001[Music] [Applause] [Music] Good evening and welcome to this Akran public school board meeting on March the 24th, 2025. Uh Dr. Thompson, roll call, please. Mr. Alexander, present. [Music] Miss Autry, present. Miss Hall, present. Reverend Harrison, present. Miss Jackson, present. Dr. Molinar, I'm here. Mrs. Sykes, present. Seven present, zero absent. Thank you. Next, we will have um the pledge of allegiance. I ask that you all stand. We will have the pledge of allegiance led by member Molinar. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Dr. Molinar. Next, we will have recognitions from our superintendent, the super um attendance book of the month club winner and house systems at IPS. Thank you, President Jackson.
002We want to say congratulations to our top readers for February. kindergarten Slater Harris from Betty Jane who read 29 books and he was also our January winner. So, let's give him a hand, [Applause] please. Middle school Angelina Melvin, sixth grader from from Inennis CLC who read 15 books. So, awesome job, Angelina. Let's give her a hand, please. And then high school, we have a tie at the high school level. Repeated winner for January, 12th grader, D. Boon from Elllet CLC, who read six books, and 10th grader Cleveland Robinson from North who also read six books. And Cleveland was also a past winner this year. So, let's give him a hand. And both of them [Applause] K through five, we've had 852 books read in the month of February, up 262. We also from middle school
003um had 72 books in the month of February. And we went down by 15, so we've got to pick it back up. And that's compared to last month of 87 books. and high schoolers, we read uh they read 78 books in the month of February and up by 52 um more um read this month compared to last month of the 26. And special recognition also goes to Barber CLC with 220 books, Inis with 40 books, and Ellott with 27 books. So, let's give them all a hand, please. [Applause] And I was trying to get a video um which I don't think we got it in time. Um where is Miss Williams? Okay. Is that Zion Kaziah? Yes. So I wanted to show the video. So we may have to show it at the next board
004meeting, but I wanted to show the video. He is only four years old. Um but he is reading probably at a first grade level. Um he he dealt with some very extraordinarily long lengthy words and was actually using his phenemic awareness skills uh to sound it out. So I wanted to showcase him um and and actually it was not planned but I wanted to showcase him and just show the great work that is happening with our students. And so, um, if we could have Kaza, uh, come up too and let's give him a hand [Applause] and just a point of privilege. I saw the video and it was something everyone, we definitely will have to show it the next video because the level of pride just as community members, as educators that you'll have to
005see this young man read and as the superintendent said, phonetically pronounce words. It was definitely a a moment to um to celebrate. So, thank you to to mom for bringing him down here and for the work I'm sure that you're doing with your learner to be reading at such a great level. So, thank you. Let's give him another hand. and dad. [Applause] Oh, that is so cute. I would like to see that. Come on, girl. [Applause] Shark say [Applause] Thank you, President Jackson. Thank you. I also wanted to um acknowledge um I promise school. Are are we here? Okay. Uh I had it, but we're going to do it right now. So, we're going to bring you up. Um, do you have everything set? Okay, I promise. Well, they're going to explain it and I'mma
006[Music] hush. Good evening. I'm Principal Stephanie Davis and I'm really excited to share with you tonight about the I Promise School House System. When I became principal of the I Promise School in July of 2023, we had a couple of things that we wanted to bring to the forefront. And one of those huge overarching things that we wanted to bring back to the school through several transitions was a sense of community. So, I talked to a lot of staff. I listened to some of the needs. And I had two veteran staff members come to me and say, "We really would like to implement the house system." And when they told me more, I got very excited about the house system. And through the support of the LeBron James Family Foundation, we were able to get
007funding to send three staff members down. So, I'm excited to share with you our journey thus far. I'm going to introduce to you assistant principal Kelly Pastello and instructional coach Stephanie Arnett, who have been leading this charge at the I Promise School. [Applause] All right. So, really quickly, um, we're just going to go over what we're going to be talking about, which is our overview, which is our why, and the introduction of the house system so that you understand it a little bit more, the implementation, and then also the impact that we have seen uh this school year. So, the overview, what it is, and the why. We wanted to instill a sense of belonging for every student along with the staff and we had some universal expectations and we were most concerned with higher
008ma mass laws hierarchy of needs that a kid who belongs learns better and just to build character and have some healthy competition in our building. A lot of times when you're in a school that has both elementary and middle school, there's some kind of divide that kind of um happens. And so what we wanted to happen was that all students knew each other and we built that sense of community throughout our school. So um you're going to notice that it's five houses inside of I promise but still just one IPS um just to build a a better sense of community. So um the house system is basically our our PBIS system. So, positive behavioral intervention supports and it's just to create a safe spot, nurturing and that belonging piece. Um, we we know that when
009students feel um a part of something and they belong to something, we see those academic scores increase. So, um it's based upon our three PBIS um our big three we call it, which is be safe, be kind, and be responsible. Um when I promise was built, we also have instilled our five habits of promise which is partner uh perspective, perseverance, perpetual learner and then also problem solver. So these are our five um houses and like I said one IPS. So we have the house of Tumanakaco which is our house of perspective. Um the house of shares which is the house of problem solvers. The house of Oay which is the house of partners. The house of perpetual perpetu which is my house which is the house of perpetual learners. Um we also have Necroma which
010is the house of perseverance. Sorting day is coming. Sorting day is coming. Sorting day is coming. At IPS, we do things different. You've heard of house rules? Well, here at IPS, house rules take on a whole new meaning. IPS staff, LJFF team members, and students are all sorted into houses that represent different ideals. These ideals have been part of IPS since day one. House Tumano is the house of perspective. House or is a house of partners. Come on over to House Sharesa cuz we are some problem solvers around here. Okay. We are House Perpetual. We're the house of perpetual learners. McCro is the house of perseverance. The goal is to foster creativity, collaboration, and community throughout the whole school. Hype it up, House. Let's go. Get We are House Perpetual. Hype it up for House
011Nemo. Sorting day is coming. Sorting day is coming. I can't wait to see where you get sorted. I hope you get sorted in house pero. I hope you get sorted into house negro. We want you in the house of war. Come on over to Sharisha. I hope you get sorted in house to Monaco. Remember, you don't choose the house, the house chooses you. There are five houses, but one IPS. One IPS. We are stronger together. We can't wait to get this house party started. Sorting day is [Applause] coming. Sorting day is sort of. So with the implementation process, we wanted to make sure that the roll out that we did, we were so excited about it. Um went there in June, I believe, um to just go visit Ron Clark Academy and we wanted to
012make sure that the roll out that we did was sustainable. Um a lot of times when you're hyped about things, it ends up um you get really hyped and then the the newness kind of wears off. So uh it was very um deliberate in how we rolled this out. It was slow and steady. Um, as you noticed in our video, that was our hype video for our fourth through 8th and they got sorted. And then we had a special day for our third grade. Um, our house sorting, third grade was definitely different. We used the wheel and we were going to bring the wheel, but our time did not allow. And our house structure is we all have a house leader. We have an adult house leader and we have um one eighth grade, two
013two eighth grade house leaders and one fifth grade. So we have like a embedded student government in it. Also um with that we also have house meetings and house mania. Um eventually we want to get to a spot where we're having these monthly. Right now we're having them quarterly. House meeting is where we go over things that maybe the teachers are seeing that we need some work on or just um some information that we need to get out. Learning chants, cheers um for your house um your particular house. And then our house mania is where we get together and we compete against right now we're just keeping it into each house but we eventually want to span where we are competing against houses um and just to kind of build that up. We've had um
014two quarterly celebrations. So, we have a quarterly house winner. Um, and so far it's been the House of Perpetual. Um, but we are small, but we are mighty. Um, and that is just a time for the whole house to get together. We went down to House 3:30 thanks to the LeBron James Family Foundation and just had a wonderful time playing games, having snacks, and just celebrating all the greatness that's happening. and them twice and I kind of just talked about that. Yeah. So, we And these are just some nice pictures. You can keep going. Remember, there are five houses, but we are one IPS. I can't wait to see where you get sorted. You don't choose the house, the house chooses you. Who you with? [Music] [Applause] Heat [Music] [Applause] up here. [Applause] [Music] [Applause]
015[Music] [Applause] So, what you saw there was our third grade sorting and then the clips from when the fourth through eighth graders found out what houses they were in the impact that this has had at the I Promise School so far this year has been phenomenal. Our roll out was slow and steady and I'm very proud of my team for that. But some of the impact that we've noticed is we're building community within the school that's palpable and it gives kids a a reason for having conversation across grade levels. It gives kids that might not have an opportunity to interact with adults an immediate connection with them. And although we love every single one of our kiddos, now they have a visual of the person who is in their house loving them back. Um it's
016absolutely just folded in with our priority of creating a safe belonging environment. It's given uh structure to all of that. uh we have definitely seen secondary and tertiary effects which include the connection to adults not just you know in the tangible you can see that you're loved but also in some very practical means. So when we're working through restorative practices with discipline we have built in now instead of just the principal and the teacher we have the house leader and we have how that impacted your team. So, we're really loving the connection that it has solidified within the building. We have seen a decrease in tier 2 and tier 3 behavioral incidents and we look for an ongoing we look for ongoing data to support what we're feeling. Is that it? Okay, that is a
017summary of the house system at the I Promise School. Thank you so much for letting us share. Yeah. Were we taking any questions? Nope. Okay. Great. Thank you. Thank you for presenting. I promise. They also came to instructional policy. So that's why the board didn't have really many questions, but uh Vice President Alexander would like to make a comment. Yeah, recognize I I said made the same comment in the the meeting that they came to for us and uh it was a day that I was getting ready to go to work and it was a day that I was going to go by there uh just to to check in on someone and uh you know some days you're feeling tired you just don't have the energy. I went there it happened to be the
018same day that they were doing this here and the energy in that building was so good that it jumped on me and by the time I left and went to work I was in a much better attitude. had a much better mindset. That energy was just so good. And that's the type of energy we need to have here in in in Akran public schools. That type of energy will will make everything great, everybody happy, and we will be such better. So, I want to thank them, too, cuz that I just happened to walk in by accident that day, but it was a day that I needed badly. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Alexander. Now, we will have the vid. We did find a video of our exceptional scholar, our four-year-old scholar, um,
019that's moving in the spirit of excellence. Um, and so we're going to show that before we go into, um, the board member reflections. But while we're waiting on that, I see Damon Merryweather is here. He went to STEM middle school, also graduated from Akran Early College, is now a airman, right? Didn't you go to Akran Early or STEM? Stand up, Damon. Same up. Yeah. Which which high school did you go to, Damon? Which high school? Akran early. That's what I thought. But he went to STEM middle and he's recently finished. Come to the podium so the people can see you. Why we waiting? Why we're waiting? You understand? This is Miss Jackson talking now. That's what he knows me as. And that's his little brother. So, excellence runs in the family. He's recently um finished
020uh the air academy, right? You're a airman now. Is that correct? Basic training. Basic training. Um so, now you're in the Air Force, right? So, I want to thank you for your future service and for your commitment to this country. And Miss Jackson is godly proud of you, as I'm sure the board is, too. So, thank you. And it's good to see you, my love. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Anything you want to say to your board? Thank you for all that you guys do. Um, thank you for all the opportunities you bring to all the students. Thank you for letting everybody have a voice and just letting everybody be heard. It's really appreciated and it definitely uplifts the community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mary Web. Uh uh member hall, please. So we
021got two out of three here. These mother Merryweather kids. You can't forget about the sister Damiana Merryweather who is graduating this May with her master's degree. So in DC. Yeah. So and then she go to the Ohio State University for her under undergraduate. But we're just talking about your kids, you know, just stand on But this is what it's about, right? So, thank you for shouting out cuz she was great. She also I'm going talk about the catillion later. She was she killed it in our cilion when it was her year. So, we bless God for this and that's what the community is about is being able to uplift and recognize our kids. Here we go. That's what a good word contributions. contributions and accomplishments accomplishments very good of africanameans throughout history. It is celebrated
022every February in the United States and it is history. A time is a time a time for people to learn about and recognize. Oh yes. The important role that Africanameans have played in shaping shaping shaping our country country. Very good. [Applause] Thank you so much. I'm so glad we got to see that video because it's truly a testament to what you feed is what will grow. And I was talking to some educators over this weekend that were talking about early literacy and the importance of our preschool programming and things like that and how they're excited about it. And that's why it's important when things like that are done with fidelity and when you have gifted kids or high performing kids that we nurture that and we also provide a foundation because the when the expectation
023is here, they'll stretch to the expectation and that's why it should always be here for the stretch and not lowered um as if we don't expect more from them. So again, thank you. Thank you for sharing the video and showing the clip. Now, we reached the point of our meeting where we have board member reflections and uh traditionally we usually start with our student board member, but he's out um being great and helping his parent with something. So, he's delayed and so he won't be able to attend this meeting, but as I understand, he had a wonderful presentation and um things that he wanted to share with the board and challenge the board as our young people have been doing um recently. So, um he won't be here today. So, we'll move forward with board
024member reflections. Are there are there any board members that would like to share? Any board member reflections? Uh yes. Uh member Molnar, please. Thank you, President Jackson. Um I'll start with last board meeting uh we had a lot of uh community members speak up about uh KLP. I also gave a spam email update and recommended um in order to avoid our spam filters for people to write in the subject line something about the school or the program so it would avoid the spam filters. And I know people are watching because people did it. Um but I have bad news. It still went to spam. So I'm continuing to check my spam. Um and until we sort out our spam filter rules, we appreciate your patience. Um, it seems like sometimes if uh multiple people are
025on the email, it's more likely to go to the inbox. I did have about half the emails went to spam, half the emails went to inbox. Not exactly sure why. Um, but I will continue to try to have updates so we can figure it out and we can get all of your emails so we can respond to your emails because I'm sure you're sending them to us for a reason. Um, so that is the first um first part of my update. The other uh part is last week um I went to Columbus um with uh member Audrey. We went to the Ohio School Boards Association lobbying day. Um and we are so lucky in Akran that we have representatives in Columbus that are former schoolboard members. So they already knew a lot of our issues,
026our concerns, our challenges, what we're going through. Um but that is just not the case in most um areas, most districts, most representatives. In fact, there are a lot of representatives that are there for exactly the opposite reason. You know, they are pushing legislation um from a negative public school perspective. And we are seeing this both um at the state level and at the national level as the department US department of education right now is um well, I'm not even sure um but there are a lot of false narratives about public schools. Um and tests like the PISA are being used to push that uh false narrative. And the fact is we educate all students whether it's the state level or the national level. The vouchers, the test scores, we educate all students at the
027public schools without a common national test. Different students from different backgrounds with different experiences and different resources. We teach everyone. And yeah, it's expensive, but it's worth it and it's worth fighting for. It's worth continuing to um push forward and um be successful and thrive at it. And I do think here in Akran, here in Ohio, here in the United States, we are thriving at teaching everyone. And that's difficult to measure because other people don't have reasons to measure that necessarily. Um I'm almost done. Last year when we went to the same uh conference, OSBA conference, we actually visited Senator Sykes and he recommended that we have lobbyists um come to the testimonies and things so they can speak to the other representatives and represent and and hear from our situation. The way our community
028members come here and provide testimony on the record. um that was recommended and I would like us to bring up that discussion again what we can do to get more people and our students to go and provide testimony on the record in support of our public schools generally and Akran public schools specifically. Thank you, Member Molinar. Um member Hall, did you have something? He just assumed, huh? Thank you, Madam President. Um, last time we were here, well actually last Friday I did a visit at North again. Um, and so a few things. So one, I met a teacher um that he speaks three different languages and is fluent in sign language. So you know me, I'm like, "Hey, can you get another class? Can you teach sign language during your lunchtime?" But no, so I
029just thought that was awesome that a lot of our teachers are very talented and one day I wish to see that um they have an opportunity to do more than just their class studies, right? Um congratulations to Anna who placed seventh in the state wrestling um match. So let's just give a round of applause to Anna. She is a senior at North High School um and her pathway is nursing. Um, so I was like, "Okay, okay, girls can do it, too." Um, also shout out to 24 uh students in the DECA program that went to states, five made it to the finals, and Tapich um Batari, I'm sorry if I'm destroying your name, um is going to nationals. Um and he's going to uh do professional sell. He's in the professional selling category. He also
030placed second in states. So, we have our very own young um person that is going to nationals for the DECA program. Also, when I was there, I did visit the um the uh child care facility and it's pretty cool. They're on their own floor. They have their own entrance. Um but they have one full day, two half day. And one thing the teacher said was, "You know, there's students that are working here because that's their pathway. Why aren't we hiring these students after high school?" And I said, "Huh, why aren't we hiring these students after high school?" So, I would say, and I'll talk to you, Dr. Urbson also, we have the Jogs program, you know, for students that are unlisted, unenrolled, and um unemployed 18 to 24 year olds. Get them in this program.
031get them working for APS and then we can build our own program of pair professionals. Um because I know last week I asked about did we have like you know just waiting pair professionals and it was a no. Well this is something an opportunity that we can create our own. Um also when we start to build the new north I would love to hear from those teachers there. Um Mr. Mr. Morrison, who's the principal, he went through the whole Garfield build and um they kind of spoke upon um making sure that the family resource and prek had their own entrance and science classes on every floor. And I thought that was interesting for um an educator to say this is what we need cuz we're here. We're doing the work. So, we need to start
032really listening to um our our teachers and our staff at the schools. And then real quick, I'll make it real quick. Um, I attended the COSSBA national conference um, this past week. Um, Leila Ali spoke about following her dream, following your dreams. We all know who her dad was, but he didn't want her to her to box. He didn't approve of it. He said absolutely not. It wasn't until she was in Africa and fought in front of um, oh gosh, Nelson Mandela. Yes. Oh gosh. And um, she said it was a three-minute fight because she knocked the girl out. felt bad because she really wanted to put a show on. But her father came up to her after that fight and told her he was proud of her and he apologized to her for not
033supporting her. And that was really big cuz we need to support our kids and whatever dreams they may have. It may work, it may not work, but as long as we're parents and supporting our kids and then we have a shoulder for them to cry on if it don't work out, we got to support. So I thought that was real interesting and she really touched me. So go ahead. Thank you. Uh thank you, member Hall. Are there any other board member reflections? Member Altry. Thank you, Madame President. And so, since we last met, I had the opportunity to visit my alma mater book PTA uh meeting um and it was nice to see students at that meeting, the class president and vice president, um community members and alumni, but it was really nice to hear
034those students speak up and advocate for themselves. So, shout out to them. Um, also was able to attend the Greater Akaran Chamber uh, lunchon that they had on Tuesday the 12th. And then on Thursday, uh, the 13th, I was able to visit, uh, Elliot's Navy JOTC, um, drill. And so, um, student board member Taylor Blair, who was just here at our last meeting, is actually a commander, and she mentioned that, um, did a really great job. It was nice to see those young people demonstrate their discipline um and their skills. Congratulations to them for doing a great job. Um and as it was already mentioned, I attended OSBA along with member Molnar. Um they're in this budget process right now. I'm told that the budget bill won't even get to the Senate until mid to
035late April. So, there's still a lot going on. Um but a few of those highlights that they're advocating for um is to create a transportation work group uh to consider increasing the weight of uh the costs of transporting non-traditional students. Um another thing that they're advocating for um is providing more uh literacy coaches. So I think that's really good news in light of what we're trying to do here um in the district. Um, one thing that seemed to be discons are at these conferences. I mean, every day there was some announcement, some change. Um, but there was a lot of encouragement. It was a lot nice to be amongst other uh school board members from across the entire country um who are fighting hard, advocating for students um but are just concerned about the state
036of public education. So, we got a lot of encouragement from the speakers um including um Leila Ali. Um member Hall just spoke about that. One of the quotes that she had was that the hardest fights make the greatest champions. And so, she encouraged us to continue our fight for public education. She went to public school. She talked about being a problem child. She went to DH. All of these things. She actually went to cosmetology school before she even landed on being a boxer. So, but she was very encouraging uh to us. Um, also I went to a workshop that talked about hardware versus heart wear in terms of our school safety. So, I know we talk a lot about our metal detectors, our bag scanners, um, but they just encourage us uh to also consider
037uh the hardware that comes along with keeping our students safe um, in the classrooms. And so that's my time and thank you for the district for providing the opportunity to go and network with other school board members. Thank you. Thank you, Member Altry. Uh, Vice President Alexander, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Yeah, I was able to attend the conference as well. And uh, it was it was a very good conference. Probably one of the better conferences I've I've gone to. Uh, and I think that this was a conference that every school board member across the country should have been at because there was so much that was going on about governance. There was so much going on about AI. There's so much going on about grit. Uh, and speaking of grit, there was a
038the uh keynote speaker who opened up the session did such a good job that that energy permeated throughout the the the entire conference. and he talked about he he told a story about some young kids who were attending school and decent homes and how their their neighborhoods started changing and how um things start getting a little bad for them but how there were a couple teachers and so teachers who are out there I want to let make let you know that you are very very important you touch the lives of kids all the time even when you don't know it and he talked about these guys and he kept he gave these nicknames these nicknames were street names that those kids had but do you know each one of those kids are no longer doing
039in and have those names. They're doctors. They have PhDs. They're doing really well. He is a doctor himself. He could not speak. He had a very bad stuttering problem and now he's going across the United States speaking and talking to people to help him and it was very very inspirational. Um uh they mentioned Lelay Ali. I'm not going to say anything about that. Then there was another session I went to. There was probably about 125 people in this session and the session uh was was taught by a gentleman by the name of Lee Pritz. Uh he's a presenter and he's an Arthur. Um he talked about so much but he made this so interactive. He made it he had a game. Uh he talked about different things that go on. He talked about our roles.
040He talked about teachers roles. He talked about principal roles. He talked about superintendent roles. He talked about everything. It was so many people in there and I think that they're going to have him come back again. And I encourage OSBA to get him because it was so good. And I thought I think every uh board member across the country uh should have been there to hear that as well. And then they had a lot of sessions, a number of sessions uh probably one at least one each day on AI. AI is so big right now. They have talking about AI in the classroom. How do we handle it? How what are what is board members roles? What is the superintendent teachers all their roles? So it was very very good conference. Uh, I thank the
041district also for allowing us to attend because it's probably one of my better conferences I've attended throughout my tenure being a board member. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Madam President. No problem. Thank you, um, Vice President Alexander. Is there another All right. I have um some reflections and it's interesting when you talk about AI. I remember like over a year ago uh member Molar kept bringing up this about this a chat GPT. chat. GPT is what she came out talking about. So, it's just interesting for us to get into it and try to get a um handle on that um and to know it's being talked about in conferences. So, since our last meeting um I attended the 41st annual Lebl Pearls Catilian hosted by the Akran Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
042Sorority Incorporated. 11 of the 15 deputants were from Akran public schools. Representing Firestone Community Learning Center and receiving a total scholarship award amount of $1,000 was Aaya Williams. Also representing Firestone um Community Learning Center and receiving a scholarship amount of $600 was Brilan White. Receiving a scholarship award in amount of $1,000 also from Firestone was Brooklyn Engel. um receiving a $500 scholarships from and also attends Firestone High School was Mandi Elbert Kale Lima and receiving a scholarship in the amount of $3,200 was Kennedy Mitchell who also is from uh Firestone Community Center. Bookto Community um learning center we had representation from Lamario Tal. She received a $600 scholarship. Zakaria Medals also from BookTo received a $500 scholarship from Akran Early Colleges. Aaya White received $500, Desante Massie $1,000, Lator Harrison $800, and Tanaya Griffin received
043a $2,000 scholarship. All those students who I just read attended Akran Early College. So, I think that's worth celebrating. Can we give those students a round of applause? um and we thank our community um organizations that come around our learners and support them financially and for the contributions the community gives for that. I also attended a community meeting in Ward 8. This meeting was incredibly informative and highlighted several topics of concern. Among the issues raised were student discipline, the cooperative agreement between the city and the district, and the potential use of leftover funds from the rebuilding of North High School. Residents were also concerned about property tax increases due to the levy. When questions concerning the taxes and the amounts resulting from the levy arose because it was some uncertainty about what was said and
044what the understanding was, I immediately reached out to both Dr. Chapman and member Autry which both responded. Dr. Chapman Chapman, excuse me, however, informed me that recently some news was shared from the city that some of the property tax assessments may have been incorrectly issued leading to higher taxes than expected. So, with this being said, for those who may be watching or if you can share, um, it's advised that those individuals contact the tax office to verify and to ensure the accuracy of their assessments. Lastly, I had the honor of attending Zeta 5 Beta Mu Ro Zeta chapters award celebration where they recognized the exceptional service and achievement of some of our most impactful Akran community torchbe bearsers. The honores were celebrated for their contributions in the areas of sisterhood, community service and education. To
045my very pleasant surprise, as I was there to support my dear friend Jina Chapman, our very own Helen Arnold principal, Lam Monica Davis was being honored in the area of education. Additionally, former board member and now Ohio State Representative Veronica Sims was recognized for her outstanding community service. It was truly a joy to be a part of an event that celebrated such dynamic women, each of whom I personally know and can attest to the fact that they embody every admirable quality mentioned in their recognition. What a privilege to be in a room with such deserving and humble individuals, all of whom give so much of themselves to uplift and serve others. This celebration, particularly during Women's History Month, was a beautiful reminder of the power of service, leadership, and dedication to the community. Again, congratulations,
046Lam Monica Jena, and Representative Sims, on this welldeserved honor. Your contributions to our community are deeply appreciated and celebrated. That concludes my board reflection. Next, we will um entertain the request to address the board. But first, I must read the preamble. Preamble, excuse me. Participants will not be permitted to speak on matters related to vendors, business matters, formal complaints, grievances, specific student or student records, personnel matters, and potential or pending legal matters. Participants must speak on matters related to the business of the board. Please keep your comment to 3 minutes or less. The board will not respond, but will assign through the superintendent the appropriate person for followup. Please state your name and your group affiliation upon coming to the microphone. The first person we have signed up to speak is Miss Cynthia D. Blake
047Sykes Stokes. My Stokes with my apology. I had to laugh. Hi, good evening. I got a couple things to say, you know, so I wrote a couple notes and everything out, but before I get started to claim my time back, um, let's see here. So, last week committee meetings and these board meetings, they just getting out of control. To me, I think y'all losing the vision to support the children. the focus is the children, not for these power plays and making things political. And I say that because of three board members always to me, you're working against the superintendent and not the best interest of the of the students here in APS. You're overreaching. You're interfering with daily operation. It's the superintendent's job to look at the daily operation and then to come to you
048to tell you what the needs are. I'm finding now at your committee meeting, there's no flexibility for you to even to try to support him on offsetting an accounting, a transfer for a secretary, hiring another person. These are things that the superintendent is telling you he needs. So, it's either we start supporting them or for don't forget the mission of the uh children. The other thing is is that the president, the schoolboard president, she'll bring your attorney here, your staff attorney. They'll advise you and then you guys just do steal what you want to do. You just do what you want to do. You refer to the colleague letter as a Dear John letter. That's not a Dear John letter. You in the FO status now. Y'all gonna find out. All right. You asking for
049org chart. Don't nobody report to you. Nobody reports to you. You're over micromanaging. You're not our superintendent. The other thing is is that you have teachers that are going to come speak up here today and that's going to be great. I'm not saying that teachers don't deserve raises. We $10 million in deficit. We've had previous school boards that have gone bragging about how they didn't bring a levy for 10 years. And look at our financial situation. Everybody wants to highlight and bring negative to these meetings in APS when I know that we have administrators here that can do great things and resolve issues when chain of command is followed. But they're not followed. They here today where they've already orchestrated, had a meeting, a huddle, what they going to say tonight. So we can throw
050negative on the uh superintendent. But let's talk about excessive absenteeism real quick. The school board has paid from July 1st to 2024 to January 31st of 2025 approximately over $2 million in substitutes. It's been a probably it's been an estimate of 14,000 in absenteeism. And this is from my record request and I want to share this information with you. That's what you need to start discussing. discuss how you can subsidize and the complaints that they're going to bring up here with $2 million, we could get some of the things done that they're going to ask for. Thank you, Miss Blake Stokes. It's broken up even by cluster. Thank you. The next person that will be um that has signed up to speak is Miss Villa. Mr. Excuse me. Is it Camo? Camo Villas, my apologies.
051Good evening. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to address you tonight. My name is Camila Via. I'm a union representative with SEIU Local 1. Several hundred members of our union work here at the Akran public schools, including custodial, maintenance, grounds, transportation, and child nutrition. Most recently, the safety team who ensure that Akran students are able to learn in a safe and peaceful environment overwhelmingly chose to join our union to address years of unheard concerns, stagnant wages, and other muchneeded changes. Tonight, we are here because, like the safety team before them, the IT workers here at Akran Public Schools are forming a union with SEIU Local 1. On Friday, a super majority of the IT department delivered signed union cards to the state employees relations board requesting recognition as a bargaining unit. The IT team has
052taken the step to unionize to address many concerns such as will be elucidated by members of that team here today. The IT team has taken uh excuse me, with their supermajority filing, the IT team here at Akran Public Schools has made it clear it is time for changes to be made and for workers to have a voice at the table. We are calling on the board and administration of APS to honor the clear wishes of the IT department and to voluntarily recognize the union of IT workers here at APS. It is time for APS IT workers to have a seat at the bargaining table the same as hundreds of other APS employees, many of whom, as you can see, are here today in support behind me. Uh so our ask to you today is recognize
053the union for these workers and let's work together for an IT department that better serves the students, staff, and community here at Akran Public Schools. That's it. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Jeff Bello. I am a TSS here at Akran Public Schools. Milo spoke about what we're here for. I want to talk about why we are here. The technology department is interested in unioni unionizing for a few reasons including job security, the right to be heard and transparency within APS. Job security is always on workers minds when the term budget cuts does come up. The recent article about budget cuts and cuts and job closures is a concern for many as they are unsure of their future and their positions here at APS. People are worried that their positions could be
054next or that they might not be able to advance within the organization. We want to know what is going on with our daily work and responsibilities. When we have when we have a seat at the table, we will all feel more comfortable about the decisions made about us and our roles here at APS. Transparency is a critical part of a healthy workplace. If the workers do not know what changes are in progress, what decisions are being made, or what actions are being taken, it is hard for any of us to act for the betterment of the district. Policies and procedures change as they are needed to ensure the safe and welcoming environment for students, including rumors and pay uh excuse me, including rumors about pay freezes and reductions, soft benefit removals, such as the suspension
055of comp time, and remote work for some employees here at APS. If these changes are not effectively communicated, it can hamper morale and growth as we scramble to adjust to the changes that are made around us. Workers want to be heard. For a department that is spread across a district, it is hard for us to have a say in the changes that are made, including the responsibilities and roles that are being added or removed from our daily work. Having a strong voice allows workers to feel empowered and care about and cared about, excuse me, about uh their employers. It is an important part of any workplace. If our voices are heard and opinions considered, it would make all workers feel more empowered to make the workplace better each and every day. Senle once said, "We
056have two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak." In my time here at APS, I have spoken to many people within and without the technology department. Every one of them has expressed their love for working here and their appreciation for their fellow staff and unions. A move to recognize the IT union with SEIU one is another step in the right direction. The unionization of the IT department will benefit the district and the workers, allowing for better morale and retention within the department. Good evening board members, Madame President, Dr. Robinson, Dr. Thompson. Thank you for having us tonight and listening to our request. Uh my name is Joshua Hollahan. Most of you all know me already. And I'm here to follow up on what Jeff said. Uh Camille told
057you why we're here. Uh Jeff told you what we want. And I'd like to explain to you why you guys should voluntarily recognize us. Now, I've been with the district for over eight years. Three of them had been down here supporting the board, meeting on a regular basis. Over those three years, I've heard each board member express support of our unions and their members. And all I'm doing, all we're doing here today is asking you guys to continue that support and uh vote to voluntarily recognize our new union. Now, the spokers have spoken. We had an election and we've won a super majority of the IT staff members which is approximately 70%. Many of the uh staff members that would not sign on supported the formation of the union but were in fear of retaliation
058or retribution and didn't want to put their name down in paper. I couldn't talk them out of this. None of us could. So that's where we are with that. Now last year I was supporting the board I was supporting one of these board member board meetings sitting in that hallway back there when our superintendent said that he is very pro union. So I would expect our very pro-UN superintendent to be one of the most outspoken supporters of the new formation of this union both behind closed doors and publicly. Another sign that he would support this union was his appointment of our temporary director. She is a daughter of a union leader and I am confident that our our temporary director will wholeheartedly support the formation of this union as she I'm sure she understands the
059value of having her employees voices heard and represented a value I'm sure her parents instilled within her. So again board members the workers have spoken and they've decided they want this union. So please support the union, support your employees. support their wishes to be fairly represented the same as the rest of their colleagues are or rest of the thousands of colleagues are I should say. Please vote for both efficiency and clarity for the district moving forward to volunteer voluntarily recognize us so that we can skip this two-month process two-month plus process of a second election that one that already has been held. It would waste a lot of time that could already be used negotiating the new contracts. It will make the district better as a whole. Again, I've been working here for three years
060and I feel you guys have all been a positive guiding force for this district up to this point and I'm asking you guys to continue to carry on that legacy. Thank you for listening to us and hearing and your consideration. Have a good night. Thank you all very much. We appreciate you coming to address your board. Uh next we have uh Miss Brandy Vickers. So, um, I'm with him. Like, I feel like when we get here and we speak to you guys, we shouldn't be scared of retaliation. And that's kind of what's going on. Um, prior to me having to fight with APS to keep the jobs of the independent contractors, the transportation office relied on me heavily for routing, communicating with drivers, inspections, and all type of stuff. In 18 years, I've never had
061a disciplinary action or a warning. So, after we won the battle to keep our jobs, on September of 2024, I received my first email from transportation where they CC the board and the superintendent saying that um I was trying to provide alternative transportation. And then when I showed the email from the supervisor, I also showed that I had asked for permission. I don't do anything without going over it. On March 19th, I had a meeting with the drivers about our future and was to getting a commitment in our plan. Um, and three business days later, which is today, I received an email stating that I was getting a disciplinary warning for being unprofessional saying that in the letter, as you can see, that um I was trying to take magnets off of another van driver's
062car and that takes them out of compliance. I am at my school 30 to 45 minutes before these students come out to be transported home. And what I was doing was using my magnet on the car of two of my friends to see if it would stick to their vehicles because the sample guy magnet gave me this and I was just trying to double check it. Again, this is 45 minutes before students even come out and there's no students. I don't have any students on my vehicles. My friends didn't have any students on their vehicles or any of that. I called I spoke with transportation today. They're like, "Oh, well, the school said this, that, and the other." But these are not set rules. I have not violated any part of my contract that says
063there's nowhere in the transportation van driver contract that says we're not allowed out our vehicles before school starts or ends. We are to be in the car making sure that our kids are attended to. and I did not have any kids. The bottom line is is that I do not want any type of conduct referral on my record because transportation along with business affairs and everybody knows that I placed a bid in for the transportation uh contract and I deduct points if that happens and I refuse to get points deducted off of something that I did not do. This is my magnet. This does not have anything to do with school transportation. That does not if I stick it on your car, their car, every car, it doesn't take anybody out of compliance. And I
064have tried to speak with them as usual. I'm ignored like always. And so that is why I'm here. I do not want to be penalized for a rule I did not break. Thank you, Miss Vickers, um for sharing. um as uh the board does u reserve the right and the privilege to allow um uh individuals to speak. I know that we read the preamble but uh she was allowed to um to speak to express herself. Um I just don't want anyone to send me any text uh emails about that because she's allowed to express herself. We've given time um for that. So thank you Miss Vickers for sharing that with us. Um next we have uh who signed up to address the board is Andrea Morton. Hello. Hello. Okay. Um, I'll try to make this
065quick. I'm going to piggyback a little bit off of what Brandy said. I'm not going to get into um a lot of details, but I I really want to know like who do we go to when we go to management and we get nowhere? I understand that we're independent contractors, but we have been doing this for 50 plus years. I can't stress that enough. And it's never been a problem until the previous administration came in and made us the problem. 50 years, no complaints. No problems. You guys didn't even know we existed. Remember? 50 years. Now, there's such a problem. And they came to you last year stating it was a mandate. Oh, we have to hire a company. We have to hire a company. Well, now they're saying because they know that somebody is
066has created a company, now they're saying, "Oh, no, things are running just fine." So, what is it? Like, this is it. It's it's frustrating. It's a hostile work environment. We we we do our jobs. Teachers will tell you guys, and I I I just there's got to be somewhere where we can voice our concerns freely without fear of retaliation. One of our previous drivers who used to come in here and voice her opinion freely was fired. And I'm not going to speak on that because it is a pending lawsuit. But I I how they're doing Brandy is it's unfair. Like give her a fair shot. You guys relied on her for years to help. Everybody called Brandy for everything, including the supervisor, uh the transportation manager. Um and I'm getting off subject here, so let
067me hurry up. Okay. So, um yeah, she said that. Uh sorry guys, I'm a little frustrated. Um it's difficult. Oh, also there's changes being made to the to the proposal that directly there was a change that just came out today that directly try uh tries to prohibit her bid from being successful. So, I really hope you guys will look into that because it's going to deduct points just like the warning letter she got today. And I find that mighty strange that it happens 3 days after she met with the van drivers and got a commitment from all drivers. Well, mostly, I'm not going to say all, over 50% of the drivers that they will come work for her because they know they will be fairly treated. They know that she is an ICO. She understands
068what we go through and it it just makes sense. Um, yeah, I'm running out of time here, but uh, yeah, I won't get into that this time. I'll be back because I have a lot to say. Thank you. You still had some seconds. All right. Thank you so much. Uh, appreciate you sharing, Miss Morton. Next to address the board, we have Miss Sheila Smith. Good evening. Good evening, Miss Smith. Um, first, as a former board member, I want to thank Dr. Robinson for the wisdom to offer the Akran school board the opportunity to commission the transition report and thank the board. Thank you all for voting for that. Now over the last 30 years I have had served in many capacities in Akran public schools as an employee as a parent leadership through PTA uh
069grant-f funded opportunities or school readiness resource center all these things have led me um all the way to the Akran school board and when I looked at this report I'm in my mind first of all I'm retired I said I was retired I'm not coming back to any more meetings or committees or anything. But when I looked at this report and I see things that continue to happen, 30 years ago, we were talking about some of these things and they're still part of this transition. But I just wanted to highlight just a few things that I uh that I that was cited in this report. This summary, and this is a quote, this summary has not even discussed the many other excellent programs, initiatives, and partnerships, which is good. We need to recognize those things
070that are good and going well for the district. But however, the curriculum is a major strength of APS. However, no matter how comprehensive the curriculum, it is meaningless without corresponding solid instruction. Sadly, that is not the case in APS. The statement on the on the front of the report says, "Teaching and learning, and this is a quote, teaching and learning is the heartbeat of the district. The victory is in the classroom." one of the most important components of the district. And when we look at the uh teaching and learning instruction, this is one of the comments too. And you all can go look at the report. I don't have to read everything. Uh looks like my minutes is up anyway. But there is a little there is little incentive to address poor instruction with the
071excuse being the need to protect everyone. Senior leadership fails to emphasize employee accountability and potentially overemphasizes due process. And here again, I was here in 2019 talking about long-term subs. The problem is intensified by the the longterm substitutes. I know that there is an issue with finding people to fill those positions, but however, I'm asking with this report and all those things that are in it that we that you and the board, Superintendent Robinson and the board would entertain each cluster because each cluster has its own building c culture and issues. And my question is, does this board have the will to work with the communities to review the issues and barriers to making sure there is victory in the classroom, especially those that are the weakest link in the system. Don't let this report
072sit on the shelf like I've seen many with no execution. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you, Miss Smith. We appreciate your comments. Next, we will have the super int superintendence report. Thank you, President Jackson, board members, Dr. Thompson. We had a death of one of our employees, uh, Miss Danna Moore. Miss Moore was one of our child nutrition staff members at Book Doll for the last 5 years. She was a very valued and cherished member of the child nutrition um, department. She was a bright light that will be greatly missed and our condolences and thoughts are with her family and friends, her colleagues for their immense um and sudden loss. Also, we lost a student at Sam Salem CLC and so we certainly want to continue to keep his family in prayers. Ohio Governor
073Governor Dewan in coordination with the Department of Education and Workforce developed the governor's science of reading recognition program to recognize schools that are demonstrating strong implementation of evidence-based instructional practices aligned to the science of reading and where students are making significant pro progress. For the 2425 school year, the governor's science of reading recognition went to Helen Arnold CLC, Rhymer CLC, and Schemacher CLC. And so we want to say congratulations to the teachers, to the entire staff, to the students, to the parents, to the administrators. Thank you and our families. Thank you so much uh for all that you do and for the work that you've done. and will continue to do to keep moving our scholars forward especially in the area of literacy. We also want to say congratulations to North High School's principal Mr.
074Morrison High CLC principal Miss Saxs SA Sam Salem principal Miss Cibbit and Shoemacher's principal Mr. Haynes and their staffs for being awarded the writing revolution grant. um they will receive professional development from the creators of the program. I think that we sent something out but just want to highlight again Akran Early College High School. Um I'm very excited for for the work that has been done by our teachers and our administrators and our scholars and families there. The ACT scores are highest uh they have ever been with 22.4 four an improved um percentage of 1.5 from last year. 89 of their sophomores took the ACUPPLACER. Um if you know anything about the ACUPPLACE, it's not an easy test. And that's a college entrance test for English composition. And every student passed. I think we need
075to give them a hand for that. 114 of 116 90% 96% algebra 2 students took the Maple Soft math placement test and passed it testing into college math for next year. I think we need to give them a hand for that. And the credit goes to the hardworking ELA and math teams, uh the teachers that prepared the coaches that prepared the students for this um these requirements. I want to highlight Miss Kotron. Is she here tonight? Okay. But I do want to recognize Miss Katrron uh who works tirelessly to prepare the students for the ACT. and ACT is an area that we are continuing to do a great deal of work uh in Akran and the students who showed up every day and worked hard to achieve um their goals. So, thank you again to
076the entire uh Akran Early College um staff, to the principal, to the parents, and to the scholars. Thank you. Want to say thank you to uh Coast to Coast Technicians, Miss Sharon Okconor, uh Councilwoman Sharon Okconor, Operation Warm, St. John's CME Church, and Keep Akran Beautiful, the Davy Tree for the donations that they are b that our kids are able to benefit from. Registration uh opens for our summer experiences and programs. So parents, you should have gotten or you will get some form of a card in the mail families community um and it will give you more information. There are QR codes there and everything for you to start registering your scholars for uh prek to 12 um also April the 1st uh 2025. And so those post postcards again are being sent out. And
077um our be kind 330 at Piper Elementary. Kindness is taking the field thanks to special partnership between the school counselor and the Akran Zips football team. Uh each week 20 football players visit the school to spend time with students in grades K through three, creating meaningful connections through the power of reading. During each visit, students get valuable one-on-one time with a player, uh practicing introductions, sharing books, and discussing stories. For our younger students, it's an opportunity to hear a a story read with enthusiasm. For our older students, it's a chance to take the lead and read aloud, building confidence and pride. This simple act of kindness is making a big impact. Students look forward to these sessions knowing they have a caring mentor who is there for them. It's another great example of how small
078moments of kindness can make all the difference in the world. Let's continue to celebrate and uplift the power of connection in our schools. And special thanks to our counselor, Miss Lauren Schneider. Um, and she is really exceptional for sharing this story. Thank you, superintendent, for that report. Next, we will have the treasurer's report, Dr. Thompson. Excuse me. Thank you, Madam President, school board, Dr. Robinson for the opportunity to address and for I'm going to give you a a mixed bag of uh news. Uh some of it's not new news, but some of it is uh much better than originally projected news. So what we can control, I think you'll see that we're controlling that to the best of our ability. And there are some things we simply cannot control. But I but your uh February
079financial report, I just want to you have an a summary in front of you titled February 2025 monthly financial report. It goes with that document that's right behind it that has a whole bunch of graphs and charts, but hopefully this um just breaks it out, makes it more English. So just in the summary under revenue growth, you can see we have a 9.4% growth in revenue. Um and that's mostly driven from local taxes and some increase in state aid in this year. Under expenditures, you can see that we um expenditures in accumulation July through February is increased by 5.9%. Uh and that's pretty simple to figure out the certain categories, you know, inflation, employees, uh health care, uh cost of doing business is always going to drive that up some. So, the variance, in other
080words, that forecast variance, how are we trending as it relates to the 5-year forecast? And you can see right now it's shifted in a positive way. Uh we received a lot of our tax increases are now coming in. Uh and it's we're better by 955,000 than we projected, which isn't a lot. Uh but it's a lot better than being negative. So, we will certainly take that. Um, and overall the forecast looks like it's going to be about $2.5 million better um um overall and roughly trending at almost 3.5 million. Cash balance is decreasing now and this gets this gets confusing I know. Um we have our budget but our budget exceeds revenue and I'll show you that in a in a minute. Um, again, that's a direct result of House Bill 920. Very difficult to
081stop that over the course of of time. Um, but we have to watch that that trend. So, we started out fiscal year 25 uh with 106 million, almost 107 million. We're looking at being somewhere closer to 89 million. Our 5-year forecast was 86 million to kind of put that a little bit in perspective. And part of it also has been uh our investments are still doing well. Uh they're doing very well. The so that part of the economy still remains fairly hot and that's driving up our revenue. Uh and then just real quickly under revenue performance, just to give you an idea, the local property tax increase so far, um we've received about $18 million or so. Um so that's a big piece of what's driving up driving up our revenue. Um the states increased
082a bit um expenditures um in contrast um down to February expenditure performance. Number two, you can see we're lower by 1.3 million compared to the same month last year. You might ask, well, how's that possible? Those are from staffing reductions from the year before uh that are still held. And that's important. Um, and you can see the variances and decline in total employees. We've cut back on purchase services and thus dropped our operating expenses some. Uh, total expenditures are about 5.9% higher than last year as I mentioned before and the categories are salaries, textbooks, interest um that we're paying on our loans. The cops loan primarily um is is u driving that. So, just in summary of all of this, and I want to um well, let me go to um number four, actually. Um
083House Bill 96, the governor's budget bill. Uh as of March 20 um 24th, I'm going to give you an update on what that looks like to us and what that impact is. You can see in the financial impact somewhere around 45 million. I'll break it down for you in just a minute. And the implication obviously is that we're going to have to make significant adjustments on top of the adjustments that we've currently made. It's um one way or another we have to draw in more revenue and I don't see that happening or we have to reduce expenditures. It's pretty simple business formula. Um, and I'll conclude by just saying that February 25 reflects a pretty fair revenue growth. Uh, we're effectively cost controlling. Uh, but House Bill 96 introduces a lot of uncertainty. Um, and
084so we're going to have to re-evaluate our forecast. I told you that I would bring you a forecast early. So that's what I'm going to hit real briefly here. [Music] Can you go ahead and hit play? Thank you. And you can just hold it that slide. Go ahead. Hit it again and again. Thank you. So, what the assumptions are when you look at this 5-year forecast are this that there's no further changes in inputs. You've heard some different words used for that. that um uh Miss Autri used even just a few in her um pre in her um addressing the board uh where formally they're calling them inputs and inputs are the things that drive the cost of educating a student whether that's special ed or all all those various inputs those inputs right now
085are frozen at 2022. So, think about inflation from 22 to 25, just the cost of doing business. We're frozen at 2022. So, that's what you're going to see. That's what's currently modeled in the governor's budget. And that's what I'm going to show. Uh the $10.2 million in cuts that um were approved in November. Uh they have they they've slightly changed. I know that superintendent's working on that. We've worked on that as well. Uh so hopeful that will be to you I believe in April in specificity. There's and then I'm assuming no changes to federal funding because I simply have no idea and anybody knows they know more than I do. Dr. Molar address that as well. Next slide please. So this is a little bit busy but this is a really important slide. I want
086you to look at the red numbers first under state A because that's what we're focusing on. So you see the minus49,000 then 6.1 million 7.3 14 14 those aren't accumulating those are that number for that year on top of the previous year on top of the previous year. So you can see between unrestricted grants and state aid and um and restricted grants that's a significant impact. If you could hit the button little arrow should come up. So there's where it's all totaled together. Remember we said we we're pulling in so far about 18 million from our tax levy. and look at how significantly we impact that levy before we even start making all of its collections. Next slide. Additional pressure mounting for us. As you see across the middle of this page, these are the
087insurance rate increases. In other words, this is what Medical Mutual is telling us based on claims how much we're being charged. We forecasted 5.5%. Because that's what our um what our consultants recommended, it's what other school districts that in similar financial situation or similar uh insurance rate increases were forecasting. So you can see in July, that first month, July 2024, our rates actually increased 6%. Then 36%. then 16, then 14, then November, we finally had a good month at 3%. And then back up to 20, I believe that says 28%. My eyes aren't that great. Um, for a total average button, please clicker. 17% rate increase is what we're currently experiencing. So, that's going to negatively impact our 5-year forecast. I don't know what's going to happen over the next six months, but what I
088do know is once um once someone's medical cost exceed a certain number, $400,000, the insurance company will put a stop loss on it and then we start getting large bills, large bills. And we have about unfortunately and through absolutely no fault of their own, we have seven or eight very large claims that are over the $400,000 mark. So, we're starting to get some big bills and we have no choice but to pay them. Next slide. So if you take a look at this um and this is what I what I I want us to understand even when we stay within our budget even when we reduce something in our budget we're still overspending because our budget exceeds revenue. So, under the first one, under that blue one, you see we're at $106 million or so,
089when we started fiscal year 25, that was our cash carryover. Revenue came, we estimate revenue, and it's seemingly on target. Uh, actually a little, we're $955,000 more than that than what's showing on the screen, we think, so far. At least that's how we're trending. 364 million. expenditure is down a little bit, but they're trending here at 384 million and that's what eats into our cash reserves. Our policy says every we that we will not go below 2 months of cash carryover at all times. So, we hit it at 86 million, but you're going to see it doesn't last very long. So every time we have an opportunity to reduce our operating budget, we have to take it. Next slide. So um so let me start. Let me this is our November forecast as it was
090filed. So this is nothing changed. It assumes a 1% base. It continues phase in and cost inputs of fair school funding. an 8% increase in health insurance. We know we're not going to hit that. Reduction of the $10 million and reappraisal of estimates for all classes of property. So that's what we talked about in November. That's what we approved in November. And you can see that we're black for 5 years going across the bottom of the screen. But starting in fiscal year 28, we fall below two months. Fiscal year 27 will be close. and fiscal year 29. $16 million might sound like a lot, but remember that's not even enough to get through a month of our expenditures. It's not even it's probably a little bit less than two weeks of our expenditures. So, it
091sounds like a lot, but it's it's very very very tight. Next slide, please. So, what we're looking at now, we let's go to the notes on the bottom. um updated assumptions for November. Um so we we have enrollment actuals, property valuation actuals. So we have a little bit more information and then our governor's budget introduced as it um is currently assumed. So when it says freezebased cost, that means the n that means 2022 inputs. That's what that means. And then the increases of the Fair School Funding Act, they're still in there. So we're allow we we're accounting for that for 26 through 28 and continues the FSFP which is the fair school funding plan. So go you look across the bottom remember look at the very last number what was a $16 million carryover is
092now a $35 million deficit. That's simply by change of the budget bill. You can see that we would definitely fall below 2 months cash carryover in by November of 27 or by fiscal year 27 rather, excuse me. Um, and the important thing also is there are three phases where the state comes knocking on your door. The first one um is is fiscal watch. So or excuse me fiscal caution. And there at that point you fall into that when we hit fiscal year 27 if all remains the same we would move into that phase. Then the next year as we crept closer these numbers held as they are um in fiscal year 28 um we would go into wa into into watch and then in 29 we would fall into emergency and when you fall into
093emergency that means the state it's a state takeover which we have seen. Obviously we're not going to let that happen but that's what would happen if we just rode the wave. So, you're you're hearing about $10 million in cuts, and I know I know and we all know the heavy impact that puts on all of our employees and what it does to culture and everything else. We we understand the ramifications of that. But through no fault of our own, it's not APS's fault if this budget does not change between now and June 1st. That would almost assuredly mean not only these $10 million in cuts, but additional cuts to make up for the reductions in state funding, which would be another somewhere around another 10 million or so dollars to make our way through. So,
094that's where we're at. I don't suspect that we're going to have exact concrete answers for a really solid forecast in May. the the the budget bill will not be signed. We will not know. Uh we may have more better information than we have right now, but we will not definitively know. So, what I would submit to you is that we make sure we're compliant and we turn in a 5-year forecast in the month of May, but that we also know that we're going to review that as soon as the numbers come out from the state, re-update it, and and send in an updated or modified forecast based on the final numbers that we get in June. Any Madam President? Thank you, Mr. Treasure. I didn't raise my hand, but I guess you saw readiness on
095my face. Member Sykes has taught me to say to put it back to our chair, so I'm I've learned. So, I I'm going back to the board president. Um, yes. My question is because I know we talked about this and I know um sometime I had addressed this about us doing an internal audit. I know that we've had um external audit where we've been seen in good shape, but as far as um areas that we can cut, what are we doing to be proactive in the sense I understand the salaries? We've seen the work up about certain jobs and things like that. Where are we at with looking at um what can be used like as far as curriculum that is coming from title one um funds and how we can switch and focus on
096one pile of money. I know that we're in some federal unreadiness now as far as our federal funds, which is going to cause a whole another problem possibly, but I'm just thinking internally um because it seems that in some instances within organizations and school system sometimes, especially of this magnitude, sometime it can be a lot of internal um waste. And what I mean is because when I speak as a educator myself and just sometimes things are being ordered curriculum and it's brand new curriculum in a closet that teachers haven't had time to really unpack and execute. Um and then we're reordering new curriculum or going just I'm just saying where it gets into the nitpick. Um because I'm I'm a feudal person. Some people find that hard to believe but I'm very frugal because of
097certain things I want to spend big money on. So, I'm feudal in other areas. And I say that because I know that since I've been in this district, I'll posit certain questions and I'll get a cheeky response like, "Oh, that's nothing in the drop of our bucket bucket." But I was raised that pennies turn into dollars and dollars into other bill. You understand? And so I'm wondering what type of stripping down of what we spend money on have are we proactively doing before we get to 2029 without with influx and I know it doesn't have to be as I'm just saying at this point. So um yeah because this is a much larger conversation but one of the things that we're doing um Dr. Hodto and Miss Alex um Alexandra Angela Carter one of the
098things that they've do that they were doing I think Mr. Keenan was a part of that too but all of the directors and executive directors have been a part of looking at the large scheme of where reductions can be made. So, what we're looking at is, if you want to use that word that or the extra, that's what we're looking at this current school year, which is why we were able to make go back from the original plan and and revisit that now that Dr. Hodo is here and actually be able to determine other things. For example, overtime, right? And I won't really get into into that, but that is one of the areas that we have identified um that's a cost to us. Um and unfortunately, some of those things are embedded in contracts.
099I can't get into the con the confinements of all that right now, but I'm just giving that as an example. We're looking at one of the things we looked at is um our trash collection, right? and looking at if we move from one company to another company, how much can we save? We're looking at operational efficiencies. And so this isn't about um when when when people when we talk about budget reductions, this isn't about us going after a particular group of people or whatever. We're not going after anybody. We're trying to save as many jobs as we can, but I do want to be clear. We have to do some things that were done during the COVID season that we have not adequately re undone. We're going to have to and that's going to be
100painful because we purchased things, we did things, we moved money off of ESSER and we put it on general fund. In fact, today I sat with Dr. Thompson and Miss um Carter and said, "I think it is time for us. This is great at a board meeting, but we need to explain to our employees what all of this stuff means. And this is just years, decades of things changing with House bills and just we don't control a lot of the things that we wish we could. We're not able to get funding in a way that we would love to be able to get it. it is it is creating a problem for us because we can't keep up fast enough. So, yes, it may seem like, oh my goodness, they're down there just kind of
101spending and hiring. No, we're not. When when these bills change and the funding um mechanisms and and sources change, it creates a gap for us. And so, those are the things that we want to make sure that people understand in the large scheme of all of this. Um, it it's not as simple as don't hire a secretary or don't hire a teacher or don't do this. That's not that's a part of it, but that's not as it's not that simple. There are things that are done above us as a district that we cannot control and never will be able to. And we have to figure out internally how do we catch up to what these laws and house bills and all those things are being changed by our leg legislators that we don't have any
102impact on. We could ask them and hope that they speak in our voice for and have a voice for us, but that's not necessarily the way it is. And so as we are doing exactly what you're saying, we're looking at everything. We're looking at copy machines. I'm just giving an example, right? Um that's something that I've done in other places. We would be surprised that I'm not saying that that's what's happening here, but I'm just giving you from previous experience. You'd be surprised that a copier contract if we renegotiate it, which is some of the things that Dr. Hodto, Miss uh Carter have been working on, Mr. Keenan, simple things like that, if we renegotiate some things, we can get a better deal. And so those are the things that we're doing to your point
103that will address that. But I do want to emphasize that we um we are sticking to the reductions that we said. But we do know that we are going to have further reductions in this next school year will be 2526. We will have reductions in 20 25 uh 2627. We'll come again in 2728. Understood. I'm just I I just wonder about like the internal mechanism. I know copy and machines is one I'm I'm in a small organization very much smaller than this. I had one teacher that had like 10,000 copies. We were able to go to pinpointing to who and those are very expensive. We talking about you getting into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Uh and I I know it's more than hundreds of thousands in this district. So that is something um I'm
104talking about those things where we can pinpoint codes and know who's copying what. Do they need to copy this much and cut it down? I also um and I I know this is a larger conversation, but I know upon me in um becoming a board member that additional positions were created, add additional offices that this uh organization had been able to operate for a long time and it was not and it was said for efficiency purposes. I came into that where new jobs and departments were being created. So when I'm talking and I'm from this lens I'm saying like from the central office lens um some of that and then also um things that are in storage or you know if we're not using this I can never say that word parenthesis was getting new
105boards or teachers are saying I don't need a smart board because I'm old school we don't even use it we're using like and we're spending money on on this that then could be rerouted into student curriculum or into Chromebooks instead of these things that teachers are saying I don't really need that in my classroom. Just stuff like that because now that becomes in this building that's $50,000, $100,000. So that's what I'm talking about like breaking down in things as far as um that's the avenue that we're like tangible items as well as offices and as well as things that we're purchasing these things that still can be used as titled funds that can be used still to benefit the the child. But it might not necessarily mean all every class to get smart boards because
106if the teacher saying we we not using this or those parenthes. So I'll just put a pin in that because that was my question and like you said this is a more um extensive conversation. Thank you. Or uh yes uh member Harrison please. Thank you Mr. Chair. Um Dr. Thompson you had given us this number before. Um what percentage of our budget is people? Yeah. And that that that's the really to the heart of it all. Uh our our people are almost 84% of our budget. So you're talking 16 or 17% that isn't and of that 16 or 17% most of it's very difficult to move. Like I'm very apprehensive to say we're going to cut paper usage, you know, for example, and build it in a five-year forecast. Although I'd like to see us
107do that. Um, but one of the challenges with that is at least in my experience is you cut it, it looks good on paper for about 6 months and then the buildings are screaming for more paper that they don't have any paper and we have to shift $100,000 over there and buy more paper. So those those are some of the challenges. So when you when when you focus on that 16% there's some of it that just can't move. fuel, paper, supplies, uh, electricity. In fact, it's hard to, if you can even flatline it, that's good with the current inflationary rate that we're experiencing now and the volatility in all the markets. Um, so yeah, it's very difficult. 84% roughly. Okay. So, I want to follow up if I could, Madam President. Yes, sir. 84% is
108people. Mhm. We budgeted 6% of that expense for a rise in insurance and we're at 17%. That's correct. Okay. So those are the things with people that we have no control over. That's correct. So then if the insurance company if we I the term that you use when an extraordinary medical cost. Yeah. Yeah. Um so catastrophic is the actual word the insurance company uses. Catastrophic. So then we're responsible for that. Yes. portion. Um, and and I and I say this to let the public know. and if they see a a a van or a um some kind of machinery that it really comes down to people and and so we're not we do need to be more um careful in our spending with um public money when it comes to equipment, when it comes to
109taking care of equipment. I mentioned the buses because the buses were a big thing in the finance report two years ago. That was a huge thing that we had to start right away and now we're pushing that away. But I just want to be clear and I want the public to know that it's it's people cost and some of those people costs we don't have any control over. We don't have any control over insurance. um we we don't have any control over but we have some control over contractual things but um like anybody else we want to retain our teachers and so um we want to retrain our pair professionals. We talked about uh the uh early learning program. We want to make sure that we have that together. Um and so it costs to
110do those things. So, I just want to make sure that the people at home that that are listening understand that um 84% is people. We're not outside of any other school district. That's that's very standard. Pretty much we're Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, any other school you got, right? The budget is people, right? We are a service industry. We don't make widgets. Uh so while there are some comparisons to business, there are some things that absolutely don't relate to u private the private sector. We can't we can't increase the cost of our product. We don't sell a product. We can't drive down the cost of our materials. We don't buy materials. U so those are all challenges that all public schools face. And um while I'm not telling you that this isn't a very difficult situation we
111find ourselves in, we know it is. But if you take a look around, you can go on the Ohio um Department of Education and Workforce website, type in any school district you want to type in, and you can pull up their 5-year forecast, and you'll see districts like Cleveland that show a deficit next year. I mean, there's a there's a lot of schools that are in trouble. And I don't say that to minimize our situation. We have a still have an opportunity to get a handle on this and we have to do it. But it's a but it it it is absolutely a struggle. There are a few outside entities we can use. To your point, we can do an independent we we get audited every year by the state auditor's office, but that is
112not measuring the efficiency of how we do business. That's measuring the efficiency of how we did we spend it out of the right pot? Did we use it for the right thing? Did you know that's what that's measuring? They will do a they'll do a financial audit and break down all of our finances. the regional office will come in and do an assessment on our staffing levels and tell us where they think we're properly staffed and where we're overstaffed. I mean, there there are there are ways that we can do that. And I know that um we have a group that's just done a fantastic job of putting together uh a soft basically a software package tracking um what Dr. Robinson alluded to our overtime and how we can um potentially um mitigate that where
113we can we can't eliminate all of our overtime. It's not not possible. But can we you know if we can drop it 30% that's a million dollars for example. So those are things that we're watching and we're going to monitor and as long as they happen I'll build it into the five-year forecast. But I just need to see the data and be able to show you the data to support that before that gets built in. But I I I'm confident that we can. Uh, member Autry, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. Um, Dr. Thompson, if we were somehow magically able to get those updated inputs, how significant of an effect would this have? Instead of losing 45 million, we would be closer to gaining 20 or 25 million depending on how up how extensive that
114would be. It the flip on that would be significant significant. Um all indicators are that I that we're hearing is that's unlikely to occur, but that's why we have to keep going to Columbus and advocating and advocating and advocating to the extent that we can. Even if we can get them moved up minimally, it make it it'll make a difference in potential millions of dollars for us. Make it make our transition a lot easier. I I really want to see that number in 29 stay black so that in 28 we're in a much better position to be on the ballot without facing fiscal emergency as a result of a levy failure. Sure. U Vice President Alexander. Yeah. And you know, history, we we we've went through the same stuff for years and years and years
115and we came out, you know, uh okay. And I'm still being optimistic that we're going to be okay. But we have to also look at there a lot of things that are going on now that didn't go on at that time. You know, you look at the the Department of Education that might not be around that that was a piece there. So, there's other uh variables and and and uh pieces of the puzzle that we we want to to be good, but we we don't know if they're going to be good. So, you have to budget so that your budget is is one that will be good to fit the needs especially of our students because that's the most important aspect, you know, and try to keep our staff. Uh but that balance too of
116maybe where we can cut a little bit here, cut a little bit there and so forth so we can try to get at least close. But if if we if things work out well, then we will get the money and we'll still have to do some of that. But it wouldn't have to be as significant because I know in some years past, I did not want to be part of having to cut bone. And I use that analogy. You have muscle, you cut muscle, you cut muscle, you cut muscle, then after you cut muscle, you get to the bone. If you cut the bone, you're not going to be able to make it. So I don't want to get to the point where we have to cut the bone. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you.
117Um the qu only question I have treasure is I would like to do we have a budget that shows us um expenditures per department. Yes. Um because I would like to look at a budget that shows the expenditures per department and then I'm curious we have something where as far as the school um because I know once it was mentioned one of my colleagues had asked something about um being specific on the budget to see what is teachers how much we spend in that is it possible to have is there uh a formula I would like to see a budget that not only that shows the departments within here what they how much money they spend and the expenditures this is being spent on. Um and then if possible I would like to see uh
118expenditures per building. Okay. and and the staff. So for instance, when I'm saying staff like elementary, middle school, high school, sta, teachers, administration, you know, and in if in that administration if it's counselors, dean of students, principal, um just for my like I would like to reflect because for me is you know they say how do you eat an elephant? one piece at a time, small piece at a time. Because when all this is just conglump clumped together and we're talking about numbers, it's easy for me to get a visual and process in my mind um certain movements and navigations. You know, they talk about penny pinchers and crunchers. Cuz when I think like a treasure, I think it's somebody in there that's going and saying these this department is spending too much money. This
119department is this department. This is egregious. decide that's kind of what I want to know. Mhm. When we start talking about cuts and um keeping them as far as way away from the classroom. Um I know something is contractual because I do believe in performance-based employment or not. But when we talk about we're already low on peer professionals, we're already low on teachers in general, just in general, we need to hire, you know, it's just I would like to see those type of numbers. Um and also question I don't know if you can answer this because I was thinking this um when I promise had presented um and they were talking about the the houses being part of their PBIS also the budget for our PBIS is in the school. I've heard teachers when I
120go to various schools talk about that and so when I'm saying about the breakdown I would like to see um if this cluster is getting less or how does that work? Is it certain sponsors and um what's the word I'm looking for? Uh community partners or uh organizations that adopt certain schools and that's why they have more because then I think as a board fiduciary agents maybe we can use our influence and relationships to get each of our schools or cluster some type of partnership or church if or you know different things that may adopt that school. Um and so it's just different things like that that that will help me. Does that make sense what I'm saying Dr. Thompson? Yes, it does, Madam President. And and currently we we built last month. So if
121you want to see it broke down by every every fund line, so you you know, you want to see what spent on any building improvements, all of them. There's it's three pages. It's what we uh appropriated, in other words, what we budgeted, and then what we've spent to date and what that percentage of spend is. So I have that right now. We're updating it every month and then I can add to that I think pretty easily. We can run some reports that would break it down by building and give you a better sense of because right now it's all the buildings all together. I wouldn't be able to break that. I don't have that broken down but we can break that down so you can take a look at you know what is the expenditure
122of one or another. But keep in mind how how we have done budgeting so far has been a a simple algorithm of the number of students times a certain dollar amount for high schools, for middle schools, for elementary schools. So their b their budgets basically based on uh the number of the number of students that they have and and then some buildings will show higher for example will show a higher employee number and a higher um expenditure that doesn't nec that that that can be ba a lot of that's driven on um what the needs of that building are special education number of tutors and that's not always the same. So, there is some fluctuation, but I I think I understand what you want. Um, give me about a week or so and we'll get
123you some documents so that you can we'll get it to everyone. Um, take a shot at it and see if that if you find that beneficial, help you follow um the budget. Thank you so much. And when you're doing that, when you talk about the tutors, I want to see like because I know a good portion of tutors and special intervention specialists and things like that can come from title one. They can fund. So if they're do I want it because that's not general budget. So I wanted it to be clear title one funded and supported versus a general budget. Like don't just put them in with like a staff like the teachers. Okay. Sure. Sure. And and we'll put a funding on it and and clearly there's ways you can use tit there's different
124ways you can spend your title one money for sure. Um so we'll be able to break that out so you get a sense of what that is. Thank you Mr. Treasure. I appreciate it. Any other questions for the treasure? Okay. Thank Thank you, Dr. Thompson. Um, if not, is there a motion to approve the resolutions for the February 2025 financial report? So move. It's been moved by member Sykes. Is there a second? Oh, second. It's been second by member Hall. Any discussion? Seeing and hearing. No. None. I can't read the wrong. When Dr. uh Dr. Thompson comes to a seat. Roll call vote, please. I completely understand, Dr. Thompson. Miss Autry, yes. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molinar, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Motion carries 70. Thank you,
125Dr. Thompson. And now uh is the president's report. Um very quickly um you guys were talking about um Leila Ali and things of that nature and I I really like Muhammad Ali. I like a lot of his quotes and one of the things he says is that I believed I was the greatest even before I was. And so you talk about um student efficacy or student success and and a lot of that I was reading in the um is the uh the journal of education psychology or psych education and it was talking about what I promised Senate just presented to us about and also what our PBIS seeks to do in each school about building student success by creating a climate and a culture. that feeds and breathes um student success. That means um pouring
126into those students. And I love when I see presentations like that and when people come and they present to the board like we see the four-year-old reading because it takes me to reflection and I can't reflect on my educational journey without thinking about people like Dr. Flora and De's Joe Sanders um the counselor Mr. Calhoun, Miss Reed when I went to rank in elementary and different people's whose shoulders I stand on because what happened was they instilled in me like Ali I believe I'm the greatest even before I am because I think God still has other work to do and I believe that's important for our kids to feel that because what you feed is what will grow. So when we look at systems within our school that help to create a culture and a
127climate of accountability um that is partnered with great experiences and excited about learning and celebrating your wins but still dealing with that discipline. The research does support exactly what the principal of IP promise said is that when she said the level two and level three offenses have decreased because that's exactly what longitudinal studies have shown that when the environment shifts some of your greatest offenders behaviors their mindset change because it's an expectation and it's a cultural shift. So, I really wanted to recognize that and to talk a little bit about that because when I go into my president's report today, I did have an opportunity um to be in our schools and I met with um our students and we had some very interesting conversations that was centered around um bullying. We talked about transparency
128and the different things that we do here. And so I also want to recognize when the ELP teachers came and the questions that were posited here that um follow-up did happen uh with administration administrators because I really want to know what is the deal with this. We understand what the data tells us about when we prepare children earlier. We understand that it's important and that preschool is a significant link in the chain of student success and that if students get an understanding and a grip on reading earlier that they are more likely to be successful and eventually graduate high school. We also understand from research that if they don't get a grip earlier, if the interventions are not there, then they are more likely, as I said on this mic before, to be incarcerated and
129for problems to happen. So um the one of the questions that came up was about um timely student transitions and I was that the question was asked about that and if there were recent reports of students not being changed in a timely manner since the issue was addressed earlier in the year. So apparently there that there were some issues of concern but when those concerns were shared earlier in the year that they had been addressed. One of the problems that we're running into which we all can say that we are clearly aware because I mean I think for over a year it's been coming to our um being brought to our attention is the lack of resources when it comes to human capital and what I mean by that pair of professionals they're not there
130we don't have enough when we see the high teacher turnover that is a problem on the early childhood play uh center and in our um secondary education wing when we see these high influx of substitute teachers. Now, I addressed uh last meeting about the pair professionals saying about the working environment, not only about the livable wage, which is a whole another issue as we just finished talking about budget, but the fact that they're in classrooms being in some cases assaulted by children, things happening to them where they believe it's not a safe environment or they don't feel um fully equipped or supported in that environment. Member Hall, you brought up something earlier today which I think was a fantastic idea of um statement that you made regarding our learners at North and dealing in early
131childhood and why we don't hire those back. I love the model that I see at Bookto CLC where um a couple meetings ago when I talked about Jason Bailey who was one of our students who I highlighted him for his entrepreneurship who is now back at Bookto working in the position of a peer professional which I think is pretty cool because it's his alma mater and it's it's connected. So then we think, how are we getting it out here to let students know, hey, if you're going to the University of Akran, you might, you know, and you're doing part-time, you might can come in and and serve as a pair professional and get some training for that because we have to look at a way of filling these positions. But we also cannot um be
132blind to the fact or um ignorant to the fact of the complaints and the concerns that people are sharing with us, which why we cannot fill these roles. Again, it goes to accountability. What is our policy saying when things like this happens? What is all around that? I talk about policy all the time. We had a cell phone policy, but then we had to get yonder bags, you know, so let's enforce policies that we have on the book. Bullying, it's a level three. It's a level three issue. It says kids are supposed to be suspended. If we investigate, what are we doing? And I and like I said in my report, I'll get a little deeper with that because students feel we're doing nothing. And this is out of the mouths of the young people.
133So regarding the EOP the transitions as I was told yes that was an issue that was brought up earlier but earlier in the year but it believed that it was addressed the issues of teacher not receiving their scheduled breaks and lunches. It has been noted when a pair educator calls off and there is insufficient coverage again the pair professionals insufficient cover coverage. While this is not a widespread issue as it was stated to me at any specific uh school, it does occur across the district, but the district is working to improve its pool of substitute peer educators. Again, when I hear words like this, I wonder what is the district doing? Are we having like what what is the what? Um and so these are things that I just want to share with the community
134because people come to the mic and they share these things. So the district is where we are trying to make an impact and put a dent in this but again it's just finding the right people um for the job. Teachers who who cover additional duties due to the absence are eligible for coverage pay which follows the same process as any other teacher. That doesn't still that doesn't stop the fact that they're underst staffed. But when they have to fill in the gap and they miss their lunch, they do have the opportunity. They are being paid for that. But that doesn't take away because some teachers may say, "Listen, I don't care about the pay. I need my break. It's a respit, right?" But again, I just want the community to know the things that we
135are doing. Again, um we have the multiple schools. We're aware of the schools where they're lacking pair um professionals and we are working for that. Um we have 29 students enrolled at Helen Arnold um and Portage Path and there have been no other significant reports of concern affecting additional students at this time. Again, the district continues to uh to monitor the situations as far as enrollment and what is needed. Um all the concerns that have been brought to the district attention as I understand have been properly addressed uh because the district does remain committed to being transparent uh with these issues. And this is after following up with uh the ELP supervisor who came and presented with us. These are from her reflections and her notes. So I want to be clear the administrator that
136this is coming from is the administrator that is over that department. As I stated, I did have the privilege of meeting with our student board member Taylor Blair from Elllet CLC. Taylor and I discussed the important concerns she raised about bullying in schools and the role of student voice in the decision-making process that affects their daily lives. Taylor Xios and other student leaders expressed this same sentiment. During our conversations, we took a closer look at the district's current student leadership organizations namely the student board members, school ambassadors, and the superintendent student advisory. And while these structures exist, we both acknowledge an important issue that has emerged. Despite having various leadership roles and the training that accompanies them, there remains a significant disconnect. Students have the platform to voice their concerns. Yet, they are not confident
137that these concerns will be acted upon. As Taylor and I discussed, the feedback they provide through the through these organizations is valuable, but the lack of follow-through on the solutions they propose leaves them feeling that their involvement is merely symbolic. This is not what we want for our students, I'm sure, and it's not why they join these leadership roles. They desire to be a part of real change and meaningful decisions. One of the most profound moments of our conversation was when Taylor shared the heartbreaking stories of two students at her school who took their own lives. She knew both of them personally and explained how they had become silent in the weeks leading up to their deaths. Their struggles went unnoticed until it was too late. This personal con connection coupled with the many students
138who have approached this board since I've been on this board and I am in my fourth year ending my first term. They approached the board seeking help for their mental health needs and the mental health needs of their classmates. This has further deep deepened my reflection on how we as leaders can create an environment that truly supports every child emotionally and academically. Our role as fiduciaries and policymakers is to ensure that the district is being run with fidelity and in alignment with both our policies, federal and state guidelines. Also, however, without the students, there is no purpose for the adults in this system. It is vital that we recognize the need for genuine student engagement. Our actions must reflect our words. Regardless of our political differences or our positions on various issues, vouchers or DEI,
139we must all agree that if students do not believe they are seen, heard, and valued in this district, everything else is secondary. Our enrollment numbers and student efficacy will continue to decline and we will continue chasing issues that are not student focused without real measurable solutions for student success and district stability. Students show that studies, excuse me, show that when students feel voice feel that their voices are valued, they perform better academically, engage more deeply in their communities, and in experience improved mental health outcomes. According to a study, as I stated earlier, published in the journal of educational psychology, students who feel supported by their schools show increased motivation, better academic performance, and enhance social emotional development. Furthermore, environments where students perceive that they are heard and have been have been linked to decreased behavioral
140problems and improve school attendance. These are all issues that we have spoken about in this very room that are plaguing the district. Student attendance, lack of enrollment, and things of that nature. In conclusion, I urge all of us to reflect on the importance of truly listening to our students. They are the heart of everything we do. Let us not let our actions fall short of the promise to be a board that values, supports, and listens to the voices of every child. We must ensure that our district isn't just a place where decisions are made for students, but a place where students are empowered to make decisions that directly impact their lives. A seat at the table is what they're they asked for so that we get a true glimpse of what is happening inside the
141schools. When you hear about students taking their own lives and time after time for the last four years students have come here and talked about mental health and things that they need in the school. This student shared with me that bullying reports and that bullying does not just come from students but teachers are also bullies in some cases. examples have been given and they said what is our recourse where does our voice lie some of the policies they said Miss Jackson are just extremely long and as a student when we look through them and we're trying to see about bullying policies and you know they're being good at their jobs but you know their roles as student board members and ambassadors and they're like but but what next it's like I said before we have
142the book um we have the data now what we have the students we hear their voice now But is it just for good TV? Is it profunctionary? They put in this work. They're listening to their um classmates. They come here and they report out. What are the legs that we are putting with what the students are telling us they need? Um it's a book that um if you don't feed the teachers, they'll eat the students. I think is any teachers out there that know the um book? Anyway, so it's certain things that got to be put in place to help to not only equip and empower the teachers so they can serve the students but to equip and empower the students. So I just thought that um I share that because again the students are
143the lifeblood of any school system and they do have choice and so you can't cry about students or low enrollment and attendance if you fail to hear them or fail to serve them. And this is the reality facts not what I feel or what I think. And this what I share with you are from students voice. So again I thank you for the time. Um and we'll that concludes the president's report. Are there any questions? Seeing and hearing none, we'll move on to committee reports. The first committee port report, excuse me, is legal contracts and board policy. Thank you, Madam President. um legal contract and board policy committee met on Monday, March 17th at 5:30 in this room. Uh we had uh uh talked about various various policies and went over some different policies. We
144also had some uh updates and some questions answers being done by from uh being received and and and questions answered by uh Mrs. Folk and we also had some from Dr. Lash. And so what we did is we talked about the lot of these policies. They're going to continue to read and continue to work on those policies as we as we move forward. And but we do have some other policies this evening, which are about nine policies that uh I'm going to read for our hopefully our third and final vote on these policies. Uh those policies for the third and final reading are policy policy 2111 parent and family involvement policy 2120 uh school improvement policy 2261 title one services policy 2261.01 parent participation in title one programs policy 2460 special education policy 511.01 01
145home home students homeless students policy 5111.03 children and youth in foster care policy 5200 attendance and policy 5223 release time for religious institutions these are nine policies that I have for the third reading and I move that they be moved uh as stated. Thank you madam president. Thank you. Uh, Vice President Alexander, uh, members of the board, each of these policies have been, uh, listed individually for approval. So, we'll go through each one as a motion. Uh, member Harrisanti, unreiness, did you have a question? No. No. All right. Is there a motion to approve board policy 2111? Oh, I I made the motion to accept them and I need need somebody to sec somebody to second them. Oh, second. Yeah. Okay. Is the motion's been moved by Alexander? I was going from my script that
146we were breaking them all down. So, uh, yes, Mr. Harrison. Member Harrison. Madam Chair, c can I have a personal moment to confer with the chair of the of the all out? Yeah. Well, no. You guys can't in a public meeting. Y'all can't uh Well, we're asking for a personal Yeah. What? Yeah. Because And it Yeah. Okay, this is what I'm going to say. Uh, I see the press over there saying, uh, what's going on? Y'all got to speak in the mic. This a public meeting. So, um, what I will say is we can move on with the, uh, the meeting. If you have a question or something that's unready that you don't feel that you can vote on then just vote your conscience um as we move the meeting forward because we can't have
147sidebar individual meetings. Um Miss Dr. Molinar. Thank you Madame President. This has nothing to do with whatever's going on over there but it might buy us some time because it's something I wanted to talk about anyway. Um so policy uh 5223 release time for religious instruction. This is a policy that is a niola reactive policy. um it is part of the parental bill of rights and a lot of the things that came down from the state and it's new and so districts across the state right now are trying to figure out what to do with this and since our last um since the last policy committee meeting um so after that uh Columbus so this could not be discussed at the policy committee meeting because it had not occurred yet um the Columbus city schools
148actually have made the news um and I've read about that and their policy and how they're reacting to this policy. And one of the things that they added within their policy uh specifically had to do with gifts and um whether or not um entities could give gifts to students and and the the process for giving and receiving and pro providing those things. This is not a discussion that our committee ever had the opportunity to have. Something quite honestly we probably never even thought of. So I would like to move we have three reason readings before approval for a re for a reason. I would like to move that the policy committee consider some of these things before we come up with our final policy since it is new. I'm going to ask Miss Carter a
149question. Is this a policy that Neola says we need to have right now? Um yeah religious good evening board president board members Dr. Robinson and Dr. Thompson. Um so the rel religious release for time is as rel as it relates to gifts. I'm not I haven't read anything about that yet. So, we would have to wait to see if that is something that we need to incorporate within our um within our policy because I haven't seen anything about you said something about gifts with um Columbus. So, I would have we would need to read through what she's what Dr. Molinar is referring to to see whether or not that's something that we need to incorporate. We did just get some up some several more um updates from Niola that we can look through to see
150if what Dr. Dr. Molinar is um referencing is impacting um our religious release time. And so again, like Dr. Robinson mentioned earlier, with new legislation, we're going to continuously have to update our policies as things come in. That was going to be my question. If we need to uh move the census part of Neiola and move it forward, we can always m uh approve it and go back and bring it back to committee and make adjustments if we need to. That correct? I'm pretty sure that's what we can do. So if if we really need to then we can do it do it that way so we can have the policy in place and we can have we'll have it there so Neiola wasn't won't come back and say hey you guys didn't make this
151updated or somewhere and then we can come back and talk about the other part member Harrison. Thank you Madam Chair. I don't have I'm sorry. Thank you. Uh Dr. Mull. I don't have a problem with approving the policies and and and maybe it's a an issue of my memory or maybe it's my issue, but I don't remember. Some of these these policies have third readings on them and I don't know if it was put before I got on the committee, but I don't what's throwing me off with these are third readings. Um and and I don't have a recall of these policies. We um we did discuss religious time, the uh release time for religious instruction, the attendance policy. Um but the homeless students um parents participation in title one special education um and children
152and youth in foster care. I don't have a conscious memory of those policies as a third reading. I'm going to ask Miss Carter, but I I do believe that we had those policies come to us and and they were talking about moving them forward uh before um and and making sure they go to a third reading. So, Miss Carter, I'll let you go ahead and answer that question. Um, yes. I don't know if you were present at the policy. The first read was at the policy meeting and that's when Keith and Melissa Frymire and Dr. Lash presented on all those policies and Keith mentioned that as relates to some of the title one policies. It's just bringing them forth in front of the board, but there are really no true changes. And with the special
153ed policy, Melissa um educated us on um the fact that we needed to change OD to Ohio Department of Education and workforce the minor updates with the special ed policy. Minor chair. Madam Chair, I I do remember that I did have a talk with Mr. Licky about these policies. I thought we had approved those policies at the last meeting, but this was something that was asked to let us because they were only grammar changes or just standard changes that did not change the policy itself. It was just an update. Um, and I don't have a issue with that. I just don't want to approve a policy that says third reading. We can just say update. you know, it doesn't materially change the policy. And I thought that was what we had discussed that we were
154going to make sure that we knew that this these policies were just standard updates that they didn't materially change the policy. It was just updated language. And so for me, um the third reading is what was throwing me off. Um that that was what was throwing me off, Madam Chair. Yeah. And this was brought up in in a committee meeting as well. This was going to come to the to the board for a third reading this this meeting. And so all these were taught were brought and told that were going to be brought here, but we also had some other policies that we still have to talk about that were on that agenda that we didn't get to. So we were bringing this as a third reading because it was the third reading for for
155these these policies. Yes. Um Amber Mler. Thank you, Madam Chair. And just a point of clarification, I know we're hopping back and forth here, but policy 5223, release time for religious instruction, is a policy that we do already have on the books. And so we are not uh faced up against a deadline on that. Okay. Um I thank you for that. So at this time, I'm going call for the vote. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molinar, no. On 5223, yes. On the balance, Mrs. Sykes. Yes, Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Autry. Yes. Uh motion carries 61 on 5223 and 70 on the balance. Thank you, Dr. Thompson. Uh next we'll have the approval of the previous meeting minutes. Go through the committees. You know, it's like sometimes you spend so long
156on one thing. I just My apologies. That's all right. Okay. Thank you, Madam President. Yes, ma'am. The Finance and Capital Management Committee did meet on on uh March 17th. Uh we talked uh uh the treasurer presented his report and I won't belabor that. We pretty much the same conversation that we had here that we had here tonight. We also heard from our architects and our managers of the Millis South Feifer uh school and we were able to see a markup um drawing of the school and it was uh the question is whether or not we would be able to have that posted somewhere publicly so that the public would be able to see that eventually and the superintendent assured us that we would be able to see that soon. uh as well as the question
157was asked are we within budget? It's a big question. So the answer was uh they were not sure yet and they would let us know soon and we will continue to ask that question. Um so that that pretty much was the uh the conversation that we had. We also, of course, as far as the budget is concerned and our five-year projection, we heard from the superintendent and administration on uh what was happening with the uh general narrative and cuts that they see. They plan on bringing that to the board soon to give us uh some more exact figures on that. Uh but they are working on that and expect to do that from the standpoint of operational as well as staff. Our next meeting will be April 21st here in this room at 4:30. Thank
158you so much, Member Sykes. Uh, next we'll hear from instructional policy and student achievement. Thank you, Madame President. Um, instructional policies next meeting will be Monday, April 7th at 4:30. I did also wanted to share that one of the topics that will be forthcoming in that committee is addressing our our staffing our um looking at teach for America and some other options on how we can start remedying some of these challenges we have in the classroom. Um and also uh Mr. Alexander, I just wanted to share that when I went to the the Elliot uh JRR JOTC, um Miss Taylor asked if we would consider allowing the students to come to our legal policy committee in May um after they had an opportunity to look at the anti-bullying policy um so that they can join
159in the discussion. So, I'm just saying that out loud based on Madame President's uh report out. Thank you. Thank you, Member Altry. Next, we'll hear from the equity committee. Member Muller. Um or did you have a question about Yeah. be before uh before we move on to equity committee while we're still on instructional policy since it has been previously discussed in our open meetings and committee meetings I think it's important to share that the instructional policy committee which I'm not actually on uh determined that they will not include a presentation or discussion about um holding school during the primary election and the process of having voters and students together um during the school day. And so, um, we had a community member today come and, uh, passionately remind us to keep our focus on the
160children and that not enough board members, she said, are focused on children. And so, um, I I want to say that talking about this during election day is only about safety and security of our children and our students in schools. Um, and so I've been asking, begging for attention to be placed on student safety. Um, so at this time I do have five questions that I would like to present to whomever and however they will be answered. They don't need to be answered today, but um, because I because I will not have the opportunity to present these questions in a committee meeting. Um, all the questions are about students and student safety. But first, um, I have some information to contextualize my questions about election day, which is first just a reminder that Akran has
161384,337 registered voters. Now, not everyone in Akran votes in every election. So, looking at how many people voted during the primary election last year, we had a little over 15,000 people vote during the primary election last year. the May 20 the last time the because it was March so the May primary was over 17,000. So how many people were in our schools voting for each election? North had North High School had over 200 people. Helen Arnold had over 200 people. Book I am the uh BDL cluster uh board member had close to 400 people voting in the primary election during the school day last year. So, this isn't just the safety of some students. This is the safety of students across our district. Um, Elliot CLC, according to the data I found, had over a
162thousand voters because there are five precincts that vote at Elllet. Um, and so I'm not just talking about ResNick because Resnik did have 731 at the last primary election and there's another location that had 623. So there were over a thousand voters sharing one single lane entrance and W 8 also that's only some of them does have uh an election this year that I think will bring in a lot of voters again. So the five questions I have are one can you provide some historical school attendance data from the past past primary election day. We have an idea of how many voters were in our schools on the school day. I'd like to know about how many students were in the school on the school day and how many students called off of school for
163primary election day. Um, and I'd like to know question two, how will schedules, routines, and the instructional day be impacted by increased foot traffic and potential disruptions from various community members coming in using the bathroom, using uh the school office and other uh places in our building. Um, three, and this is really my primary question, is what communication plan is in place to survey feedback about this day and inform parents, staff, and voters about the safety protocols and access procedures like how we'll handle emergency situations or fire drills or something like that if it happens while we have um a building filled with um other people. Um, I've heard stories of teachers who are stuck in their classrooms even for lunch. They hold lunch in their classroom during the school day. Um, and also I've
164heard stories of teachers during other primary elections who couldn't teach because half their class wasn't there. So, there's no reason to move on with their lesson. Excuse me, Madam President. Can we This should be brought into the committee meeting and not here because this is just a we're talking about the committees and their reports, but this should come to the committee and I I would like for you to send that email that to us. I asked for this in the committee and I was told I was not allowed to have this in committee. I have two more questions. Well, just Well, I think this is not the not the I'm recognizing you, member Monarch. Just give me a second. Mr. Alexander, just for a point of order. Member Monar, can you finish um with your
165questions and then uh and then we'll address because I was already there as far as issues that should be brought to the committee and that this was mentioned before. But go ahead with your I did I brought this to fine with your you're on your next question. I but I do want to clarify. I brought this to committee and was told committee would not address it. So four um what is the cost of additional staff or security that will be needed to oversee the operations and ensure a smooth flow of both school activities and voting during the school day since we're h holding school during the school day. And then um because I hope this isn't all put on principles. There are principles in some of these buildings that have never even been in a
166building on election day. So, who is supporting them to organize something that they have never experienced? And then number five, my last question is, how have we collaborated with local election officials and law enforcement to address logistics, voter accessibility, traffic management, and safeguards to prevent canvasers and other community members from accessing students as they're entering the school building on the school day? And are background checks being required for poll poll workers and other non-school personnel who have access to various aspects of our buildings, our elementary buildings? And should voters come um prepared at all polling locations to go through metal detectors or bag scanners or some of the buildings or are voters going to be held to different standards than community members who volunteer to read or students who come in to learn? Uh thank
167you um member Molar for your questions. Um, and as you said, you can email those. And I think also you're when you send them to the chair as well as uh Miss Faulk with operations because I know that Miss Faulk had addressed those concerns and questions and that we unpacked it uh I thought very thoroughly at a meeting um that I don't recall. So I'm not going to call Miss Folk back up here, but maybe she can follow up with you to reiterate the answers that she gave you last time. No, no, no one has answered these, Miss Folk. Okay, I'm going to move on. Do you you recall when you came up here and you addressed why the voting had and why I remember it's a recorded meeting. So maybe remember Molinar and we're
168going to u move on just going to email and CC the chair as well as you and then so that she can get those in writing. As a parent voting day has not been communicated to me. Okay. Uh thank you and um you've been recognized and so we're ending discussion with this to move on. All right. So that was for instructional policy. Next we have equity. See um member this is why I get I I get lost in it. You understand? I was ready to go again. Okay. So equity committee. Yes. Thank you uh President Jackson. So equity uh media e equity committee uh finished um preparing its draft on uh the uh comprehensive operations and institutional oversight policy 2260.06. So the equity committee brought this to the legal committee. We presented it to legal
169on March 17th. Um, the comprehensive o operations and institutional oversight policy establishes a board level comprehensive operations and institutional oversight committee and an executive director level chief of institutional oversight to oversee the implementation of comprehensive educational and operational strategies within this and other district policies. So, as a reminder, this work was uh 10 hours of the equity committee going through line by line trying to make sure that we um have someone using data to distribute resources um to um our students and staff and provide um without using the word equity, equitable um action. So um legal this has now brought to been brought to legal. I believe legal said that they will um have a first read of it. Um but they will handle the appropriate readings and timing of policies from now on related
170to fairness and resource distribution. But until then the equity committee remains on schedule. All future dates of equity committee have been announced beginning with the next meeting which is scheduled to meet uh April 7 at 5:30. Back with our chair uh member hall. Thank you member Molar. Any questions or comments? Member um member Molinar. Thank you. Member Hall, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam President. um eth thank you guys for spending all that time on this committee but I would like to get back to the work of the students and so since we have not officially changed the name yet um and it's been what three four meetings of discussion of this uh committee um I would like to see what what what have we been missing out as far as with the students um throughout
171this time frame of um redoing this committee. So, next meeting I would definitely like to hear about what has been done um uh far as the DEI or whatever that we're doing, what we've been doing since nothing has changed yet. I would like to see what's going on. Okay. Thank you. Uh thank you. And just a point of um privilege and uh clarity uh for the community uh members that are watching our committee meetings as our board meeting are open and they're open to both community responses and um board members are privy to ask your board any question that comes up in committee. Um member Altry, I want you to know that I recognize and heard your comment um that that wasn't an accurate statement. But in any event, I needed to be clear on
172the mic that our meetings are open. The community members can sign up to speak just as they do at a board meeting at a committee meeting. And any board member that has a question as they sit around the table as a board member has the right to ask a question within committee. And so if anything, I'm I'm we're moving on, but I I'm making this statement. So if anything if you are told that you if that is not a standard procedure to where in in an open meeting if a question is posited when a discussion is happen happening you should go forward with a questioning now I'm not sure the particulars but I'm saying this for the recorded meeting just as the community can come in and sign in to ask questions and to engage
173which is something that this board collectively myself in particular um was adamant about that we need to be able to talk back and forth Earth because it was limited on in this setting that you can share and voice your opinion and because I heard the unreadiness from member Autry, I wanted to make sure and I know she was not miked that I do recognize that I heard you as member Monner also shared hers and it's important we talk about transparency and people having a voice. So that's why it's put it in writing with the email and um Miss U Faulk who is our uh operations specialist. I know I just made that name up, I think, but um I know that you followed up with those things and that you'll be able to address that.
174Um moving on, uh is there a motion to approve the previous meeting minutes? So move. It's been moved by member Harrison. Is there a second? Second. It's been properly second by Vice President Alexander. Any question any discussions? Excuse me. Seeing instance to approve the meeting minutes. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Uh seeing you hearing none. Roll call vote, please. No worries. You're in good company. Miss Jackson. Yes. Dr. Molnar. Yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Miss Autry, yes. Miss Hall, yes. [Laughter] It's in there, right? Reverend Harrison, yes. Motion carry 70. Thank you. Next is our personnel recommendations. Dr. Robinson. Thank you, President Jackson. Thank you, President Jackson. In the area of the personnel matters, are there any questions for section 10, section 11, 18. I wish to recommend the approval of the personnel recommendations
175presented in categories 10 through 20. Please, is there a motion to um of approval for the personnel recommendations on categories 10 through 20? So move. It's been moved by member Harrison. Is there a second? Second. It's been second by Vice President Alexander. Any discussion? Uh yes, I'm sorry. Uh member Autry, please. Thank you, Madam President. Um I just wanted to acknowledge an item 10.5, the retirement of Megan Manion. Um I believe she is largely responsible for so many of our grants that we've received over time. I do believe she used to be the principal at Rankin and I remember her, which is actually no longer there. it was torn down just in the last several weeks. Um, but she was the principal there for quite some time. I remember her inviting me and us collaborating
176on getting PTAs going in that cluster. And so she's done a lot of good work for us and I just wanted to wish her well um in her retirement. Thank you, member Autri. Any other discussions? Okay, seeing and hearing none, roll call, please. Dr. Molar. Yes. Mrs. Sykes. Yes. Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Autry. Yes. Miss Hall. Yes. Yes. Reverend Harrison. Yes. Miss Jackson. Yes. Motion carry 70. Okay. So, we're at um SE section 20. I'm going tell y'all this in this meeting because no, I just so I can get clarity. I have no problem if I don't know something. Every time this has been the third meeting where we stop at 20 and then when I go on to approve categories 21.1 then someone said oh wait stop we stopped at 20 now people are
177saying we're at 22. So is there anybody around this table or in the audience because I'm I'm just reading and I'm flowing through the agenda. We stopped at 20. Now I just because I don't like keep messing up and I think I'm reading the script now. I'm just going, you know, I'm I'm like of my students. I don't mind learning, but once I get it, I'm gonna get it straight. But I keep coming to this point. Like, I'm really serious. I'm being because we stopped at 20. And each time when I go, is there is there a move? Is is there a motion to approve the personnel recommendations from 21.1? We get into the thing and someone says, "Wait a minute. We stopped at 20." So, I'm saying on my sheet, y'all, it say 21.1.
178And I don't want to be an area and I'm sorry to belabor this but I want to get it. I'm not gonna keep fumbling through this. Member Hall I think is was the discrepancy when we would do 10 through 20 and then jump to 26. But I wrote it. I broke it all the way down for myself this time. I was like I'm ready. So I knew this was 21 because personnel is 10 through 21. But then we would skip 22 and we 23 24 25 then we would go to 26. So we would skip from 21 to 26. That's why I questioned it at the last meeting. But 22 through 24 is board letter and so forth. 25. Okay. So all right. So when I do the approval I'm at 21. The 21. So
179now I'm on 22.5. We're on 22. 4.1.2. 22.1. 22.1. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Okay. So, now we're at So, 21.1 was the approval of personnel recommendations. And so, now we're at it says 22 through 25 board letters and resolutions and motions in the consent agenda. See, we always skip that. So, okay. So ain't nobody's understanding what I'm ask member Harrison you recognize. Uh I would ask that 22.1 be taken off the consent agenda so we can discuss that item retention of consulting service. Okay. And it is down uh for 25.1 for consent agenda. I think that's where I get confused as well. It will be in the letter then it will be in the consent agenda. So I would ask that we would take 251 off um consent agenda for discussion. 221. 221 you mean?
180221 and it's on the consent agenda for the vote. Vote at 251. So you want it removed off about 22.1 uh well if you move it off of 22.1 for the discussion because you want to discuss it which she can u make that uh recommendation to remove some from the consit agenda um so that it can be discussed um for the consultant where it says the retention of additional competent consultants under board letters the first one 22 2.1 page 14. Oh, you don't need to to remove it off of the consent agenda. 251 251 because it's in the it's in both because it's part of the Yes, sir. Right. Member Muller, I I have a question, too. Um because I think as member Hall and I kind of had a sidebar here, so I can
181say what it was. Um it's it's not that we stop at 21, it's that we then skip the board letters. We skip 22 1 20. We skip 22 and 23 and go straight to 25. If we discussed 22 and 23, would we need to remove them off of the consent agenda because we've already now discussed them ahead of the consent agenda? Is that why they're on the agenda ahead of the consent agenda? Good point, Member Mon. That sounds I mean that sounds Yes, that makes see sensible stuff, you know, can click in my mind. That makes sense that since it's being discussed um here we already having a discussion so it doesn't need to be removed the 22. Is that cool? All right. So that's so do you rec? Yeah cuz it's on the agenda
182to be so it it's being discussed now. Okay. Do you understand? Okay. Thank you member Mona for that. Thank you. point of clarification for you still could remove it if you chose to. So it would be a separate vote. The only way it could be a separate vote, right, is you could you can say I vote no on 22.1 and 25.1 yes on the balance if you want to keep it in the consent. But if you wanted to go around the whole table on 22.1, you'd have to remove it. But it's probably not necessary as long as you capture it when you vote on the consent part because it's still part of the consent agenda even though it's being discussed. But so you can just vote no on it if you decide not to because
183it's being discussed. Yeah. But you can't you can't have it both. You can't discuss it and leave it on a consent. So if it's discussed, it's off of the consent as with 20 um 33. Okay. So, if we discuss it at 221, then we vote. But we can't have we can't vote. We can't discuss what's on the consent agenda. That's the purpose of the consent agenda. That's true. Yeah, that's what I was understanding. Yeah, that's true. if it was on the thing but um no because I when I heard member Molar's rationing out it made s like since it was listed on the agenda for us to discuss but at then you clarified Lord have mercy and if it's on the consent because I remember Miss Sykes had stated that earlier on when requesting like
184when she first came on about taking stuff off the consent agenda. So let's just roll take it off so we can discuss it and then it's we're going to end the discussions with this because for the sake of time it's a simple thing. Mr. uh Harrison has requested that it be removed from the consent agenda um for to discuss for further discussions and then that way we can it's still going to go voted up or down. So and we don't have to do a roll do we have to do a roll call vote to remove it off the consent agenda? Yes. So, is it is there a motion to um the motion has been made by member Harrison to remove item 22.1 from the consent agenda. Madame President, you really do not have to vote
185to remove an item off the consent agenda when a member just simply requested. There is not a vote. Thank you for clarifying that. This why we need a real parliamentarian because I asked because I recall and I the reason I asked Miss Sykes because I remember you I was vaguely but since I wasn't certain I couldn't stand on it and I had no backup but thank you for confirming that because I thought you this happened before um where you said that. All right, let's we're okay. Let's um we'll move forward. We're not because we talked about this. We went two and two to talk about it. So talked about this just removing this from the consent agenda. No, what I'm going to say. Okay. Well, we'll come back to you on the consent agenda. I
186am going to say at this point that the discussion concerning this that we're going to move forward. I have two other items I'd like to remove from the consent agenda. Okay, we'll make the motion. Well, I was waiting to be recognized. I would like 232 and 233 also known as and that's why I was trying to understand why they're there 253 and 254 removed from the consent agenda. All right then it's free agenda. I'm sorry agenda. Okay. So each item's been removed from the consent agenda so we can talk about them. It'll just be good if in advance board members will look at the agenda so we could do this before we come into a meeting. But in any event, they're removed. So we're here and the first thing is the retention of consulting services.
187Madam Chair, thank you Madam Chair. M Madam Chair, the reason why I I didn't do it prior, I was waiting on numbers and and that's kind of the um uh hold up sometimes getting get trying to get an understanding to figure out if it needs to come off or not. Um so uh my question is looking at the legal services that we have that we currently employ. Um and the best way that I could um the list we don't use all of the legal services that we don't use all of the legal firms that we are contracted with. I understand that. But currently we are in contract with seven legal firms um for various reasons. And this legal firm um is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Um and so as one of our uh one of
188the members of the board stated before um it's it's a good practice to be comfortable with legal services and either to meet with them to know something about them. And so when I look at a a firm that's located in Cincinnati, Ohio, I hear that we are um trying to eliminate redundancy. Um I find that we've spent last year $1.2 million in legal services. We're at 930 something,000 um to date in legal services. Um, so I would like to know um exactly why we need to contract another legal service. Um, and especially one in Cincinnati. Are they going to do something that the providers we have now cannot do? Thank you, Member Harrison. Uh, Miss Carter, Superintendent, I'm sorry, Carter. And and just for we don't p we don't pay anything unless we solicit their
189service. So even though they're on retainer, it's not anything out of our pocket unless we engage with them. Is that correct? Correct. Okay. And so this particular um firm will be doing um some investigation for us and we do utilize firms for different um reasons and so this particular firm will focus on just HC matters and personnel matters. I think that um I think it's clarity. Oh, thank you. Member Harrison, do you have any additional followup? I I didn't hear what she said, but the superintendent enlightened me. So, um it still needed to come off the consent agenda because um his explanation still said it needed to come off the consent agenda. So, thank you. Yes. Yeah. Um and so, do you can you repeat? So, members, I'm sorry. was saying I'm good. Oh, you're
190good. Okay. All right. Thank you, uh, Miss Carter. Uh, member Molar. Um, yeah. Is or unless there are any other board members with questions concerning what 22.1. Okay. Member Monar, with your um numerous ones that you requested to be off, you can start with one the next one. Yeah. So, um, first, can I ask what if if it was helpful, what what information the rest of the board missed? Um, I I I think that that would be an executive session if explanation was needed, but um um it involves specific employees. So, I think that would be um an executive session question um for for for what my concern was on there. Okay. Um thanks. So 232 is uh says it's a Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching grants. And so this is something that
191as part of the consent agenda we could not discuss, but in reading it, it looks like the district is going to get $100,000. Um so I was wondering is this something that has been presented already? Can is there something that we can refer back to about this? So this is really exciting work because uh we apply to and good evening everyone. We apply to become part of this convening a national convening of and we were accepted as Akran of one of 25 districts in the nation to be part of the Carnegie Foundation for the advancement of teaching and learning. And you know, Carnegie, Carnegie unit, they've been around 115 years, right? They are the educational forefront of everything you talk about in education. They are probably the thought leaders in that space. So, we're very
192excited to be a part of this next wave of work that they're looking at, which is called the future of high schools network, which is how we are better preparing students for their post-secondary options. Uh the Carnegie Foundation sent a contingency here um at our last Akran in action and spent two and a half days here with our schools in our middle schools in particular learning about the work that we're doing. Um and when they looked to the next wave of work that they wanted to practice on and bring leaders together on, they asked us to apply. We interviewed and were accepted be part of the contingency. So the $100,000 is to offset any travel expenses and probably more. So to be part of the convening for the next two and a half years, we'll
193uh have uh leaders attending um contributing to those uh practices, helping shape some of those policies from our lens here in Akran, Ohio. So the $100,000 is for those. So it's not costing us anything out of pocket other than our time and talent that we're bringing to the table on it. Awesome. Congratulations. It's very exciting. Thank you. Superintendent, please. Let me also add board members, this is we're new to this particular wave of the work, but this work was started, I think, under Dr. Mack. Follow Mack. So, when I came in as superintendent, we finished the last of the work this this past summer. Correct. Right. Yes. Right. They included. And so this is a new wave of the work. Still same Carnegie. Um we were fortunate because we had to apply to get into
194this, but it's just a continuation of working with them in our district partnership. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you, member Molner. Thank Thank you. And thank you for letting us have this time. I I didn't know if there was another presentation we could refer to, but as we speak so often as a board about positive media for our district and enrollment initiatives, the fact that we're getting $100,000 from CargI, that really sets us apart from other districts and I think that is something for us to have the opportunity to celebrate um and highlight. So um hopefully look forward to hearing more. Um, and then 233. I was under the impression we were discussing that in executive session. Yes. So, I I I had nothing to say. I was ready to listen, but I don't know why
195we would vote on it before executive session if we were discussing it in executive session. No, this was a um a question that came up from for clarity from member Harrison which uh the call for it in exe executive session because I thought it deserved when he asked the question for him to get uh the clarity because it was a good question. Not that it was he's the only board member that I heard from but I it was sensible his questioning but not that it was stopping um necessarily moving forward but that is that is an accurate statement. session. Yeah, that has to go to executive session. So, does that mean the SRO? Oh, that's a different um this is the police uh the superintendent just clarified that it's a separate thing if I may.
196Yes, superintendent President Han Jackson. Yes, this is I'm not sure exactly how this would be done, but the item would need to be moved to after you come from executive session. So, I'm not sure how that happens here. You can just take time on the agenda. I'm sorry. You can just take time on the agenda if you want to discuss it in executive session and come back and vote vote on that particular item. Mhm. table until we come back from executive session. Okay. So, that item will just table table until we come back from executive session. So, that's uh what is it? 23.3, right? 23.3 22.1 Okay. So, so 22.1 uh treasure, are you writing this? Yep. And then I know 23.3 and someone said 25 something. Okay. So 20 for clarity 22.1 and 23.3
197are being tabled to after executive session is that that's the are those the only two and 25.1 is a part of that. So is that what you're saying because was that one a member's too.1 right? Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, it's covered under I'm just trying to make sure that so 25.4 as well. Yeah. So it's 22.1, 23.3, and 25.4 that will be tabled until um the vote will be uh tabled until we come out of executive session. So at that point then there's no need to 26.1 is the approval of resolutions and motions in the consent agenda. But we'll do that again. 26.1 then because we can't approve it because everything been taken out the consent agenda. 253. Excuse me, sir. Uh oh, yes. No, respect. I understand. 25.2 and three are are what we're
198So, it's a motion to approve 25.2. So moved. It's been Thank you. It's been moved by member Molner. Molenar, excuse me. Is there a second? Second. It's okay. So, it's been 25.2 has been properly moved by member Molar and second by Dr. Mr. Alexander. Any questions? Seeing hearing none. Roll call vote, please. Dr. Molnar. Yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Miss Autry, yes. Miss Hall, yes. Motion carry 70 on 25.2. Did you find me? Did I miss you? It was on purpose. No, it wasn't. Miss Jackson. Yes. Thank you. Next. Uh, is there a motion to approve uh 25.3? So moved. Thank you. It's been moved by member Molnar. Is there a second? Second. It's been second by member hall. Any discussion? Seeing hearing no none. Call for
199the vote, please. Mrs. Sykes. Yes. Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Hall. Yes. Miss Autry, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molnar, yes. Motion carry 70. Next is the business affairs recommendation. Dr. Robinson. Thank you, President Jackson. I wish to recommend the approval of the business affairs recommendations presented in category 27. Is there a motion to approve the business fairs business affairs recommendations in category 27? So move. It's been moved by Mr. Alexander. Is there a second? I'll second. It's been second by member Hall. Any questions? Seeing and hearing none. Roll call vote, please. Dr. Thompson. Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Autry. Yes. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molnar, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Motion carry 70. I thank you. There is no unfinished business at this time. There is no new
200business. However, there is a need to recess into executive session pursuant to Ohio revised code 121.22 G3 to conference with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are subject or pending of imminent court action. Is there a motion to go into executive session? So move. It's been moved. Is there a second? Second. It's been moved by Mr. Alex Vice President Alexander and second by Mr. Harrison. Any discussion? Madame President, I I really do hate to bring this up, but uh this language indicates that we're going in to discuss pending or intimate court action. And that would may be the case for a subject matter that we're going to discuss, but that does not include the contract with the police. That is not an intimate or court action. Uh so
201we want to use the correct language in addition to this to make sure that we're going into executive session correctly. So we have to add the contractual. It's a contract. Yeah. So do you have that language there? So let's use that. Thank you. Members sites on my paper. Let me see if I got a old Let her know. Let her know. [Music] This is not the um public. It's supposed to be that one about public contracts and employee. She's going to ask the attorney to get it for you. She going to have an attorney. The attorney is coming to get it to give you the right one. Thank you everyone for your patience. The problem is because when we send this information, an email sent and we have a script, typically all the information is
202here to read properly. And so I have to be honest in this moment, I'm thankful that member Sykes called it out to not put us in a compromising position. However, um, as I went to look for my other paper, because of some of the matters that we're discussing, that's coming from our turn. It's collective bargaining. Okay. That's what he said. So number six. Yeah, number six. Collective. Okay. So So Madame President, so let me move to motion to amend the motion to recess so that you can just add it to what you said. So I would just move that we uh I would move that we amend the motion to recess. Okay. Thank you. It's been moved by member Sykes to amend the motion to recess. Is there a second? Second. It's been second by
203member um Vice President Alexander. Any discussion? Seeing hearing none. Roll call, please. Miss Autry. Yes. You You need to read the motion. Oh, you got to add that the amended motion. Okay. Um there is a need to Oh, the mo the motion is I already said it for Miss to amend the pending or imminent court action and Okay. And there is a need to go into executive session to Ohio revol revised code 121G to consider them to conference with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are subject of pending or in or imminent court action to prepare for um conduct or review negotiations of bargaining sessions with public employees cons concerning their compensation or other terms. terms and conditions of employment to consider the employment or discipline of employees
204and other officials pursuant pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 121.22G3. Yeah. Better to read more than less. Yeah. So we get it all in. Yeah. Yeah. Because of that. Yes. We have to put on Miss Autry. Yes. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Yes. Dr. Molnar, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Motion carries 70. Thank you. We stand in recess at 8:40 p.m. into executive session. [Music] Good evening. Um, we return back from executive session at 10:26 p.m. Um, there is no action. Um, well, there is action that needs to be taken. Um, is there a motion to approve 21.1? 22.1. 22.1. Excuse me. Is there Is there a motion to approve 22.1? Madam President, I'll make a motion we approve 22.1. Okay. It's been moved by member Alexander. Is there a
205second? I'll second it. It's been second by member Hall. Any discussion? Okay. Roll call. Roll call, please. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, abstain. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molinar, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Miss Miss Autry, yes. Motion carries 6 with one abstension. Thank you. Is there a motion to table 23.3? Thank you, Madam Chair. I move to table 23.3. Second. It's been moved by member Sykes and seconded by member Altry. Any discussion? Seeing hearing none, roll call vote, please. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molinar, yes. Mrs. Sykes. Yes. Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Autry. Yes. Miss Hall. I abstain. Motion carry 60 with one abstension. Okay. Uh our next meeting will be held on Monday, April the 10th, uh 2025. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Move to adjurnn. Second. It's been
206moved by member Autry, second by member Hall. Is there any discussion? Seeing and hearing none, roll call vote, please. Miss Jackson, yes. Dr. Molnar, yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Miss Autry, yes. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Motion carry 70. Thank you. We stand adjourned at 10:28 p.m. [Music]