,972,869. Um as Dr. Hedgeorth mentioned there earlier, you did have a strange thing with your ESA or title monies uh for the 23 24 year and the 2425 year. And basically the district did not claim the title funds for 2324 within
048that calendar year or within that fiscal year. And so also in 2425 they did not do that. So we were a little bit surprised when we got here expecting to see a larger than normal amount for the title programs and uh at zero in revenue. So that's affecting the balances as of June 30, 2025. But the 2324 amount was $4.6 million and that arrived in the district in July of and in the 2425 uh funding year there was $5.1 million and that was paid out to the district in October of 2025. So the total there is $9.7 million of impact on the cash receipts compared to prior years. Let let me ask you a question there. And I know you're going into a little detail on that because you anticipated the question, I'm sure. >>
049Oh, yeah. >> But um and um it it's a little surprising. It was surprising to some of us that on on June 30th that that that we were in that position, we didn't realize that that was the case of board members. But it's also a little surprising that with that big a variance that it doesn't show at least as a note on the audit. >> Well, it's pretty typical actually for districts to not claim the federal funds within the particular year in which the money is used. It often trails out because they can't really finalize u their expenditure reports until DESIE opens those. And sometimes that can be September October time frame before that can happen. And so it's not really surprising to us as auditors to see that if we just carry it as
050a receivable balance on the schedule of expenditure federal awards, it's not really anything that's a huge concern unless something like that happened where it just didn't get paid out at all even in the next next fiscal year. And so obviously when we got here in this year and didn't see it hit, then that was a concern. But um the system that was in place has been changed as to how those funds are recognized and claimed and the process for getting through the EPEGs program to make sure that the funding gets paid out. And so I feel like the district has a pretty good handle on making sure that the monies that are used will be claimed more timely than it has been in the past in these two particular. >> One quick followup because it's
051been a concern to all of us and the community is and I understand what you just said relative to the 2425 year. Um but but you would have maybe anticipated this 23 24 year would have been in the would have been received. I would have expected the 23 24 year to actually hit in 2425. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. >> And the fact that it didn't and wasn't noted is is a little I mean that's a that's not an insignificant number. >> It is actually noted in your management letter. >> Okay. >> And so there is a comment about it in there. However, u it doesn't rise to the level of a control finding because it's really not. It's a procedural thing. And so when the district chooses to claim those funds is entirely up to
052the district. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. So I think I was on general fund dispersements. We'll move on to that. Um total dispersements in the general fund were $70,810,231. That is up $2.5 million from last year. and that left an increase uh between receipts and dispersements of $15,536,286. Uh there were net other financing sources and uses primarily transfers out of $25,961,311 and then that left a net change in fund balances of $10,425,25. And you'll see there there's an error correction. And this is not necessarily that the district made an error, but it's a product of one of the more recent DASBY standards that came up relating to accounting changes, changes in principle, and error corrections. And how they class a reclassification of coding in a prior year is considered an error correction. I don't
053necessarily agree with that, but that's what the standards say. And basically what ended up happening was the district went back and reclassified certain revenues from fund one to fund four to help solidify the fund four balance a bit so that the projects could be completed and all the different requirements that you had could be met. And so that resulted in the beginning balance basically being decreased by a chunk. The other thing that we noticed during this year and in kind of looking at your fund balances and there was a concern. So we kind of did a deep dive um was on the debt service fund for some time. You have a operating re or operating cash account and then you have a debt service cash account and the tax money goes into your debt service
054account and it earns interest along the way. The state funds have an intercept payment that goes into a different debt service fund. And basically, it's your basic formula money that's being used to pay bond payments. And then you pay yourself back out of your local tax dollars that are sitting in your debt service account. And uh things got a little out of whack over time. And so what ended up happening was that the debt service checking interest was being coded to the debt service fund. And so it was shorting the general fund some of that interest that was earned on basic formula formula dollars that have been intercepted. And so this uh change that you see down here for the million dollars back is basically we did a very deep dive and went back I
055want to say almost 10 years and calculated what the interest amount earned was on basic formula dollars that were sitting in that particular bank account so that those monies could land where they needed to be in your operating fund. So that's kind of an explanation of those changes in your beginning fund balances. Does that all kind of make sense? Okay. It was a It was a job. And if you want to see an amazing spreadsheet of interest calculations, I got one. So, okay. [cough] So, hopefully that helps the district [clears throat] a bit. On the special revenue fund, total receipts were 65,66,771. That is up 2.7 million from last year. The total dispersements were $86,236,621. That is up 8.8 million from last year. Had a transfer in of 21.2 million to bring that fund to
056zero. So the ending balance there is zero. On the debt service fund, total receipts were 7,821,465. That is down about $915,000 from last year. Well, the total dispersements were $9,418,461, which is up about 2.7 million from last year. And after all the different things, you end the year with a ending balance of 7,230,293. On your capital projects fund, total receipts were $2,494,632. That is down $9.7 million. And then bulk of that was state and federal funding that had been coded there in the prior year. On the dispersement side, you had 31,953,12 that is up 8.3 million. And of that n 6.7 million of that increase is in your facilities acquisition and construction area. A total of 19,561,386. So you were doing a lot of construction work. So kudos to whoever is having to manage that.
057I don't envy them. So anyway, had a transfer in of 4,800,000 from the general fund and sale of other property for $8,998. That left a decrease for the year of $24,649,382. And after the error correction, the district ends with $8,19,565. So in all funds combined, you have a total ending balance of 31,78,377. So that is the financial picture as of June 30, 2025. Any questions on any of that? Okay. If not, I think the next thing we want to go to is the small booklet and we'll go to page 11 of that. It gives a summary of the auditor's results and kind of already covered the financial statement part of it. Uh but the schedule of findings in question cost does cover everything as a snapshot. And so what it shows you is that the
058financial statements received an unmodified opinion. There are no material weaknesses identified or significant deficiencies that are reportable. There's no material non-compliance. Then on the federal awards side of things, uh we tested the title one grant program and the special education uh cluster and there were no violations of the compliance requirements noted in either of those two programs testing. So the threshold for determining between a type A and a type B program is 750,000. and you see their oddity qualified as low-risisk audit and the answer is no and don't panic about that. um you can't qualify as a low-risisk oddity and anyone that is cash basis without a law driving that uh cannot be a low-risisk audit. And the only difference between being a low-risisk oddity and not being a low-risisk audit is that a low-risisk
059audit has 20% tested on the total f federal expenditures where somebody who is not a low-risisk audit has 40% coverage. So this is basically just telling the federal government we tested 40% or more. So, nothing earthshattering there, I hope. So far so good. Okay, we're nearing the home stretch. So, with that, we'll turn to one of the letters, the one that starts with uh request for reimbursement of funds, [snorts] and we'll get into some some more. Um, this is the mention of that title one issue or ESA issue uh that I referred to earlier. And uh basically the district didn't timely request the dispersements of federal funds in the current past fiscal years. And we've kind of already gone over the numbers here, but 4,592,000 for the 2024 year, 5,69,000 for the 2025 year. Uh
060I know that Dr. >> [clears throat] >> Hedge course was a little um unsettled when all of that came to light and justifiably so. Um it it would be a little nerve-wracking to not see that in the bank, I would imagine. But um we do recommend that the district implement policies and procedures for timely requests for reimbursement of funds. And in working with them, I do know that that has happened already. So next year you would see a commend on this. But to kind of give you an idea of the impact of it, if those requests had been made, instead of having a 10.2% fund balance percentage on your operations, you would have been at 16.17. So, made a pretty big difference. But the good news is the money's in there now in the year
061that you're in. And so, hopefully it will help as you move forward through time. Uh, item two deals with old outstanding checks. And basically this happens in uh well all districts. There are things that you write checks on it doesn't clear. They get lost in the mail or they get paid through a different way or whatever. And so basically there's a process that you go through to determine if the thing has already been paid or if the money just needs to be turned over unclaimed property and then they can be cleared out of your system and it just kind of keeps things a little more tidy. uh your bank wreck uh process is sound but complicated. >> How do they how do the stale checks affect the financial reporting? So are those still in there
062as a >> they're still in there as a cash? >> Okay. >> Yeah. Basically they're a reduction of cash. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> But against the bank reconciliation it would be different, right? So basically what happens is your cash that you see in the financial statements is your bank cash minus your outstanding items, >> right? >> So they're still in as outstanding items. So they're still reducing your cash >> and they will probably always reduce your cash one way or the other >> because >> well unless it had been paid through another check and you were just voiding the check. >> Yeah. >> So only voids would actually increase your cash balance. those items that you would turn over to the state. You're gonna avoid the check, but you're gonna have a new check
063for the same amount that goes to the state, >> right? Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh item three deals with declining operating balances. And obviously this all ties together as you can see, but at June 30, 2025, the district's operating balances were at 10.2% compared to 25.31% the prior year. There's two things really driving the change, and it is the ESA timing. and then also the transfer in where the revenues were coded from previously in the general fund to then being in the debt service or in the capital projects fund. So, you know, now $10 million moved that way. So, that obviously was a large hit to the fund balance percentage as well, but it is something to keep an eye on. I know that uh everyone is focused keenly on that at the moment.
064So, I don't believe that this is any new information for anyone, but it's just us supporting you in your decision to pay attention to the fund balances and watch the budget. >> Item four is >> I noticed that you re you recommend a 25% fund balance. Um, >> yes. >> Um, is that based on the clients that you do or what's that? What why is that? What do you what do you base that on? >> It's really just a good rule of thumb. It's three months of operations essentially and it's kind of just where schools tend to run. Uh there are obviously differences because it can vary by district to district. U there's a large district in the state that chooses to run at 10%. Uh which I think would be nerve-wracking. Um I wouldn't
065want to do that on a regular basis. So, if you can operate at a 25% reserve balance, that gives you more flexibility. It also gives you um the ability to weather approaching tax time without having to do tax anticipation notes. >> And our policy is 20%. And then I think our goal had always been 22 or 23. >> It's a solid goal. And I really I think overall the district can get back to those balances with the ESA thing correcting and just a little bit of time. So have a new accounting pronouncement. It is not earthshattering for you, but it is Gazby statement 103 financial reporting model improvements. And basically what it does is just changes the reporting model a little bit mostly for those entities that are acrual basis or gap basis financial reporting
066rather than those that are on cash or modified cash reporting on it such as you are. Uh the things that you would see different once this is in place and in your next report will be that there will be an extra variance column on your budget to actual part of the financial statements. And so right now all you see is a variance column for the difference between your final budget and your final actual numbers. Uh this standard adds a variance column for the original budget to the final. So and the other piece of it is they want to know a lot about why things change. If you were doing a management's discussion and analysis section, it's not just how much things changed by, it's why they changed. And that same change in thought process is
067applied to the notes to the budgetary uh comparison schedules. And so when there's a difference between your original and final budget, the notes through the u comparison schedules have to say kind of why the budget changed. So that's really the only impact to you uh relating to this standard. Um we have in here item five stipens and extra duty pay. I know that uh this is a touchy subject here due to past history of the district but it's never a bad thing to remind people that you know the stipen process does need to be outlined and be tracked and approved and monitored and all of the things. So, uh, this is a very general reminder about how to track stipens and run those programs just to be sure that, you know, if you for take
068a 4A into that, you're covering all the bases so that a uh repeat does not happen. >> So, is this just in here as a general reminder or Okay. >> Yes. And so, >> the same thing. >> It it is not anything that you have done or didn't do. It's just to hey heads up go back through. You've had some personnel changes, leadership changes. It's always a good time in those moments to go back through processes and make sure everything you think is happening is happening and nothing fell through the cracks. So that's what this is really mostly about just verify. And last but not least is uh cyber security uh program. And uh there's always something that can be done to enhance security posture. And so we've got kind of a a very short
069list of things here and and narrative that discusses some different things that the district can do if they're not already doing them or at least you can pat yourself on the back where you are doing those things. Um you're not going to become less of a target as you move through time. Unfortunately, and the cyber criminals are not going to get worse at their jobs. They're going to get better at their jobs because um greed is a powerful motivator and uh well, you have things that are worth a lot of money between what is in your bank accounts and the data that you house that makes you a pretty lucrative target. So doing all the things you can do is something we always encourage relating to cyber security. Take the things seriously. I know it
070gets old. I know that I get about probably three different uh fake internal house generated fishing attempts. I guess they want to get their numbers up or something because I so far so good. I catch them all. Congratulations, you've identified another fishing whatever. So, you know, being aware of all of that and keeping all of the people in the organization um diligent on that, not getting complacent is an important part of your security posture. So, any questions on any of those? >> So, I have a question. I have two questions. So, first on the federal funds, why is that, and I'm I don't want it to appear as though I'm like asking for a deficiency. Like, obviously that's not what I want, but why would I would have thought that given the amount of that
071um omission that it would have been m created a material inaccuracy, a material issue? >> If it was on the expense side and you were claiming monies that you hadn't expended, it absolutely would have. But because it's on the receiving it back, you already expended the money out. So the Fed doesn't care. They'll let you go for 10, 15, 20 years or never if you don't ever want to request. >> So it' be like us electing to pay for it out of our [clears throat] instead. Okay, I understand that. Um then my second question is why is there not a deficiency on um the accuracy of the financial reporting given that we also had the issue with the personnel and the um the personnel part of the budget as well as the um some of
072the construction issues. See what I'm saying? >> So I'll I'll speak more to the federal piece of it. Um on the financial statement audit, we are just checking modified cash basis. That's what you're reporting on. >> Mhm. >> And so if all of the cash that went into the bank is reported as a cash receipt and all that went out is reported as a cash dispersement and cash reconciles, which it does, then there's nothing to report on because the financial statements are materially correct on cash basis of accounting. If you were on a cruel basis of accounting, okay, >> and you did not pick those things up as >> incurred costs, then your m your financial statements would have been materially misstated. >> But so I guess my question but my issue then is are
073the the reporting provided to the board of education were not material correct materially correct or or would the argument instead be the reports that are provided are correct. the budget was just inact you just didn't do a good job budgeting >> well >> because we're expending >> what I would say is that the budget didn't reflect what actually got carried out >> right so then so that's my that's my issue of like how is the board because I I believe it's a gap requirement that you have to be able to one of the issues is you have to be providing accurate reporting for governance to be able to reliably see what's happening >> you you would prefer to have accurate reporting Yes, >> I would prefer and I would have thought it was statutoily required
074>> and it the reporting though is on the basis of accounting in which you select and so the actual results that were being presented and the bud and you get a budget to actual >> and so you see what's come in you see what the budget says I guess what I would say is that it would have been nice if someone would have asked a question earlier maybe And I don't know what questions were or were not asked. >> I mean, we ask a lot of the questions, but >> and I feel like that was asked, >> but really in the in the process of evaluating the budget versus actual, that's where it really would be noted initially when the money didn't come in. And so there is some of that, but again, as far
075as the financial reporting goes on the actual side, which is what we're giving an opinion on, >> it's correct. Okay. >> And you know, I think it's safe to say that we in hindsight knowing that it now knowing that it didn't come in at all during 2025, yeah, I would have put a recommendation in there. But >> well, and >> it's not normal to have that happen either. >> And I and I and I understand what you're saying with the federal program money. That's a cost reimbursement. So it would it would be not fine. Uh but understandably you would spend it all out. You would reimburse perhaps into the next fiscal year. I think not great but understandable. So my issue is less about my question is less about the federal programs. It's more about
076the budget and how we were how we overspent the personnel in Fringe. um and how that budget was not accurate to but I see I also hear what you're saying that if you would have broken it down by that additional payment in June then we could have or would have seen that it was a problem >> right >> so I understand that >> in other words is look more carefully at things and ask more questions >> sadly yes >> um I know these meetings people you know they go as long as anybody wants I'm sure uh you know if there are questions or you see something that looks weird uh it is important to bring it up and and ask it from a you know very real place. So, >> and I think that's that's
077the challenge too is that often times when we would have conversations about this, I mean I it would come down to a timing issue, which it it frequently is. >> Um, >> that is actually one of the downsides of modified cash basis accounting >> is comparability can be a little bit over the all over the place because you're [snorts] not looking at things based on when they are incurred. And in a school normally things are incurred in roughly the same time period from one school year to the next where the payment and the timing of the payment or the timing of when something hits your bank account is what drives the reporting on cash basis. So things can shift two three months one way or the other from one year to the next and it
078kind of does make comparability a issue if there are those kinds of swings. So I you had put in that um there had been corrections to the federal funds reimbursements process that those had happened. I also know that in January of 25 we brought in a consultant. Are those the same process changes like did that consultant provide changes that we've made? Are these new changes like what what have we done? So there are different people involved with process >> right from academics to finance. >> So there's different leadership and guidance over that and there is a aim to basically draw the funds down uh way more frequently throughout the year instead of doing two or three large requests. >> And do we have a policy to that effect? Because you know Dr. Horth, I I
079appreciate the things that you've [snorts] brought forward and things that you've changed. Um, but I also don't want um it to just be like, well, as long as Dr. Hedgeworth is here, it will be fine. Like, we're not all going to be here forever. So, how do we implement policies and practices that last beyond all of us because there will be a new board in a year, two years that won't know to be looking for any of these things because there will be new issues to be looking at. >> This is [clears throat] actually great timing. Um, we had our budget approved um from the title program through Missouri and through Desi and we submitted a payment for just over $2 million a day for federal funds expenditure this year. And so um we'll know
080here soon if that was approved or not. Um but we got the budget approved for us to make a budget request for payment. So um we now have a residual calendar that has different deadlines and dates um that we follow. Another thing that we've done is the HR office has helped us automate some of those movements. You know, we have a lot of movements and pairs in our district. So, if someone's at a certain uh location and they get moved, then we have a form everybody signs off. We know which position code that goes and that's reported correctly in core data because that's what hung up our payments a lot in the past is they would be like, "Hey, your core data is off on these employees. You have to either remove them or get
081them fixed." And that back and forth will last months. And so, that streamline has really helped us get them coded right the first time. Um, and so that helped us get to the spot in December where we can make our first payment request. >> Well, and I I think having some sort of schedule of what needs to happen at what point in the year would be helpful not only for staff, but I I believe within the first 30 days that I even came on the board, I had asked for this a governance tracker for the board as well. Um, that has this is when you should be approving these things. Now, there's going to be some fluctuation obviously, but here's when you should be looking at the staff calendar, the workday calendar. Here's when you
082should be looking at, you know, these five other things. Um, because otherwise we we don't always know. Um, and so if I haven't seen some of those things, you don't know to ask. I think I think that would be helpful for as a board >> to have that >> especially because at times it's it's an item on the agenda and it is like a timely matter you know I need this approved you know by x amount of time by desi well well then there's not a lot of extra time you know to ask questions and to look over it I'm looking at the information and you recommend implementing a policy are there other policies policies that other school district have adopted >> along these lines, you know, that we should be looking at and implementing.
083>> Most of the policies happen at the departmental level and so it becomes just kind of a almost a sub policy. So, it's not necessarily board policy. Uh it's more of a procedures handbook or a standard operating procedures type situation. And I think that that is what's being implemented here as to what Dr. Hedgeworth is putting in place with it in the current format. So it is something that could travel to the person who follows him and whoever follows whoever else is involved in the process at that given time. >> You're not okay. So now that is something he could easily I think present to you as to what the process is and the timing or at least the schedule. He you know he mentioned the calendar there >> um as something that you could
084approve as a board. >> I'm just concerned as you mentioned you know as admin and members of the board change it's easy to change a procedure it's harder to change a policy. >> Yes. So >> yeah, just to echo that, I don't think you're ever going to have this as an actual board policy. What you might have this as is an an AP or administrative policy that's not a true board policy, but it's administrative like an AP1, AP2, AP3 that you see in a lot of our MSPA policies that talk about procedural things that we do. And so I'm happy to present something that would um I one I can submit our procedural calendar that we have so you guys can take a look at it and two we can make up some sort of
085administrative procedure that goes as an AP based off some whatever you know board policy that we would choose related to federal programs or title that we could have in there as a structure. So um if I hit the $ 1.6 $6 billion power bowl tomorrow and the new person comes in. Um then >> wait a second. First of all, you pay off our we get our fund balance. >> Well, our fund balances go way up. Um and and then you know we'd have that place and so I don't like to say people get hit by a bus because that's you know the negative side. I always like to say the power wall. Well, and so we've talked a little bit about board on boarding and board orientation. And I think having something for board members
086that has, you know, when I first first came on, I asked for an org chart and I just got like a list of people. I didn't get here's who reports to who, here's the department, here's what that looks like. If we could have something that says here's generally when you're going to do these things. Um, you know, most people when they first start, they don't know when, um, you know, the budget's going to have to be done in May, June, but you're going to have to redo it in October. So, I think if you could just have some of those things, I think it would be helpful for board members, but it also creates another layer of accountability. Yeah, I'd be happy to to show you the residual calendar we have for title programs and
087then some things about general budget amendments and you know budget being approved by June 30th and things like that that are financial uh that I can show for residual. I'd be happy to do that as well. >> Okay, you can continue. >> All right. Well, hey, good news. I was just answering questions. >> I'm otherwise done. Just to connect the dots on one of the things that corrections PC talked about from incidental to capital projects that was the Eminem sir tax that we reclassified for the last four or five years that um Dr. Seagars presented in the spring. Um and so I just wanted to tie those two together so you knew uh what he was referring to with that. So that was that Eminem sir tax we reclassified. >> Any other questions? >> I
088have another question. >> Okay. I know that the audit is an action item. Is there any way to get this like earlier, you know, that we're able to look over it prior to the meeting? >> Well, I I'm not sure what date we sent it as far as a draft format goes, but I don't see any real reason why we can't, you know, provide the draft and then it can be uploaded. So, y'all could start looking at a draft >> cuz you explained it >> really, really well and everything like that. only I know that I like looking at things and then coming and discussing it prior to just I'm arriving at a meeting approving it and then maybe if I'm looking at it like after the fact and there are questions I've already approved
089it things like that and so I mean if we're able to get it a little bit earlier >> well the federal part I couldn't very much do earlier I understand that part. >> Um the other part we had it December 9th. So I mean it's been around >> I think it was only Monday >> that piece >> we were we were working through some transportation calculations and so in working through that and making sure that we were submitting those transportation hours um or mileage sorry the the correct way um that that held up a little bit and of course the federal piece that delayed some of it. Um and so you know there is the December [clears throat] 31st requirement to upload it to Desi, right? >> Um and so uh but duly noted u
090next year we'll look you know I don't know where the board meeting falls next year um as far as that goes but um >> I'll ask this question. I did not share the the document until I knew it was on draft form [clears throat] because I did not want to share anything that wasn't in final format. So, >> if if you guys give the okay to share that before it's in final format in draft form, >> it would be fine. >> Okay. >> I just want to make sure cuz >> I understand why you wouldn't want to get it out there. And honestly, I don't want the draft out there in case something comes up necessarily and then a change happens because it gets really really complicated if we have to try and bring reports
091back in after they're issued because you have to track down where all they went. You have to notify people that something changed. It's quite a well it can cause this hairstyle. So, um, you know, we try and avoid that when and where possible, but I do think it, you know, for just board consideration, maybe not public facing necessarily, but for board consideration, obviously, y'all could get the draft perfectly fine. The transportation thing did bring up a a note of just something that went on during the audit fieldwork that uh this actually been the last two years. we've spent quite a bit of time on your transportation and uh not in a real bad way. Okay, the the aim was to make sure that the district was getting as much money as it could feasibly get
092out of the transportation program. Uh for those that may not know, the funding on that has gone up considerably. And so making sure that you're reporting things accurately and giving good information uh to that particular formula guarantees that you're going to get the maximum amount of funding that you can get on the transportation system. So I think we've been able to ek out around I think 75,000 last year and this year was in the 80ish range. So that was good. um the formula. If you're just dying for something to tease your brain, go out to Desi and download the transportation formula worksheet and then plug your numbers into it and start seeing what is affected when you move a rider from regular to uh disabled or when you move them mileage wise from regular to
093disabled. It is fun and surprising. So anyway, with that, that's what I have. So any other questions? If not, I certainly appreciate all the engagement tonight and the time that you've given me. And I also want to thank Dr. Hedgeforth and everyone in the business office for putting up with us while we were here and all the back and forth email sense. And do appreciate all of the help in getting through everything. So >> thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Happy holidays. Thank you. >> Okay. Is there a motion for approval? >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> Motion to second. Would you call the vote, please? >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Mr. Chzn? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? Yes.
094>> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. All approved. >> Mr. proud. >> As you know, minimum wage goes up here in just over a week in the state of Missouri to $15 per hour. Um, school districts are no longer exempt from Missouri minimum wage and using federal minimum wage because of House Bill 567. So, I'm presenting to you four salary schedules that need to be changed because we have a few items or a few steps that are below the $15 an hour. Um, it affects five staff members throughout our district with a total cost for the remainder of the 2526 school year of approximately $2,000. If you don't have any questions, I ask for approval. I make the motion. I >> have
095a motion in a second. Any discussion? Second, >> Mr. Richmond. Thank you. >> Okay. Would you call the vote, please? >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? Yes. >> Miss Chosny? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> The motion passes. All approved. Thank you, Mr. Crow. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Dr. Nelie. >> Okay. Uh this is the uh approval. I'm bringing the approval of the uh K12 safety app which is basically um the two things I want to emphasize and I did uh provide a budget comparison over the next three years what we would spend this year in the raptor emergency management and also the K12 safety by signing on now uh for the remainder of the
096year and then what we would have will save not doing the raptor emergency management having this in place along with the uh intercom software that we have currently and what that will save us. And if you figure that out over the next um we we would spend the in in that first column the extra $4,795.20. Um when you put those two together and what we spend this year, you will actually by doing that now, you will actually save $3,780 over the three-year period. So, you are actually saving money uh not just by the difference of the K12 safety and the Raptor emergency, you're saving that over a three-year period. So, um the other thing to note in this is this um safety app is compliant with Senate Bill 68. Senate Bill 68 upped the ante
097on emergency operations planning. Uh there's a lot more components involved. I will tell you that CES, which is the educational safety group part of MSBA, is a driving force in that. It was a driving force not only in what requirements uh Senate Bill 68 provided, but they're also providing this app that puts districts in compliance with Senate Bill 68. So, by doing this, it is a u it is going to save us. It's going to update our processes, our procedures, our um for emergency operations, the communication and everything else that goes along with it with not only our staff but our other stakeholders and emergency management world. Um it fits all those state and federal standards. Now that by by using this emergency operations uh structure in this app uh for Senate Bill 68. So
098those are two things is basically the savings we will have over the next three years and the compliance with Senate Bill 68 are the two major uh reasons I would ask you to approve this. >> I'll make a motion to approve. Second. >> I have a motion to second. Any additional discussion? >> All right. If there are none, would you call the vote? >> Miss Williams? >> I abstain. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzn? >> Yes. Yes. Miss Karns, >> yes. >> Miss Lanning, >> yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Richmond, >> yes. >> And the M and the motion passes with one extension. >> Thank you, Dr. Ni. >> Okay, Dr. McGinness. >> Yes. Community alliance. So, this is a renewal agroom agreement. We have had this partnership for at
099least 25 years. Um, it's a group of nine organizations that work together, collaborate, and really have a shared vision for moving St. Joseph forward. So, I know some of you have gone to that. They also do some advocacy pieces. So, I know some of you have gone on the DC flying trip. I was able to go to that as well as the governor's breakfast this year. Um, but I appreciate this partnership that we have um with these organizations and it is in the superintendent's budget. So, I would gladly answer any questions you may have. >> So, the 20,000 for includes the DC fly in, but I thought we had talked about not doing the DC fly in. I know we discussed it. I know that the issue that I've had and I've attended an issue
100that I've had is I'm looking at the advocacy process and in the past year or two advocacy on public education on our side has been really weak or non-existent. And I'm just I'm kind of wondering about the process of us using $20,000 in order to have a seat at a table in this long in my opinion in that avenue it no longer serves us. >> Well, my my question is is so I agree with all of that. Um um but I believe when we had talked about budget cuts, we had talked about not going to the DC flyin. And if this contract is $20,000 and includes payment for the DC flyin, then that seems counterproductive. >> That's actually a separate fee for the DC fly in. I believe it's 1,500 a person. >> They include
101some of it, don't they? Some of that. I mean, you're here. You see her? >> That's just the annual partnership agreement we got tonight. DC Flying is a separate issue. >> It doesn't include any of the fees. >> Oh, well, it's in it's included in the commerce. It's included in >> Okay. So, the payment of services is $20,000 for us and the other partners, but 10,000 for the CVB and the United Way partnership coordinates includes one of the juicy flyin. So, are we going to incur the additional costs of the flyin or are we not doing the flyin? >> I think that was trimmed from the budget for this year due to our financial situation. >> Okay. So, then I guess my issue with this one, um I think these meetings, the meetings of the
102community alliance could be an email. Um I haven't heard what we're working towards or what the benefits been for the school district. Um, but at least I would I would prefer that we ask for the same um cost that the CBB and the United Way get of $10,000. >> And that's my motion. >> And what's your reasoning for that? >> We don't have any money. >> It is in the budget. I will say I do appreciate the collaboration that we have with these organizations. It allows us to have conversations, support each other's missions, align our efforts in an in really an attempt to move St. Joseph forward. So, I appreciate um those opportunities that they have provided for us. >> Yeah, I think it's essential. I think we're a major element in our community and
103I think that um it's a it's a partnership that we we don't want to signal anything other than that. were one of the major um employers as well as um impacts on our community and so I I'm supportive of the alliance as it stands. >> I agree Tom. I think it's necessary. They come alongside us at different points. >> Yeah. >> So it's nice to have that relationship and do our part in in working with that. So I think it's a necessary alliance. I don't want anybody to misunderstand. I'm not saying no, I don't want to do it. I would like it to work more for the district and as an active part in the meeting and the events and everything like that. I know that it has not in the past year or two.
104>> Yeah. Yeah. And that's I mean so that's part that is my kind of twofold concern is one that if we are such an important component of a community then public education should be a discussion um at those events. Um from what I recall uh public education was something we were explicitly not to talk about because um at that time I believe it was last year that the uh dismantle of the department of education was an issue. do those types of things, which I understand. Um, if you're asking for planes for rose crayons, maybe you don't want to bring that up. Um, but my so so my motion, which will fail, but it's fine. Uh, is to approve this with a revision of uh the same cost that you the United Way and CVB would
105get of $10,000 rather than 20. Again, that cannot get seconded and that can fail. I just think to be financially prudent, that's what I would prefer. >> I have a motion. Did you get that motion? >> Okay. Well, I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Okay, I'll second. Any discussion before we vote on that motion? >> Do we know why the reasoning is that that that a couple of folks pay less? >> I do not know the reason for that. >> Yeah. Um, >> can you answer that question, Mr. Brand? I don't mean to put you on the spot or anything. >> No, no, no worries. That that actually predicts my time with Community Alliance. um United Way, it's more of the of the uh the partnership with the vision 2040 and and
106uh that's that's kind of above and beyond what they do with their community partners. Um the uh the CVB again that that reduces my time. >> Thank you, Mr. Green. >> Any additional questions before that vote? If there are none, if you can call the vote, please. >> Miss Williams, >> yes. >> Miss Miller, >> no. >> Miss Chzny, >> no. >> Miss Karns, >> no. >> Miss Lanny, >> yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> no. >> Mr. Richmond, >> no. >> And I I make a motion. >> And the motion passes. >> And the motion fails. 5 to two. >> I make a motion that we approve the $20,000 expenditure as recommended. motion for a second. >> Okay. Any additional discussion? Okay. >> Miss Williams? >> No. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzny?
107>> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanny? >> No. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes? 5 to two. Okay. policy sections. Um, I think that everyone's had enough extra time to go over H and I. Are there any additional questions? >> I just want to say thank you for answering the questions that I did. I appreciate that. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Okay. Is [snorts] there a motion for approval? A motion. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzn? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns? >> Yes. >> Miss Lanning? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. All
108approved. >> Okay. Academic [cough] calendar. So, I had I had asked to take out FNG just because um earlier today we received um an email of concerns from um a parent educator with PAT about um the 30 hours for the week of Thanksgiving that that they're going to be losing a day of pay. I know that that doesn't necessarily have to do with the with the academic calendar, but I didn't know if me bringing it up would say, "Well, you already approve the academic calendar." So, so I feel like those were tied together. So, um I think so I just wanted to get more information about that concern. Do you know what I'm talking about? >> I got the email when I arrived. Um I can't speak for the finance side, but this this nonwork
109day has been on the calendar every year. Um, it's on there because we have 365 days in a year and two weekends or two weekend days, which is 104, which ends up being 261. So, we're on a 260day calendar. So, we have to have that one non-paid day, but it should be spread out um each week. Everybody gets paid the same each week unless you work less hours. >> So it' be made up somewhere else on that. >> Should be. Yes. Dr. Hedgeport, is that on the business side on the pay >> without seeing the specific email? It's hard for me to say specifically, but your theory in general would make sense, >> right? >> Nothing's different than previously. >> Yeah. Well, she had put on here that there was a calendar listed that the
110day was listed as unpaid and then it was changed to paid and then there was some confusion um because they asked for clarification. She was told that the calendar on the website was incorrect. So, I think that might have been which again I don't know if that's true or not true. Just I'm just bringing forward the concern. >> Was that to you today? >> No. So that would be helpful if you get those if we could have that sent to us so we can be true here. >> Yeah, we got that. >> Yeah. Yes. Everyone everyone got it, guys. >> Everyone got it. Everyone got the petition, too. But um Yes. So every We're all on here. Um yes, she did. Uh so that was just my question. So I just wanted to talk about
111both of those because I didn't want to talk about one and then it not be sure >> impacted. [clears throat] That's all I have. >> So, I move to approve those both the academic and the U. >> Do you need them to be done individually? >> Okay, I'll do it. I'll do the um academic calendar. >> I'll second. I have a motion to second. Any additional discussion? Please call the vote, please. >> Miss Williams, >> yes. >> Miss Miller, >> yes. >> Miss Chzn, >> yes. >> Miss Karns, >> yes. >> Miss Lanning, >> yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> yes. Mr. Richmond. >> Yes. >> What time? When was that sent? >> And the motion passes. All approved. >> It was sent at 10. >> Earlier today. >> It was sent earlier today. >> 10:51
112or the letter? >> I'll get to that one. >> And I'll just say that I do have an email now and we will respond back to her. >> Okay. >> Get that question answered. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> There. I move it 60day work day calendar. >> Okay. Have a motion. Second. >> All right. Any additional discussion? >> If there are no calls, >> Miss Williams, yes. >> Miss Miller, >> yes. >> Miss Chzn, >> yes. >> Miss Curts, >> yes. >> Miss Lanny, >> yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Richmond, >> yes. >> Did we roll call both of those? >> Did I miss that? Okay. Motion passes all three. >> Okay. Information items. >> Dr. Williams. >> Yes, ma'am. So, we wanted to give a little bit of an update
113as far as our district reorganization process both for the board and our community. And so, quick updates here on facilities. Mr. Houseman and his team have walked through some of our building spaces to prepare for that increase in students. So that has taken place at Benton as well as Rubidu. Staffing district leadership met for several hours over the past few weeks to determine placement of our administrators and we had careful consideration of those and I sent those guidance points to you and the public. Um we will start meeting with teachers in beginning of January. I believe a form was sent today. Do either one of you want to speak to that piece? >> Absolutely. >> Thanks. So today, as soon as we announced administrator placements, of course, teachers are um ready to sit down and
114have that conversation with us as well. So today, we emailed out to the four middle schools and field and Persian. And what we did was um we have a Google form um and outlined um location and placement um particular grade levels um just a questionnaire for our um educators. And then I created a sign up genius for each of the sites where they will have a chance to connect with human resources or academic services um and discuss what they enter onto the Google form um and and to just to listen in and hear if they have any questions or concerns or anything that they might want to change on that. So um we have set out um January 7th, 8th and 9th um to do that for the for um middle schools in those two
115elementaryaries. The following week we'll circle back to the high schools. Um middle school holds the um certification, right? So in middle school you're either certified 16 um some are certified 712 um and some have the certification of 5'9. It's a specialty area. Um at that particular time you're looking at like okay do we have an individual because we are moving sixth grade back into the buildings that would want to go back down to elementary to serve um with sixth grade being transitioned back to the elementary or do we have an individual who um at this time because of the consolidation of the middle school um with those staff at particularly at Truman and Spring Garden being so um small in numbers they would want to um carry forward to move to the high school level.
116So that's where our intent is to start is those individuals carry those certifications. >> I'll just note too on that that we tried to make it as clear as possible that we're when we're having these individual conversations, we are not placing them at that point because we don't want a building to think, oh my goodness, I'm not first on the list and all the places are going to be gone. So, it's just that initial conversation prior to um making those actual placements. >> So, really seeking out preferences. >> Yes. >> Is that okay? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> And so, when will those those staffing decisions be made? Is there like a time deadline timeline? >> Um I don't want to set a certain date, but um we would hope sooner than later. Um,
117again, we should have all those conversations done by the middle of January and then we will gather um several individuals from student services, um, special services, HR, academic services, um, building principles as well to have that collaborative piece because we don't want, um, just to place some individuals where we don't maybe know exactly what their qualities are. We want to make [cough] sure that our staff is placed um in the best locations to have the the most impact on on students. So >> So who will be a part of those? So since there are principles and assistant principles moving buildings, what will that look like for a a building that I mean let's just use Spring Garden as an example. So let's say Spring Garden has staff that are going to transition or whatever that
118looks like. But I believe Mr. Tomes is going to be there. So what will that pro will that I'm saying you want to answer? >> And then w with that question is what about um like transfer? So if there are staff that are um you know that are at Rubidu and Dr. Tom is moving to Spring Garden and they want like what is that all going to look like? >> You know Mr. Carell outlined in his staffing plan exactly um the placement there and had clear-cut um you know criteria and where staff would be placed. Um number one was uh certification. Number two was you know how many years in the St. Joe school district have you served? And so those are the key pieces. We would follow the staffing guidelines that um Mr. Carl
119put out, but work in collaboration with our building leaders as well to ensure that each site has highly qualified educators serving in those um positions as as well. >> So, I would assume you're going to have to do you're going to have to fill open positions kind of first and make those assignments and then would you be considering transfer requests? >> Yeah, I I I would anticipate that we would have most of these placements done sometime. Again, I don't want to put a date on it, but sometime in February, um I believe our transfer deadline is um April 1st. So, there would be plenty of opportunity for them to seek a transfer of their openings. >> But we have to focus on >> Yeah. >> those transitions first before we can allow somebody else to
120jump into something else. >> And the contracts are annual contracts, right? Even building admin, >> correct? Okay. And then from a family standpoint, we are >> Can I ask one other question that the listing for the principles, assistant principles, um those came out. Are there um were there many people that are currently principles or assistant principles that weren't reassigned to one of those leadership positions? >> Can you say that again? Are there were there any individuals that are currently assistant principles or principles that were not included in that listing? >> Yes. So, there were some assistant principles that um we aren't quite sure based on on actual numbers and I would say within our title buildings on that support that we may need. Um we have communicated with them that they were not going to
121be on that list. so they weren't shocked. Um, but yes, there are some other individuals that have not yet been placed in those buildings. >> Thank you. That's what I was curious. >> So, so to that point, um, I think there were some part-time assistant split-time assistant principles at the elementary level. Are are those are those, and again, I'm talking about position, not people. Are those positions going to remain? Is that still going to happen? like I think it was Parkway, Coleman, Edison, not sure who else, but so will those still have like a split AP or >> Yes. And it would be determined based off the student population there to ensure that we're meeting the administrative um student ratio. >> Okay. >> I'm sorry, didn't you? >> You're fine. As far as families go,
122we want to make sure all of our parents and students know where their resident district or the the school will be for next year. So, tomorrow we're actually having a little folding party and we're going to send those letters home to every single parent so they know where their child is supposed to be attending school for next year. Um, so that's something we have that communication translated for our non-English-speaking families as well. I do want to make note there were 10 students who were impacted by the Mark Twain repurpose and so we are going to offer for those students to stay where they're at so we don't displace them a second time. So but only 10 of those students. The other piece I want to talk about is some committees that we are going to
123put in place. I'm super excited to have a super a superintendent student advisory council. So that is something that we just kicked off. Uh we have just over 20 applications so far. So, I believe that closes on January 9th and then those students will actually start in January and run through all of next year. I'm excited to have that student voice in this transition piece um just to make sure we're not missing anything. So, that'll be good. Another one that we will have that I know you all are aware of is the student transfers committee. So, Dr. Noly will be leading that one. They have revised the form for those transfer requests, but we want that committee to make sure we have a consistent and fair process when those requests come in. Um, another committee
124that we are looking at is a staffing transition committee. This is something that is similar to what we did with Mark Twain when we brought in staff who had previously previously gone through a closure or a repurpose and were moved to another building. And we have a lot of staff in our district who have some negative feelings about how all of that went down. Um, specifically I think of Humbolt and so we just want to make sure that we don't repeat some of those mistakes. We learned a lot through Mark Twain. And so I think having those voices at the table also will help us make sure that we are taking care of things and all the logistics that go along with shifting uh buildings. So um those are just a few of the committees.
125There may be more um but those are three that we have identified early on and again those committees are not completely formed yet but just wanted you to know that they're happening so we can make sure we have a seamless transition as much as possible for our students and our staff. Any questions on those? >> I have a handful of questions. So, for some of the one of the questions that's come up, um, and I believe we've all gotten emails about has been whether or not Rubidu actually has elementary boundaries. Sounds like we've heard that, but then maybe it doesn't. I don't know. Do we have a final >> elementary boundaries? >> Bathrooms. >> Oh, bathrooms. Sorry. And to my knowledge, yes. I wish Casey was here, but >> yeah. So, it [clears throat] depends
126on what height you're looking at a student. And so, you know, kindergarten, sixth grade can vary greatly. Uh, we do want to make sure we do accommodate those that are, you know, really young in kindergarten, first grade and make multiple size sinks. Some of the lot of times you see those sinks that are also ADA compatible. >> So, that way our team will go in there and make sure we have a wide range from, you know, kindergarten to sixth grade of the sizes of those fixtures. >> So, that's a maybe. But if I if I told you that every single fixture in that, you know, building can handle a kindergarten student. No. >> Okay. >> But you also have to handle the size of a sixth grader, too. So there's a wide variance range. >>
127So going along the rib question though, are they going to have a playground by the first of the year? >> Yes, we're going to move playground equipment from some of the schools that are being retired and uh we will contact the manufacturer to um go through the process of getting those relocated uh to Rubyoo. Um Casey and myself walked that site uh about 3 weeks ago to look at different areas. We're also going to get feedback from the administrator at that building on location as well. So functionality and you know choice type thing and look at what's what place is best for playground in that area. >> Okay. Do we um so another email that we had gotten is about um whether or not the boundaries have so I think we had we had talked
128when we started all this that there may be some slight variances to the boundaries have that has that happened yet or >> yes so the final boundaries are online >> but they're not the ones have we looked at those since like are they different since the last time that we approved that? >> Dr. Edgeworth are you aware of that piece? I I do not know of any changes unless it was just >> I don't think there were any. I'd have to check with Mr. >> Sometimes things aren't geocoded up to date on the county maps and so he might have had to make a definition from a new road or something that was brought in. Okay. >> There was some sort of slight geocode modification without Jake here today. >> That's okay. I I mean
129I and I I I think we talked about this that exactly the way the boundaries were was not necessarily what was going to happen. That there may have to be some slight variances. Um I just think if we could know if that happens because then you know I've had people reach out and say mine changed. I think mine changed. I don't know. So I don't know. Um the other question that I had is I've asked this a handful of times. How how are we doing? Um, like I guess I was I was surprised to see the administrative changes across buildings that were not affected by closure consolidation. So that was um surprising to me. I think um you know when we were talking about which plan we were going to pick, we looked at how
130many students and how many staff were going to be impacted. Um, so I don't know if these changes, you know, like I was surprised to see a change to Hosia and Hyde and Spring Garden and some of those places. Um, so I my question then is do we have a final number of administrative positions and where those are allocated and that we're trying to work towards um along with like our goal for the cost savings. I mean, I know the cost I know we're shooting for $8 million. I understand that. Um, and I also understand that's going to come from a variety of places, but I would have I would have thought that we were we would have made those administrative allocations and then we would have made changes based on that. >> I'll defer
131to you on this one, Mark. >> Sure. >> And I'll ask you answer a little bit too. Um but the the actual number so currently we have reduced our building administrative pool by one administrator and that is based on a um it's not a resignation but they are choosing not to be in that role anymore. Um based on some conversations there's the potential of other ones but we're not those are not official yet. Um, so there's a potential of building administrators being reduced by more than one, but currently it's just one. And then the same with district administration. Again, our our goal all along has been to reduce our staff at all levels through attrition. Um, you'll see on the personnel report that we do have one district administrator who has um put in her
132retirement. um and we are not intending to refill that and we will um kind of spread out those duties amongst other staff members, other administrators at the district level. >> Well, and I again I guess I just don't you know I was surprised by the shared middle school assistant principal. Um, there are a couple other things, but are we not So, we're not looking at here's our allocated positions, here's the cost of those, and here's what we're reducing to. Does that exist or that doesn't exist? >> So, the main thing I would reference is those positions that we had um when we were doing the reorganization, and we can probably pull it up. Um, but it shows, you know, what we have currently and then what that potential is and what we saw each position
133reduced by. And so that was our goal and our target through the process. So what we thought remember how it had the potential and then we had what um we thought the max and the potential. And so max from a max perspective if if we have the perfect retirements and resignations >> and you're just talking about cost. You're talking about the the max the cost. You're not talking about like >> no number of positions the max number of positions we consolidate potential based off resignations and >> dollar amounts and total positions. Again those were estimates. Um, but I believe the potential for plan 4BR was reducing administrators by one, which we've already done that, and we anticipate um, possibly even more, which I believe our max was three. >> Okay. >> I'd also like to
134point out that it's it's December and we are going to have resignations continue until throughout the summer. And so every time we have that resignation, we look and we ask, is this something that we need to fill? So we go through that hiring justification form. Um, but we have communicated all along that we would do this through attrition. And I think we need to stay true to that. Well, what I worry about though is like so a couple a couple other things that I just am concerned about is that if we're placing people, you know, there were some like I said, seeing some of these changes to buildings that were not affected concerned me that we're putting people in places that perhaps they don't want to be and then they leave and then we call
135that attrition, which it maybe is, but it also feels like it's perhaps pushing them toward supports that. So, I worry about that. Um, if we don't have the org chart, which I guess we sort of do, um, that's what worries me from like a legal standpoint. I also saw that policy GCD2 allows these movements to happen without board approval. Um, but I I I Can you explain why that none of that had to be approved by us? >> Because if we're not changing the compensation, the benefits or the contract. So, we have placed them. We haven't renewed them for next year. And so, that is something you guys will do when we issue those contracts. I think typically in March or April. Um, so right now we're just giving them an indication of where they
136are going to be for next school year, but that will still have to have board approval for an official contract for the following year. >> Well, and so that's what that is then where my concern is is in that lag. If we're saying here's where you're going to be next year, um, be here or, you know, make the choice to separate, whatever that looks like. But then it's also pending board approval in March or April. If the board doesn't approve that, then we just did this four months beforehand. You see what I'm saying? >> Yes. But I will also point out that if we wait until we approve the contracts that we would not be able to place teachers until >> Yeah. No, May as well. >> I totally agree with that and I I
137absolutely understand where you're coming from. I'm just there are some placements here that don't seem to be materially the same. Um, and so then my concern is that if the board were to believe, hey, I'm not we're not in agreement with this, cuz some of these I'm not in agreement with, um, we're telling the staff that we're making those decisions and the board doesn't have any any time any authority to weigh in until much later. Um, and so that that is what's concerning. But if if the rest of the board is okay with, you know, saying here's where you're going to go, take it or leave it, but when we get to April, do you see do you see what I'm saying? Like >> I see what you're saying, but I feel like when the
138vote occurred in November and Miss Chzn made the motion and it was approved that we were given the authority to proceed with 4BR with minor changes, um, but to move forward and I see this as a step moving forward. Well, for and I understand that too, but I I think that there should be some check-in with the board of education about changes that are going to happen contractually. I mean, I don't I don't believe that that motion was um a you know, cart blanc to move forward, do whatever you need to do, >> right? And we're not doing contracts. This is an initial placement pending board approval, >> but it's a a placement that will have contractual implications like >> when you approve it >> in April. >> So then again, so we're telling people,
139hey, we're going to move you from Central to Webster, Webster to High, how we're going to make these moves. Um, make your decision about whether your employment is here, there, or wherever. Make that decision. But that may not happen until April. So, we're disrupting all of these staff >> if it's approved, >> right? But that's my point is that we're having them make employment decisions for themselves, but it's not am I if I'm the only one that has a problem with with the way we've carried this out um or the interpretation of this policy, that's fine. I just think that these changes are not all transfers. They seem materially different contractually. Um, and I think it opens it could potentially open us to some lawsuits. And I feel like the board did not give the
140authority for these contractual changes to occur. As you're saying, we're not going to approve it until April. Well, if we lose three staff, I can't go back and change that. >> Is building location contract? No, they actually are employees of our school district. So, we have the ability to shift employees around. Um the alternative though would be we don't tell people where they're going. We wait until it's approved >> and leave people hanging. >> But we give contracts early. >> No, but the the and again this is I harp on this all the time. The other option is that you get board approval and board input before you do it. >> Okay. So, we haven't done evaluations yet for this school year. So, I wouldn't want to issue a contract without going through. >> I'm
141not talking about contracts. I'm talking about before we reassign staff, change positions, change locations. I if that we would have had the board at minimal, we would have said, "Hey, here's our plan. We're not just going to impact the buildings that are closing and consolidating." Because that's what I had assumed we would do that we would. That was the whole point of that part of here's how many staff are being going to be disrupted. That led me to believe we're only going to affect these buildings. When we open up and we see, hey, it's Thursday. Tomorrow everyone's going to find out Spring Garden and Rubidu/Lafayette are switching. We're having a part-time middle school assistant principal. We're moving Hosia. We're moving Hyde. We're moving Webster. I just think it would have been it would have been
142a part of our governance responsibility to have waited on that in some way. Yeah, >> I thought that comes with your processing, your management of your people where we're just we're overseers of that, right? >> Of contracts of contracts, >> but we're not talking contract right now. We're talking for No, this is a this is their job. That's why that's why she's doing that. She has the opportunity to move the people around to check them out to see what's going on. Nobody's had a contractoral change. none of that. And it doesn't speak to the buildings. >> It's it is it is telling staff your job is going to change. Your contractual obligation to this district is going to change when the board approves it in April. Well, the board hasn't even weighed in on any
143of these changes because had we talked about it, I would say I don't I don't agree with moving staff from disrupting buildings unless we absolutely have to. >> That's not our job. >> It absolutely is our job. >> Our job is to oversee contracts and money. Our job is not to tell our superintendent how to manage your staff. >> Absolutely. It is. And it is a shame that this that this board wants to skirt that responsibility. But if there's nobody's trying to skirt it, if there's not four people that care enough to do that or have that authority, then that is fine. >> It has nothing to do with that. But I don't think we can get in the weeds at this point when they're trying to figure out how to set this up. >>
144That's not our job. Our job is overseeing our job. >> No, it isn't. Our job is not to tell her. Sorry. >> As we have some of these placement conversations, the other factor is if someone does resign or chooses to get another job and they leave us, it still may shift. And so even if we had it board approved, it may have to be board approved again and again and again. Um, but again, I >> I don't think we should be approving those until an evaluation is complete. At the end of the year, we do the summitives. And at that point, that's when we say we will continue employment for the following year. Right now, what we're doing is giving them an indication of where their placement will be for the following year. >> But
145it and it's not just their placement. There are positions that are changing. There are staff moving from principal to assistant principal. That brings me to my other question. Are administrators who change positions principal to assistant principal? Is their pay going to change or is it going to stay the same? Mark, do you want to take that one? >> Sure. We have this entire process, our goal in saving money was not to reduce somebody's pay because of their um not of their own doing, if that makes sense. Um so we are not going to reduce their pay if they're moving from a principal when it wasn't their own fault. um in the case of one building being closed and then moving into a role um as assistant principal. >> I Okay. Now, there are some where
146as Mr. Carl stated, there may be an assistant principal who wants to go back to the classroom >> that's different, >> right? >> So then my question then to follow up with that is are teachers going to be provided that same opportunity >> and we've had that conversation. Dr. Dr. Edgeworth and I we talked about it on Friday and we are making a plan currently for teachers. Um and then after that we will discuss extra duty as well. >> So are we going to ensure if we're ensuring to administrators you are not going to lose pay even if you're doing a a different job you're not going to lose pay. Are we going to make that same statement to the staff? I will say right now, unless somebody wants to overrule me, um I am
147I'm not going to come out because if I say it now, then it's it's set in stone. Um but we are having those serious conversations because we want to do what's right for our staff. Well, and this is where I think as a school board, we need to be able to say one way or the other. Do we as the board because it has contractual implications and financial implications and that's our job. If we've set it to principles, we need to offer the same to the staff. If they're extra duty pay, if extra duty assignments, if they're chair department chairs, all of those things, if we're doing it for administrators, we sure we surely need to do it for the frontline staff. >> Absolutely. >> I do not disagree with you. But again, >> but
148what does it say about us if we don't? I guess and and my and then here's my here's my point point to that is if we couldn't do for do it for the teachers we should have never told the administrators that we could do it and and that is where my this is these are my concerns >> also so with all of these changes and these things coming up legal counsel is has approved all of these >> yes >> okay >> on on pay >> on pay on yes you can move them on on all on all of these plans >> on pay. Yes. They said we have way too many salary schedules. The only one we're obligated to have is for our certified teachers. Um we can do whatever we see fit for our
149district and our staff. Um we've spoken with several legal groups on um the movement of staff and um our intent was that was we are anticipating you um approving their contract. So we were trying to be proactive because that's what our staff had asked for. We want to know where our principles are going first >> and and I don't and I don't disagree with that and I understand that in that way you have to do a top down [snorts] restructure. I understand that. My concern is if you're banking on the board to approve all of these changes in April, then we probably should have some sort of conversation about it before that happens because now the staff are going to make contractual decisions for their own contracts, stay, go, renew or not. And if someone
150were to come to me and say, "Well, I don't want to be there." I could say, "Well, I don't think you should go there either." And we I don't know if the board approves that. So, it's like we're telling staff, here's what's going to happen. We don't have board approval to do it. We'll get it in four months, but go ahead and make decisions based on something that may or may not happen. >> But we also have to weigh do we wait until May 15th >> to tell our staff >> no >> where they're going to go. And that answer is no. They want to know now. >> It is not either or. It's both. And you can h you can h you could have told them that that was happening. We've had 17 meetings
151in the last 60 days. Like we could have carved out time to say, "Hey, here's what we're planning to do. We're going to swap Rubidoo and and uh and Spring Garden. We're going to move Hosia." We could have had that conversation as a board of education and said, "Okay, I don't like it. It's I think we all knew that these decisions were going to be difficult and uncomfortable, but I would have just appreciated as the board that's in charge of contracts and finances that we would have been able to weigh in on the process and share our concerns before it was already done. And I think we could have done that in a timely manner. But if I'm the only one that has that concern, >> does anybody else have feedback? I'm just looking at
152GCI that says the board directs the superintendent to annually assess the professional staffing needs of the district and reassign staff as necessary to meet those needs. Although the superintendent will take the employees express preference into consideration, the ultimate decision must be based on the district's [clears throat] needs. The superintendent may reassign staff members at any time, including after a contract has been signed or during the school year. Board approval is required when a reassignment results in a change to the employees compensation. So if there's no change, we don't have a say. >> We have say over everything that happens in this district. And that is a problem that this school board just doesn't believe doesn't believe. Oh, we're not in charge of that. We're you're in charge of everything. >> We're oversight. But we don't
153get in the weeds when she when they're doing their jobs. >> Here's my question. When's the evaluation over? Um, typically in March for our teachers, usually March 1st is when those are. >> So, as we go through, does this stuff not go on our personnel report? Is that what you're saying? It's not going to come up on the personnel report. >> You will have it on the personnel report. Correct. >> All in April. Is that what you're saying? >> It'll be either March or April. >> It'll for administrators, we'll actually bring that to the board in February. Um, but that'll be in executive session. So is there a way instead of having it everybody on that one report is there a way like ones that we can do now we can improve as we go?
154>> We could but we haven't done an evaluation on >> so it comes back to the evaluations that you're saying. I would prefer we have I think you guys would prefer [clears throat] that as well that we have a solid evaluation on our staff before we extend another contract >> because I agree with Wendy on that is that I don't want to look through all of those and have a discussion on all of them at the last minute. So that's why I'm wondering maybe we can break them up a little bit. >> Yeah, the administrators would be in February and then teachers mostly would come in March. You're also going to have some of those teachers who resign and then we have to shift people. So they're you're these are going to trickle in I
155think also. >> Well and then you also mentioned it it will be enclosed right >> for the administrators. Yes. >> Okay. But the list is already public. >> But like >> that's for you guys to approve or not approve a specific contract. >> I think the issue is is that there's already a placement list out there for board approval. we've not approved >> and that puts extra pressure on us to approve it since everyone already knows about it. It's already out there. People are making their plans according to the placement like like I get that this is only a placement. Okay. But the placement will end in a contract. >> Contracts, >> annual contracts and annual contracts need our approval and we're not a part of the process. >> And again, my concern is that
156this opens us up to legal ramifications because if I am an employee and I got moved to XYZ that is not the same, which we have some of those on here. If I'm moved and I'm told this is going to be your job and then I say that's not fair, that's not right. There's potentiality for a lawsuit there to say I was forced out. So I guess I just would have liked for us to have had some of that conversation um beforehand. But if our attorney says these are all like positions, that seems wild to me. Um, but and again, if I'm the only one that thinks that we should be weighing in on this, um, then that's fine. >> So, when Mr. Carell put out the staffing plan in November, it clearly stated on
157there we would announce administrator placements in January. So, I just I if this were going to be the process and the will of the board, I would like to know that. Now, going forward, I I I we've had this conversation before about about discussing who's going where, by, when. We've had that discussion. I believe we changed like the policy for a 30-day after. Um, so I really anticipated, oh, well, it'll be on the personnel report now because we're changing things now. we have evaluations, >> but oh my lord, we've also had the conversation that our evaluation process has been flawed and that we weren't going to make the decisions based off of performance evaluations. Did I make I didn't make that up. I didn't make that up. >> We have to use evaluations for contracts,
158not the placements. >> Listen, it I it is very clear to me that I'm the only person or >> the placement will end in a contract, right? No. Well, it was anticipated. >> We ant we have to think ahead. We have to work ahead. We cannot wait >> until >> Yes, we do. If if you guys have to approve the contract before we can make a placement, >> we cannot make any moves until March for administrators and May for teachers. >> Yeah. And everybody wants to know now what I and and my thing is I understand that they want to know and they deserve to know and they deserve to know in a timely manner. What I would have appreciated and this is this is not you cuz it's not your job to communicate with
159the school board. My my anticipation was that we would have been told here's what we're going to do and here's how we're going to do it. Are you guys cool with that? I it just seems like we're just expected to show up and approve things. Um, again, I'm concerned about some of these moves and potential lawsuits that c could come from them. And I think that everyone would have been better served and better protected had the school board had an opportunity to review it and say, "Yes, this is this is this is good. This is fine." Because again, I would never have said yes, let's move the hide. Let's move hide. Let's move. Let's move. I would never have said let's move buildings that aren't impacted by the consolidation to as much as to as
160much degree as possible. I wouldn't have agreed with that. I also wouldn't have agreed with the middle school um sharing of a principal. I didn't know we were going to do that. If you guys can let us know, then we can at least say, okay, four people did want that, so it's the will of the board. But we didn't even have a conversation about it. But if but if there's not four people that feel like we have the authority to do that, which we assuredly do. If we don't have the authority to do that, then that's fine. Then that's fine. >> We don't have that authority to tell them how to do their jobs. We have oversight. There is no contract going on here yet. >> Okay. >> But they have to do >> Okay,
161>> good. Well, >> so this is information until the last meeting, >> until the last minute in order to ask these kinds of questions until we get like until everyone's on the personnel report. Are you thinking, you know, that we should keep the questions and concerns until then? I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying it's not our job to be in the weeds to tell them who to hire, how to place them, where they should go, the kind of salary they have to have. And that's what's happening. That is not our job. >> Our concerns. I don't think >> I appreciate where you're coming from, but I don't think it's necessary for us to be in in their business all the time. I think this is as this says and as I read
162it, we are oversight to this. It is they have to make those decisions to move these people around where they think they are needed the the most for our kids. That's the privilege of of their positions. That's not our privilege to get in and say, "No, no, superintendent, you are I'm not finished talking yet. Please, it's not my job to tell the superintendent who to put where. I have to trust her judgment. And then then when it comes to contract, if I have questions, yeah, I want to ask questions. How did that happen? Just like we did with these jobs, but that's not our job to tell them who and how and where and when. >> Listen, and and again, I I >> I have a question real quick with you. If we're looking at
163the process at this point. Okay. So, in your opinion, what does our oversight look like? Our oversight is taking the information that they give us, look at what they're doing, see how it's working, and then see if their processes work. Ours isn't tell ours is not to tell them how to do it. Ours is to see, wow, okay, could we try this? Did how about that later? >> But why are you asking if that's what we're doing now? Okay, we used to wait till later to do that. >> No, what our job is later when the contracts come up. Ours is not that right now. >> So, they're working that procedure. They're working that process. That's our oversight. >> Okay. >> It is appalling to me the level of, you know, we should just let
164whatever happens happens. Like th this is >> That's not what I'm saying, Whitney. I'm saying we don't always have to kind of I interrupted you when I It's there's not four people that are concerned about it. And there's not four people that are concerned about it. >> Are there any additional questions on this matter? >> Okay. If there are none, let's move on. >> Yes, sir. >> I I'd um and this is just a suggestion, but I kind of saying it out loud that when we consider the constituent groups that we're involving in this, like the students, I'm excited to hear that in some of those transitions. I I think I think we may want to consider and it may be difficult but we may want to consider some parents absolutely in in a group
165as well because um we need we need those parents. Um they've been an important part and of the there are constituent group that is a super important part of this whole thing. So I hope that we'll consider having a committee that's involving the parents particularly where there's transitions happening. Thank you for that suggestion. >> And I I think I had said that too. Some some kind of community even with like maybe the CIP committee >> the weeds that we're getting into now like I thought we were supposed to be doing this. >> What I are we supposed to be weighing in on the the process or not cuz we just had a whole discussion about >> she just gave a suggestion. >> Are we supposed to do that or not? >> Yes, she is. >>
166Good. So yeah, I think the same as Tom if we can have like a >> Yeah. >> some kind of committee. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Okay, let's move on. >> Mr. Carl, your name's Should not be me. I believe that's you >> from S Dialogue. >> Yes. >> The briement. >> Yep. >> Okay. My apologies. It's been a few months ever since we discussed this initially. And so um um if you look if you look at the notes it's an issue with the bereavement leave. It was mentioned in um in actually a couple meetings with our teacher groups and unions and they're asking for more flexibility especially everything arose when our admin and the staff well I guess just mainly the staff are are using their personal time to attend funerals of our students.
167And of course, I mean I mean I look at it as an issue and so I was asked if I could bring this matter to the board in order to discuss it. I [clears throat] know that at times building principles will allow things or not. I know that there was an issue with it was allowed and then on the back end it was changed in order to use their personal time and then immediate members of the family. If you look if you look at the community and you look at the district family's kind of it's kind of fluid and so it's not always only the members in your household. I know that there was a member like of the staff and they're raising a niece, okay, but they were going to lose personal time over
168those issues and stuff. And so I was just asked if I could bring this matter to the board in order to work out an al alternative issue or alleviation in the policy to where members of the staff are not and this was not my word. it was theirs, that they're not penalized for choosing to say goodbye to our students. >> So, what are you suggesting then that that we change it to? >> I do not have a suggestion. Um, it's why I'm bringing it to the board. I didn't want to overstep. I wanted it to be a collective effort amongst all of us. >> So MSDA and NEA are asking for some sort of change to this policy that or any whatever that would allow them if the student passes away that they could attend
169the funeral if it's during a workday without having to use their own leave. >> Right? >> I would be agreeable to that. >> And and who would that include? I think the policy would I would the way I would see this happening is that we would say, "Hey staff, we would like to see some way to provide a solution to this problem. Could you bring us some oper options?" >> I mean, are we talking about the teacher of that student or the whole school? >> I mean, I think our staff are are more reasonable than they aren't. Like, I would think that they would be able to say, "Hey, we're not going to send 50 people. Um, here's some people that are going to go." also know who was really close to students. I mean,
170at times it's not even a teacher. It could be like it could be a counselor. I mean, it could be an office aid, you know, like I don't want to close it in, you know, to be it must be a teacher in the last eight weeks, you know. I don't want to do things like that. It be getting in the weeds. I just want to give people the option to grieve and mourn our students and not at a loss, you know, to their own time. Well, we had that happen when I was at Edison, and I don't know if this is plays into it or not, but we had people from other buildings who weren't directly connected to students who came and covered our classrooms long enough for us to all go to the funeral
171and then come back. So, I don't know if that's something that could be an option. Like a counselor from another building came and covered my class while we all went to the funeral and we covered it like that and then we came we came to work. We left for the funeral and we came back. >> Exactly. I mean, it's a funeral. It's not a vacation. I mean, it's a couple of hours, you know. >> Yeah. So, I don't know if that's something being in the business office that has to, you know, process these type of absences. You know, a lot of times in policy you are um you know, general. On this one, I think you need to be very specific um because we have to know how to process things. And so, you know,
172for example, you know, you're very specific about you know, parent, sister, um aunt, uncle, things like that. I know niece and nephew aren't on there right now. Um I think on this if it's a student, you need to be very specific about a building member of where that student attended or something because if not, um you know, there's it's be hard for us to interpret. So I would just make that recommendation if you'd look to make this change on that. So that way we know exactly where this person qualifies for brement or this person would need to use their own leave based on how they had that relationship with the student. >> I'm glad you mentioned niece and nephew. I think that's also important. I mean I know I know a lot of times you
173know I raised my own niece you know for 5 years. Well I know that a lot of times our nieces and our nephews are like our own children too as well. And so, >> well, can we So, if there's four board members that are interested in this, I would think that we could say, "Okay, Mr. Carell, if you can look at what other school districts do." If you come back and you're like, "This is a nightmare. This is not going to work." Then so be it. But at least if we can say there's four of us that think it's worthwhile to look into, >> I would say I've done a little bit of research on this and it's we have some that have niece and nephew. We have some that don't have aunts and uncles.
174Um, but I have not seen anything to where we're allowing staff members to use their own time. It's just very just like Dr. Hitchco said, it's it's straightforward. Here's the family members and here's the amount of days that you get. >> But this I don't I didn't see this as being part honestly I didn't see this as being part of a bereavement policy like and I I don't know exactly where it would lead where it would live specifically. Um, but I think it would just be interesting to see what other school districts do. And if we can, if we have a solution and it's reasonable, then let's do it. If it's not, then okay. >> I think it's at least it's at least worth looking into and trying. I mean, as a person, and I've
175attended a couple of funerals of our students ever since August. Again, >> I know that a lot of times I mean it means >> it means a lot. >> Yes. >> To the family, you know, be able to look at the educators and the people >> who truly loved, you know, their child or their niece or their nephew. It means a lot. If we're all about our kids, as we say and we claim, it should also include in their death as well. >> Even if it's just a couple hours for a funeral coming back, I would be okay with it. >> [snorts] >> I will say that um we currently have a policy committee where we are discussing um this policy specifically and this issue did get brought up in there. It's one of our
176items to discuss and we will discuss that. Um we plan on meeting a couple more times I assume but we're going to meet in January early and probably another time mid January. So hopefully we can have something to you some type of recommendation maybe if not January but at least by February. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Anything else on that one? >> Well, I think I agree adding niece and nephew >> if we're going to be really specific because I think about my own niece and nephew, >> but then it also comes down to a choice. It's not like we're saying you can't go at all. It's worth saying whether you get paid or not, but I do agree with you, Lata, that niece and nephew to me is the same as an
177aunt or an uncle. >> Yeah, I'm good with the policy committee looking at it. >> Yeah, the the the the challenge, right, is just you got to have somebody back fill, right? And so >> that's that's the thing to manage. Gotcha. >> [snorts] >> Okay, moving on to [cough] policy [clears throat] Jed. And the crazy thing about this is I was asking was asking you about this and um >> neither one of us are quite sure you had forwarded a >> do you recall about this one? >> No, I think that was you. >> I think it was me. >> I was going to say I do not recall about this one. Um, >> it's been lots of emails lately and so I mean >> Yeah. So I think this was related to the text
178message that went out about attendance at extracurricular events and that that was a new policy. >> Oh, okay. Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> So there was um conversation about that that text message went out that it's a policy but it's not a policy. So >> is an email that went out or was it a text? >> I don't know. Well, I just know I know I received lots of questions about the policy allowing that and I had no idea what they were talking about. Is anybody able to explain what happened? >> I can. I believe um last year in September, Benton High School started a program um including a five-star app where kids had to have 90% attendance and have no more than one F to attend extracurricular activities. I believe that was done in
179collaboration with their leadership team and it was a building decision to try to promote good attendance with students and so they put that into place last fall. I did send that out to the board last September of 2024. So they did that. Meanwhile, Central High School implemented a hall pass system. Again, all trying to help with attendance in our classrooms. and Lafayette was kind of debating which one they are going to do. So I believe I believe that was communication through Parent Square where they were going to mirror the same program that Benton had tried last fall. Um and basically that communication was sent to families, it's my understanding, in early October and with a start date of November 1st. Lafayette does have struggles with getting their kids to school and so with the state's
180expectation being 90% they were trying to put in a system to get their kids to school every day. It was factoring out any type of medical absences or school absences for going to activities such as DECA or athletic competition. Um it was all in collaboration again with their building leadership teams. Um, I did talk to Mr. Hardy and I know that he has seen some success with that where students are becoming more aware of their standing, their academic standing as far as grades and attendance goes. And some of those have come to the games and said, "Look, I've got my grades up now. I can go to the games." Um, so it wasn't as a punitive measure, but it was to change behavior and get kids to come to school every day. So, I do
181want to remind you going to those games is a privilege. It's not a right. And so for them to say, I want you to be here 90% of the time. I think that's fair. 90% of the time is still missing in between 16 and 17 days of school. And again, medical is not factored into that. So I fully support the administration for implementing um such a program. Now I will tell you it was initially launched as a policy. I think we often do that in our schools when we implement initiatives and it should have been called a program or a procedure. Um, but it wasn't a board policy. It was something that Lafayette was implementing that is no different than some of our other schools. Also no different than the 95% expectation 95% for attendance
182to go to prom to qualify for the A+ scholarship. we often have a 90% expectation for field trips, things of that nature. So, um I see no issues with this. I know there was some hubbub on social media concerns about it, but I'll take any questions. >> I think that the question I had and you've clarified, it is not a policy. It is like a program, a procedure. >> Right. That's what I emailed you. I think that that I know but the message as it went out to the parents was like it's a policy and I think that that's why we were contacted is about the questions about the policy. Okay. but you've explained it and it's a program a procedure and I'm right >> so are we looking at um we've talked a lot
183about equity and things like that we used to so are are we looking at when we move to the two school model having these same kind of requirements at both because so if I'm a student at Lafayette and I don't have 90% I can still go to like the central Benton game, right? Or is that shared amongst the whole? >> They have different initiatives and yes, I would love for that to be consistent in our handbooks. I know Lafayette does have that in their handbook. This this program that they are piloting, I believe Venton had it in their handbook as well last year, but consistency in how we handle tardies and attendance and all those things. I think that's something where we have an area of improvement and getting on the same page for next
184year when we go to two schools. >> Okay. And I will say that experience as a building principal, we also had the five-star app. And if we could get a lot of our buildings to have the same app, then they can sync together. So if you are a, let's say next year you are a Benton student going to a game at Lafayette, they can be able to type in their student number there as well and show if they're eligible or not. So it wouldn't matter which site they're at if they all work together if we have that that consistency. >> I have another question. Okay. So this is only at the high school level. It's not like at elementary or middle school. All those kids can still attend games and activities. >> Correct. To my
185knowledge. >> Yeah. I don't know. I don't know about middle school activities, but I know that we got all kinds of incentives and all four middle schools, at least last year, were on the same page for dances. We had the same criteria. Um, and part of that was 90% attendance. We had um attendance parties, 90% attendance. Um, and we all had that same criteria. So, again, consistency is key. >> Okay. Any additional questions? Okay. The board knows I just have one little thing. I just want the board to keep in mind as we're attending events. We I understand you know that we are the board of education and everything like that, you know, but you are expected to pay at these events. I was contacted about an issue at the games last week about there
186may have have been um a miscommunication if the board members are also charged a fee you know to enter into the game. So I know that I always assume, you know, that I pay since I know that the teachers also pay and then a lot of times I'm just I'm not attending as a member like of the board of education. I'm attending as Latana Williams. And so I know that it made the people at the gate kind of uncomfortable. And I just want people, you know, to keep I just want us, you know, to be extremely mindful as we're attending activities and everything like that, you know, that at times, you know, if it's a badge, everyone's able, you know, to badge in and there's no charge, you know, but if it's if it's an
187extra event and everybody pays, we're paying to. Our teachers go to those games for free and they get to take a person with them. >> I'm sorry. >> Can I add a little bit about that if you don't mind? >> So for mission events like playoffs and things like that. Um everybody's required to pay no matter staff member, whatever. Then also additional tournaments. >> Um correct me if I say anything wrong here Shannon. Um but just a regular conference game. Um, if you have a badge, you can show that badge to get in that as a staff member or board member. >> And the staff member is can get in with their immediate family. It's not just plus one. >> There are some special events like if we go off site to a jamboree and
188we're paying facility usage at that site, then we restrict that to a plus one or because and some events are fundraising activities for our sports activities. So if we have a tournament that is a fundraising activity, then there are no passes by staff. So if it's a regular, like he said, if it's a conference game, normal regular season game, staff member uh and your immediate family get in with their back with that show when they show their badge. >> I think board members should be allowed to do that as well. And I think they have in the past. >> I just look at it like if I medicate and I ask, you know, to pay, I'm not going to argue. I'm going to give over the $10 and I'm gonna go on about my way
189because a lot [snorts] of times it is a miscommunication. I'm not going to make anybody to feel uncomfortable like, "Oh, I'm a member of the board. I got a badge. I'm in free." No, I'm just going to give it over and then I'm going to maybe ask later, if it's even in my mind to >> I just wanted people, you know, to to be mindful of things like that. >> Good to know. Um, >> and that's all I got. The uh petition was emailed to all board members and Dr. McInness on December 12th. >> I found it. >> Good. He just wanted to make sure that we had received it. >> Yes. Um I had another question about uh lo the lobbyist calls if we're still doing those if those are still happening happening. I
190believe it was they were Friday calls previous >> Friday. Those have started back up to my knowledge. That is something that we trimmed from the budget for the following year. >> So the lobby is the >> with the chamber the legislative piece. >> So we did do end up doing that. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Good. >> Are there any calls as a part of the community alliance? I mean isn't there a lobbyist through there? I mean, I would I would imagine is there anything like that? >> That's a that's part of a legislative partnership that is separate from community alliance. >> So, how >> and that's not included in our $20,000 fee. >> Not the not the lobbyist in in Jefferson City. No. >> Okay. >> So, do we have any pre-file reports on
191[snorts] educational bills that have been pre-filed? I mean, I think we we used to get them from um cooperating school districts of greater Kansas City. I haven't seen any of those emails >> either >> about any of that. >> You used to receive those emails. >> Mhm. >> And they had uh the lobbyists from I don't I don't remember ever getting anything from MSBA, but I know >> Southwick. Okay, Mike. >> Yes. Uh, I have something for the board board notes agenda items. You know, um, thinking about how much we've talked about, uh, school performance, attendance, trying to get attendance up, uh, graduation rates, that kind of thing. You know what what I try to do uh from my seat on the board is uh keep an eye out for leveraging partnerships between the business
192community and the school district, you know, to the benefit of our students. And so tonight, I wanted to share something uh with the board and with with u with the public. Um just anformational item, but I wanted to tell you about a program that I ran into at a sister Altech facility. That's where I work. And so we have a c we have a we have a sister factory in uh Mount Ary, North Carolina and they've introduced a program that they call fleet and uh you know it might also be referred to as a high school factory and so I wanted to tell you that it's it's a very interesting program. So in the program, kids uh students, high school students, many of whom are are at risk either because of uh socioeconomic issues or
193just attendance problems and and and we we target those folks and we we say, "Hey, um we we would we'd like to offer you a different program." So, the way this program works is the student the local school districts provide certified teachers for everything that the student is going to need to graduate, right? So, you know, English, math, science, everything that they're going to need. And they provide teachers that go into the factory [snorts] facility in a classroom setting and for a half a day, that's what they do. For the other half of the day, they're actually in the factory and they are learning job skills and they're also getting paid to do that. So, I got a a short minute and a half video I'd like to show you guys that just sort of
194gives an overview of what's what's going on uh out there. We just had the opportunity to tour the facility, the educational facility with these fine fleet students. uh [music] and it's truly inspiring. What is going on here with Suriri Yadkin Works is [music] based on a simple premise which is how can the community come together to provide real opportunities and post-secary education to students and to support local businesses grow local talent. This vision, which will mean that North Carolina will have the very best school system [music] in the entire country, includes ensuring that we prepare all of our students for their next phase in life. That includes thinking outside of the classroom and creating opportunities for hands-on learning. Being able to give back to these students that maybe didn't have that structure, I think embodies
195what Altech's uh values are. Then also that statement of being a good corporate citizen. >> The program I think is just going to take off. So cutting the ribbon today is symbolic in one sense and in another sense it's futuristic because we're [music] really kind of on the edge of a new frontier in public education. >> Two, one. There we go. [cheering] [applause] >> This weird scissor replacing gadget is quickly be [laughter] >> Okay, thank you. >> I think there's also a program like this um in the Yosho as well. >> I I I could imagine. Yeah. And so, you know, guys, really justformational at this point. Um no commitments, really not even any planning going on, but I just wanted to put it out there as an opportunity. I think there's mutual interest uh
196with the administration and with the leadership at Altech here in St. Joseph. Um but again whe whether it's with Altech and this program or some other company uh these type of partnerships can be lifechanging for students who otherwise might not make it. So just wanted to lift that up to everybody and uh thank you for listening. >> Thanks Mark. >> Thank you. Okay. Future meetings and events are listed. Is there a motion to adjourn? >> I'll make the motion. >> Yes. Yes. I need you to read that part. >> Okay. >> Thank you, sir. >> Okay. I make a motion that we move uh and go into executive close session pursuant to 61.021 021 closed meetings and closed records for legal, hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting a particular employees and individually identifiable personal records. >>
197The motion is a second call, please. >> Miss Williams, >> yes. >> Miss Miller, >> yes. >> Miss Chzn, >> yes. >> Miss Karns, >> yes. >> Lenny, yes. >> Mr. Moore, >> yes. >> Mr. Richmond, >> this meeting is adjourned. Merry Christmas. Happy holidays.