June 23, 2025 Board of Education Meeting

001Good evening everyone. I call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. Miss Donna. Miss Lanny, here. Mr. Richmond here. Mr. Moore here. Miss Chzn here. Miss Williams here. Miss Miller. What's so It's usually Mr. Miller. That's true. And Miss Jennifer here. I'll stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. As there are no recognitions, right? There are none. Okay. Audience participation. Jeff Leak. All right. Thank you for another opportunity to speak here. Uh I know the long range planning uh update is tonight and there's going to be a lot of lot made of whatever that entails. Um, I just wanted to share a few thoughts with

002that of what I would like to see. And if if I was selling this product to the community, I would have like I would have came to the community showing how the value in it, showing how it's worked, how showing how consolidating our elementary schools have increased performance in attendance, how it's lowered discipline issues. That's what I'd like to show them. I don't know if we can show them that. I don't know. Looking at the past 20 years of what we've done. Has that happened? You know, I've argued I argued against closing Lake and I and the argument for closing it was it wasn't safe because you couldn't get there when the trains went through. And then I said, "You can go down 759." And then a few years later when they opened it, I

003said, "Well, what about the trains?" And they said, "Well, you can go down 759." They used my argument to open it back up for early childhood. So it makes the community feel like how much thought is put into everything? Are we thinking of the absolute? Are we doing our due diligence? Are we we trying to think of what what's all the different angles on things? Um my goal for elementary schools is this and this is simple. Wherever you want to go, whenever you move to our town or move within our town, the only question that should come about is or the only concern is is we're going to have to buy new shirts. We're just going to have to buy new shirts. We're going to change colors. There's no drop in the value of of

004education. I challenge the board on whatever the long range plan is. Let's put something in there that say we're going to balance free and reduce lunch across the district. And it can be done. and it can be done much better than it is now. Uh Lesie Liche, who was on the long range committee with me, said something on Facebook the other day. It says, "If you call yourself ugly enough, eventually that's all anyone else will see." I believe we have been our own worst enemy on our long range planning, on our facilities. I could have taken my children anywhere and I chose to stay here. It's because I'm in the buildings all the time and I see all the good things that happen. But other people who are not in those buildings all the time

005do not. We need to do a better job of letting the community know, letting the area know that there are there are so many good things that go on here. And and I think this this whatever I I'm all for building new facilities. I'm all for upgrading, retrofitting, whatever. But a new home will not fix a broken marriage. And I I challenge will the new facilities help? They could, but they're not the magic pill for all our issues. We have making made great strides in from environment to staffing and we have a long way to go. I challenge the the staffing issue. I've been here speaking about how to keep more staff for 10 plus years with previous superintendents telling me, "Hey, if they don't like it, they can go down the road." That's where

006we lost our staffing. And now we're we're we're receiving the dividends of that attitude. Um I could go on talking forever, but um this community wants to help. This community, the people I talk to want to move forward and they want to support. The reason that we stall all the time and want to go back to the drawing board is because for the most part all the plans that have been given have been about this asking the same thing just in a little bit different way. So our differences we all want what's best for for students. My my belief is different than what others are. But respect others views on that. And if you're going to come to something, you need to educate them on how it's better. It can't be, "Trust us, we know

007what's best. We know what's best for you." It needs to be this is going to help attendance here. This is going to help student performance. This is going to help achievement. Or it also needs to be when we did this, it didn't work last time. When we when we closed Lake, moved to Hosier. when we closed Humbult, moved to R or moved to uh Lindberg, but we're going to do it different this time. We're going to do it this way. And our sixth grade, seventh grade issue, and I'm over our sixth grade, seventh grade issue, that was all brought upon because we were too afraid to do the right thing. That's a self-inflicted wound right there. Um, I know I'm over time. I'll leave it at that. we can do better and this community wants

008to move forward. It just might not want to move forward in the way that a certain small portion of the community wants to move forward and I hope that we respect that as we move on. Thank you. I appreciate your comments, Mr. Lee. Thank you. Okay. Approval of the agenda. We have some changes to the agenda. Mark Farrell, our director of human resources, has asked to have items 5F, updated job descriptions, and item 8 I, activities director job description removed from the agenda. Board members, your agendas reflect all of these. Um, also Latana Williams, our board president, asked to have item 8F, SJSD professional learning plan 2526 and item 8G, curriculum revisions 2526 move to items 9A and B respectively. With all other items moving down, she also asked for item 5F, externship experience grant.

009Move to item 8 I and the agendas at the workstation reflect all that. Yes. Yes. The audience has the agenda that was posted. The agenda that the board members have reflects those changes. So, do you need to approve the agenda as presented or approve as amended? Approve it. I make a motion to approve as amended. Thank you, Whitney. Is there a second? I'll second. Thank you, Mike. Any discussion? If not, let's call the vote, please. Well, I have one thing. Could you post the new agenda online, I guess, like after the meeting? Yes. Yes. We'll get I once I pull those in, Kevin will update it, it'll show up on the screen. Okay, perfect. And it'll be online as well. Okay. Now, the vote, please. Okay. Miss Williams? Yes. Miss Miller? No. Miss Chosny, yes.

010Miss Curts, yes. Miss Lanny, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Mr. Rich, yes. And the motion passes consent agenda. Is there a motion for approval? Thank you, Whitney. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Jennifer said that right. Okay. Any discussion? All right. If not, would you call the vote, please? Mr. Richmond, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams. And the motion? Yes. Yes. And the motion passes 70. admin reports. Um, I don't have anything. You don't have anything? Okay, I will be super brief. I just wanted to let everyone know we ended summer school last Wednesday. We had a high count of 3,13 kids on the highest point. And then we ended last Wednesday with 2,687 students. So, it's about a hundred less kids than

011what we had last summer for enrollment. And Katie is still working on those final numbers. And then the only other piece would be professional learning. We have a lot of professional learning going on right now for our teachers. Everything from assessment to success Ready Students Network. So, you've probably seen some pictures on social media. Lots of staff are engaging in that professional learning. So, I just want to take an opportunity to say thank you again for approving that career ladder start time. So, I know they've been able to take advantage of that as well. So, that's all for me. I'll be speaking to some of the items in a little bit. Any questions? Thank you, Dr. McGinness. Okay, Dr. Seagris. Yes. Uh, first thing 2526 budget. Um, you've had this for a little over a

012month uh to take a look at. There are a few small changes. Um, ironically, the budget I'm bringing you tonight uh is is slightly better. Um, actually has a slight surplus to it of $258,000. Um, few notes and I've told you that uh we've tried to give you a very conservative budget here. Um, important to understand that we still don't have an approved budget from the state. uh that's waiting the governor's signature. Uh he has till June 30th to do that. Um so we are operating off some of the numbers that Bessie has given us but we have uh we've gone below that number for the SAT and for Prop C um as far as our assess valuation and I go back one of the reasons we have tried to be very conservative that have

013talked about u is in case that there would be withholdings later on. Uh we just got an email last week from DESIE. Uh the 6760 number that they've given us all year long for this year uh is being reduced to 6750. And Miss Mill, I see you chuckling because we've talked about this and the reasons giving given were because revenues were down u in gaming, lottery, and cigarettes. Um, so I just food for thought there that if you would all game more, smoke more, and uh buy more lottery tickets, uh, that would have fully funded that. So and yes, that's my shot at Missouri finance and school education there. So um, so we've been, uh, gone low on that. For cess valuation, our last five years, our assess valuation has averaged a 2.23% increase. We

014used 2% so we were conservative there as well. Um we've talked a lot about our decreased enrollment which impacts our funding u from 1920 to this school year. We've gone from 10,718 students to 9,979. I predicted that this would be the really tough year. The fiscal 25 would be the year that we would struggle because of that loss of pre-COVID ADA. Uh but we've done a pretty good job of riding out that storm. Also, we still don't know on a lot of federal funding allocations. Uh so we're making best guess on those expenditures. I think we've done a pretty good job. Uh they were built with the 1.17 salary increase that you improved. Um other areas we did a pretty good job of keeping either flat or actually we had some slight decreases u in

015a few areas that um we've been working hard to try to try to get under under wraps. So, um, at the end, fund balance is estimated to be at 20.3%. Uh, which is within our board policy guidelines. Um, you may wonder why this year we're projected to be at a 25.26%, but we're going to have a surplus and our percent will go down. Well, it's because your budget is larger. It's all about a percent of your fund balance. So, um, so happy to answer any questions there. Again, kind of joked said I don't know how this is to present a budget with a surplus. I've never done it before, but I'm glad that we could give you a slight surplus. You're matching my confusion. So, can you explain? So, the surplus is 258 and the

016fund balance is 20%. The the overall budget is larger. So, does the 258 counted in into the fund balance? Yes. Okay. Yes. Are there any additional questions? All right. If not, not I would ask for a motion to approve the fiscal 26 budget. So move. Thank you, Whitney. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Kim. Almost got it. All right. Would you call the vote, please? Miss Williams? Yes. Miss Miller? Yes. Miss Chzn? Yes. Miss Karns? Yes. Miss Lanny? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. The motion passes. 70. Okay. Next, uh the Eminem sir tax. Um the Eminem sir tax. Um I'm going to try to give you a very brief description what that is. Basically uh it's replacement tax on commercial real estate uh on revenue that is lost uh due to some

017uh revisions of Missouri statutes years ago. The revenue we receive from that we can place it into whichever fund we want to. We have traditionally placed that in fund two. Um because we've had a large number of capital uh projects this year, we're needing to move some money to fund four. We're limited each year uh by statute that we can only move 7% from our operating to our uh our fund for. Don't ask me where the 7% number came from. why 7%'s a magic number, but that's what our limitation is because we are finishing up quite a few HVAC projects, things like that. Uh we need to move some money to fund four. By statute, we're allowed, we've worked this with our auditors, we're allowed to go back previous years and move fund two to

018fund four in those previous years. So, this is really a procedural piece, but it does need board approval. And really what it is is it allows us to amend where that money was uh put into over the last four years. So I would ask um take any questions you might have. I know that's a lot of uh convoluted information there, but really this is a procedural piece uh for us just to move that money to fund four uh to be able to take care of those capital purchases. And then it needs board approval. So you're going to take 2.8 from 2 to 4 and Is that's going to be reflected on this year's budget that will show a balance. It will make a balance then in fund force. We're able to fund everything in fund.

019So when we finish so on 6:30 we'll finish with that there and then we'll start over with that new amount or will this or it'll be enough to fund everything we've done this year in fiscal 25? Yes. And then when will it actually happen? Like after we approve this? After you approve it, it happen. It's just quickly. Okay. Robert, I have a couple of questions. Um, you're actually talking about moving almost $14 million, right? Yes. And the question I have is what's that going to do to fund two? Fund two is a pretty important it it doesn't create any issues because because fund two can be funded through fund one as well. Fund two doesn't have to have a rolling balance in it for example or it doesn't have we just have to have enough

020in fund two to make the teacher payments at the end of the year and there is no limitation of 7% moving from fund one to fund two. Yeah. The the question I have relative to that is we made a nice move recently with the um salary increases for teachers and then this year a more modest change. Um you know I it seems like that we're going to have on the horizon a time that we're going to want to um increase that a little more, get a little higher in the um you know in comparison to what other districts are doing. Will we will that leave us room to do that? you your ability to do that moving forward is going to be based a lot on assessed valuation uh increases there because or unless you

021would run some sort of levy uh because um I mean we put that that 59.5 cents last year in you're going to have that in your operating moving forward as well. So you're going to be in pretty good shape um for a couple of years there. Um, as far as as being able to make those large large gains, again, I don't know, we've made some pretty good gains over the last three or four years. Um, Gabe may want to chime in on that a little bit, too. But, um, I I just want I just want you to make sure that you understand the fund two, we don't have to worry about what's in fund two. um this piece that we're going back to and and and moving this to the Eminem fund for some districts

022will even put a small levy in their fund for every year to fund that. Uh I think Lee Summit maybe does that a little bit uh just so they can keep their fund for built up. We haven't done the number of capital projects over the year that that's been an issue for us. Um so Dr. Hedgeforth and I visited quite a bit about this as well. So he's familiar with what we're doing here and and he's he's uh clued into what what's going on with the board. Yeah. And that one thing that I would say is that he's exactly right. Fund one and two are cyclical. They work together. Um a lot of school districts don't even call it fund two. They just operate everything out of fund one. Jenny and Katie will laugh at

023this, but when I first got here, we had nine funds. And so the confusion is a lot better today than what it was before. Um, so it it's not going to affect anything in the future. The revenue that you get from the state of Missouri and the revenue that you get from assessed valuation is going to drive what you're asking. Okay? So nothing that's happened in the past or this is not going to affect it in a negative way. You're in a good spot right now. Um, but there's no guarantee it's so revenue is going to drive all of that. And if if the if the state comes through with what their increase in the SAT is this year, that that will put you in a good position as well. Yeah. Any additional questions? If

024not, is there a motion? Thank you, Kim. Is there a second? I'll second it. Thank you, Ronda. You can call the vote, please. Mr. Richmond. Yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams, yes. And the motion passes. 70. Okay, Dr. Se. All right. Uh financials at through the end of May. Um 91.7% of the fiscal year is completed and so uh you can see our operating is at 86%. Uh so we're in good shape there. Our expenses are up 17.3 million this year from last year. And again, the broken record salaries and benefits and our capital projects were the majority, the bulk of that is revenues. The state is down 5.7 million. Again, broken record. It's due to our loss of of ADA, the pre-COVID

025numbers. Uh but our tax revenues are up 5.8 million and that's because of the Prop C waiver uh and because of increase in assess valuation. Um the healthcare trust um you can see uh with the investments and everything at the end of May uh the healthc care trust has just a little bit over 6.9 million in it uh that's down slightly from April about 350,000 from April but it is up uh from May of 248 $87,000 so it is uh it is in a good space right now. Um, I did share a little bit more information with you at your tables. Um, that I was able to get this today. Sometimes I'm not able to get it to later in the month. Our total medical plan uh for the year through May is running at

026a funding ratio of 102.5%. So has a deficit of $367,000 this year. Uh we've talked a lot about the three different plans. Uh especially the EPO. The EPO is running at 152% with a deficit of almost 1.7 million. The PO is running at a claims ratio of 106% with a deficit of just under 300,000. And the HSA, excuse me, is running at 74% uh with a surplus of 1.6 million. One thing I shared on there for you uh just to give you a little more light into those three different plans. Uh the PEPM that's a industry term per employee per month how much the cost of that plan is uh you can see the EPO is 163670 a month through the end of May. Uh the uh the PO is,27 and then the HSA is

027695. So um we've discussed and and and a lot about how long we're going to be able to maintain that EPO. Again, we'll have some additional funding uh from employees next year on that. Um but the cost of that plan is just it's gotten awfully expensive. Are we still offering that to new people to come on board? We are next year. Yes, the board passed that with uh uh the the amounts that the employee is paying is going up considerably. Are there any additional questions? If they're all none, I'll take a motion for approval, please. Thank you, Kim. Is there a second? All. Thank you, Tom. You can call the vote, please. Miss Williams? Yes. Miss Miller? Yes. Miss Jersey? Yes. MS? Yes. Miss Lanny? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. And passes 70.

028Okay, Dr. All right, one last thing. Um, before I get to that, if you'll indulge me for a little bit this last time, I might get an open mic here. So, um, I just have a couple things I want to say. Um, say thank you to the board, staff, students, community for allowing me to serve them during my 31 years. Um, it's been a great ride. As I just stated, it's important to emphasize I want to thank the community. My wife and I first moved to St. Joseph in 1989 to attend Missouri Western. Essentially been here ever since. We grew up 15 miles away, so this has always been our community. Community, it's an interesting word when you think about it. But what does it really mean? By definition, it means a group of people

029living in the same place or having particular characteristic in common. It also means a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Common attitudes, interests, and goals. As I think of that definition, I often wonder if we truly are a community. I love St. Joseph. My wife and I love St. Joseph, we chose to spend our lives here, raise our family here, invest our blood, sweat, and tears here. But just like anything or anyone you love and care about, you also worry about them. And my worry for St. Joseph is ground in nothing but a true desire to see it be the amazing place that the amazing people that live here deserve. And I fear it never will because by definition, we're not truly a community. We have

030several distinct communities. distinct communities that can't seem to find enough common ground to move us all in the same direction. I'm convinced that people who are committed to their own subcommittee do it from a good place. But nevertheless, if the ores are rowing in different directions, the boat isn't going to move forward in any one of those directions. In talking about this with a friend, I think it comes from a thought process that's a little bit unique to St. Joseph. It's a normal desire to want things to be better for your child or your grandchildren, etc. I think if you ask most people, that's what they want. And I promise this is not a criticism, but I think we have so many people in St. Joseph that have great and wonderful memories of good experiences

031from their school days that their true desire is for it to be exactly the same for their children. In their minds, their experience was so outstanding. They want it to be the same, not better, the same. They want it to be the same. Unfortunately, the only thing that stays the same is change. No matter how great your experience was at a school in 1978 or how your experience at another one in 1984 or what it was in 1971, no matter how great it was, it can never be exactly the same as that experience because there will always be change. It will always be different. And ch change either happens for better or for worse. Nothing stays the same. It will change one way or the other. Again, this desire comes from a genuinely good space,

032but is inhibited to our ability to develop and grow as a community. The resistance to change doesn't stop the change. It just makes it chaotic and unorganized. But make no mistake, change still happens. And to be clear, my thoughts here are not about three high schools or four middle schools or anything that specific. It's about a larger picture for St. Joseph. It's not just our district schools. It's Missouri Western. It's our city. It's our county. I'm sure that we all can agree that 5 plus 2 equals 7, but also 4 plus 3 equals 7. Two people might disagree about the best way to get the seven. Even if they agree they need to get the seven. If they only argue about the best way and never get there, it's just spinning our wheels. I love

033the Chiefs and Andy Reid. I may not like every decision Andy makes, but at the end of the day, someone has to be trusted to make those decisions. Fortunately, as a Chiefs fan, Andy's right way more often than not. But if every decision he made had to come from a consensus of every Chiefs fan, progress will likely be very slow. Make no mistake, I get why St. Joseph is slow to trust. I get why they're slow to trust those in leadership positions to make decision because that trust was absolutely violated by bad actors in the past. Our community's trust issues are valid. But at some point, our community for us to move forward, we're going to have to trust again. decided that even though I think 5 plus two is the better way to get

034to seven, I have to trust that someone else will get us to seven by using 4 plus three. You have smart, dedicated people that are going to be taken over here. They're going to try to get you to seven. They don't benefit because it's 4 plus 3 or 5 plus two. The only way that any of us benefit is if we get to seven, just like you do, just like the community does. At some point, even though we struggle with it, we have to learn to trust again in this community or we stay in one spot, which, as I said before, doesn't happen. It gets better or it gets worse. To wrap up, I've truly been blessed and I'm thankful for the opportunity I've had to serve this community. The most beautiful gift I've ever

035been afforded in life is because of grace and faith. A big part of grace and faith is trust. You have people in place that are worthy of your trust. It's my sincere hope that we collectively find the ability to trust once again so that we can truly be a community. Being a successful community depends on it. Four final words: grace, faith, trust, community. Thank you. With that, I'd ask for a motion to approve the bills as presented. So move. Second. my discussion with L. So nice job. [Applause] Thanks for your Dr. Se on behalf of the board of education. It's been an honor to serve you, please. Miss Williams, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Lanny, yep. Mr. Moore, yes. Mr. Richmond, yes. And the motion passes. Zero. Mr. Crow.

036All right. Well, I got to follow that. Um, I'm presenting to you our personnel report. It was attached in assembly. I've also given you copies of the supplemental report, both for approval. I will direct you to page two and three. Um there are a few things in there about replacing contractual paras. Um this year we have decided to um limit contractual paras through a supplemental company um to for those that have worked a certain number of hours. And really the reasoning behind this um was the increasing cost of this company. Plus, we've had some paras complain um or have concerns about not getting sick days because they don't get sick days through their supplemental company. If they don't work, they don't get paid. The same with snow days. Um they do not get paid on

037those days. So, um that's why you will see several of those that are on the list. How much I meant from a financial standpoint, Dr. Anderson, this was a fantastic idea on your part. Uh these people are still allowed. They can remain with the uh company we contract with. It's just that if they're going to work in the district for more than the year, then they have to become one of our employees. And so, um you know, it's we've talked a lot about the rising cost of of contracted services. Um it's been uh something that we've been trying to find a way to stem the tide towards that. Um this is a good step in that way and it also and it also makes those people it allows those people to be our employees so

038that they can also receive those benefits just like Mark talked about. Uh it takes that middleman out u that's not benefiting them financially. It's not benefiting us financially. So um so kudos Dr. Anderson, fantastic idea to go to this. Uh, financially, we'll find a way maybe to stem that tide a little bit. So, was this a company that I questioned you? Did I send you an email on the SHC company that we pay on the monthly bills? Um, SHC supplemental healthcare. Yes. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Yes. Perfect. Thank you for answering my question. There any additional questions? If there are none, is there a motion for approval? Thank you. Jennifer, please. Miss Williams. Yes. Miss Miller. Yes. Miss Chley. Yes. Miss Karns. Yes. M. Lenny. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. Mr. Richmond. Yes. Motion passes 70.

039Okay, Dr. There you go. I'm already here. Ready to go. So, the first item on the action item is therapy at school contract. This is an annual renewal that we have for physical therapy, occupational therapy services, and actually one SLP that we contract through a company. Um, as you know, we have an approved um, list of vendors that we have to utilize to provide services for special education students to meet their IEP needs. This company we have contracted with for several years now. We're very pleased with their services and so we would like to continue on with them because finding a um, occupational therapist or physical therapist is almost impossible. So, we do have some on contract with us, but finding enough to meet the needs of our students is impossible. So, um, if you

040have any questions, I'm happy to answer those at this time. If not, I would I have a motion for approval. Is there a second? That's going to be Rhonda. Sorry, Maya. Any discussion or questions at this time? If there are none, would you call the vote, please? Mr. Richmond, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Lanning. Yes. MS. Yes. Miss Chzn. Yes. Miss Miller. Yes. Miss Williams. Yes. So the motion passes. Ev next is also yours. Yes. Um this is an amendment to the huddle up speech language therapy contract that I actually brought last month. Um since I brought that contract, we have lost four SLPAS or SLPs mainly due to family moves. So, please know it wasn't because they were unhappy with our district, so to speak, but their families were transferred or they had other issues

041that they had to relocate for. So, um we are concerned because as I've stated before, the um unemployment rate of SLPs is less than 1% nationwide. It is very difficult in Northwest Missouri, um and really nationwide to find SLPs to service our students in schools. And so, Huddle Up is the company that we utilize for virtual therapies. So, we would like to propose an amendment to that contract to add two more virtual therapists to make sure that we can provide those services when we start school. Um, do you have any questions? I have a motion. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Any discussion or questions? What do you rate the additional cost? Um, yes. So, it was actually on that contract um two the minimum fee is $244,91.71 and this is a requirement. It

042is required that we provide these services. If we don't have anyone to service them, then we have to make up compensatory services or hire other additional individuals. So this is really our best option in the options that we have. I was getting the best way to put it. Are there any additional questions? Reference to like what it's being paid out of. I'm I'm assuming it's getting paid out of special education and then the contact the encounters increase the revenue so it pays for itself. Okay. That's all I needed. That's all I needed. Any additional questions? There are none. Let's call the bill, please. Miss Williams, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Mr. Richmond, yes. And the motion passes. Evan Zero. Okay, next one. Last one.

043So, this is the nurse supervisor for special services that I presented last month or LA couple weeks ago at the board work session um for you to look over. I did make some modifications after talking with you guys and taking some feedback that the direct supervisor will be the coordinator of health services since it will be a nurse. So Tammy will supervise them. I will just provide um some guidance on how things need to work for the Medicaid billing and that is the only change that we made. I have a motion to second. Thank you. All right. Any discussion? And if there are none, I'll take a vote, please. Mr. Richmond, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams, yes. And the motion passes. Thank

044you. Zero. Thank you, Dr. Anderson. Hello. Hello. Good evening. Uh so you have before you the refugee children's school goal impact grant and so basically that is a program to have our ELD specialist um conduct afterchool activities for our students. So in the elementaryaries that looks like STEM and math activities that are springboard then for speaking and writing which are two areas that we need to improve and then in 612 they'll do something with art and then that will be a springboard for speaking and writing. So, if you do not have any questions, then I would ask for approval to apply for that grant. Okay, I have a motion. Is there a second? Thank you. I have a motion in a second. Kim and Jennifer. Any discussion or questions? The project date. So, you're when

045when do you when are you going to apply? The pro I just saw the project. They have to apply by July 1. And then if it gets awarded, how long does it is it? We have all year, all school year to go to the schools to Oh, okay. to use that money. That's all. Any discussion or questions? If not, we should call the vote, please. Miss Williams. Yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Tresnney, yes. Miss Kurts, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Richmond, Mr. Richmond. I have to do it at least at least once for me. Come on. The motion passes 70. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, Dr. McInness. Okay. I am here to present the alternative methods application that goes to the state. So on assembly we have the AMI plan and we

046have this application. You would be approving this application that goes to the state. I think most of you know we have a requirement of 169 days in our school calendar. We have exactly 169 days planned for next year. So what this allows us to do is provide instruction and support virtually. So that can be done through Google Classroom, Google Docs or last year we created some paper packets and that way if we had families who did not have internet and they could just store that away and then when we had an AMI day, a snow day, then they could utilize that. So in this application, we have added in a five-day window so that if a family doesn't have power or internet, it would give them a little bit of time to complete that work.

047I don't know exactly if the state will approve that, but I'm hoping that they will. That's what we put in there last year and they approved it. Um, so what this will do basically is allow us not to make up those inclement weather days. If we don't approve this tonight, then we would be tacking on days at the end of the year um or potentially having to make up days over spring break. This allows us to have 36 hours of AMI. So, we plan on using that six days for six hours. And so, if we do go over that six days of inclement weather, we would still be looking at making up days, which would be over spring break is where we would start. So, it is a benefit for our staff. We do allow

048our staff who can complete their jobs at home to do that virtually on those days. Of course, maintenance, they can't really do their jobs from their homes. Um, so but they do appreciate when people are not in the buildings so they can move snow and throw down ice melt and things like that. So the other piece I wanted to add, I know last year or the year before you all had approved for hourly staff to get paid for three days. We wouldn't need to do that on this because we would be giving them tasks to complete at home and that's what we did this year. So everyone would get paid on those days. I think it's a win-win. But I'd be happy to take any questions. So, we had the 3 days. It was the

0493-day reference was not in a policy. It was in the handbook. Right. Right. And so, that we took that out, I believe. So, at the employee handbook. Yes. Okay. And then last time we talked, I know this is not entirely on the topic, but it's on the handbook. Um, last time we talked about the handbook and removing the crayons to computers, and then we had talked briefly about approving that, but that's not on this agenda. Can we can we at least get it back to see what it is now? You know what I'm saying? Like Yeah, I know what you're talking about. Um I believe that was taken off of the employee handbook. We would have to look. It's anformational item, so we don't even need board approval to make that change. At the last

050meeting though, I had mentioned bringing it back to to approve it as anformational item because it has staff pay information in it and I thought we were going to do that but we didn't do that. So at at least can we see the final version of it? That comes out of HR or can you send that out? Yep. Any questions about what does AMI a do to our attendance? It allows them to be counted present. And so as long as they either complete an assignment online or if they turn in their packet when they go to school or if they check in with a counselor um then they are counted present for attendance. So it is I will tell you our AMI days are much better than a 5050 weather day. Okay. Much better. Just

051curious about that. any additional I just you may not be able to answer the session but did you have pretty good response to children turning in the packets I'd say the packets yes I I think it's better at elementary than it is at secondary it's a lot like our attendance better at elementary than it is at secondary early learning has kind of some choice boards on there that are a little bit more inter interactive Ive it's not replacing a teacher in a classroom by any means, but it is something that allows learning to continue on those inclement weather days and still count us present so that we don't have to make up those days. We we try to take in like keep in consideration that parents may be working and may not be able to

052be right there with their child making sure that they're doing that assignment. So there's always a little flex in there if they come to school and need support. But I would say probably a better percentage um of of checking in at the elementary level compared to secondary. Do they just get one packet that lasts all year or do you send packets periodically? So we sent a a batch like day one, day two, day three. Um and we have links online. So if it's easier for families to get that online, they're not accessible right now, I don't believe. If they are, they're probably from last year's assignment. So that's why we don't approve the plan so that we can it's it's a wide document, a working document so we can upload those lessons. We did find

053it very beneficial to keep the lessons for elementary consistent. So those have been created thanks to our instructional coaches and they're all on there. So that way a first grader at Hosia is getting the same lesson as a first grader. So high school's a little bit different, middle school as well, but there's a lot of consistency in the elementary. Because I was just thinking when the packets go home and we don't have a snow day for two months, I think about some of the children I have, they would have no idea where that packet was because they moved three or four times from the time they got the packet till the snow day actually occurred. So that's why wondering if they get sent home maybe not the same packet but one, you know, I was

054just curious for those children who are very mobile. Yeah, we handed them to parents at parent teacher conferences. So, I think that was um a good strategic move to make sure they get in those hands rather than putting them in a backpack and then throwing away. But we did have positive feedback on that. That way, if they want to get online and see the packet of learning, they can or they can have a paper copy. And I know that the kids I know that at the schools that my kids attended at the Bartlett Center, I know that a majority of them we knew that the weather was going to come and the schools would give them out again if need be. So I mean it wasn't like only at the beginning of the year. It

055was your only option. I mean it was it was also like as needed to and I thought that was helpful. Thank you. So my only question is why are we changing the communication software platform? Well, we had talking points this year. This might get into Jake Kelly. Are you in the room? Yeah. So he's trying to hide. That didn't go as well as we had hoped this year. And so we are switching to a platform called Parent Square. Our principles are actually going to have learning on that tomorrow. Um, and so Jake, you want to give any reason as to why we're switching? Um, we we had several of complications and difficulties with talking points. Um, and Parent Square allows us to do more. Um, we're joining be able to join our district communication and

056our parent communication. So like the snow day messages and all that that goes out from one platform and then all the stuff from the school goes out in another one. We can consolidate all of that into parent square. So that'll be a benefit to to our families and it'll give teachers another option of like a I don't want to call it a a Facebook type page but for them to post like things the kids are doing in class that the parents can then see that's private to that group of parents in that class. So just allows them to share out more things to their parents. So it it'll be a good change in it. Thank you. Any additional questions? All right. If there are none, I'll take a motion. Thank you. Is there a second?

057Second to confirm. K, you can call the vote, please. Mr. Richmond, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Lanning, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams, yes. And the motion passes 70. Okay, Dr. Gilman. Yes. Um, this is the job description that I spoke to a couple weeks ago and we did make a few modifications. It is the position that will replace the employee from LTN Global and so we added um more with more to with communications as well as a technician and so I just asked for an approval to post this job position for a media technician, sports marketing and communication. I want to clarify we did make a change to who they were going to report to. it was our secondary director, but they'll report to our communications director now.

058Um, and we also added um the length of term will be a 12-month position on a um professional staff salary schedule. Thank you. Have a motion. Is there a second? Motion and a second. Any discussion or questions? right next to each other. So, any discussion or questions? All right, let's vote. Miss Williams, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Lanny, yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Mr. Richmond, yes. And the motion passes. 70. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Go. Okay. So, you Dr. Seagers. Yes. Stop loss insurance renewal. Um I've shared uh this information with you a little bit the last couple weeks. We've had some continuing conversation discussion. U gotten that number just slightly better than what we had. Um if you remember last year, our increase was 12.5%. Uh the other

059two bids we received last year were for a 53 and a 57% increase. So, locked and solicited bids. Uh several companies declined a bid, said they couldn't be competitive. Um firm bids were received from Blue Cross, Symmetra, and I believe Optimum also uh had a bid, but uh it expired and it it was not as competitive either. And while the uh fixed increase Symmetra was slightly lower uh by about 19,000, Blue Cross had the lowest overall maximum increase in liability. Uh they're about $53,000 less than our maximum liability liability. Uh Blue Cross also has a lower cap rate maximum for the second year renewal. When it I say that number, it sounds crazy, but they're they're capping at 45 for next year where Symmetra's cap was at 50% for next year. Um so yes, this

060insurance is getting a little more expensive. But again, u being self-funded, we cannot uh move forward without having that stop-loss insurance. So, anything at $200,000 once we have claims over that with an individual, um that's when this insurance kicks in. Uh we've had, I believe, seven individuals who have gone over that $200,000 threshold this year. Uh we have 20 thou 20 individuals who are at 100,000 or more. Um so, um we've done pretty good. Actually, our numbers have been really good and that's part of why our rates are going up is because uh the industry doesn't expect us to continue to remain below what the book of business is. And so u so our recommendation recommendation from Lockton u well also I mentioned this last time we did look at changing our deductible. uh they

061ran what's called a Monte Carlo uh where they evaluated 200,000 a 225,000 and a 250 and 61% of the time the $200,000 uh deductible still was the most beneficial to us from a liability standpoint. So this will be an increase of about $311,000 for next year. Uh but that will be funded through the healthcare trust. Uh and again as you heard earlier tonight we're in good shape there with that. So, uh, the recommendation from Lockton and and for me is accept the proposal from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Is this So, is a 311 increase already in the budget that we just approved? Yeah. So, moved. Second. Okay. Any discussion? All right. If there's call, please. Mr. Richmond. Yes. Mr. Moore. Yes. M. Lanny. Yes. M. Miss Chosy. Yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams, yes. And

062the motion passes. 70. Okay. Dr. McInness, I'll take this. Okay. Figure out how this thing works. Okay. We are presenting the job description that was discussed at the work session a few weeks ago um on the um business partner coordinator. Um there's a few changes that we have made to that. We are um asking to change the title to real world learning coordinator. I just want to preface that this is not an administrator role. Um this is an extra duty stipen. Um we believe that the revamped job description is more reflective of our current needs um based on the success rating network that we are entering with a partnership across the state. Um the other change that we are asking for um is to include the extra extra duty pay to be each semester versus

063the entire school year. What is the what is on 76? Yeah, it is. It's category one. Depends on which step you're on, but it it starts out at 7223 per semester. Per semester. questions or discussion. I'd just like to throw out kind of the the maybe an opportunity that's here with this position to tie deeply into Hillyard Tech and and uh be able to give the district feedback on on how let's see how we identify uh you know students with a high potential for success there. And so I don't know exactly what that looks like in a job description, but I I would expect that uh that could be a good opportunity for us. Yeah. It's just going to give our our students the opportunity to explore some careers. Yeah. Um while they're in high

064school to see if they're interested in it before they pursue it. For sure. M Why did you change the title to the real world? Because I'm thinking the outside world won't know what that means. Why did you change the title? Good question. It's very in line with the Success Ready Students Network. And so that's actually where that came from. We we have a pilot that's happening right now at Benton High School and they have um career speakers coming in. They're doing some career exploration. They're doing some resume building. They're doing interviews, mock interviews. They're going to different businesses. And so we want to expand that to the three high schools. That's really what this position is doing. We don't have enough spots at Hillyard for all of our kids, but we do want to connect

065them to real world opportunities. So, if a kid is interested in being a landscaper, then we're connecting them with a landscaper to see is that really something I want to do. So, they they have an opportunity to job shadow a little bit, talk to that person. And so, this position would be the connector between a student at a school and a business, trying to find a connection there. Um, so it is very much real world uh trying to put kids in a position to where they'll be successful after high school. Some of our kids don't know what they want to do when even when they're in high school, even when they're in April of their senior year. And so we just want to provide opportunities to help them help them be successful after high school.

066Thank you. And I will add add to that I I think sometimes business partner um kind of feels like we're reaching out to businesses to um maybe a financial donation or something like that because when I was um building a principal that's really what the partners did for us. It wasn't really a partnership to um send kids there to explore. It was more asking us what are your needs and sometimes our needs were a financial. So, we're kind of moving away from that financial aspect and more towards student needs. Thank you. Okay, there's a motion to second. Any additional questions? There are none. Would you call the vote, please? M. Miss Williams? Yes. Miss Miller? Yes. Miss Chzn? Yes. Miss Karns? Yes. Miss Lanny? Yes. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Rich? Yes. And the motion passes?

06770. Okay, Dr. McInness. Um, sure. So, I know Miss Lanning asked for this one to be full, but this everything was loaded up on assembly. This is an item that you would be approving for a grant application through the state. This would allow teachers and counselors to go to organizations and this would just do one of two things. It's either going to relieve some of the funding on our side or it's going to two provide some opportunities for those staff who do not qualify for career ladder. So, so I had asked I have a motion real quick. I have a motion. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Now discussion. So I had sent um so yes I had asked for this Well, I had said that I would pull it from consent, which is

068fine. It was moved. Um, I sent you all uh my concerns. Um, my my concerns are not about the extern externship grant. I think the externship grant is great. I think it's been wellreceived by staff. I've heard nothing but positive things. Um but including included in it is a partnership with Herszog and um I sent you all the information about all the things that Herszog has done against public education. Um and that was a snapshot of things. Um one of our board norms is serving as an advocate for public education. And I think that it's it's a hot hot thing to say of protect public education and there's an attack on public education, but rarely do we take the extra step to say what the attack is and who is attacking public education. So, um

069I'm not I'm not going to vote for anything that um kind of it feels like voting for something and partnering with Herzog ignores what they're doing statewide. Um so, I'm not going to vote for that. Um I would have liked the opportunity to um give a motion to approve this with the exclusion of Herszog, but obviously if it passes and it'll pass. Um, but I'm not going to condone or support a partnership with her. I had also emailed everybody yesterday about my concerns and my reservations along those lines and it's mainly because as you mentioned our job is to advocate and protect public education and by entering into a partnership within a company who has the foundation to do the exact opposite I think is contradictory. And then it also gives it gives a message

070to the staff and the community. I had also mentioned in my information to I gave you guys a draft resolution um to not entertain any entities along that measure as well and we can discuss that later. It is not a part of any action or evenformational you know but it will be soon. Um, I just I think that um Gabe mentioned a little bit ago and you had mentioned it in your email about the about the comments that Gabe said about advocating for public education. Um, it is extremely dire and important now to do so in other ways out of our norm. And I understand, you know, that this may make people uncomfortable, but this is also our job, you know, to protect public education. And so to enter into this agreement, including an entity

071um who does the opposite of that, I think would be um extremely hurtful to us. I want to add to that. I just want to make sure the board is clear that people, our staff, our teachers and counselors sign up for this voluntarily. We don't say you have to go to this. They they sign up because they want to go and learn about organizations in our community. It's a great opportunity for them to share with other kids. And I would say Herszog is a business partner with us. They are. Absolutely. They provide manufacturing day for our students. They provide apprenticeship opportunities. I know personally some of those kids who have gone to Herszog and now they have careers. So I understand board norms, but board norms also says put the needs of students, teachers, and

072staff first. And I would not want to take an apprenticeship opportunity away from a kid. So, but we're not but we're not talking about apprenticeship opportunities right now. But that's what they do. But but my Okay. And and I guess this is where we're going to profoundly disagree because I get Herszog can offer apprenticeships for 10, 20, 100 kids, but what they are doing to public education statewide, the the millions of dollars that they are giving to implement vouchers to um you You know, Mike Kho has taken Herszog money. Um, Governor Kho, they've put together a um task force with the explicit instructions, do not increase funding to public education. They have put school choice people from Herszog onto that committee. So, I guess for me, I am not going to be um personally dissuaded

073or have Herszog hand me uh one shiny penny while they're doing all of this in Jeff City and across the state. So I I don't have a problem with the apprenticeships. If the apprenticeships came up, you're right, those are opportunities for kids and I wouldn't take away an opportunity for kids. I would approve the apprenticeship begrudgingly, but I would approve it for kids. but all this other taking their snacks and send them all across the district. Um, sending our staff over to them to to cozy up with them. I I don't see that as right. And again, the amount that we're talking about that they're showing faced us, they gave us $10,000 last last June 9th. They gave us $10,000 and everyone jumped up and down. They'd never done it before. when two months earlier

074they spent $160,000. All this bond issue, hosia of the hosie expansion, the track, the fine arts, the stim, none of that would have happened if Herszog's money had gotten their way. They spent over $100,000 to keep that from happening. the book bands. Again, apprenticeships are nice, the snacks were nice, but that doesn't cover for the millions of dollars in the things that they're doing to public education. And and I get it. This is not a comfortable thing to talk about, but we keep saying attack on public education. Know your opponent. There's an attack on public education, but we never talk about who it is. We know who it is. They're on Riverside. I just disagree with this whole thing. I think We need to be community. We do. And we have to work together. We

075have to listen to people. We have to work with businesses in our community to move forward. And that I just feel like that is a very We also can't have on rosecolored glasses when this negativity creates this us versus them mentality. But it is it's not. Can we call the question? The millions the millions of dollars that they're spending. So, you have to make a motion to call the question and then you have to take a vote to to move on to that. We do this wrong every time. There's a motion to call the question. Could you call to take a vote to call the question? Miss Williams? No. Miss Miller? Yes. Miss Chzny? Yes. Miss Karns? Yes. Miss Lanny? No. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Richmond? Yes. Would you call the vote, please? Mr. Richmond,

076yes. Mr. Moore, yes. Miss Lanning, no. Miss Karns, yes. Miss Chzn, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Williams, no. And the motion passes. 52. Next item information. Would you please not do that? Thank you. Okay, Miss Dutter. Happy June, happy summer, happy Monday. I am here to share with you guys anformational item on our St. Joseph District uh professional learning plan. And so what you'll see here is um we spent a lot of time this year um oh gosh, providing learning for our PDC representatives. And so in the structure of the professional learning community, what we do is um we come together about once a quarter and we talk about the professional learning supports that our teachers need to move forward. Uh we worked with the RPDC Dr. Jill Watkins. And what she really challenged us

077to think about is that don't just use educator survey, look at educator survey, but also look at observations from district leaders and building leaders and then also look at student outcomes. And so it's really a triangulation of data. Are we moving together in the same as one team with that data piece? And so I just wanted to share with you kind of an outline of the professional learning for 2526. And if you look at pages two and three, you will see targeted, sustained, and contentspecific learning. And I would love to take all the ownership in this, but really the academic service team and all of the um special programs, we ensure that each um gosh, each team is represented to have the right learning. And so you'll see that outlined there. You will also see

078in there the um what we call the instructional coach team and that really helps us move the learning forward um in classroom in classrooms and in buildings. And so um you'll see that uh where we finally have the model where we have or instructional coaches we have a content specific instructional coach. So now we have one in science, math, social studies, and ELA. You'll look at the elementary structure and it'll say it's going to be based off data. And so what we do is we look at our student outcome data, which we don't have yet. I don't know. Maybe your president should put her phone down and listen to what she has to say. Maybe you need to I need you to calm down and be quiet. Can you do that? Well, I don't know.

079Can you put your phone down and listen? I'm looking at the agenda. I need you to mind your business and be quiet. Wild every time. Every time. Why do you care what I'm doing with my phone? Didn't we already discuss this? Mutter, you are under the information. You're not even looking. Okay. So, we can't I'm not able to see it. Am I just not looking in the right spot? It's the attachment there. It's not even Oh, yeah. You get the refresh. It's on there. Okay. I can do You got it, Miss Jesse. I I will here very shortly. It's okay. Okay, I got it. You got it. What's that? Absolutely. And so you'll see that instructional coach model that we have placed. Um and you'll see we're in the elementary model right now. We'll work

080with um Tabitha Keyser who will be serving in my role next year and then Dr. Adams to determine placement of our elementary instructional coaches based off data where we see needs for data and where schools need most support. The other piece that you'll find in there is the members of the PDC committee themselves. And so you'll see each building represented and then right behind that you will see the five items that the PDC committee voted on. They are all compensation for our teachers. So you'll see but they are the right systems to move teaching and learning forward. And so you'll see that the approval of item one was a mentor um compensation for our mentors in the in the piece for $500 for each mentor. Um then you will also see the um national board

081certification. Um we had 10 individuals last year go through national board certification. Many of them just finished up their portfolio one assessment in June. So we're excited to see the results of that. they won't get their results back in December. And so it was recommended by the PDC committee to um lead it with half. So we'll have six individuals go through national board um certification. They really want to see the impact like did we um support um did did most of them pass that assessment. The third item was uh funding to support the district elementary PLC leadership team. Um the approval of a stipen for the building PLC representative. um in our um discovery of other districts that compensate their PDC representatives and they spend a lot of time with me uh from 5 or

0824:15 to six o'clock um and thinking through what are the right district supports. Um and the last one was when we have teachers present learning that they're compensated fairly for the learning that they present. Now, this is anformational item and so um I will bring this back as an action item in um July. Please forward any questions or thinking that you might have after you um have gone through the document. Can I answer any questions now for you? So, what are we doing? I mean, this kind of related. So, what are we doing in July? So, July, we don't typically have a meeting. So, we're going to have a So, Is this going to be theformational part before the July? So, this is meant to be like like are we having a work session? It's

083up to you guys. Well, I just saw that this has the board meeting in July as July 23rd because we discussed it earlier in the year. We always have we have to have one in July for hiring purposes and we usually limit it to just that. It's the 28th. The 30th will serve as the work session, but this we won't see again till July 28th. Okay. We can discuss that on the 30th. Okay. Well, I feel like we talked about a lot of things that were going to be on July. Like I can't remember. I think it was a handful of HR. They're meeting like on the next meeting, but we can discuss that at the work session next on the 30th and see what we want to do. Thank you, Staca. Thank you. The

084next one's mine, too. So, I'm proud to present the um curriculum revisions. Um first of all, I just want to share that this leads to the fulfillment of our new mission statement, which is preparing students for a successful future. And so we restructured our elementary mathematics curriculum to ensure stronger um coherence and equity across our district. We updated the language u world language program um and expanded opportunities in physical education and career connected learning. Um each in each initiative is thoughtfully designed by teachers uh to meet the needs of our students and equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary for lifelong learning. And so I would be remiss not to name all these educators that have been um involved in this process. So Corey Bertini, Cali Frell, Matt Jensen, Sheldon Ferrell, um all worked

085on the physical education curriculum. And then in the world language, Jacob Lewis, Denise Debella, Abby Cruz Marabel, Karen Russell, Mark Alterman, and Eduardo Cruz Marabel for their leadership in revising and expanding our world language program. And then we also had a team at the elementary level that led the math curriculum for K5. And so as we get student back, student data back from um our state assessments, we just don't sit on it and like let it sit for another three years. We act on that and it becomes a living document. And so we took feedback from teachers. And so you'll see that Tommy Violet, Jennifer Nanaman, Kim Dilly, Courtney Wilson, Susan Harp, Erin Wilkinson, Margaret Hayne, Terresa Cordry, Denise Peters, Gabby Dval, Kelly Nelson, Kelly Rob, Sydney Survey, Christina Thomas, and Amy Wiser all partake

086um and provided some thinking on the math curriculum. How do we get that better? What how do we improve student outcomes there? And so they have really restructured and ensured that there were highcurricular materials tied to each and every standard. And so um our math curriculum was written during the time of 2020 which was the pandemic. And so it had a lot of holes in it. And so we went back through to ensure are they written in learning intentions of success criteria like do we see what students are actually supposed to learn and then the steps to getting to that process. And then we also tied a highcurricular resource to that. In the real languages we changed the name. Okay. It was listed to foreign languages and we went with world languages. That is the

087practice that's being led with Desi right now. And so it's world languages now. It'll be hopefully represented just like the other districts. Um, in physical education, I'm really excited about two courses that we hope to offer in 11th and 12th grade, which are principles of coaching and um, intro to sports officiating. And for three years now, I've been trying to move this forward. But, um, working with Kai Turner and Mr. NY um we have really thought through at 11th and 12th grade how do we build a pipeline for officials um to lead our sports programs here in St. Joe and so we are really excited about um the intro to sports officiating and being able maybe not this maybe try to pilot it this year but at least have it on the a course catalog

088that we can um stand this up in the St. school district. Lots of districts are already doing this. And then the third one goes back to the real world um the learning coordinator and it's a new course, an experiential learning opportunity. And many districts lead this already in their course catalog, but it's just um like how do I say this? Desi tape uh like it's red tape. um that allows our kids to go out and experience apprenticeships and internships, but um we are able to provide a code um in our high school course catalog and you'll see the description for that course as well. Again, that would be offered to 11th and 12th graders to really think through the client connected project work and the market value assets um but also those apprenticeships that we

089have in place. So moving the college and career pathways forward one step at a time and ensuring that we have the systems in place to do this. You might get a debate team out of the officiating and the coaches might get that. Um I'm excited about that. I I guess um I kind of understand the new courses of the description. I don't really understand what's going on with math. Matt's pretty important to me. Um, how how do we describe to me and to the community what we're doing tangibly to prove that? I realize we're going to teach more to what's being required by Desessie and those kind of things, but specifically, are there any specifics of that that we could hold on to? Yes, Mr. Richmond, I'm glad you asked because I'm learning too, right

090along with you on that. What's happening to our math data? Why are our students not having that strong foundation? There's a couple different reasons really. Um we're trying to improve the content knowledge of our teachers um how you teach math. Um and so providing that professional learning for um the support and you'll find that in the professional um development plan. Um but also we have an opportunity to look at our state assessment and what is tested on that state assessment is probably the priorities um that the state has decided. And so we're looking at those IBDs um which are the like let's say it's question number one you know what standard was question number one assessing and where do we have that placed in our curriculum our scope and sequence and then getting uh teacher

091feedback for saying like okay do we need to move it up where is this going to provide the best learning. The other portion of that is in our math curriculum, um, not every core resource is going to align to the Missouri learning standards. Most states are aligned to the Common Core. And so there are some holes when you go to purchase a high curricular um, instructional resource because they're not writing to Missouri. They're writing to the 48 other states that practice Common Core. And so in the past with math, it just didn't have a resource listed there. And so it was blank. And so sometimes teachers just, you know, they it's if there's no resource, I may go find my own thing to use or I just I might not teach that standard per se.

092And what our team decided to do was no, we're not going to do that. We're going to ensure that there's a high curricular resource attached to each and every standard. See, that's a good explanation. Thank Thank you. Yeah, that's really helpful. Yeah, I we we're working really hard. I feel um I'm gonna knock on wood, but I feel some strong movement in the secondary mathematics. We're just trying to lift up our elementary mathematics right now and see what supports can we provide for our teachers um to make this u math movement um and push it forward. So, great. I look forward to the results. Me, too. Okay. Any additional questions? No, I just admire that they're doing this coaching and reffing because I know some high school young men who are already doing the reffing

093for younger younger kids and same age. So, it's nice to be able to implement that in the district. Yes. And it's it's going to be great because then our our student athletes, if they want to stay connected to the the sport in which they love, this is a way to stay connected to the sport in which they love and be compensated. Uh I know Mr. Carell knows how much a referee and and Dr. Edgar knows how much a referee makes. It's nice. It's it's nice compensation. So, okay, if there's nothing else, thank you. Thank you. Okay, Dr. Adams. Good evening. I am presenting the St. Joe School District comprehensive literacy plan. Uh this is really a living document that is our district's implementation of Senate Bill 681. So the requirements that DESIE um expects from

094school districts regarding literacy. Um I feel very confident in this document and the things that academic services has put in place um to continue to align our curriculum instruction and assessment. So um the only updates that you will see in here um would be like example our new ELA resource that you guys approved um benchmark advance. We're really excited about that. That's a big piece for us. Um we're going to expand Dibbles assessment up to third grade um because we're seeing some good results there. So, uh, those are the changes that come about or anything that Desi provides guidance on. So, I know last August, uh, Desi came out with some revised guidance for, uh, Senate Bill 681 for the reference guide. So, if they put out something new, then we have to go in

095and update it. But this is the, um, literacy plan for this coming school year. Any questions for me regarding it? Anything at this time, guys? I feel like I have other questions, but we just heard that the math um how they've changed some things to improve in some certain areas. Are there specific things we're doing in the literacy? Yes. That are going to drive improvement. I could I couldn't find that in the plan. So, yes, much similar to what Miss Stewart was discussing. So, we are getting ready to implement a new ELA curriculum resource in the elementary world. Um, and so that will be tier one across all grade levels, all classrooms. So, that will be that's that's going to be a high quality instructional material that Desi has approved. You guys approved the purchase

096of that just a little while back. Um, so that will be big for our teachers um and our students to experience consistency in instruction. Um, and then the same thing with some assessment pieces. Um, we had teachers working today on putting together common assessments that are going to address the priorities in reading much like the math that she was talking about. So, we're just trying to tighten and align everything up so that there's some consistency in our practice. Great. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Next up, just a reminder to review the policies, CNF areas. Are there any questions? Anything so far? So, we'll be looking at those for July then. Yes. Okay. Or the next meeting, wherever we have next. Okay. Not the No, not the June 30th. It's going to be

097too busy of a day to do that. Yeah. Um, if there's any questions, reach out. Okay, next Gabe. Attendance report. Attendance report. Thank you to uh Dr. Laauo for preparing this detailed report for you. I'm not going to read it to you verbatim. Uh there is a lot of good information in there. We'll just highlight a couple of things. Uh the first one, um if you notice, we did have close to a 5% increase. We're obviously still not where we want to be. Um but things are getting a little bit better and we finished strong. And I don't know how many times we could say we finish strong in the spring to be honest with you. Um I don't know that that happens too often. So that could be a good sign moving into 25

09826. And also wanted to make uh note of the most improved schools you see in the document. Lindberg at almost 15%. Um Edison um 11 and a half, Cardon Park 9, and Truman 7.75. So congratulations to those schools. I would entertain any questions that you might have in regards to the attendance report. I think that's very exciting for them. Yes, absolutely. Those are our more challenging schools. So to do that, I think that's awesome. Thank you, Dr. Edgar. Okay, financial handbook. Is this you, Dr. Seagers, or is it Miss Jenny? Um, I can talk about it. Um, really not any changes to it. Uh it's really just information for you. The only thing that would change uh is any any uh spending guidelines as far as the dollar amounts. Um there were some things that

099modified a little bit on that, but everything else Jenny pretty much same other than that change in the dollar amounts, right? And that's set by policy. So any questions, guys? And we're not going to approve this. No, it's information. It's just information. No, I mean like you don't. No, I know it's not. It's just an information item. Yeah. Okay, Dr. Edgar. All right. Uh the last item on the agenda for this evening, the long range plan update. I had spok spoke specifically to you regarding a timeline. uh we asked DLR to be here tonight to present this timeline and so uh I'll let them go ahead and go first and then we'll entertain any questions that you guys might have after the presentation. So Kevin, thank you. You bet. Um for those uh new board

100members, I'll introduce myself and the team that's here tonight. Um I'm Kevin Gusher. U I'm your client leader from the DLR group and have been involved with the district the last since 2019 I think. So um and uh Bret Collins Bret Collins with Napols Construction uh project executive and uh was assisting on the previous bond effort. Yeah. And and also um I just kind of give a preamble to the timeline. Um one of the things that we did was pull our team together uh those that were involved um with the bond issue certainly and and architects contractors. Um and then we also had your staff. Um we decided that uh if or at least the one of the requests was uh for us to go out maybe take a look at Lafayette, look at Central,

101look at some of the um uh conditions of those buildings just knowing um where where you had uh told the community you might go. And so, um, we went to those buildings and and had the our tour guides were the principles of the buildings kind of walking us around looking at everything in the buildings and and, uh, certainly we're looking at shortcomings, but we're also looking at the things that really work well in those buildings. Um so um we put together a summary uh after we did that just to kind of uh give the administrators a a sense of what we saw and and and some of the ideas of what might happen and I think then I think they may have shared some of that with you in your work session and um this

102is the timeline that we came. So the request was look at uh what if you did think about doing a bond issue in April of 26 or April of 27, what would that look like and what would those timelines kind of look like? And these are big broad areas. So it's not necessarily uh there's a lot of things that would go on in here. So in uh on the the the top if you look at the top that's 26 and you look at the bottom that's 27 and we just put them next to each other so you could see what would be happening over that that period of time. Um basically you're look you know this uh um this whole entire thing and I'm I'm see I'm missing u the construction period of that so

103or it's in there I guess it is in there. So, um, so in 26, if you were to think about doing a bond issue in 26, you can see if you started in July, there'd be about three months of what I would say we're trying to determine a scope and you know where and and and what it might be if you're going to do anything. Um, and that's in that kind of ochre color, uh, those first three months. And then the next is is actually having discussions a little bit with your community kind of like you've done in the past where you've had community groups or a community team um um having that conversation a little bit about what would that be. So that's an October, November, December timeline. The big the big thing for

104you is that reduh or it's actually orange with an asterisk in it. Um, and that's the board of education vote for an April of 2026 bond. What you would have to do is probably vote in December if you were going to do a 2026 bond in April. Um, you wouldn't have to that would be your first vote. that would get you uh to the point where somewhere right after the first of the year you would have to make that decision so you could get it into the state to the county and and go through the process. So then there would be u that that as you can see that's the vote that happens there on that number two and then there's that kind of campaign to the information to the patrons uh which you can

105do give give the uh anformational campaign to the community and the bond vote in April. Um you can see where design would start. design would would start in certainly in May of of uh of 26 and uh go until April of 27 and then you would start your construction um and if you were depending on what you were doing um that would be in the in August 2728 um you can see there's a brown line in August of 27. That would be the time if you were dec I think that's uh the timeline for u if you were to go to two high schools the thought was that would be in August of 27. Certainly I don't know that that's been said but that was a a date that we put out there if that

106were the consideration. So, um construction of your um buildings would be done and u you'd move into any of the new heights, whatever it was, whether it was new, whether it was renovated, it would probably be that 29 of to uh 20 to 29 to 30 school year. So, from 26, you would most likely depending again not knowing exactly the total scope of that project, but we're saying it's it's in somewhat some some scope that you might consider. Yes. As you guys were looking at at Lafayette, what did you decide about parking? Well, there's parking is is almost um I mean it's significant issue. um part and especially if you were to we looked at these two these we were looking at both buildings as 1,700 students at um central and 1100 students at um

107at Lafayette and so if you wanted to service those students at that location and that was going to be the long-term uh home for those high school students, you would have to extensively renovate all the way up to football field in a uh in that parking lot that's that's there or if there's purchase of property anywhere around. So yes, we I mean we just in generally know that there is not enough parking for,00 students in a long-term situation. And so as you were looking at the two schools, a plan about a new bond came about. I'm trying to get the evolution of this uh of this of this schedule because I know that the board has not even discussed a bond yet on the ballot of April. Like our last combo about the long range

108plan was to go, you know, to plan B to the two schools. And I know that I was thinking of we be getting more information about that plan and not like a timeline. It's a great timeline, but um kind of jumping the gun a little bit to me. I'll I'll answer that, Kevin. I guess um administratively we the reason why the bond and you don't have to run a bond issue. We just put that back in there because administratively we felt like uh we wanted to try again. And uh so the end result, the two high school model that you voted on in the plan is the end result in this timeline as well. In 27, in fall 27, the you have to get to two high schools period. Um and I say that because

109we have to um maximize our resources. And so with that being said, um downsizing the district is part of that overall plan and it has to be systemic. You have to look at it from a from a K12 standpoint. So, but the long range plan that we approved last September had that we would go to a two high school model in 26 and that we would go to the voters for a bond issue to renovate two existing high schools in April of 26. Right. I'm right. So, so I'm pretty sure I'm right. So we're is this are you guys presenting this to us as plan C to go away from I mean because this doesn't this becomes I mean this is a different plan. Well, the reason why it is there is specifically because we

110felt administratively like we should try to pass a new high school. And I I I I understand that and I think we all are on the page of not not just we needed well I don't know if we're all on the same page just that we need a fancy new high school to again as I say every time it's not just about the high school it's about the middle schools. It's about the elementary schools. It's about all of that. But my concern is that we're not thinking rationally or realistically because this bond issue that we just had only got what 47% of that vote and we have to get how so I guess if this is what we're going to do, what are we going to do differently? How are you going to get 10%

111more people? So, I'm just going to round it up to you need 2/3 of the voters to approve this, right? Fair 57 I mean slight slightly less than 2/3. So, if you look at the precincts and how the voting turned out, you didn't have the support of the precincts in the south and you didn't have the votes of the precincts of the north because both of them are having to give up their high school in some form or fashion. either they're having to get up give up their high school for a middle school. Would have gotten a shiny new high school. Uh would have changed a lot of things, but they didn't want it. So now, if we go back at it in 26 or 27, you're going to lose even the people that you

112already had in the southside. And we had some people in the Southside. We had some some good support from the Martins and the Turners and JL Robertson. So now you're saying you're going to have to pay for that high school, but you're not going to get it. Or I I Well, we we didn't even specifically talk about location. Well, but you're still not but you're still not I I don't know that you're going to get enough of their vote to make up that 10%. And then the north side's the same thing. They may not be losing their high school, but they're losing their small high school. So you're not going to get their vote either. And I know that there are people on the east side of town that want this. I'm one of those

113voters in those precincts that want it. But there I don't know how you're going to find enough votes to get you to there to get to that point. At least not in the next 24 months. And in the meantime, all of the reasons kind of why we're just kind of putting things on hold to get this and odds are unless there's major changes, I don't know what we're able to do differently to make that 10% happen. So, the long range plan stated in April 2026, we would ask the voters to approve 80 million no tax bond to upgrade to existing high schools. That's what it is. Is that is that is that the bond that's referred to here? No, this is new high school. Two times new high school right up there is what it

114says. Um I I don't I didn't I didn't take it as a new high school but making that decision determine scope of work and where I mean I'm sorry I'm just reading so yeah so I think this outlines the decision-m process to define what that scope would be for that yeah there's when do you need to make those choices or those Yeah processes you're not actually defining the scope Okay. Okay. You're not really meeting a new school. It's like a vote in order, you know, to get to a new Yeah. I was saying that renovations there's a three month. This is kind of misleading. Yeah. If you wanted to do something in 26, there's there's a threemonth time period that we're saying you to try to determine that scope and where and what that is.

115And that's I don't know if that's two high schools, if that's Lafayette, could be renovations. It could be renovations, you know, but that would be your decisions making. Yeah. The only place we You're not going to be able to vote upon April 26 new renovations to have them ready for fall, right? Oh, no. We know that. We know that. Well, that's why looking at the thing and it says 27. It says a new student high school. Okay. That Yeah, it shouldn't. It shouldn't say new. It should say two new two 1400 student high schools. At the time I was creating this this timeline. It was where would you if you did that? And then we did change it to thinking 1,700 at central 1,100 at at because that makes more sense. And I apologize for

116misleading could be for renovations. Yes. To the schools in order to get them if as we need them not building brand new schools. Yeah. If that's okay. I misunderstood. My apologies. So, are you saying I'm sorry if I'm just confusing this more. So, are you saying that we need this renovation done? Like you said, the parking lot needs to be done or for it to work. So, are we saying we have to run a bond to be even be able to move the Lafayette and Central? You know, and that's that's a question that needs to be answered. Um, I'm not saying you have to, but one thing that I would tell you too in the two high school model that was presented in plan B, I want people to understand that's not what we wanted,

117right? And that's not going to change the education of kids, right? So whether it's a new high school or whether it's $80 million for renovation, which I I want to want you to understand, $80 million seems like a it's it's a lot of money, but when you're if you're renovating these older buildings, you're not going to get much out of $80 million. So just kind of keep that in the keep that in the back of your mind. But but what I'm here to tell you tonight is we have to St. school district has to figure out a way to downsize the district because staffing is an issue. It's going to be an issue for 2526. Last meeting we had 58 positions open. I don't know where we're at today. That's not going to go away.

118And so, um, how you get there doesn't make any difference. And I apologize for the confusion. Um, but I think you did mention last month, we don't want to give up on a new facility. I think going end result. Right. Right. Right. We can't just settle and this is our long-term plan. But I I I think it feels like some some we talk it feels like we're shopping for a car, like a really nice car, like a Corvette, but we have a 200 credit score and no cash, you know? No, I don't. You're not following that. But my my point is if I lost you, we have to find a way to do it without additional money. And if there's no way to do it without additional money, then we have to figure out something

119different. So, either we figure out a way to go to two schools or we I I hate I hate to say you figure out how to make three schools work. And I don't know if that's you make Benton a freshman center or I mean I have no idea, but I hear over and over we have to get to two schools. I agree with you. I've seen it all. We need to get to two schools, but it can't hinge on a 60% community vote because I do not believe you're going to get it. Yeah. And and we can keep going to it, but at some point it's just pissing off the community more and more because you just keep saying we're right, you're wrong. We're right, you're now, do I think we're right? I do think

120we're right, but you have to get 60% of the vote. How are you going to get it? When you say we don't have the money, it's it's it's uh that's a comment towards having to ask for additional bonding capacity. Is that correct? Right. Right. Yeah. And I guess the conversation that that we had administratively and maybe why it landed back on um a new school again because putting $80 million into the current facilities that I think you think 47% was bad. I think it would probably be in the 20s if you ran something like that. So that that's where I don't have the answers. I don't have all the magic here, guys, but um I thought it would be good for you at least to have some sort of timeline um or Dr. McInness to

121have some kind of a timeline and with the board of education to move this thing forward. So, what what that looks like, if it's $80 million worth of renovations or whether it's a new school, whatever it is, it doesn't make any difference to me. But at the end of the day, I think we all agree that we need to get to two schools. And I think that's where I think there has to be some focus on a plan that does not require a bond bond or or like I said or or how do you keep the three schools and staff them which I I I understand you have to pay more people like you have two options with staffing. You can pay them more and make their job easier and and that's and it's not

122about paying more. No, it's guys there's a short not turning anybody out. Northwest's not turning anybody out. You are not gonna I mean the teachers the attack on public education. Yeah. Yeah. The teachers just aren't going to exist. So So again, I just think that's where it it I'm on the analogy kick. I don't know why it's like a doctor telling you to stop smoking. Like yeah, you need to stop smoking, but you're not going to. So we can keep saying two schools is what's best. A new school is what best. I mean, we barely touched on the fact that a new school with all the capacities for improved learning environment. I mean, we've talked about all that. You guys know all of that, but that's not what they're that's not what they're that's not

123what they want. So, we're got to me, we have to find a plan that we can control that we can do to get us to that point. I just don't see us making up 10% of the vote. I think we need to go back to the survey that we took at the end of the vote. I mean, all we did was look at the results. We've done nothing else with it. Pretty split. So, I think we need to go back and look at that and analyze that a little bit and use that information that we have if we're going to even for 5% more at least look at the information that we've gathered to see because we haven't talked about it really. It's it's pretty split 5050. Yeah. there's really it's it's hard to find

124a gain, you know, unless that would have been a uh that would have been a topic of conversation more, right? And but I think the more we talk about how do we get those votes, so if we're going to talk about how do we get those votes, which I don't even know is that's that really is legal. I don't know. The more we talk about how do we get those votes, then how do we answer staff? What do I do? What do I do? I mean, I I got on the job postings yesterday. Bless your heart. Like, it's Cardon Park is scary. Like, there's some things that are scary. So, I I hear what you're saying. Like, let's look at the results and let's try to like get this passed because we know what's best.

125I get that. But if we can't, I don't know how we're going to make up 10% of a vote in 12 months or 24 months. And in the meantime, our staff are concerned and and families are concerned. You know, if you had an eighth grader or a kid going to be a freshman, that's a scary time or a junior. Yeah, really any kid. Really any kid. I guess I'm a little uh surprised, but my expectation tonight was I was going to hear something along the lines of, "Okay, Mike, here's the deal. We we we've got we we We could put uh 1100 kids in Lafayette, but we need a new lunchroom and we need to buy three old houses to turn them into parking and and so then if you wanted to go that route,

126it would cost you, you know, we'd have to go to the public for a a no tax increase bond of x amount. Mhm. Are we marching in that direction or are we Yeah, I was expecting I think yes, but we but they they just needed a um I mean in order to do that they just needed direction. Okay. Yeah. I thought that was weak. So that that's exactly where we're that's exactly what we're getting at or what we're Okay. I want to do it myself. So So did you toward the inside of it? Do do you have recommendations for the inside of Lafayette or is there a lot that needs to be done? Well, I think there's a lot to if if you're if you're talking about Lafayette and Central being your two forever high

127schools, there's a lot to be done at Lafayette and a little bit to to be done at at Central also. I don't think we want to I mean I don't think we should call them forever high schools. I mean I I get what you guys are saying like I I 100% get it, but VOD is a good example of this. We don't want to put air conditioning in the gym because we might close it. Bod has not had air conditioning in the gym. That's not why we have to put air conditioning there. I'm just I'm just I want to clear that. You said you were done tonight. My point is my builder might be broken. I like I missed you. Where were you? Um No, but my point is let's put air conditioning in Bod's

128gym. No, I'm sorry. Anyway, I got Hback. My point my point is we talk about doing things to buildings and then we we haven't done them because we're like I don't know and we just don't do them like and then nothing ever happens and then eight years from now we're still having almost 80 years still so old. I I would love to see something like what Mike was talking about is you know if I I worry about going to the vote every every year. I know I said last time if we want to do it every year let's do it. But I think that that just further further alienates the voters. Um, I would like to see something like what Mike mentioned of, okay, if you're going to do this, here are some things you

129have to do to make that workable. If if if we have to get to two schools, because I don't know how you tell the staff and the students and the families, we have to get to two schools, but we're going to kind of I don't know, maybe 20, 30. Yeah. And that's all identified. This is not it's not like it's going to take us nine months to do this. I mean, it's all there. We just needed kind of direction on what dollar amounts we needed to figure out. And and the conversation kept coming back to I don't believe it's smart to put money into those buildings. You see what I'm saying? So that that's what's creating the that's what's creating the issue here. That's what the community chose though. Is what the community chose. Like

130No, absolutely. No, I get It's not a new school at this time. So, it's all part it's all part of the plan and it wouldn't I mean it's not going to take very long to put all that to to answer your questions. I I think though as we put that together and I said this last time and I'm I'm not probably super eloquent in saying that but I I think if we're going to consider the two school model that one option is consider Central and Lafayette and that's what we talk about but I think we should be considering Benton and Central. I think that we have a um I think there I think we there is a a better likelihood and I think it puts us better positioned for a new school in the future

131and I don't think that it's a lot more to figure out well what would it do to turn Benton into a thousand person and central into 1800. Um I I just I think this is the time that we need to be considering that option before we before we embark on this and then say what have we done? Um because we're in that position for longer than we anticipated. I think a I think a longer term plausible meaningful plan would be Benton something in the south south end and central rather than the two schools near each other in the north. And then I think we make a compelling case for a new school um somewhere in the northeast. Well, and I think one one thing that I would say to that, Tom, is and and I

132think it's it's been identified several times why Lafayette and Central were chosen because of the numbers. And so that's where you have to find out, you know, because it's probably going to cost a little bit more money, but that wouldn't take him very long either because in 2019, we gathered all that information on Benton as well. Well, and I I hear you on that, but the we kind of said, and now I hear tossed around that Lafayette could handle,00 Bon could handle 990. the number is not so far off and if we had to make it up in the short term as central um and I realize the implication of that is we have to think about what would we do with the attendance in a new school then I know that too I've thought

133ahead to that but I still think that um we're we're overly optimistic to think we're going to have two new schools in five years that's not that that's overly optimistic and I think what we have to say is how do we how do we make a plan that says um we we're going to we're going to um we're going to move fiscally responsible and I think I think that's still a possibility with those two schools. It had to be proved out. Yeah. But I think that it um it is and then I think it positions us to make a compelling case to say um we heard you in the south end. You didn't want to get rid of the school. Um you didn't want to make that change. And I respect that. I'm not saying

134it negatively. I respect that. But we're we're going to we're going to move forward in a and and we're going to make an attempt in another area. And I think it's I think we do this other and then we'll have no idea where we're thinking we're going to put a new school. I don't think all I don't think all our bonds are filling because everybody just wants three. I really don't. I think the community just wants the input. They want some kind of input. And I think, you know, looking at those surveys will help. I think listening to your community is going to help. And I do. I agree with you. If we're going to spend money and renovate Lafayette and give bond to renovate them to stay there, I mean, we're going to need

135the same amount of money to renovate Bitten then to make it so it can hold that many. So, I think they're different choices and we need to sit back and look at them. And I I just think we got Okay. I I think we I think we can win and I'm I'm optim I'm an optimist. I think we can win, but we can't win with a losing plan. Yeah. But what is can can you explain what is winning to you? Winning is getting to two schools or getting to a new high school. Well, I mean there's a lot of winning is our student success. You know, it's our vision. I don't want to but we're talking now about we're talking about specifically um and I think that in the short term we recognize there's a

136need to get to two schools faster than we probably can and we need to we need to consider what's the best two options to get there. and we need to sell the community on this intermediate plan and then but we need to sell that in the with the ideas we're going to make a longer term plan. We're not going to overcommit funds. Um I liked what I heard you say. We don't have to do a lot to central. Um you know I think we need to take a look at what do we need to do at Benton. Um um while we're looking at Lafayette, I'm not saying we abandon that. I'm not saying we abandon that. But I am saying we take a hard look at that from a logistic standpoint. And really from a

137five-year plan, it's it's a better it's a better solution in my mind early on. Thinking early on and then and then we um and then I think ultimately a solution is we need to upgrade our facilities that you know we need eventually to have a new school and then hopefully be able to follow that up at some time with another new school. But now we're talking about a 10-year plan. So, are we supposed to give input tonight on this is the direction we want to go or like what what are we supposed to do? I mean, I think as long as the admin is okay with looking at Central and Benton, I'm okay with it. It will get us to two high schools and that's our goal until we're able to build a new one.

138And so I mean if we're able to get information on that, are we able to get information on making that happen? Yeah, I I think that we could we can talk or are you guys able, you know, to meet about it and discuss like any of those options as long as the admin are okay with it, I'm okay with it. Sure. And I think we've said that from the I mean I think we've all kind of said that like I don't I don't have a preference of who, what, or how, but between now and next time, what are we hoping to see. So at the next next time, what do we want to see? I know that I would like information on number one going to the two schools if it were Lafayette and Central.

139And then number two, going to the two schools if it were Lafayette um if it were Benton and Central. if we're able to get that information in order to be able to move. And I think that the the Mike mentioned of Okay, if you do Benton, I know we have some topography issues there. You have hide right there. I mean, you have some topography issues. I don't know what else. I know there was a waterline issue a couple years ago like that and then right are able to look at everything in order to be like okay if you were going to do this here's all you would need to do and then if you're going to do this here's all that you would need if we're able to look at whole pictures and not just

140little bit some kind of thumbnail on on how much right yeah right it would be included in what you would need to do in the cost and I and I think that the administration and I hate put that on you guys. Okay. I've done a poor job of um looking downstream to that and I do appreciate what Whitney says. We have to say is then what then what do feeder schools look like in that scenario. We have to look at that as well. Um not not construction wise. I'm not talking about that. And that's easy too. I mean that's we ran it all. Well, and I I took that information yet and I just I just didn't do a good job of trying to synthesize that and how what I think that would look like,

141but we we need to make sure that that's feasible. But I think there's some I think there's some land by benton that we have a chance to have access to. I I think that we're not buying houses. I think we could have I think we could consider a winning solution in our community in in that area. Uhhuh. So, I'm hearing you say you want one plan that's central Lafayette. What work would have to be done? maybe pros and cons of that and then another option of central and benton some pros and cons what work would have to be done and an estimated cost of that right and if you do central and benton how is that going to look like for the theater schools as well because now bitten will not be your middle school

142we'll still have six raisers at spring garden yeah what that we also ought to take a glance at what would that mean what would either one of them mean for um when we were ready to present to the community a new school and I think that I I think that the solution is really difficult when we say we're going to have Lafayette and Central to put this money in and now we're going to have a new school. Where in the world is it going to be? And so I think we should I think we have to take a glance that says not only how do we get there in the short term but how's that affect a fiveyear plan? That that's that is my feel. So, where do we So, where where are we with

143this? Nothing right now until we get information. Well, because we're right now in the orange part right now, right? Anyway, I mean, yeah, but getting the information and the ideas is on schedule with this. Yeah. And I I and I would I would consider this what we would typically call a feasibility study. And this is the feasibility of the levels of what you could do at each one of those locations. um to give you an idea of you know from minimum to maximum to give you the idea of what does minimum buy you what does maximum buy you and I I can uh also uh your comments about what does this do and what's the future look like. I think we um I might go ahead and share a link to the master plan that

144was done in 2019, which you'll see 14 different versions of high schools. What what would you do if you had one new high school, two high schools, three high schools? There are there are examples of that and what that does to the the district as a whole, what buildings might not be in part of the the organization. So I'll share that. This is good. I mean I know that we were um only looking at at the initial plan on the recommendation of admin you know over the capacity you know but looking at each plan I don't think is bad you know I mean I'm completely okay with either as long as we choose a plan and then in a year from now well and when there's new board members at the table and we're not

145saying let's go back and look at this and then we're doing nothing at all. I hear you on that too because that's kind of where we were like a year ago. We were doing this same conversation. So, and I'm glad that you're going to be doing this with Benton also. It also opens up time for the community to see both pictures to get an idea for a feel or a feel for uh our intent is to make sure all the students and all the community is served the best that we can. So, I like I like taking that time also to get that second plan and then if it's displayed to the community or like you're what you're doing now is informative to our community, but the next one will also be that and more

146input from them. Kevin, I'm not I'm not pressuring you, but this one falls kind of in you guys and the ad. If it's money, you can talk to these accounts. But, um, you can tell we're going to need some of that to begin to say, you know, which way does the ship going here? You know what I mean? So, um, the timeliness of that, you know, I'm not trying to put pressure. We're not making the decision, but the information gathering, we need to be we need to expedite that as much as we can. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Also, when we're looking at the information, are we also able to get a recommendation off administration as well? Absolutely. Thank you. Okay, guys. Anything else? Yeah. Thanks for your We're sorry we're messing it up. Are you doing

147the things? Okay. Uh, so I just want to say to Dr. Dr. Edgar, Dr. Seagris, Miss Stewart, and Dr. Guilpin. Happy retirement. Um, I will miss arguing with you. Not Eileen and not Larara. Um, you are leaving your departments better than you found it. And that is all that you can hope for and the roles that you have fulfilled. Um, thank you very very much. [Applause] Okay. Future Whoops. Sorry. Future meetings and events. June 30th, 2025, 8:30 a.m. board work session retreat. Uh TMC District close July 4th. July 11th, July 18th, and July 25th. July 28th, 2025 is the next board meeting at TMC. We need a motion to adjourn to executive session pursuant 610.021 closed meetings and close records for legal, hiring, and firing discipline and promoting of particular employees and 13 individually identifiable

148personnel records. I have a motion. Is there a second? Are you seconding? Kim made the motion. I'm sorry. Okay. Miss Williams, yes. Miss Miller, yes. Miss Jes, yes. Miss Karns, Miss Lanning, Yep. Mr. Moore, yes. Mr. Richmond. All right. This meeting is ajourned.