October 27, 2025 Board of Education Meeting

001I'm going to kill myself. >> You all right? Yeah, you guys didn't take that down very good. So you're saying you did that on purpose. Well, you're supposed to walk around that. No. I didn't do it either. >> That's a long way. You want one? One. Who good? >> kidding me? Oh, that's I might hug you right now. Kim went to the bathroom real fast. What? You didn't see it? What? No. What were you watching at all? Well, what do you mean she didn't see it? She's in here. Yeah. No, no, I couldn't even get my phone up. Yeah, I mean they got the ball back anyway, but No, all I'm doing is watching the score. No, I mean they were throwing an interception and Pat throwing an interception. Yeah. That boy needs to get

002his [ __ ] together. Okay, guys. Two more minutes. Yeah, they've all been giving me [ __ ] all day during this during this game. Keep telling myself this stuff's This hurts stuff and stuff in places you don't want it stuck, so you don't Not me. No. Not her. Miss Donna. Yeah. Could you please use your microphone? Yes, I will. >> Thank you. I told you. Sorry. Can you make sure Kim is using her mic, too? Okay. Good evening. I call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. Miss Donna. Here we go. All right. Ms. Williams. I'm on the phone. Here. Ms. Miller. Here. Ms. Chesney. Here. Ms. Kearns. Here. Ms. Landing. Here. Mr. Moore. Here. Mr. Richmond. Here. All stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please. Okay, recognitions. If I could have all members of the board, please

003come forward. Good evening. I am excited to announce and share with our Board of Education and our community our Apple Seed Prize recipients. And so will those individuals please come to the front. Danielle Gonzalez, Nicole Adams, Madison Michalski, Briana Vleobo, Caitlin Pogue, Elizabeth Hoskins, Becky Carter, Tommy Violet, Lucy Mies, and Katie Adams. [Applause] Because it's the Apple Seed, of course they needed a caramel apple to go along the way for them. And I want to say these educators were selected for their innovative projects designed to enhance teaching and learning experiences throughout the St. Joseph School District. Apple Seed grants empower staff to bring creative ideas to life. They foster meaningful and engaging change instructional practices. From this talented group, one educator will be named the 25-26 Innovator of the Year, recognizing exceptional creativity and the

004impact on student success. I'm so grateful that for this team of educators. [Applause] I'm also grateful for the foundation. Thank you. [Applause] Okay, audience participation. Chato Callahan. Uh I was streaming this earlier, so if the microphone cuts out, I apologize to everybody. Um I was at my son's soccer game in Cameron. Unfortunately, they lost that game. I had to be there instead of here uh to make sure that may be my son's last Irish soccer game. Um I I just I have a question. You guys were posed with a bunch of information. Whose responsibility is it to validate that information? When you come to numbers and they say, "This is the numbers presented." Isn't it your job to validate that information? It's not ours. When When a community or anybody presents you with information, "This

005is what you need. This is what it takes. This is what you have to have." It's your job to validate that, correct? And now all of a sudden, after all these years, I get numerous phone calls and messages from family and friends. "What do you mean they're shutting down schools?" This is pathetic. I would like the cameras focused on you tonight. Because from everybody that I've talked to you the entire drive back from Cameron, all I ever see is faces of pacifying us, not engagement. Shame on you. This may be your career, your place to want to hold yourself to a higher standard or promote to something else, You're not showing it. Dedicate yourself to something that you believe in. While ago we said indivisible. Cannot divide. I still believe in that. My last name's

006O'Callaghan. I bleed Irish. My family bleeds Irish. We've went to the North End schools forever. I have numerous friends and family that go to the South End and I went to school there. Think about what you're doing to the community. It's all I ask. Don't think about yourselves and your careers cuz they don't care. Think about the students sitting up there. My daughter went to school at Lafayette after being taken out of private school and she excelled. Went from an average student to top 10. Getting her degree at Northwest, another green school, for teaching. She has a contract to come back and teach at Saint Joe education because she went through the Hillier's program and got numerous college credits for it. I'll buy her out of that contract if this is the way we're going

007to proceed with our future. Think about that. We need to think about anything else other than their education, their spirit, and what it means for me in 20 years to have a decent doctor or a decent lawyer by having a better education. I don't care about the numbers. You've excelled in the past with lower qualifications and lower dollar amounts. For 20 some years we fought with the school district, Colgan and everybody else how poor the school district is, how bad, blah blah blah. I've stuck up for you guys for the last several years and been ashamed of adults who haven't voted for improvement. But I'm ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of all of you. And that's your time, Mr. Callaghan. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Okay, members of the board, approval of the

008agenda. >> 8A to an informational item to provide an Could you repeat that? I'm sorry. Would you go ahead? I'd like to make a motion to revise the agenda to change 8A to an informational item to provide opportunities for discussion and to answer questions and concerns from the board and the public. I have a motion. Is there a second? What's the motion? I'm sorry, I couldn't understand you. Could you repeat your motion, please? Sure can. >> understand her. The motion is to change 8A to an informational item to provide opportunity for discussion and to answer questions and concerns from the board and the public. Okay, uh all I got was motion to change 8A to an informational item. So, 8A is the facilities and district reorganization decision. I would like to change it to an

009informational item so that we can discuss it in more detail. I have a motion on the floor. Is there a second? I'll second. [Music] [Applause] [Music] I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? If there is no discussion, you can call the vote, Ms. Donna. Ms. Lanning? Hey, Latonya. Latonya, I did not hear that motion. What's the motion? Could you repeat the motion, please, Ms. Donna? The motion that I have is motion to change 8A to an informational item. To move 8A to an informational item. Okay, thank you. To discuss. Okay. Uh Latonya, I I guess I I don't know the difference. I mean, I see the difference in position on the agenda, but what does does that mean we don't have a vote on the action tonight or we have it at the

010end of the information? >> move it to an informational item, it means everyone will be able to ask questions if you choose, get those answered, and there's not a vote. And then there won't be a vote. Cuz it's an informational item. So, I'll I'll provide some context. >> asking the audience if you could please calm it down so we can do business. So, I'll provide some context. I have had several concerns, which I have communicated. I've had several questions that I've asked that I don't feel like have been um answered satisfactorily. Um and so what I would like to do is for us to take more time. Um I'm not asking for a considerable amount of time. Um but I don't think that we have all the answers to make an informed decision. I don't

011think that we have brought the community along in the decision-making process. I don't think that the process that we currently where we currently are has been transparent. Um and I don't think it's fair that we are at this point to where we're going to make a decision this evening with so many plans that we're deciding. What I would like to see us do is by way of a discussion say, "Okay, of these many many plans, including plan E, what do we want to move forward with and what do we want to refine?" I don't feel as though we have the information or we've gone through the process that we are prepared to make a quality decision for children. Um I don't. If everyone else does, that's fine. I'm only one vote. Uh but that's why

012I've asked to move it from an action item that we would vote on to an informational item. And the reason why I agreed with you is over the process I realized that all of us as a board has never talked about all of these plans and an answer question among us. I mean, I know that we were given lots of information and we've heard from lots of people, okay, but the board has never come together collectively and discussed everything as a board and it makes me nervous to choose a decision of this magnitude and we haven't even discussed it. I mean, I'm asking we can take a vote and we don't we don't revise the agenda and we take a vote tonight. I'm saying I don't have the information that I need to be able

013to say, "Yes, this is the best option." I don't have it. But if everybody else feels comfortable and ready to make a vote, I'm only one person. Okay, well, right now we're only making a decision about the amendment of the agenda. I have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? You know, I'm not I'm not categorically opposed to either one. It just seems to me like when we come to an action item like that, we'll have some opportunity for some discussion and we'll also have the opportunity at that time at the end of the discussion to table that or to take action on it um without predetermining that we can't make a decision. And so I don't know I don't know if there's a compelling reason for me to say that I I wouldn't

014want to discuss it in the action item um forum rather than than just have it be information. But it we can vote. I'm just making a comment. I appreciate that, Mr. Tom. Thank you. Any more discussion? If there are none, would you call the vote about the amendment to the agenda? Mr. Moore? No. Ms. Williams? Yes. Ms. Chesney? No. Ms. Kearns? No. She said yes. No. No. It was no. Thank you. Mr. Richmond? No. Ms. Miller? No. Ms. Lanning? Uh yes. And the motion fails 5-2. Consent agenda. Is there a motion? No, you need to approve the Okay. Original question, approval of the agenda. Is there a motion? I'll make that motion. Thank you, Rhonda. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Tom. Would you call the vote, please? Ms. Miller? Yes. Ms. Williams? No.

015Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Yes. Ms. Lanning? No. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And the motion passes 5-2. Consent agenda is a motion for approval? I'll make the motion. Thank you, Rhonda. Is there a second? I'll second it. Thank you, Mike. Would you call the vote, please? Mr. Richmond? Yes. >> Mr. Moore? Yes. >> Ms. Lanning? Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Yes. >> Ms. Miller? >> Yes. Ms. Williams? >> Yes. And the motion passes all approved. Admin reports? Dr. McGinnis? I will be speaking to action item 8A, so I will defer. Thank you, Dr. McGinnis. Okay, Ms. Stacia. Good evening. In um October's assistant superintendent of academics and education services report, I wanted to share with the community. I I know that um our academic department plan from our academic service team listed

016a proficiency um score, but tonight's focus is on ELA. And I wanted to share with you um the list of schools and their uh performance based on the Missouri assessment program in link English language arts um and where they um scored in the spring of 2025 and where we we know they will score in the spring of 2026. And so um again, I'm thankful for Dr. Reed and Dr. Adams sitting down with each um building leader and crafting these the goals together and creating action steps that would align to the work that we're leading on the academic um service team. Behind that, you will find um our action steps in what we lead in instructional frameworks to support all teachers, not just new teachers. And so, one of the things that um we wanted to

017share with you guys are the action steps that are the St. Joseph School District Foundational Practices. And we focus on really six key drivers, and we discussed them as the learning environment, management, the interaction between peers to peers, teacher and student, students um building in that community, clarity, opportunities for response, and the intentional learning design. Within that intentional learning design, you will see a breakdown of the St. Joseph School District Literacy Guidelines, and I wanted to share case uh share showcase those for you. And so, you can see the breakdown where we lead in a mini lesson with some student work time. There's a reflection. Then we have personalized differentiated small group instruction, and then the reading foundation where we focus on the science of reading. Those total instructional minutes I've spoke to a lot,

018but if you look at them, regardless of the elementary classroom that you um are a student in, we lead from 135 on the reading side, and you flip over, we wanted to keep writing sacred, and so you will see you will see 40 minutes um of writing time with the same instructional framework. These were formed with teachers. They co-constructed this work with us. And so, teachers worked, provided feedback to us, and now we're in the midst of the um work in the classrooms. I also wanted to share with you guys the instructional framework. We We know we don't get that in the secondary world, um but the SJSD learning framework for what does literacy instruction look like in our secondary classrooms. And we decided to lead by percents um because some of the um numbers

019were off just a little bit, the number of minutes. You may have somebody that has 45 minutes and somebody that has 50 minutes. But we wanted to set a percent so that way equity could be at that piece. I also attached for your review the kindergarten observation form, and I definitely want to give a shout-out to all kindergarten um classrooms in leading this work um and setting this up. I'm so proud of our district right now. We were um at one of the highest rates um in recording the KEA, and the KEA is on the APR report. And so, what we're doing right now in the work um will lead to um where our APR results would look like in 2026. And so, we had an important deadline, and I'm grateful for Dr. Adams and

020her um leadership on this. Um we only had one student um who who did take the assessment. It was a um Moses ID switch, and so we we corrected that, but we were at 99.9% completion rate on that. And so, again, 100% really, it was Moses ID, and we got that corrected right away. I shared that in the weekly report with you as well. Um but I wanted to share the kindergarten observation form because we are looking at and Ms. Deville is and Angie Chavez, who's an instructional cur- coach that serves at our early learning sites, we are specifically looking at that literacy domain. And we're looking at the growth that we're seeing from our students, and I will be so excited to bring that back to you in November when we have our predictive

021results and our um KEA data the KOF data to support with you. But you if you look at um the readiness indicator number 14, the readiness indicator 15, if you go backwards 11 and 13, they all center around um those um what we call our students ready um to um partake in learning at the kindergarten level. Last, I want to leave you with some important dates. Um you you know we're in the midst of parent-teacher conferences, and so October 27th through the 30th um are parent-teacher conferences, and I put in the link there for you for the AMI work. Um we did redesign that work um to align to our district resources, and you'll see an updated version of instructional resources. Those um packets of um class work for those AMI days are being passed

022out at parent-teacher conferences, so they're giving a hard copy, and we've already linked um this plan the AMI work for our um students online. Remember, October 31st, Halloween, no school post-conference, and then November 3rd is a professional learning day for our staff. November 26th and 28th, there's no school Thanksgiving break, and then we round out December 3rd I'm sorry, December 5th with teacher evaluation classroom observation number three. Are there any questions? I just want to say thank you to the kindergarten teachers because getting that all accomplished is a huge feat because you have to figure out how do you entertain other children while you're taking this data, and um I just appreciate the fact that they were all able to accomplish that. Thank you, Ms. Chesney. They're the They're the the work of it. They

023they do so much for our students, so I'm grateful for those kindergarten teachers. Thank you, Ms. Tutor. Okay, Dr. Hedgecorth. Yes, thank you. Um in front of you this evening, I have the October budget amendment. Uh in July, when we start calculating our ASBR, which our fiscal year runs again July 1st through June 30th, and we realized that we were at 10.02% operating fund balance. Uh we started with our staff. Sorry. Pull your mic a little closer. We started working with our staff in regards to budget reduction process, and so um I went into detail in the October uh workshop meeting um about the process and how we went through identifying items that were furthest from the classroom um and worked with all the directors, the principals to look at items that we could reduce

024for this fiscal year to get closer to a balanced budget. Um and so, what you have on the screen uh in front of you is the last summary page, and that last summary page shows the areas where we are proposing the budget reductions for this October amendment. And so, you can see on the left-hand side of the screen and on your page uh the cuts that come from central office, uh which include areas of technology, Board of Education, Human Resources, Special Programs, Superintendent's Office, Communications, Business Office, Health Services, Nutrition, and others uh come to a total of over $3.3 million out of this fiscal year, and the percentage that was allocated in total from central office, and then on the right-hand side, you have our secondary and elementary schools and the amounts that were reduced

025in those areas of supplies, purchased service, classified and certified staff, and then also at the elementary level and what those percentages come to. And then, you have the total initial savings, and then we also have some corrections to some budget expense items for curriculum, as well as salaries and benefits. So, if you go to the second document in that agenda item, you will see that there's some modifications to the values for certified and non-certified salaries and benefits. And so, the June FY26 budget that's proposed to you um was below the areas that we're going to see in those salaries and benefits. So, those changes to those salary and benefits are not any additional staffing or any additional benefits to our staff. It's simply correcting the projections for those salary and benefits. So, I just wanted

026to point that out as you start seeing um what those values are uh on that second document just to ensure you that the reason for the change of the amendment is really just to correct those projections and it's not through any type of additional staffing um through the district. So, um be happy to answer any questions at this time. How much was that adjustment? I have I'm not I'm not seeing that. It's over $9 million. So, your FY26 budget underestimated salaries and benefits by over $9 million. >> Yeah. Um one of the items that I had um taken issue with was >> speak closer? Yeah, that's totally not a problem. Thank you. Um one of the issues that I had taken one of the expenses that I had asked about in the past that I

027had taken issue with was um I know we had talked about charitable events and us going to charitable events. Um I had asked about um I know that we had talked about cutting the um Mosaic Ignite event out of uh board the board budget. Um I had asked about the mayor's Thanksgiving uh dinner. Is that still in this budget? I will have to look exactly for those individual items. Could you all keep in mind you know that it has to be like almost on your lips? Test, test, test, test, test. It's not on. Test, test, test. I can tell you that was cut from the uh Board of Education budget. We had two tables. One was on superintendent's office and one was on Board of Education. We went down to one. So, I'm just going

028to share that I'm I I know it's a small item, but I think it's a um it's a point of concern for me that we would be paying for something that's a charitable event for someone else that we are using public dollars to pay for the fundraising of someone else when we're in our current situation. So, that's one of the things that I um take issue with. Um I'd also like to ask um about the budget overage of a million dollars. I had um sent some questions about that. Um that was for the Benchmark uh purchase. Um and that was So, we approved that back as an informational item, I think on May 12th. Um there was a presentation and in that presentation we referred to that we had chosen six years for cost savings.

029So, it was but then I had heard somewhere else it was three years for cost saving. What was that initially anticipated to be? Six or three? So, there was a six-year contract and then there was a six I'm sorry, a six-year contract and a three-year contract. We also um had asked about the one-year contract. The one-year contract was $1,184,610. Okay. And we had when we when So, you all budget in each department, correct? I'm not as familiar with your process, but each department each department budgets does their budget and this item was budgeted at an installment payment. Is that correct? I was not in those budget meetings, but I can speak to the process. Um the process is the bus- business office meets with every department and then goes through the expenditures for what they're

030going to have for the year and kind of gives them some some guidelines for what we have um as far as our revenues coming in to to look to balance our budget. Um and in those discussions, my understanding is that the business office had made the assumption that that was cost was going to be spread over six years and made that assumption incorrectly. And so, when they budgeted that line item for the FY26 budget, uh that item was below what it should have been um when it should have been for the full amount that was approved in May. So, did the So, did the business office assume incorrectly or did the academics department budget incorrectly? The business office assumed incorrectly. >> you weren't here. If if we set the priority for to be the ELA

031core resource. And so, if I'm looking at a budget number of $1,184,610 for one year, I don't know how we would spread that out over three or six years. But was it Was it budgeted for three or six years? In in the meeting, we were in agreement that the Benchmark Advance was going to be purchased to support the academic infrastructure of our K-6 classrooms. Over but there had to Okay. We're not going to get to an answer. And this is where this is where I feel I get frustrated because I know there's an answer. I know that there was a budget that was provided. Um and then we can't remember or we don't know what happened. So, on 5/12, we get the presentation in Simbli. We get the invoice. We didn't have the contract. There's

032reference that it was going to be installment payments. On 5/27, I apologize. I was absent from that meeting. There were no cost questions. And then at some point, it comes out, we discover that there was a budget issue. And when was that? Was that August? When was that? So, once we saw the payment um that put the budget over for that budget code, we then started negotiations with Benchmark to talk about how we could spread that over time as the business office had made that assumption during those meetings. And when we had those discussions, Benchmark reminded us that we had a large upfront discount uh for that payment upfront because a lot of those materials are printed. And so, those expenses are upfront to that company. So, they also needed the payment to match the

033terms of the quote that was there in May because their costs were upfront. So, if we if they would have agreed to put that over six years like the business office had assumed, we would have lost that upfront um discount that we received. Excuse me, Dr. Hazlett, can I have the call? I have a question. Okay, so, does the business office normally make like assumptions? And that's like a strange assumption to make that it will be paid over X amount of years. I mean, I was also under the assumption cuz it was not in the budget. And so, I guess I'm confused. I certainly understand why the board would be confused because the budget item for that account code didn't have the full amount in there. So, I understand that and why um you know,

034that is frustrating, but uh a mistake was made. I think it was an honest mistake that that was going to be paid over a six-year term and that that wasn't upfront. And so, that is something that um you know, So, so I want to clarify. I am not confused. I am not confused. So, what what I know happened is that we approved a budget that didn't have this amount in it. I know that we were presented um that there would be installment payments. There was nothing in Simbli that talked about um how it would be paid. There was just the reference that it would be over time. Um and I don't I don't believe that it was only the business office. Um I don't believe that we only knew about this in August. Um you

035forget that the people in that business office and previous staff have internet, too. They can watch this. Um and I guess my question is was there a conversation with Dr. Seagrist that there was a concern about a budget item or no? There was no conversation with Dr. Seagrist on the concern about the budget item. >> Okay. So, we didn't know before he left. We did not know. No, it was an agreement that we were making this a priority for our academic infrastructure. Okay. And yes. Okay. So, Okay. Um So, my concerns are that we and I hear what you're saying that we we were going to we we needed to buy this. We bought this. Um we made um a similar snafu with the international teacher contract to the tune of $300,000 or or something

036to that effect. And the problem is I I hear I hear what we say when we're like, "Well, we would have paid for that anyway and we got a little bit." But it wasn't budgeted. So, now we've cut 3 million, but we can only realize 2 million. And when mistakes of that magnitude continue to happen, it erodes the trust of the community. And so, this pipe dream of going to the community and asking them for more money when we keep mismanaging their money, I think is is um not is very unrealistic. So, so I I also have asked about an audit. I would have preferred an audit to verify their numbers before we approved a budget. Um we said we were going to get that. We haven't got that and I'm just going to be

037honest. I'm not going to vote for this because I'd like for there to be an audit first. If I could talk to that a little bit. Um [Applause] So, if the board does not approve this tonight, everything that you see in here is a budget cut. And so, the reason we presented this October budget revision is to reduce the expenditures. So, if the board doesn't approve it, the account codes in in eFinancePlus, which is our software finance software program, will continue with the same budget codes that we have for the FY uh June 26 budget that was listed. So, in other words, we will continue to have the higher allocations for supplies, purchased services, and everything you see on the left-hand side of that screen um if it's not approved. And so, um I worry

038at that point that those items that we have talked about um not spending on for FY26 will end up being purchased through miscommunication, mistakes saying, "Well, hey, my budget item in eFin says this." Well, you know, we're hoping to cut that with a budget amendment. So, And and I and I understand that and it but it often times feels like we don't get correct information or accurate information or there's a mistake made and then it's said, "But we don't have time for you not to make a decision. You need to hurry up and make a decision." And I I for one I'm tired of operating that way um and I'm not going to. But I'm only one of seven. [Applause] Can I ask you a question, Dr. Hedgecorth? Okay. In looking at the information and

039listening in the last meeting, I noticed that you mentioned that the error was noticed in August. Okay, but the board was told about it 2 weeks ago. Why is that? That is correct. So, when we called Benchmark and was hoping to get some traction on getting that to be paid over time like the assumption that was made from the business office and we continued back and forth with those discussions and until we realized we were at a dead end and we get nowhere, that's when we notified the board cuz we were hopeful we'd get somewhere with those discussions. And make those payments like the business office had assumed over 6 years. >> I think I just think in the future, I think this is why it is so imperative that the superintendent and board president,

040and I know I know we've had issues there, but it is so important that you have a communicative relationship because we should be brought along. Like we should be brought along. Like even if it doesn't happen to the full board, it needs to happen to the board president or the board leadership to say, "Hey guys, this is this is an issue that could be coming up. This could be a problem." And then at least someone knows. Um and I feel like that is a failure for the past significant period of time that we're just we're not brought along to things. And and we're not bringing the community along, too. And so, that communication is something and and making assumptions are things that we need to work on. Well, I'm brand new and I'm trying to

041bring transparency, trying to show where we've are financially, where mistakes were made. And if you want to put that on somebody, that's me. I'm trying to learn how the board communicates, what their expectations are of me, and for that I apologize, But and and I and I I know you're new. I know you're new. And that's not um I I realize that the problems that we are dealing with are um in some ways they're at the previous administration, but we have a lot of people that are still here from the previous administration. So, I'm only one board member. Let me ask a different question. Sure. Um and cuz I think we have such a group here tonight and we're listening to that and we are talking about a budget crisis. This one doesn't bother me

042to the same degree it does um that we just discussed, but what the one that I am curious about is the $9 million misbudgeting of salary and benefits. Sure. >> that is a you know, we have the federal thing that now's um come through. Um we understand with the capital projects and we I believe we've taken corrective action um not to reverse it, but to fix it. But how are we in the position that our salaries and benefits are $9 million over over budget? Yeah, so it had a lot to do with the way we were estimating before. We would pull those numbers out of eFinancePlus, again, which is our financial accounting software, and do some uh projections through that. Well, once you pull data out of a system, that data is not live anymore.

043And so, those projections as you have employee movement, people retiring, new people coming in on different steps, um that data is is quickly uh old and not current. And so, we need to be able to do all of our projections eFin- anyFinancePlus. Uh we've been working hard with our human resource department and our business office to make sure all of our position control within eFinancePlus is accurate and correct. So, then that way we can do iterations within that software program. We can look at different things like adding steps for teachers, what it looks like if we add certain amounts to the salary schedule, and look at each iterations of what that might be. So, we've worked hard to clean that up to this date. So, when we start having conversations with our salary and benefits

044committee of what those things would cost based on certain scenarios, which would be called iterations in the software program, and and budget much better. And so, you know, that is a process we're going through right now to try to fix those issues that we've had in the past because the board needs accurate information to make accurate decisions. And So, one one quick follow-up question and thank you, Dr. Hedgecorth. What is the um we passed a bond issue or a levy or what what uh the community agreed to to um fund increases for teachers. And um and it's been a little bit confusing to me. Is the amount that we collected or is it a timing thing or have we exceeded what the bond um what the bond allowed for? Right, so you're referring to the

045Prop C waiver. Yeah. >> Um and so, >> what I'm talking about. I just didn't say it right. >> Yeah, the Prop C waiver uh close to funded what the that add was to the salary schedule. It truly was um just making uh inaccurate estimate on what the impact of that was overall. And what was our budget >> So, it it wasn't enough to fund what was given for increases. >> It was. >> enough to fund. But you were already headed on a decline um reserve ratio percentage from the previous year of, you know, over $10 million in deficit spending. And so, even though that did pay for itself, you you you made there was no adjustments made to correct that. So, then you had another $10 million Okay. >> spending, which a lot of

046that also came from the HVAC purchasing of fund four that I've talked about before. And um once that fund four went to negative, we had to transfer money over from fund one to make sure that fund four went to positive and that drug down our reserve ratio. Thank you. Could you also explain about the audit process? Absolutely. Yes, so Linda Quinley will be here November 10th at our board workshop. Um she is continuing to have conversations back and forth. Uh she came on site a couple weeks ago have discussions with myself and others in the business office and to to take data away um from the office to uh investigate um one, how how we got in the current financial situation, um and two, you know, probably some suggestions of things we can do better

047in the future. So, we've had good conversation over the last week as she's dug into things and had different questions of, you know, why were numbers presented this way, you know, and I've answered the best I could um for for my perspective, uh especially for this fiscal year, and then she'll be here November 10th to present that information to you. Um and then you can be happy to ask her any questions at that time when she's here um during that meeting. I have another question about the process. And so, when Linda Quinley comes and looks at the information, if there were like any errors, any issues, she'd let us know about that then? Yeah, so what she's has done is pulled all of our ISBR data for the last 5 years and she's also looked

048at past audit reports and then also asked questions about different um procedures and processes that we do in our budgeting cycles, um how we look at, you know, estimating different expenditures, what type of, you know, variances we have and what the acceptable amount of variance should be. Um you know, when you're doing that that June budget, you don't know your tax rate, you don't know your enrollment, um you don't know what your assessed valuation is going to be. Um but as you October comes around, you know those things. So, yes, you're going to be more more off in June for your variances, but as you have budget amendments along the way in October, February, April, you should be narrowing down to be more precise as you go. And so, that's something with that October budget

049that it that I'm trying to um show is, you know, we need to be precise with our salary and benefits and that number that you see that I presented is going to be much more precise with how we're going to end this year. Cuz we're in the middle of the process, do you think it'd be easier to wait until after Linda comes? I if if if if you're going to ask me what's fiscally best for the district, I think it's important to approve this budget amendment now so we can get all the budget amounts updated in eFinancePlus so people see that those budget cuts are in place and that way they know exactly what they can spend um for their supplies and purchased service. Because if I was asking you to increase expenses, then I

050could understand. But all I'm asking here to you do is correct the amount we're going to have for salary and benefits based on current staffing. There's been no additional staff members added. And then as for the $3.7 million and then correct the curriculum account code for benchmark data. I think that my issue is that I'm kind of leery about everything now, and it's nothing against you. I know that you knew you know, but there are some major issues. And so I mean, I'm just kind of leery about everything, and I just like reassurance. I guess I would just ask you look at my track record, and let that speak for itself. And at the end of the day, this is a budget reduction. 87.8% is from central office, and then those cuts would be reflected

051in our budgets. We need to cut costs, so I don't know why we wouldn't proceed with trimming our budget. As I mentioned, and I'm not arguing against a reduction. It's I'm just leery. I'm just leery about our numbers right now. And with everyone in the community watching, normally it's my name that's on the line. And so I'm just nervous about anything until we have outside eyes looking at it to reassure us, you know, that we're actually using accurate information as we move forward. Does the upcoming audit help with this? So KPMG, so two parts, you know, if if you're talking about our official audit, that's from KPMG. That will be presented in December. And then Linda is doing her presentation November 10th at the at the work session. Yeah. >> I just want to make

052sure I understand. So in the meantime, if we don't approve these budget cuts tonight, people who go in and look at what the amount of their budget is, could potentially be inaccurate, and they could be making um they could be having expenses that will not reflect the budget cuts. Am I understanding that correctly? Correct. So all the numbers in eFinancePlus right now are based on that June preliminary budget that you approved. And so no numbers are changed until the board approves. Even if we have, you know, agreement from different departments and principals, those numbers cannot be changed until there is board approval. Okay. Let me ask another question. If we approve this tonight, and we find out in the audit or as the year goes on subsequent things that impact the budget either positively or

053negatively, do we have other opportunities to adjust the budget to keep it up to date? >> So I'll bring you a February budget amendment as well, and one in May or June to finish out the year. If if if she came back with significant things that affected the budget it from the November 13th, would they have the opportunity to have a corrected budget in November? Absolutely. We could have a second amendment at that time. If she had something on November 10th that you'd want to address, I could bring a November budget amendment for that November board meeting. So I I had seen very low risk in terms of us approving this tonight with the idea that we could if we find out additional information, we can change that at that time. >> And I can

054understand some wariness of some people. I I get that with the history. Um but since these are all budget reductions, that's why I'm asking for us to move forward now so we can make sure we get that in place cuz it is going to take some time. Um I think this is the one of the biggest changes we've had between a June and October budget of making so many changes in our financial system to make sure we update everybody that uses um those budget codes to be able to track their budget as they go through the year. I I move to approve. I'll second it. I have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? If there's none, would you call the vote, please? Ms. Williams. No. Ms. Miller. Yes. For cuts. Ms. Chesney. Yes.

055Ms. Kearns. Yes. Ms. Landing. No. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. And the motion passes 5-2. Next. Let me get back to the agenda here. Um so the next item that we have, and I just switched to the June budget 1 second. Uh so we have approval bills. Uh I'd be happy to answer any questions that you guys might have. Make a motion to approve the bills. I have a motion. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Any discussion? Okay. Would you call the vote, please? Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. Ms. Kearns. Yes. Ms. Landing. Yes. Ms. Miller. Yes. Ms. Chesney. Yes. Ms. Williams. Yes. And the motion passes all approved. Next, Dr. Hedgecock. Yes. So the next thing we have is September financials, and there's something that I wanted to point out in

056this financial report. Um I've changed the way it's organized to help give a little bit better guidance on tracking how we're doing for the year. So in the past, you used to have just um fund one and two on the first page, and then all the funds listed individually. Well, I feel like you need to see the whole picture about our operating funds. So when you look at our um reserve ratio, it is a function of fund one, two, five, and six. So when you think of fund five and six, don't think of it as a separate fund. It is a subfund of fund one. It is named different and organized different in financial situations so you can track um our activities, and then also our health care. And so five and six are actually

057fund fund subfund of one. So that way I have one, two, five, and six together. So that way you can see the exact numbers of our operating fund as we track throughout the year to see how we have realized a percent of our budget. So now when you look at that first page, you're going to see 18% of certified salaries have been realized for this year. Where before you didn't have the other funds in there to be able to see that as a function within our operating fund budget. Cuz funds one and two, five and six are operating fund. You have debt service, which is fund three, which can only be paid for debt. And you have fund four as capital projects. So we made that change to try to help let you see and

058track um what we've realized for the year. Now please note that the numbers that you see in there for FY26 budget are the June FY26 numbers. They are not the October budget amendment because that has not been approved yet. So we don't put those new numbers in there for the FY26 budget until they're approved. So if you do approve the which was just approved. So next month, you will see those new October budget amendment numbers to then be able to track those percentages much more accurately. So we we also list those below as well individualized so you can see them individually to make those determinations as you're tracking. So I feel like that will help us as we go through the year be able to see if we're going to be over or under budget

059in our expenses and revenues, and just see how we're tracking. So I just want to point out that change as you look at your September financials. >> That's a really good improvement because we have been caught off guard in the past where we we look like we were tracking okay, but it didn't have the whole picture until it was late in the year. >> Right. And then something else I want to point out, certified salaries, um when we make our June payment, there are two months that are paid there. So when when we make that final June payment, that pretty much is double what you're going to see in May because they pay June and July in June. So as we're tracking, if you see 92, 93%, you're not tracking okay because you're going to

060have that double month payment in the last year. So I just want to point that out as we get closer to June. So at 8, that's what's going to be my question. At 18% now, um that would include the month of August and September, two months? Correct. And so that's 9% a month. Correct. >> And um 9% a month times 12 is a a 108%. Right. So that FY26 budget, that number is under what it should be. And so I ask asking us to reflect what those truly will be um in that October budget amendment. Okay. I saw I had you. Right. So on certified, when you say FY26, see how it says 61 um $61.5 million, you can see on the October budget amendment that I have asked us to change that to $63.6

061million. You know, is it unreasonable to add a column because of that confusion that we had last year with the June payment to add a target percentage realized budget next to that? >> Yeah. So we also look at cash flow document where we take two previous years and then put the numbers in before so we can show when you hit this month, this is pretty much what your target percentage spend would be. So we can definitely put a targeted spend on each of those. Now it's hard with purchase services and supplies because most people buy their supplies up front and then don't spend any time. But when you look at salaries and benefits, those are paced out month after month because, you know, our our staffing stays pretty consistent except for a couple moves here

062and there during the year. And so, especially on the salary benefits, you know, we can definitely do that. Uh purchase services and materials, we can put that in there, but that's going to be a little more looser depending on if a principal spends their money up front or waits till kind of the middle of the year to spend those funds. I I think the salaries is the one I'm most interested in because of that offset that somehow caught us by surprise. >> And salary and benefits are 75% of our expenses. So, if there's one you want to make sure you track correctly, that's the one. >> we had an indicator, you know, we use this as an indicator of are we on track or not. And exceptions of not being on track, then we can

063talk about. But, um I think that would be that would help the board know, um are we tracking like we hoped we would. Sure. No, I'd be happy to add that column in. >> Any other questions on September financials? Make a motion to approve. Second. I have a motion and a second. Are there any more discussion? If there are none, would you call the vote, please, Ms. Donna? Ms. Williams? Yes. Ms. Miller? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Ms. Chesney? >> Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Lanning? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And the motion passes. All approved. Okay, Mr. Carroll. All right. Thank you. The personnel report and supplemental uh reports have been submitted for your review. The personnel report is located on assembly and the supplemental is in your packet at your stations. Nothing major

064to report on either report. If you don't have any questions, I ask for a motion for approval. I'd make a motion to approve. I'll second. I have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? If there are none, would you call the vote, please? Ms. Williams? Yes. Ms. Miller? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Lanning? No. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And the motion passes. 6-1. Okay, Dr. McGinnis. Okay, good evening. Thank you all for hanging in there with us. We have been talking about facilities for many years. And many of you probably know that. Back in 2010, we had the packed group. Not that long ago, we had vision forward. We've gone through so many community engagement processes over the years. On September 4th, the board directed administration to look at

065two two high school models. One being a central Benton model and one being a central Lafayette model. We have done that work. We have gone and looked at those numbers, provided the data, answered questions, and provided a recommendation based on that directive. We recommended option 7B. That was the majority of our district administration team. The reason behind that is because we believe that would set us up best for the future to possibly have a new high school in north and to have future growth in in progress in our community. That being said, we honestly just want a plan. Any plan. We would like to move forward and the board choose any plan so that we can do that. And I will ask if our team has anything else that they would like to add. I

066agree with that. Then I'm ready to make a motion. Wait a minute, please. Mhm. As you and I were discussing this, you asked me if I would give every member of the board an opportunity to speak Mhm. about the process and their thoughts. And I would like to begin that right now. But, you can start. Okay, I'll be happy to. Um first of all, I want to thank everyone for coming. Um I appreciate the passion for our community and I appreciate the passion for our schools. Um I've been in St. Joe my whole entire life. Apparently, I've had a very boring life. Um I I have been a student at Humboldt Elementary. I have been a parent of children in our district. I've been a teacher in our district. Um I never in a million

067years ever dreamed I would be on the Board of Education. That certainly wasn't my life goal, but here I find myself. My um entire um career has been given to children. My teaching career was to children in title buildings. So, I understand when we talk about uh children, but I really have take a fancy a little bit to the term um have-nots because those children have a lot. They have perseverance. They come to school despite all the things that happened to them at home. And they come to school and they learn despite all of that. Um I have a heart for those children. I wouldn't change my teaching career for a million dollars. Um I love this community. And what I want for this community is the best education as a community we can give

068our children. Our children deserve the very, very best. I My grandchildren go to Topeka to high school. I see uh what what happens there. That particular school district is charging their families $300 for their children to be able to ride a school bus. That's not an option here nor would I ever ask that. My other children go to Kansas City to school. And so, I'm able to see what that school district looks like. I've also been really honored to be able to go to other districts for other things that I do in my educational career. So, I've seen lots of different schools. There are lots of things in other schools I really, really want for the children in our community. So, here is my hope as we all sit here tonight um with passion for

069our district, my hope is that it doesn't end tonight. How are we as a community wrapping around the most vulnerable children in our community by mentoring them, by volunteering in the schools? How are we doing that? I I you know, I really am listening. I've taken notes on every meeting we've had. I've tallied what I hear people saying because I really do want to listen to this community. I also want to speak to the teachers in our district because I was one of them. I also know a lot of teachers and I work with them on a regular basis because of my job at Missouri Western educating future teachers. And I just want to say to them, thank you, thank you, thank you. You take Missouri Western students into your classrooms and you mentor them

070and you support them and you give them the best opportunity to be the best teacher that they can be. And I want that to continue. It is really, really hard to be in this position when I know so many people in our community because I've been here the whole time. I want what's best for everybody. When I looked and tried to figure out what in the heck I wanted to do, I looked at everybody saying, "I want my school. I want my school. Uh we want change, but I want it to be somebody else changing." So, to to think that I can please everyone, I can't and that's not my goal. My goal, and I thought about this a lot, trust me, I've lost a lot of sleep and I've lost a lot of meals

071because I take this very serious as do lots of other people on our board. But, what I want for our community is what is best for our children. And I am willing to do what is best. I am willing to listen. But, here's what I have to have in return. I have to have a community that continues to support our children like you have the three meetings that we've had. I want to see our community really embracing those neighborhood schools and going in and doing all the volunteer stuff that you have to do, the background check and all that because sometimes it's not easy to be able to be a volunteer. But, that's what I'm begging from you. I want the the 200 children that are still sitting on an early childhood waiting list that

072only have one opportunity birth to five to have their permanent brain development for the rest of their life. I want those children to be able to have a place to go so that they can start their learning out and be successful right out of the shoot as they continue their education career. So, I'm I'm thinking about we got to figure out how we can make that happen for all the children. I I am a Lafayette grad. I bleed green. I understand where you're coming from. I have one daughter who went to Central. I have another daughter who went to Benton. So, I've experienced all three schools. And the last thing I want is to lose the schools in our community. That is the very last thing. Because that is hard and I truly understand. Thank

073you, students, for being willing to come. Thank you for sticking around instead of just leaving. I appreciate that in you. So, with and I think um I just really do love our community and love our schools. And I and I I really want you to know that we have administrative people that have also come up through the ranks of our school district who have worked and worked and worked to be able to create the plans they're they're creating based on what we've asked as a board, and I can genuinely tell you they also have a heart for children. Nobody on this board and nobody on our administration team sought out to do something that was going to be harmful to children because we just don't operate that way. So, I appreciate you coming. I appreciate

074you sticking it out as we continue to have our conversation, and we will make a decision tonight because I and my right mind cannot make you wait any longer. That is not fair to anyone. Uncertainty is worse sometimes than than figuring out what the end result is going to be. So, we will be making a decision tonight. Thank you, Rhonda. Mr. Mike. Thank you, Madam President. Um I could echo a lot of those sentiments, although I've never been a teacher. Uh You know, listen, here's You know, for 10 years I've been an unapologetic fan of of trying to build a new high school in St. Joe for the purpose of drawing families and kids to this community. Um But, I I I My intent in life is not to close an existing school. But, I'll

075tell you what keeps me up at night. I'll tell you what I'm scared of. Um we're really here for two reasons. The outward one is the financial situation we find ourself in. And the primary driver of that financial situation is shrinking enrollment. And so, if you go back to 1991 to now, uh it's a significant significant uh drop. And we've adjusted along the way, but but about 2017-2018 it was mentioned, uh we've really gone down. Um even with our current model with three schools, enrollment continues to drop. Now, the reason that's important to me is twofold. First of all, districts around us, from North Kansas City to Savannah, are growing. They will have the ability to pay their teachers and staff more than us. And so, I think the recruiting and retention challenge for the

076district is going to get tougher. The second thing is, um financial instability is a primary trigger for DESE and the state to come in and essentially take over our district. Now, I know many among you have said that that would be a positive thing. Uh I assure you it wouldn't. Uh if you think you have lack of influence now, uh it would be worse when the state came in, trust me. So, those are the things that keep me up at night. Let me give you a bottom line. There are things about both plans, Benton Central, Central Lafayette, there are things to like about each plan. No question. Um for me personally, the Central Lafayette plan offers the best financials. In addition to the financials, it offers a $380,000 advantage in improvements to buildings retained since

0772018. Let me explain myself there. So, if you go back and look at all the money we've socked into our buildings all over the district since 2018, the plan that would use Central and Lafayette as high schools and the feeder system below it allow us to keep using $380,000 of invested money. Okay? Um Although I know the whole district is impacted, if you look at direct impact and movement, staff and students, it's lower with Central and Lafayette. Um I also have talked to teachers, and I think they have a good chance of being a better classroom experience, larger classroom sizes, bigger hallways. Uh I like the fact everyone's in the same building. And you know, it honors what the board indicated that we were going to do at the last bond should that bond fail,

078which it did. And um let me say this. The idea that we could use uh Benton and Hyde came after that bond failed, and I'm glad we looked at it. I'm glad we looked at it. It was the right thing to do. So, I I do take some issue with the fact we we are going back on our word. We we took a look at a plan that we thought might have some feasibility and might be best for the community. All that said, I think Central Lafayette's the best way to go. I don't know that any other plan uh will get us there financially. We risk retention of staff. We risk DESE takeover. And I want to give you I've heard all this feedback. The most impactful to me has been from staff who have

079told me, "Please make a decision. Get us out of this limbo. Pick a direction and let's go." My personal favorite is Central and Lafayette, but I'm a part of this board, and I'm willing to do the very best we can. I yield the floor, Madam President. Thank you, Mr. Mike. Mr. Tom. Yeah, thank you, and thank you for being here. I appreciate that, and I realize this is an enduring time. If anybody has a Chief's score update, I'd be glad to take that at this point. Um I'll tell you what, this has been something I I think everybody's emphasized there's probably nothing more important going on in our community, and I'm I'm not a part of this because um I'm important. I'm in part of this because it's important to our community, and I want

080to do whatever I can to be helpful to the community. And and that that's every single person in here. That's the students, and that's the adults. That's our community. You know, one of the things I've said is there's no greater responsibility that a community has than to educate their children. Everybody with me on that? There's no greater responsibility than to provide um education that doesn't put our kids behind, but instead allows them to achieve and pursue their dreams going forward. And that's what my goal is. That my goal is that we are able to do that. I've looked at these plans. I'm one who initiated saying, "Hey, we need to look at the Benton um Central um idea because of geographics in our community, um south and north, and and um and anticipate what do

081we do going forward? What positions us best for long-term success?" And so, I I understand humbly said, "I think that's something we really need to look at." And um that's not aimed or offense to anyone. It's saying that it seemed like geographically that was a logical thing to do. But, as this has progressed, what I've heard, and I've heard loud and clear, and I hear again tonight, it's not influenced me um only from tonight, but I've heard it every listening session. And um and as I've considered myself, not just the ramifications at the high school, we're not making a decision just about what's happening at the high schools. We're making a decision about what's happening at the middle schools, what's happening at the elementary schools. And as I take a look at that and the

082impact of that, I recognize that most parents in here and and even the students have made a decision during their life of where do they want to go to school? Where do they intend to go to school? And it's a primary decision in a family. It's a primary decision for us when our children was young. We moved to Virginia for a period of time, and it was the number one pri- criteria that we used for where we're going to buy a house. The number one criteria wasn't the house. It was where we're going to buy our house so we want what's best for our children. And for most adults in here, the biggest significant um expenditure of asset you do is what do I do? Where am I going to live? And what's going to

083be best for our family? Where am I going to live and what's going to be best for my family? And you do that based on the decisions and the things that are around you, and we all know those can change. We all know that that those can become different over a period of time. But, tonight, um what I've heard here and what I what I've come to this meeting um thinking is is that the while we need to take steps, and nobody's more probably interested in the finances than I am and the integrity of our district, while we need to take steps, the the steps for either plan two or plan seven are too big of steps for us to digest in one in one bite. And so, and I I'm not looking for that.

084I'm not looking for you guys to necessarily agree with me. I'm just telling you my thing. So, don't don't embarrass me. I'm not doing it to I'm doing it because my determination is the best thing for our district, the best thing for our elementary, middle school, and high school is is some very some part built around plan E. And and some variation of that. And and um Jeff and others who developed it said, "No." You you Jeff Jeff and others who have developed that, I I take no right of ownership of that. I I'm telling you if I did did something right or wrong. But, those that have brought that for- I it doesn't bother me that somebody else has brought that plan forward, and and has also, in my opinion, humbly said, it needs

085to be refined. It says, "That's just a rough draft. That's a draft. That doesn't have every detail of information. It's a draft, but it puts in place the things that I've heard you all say is important, they're important to me, is this that Bessie Ellison, Eugene Field, Ferzing, those schools that are doing well are are able to continue. That's really important to me." And so, I'm um it it's these are these are super difficult things for me to say. Um and and I I I've I've poured over these because I guarantee you, and and I continue to to probably not demonstrate that, but I am confident about the administrative team here. And my number one thing I tell Dr. Stewart all the time is, "What are we doing about academics? What's going on? What are

086we doing about facilities? What are we doing about academics?" Because it is about the children. The children can learn anywhere, but we need to give our community, and here's when I'm challenging our community. If we can have the courage to keep three schools, then what I'm challenging us to say are we willing, and this you could say yes to, are we willing to step up and support that decision financially? Are we willing to say, "Let's Let's not just Let's not just complain about our schools, but let's take pride in our schools. Let's invest in that change. It's going to cost a little bit more money to catch that up faster than another plan would. Let's be ready to step forward and say, 'Yes. Yes, let's do that for our community.' That's what I want you

087to think about." Thank you, Mr. Tom. Miss Laning. So, I'm going to be real honest. I'm running on 1 hour of sleep and a lot of coffee, and I'm real frustrated. Um I it bothers me that we've gotten to this point, and all we get as far as a recommendation is um just do something. Um I think to just do something is not specific enough. Like, do something to Do Do I I don't I don't know what that means. Um I've answered, I believe, 117 emails um in the last 2 days. Um I've been very honest with my concerns. I um I'll I'll spoiler alert, I agree with um Mr. Richmond um to an extent. Um for me, there are too many unanswered questions and unaddressed concerns. Um basic questions um regarding 7B um disparities

088in both plans. Um but I'll tell you what what concerns me the most is our what I feel like is really irresponsible financial management. I I I ran for this school board because I was frustrated and I was upset to many of the points that you all have shared tonight. Um to think that we are considering you know, we we close Lake, we open as an early learning center, we are going to repurpose it again, um or at least that's one of the plans. Um we asked the community to give us money through a no tax and increase uh bond issue a year and a half ago. We take that money, we upgrade the HVAC at Eugene Field, and then here we are like a year later talking about closing it. Um that's not fiscally

089responsible, and um 7B is not a fiscally responsible decision. Um same same thing with Webster. Um we we were sold a bill of goods to say, "We need Webster. Webster will work. Um we're going to put money in it. We're going to make it work." And then what, 2 3 years later we're like, "Oh, that didn't work. Uh forget about the money that we put into it." Like, we have got to be better financially with taxpayers' dollars. Um so to think that we are in any way that these decisions are in any way talking about building a new high school when we can't manage the funds that we have properly, I think is disrespectful um to the taxpayer, and I won't support that. Um I feel like this entire process has been um you know,

090I I agree. We've talked about this for 10 15 20 years. Um but these plans have not existed more than 60 90 days. Um so I don't feel like the process has instilled a sense of trust or confidence. Um And I And I do agree that if we don't start being more responsible and more transparent and more communicative with the community, they will they will vote for a new school, but they will vote with their feet by leaving this district to go to other schools. I also um agree with some of the things that Mr. Leak has said over the last um couple weeks and and the group that he's talked to is that whenever whenever we want to do something, we'll find the data and the reasoning to to support that decision, and then

091we'll go back on it. Um and and we're essentially um all over the place. So, there's there's just not consistency. Um and I think we we desperately need that. Um We heard that this whole process has been driven by dire financial straits, and I'll remind everyone those are financial uh straits that we caused. So, it seems silly to even use that as an excuse. It also seems silly to me that we are um talking about how it we have to make a decision tonight. We have to make a decision because of the finances. Um but we're considering a plan that doesn't even address the finances. I I don't understand that. Um And so, I'm I'm not going to um pick one one of these plans over the other just because it's not as bad as

092the other. Um to me, our students and our staff deserve better than that. And And I I appreciate you, Mr. Jones, so much. I've always appreciated your input, but it is not fair to continually ask the staff to bear the burden of making plans work because of the mistakes of the leadership of this district. That is not fair. [Applause] I yield the floor. Okay, Miss Laning, thank you. Miss Kearns. Hey, can you hear me okay? Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Um so, good evening, everyone, even though I can't see everybody. Um I'm sorry I can't be there today in person tonight, and I wish I could for this discussion because this decision is probably one of the most important decisions our district's had to face in a long time. Uh I want to thank everyone who's

093taken the time to be part of this process through the emails, the messages, town hall hearings, and meetings. Your voices do matter. The fact that so many of you have shown up and spoken out shows how deeply this community cares for our students and our schools and our future. So, it's important for me to be completely honest and about where I stand. And I want to share tonight simply my perspective and the opinion of just one board member. And I know not everyone's going to agree with me, and that's okay. Because if we did agree on everything, I'd worry we're not thinking hard enough. So, I want first to thank the administration. It's been a big change for them, and they have had not an easy task. When they stepped in, identified problems that needed

094to be addressed, and they have been open and transparent about the challenges we're facing, and that's not easy work. But I'm thankful they brought these issues forward before it was too late. Sometimes we have to face the hard choice before we real real progress can begin. And as difficult as this progress has been, I truly believe good will come from it. So, my perspective on the plans, when we looked at plan two, if you're looking for immediate financial impact, plan two may make the most sense in short term. But for me, I think it's a temporary fix, kind of a band-aid, and it won't stop a long-term decline. If we're looking towards the future, maybe plan seven is a stronger and more forward-thinking option. And personally, if those were the only two I picked from,

095I would probably pick plan seven. But when I was elected, even though often they asked me, they asked me, "Do you support two high schools, or do you support three?" And my answer has always been the same. It doesn't really matter what I want. It matters what's best for the community and what's for our students. And as a taxpayer, I do support every bond this district has put forward. But as an elected board member, my role is different. I'm here to represent all of you, the students, the teachers, the staff, the families, all who makes up the district. I'm representing the community. So, this is not about my personal agenda or what I want. It's about what's doing what's right for the people we serve. Over the past several weeks, I have listened carefully and

096intentionally. I've heard those from supportive plan seven, and I heard those from those who support plan two. Two, sorry. Both sides are passionate and both care deeply about our schools. But I also I heard most loudly and most clearly is that the majority of the people in the community support change, but they are asking for a compromise. It's not just one side of the town saying this, it's every side. It's the people who are for two and who are for three high schools. It's the parents, the teachers, the staff, business owners, students, uh everyone across the city. They're coming together and they say, "We need change, but we need the right kind of change." They're asking us to listen, to meet in the middle, and to make a plan that brings the community together and

097not tear us apart. My biggest concern right now is the sunset levy that's approaching. That levy is absolutely vital to our district's future. If it doesn't pass, the financial consequences could be devastating. And we can pick a plan we want, but if our taxpayers don't feel heard, if they don't believe we're listening, we're at risk losing the support we need to survive. We have to rebuild trust. We have to show our community that their voices truly matter. And that we are just hearing We aren't just hearing them, but listening to them. Because if we lose the trust of our community, no plan, no matter how well designed, will succeed. I want to see our district grow, and I want us to build new high school someday. I want our students to have the best facilities

098and the best opportunities possible, but we must be realistic about how we're going to get there. Progress only works when the people we serve believe in the path we're taking. So, here's where I stand. I believe we must have change, but I don't believe this particular plan, at least as it stands today, is the right kind of change. I believe we can move forward with the community plan, make smart financial adjustments, and protect our students and our neighborhoods without disrupting the whole district all at once. And if the board is open to it, then I would support that. With modifications for savings and sustainability. But I want to be clear. I am for change. I am for this administration, but I also have to follow my heart and my responsibility into this community. I was

099elected to represent the people who don't get a direct vote on this decision. And because of that, I have to be their voice in this room. My hope tonight is that our community sees that we are listening and that we value your voices and that we need your continued support as we move forward. Change is never easy. Not everyone will agree with every decision we make make, but we we have If we stay divided, divided, we will all lose. We have to come together as a district, as a community, and as people who want the same thing. A strong, thriving school district with every student that has the opportunity to succeed. Our students are watching us. They're learning not just from what we teach in the classroom, but from what we handle moments like this,

100how we listen, how we compromise, and how we lead with respect and unity. So, tonight and every day moving forward, I do stand for our students, I stand for our teachers, and I stand for this community. Because in the end, that's who we are That's who we are here to serve. [Applause] Thank you, Ms. Kearns. Ms. Miller? Thank you so much for coming, for spending your time for 4 hours to sit and wait. Thank you for caring enough about your schools, your staff, your families to be here. It's stunning to me. I'm not very often at a loss for words, but but this is impressive, and I appreciate it. But I also I also find it difficult to put my thoughts into words. Um I'm in the schools. I attend your events. I help in

101the cafeterias. It In particular, Ellison is a chosen school of mine. In fact, so much that when they were short on help in there, they emailed me to come and substitute. What a privilege. So, it's a privilege to serve in the community, you, because that's why we're here. I have to praise this administration because they've only done what we have asked. They've done a lot of work extra, above, weekends, evenings to try to figure out how this works. And and yeah, I know all of you. Some of you may work two or three jobs and think, "Well, big deal." I get that. But they have done Every time they've brought us something, we've asked for more or less or other. So, they have done what we have asked them to do. So, it's kind of

102a bummer to to know that wow. Um And I I don't blame you, Dr. McGinnis, to say a plan. We They want to work with you. They want to work to improve our schools. They want to make this budget that we're in the hole work for for you, for this district. So, Mr. Leak, I appreciate uh today what you have brought to us in sample form. An an alternative, perhaps, but something that we can chew on for a bit and try to figure out if it's workable with our budget, with our staff, the staff that we have, to make sure it's a doable thing. That our district will survive with that. So, I very much appreciate it. And I appreciate it that it comes from a community who loves their schools. But it's still hard.

103It's still hard. Change. Yes, I'm not as eloquent as Ms. Kearns. Change is a pain. It is coming. So, however it goes tonight, understand that we love you. We are invested in you. Truly, we are. You may not think so, but we are. This is a volunteer job, and we spend a lot of sleepless nights wondering how we're going to serve you in this capacity, making it work, keeping all of you in places that you want to stay. So, yes, Lafayette Mike does make sense for the short term. It works with our budget, but that's it for the short term, because sooner or later we're going to have to change that. Benton, but there's some great ideas with Benton. With uh different opportunities there, and a lot it gives us open doors for a longer

104range plan. But as a community, you what you have said to us, for those of you who have shown up, not the ones who have stayed home, who haven't had uh input, but for you who have shown up, you want them all. So, my question of you, along with Ms. Chesney, will you come alongside and see this gets done? We need you. We need help in figuring out if we're going to keep these three high schools, how that's going to work with our budget, with a loss of staff. We will need you to walk it with us, to have input. Now, I'm not I don't like being bullied or flipped off when you're making a point. So, that's not what's confirming to me that perhaps three schools is an appropriate plan. So, that has nothing

105to do with it. I can overlook that. But I don't hear you when you do that. Just as if you wouldn't hear me if I don't speak your language. So, it's not because you come in and you demand your way, but it's because you come in with a passion, a passion for the schools that you attend, that you serve in. That's what changes the barometer for me. Not the ugly. So, my question is to our admin. Can we work it? Can we make this work? Can we do a job because the community is asking us to do that. For those of you who have shown up, I walk alongside you, Mr. Richmond, because because of that because of that passion and the interest you've shown. If we can make that three-school plan fit, make it

106work, keep everything that you have asked for, I'm in on that. If we can do that, but it takes more than your lip service. It takes more than you coming to a microphone to tell us that that's your desire. They don't need to call me or email me to come help in the cafeteria at one of the schools. We need to fix that. But it takes the community. It takes all of us. So, if you've been here, which is many of your faces I have never seen at events before. Those of you who are on athletic in the sports, I've seen all of you. And I love that. But those of you if this is I got to have more than the podium. Come on. Get alongside us. Invest. Invest all of yourself, not just

107your words, in this community. We are Everyone at these tables is invested in this community. We love you. That's why we're here. So, come alongside. Let's develop those things that will work. And and work with our teachers who are exhausted in in limbo. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Ms. Miller. [Applause] Um I'll be kind of brief. I already knew how I was going to vote. Cuz the thing about it is it's not my vote. It's not my voice. It's yours. And you already told me a long time ago. I'm more of a kid person. I'm not really an adult person, you know, but the adults are the ones who elected us. If there's ever a problem that I have, if there's ever like an issue, I look at the kids and I listen to the

108children of the community. And I listen to the kids and they said, "We're begging you. Please, would you think about us? Please, would you fix us?" Can you please help us? All of us matter. We're more than just numbers. And the thing about it is as a board, it's not it's not our jobs to figure out how to make it work. Our job is to choose a plan, give this over to the admin, and the admin make it work. And as as I was as I was listening to the adults, everyone's like, "Our community isn't like other communities. Our community's completely opposite. It's not like Casey. It's not like this. It's ours." And you guys are right. And it's not my job to change your community. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going

109to be the one to close your schools. There's no way I'm doing that. And when you look at the numbers, I'll be honest, it makes sense. It makes lots of sense. Okay, but the thing about it is another plan to keep open all the schools has to make sense, too. And I believe our admin will be able to do that. And I know you guys are tired. Is there a motion on the floor? I make the motion that we accept plan E with mod Hold on. Hold on. So, everybody hears all I have to say. Okay, thank you. That we accept plan E looking at it more deeply with the needed modifications. Also keeping in mind it does ask for a couple of school closures, too. We don't want to forget that part of the

110plan. I know that's a whole lot, so I'll I just want all that to be said. But I I do want to listen to the community. I think they've spoken loud. My tally marks as people were talking show that. So, I want to make a motion that we accept plan E with modifications that will meet our financial responsibility and the needs of our community. I have a motion on the floor. Is there a second? Okay, I'll second. >> second that. Did somebody else already do it? >> It's okay. I already beat you. I have a motion and a second. So, I'm going to Any discussion? So, So, I I'm I'm going to vote no, but I want to explain why I'm going to vote no because I I we haven't I I don't really know

111what plan E says as far as we haven't had a presentation over it. We haven't um dissected it. I'm not saying that I don't want plan E. I'm just saying I'm not going to vote specifically for one plan if that makes sense. Um I would like to see um administration address this plan, but I don't know if per hour policy FC, if we say we're we want plan E, that that I I don't I don't know. You know what I'm saying? So, so I'm going to vote no, but that's why cuz I want more information and I don't know that it fits the policy of FC. And and I want to make a comment. I I'm glad Rhonda said that because there's things and um that group has been open. It's it it it it

112transfers tonight if we adopt that to our plan. And this is it's a community plan. But um but I I would authorize the administration to take the lead in terms of making the modifications that are required to to do that. I'm not trying to take um their expertise and and authority completely away from them. I'm telling you that the framework of the plan including the three high schools and the um and and the and and figuring out how do we create another um early learning center, those things. And and I think probably Whitney's got right. I mean, the only reasonable probably to say come back and and we present that plan so we all know what's going We all know what's going on with it. But um they're charged with um running and leading this

113um district. And I want to make sure we give them the leash to do that. Okay, so question. I have a question. Okay, so I think an issue in the process is we did this kind of backwards. We're like, "Okay, you guys get some ideas. Give it to the board to approve." And then they did that and we're like, "No, we don't like that." I think it would be easier on the adminis- tration in order to know what the board is looking for and what the board wants to be able to look at plan E as like a framework and the board is like, "Okay, well, I want another early learning center or I want to close open in Rome. I want XYZ. I want you to look at the boundaries." Cuz the problem is

114if we're just giving it over to admin and admin's like, "I don't know what you want." And so, we're just going to get a plan in a month or two, we're going to be in the same thing. And I don't I I know I don't want to do this again, so I know no one else wants to as well. And so, I think that the board means to do the job, you know, that the board is elected to do, to guide our admin into getting us information about the plan, you know, that we want. Yeah, Mr. President, I would just add that um I I think my ask would be that we we really delve deep into the financials. You know, I want to know that this is going to work. Uh you know, keep

115our teacher salaries competitive. Uh keep DESI from knocking at our door. Get our financials back to 20%. And for me personally, this is just a a me goal, but but like what would the ask have to be? And Mr. Richmond mentioned maybe a tax ask, but what would it need to be so that we march towards a a 20% reserve target by 2030? A task ask when? Like April? No, don't answer that. Do not answer. I don't know when. I guess I would I would lean on them to tell us. Like if I if we say, "Hey, it it we really need to be on track to be back to 20% reserves by 2030, what does that look like?" Amount of ask and timing. But yes, I'm thinking that I'm thinking that we bring this

116um we have this prepared I mean we I'm thinking we approve it. And we final approve it and and and I know everyone wants it tonight, but we final approve it in November is my suggestion. We have a work session and and give them the pieces of information. We final do it in November um to put the finishing touches on what that is, but I'm I'm saying that if there's a funding shortfall, that we we've got an indication of community support. We got indication of we've listened to the community and it's time for us to move together forward together and I'm thinking that we do an analysis on a tax a tax adjustment that would happen in in April. So my my only concern is I don't think that and and this is uh essentially

117what I hoped for is that we would narrow down as we go. And again, the reason I remind us late. So I don't know that it's realistic to go from this meeting to a work session to a vote. I think I think you're missing a piece there because I feel like we haven't had time to talk about what do you like about that plan or what do you not like about that plan? I think a big concern for me is a third early learning center because we do have kids from the farthest north of of town traveling all the way down to Lake. We changed those boundaries last year. So I I just I don't know I don't know that we would have the time. What what I would like to be able to see

118is we have a conversation, we have a discussion, have a special meeting sometime whether that's before or after have a special meeting have another meeting where we say, "Okay, we think this is good. We think this is good. We've answered all our questions. We've asked all our questions. The community knows nothing's changing. Nothing's changing. This is what's going on the agenda. No surprises. No what happened to that fund balance? What happened to that boundary? You go from work session to to approval with no changes. Um the other thing that I would request is um some sort of information put on the website. We've done that on a lot of other um topics and decisions that we've made. We've had a landing page on the website that says, "Here's all the information." I know I had

119a lot of people asking me, "Where do I find this? Where do I find that?" And I had to just show them the meeting agendas. So I think that was difficult for people. Um but I think if we can be really transparent and put in the time, I mean, what's the difference between 5 hours tonight and a 2-hour 2-hour in a board meeting? I agree with that. I think it may take an extra session. Do I agree with it? And I and I agree with the fact that by by the um work session we'd we'd have the final plan presented and then then we vote on it at the board. I I have a question and I think maybe it's for you, Dr. McGinnis. Could you please um address cuz I know we we already

120had you do something for plan E. Could you refresh our memory and give us the information that you've already worked on that you worked on prior to our town hall last Tuesday? So we came up with the impact analysis per board policy FC. So I don't think you would have to have another hearing and we can confirm that with legal, but I think you would be fine to go ahead and proceed. Of course, I think it would be great to have another public uh participation so that there's eyes on that and you know that they have that stamp of approval on it also. Um we have collected some of that data as far as enrollment projections, our current enrollment, the feeder system. I'm happy to work with Mr. Leak and fine-tune that to a long-term

121plan. Just would like direction though if if you're thinking this is going to happen next year or the following year. Well, I I think that goes back to you the financial analysis of it. I mean, that that was what was so discouraging to me is that we're talking about, you know, if we don't do this, we're going to perish and then we had a plan that said maybe we're not. So I I that's what I would like to see and I really think that with a meeting to ask questions and get answers and then give more direction, we can perfect any plan that we have. We can't keep going, you know, we can't keep veering completely off the road, but if this is where we're going to go, we finalize it over two meetings and

122then approve. And Dr. Hedgecorth, he spoke to the financial piece at the last meeting that we had. Mhm. Yes. I think that it's my goal. I think it's all of our goals to in the conversation of are we going to close the school? I think that the board needs to be of a consensus we're going to really look at the model. Change the model in order to make it work. Cuz the problem is in all of these years we've never done that before. I think it's our time now. I know you're thinking something, Mr. Moore. >> I I am. I'm just thinking uh what the plan it does have school closures on it. I realize that. >> yeah, and I don't think we can ignore ignore that part of it because those school closures from

123just my brief look at uh the plan would be Hyde, Boti, and Webster are what's listed um on that plan. And I'm not sure I'm going to have to have more conversation, but I'm not sure how where those children go exactly, how that's divided so that we're not any kind of a mathematical issue again. So I just want everyone to to know that that we would still need to have that consideration with this plan as well. >> Well, and can we can have like a brief discussion? So one of the things that I was have been wondering is we have other buildings that have been costly to maintain. We've had the warehouse. We've had the building on South Ninth. Um you know, we have programming in Keitley. Um I guess I would like to not

124that I have to see it in a plan, but I'd at least like to know, "Hey, we considered you know, I think at one point we had talked about using Bessie Ellison for for maintenance or and I'm not saying what should happen where, but I think considerations of those are those are facilities that we have to maintain financially as well. So I think they should be a part of the conversation of of do we keep them? Do we retire them? And those aren't educational those aren't educational settings. That's going to be a lot easier to maneuver. Okay, so guys, it's a motion and a second on the floor. What are we doing? Everybody's waiting. Can can I get the motion again to to understand what we're doing here? Motion to accept plan E looking more

125in-depth with modifications that are financially responsible. And we feel like that doesn't Dr. McGinnis, she's mentioned that you feel like that doesn't have any problems with FC. With what? FC policy FC. I'm sorry, were you asking me a question? Never mind. It's all right. Go ahead. Policy FC like like this ask, does it align with policy FC? >> Yes, we went over the impact analysis information last week. And with the motion and a second, it's our plan to s- schedule a s- special meeting in order to discuss all of the details all of us are interested in in order to work out a game plan, correct? Yeah, I suggest a week from tonight. Hold on. Well, is that going to be I'm getting the consensus real quick. Yeah, like is that my thing is like

126is that going to be enough time? And I I get it. Uh I'm sure if I was admin, I'd be pretty uh aggravated right now. Um but nonetheless, I don't know if that if if we need to do something where the work session gets pushed like if we need to do in 2 weeks and then in 3 weeks and then in I don't have my calendar in front of me, so I don't know. Well, that I'm glad to start speak to the calendar. The So next week would be the fourth. Well, I don't know it either. I take that. What is it? November 10th is a workshop. >> Yeah, so it'd be the third. We have the third, 10th, 17th, and 24th. The 24th would be the board meeting. So, you know, all I'm saying

127is we have the quote brainstorming time where we're um further finalizing what we want the plan to look like in a week. And then we and the that they work on, we give them feedback in the meantime. There's some draft of it. They finalize it then for the work session. We can decide after that meeting, do we need to move the work session back? But they they finalize it and then we vote on it November 24th. Are you guys able to do a meeting in a week? Is that enough time? Wait a minute, there's No school Monday. Cuz we could also do we could also do the 10th and the 17th Yeah. 17th, 24th. I don't know if that's too much or what. >> do it on the 10th? Cuz we're meeting anyway and then

128it would give admin more time to get more information. So you we would tentatively plan on 10th, 17th, 24th. Right. Are you guys okay with that, Kim Kearns? of November. Yes. Jennifer, are you okay with that? I'm going to I may have guests coming. Admin. So Somebody at admin, Mark. I I don't know that right now. 17th, 24th. Yes. So I just want to make sure I understand correctly then we would consider the 10th special meeting and the 17th the work session and then the 24th or I'm guess I'm confi- I mean I can I understand the three dates. Okay. So we keep the 10th still the work session. The 17th would Keep the 10th as the work session and then the week later it'll be a special meeting. >> Okay. I just want to

129make sure I have that right in my head. And at what at what meeting would the public be able to give feedback? All of them. I mean except for the work session if you come to the work session. >> So then with the 17th Okay, but the other two. The special meeting on the 17th be the vote for this final plan? 24th. I won't be ready. 24th. So what's the 17th for? On the 17th So if we So if by the 10th, I think what we've talked about is to give the administration time to put a plan together on the 10th. On the 10th we can provide feedback and say yes, you're on the right track. No, you're on the not on the right track by a consensus. Then on the 10th if we're like,

130no we're good to go. Then we can just go to the 24th. If we're not, we can go to the 17th or we have a work session and then the 17th becomes cuz I would think you if you've changed plan E, you need to do another SC, you need to do another public hearing because you've changed things. Well, exactly and then I That's what I was And then I'm just afraid of us of us looking at the information on the 10th and then at the meeting on like a vote it's like a different plan. Like let's go to the 10th choose everything and then if we need another week in order to look at the complete plan get that extra meeting in a week later. Okay, but if not then we have a vote on

131the plan and then everybody knows all month long here's what we're looking at and then everybody will It's just extra time in order to take the will of the people get it organized arrange it a little bit and then get it finalized. Are we good with that? So LaTonya, you're referring to the community has a month's worth of time Yes. >> as well. And the board and the admin. Yes, ma'am. And and I think Ashley asked would we be preparing this for next fall? And I think if we go through this, we get a good plan, it it saves the right amount of money, we have an ask. Um I think the answer would be yes, right? Move closer to the mic, please. Yeah, sorry guys. Yeah, so so we we this puts us on

132track to be able to execute this if it's a good financial, community supported plan, it puts us on track to be able to execute next fall. Yes. It's our wish. And the thing is I'm not trying to come back on the 10th and there's a plan E1 or E3. No, let's get this plan and let's make it like a better plan, you know what I Understood. And can we and I know we had and I have not compared them, but I know that Miss Hoskins had emailed Miss Hoskins had emailed a plan that was very very similar. I don't I don't know. I didn't put them next to each other. So I would just say let consider that and I don't I don't know what the changes are. It's a it'll be a good opportunity

133to look at everything. Okay, but if we're able it's a motion in a second if we're able to take a vote it will let the community know, you know that we are committed and we listened. And we're doing what the community wants us to do. I have a motion and a second. Is there any more discussion? Okay, would you call the vote, please? Ms. Williams. Yes. Ms. Miller. Yes. Ms. Chesney. Yes. Ms. Kearns. Yes. Ms. Lanning. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. And the motion passes, all approved. [Applause] Okay, action 8B. Mr. >> guys. Thanks for coming. I appreciate your time. I'll give everybody a minute to clear out. I know it's a school night. Who? I mean I get some of the other Ariana, are you taking your sister home? Take your sister

134home for me, please. Bye, Jayden. See Anyone need a break or are we good to go? Members of the board, anybody need a little bit a little break or are we good to go? No, cuz we'll be here forever. >> Okay, 8B. Ms. Stacia. Thank you. This afternoon I had the privilege to be at Hosea in their comprehensive um work um and looking at instruction. I presented this information to you at the work session. Tonight I'm presenting Hosea's um plan for their CLSD grant. The grant was awarded to them by the state. Um thanks to Dr. Adams. She's up there. In their work they hope to lead um and I've shared this before um in classroom supports. And so they would really love professional um consultants and learners to come in and model the new

135resource. Um and so what I'm presenting to you tonight is funded entirely through this grant. Um and you had the invoice attached. Are there any questions? I move to approve. Thank you. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Okay, if there are none Ms. Williams. Yes. Ms. Miller. Yes. Ms. Chesney. Yes. Ms. Kearns. Yes. Ms. Lanning. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. Thank you. And the motion passes, all approved. 8C. Is it also you, Stacia? No, that's Dr. McKinnon. That is me. I'll go ahead. So the CSIP was presented at the work session. We made just a couple of minor tweaks. So one of them was a goal that we had reading proficiency and we also had a chronic absenteeism piece that was all combined into one goal and we broke

136that up into two separate goals. So there's a reading proficiency goal. We also drilled that down to grades K through eight or sorry, K through three. And then we took out the chronic absenteeism and made that a separate goal just to have those two separate focuses and that's all in alignment with Senate Bill 681. But I'd be happy to answer any questions. I move to approve. I second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All right, if there are none, would you call the vote, please? Ms. Williams. Yes. Ms. Miller. >> Yes. Ms. Chesney. Yes. Ms. Kearns. Yes. Ms. Lanning. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. And the motion passes, all approved. Mr. Casey. No. Yes. Negative. Here you go. All right, this is for uh a change order on the roof

137project at Lindbergh Elementary. Um what this is is the is the to remove the cupola on top of the building, which is the giant center mass that sticks above. Um originally when that building was built, that is designed for air intake into the building with the original old house air fan systems, uh which are all no longer used and abandoned. Uh the reason I'm coming with this change order is once we were got access to get up to it in the past, due to the shape or due to the uh slate shingles, we've not been able to get to it. Um once we got up there, um it's made of wood. You can put your hand through it. It's very soft and rotten. >> Casey, talk as loud as you can. I still can't hardly

138hear you. Do you want to start over or you good? >> No, I'm just keep going. So this is removal of the cupola. Uh the the very top of it was very soft and and rotten. Um so we we went ahead and moved forward with the removal of it. Um currently they are in the process of adding all of the scaffolding, which is a large amount of the cost. Uh the removal of the the cupola is about is it is $37,800. Um this also includes all of the material that uh to to put new rafters in underneath it. Um but ultimately the cost to refurbish to replace it is exceeds that amount tremendously. So this is to remove it. We'll resheet over it once we're done. And shingle right over top of it and it

139will no longer be there. So I hear you say this is a cost-effective time to do it. Is it necessary to do it? It is very necessary to do it. Well then I make the motion we approve. I have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? Who's seconding it? Whitney. Okay, sorry. I didn't see you. No, you're good. All right, I have a motion and a second. Will you call the vote, please? Ms. Williams? >> Yes. Ms. Miller? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Lanning? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And the motion passes. All approved? Okay. Um I had sent all of you the MSBA policy revisions and updates about a month ago. Hopefully you all looked at them. There were um minor changes to some of them, mostly updates

140on um the address of our district building. But other than that, everything else um the administration said they all looked fine. So I'm here to present them for a motion to approve. I move. I have a motion for approval. Is there a second? I'll second it. Thank you. Ms. Williams? Yes. Ms. Miller? Yes. Ms. Chesney? Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Lanning? Yes. Ms. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And the motion passes. All approved? Mr. Crowl? I think that was yours. Oh, was it? >> Yeah, you asked for it to be Oh, yeah. Um I had asked is got Mark's name on it. Oh. I thought he was going to speak to it, too. Oh, no, you're fine. Um at the beginning of the month, I had attended a meeting with NEA admin and MS

141TA. And I know that there were concerns about about the policy, about the bereavement policy. Um just about if I remember correctly, if the staff attends a funeral of a student on behalf of the district or their building and then also adding a niece or a nephew in the policy. I know that already in the school year that the staff's attended a funeral of a couple of our students and they've used their own time in order to do so on behalf of the district. And I know that that was a concern of theirs, and so um I was asked if I could bring this to the board as an informational item as a possibility of a revision. Am I missing anything from that conversation, Mr. Crowl or Dr. Dr. McGinness? No. What do you guys

142think about that? >> if we could table that tonight. One, it's a little hard to hear, and secondly, I think we're all getting tired. And we just take that at one of the future times we're together. Yeah, we can talk I make a motion we table. I'll second it. Well, well because it's an informational item, it doesn't Okay. Well It doesn't need a motion, anything like that. >> take a vote, I'm okay with >> Just if you're just able to look at the information. Cuz I know that it was really it was really a big deal, you know, to them. And so I would like us And is there a is there a recommendation on a change to it? Yes, in order to add niece or nephew as you're excused. Cuz if you look at

143the policy, it's like it's your immediate family and we revised it a year or two ago, you know, to include like an aunt or an uncle. And they're asking to include like a niece or nephew also to the policy, and then to get an idea of a way to approve a leave if a member of the district attends the funeral of a student. So I still I still kind of support a table of this because I would I would like to talk about it more fully. Right. Um because >> also ask them to come and speak. Well, and and and I don't even Yeah, sure, if they want to. But I do think that if we have a student that passes away, we should not be rigid in how we allow them to to leave.

144And I think they're adults, they can, you know, at the building level, you know, they can determine how that happens. I know >> Right. I've had that happen. Um it it should be rare. I think it is rather rare, but we have a very large district. Um so I think if we can accommodate those staff as much as possible, I'd like to see us do that. But I I do think being able to talk about it at the next meeting, I would like to do. Perfect. If everyone's okay with that, we can move on. Okay, the next one are the board notes. Again, it's late and we still have closed. I know a lot of us have attended a conference over the weekend and we can get into that later. I haven't even looked at

145my notes, anything like that. Is everybody Yeah, I think that's good idea, too. I'm really anxious to hear about your session you did, but again, well, another time. Yes. Okay, cool. Um future meetings are listed on the agenda. Is there a motion to adjourn into executive session? Yes. Yes, I make that motion. Go ahead and read it, Tom. I need you to read the little thing. Oh, then I don't make it. No, I'm just kidding. I won't. Adjourn to executive session pursuant to 610.021 closed meetings and closed records for one legal, three hiring, disciplining, or promoting of particular employees, and 13 individually identifiable personal records. The motion is there. Is there a second? I'll second it. Sorry. Ms. Williams? Yes. Ms. Miller? Ms. Miller? Ms. Chesney? Yes. Ms. Kearns? Yes. Ms. Lanning? Yes. Ms. Mr.

146Mr. Well, this meeting is adjourned. To know if you have