January 22, 2026 Board of Education Meeting

001Order. >> Dr. Thompson, can you call the role? >> Here's the pencil. >> Mrs. Kreninski, >> here. >> Mrs. Grassy >> here. >> Mr. Odino >> here. >> Miss Brewster >> here. >> Mr. Buyers >> here. >> Thank you. >> Please stand for the pledge, please. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat] >> On behalf of the board, I'd like to welcome all students, staff, parents, and interested community members to tonight's board of education meeting. I'd like to remind everyone that this is a meeting of the board of education held in public for the purpose of conducting the D school district's business and is not to be considered a public

002community meeting. There is time for public comment during the meeting in the public participation section on the agenda. Make a motion to approve minutes for December 10th and December 18th. Can I get a second? >> A second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Mr. Thompson, can you call the role? >> Uh, yeah. I I just wanted to ask real quick, um, just for clarification, um, did you have to be in attendance at those two meetings or and it also pertains to the next seven minutes to be able to vote? I don't know. >> If you if you weren't at the meeting, then you abstain. if you weren't present at the meeting. >> Right. >> That's I I >> Yes. Yes. So, just abstain if there's a meeting that you haven't been in. >> Okay. >>

003So, are they grouped? Were you at both? >> Um I was at these two. Um because they were in December. >> Well, then that that I think that's all we're voting on right now. >> Yeah, we're just voting on December. >> So, you you're good. >> And then you take care of each other. >> Yes, I will take care of that. >> Any other discussion? Hey, can you call the role, please? >> Miss Grassy. >> Hi. >> Miss Brewster. >> I >> Mrs. Kreninski. >> I >> Mr. Vyers, >> abstain. >> And Mr. Adino, >> abstain. >> Motion carries 300 with two extensions. Next, make a motion to approve uh meeting minutes from December 15, 2025. Can I get a second? I'll >> second it. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Okay. Can you call

004the RO? >> Mr. Adino, >> abstain. >> Mr. Buyers, >> abstain. >> Mrs. Kreninski, >> abstain. >> Mrs. Grassy >> abstain >> while the pressure's on. Miss Rooster >> I [laughter] because I was >> Motion carries 10. Look at you. >> Great. We have a motion to approve meeting minutes from January 2nd tax budget hearing, January 2nd organizational meeting, January 2nd special meeting, and January 6 special meeting. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Right. Can you call the role, please? >> Miss Brewster. >> Mrs. Grassy. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Kreninski. >> Hi. >> Mr. Buyers. >> Hi. and Mr. Dino. >> Hi. >> Motion carries 40 with one abstension. >> Thank you. >> All right, that brings us to our special reports tonight. >> So, we have a lot of special reports and

005one that's uh going to we're going to take the tour on the road. So, we're going to do a tour of the new edition in Riverview. So, everyone who likes to join us um we'll go up and look at the eight new classrooms that were done and answer any questions that you have. Um, we both we have both Ryan and Roger going to kind of help us with that as well. So, at that point, we'll get up and away, head out and see the new spaces. >> [laughter] >> You're on camera right now. [laughter] >> All right. So, welcome. This is the beginning or the opening from our kindergarten hallway to the new of eight classroom additions. down here. We have four. Next year, these four classrooms we utilized for prek um all the way,

006but they they do offer some flexibility for all of our primary classrooms. We tried to match the building as much as possible using some current attic stock as well as um some other choices to really make it blend in and look like one both inside and outside. Ryan, you did a great job with that. It looks pretty seamless. Dr. Thompson, you know where to start. >> It looks great. You can't tell. >> These doors are on magnetic case when we do have a fire drill they will release in close shot to kind of cut the building off. But come on in and you can see the color scheme. This exit is new as egress. This used to go out and you would see horses right here. So we kind of cut that down. Uh did

007some creative engineering to get this stair to shift this stairwell which uh put the door on the end there to provide egress for our students. remember. >> So, there are four classrooms um here, two on they are a little bit different in the way that they are set up. The two on on my right, your left are more of your traditional [snorts] kindergarten classroom. You'll walk into one. They have a single-user restroom in there. Um, and kind of the same spaces set up. The biggest one of the main differences from these classrooms that are than the original classrooms will be the AV setup. We put touchcreens in this for modern technology versus the old smartboards or Vimeo boards that were in the old. So, we'll go in and take a look at this classroom here.

008switched it over. >> Yeah, that's great. >> That's for sure. >> New classroom smells. >> It's got It does. It has that new classroom smell to it. Yeah. >> Um, this will last a little bit longer than in like a middle school where that classroom smell goes away quickly, especially on a hot day. Uh, this is so this is our it kindergarten rooms are generally larger in space because they do more kind of different activities. This again, we will house preschool in this next year, but they have their own uh attached restroom. The lighting in here is all LED lighting and there are ways to change it. The switches are very complex. Uh you do need an engineering degree to figure out the light switches as they work. But they do dim the lights uh

009offer different lighting patterns for kids uh as they need them. And again basically has your smartboard. They do have speakers and amplification system so all of our kids can hear and the voice kind of travels throughout. It's not just for the teacher. It actually works with students with like attention attention deficit attention disabilities. Helps them really kind of focus a little bit more. So this is both these rooms look the same. This one and the one that's partnered to it on the other side. We'll go across the hall and look at kind of the other two rooms which are a little bit different and purposely designed. So again, different size preschool room, little bit of a different space. >> Yeah, I like this tile. So then we get on. >> So same really close to

010the same square footage in this room. Same basic conceptual layout. little bit of some key differences to it. In this case, instead of an individual bathroom, that has a Jack and Jill bathroom on this side where they can still access and have their own private bathroom, but it does allow us to put a changing table if we have students who need that um as those needs evolve. Um and also kind of utilize some space in some different ways. The other thing that preschool comes with is a lot of stuff um and storage. So, we needed to provide storage and also access to a playground. So, right through here, you'll find shared preschool storage as well as a door out uh to a dedicated preschool playground, which has been put in, although it's dark out right

011now. Um there is some pre there's a preschool playground set up. They're going to finalize that once the weather breaks with mulch on the on the surface as well as making sure everything's expanded. So, this is uh one of the two dedicated. We really thought purposely about preschool and always keeping preschool here. You know, this is that's a part of it as well. Very nice. >> You want to come back? >> No. Thank you. [laughter] >> His his kids and my father grandfather and grandfather. >> Yeah. >> Lighting's nice. Yeah, she is. >> We all noticed that. >> Oh, that is nice. [laughter] Did you notice? >> I wish I didn't know it before. My wife told me. >> Look at that. >> That is pretty. She said she said all the old rooms, they're

012all outside and they're all destroyed. >> I've never seen that before. One of the things we're that Ryan was Ryan Schmid from TDA was able to do is pick us up some space along the way. Uh with preschool, you have some auxiliary staff like a school psychologist that kind of needs to be there. We want them in the same spot. Uh so office built right into here. access to kind of work with the kids, keep them all in an area in in a similar area almost contained. Uh in here, we did have a mishap in some of our ordering. We're going to go ahead and fix that eventually. There is a really large TV in there. Uh that will get that will get toned down. We're going to repurpose that TV in one of our

013other classrooms that has an AV need, but we just haven't taken off the wall yet. But that's that's kind of this space down here. We'll walk through. They have their own dedicated entrance. So, one of the things we're really excited about with preK is its own dedicated entrance and office, uh, which is through here. Oh, just kidding. >> So, that's a different >> Yeah. Uh, these will not This is ase >> Yeah. The heat really works. >> Yeah. So this is our preschool entrance. When preschoolers come in and out, they will be separate from our our K to five students who enter here. They kind of end the parking lot, the new parking lot, expanded spaces over there. They'll come in through this door during the day. We'll have a receptionist sit here. We can

014buzz parents in and take things. This is a secure vestibial that will lock and it will lock off and kind of choke as a choke point of security. Um preschool director will kind of sit in the back office that's back there as well. Well, we have an office for a a a secretarial staff and then a preschool director back behind there as well and a pass through, not necessarily a window to take their lunch, but pass through to take forms and things like that to kind of work through that. So, that is this area. And now we're going to go upstairs and look at the occupied rooms that we actually put classes >> in. Yeah, that's the parking >> and then he'll he'll fake an injury. >> Don't let that kill you again. Will you

015stop filming me? I don't want to. I I decline to be filmed. Don't have the right. So up here, um, when Mrs. Chantry is working with her staff to kind of work on where placement goes and what students go where, our third grade teachers kind of stepped up and said, "We want this to be our area." And they wanted it to be there, not because classrooms were new. I mean, all the classrooms are relatively new. It's because of the way they're set up. Specifically, our third grade teachers, both all four of them team teach. When we walk in the classrooms, what you'll see is a large double door that is open. students go back and forth between those two classrooms all the time. They're not assigned to one classroom and sit there and they work

016on small group. They work on truly differentiation and the data. We just went over the data today and the gains they're making is amazing. So, this is kind of the model that we want to ship for all of our classrooms. But come on into Mrs. Ford's classroom. >> You know that forever. >> So, in this classroom, we have students move freely. You can see they move freely through the double doors into Mrs. Fox's classroom. Now, ironically, um Mrs. Fox moved and then went out on maternity leave, so Mrs. Fox's replacement is there for now. Um, but really to look at the spaces and the seating, this is the furniture that they took from their original classroom. So, the new furniture that we ordered is not in yet. When it comes in, it will have a

017similar feel. A lot of small groups, a lot of flexibility. Students get up and move around and say, "Hey, I want to be in this classroom for this part." They get individualized assignments and really do personalized learning, working in small groups, working at the kidney table, uh, learning a lesson. It is there is not a lot of stand at the front of the room, uh, stage on the stage direction. It is all tailored to their needs based on data and and what they need. And then you can see they just transfer over into the other classroom which is right next door and the lights are off. >> Same basic feel in this classroom, just another teacher. They bounce back and forth. They do math this way and then math and science. Is that correct? Yes.

018So they they'll do the math block and science block here. Then all those students go across the hall and they'll do the the language arts block and the social studies block kind of all all together collaboratively. It has worked out phenomenally. Uh like I said the data is through the roof just on this year and we are really excited to kind of see and to have the space where we can kind of move this through. So the last part, there's a couple more small group rooms at the end and that's that's the end. We wrap up our tour with two upstairs small group rooms that we will utilize anytime there's space. We're going to utilize those for some of our small group instruction. whether it's ELLL, special ed, um any kind of thing differentiated that

019we need to do, we can we have these opportunities in these spaces for that. It can even be reset room. So, kind of moving them along and utilizing these spaces. I will they are not utilized yet, but give it another week and they will be full. I will tell you that for sure. Uh and then mechanical room is kind of hidden at the front of the front of the place and a single use restroom off to the right here. And that concludes the tour. So, thank you. We'll head back down and continue on. There's a group with that room. And then >> this is the original. And this is the original. Beautiful. >> Yes. Okay, we all back. >> Yes. >> All right. Um, so after seeing Riverview, I think next is to talk about

020Buckeye and the Buckeye project. I think kind of continue with that. Um, I do have three people here to kind of present and talk with the board and [clears throat] answer any questions. The first is Ryan Schmidt from TDA to kind of talk about some options with Buckeye and a 12 classroom edition in gymnasium and some possibilities looking through that as well. So they those slides are actually the onepage addendum to your packet. >> What should I see? >> There's the podium. >> Yeah. >> This this one. >> Um >> yeah. >> Yes. Thank you all for having me. Um as everybody I'm sure is aware, we have gotten pretty far on our original concept design for Buckeye. Um the original concept was eight classrooms in a gymnasium. Um and we were approached to look

021at this site and see what it might mean if we went to 12 classrooms. Uh so what we did here was we looked at the existing site and we did a couple of uh fit plans. I want everybody to take the plans with a grain of salt uh in the sense that they are looking at size and space. They are not designs necessarily. So there's nuance as you lay out a plan. and you look at sidewalk placement and door locations and entrances and proximities and adjacencies of all these spaces and make sure everything flows and works properly. These have got some of that figured out, but they're are not finished plans. We just wanted to make sure that something would fit on the site. So, what you're seeing here was the existing plan. Um the

022building up at the front here, there are those couple of Is it okay if I stand up here? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I think the pointer works here. >> This is even better for Um these are uh some modulars that you had located over in this area. These are going uh and then there's playground out in this area and a grass field to the north here. Uh your existing parking lot in through here. So this is concept one. This is saying if we stick with a singlestory plan, what might that mean on the site? And so this one took the approach uh we're adding 12 classrooms. We're adding an entrance way. And then we group specials up at the um north end of the east wing. So this would be your existing art music

023library spaces, a new gymnasium space with a stage that connects to this big hallway that takes you out to the front of the building. There's also a connector that can get you here nuance uh would be looking at is there a way to get another connection point uh somewhere closer down in that area or is there a nice way that we can get people around the end of the building at that location. But what this is saying is you could get something here in this location that leaves pretty ample space to the north to get some playgrounds, field area, and then we could get really creative in how you use this interstitial space and create some outdoor learning areas, uh maybe some smaller uh play spaces or some outdoor active spaces for like uh outdoor

024gym and stuff of that nature. So, and what I wanted to do is talk about massing too. So, this was a singlestory building. This is not designed, but this is saying you would have something uh comparable in structure and height and size to what you have existing in this location here. The gymnasium would be a taller structure to the back with a lower connector piece uh that connects and ties in. Ultimately, you'd look at materials that are similar in nature. Uh you might try to modernize some of those pieces. We went through a lot of that discussion when we were doing the initial studies of um the original concept. So, I think a lot of that will be something you could sell that work into a new plan, uh, if you choose to do that.

025Uh, this concept would be a two-story edition. Uh, this one looks at keeping gymnasium stage up at this location with an entrance piece, mechanicals, restrooms, lobby area, and then a two-story classroom addition. Uh, and then connection back to the existing building. This one does have a pass through with stair here, stair at this location as well. And then this obviously all stays the same. And then what you're seeing here is essentially you'd end up with six classrooms on the first floor, six classrooms on the second floor, bank of restrooms on both floors, entrance down at this location, the taller space of the gymnasium and stage down at that end. Uh but then these would be your primary circulation paths uh in the building at that location. All of this considered as you're going through an

026exercise like this, you look at the building. This is one step to say does it fit? Yeah, you can fit a couple of different options here. The other thing to start talking about considering is um all the support spaces. So, parking lots, access ways for drives. Um do you look at this and try to make this a bit more efficient because presently isn't terribly efficient with how some of this flow works up at the front of the site. There's a lot of kind of dead space here. Could you make this work a little more effectively to separate bus and parent traffic uh as well? And that's it. Any questions? >> Can you go back to that one? The one previous slide is is the back of this as it's currently um constructed, the back of

027that new parking lot, would that be would that be large enough, wide enough that you could stack parents up all down the side and loop and come back out? >> That is the right type of question. um if designed properly. Yes. So that'd be something like for example one one thing you're always trying to do is separate buses and parent traffic. So if you look at this as the parent traffic that is something where you could pull parents in. You create this really long uh depth for your drop off. So let's say your par primary parent drop off actually moves back to here. You have all this distance to stack cars whereas currently now you got people that are stacking out onto the road. This would help minimize some of that. That's not to say

028I would totally ever get rid of everything because there's a lot of people that drop off their their students. Uh but this would definitely be something that would help. And by picking up that depth, um that would definitely help. >> Coincidentally, that that was taken during pickup. >> This picture um the car is >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. >> Yeah. Yeah. But you can see right now you're picking up an extra 100 feet there plus that on the back way out. So it it does it does. >> Good point. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Um this plan also allows better access to the gym. Um because there is after school and evening community use. Yep. >> And you know um I know Nick often is aware of some of the um students and groups

029that use our schools. Um whereas the other plan has it way over on the other side. No way to get over there except to walk through the building. There there there are challenges. You have an existing building. Yeah. >> So, anything you do, you're working with some of what's presently there and you're trying to make the best use of what you have. So, this is one where you already have established specials. And in my my best world, I group all my specialists if I can do it. And so, that plan was looking at what does that mean if we can do it. The challenge to your point is it does push the gymnasium back. And is that is the tradeoff worth it? You know, and that's something that's worth considering. There might be some other

030hidden uh piece to this as we actually work on a design that points to a really favorable solution where you could keep it back there. Um but we just haven't gotten there yet. >> Right. And with the twostory um it kind of compacts it but it also um minimizes the playground noise or kids seeing the activity because some of them are on the second floor. Um, but it also opens up the playground because I know there's some wetland and whether you call it wetland or it's just wet back there. >> Yeah. Back in the tree area. How big is that retention pond? Is it Are we okay? >> So, how much of that green space is playable green space? >> So, as of now, I haven't determined that. [clears throat] So, if we chose the

031previous design had the had the detention basin back [clears throat] in the trees. So, it is something that you could there's enough space there where you could conceivably pull that back up into the green area and not have to cut back into the trees. Um, but you could put it out of sight, out of mind, back in the trees. It's just there's cost associated with both, and that could be something that we talk through. Again, the pros of getting it out of sight, out of mind, the cons of cutting down trees and pushing it back further. So, there's there's give and take, but that space that's there, that green space, that's a large area. I mean, that's football field size, maybe a little bigger than that. So, it's a big it's a big space. What

032are the pros and cons to stacking versus not stacking? >> So, great question again. Uh the pros are less roof, less footings. Um you know, like some of your your vertical aspects of your siding and things like that, you have fewer breaks. Like for example, if you have a lot of roofing perimeter along the building and it's long, then you have all that edge metal and all that stuff to consider. When you stack though, you do have to put in stairs and you do have to put in an elevator. So there is that give and take elevator. There's yearly expenses that go along with that. Uh but again the benefit you have compact floor plan as well. So it is about measuring those two. This is about the threshold. If we had fewer classrooms than

033this I think it gets to a point where stacking it makes less sense. Um you know that eight classroom that's why we're looking at single story because it just the efficiency isn't quite there. This is getting to that point where you can start to look at that and it starts to justify the expense of the elevator and the stairs especially when you're trying to maintain some more of that site >> and there's no way to turn like the the classroom like the other direction so they almost connect to the other specials. >> Um so there is there are other site concerns. There is a there is an existing uh storm sewer that runs through the center of the site. So we are trying to avoid that uh as much as possible. That isn't to say

034that we couldn't do something across. We just have to be conscious of you're not going to want to build a big building on it, but maybe a connector is something that's viable. Um, in the previous plan that we had, there was a a connector here and there was actually talk about with the county about putting a storm sewer underneath that connector because your exposure is 10 ft of width with a sleeved storm sewer as opposed to 60 feet, 80 feet underneath a gymnasium where if you ever have a problem, it's a it's a bigger concern. So, >> and the reality is is you put a sleeved pipe underneath the building, the odds of the problem happening are very small, but you just don't want to take a risk there if you can put it. >>

035And I know you talked in the past about the irregularity of the library structure. So, you know, adding onto that side means taking away some, right? >> It's there is a challenge with that. I mean, in the plan I was looking at could you go back to maybe the first plan? Um, maybe it should go on there. Yeah, that's good enough. Um, this one I was looking at if we do this, this is a big room right now. The idea that you want to take and add a wall inside of that media center space, that library space to make your connection back. So, there would be some manipulation because the shape is was designed to be that. It wasn't designed to be added on to necessarily. So, and whenever you do an addition to that,

036then you do have to kind of square things up and make them work with what you're doing with your land. It's got kind of a bow on the end. And so, we were trying to simplify that mass and kind of engage it, minimize, again, by engaging it and kind of fitting into this notch. We're trying to pull that building back and keep it as tight to the existing building as possible to again save as much green space as we can. In in this example, this would have one set a new set of bathrooms on the single story side and then a new set in the gym. >> Yeah. And that's right now generically showing we we do have a bank of bathrooms down here. This was showing larger classrooms here with bathrooms inside of those.

037This likely might want to flip, you know, or maybe we ship this down here. So, there's stuff like that we'd have to consider because these bathrooms really would be used by these students. These students don't really need it. So, just placing in [cough and clears throat] the classroom should be considered. But yes, I would put a bank of restrooms over here somewhere. That one I am showing some restrooms up in that corner, but that's something depending on how we use that. There is a bank of toilets there. So, you could conceivably make use of those uh with the gymnasium because it's already a supporting space. So, you have existing toilets you could potentially utilize for that. >> But in the stacked scenario, there would be bathrooms on both floors, both floors >> and potentially in

038the gym. >> Um, no, that one go back to that plan. This one stacks the toilets here. So you have classrooms, toilets on both floors. And so it's utilized by both groups. >> You would have access for night access. It would be coming to the one side and the double doors. I'm assuming there' be double doors to kind of close off. >> Yeah, that's one to Yeah. To your point, you'd want to be able to section off the stairs, section off the bathrooms, uh so that you can utilize that after. How much additional parking is that approximately? >> Uh I think it was about 40 spaces, 50 spaces, something like that. >> I might be >> even with a turn. >> Um the turn isn't figured into this necessarily. So I mean realistically you probably

039want to turn here. We had looked at a scenario where we did have our detention basin at the end. The nice thing about that is is as you're pushing snow, you can just push it down towards the detention basin. Like that's what we did here and that allows it to melt and go into the detention basin. Yeah. >> But you'd capture um all those spaces back that where the turn currently is. >> You would. >> So those would become parking spaces. So we get probably most of them back. >> Very very good point. Yeah. It's like >> with with this plan as it is um you'd still have some play apparatus. it looks like in the interior there, but at the end of the uh art music library area. Um, you know, I mean, some

040things could be relocated over there and not up against classroom windows >> for sure. >> Um, but I know that where the gym is, I think it's with acting it like this, there is a basketball court that has to be replaced. There's also a ball field not too far, I think, from the art music library. So, and then kids like to play soccer and there needs to be space. So, I'm just look thinking of a school building like this. Uh we didn't we fashion the gym to be very similar or the the gymnasium to be very similar. >> Yep. Correct. Exactly. The stage space is very similar and the the gym size and everything is very similar to what's at this current building. But to your points, I mean, having some hard surface down there

041makes sense. And that might be something that as we look at the turnaround, like most of the day, you don't need the turn. You know, people are coming on to the site, they're parked, visitors are coming up here. So, you could conceivably, we do it all the time where you could conceivably shut down part of that and utilize that asphalt as part of your play service and part of your playgrounds that uh you essentially have, you know, a choke point here with a gate and you could section off a part of it that you could utilize. you're not buying additional asphalt and spending money on that and the upkeep and all the things that go along with that. So, there's efficiencies we could put into some of your >> uh site services. >> Does the

042dining as it is obviously it's in the old section. Does that will that be supported? Is it large enough to support the additional classrooms? >> Yeah, it should be because now there's stage here and so you could conceivably pick up that space. We could utilize that stage space as a supplementary classroom like a STEM classroom or something like that. I think could be really beautiful up in that location. But this space does act as a gym right now. So it's doing double duty for what it does. And so by taking the gym component out of it, just your flow and the ability to serve students just improves. >> You could have more cafeteria >> sessions if you needed to since you're not using it for gyms. >> Yes. You have more lunches. >> And it

043saves it saves staff time too because you're not doing setup. >> Yeah. not tearing down. >> What do you envision in the front there? Because I know there's a lot of grass and >> I'll be 100% honest with you. I don't know yet. >> That's that's >> because that's that's the problem. >> I think you'd want uh probably a more condensed visitor parking lot. I think you'd want to look at how you can make uh the loop more efficient. All of this space in here is just mo space. So, if it's something that we can get uh maybe a little more compact and get some more access up here, your main office is right here. So, you want to be able to draw people to that space, staff and everybody can park along here. Uh

044but if you're able to support some of those visitors and things like that up front and then get your buses in there effectively, that's the biggest thing is making sure we get all our buses in our queuing. Uh and then not overspend on asphalt where you have a bunch of extra asphalt that you have to pay for for the next 50 years every time it needs to be resurfaced. >> Yeah. with the number of drop offs and not having backup on the street. I don't know if there would be some function about dropping off some students like I guess you wouldn't be doing it with buses because that would be in the front for cars, right? uh whether there's another access point I don't >> and that and that's staffing and generally you want to

045drop off two big spaces and you do have a big space up here in dining and you you would have a big space back here in the gym and so you have the ability to utilize those as queuing spaces staging spaces for those students >> is because currently the students stand outside >> yeah this would help minimize that you could release um by bus or however you want to do it which I think it would be a really nice ability to do because is like today where it's well not today but tomorrow you know it's going to be >> yeah yeah exactly [laughter] >> thanks for >> I don't want school off >> so the um additional budget that we're adding would also take care of the existing building as far as >> so I

046have not got into the details of the budget um I think just broad picture yes that is the plan >> Roger ransom numbers he's up next to some discussion >> okay thanks Yeah, >> you you had a question before. >> I was just going to say not to get too far ahead into the future, but the the stack allows for the space the gymnasium was going to be in to potentially be used in the future if needed to add classrooms. >> Yes. Correct. >> So, that's kind of a nice >> Yep. Absolutely. And that's one too like in either of these iterations as we go through the design process and talk about, you know, how manipulating the plan would work. that's something we can pick up additional space and talk about flux and talk about

047additions down the road because it's something that you may never do it but you don't want to put yourself in a spot you can't do it and so it's always good to have options >> and and for the neighbors if there is a twotory addition which is a lot higher even though with the gym would be higher too um just some kind of privacy I mean it would be worked in that they would have a treeine or evergreen or something >> and we could look at what that means. Uh it's also something too where we we've gotten really good and knowledgeable as to how you use masonry in a in a scenario like this. This building is kind of away from things. You know, this is kind of sitting on its own thing. There's horse

048farm to the sides. It's floating. It's it's what it is. This one we might look at a layered colored masonry up above, for example. That's a trick we use all the time. It helps minimize the weight of a building on a site and it makes it less, you know, less of an eye draw, you know, as you live next to it. So those are tricks that help make it less impactful to the neighborhood. So um think of um oh what is it the big Nestle building down in Soul. The whole thing's painted white or gray or something and when you drive by you see it but if it was red you'd really see it. So >> those kind of those kinds of techniques. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. Appreciate

049it. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. All right. Well, next up, um, Roger Ratrick from RFC contract or construction just to kind of give an update. Uh, first we'll talk about Buckeye and some some of his he's been working through some numbers with Buckeye and then he also has some updates on CTE and Riverview for the board and we'll answer. >> Let's start with CTE. Let's start with the easy spending. So, uh, we're in the process of closing out the the contracts and, uh, and summarizing the GMPS. And the good news is between the two projects, you're going to be getting some money back from the GMP to the tune of somewhere between 400,000 plus, maybe even close to 500,000. I'm working on those closeouts. We're working on finalizing the list of allowances, contingencies. we didn't

050have to use uh uh most of it and uh we also some of the allowances that were put in there towards the end of the job we ended up not doing some of that work. Now that part of that though we still have not addressed some of the air conditioning in the common areas I think you guys called Chris or >> common. >> So some of that would probably end up going there if you decide to move forward with with those projects. So, we're still working on, you know, we will be working with Chris on some of those numbers, but you'll have some money left over that you can transfer into something else or use it for whatever other alternates we had talked about at the uh at the high school. >> You say you're

051talking about the PI doc those funds were from the PI and not from the grant. Correct. >> Correct. But we're we're looking at it as an overall number from our perspective. left pocket, right pocket for you guys. I'll I'll let you >> I just want to make sure we defend it. That's >> You didn't determine that, you know, violating some kind of regulation as it relates to a grant. >> The grant money is is will be all spent out. This is the over and above >> uh money that you put in on top of the grant. >> Thank you. >> I know there was things like also the sidewalk going in and some discussion on that. is that >> we had so we are going to look at doing that uh in house over the

052summer uh and you know adding adding that sidewalk and getting some contracts through that. Rich and I have kind of talked through some plans as to what some of those look like. Also the air I think that's a big try to get the mechanical for the air uh but then also looking at what that looks like because we did come up with some hopefully creative ways to utilize some of our funds from food service to do some some of the other issues and then combine the two along the way. So, we're we're hoping to get those numbers and find some contractors to put that together who will kind of work within those parameters. So, those are trying to get some numbers to work those through together. >> Okay. >> Those will all be summer projects.

053So, we're right on time for that as well. So our goal would be by the first week of February at the latest to have all these numbers you know uh summarized everything finalized have a final close out uh to send to Stephen and and Chris and go through that and then um get that back to the board. The way we would handle it is it would be depending on if you decide to use some of that under that particular contract, some of that money for some other work, then we can we can keep it keep it open. If not, then we would close out the the contract, wrap up that GMP, come up with a deductive change order to summarize all the accounting on it, and then issue that, send it to the board for

054final approval. So, we we'll be working with the administration towards that. and then we, you know, whatever you decide on it, we'll take it from there. Um, any questions on uh those two projects? Anything else before we jump into the Buckeye? >> Nope. >> Okay. So, Buckeye, what we did, obviously, we had put a GMP together back in the fall that came out to about uh right around the 9.6. uh that did not include obviously 12 classrooms based on eight and the in the uh gym conversation we've I've had with Chris. We went back and we kind of took a stab at okay what what happens if we add four classrooms. We obviously as you saw see tonight there is multiple different options. So these are kind of rough numbers. Uh so we took a

055stab at we do that we add four more classrooms and also we remodeled the existing building and in that existing building we had some narrative work that uh Brian's team had put together on the mechanical electrical plumbing component of the things. So that we had a pretty good decent handle on, but the rest of it we just figured, you know, painting, new floor, new roof, new windows, made some assumptions on our end that would need to be validated. And based on these assumptions and and what what I just described, the three the three uh going to 12 classrooms and remodeling the existing, we're coming up right around 14.8 million is the numbers that we're coming up with. Now having said that we still there's a lot that needs to be handled and discussed to get

056there. So what I had suggested to to Chris would be to um have a working session with Brian and his team and the administration come up with couple schematic designs. Maybe the board can give some feedback based on what you saw tonight. That could that will give us a little bit of a sense of direction so we can hone in on whatever option you feel is the one you're going to be leaning towards and then we can start talking about, you know, detention facing. Where does it go? Does do we move it into the the woods and spend the money on that or do we keep it, you know, closer to take some of the grass area into detention? These are the kind of things. is the parking lot. How would we how do we

057handle that? We'll kick some of these things around and then based on those, we'll come up with a couple of updated versions of the of the budget based on let's say we narrow it down to two options, option one, option two, and then we can come back to the to the board with these budget numbers and then you can make some decisions accordingly before we turn loose the full design of it. Would you be would you suggest rescending the first GMP and getting a whole new one or just adding on to the one that we have? >> It it doesn't honestly it doesn't I mean personally I would you're not gaining anything because you're you're not using unless you don't want to add the four classrooms. If you want to stick with eight, then yes.

058But if and and then we can add we can have a separate GMP for the remodeling of the existing. Then yes, that would make sense. >> Well, if we're going to go with the whole 12. >> Yeah. If you're going to go with the 12, there is no sense keeping the original one because it's it's you know, you're you're going to be adding two change orders to it. That doesn't make that doesn't make sense from a paperwork perspective. I'm sure from a financial perspective they would rather not have to do to deal with it that way and just have one GMP for the entire scope of work that you want to do at Buckeye. >> And they're they're okay with that. >> I've not spoken to Cleveland about that specifically. >> Yeah, they they'll be

059fine with that. We've we've had we've had those discussions. There's no issues with that at all. So, what what would need to happen is um you you actually never enter into a contract. So all you did was you approve JMP. So that that that doesn't mean anything because you never went into a contract. So what we would do is we would basically u uh really don't not even engage into that GMP go through some of the exercises with with Ryan and administration. Come up with a couple options. Um get a feeling from the board which one you want to go with. We'll give you some some preliminary numbers. whichever option you pick, then we'll go we'll go through that design and come up with a new GMP for all of it. >> Could you elaborate

060on the 148 for the remodeling of the existing? I know you said paint floor windows, but does that include bathrooms, uh, interior doors, exterior doors? Does that include things like the teachers lounge, for example, just spitballing? >> It does. >> All areas like that. >> It's It's not all new. So we would look through we Ryan and I had this conversation the other day when we were talking as to what it looks like and they we can take you through the schools where they've done it but they don't replace all the doors. They look at some of the doors that really need to be done and some of the ones they can refinish and make some changes there. [snorts] They look at um things like are the fixtures, you know, are the fixtures up to

061code or do we need to change the bathroom fixtures, but what what is good and what do we need to replace? We've done some things along the way to keep it up to date. So it is about making that building turnkey, but it won't all be brand new. But it is air. U it's it's having the same >> systems that you saw in some of the classrooms, existing classrooms, but we're not knocking out a bunch of walls and that sort of thing. >> It is not a total gut and and it's a remodel of the of the existing. So we're not, as Chris said, we're not demolishing all the interior walls and and and you know, starting fresh from that. We're keeping what you have, updating what you have. uh on the MEP side that

062will all be the mechanical, electrical and plumbing that will all be new new equipment uh on that on that part of it like new windows, new roof new >> but some of the existing rooms that they are I mean we could we could do paint and flooring but we're not tearing down walls and and moving things around basically >> be a refresh. >> In a lot of the classrooms here there are built-in cabinets for their coats and hook bags and whatnot. Does that [clears throat] 148 include that or is that separate? Yeah, >> we haven't looked into the specifics of that and gotten into how much that casework will cost. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> And also um there was a desire by some teachers to have a door between rooms. >> Those would be

063in all the new in the new 12. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. And then we would look at cost for specific >> rooms and what they take and whether we're abating or not. >> Okay. So, one of the things that we would suggest is obviously to kind of go through some of those some of that exercise and come up with a little bit more um descriptive options that we will work with Ryan on. When we have that, we'll be able to come come back with a little bit more realistic numbers, but also answer some of your questions that you're bringing up and also give alternates. So we could we could establish some of the budgets for the for the base scope of work and then for instance let's say you decide you want to enter entertain

064putting doors in between the classrooms, right? So we can we can take a look at what that looks like. You know we don't have to cut the wall, put a beam in, put a door in. We can treat that as an alternate and price that and see if the budget allows it or doesn't. But the base bid would be all the things that need to happen. >> And then we could from there look at some alternates and if the budget allows it, then we can we can include that. If the budget doesn't then it won't it won't make it into the project. >> And would we I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Would we be looking at any upgrades to the cafeteria kitchen? >> I'm not saying that we need them. I'm just curious if how

065encompassing this is. >> We did not look at upgrades into into the kitchen. Um I believe the cafeteria was just aesthetics. >> The cafeteria was floor ceiling. >> Yeah. >> Uh obviously air, lights, that sort of thing, but not necessarily getting into the kitchen. >> Yeah. We did we those numbers do not include any any kitchen new kitchen equipment or a new layout or anything. It's just basically the existing as is. >> Sure. >> So it sounds like the first step is you'll work with Dr. Tino, Dr. Thompson and the administration to kind of put together some place for us to start, bring back to the board. >> We are looking at getting a meeting on the books for early next week or sometime next week uh to get that done with Mrs. Mullen as

066well. Okay. Have some those conversations. >> Hopefully in February's meeting, we'll have some things [snorts] to go over and talk about. Perfect. >> That would be the goal. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Do we have an estimate, Roger, when we could have a GMP? >> Well, it all depends on how quickly we turn the drawings around. So, some of the some of the uh schedules that Chris and I had talked about would be I'd like to be in a position where we have completed drawings sometime maybe in in March. Um, you know, I don't know if if Ryan is probably going to smack [laughter] me over the head when I go sit next to him, but so so so this was this would be the the goal to at least or or be

067working on them with and as we did before. I mean, we we came up with a preliminary estimate in a preliminary GMP. It wasn't final, but we ended up being very close to it. I mean, we were we came within a couple percent. So we can do the same thing but the goal would be to um get some drawings finalized by in March. I mean a lot of it has already been done with with the eight classroom. So depending on if we scratch that completely or if we use some of that and add to it the existing we already know a lot of what needs to to be put together from a mechanical electrical and so we can if if we can come to terms on that as to exactly what you want done with

068the existing they can start working on their documents and if we have something by the end of March we could have a GMP sometime in April breakground on the on the addition um in in May or you know or June and then work as much as we can in the existing in the summer 26 and then complete the addition by the end of the year beginning of 2027 come back in the summer 27 finish everything else and have it all done and ready for for August of 27 that's kind of the the game plan that we were putting together and working towards So I I guess my question [clears throat] and maybe this would be a question also for my partner over here is um and and it's a board comfort question too really if

069do in order to take advantage of the summer obviously we want to go and be able to break ground by that the by that April time frame. uh how comfortable are we not we board at uh going ahead with the financing without a solid GMP? >> I know what your answer is. [laughter] That's just something to consider. And can you address that when your time comes? Thank you. >> Yeah. From from our perspective, I mean obviously it's it's the board's decision. And I could tell you that at this point in time, I wouldn't put my name on a 14.8. But I think in about a two months period, if we have some further discussions with with Ryan's design team and with with the administration, we get somewhere where we have a clear sense of direction.

070Okay, here's where it's going to be two stories. It's going to be one story. The gym is going to go here. This is what the parking lot is going to be. If we can get to that point and exactly what we're doing in the existing, we will we can come up with a number that we're pretty comfortable with that that then you could you could potentially use that for for your financing. >> If I'm not mistaken, everybody's working on the same timeline. So like by the time they come up with dollars, you guys still have work to do, >> correct? >> Right now. So I think everything will mesh. But I know like for myself, I would never be comfortable like going out and saying, "Hey, let's sell some bonds." And then not have a

071building to put up because we can't afford it with the money that we just raised. So >> I understand that my question >> is it perhaps by if we have these meetings by the February meeting that perhaps we go back with a better estimate to kind of get some more comfort level with that. >> I don't think that I don't think the timeline between when we get a GMP and you actually you guys you guys would be ready to go. So like >> contemporaneously as you go ahead and refine all these drawings and amounts. Uh the main thing being is obviously we would need to make certain that at the point where we would actually set the rates is the point legally where you would be able to contractually enter into that agreement with contractor

072>> which that's you're probably looking at April for that. >> So if that if that works within your time frame that should get us there on on our end as well. It works out. >> Yeah. >> Well, that's a good segue. Any other for you to come pontificate prolific? >> Next up is uh the next best report is Roger. >> Uh Mr. Mike Purcell, can I speak a little bit to the board about financing in 15,000 syllables or less? [laughter] >> So, >> that was syllables, not words. >> All words I can smell. Mike [laughter] back. It's great to be back. Uh it's good to see everybody. Happy New Year. Uh thanks for the opportunity to be here. We just as Melinda had indicated, we've already got majority of the leg work done for this

073transaction. We have a disclosure that will need some minor updating because we have crossed over the calendar year. That will not be a significant amount of effort. The grading has already been established. the trans the school district was reaffirmed by Moody's at AA3. I will go back to Moody's. It's been a little while since we talked to them. There may be a call just to refresh things for that, but nothing like the initial call. Uh that braiding may very well still be uh ready to go and they may just still say okay uh move forward with that. Uh the one thing we're going to address uh with the structure if I may [clears throat] we had originally contemplated utilizing a dual structure really trying to minimize as best we can uh the interest rate by

074layering on top of a tax anticipation note that is capped at 10 years repayment the remaining being over 30 years which would be the certificates of participation. Now as we were approaching the transaction, things were starting to gear up for a pricing last year. I was already getting indication from then the desk uh that with whom we were working that that small that 10-year portion of the tan may very well not price anything worse than the cops. There are going to be certain expenses associated with making the entire issue certificate of participations, but that also allows more flexibility for repayment levels over those 30 years coming from the district and how to repay that. If you take that portion that we were contemplating putting in that 10-year repayment, you condense that amount, that payment's going

075to be higher. So we kind of had a stratified look over 30 years where payments for the first 10 years were at X and then they dropped down to Y where now if we contemplate on making the entire structure certificates of participation we'll be able to customize that that service evenly the whole things will come down and the amount owed every year but there is an inherent expense that we will provide that analysis side by side for Drs. Thompson and Ratino to examine, I'll be able to gladly present it to the board. The one thing I say all the time in my industry, in my profession, flexibility costs money. That's when you want the flexibility to hedge against rate movement or to be able to have a lower payment. Those things tend to cost a

076little more in interest rate. I'm not talking millions of dollars by any means, but my job as your fiduciary is to get you the lowest cost possible and that's what we'll put together. As for the time frame, we are working on an almost exact time frame, get the disclosure ready to go. We have already ordered the site work to be done, which would allow us now to get back to have the transaction insured. We'll be working with a firm out of New York called Build America Mutual. They have already granted us a commitment letter, but the one thing that was missing on the original structure was the actual title survey work, which is the legal description of the property. If I may, I'll only take two minutes to briefly describe for the new board members

077how the certificates of participation work. It's a real estatebased transaction. You may have heard the term. Developers use it a lot. It's it's called a sale lease back. So, we enter into an agreement with a third party Shell entity that actually holds the property, leases it back to the district. And there's two components to the transaction. There's the ground and then there's the building on top of the ground which we refer to as the asset. What we have to make certain is that certificate holders, their remedy as investors in this transaction is that if you do not pay your debt service, they have the legal right to come in, take over the asset through the term of the ground lease. They cannot liquidate it. They cannot sell it, but they can obtain it and do

078what they want to generate revenue in order that they can get their investment back. It is purely a threat concept but at the same token legally that is the remedy. So the school district goes to every condition possible to make certain they can pay that debt otherwise your building is going to be at stake. So that's why we're contemplating insuring the entire transaction that gets you the lowest cost possible. We'll provide the cost benefit analysis as cash flow because the insurance does cost money upfront. Sometimes you hear the transactions can be enhanced by the state through the Ohio credit enhancement program oftentimes referred to as the intercept program. Certificates of participation do not qualify for that enhancement. But the district has been established in the double A3 top rating is AAA double A1 A2 then

079you are a double A3 because there is an appropriation risk factor associated with these types of transactions. meaning because you do not need a vote for this transaction in the eyes of a high revised code. It is a series of annually renewable lease payments. So every year the board will get together and they will have to appropriate that year's debt service. That's how it gives you the legal opportunity to undertake this financing. So in doing such that is one thing you may be double A3 as general obligation but because of that appropriation risk the transaction goes out as an A1 that's where the insurance comes in that gets you to double A programmatic and then you pay for that I will provide all that analysis. I see Mike does the does does our collateral change

080since we're adding it all into cops or is it the same? >> The collateral is going to be the same. If anything, now the collateral as a scale of economy of scale actually works to your favor. Whereas you going to have to put a designation around that asset for a smaller portion of the transaction. At least now you're designating that asset with a larger ratio to the transaction. It makes it look on paper much more equitable, but it will not have to change. And I will make certain that BAM is satisfied with the asset and that they do not overreach in trying to bring in additional assets on the ground. Please lease. >> Two questions for you. Thank you. By the way, so you're saying originally if we do away with the concept of tans

081and only cops, it would be the same payment over the course of the repayment. So yes, if the payment will be almost identical, it won't be to the penny. It'll be very, very close, but I'll be able to make that level debt for 30 years. >> And then in the hypothetical event that Buckeye doesn't last the 30 years, it burns down, we decide to tear off the old part, and we're still going to pay that for that term regardless of what happens to the >> That's an excellent question. Yes. Because the certificate holders are in a position of primary lean. If for instance there was a force majour fire something or for whatever reason you decide maybe 15 20 years down the road you want to minimize that facility's use within the scope of your

082entire project you will need approval by the insurer to do that because you cannot dilute that assets's worth in their ratio because now let's just say you decided after the fire. We're only going to build up half. You still have to pay it, but that's still under the ground lease and you're going to have to make certain that the insurer signs off on that. Improvements, expansion, no problem. Now they're in a better situation. Reduction, contraction, that's going to require sign off. And >> would that reduction also include if hypothetically enrollment was way down and we decided to close the building? >> That pay that payment would stay true. Absolutely. until the term is over. >> Right. Right. And the insurer, we would be in major negotiation if you were to decide to close that building

083>> because at that point the remedy is gone. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Um what about um paying off early uh penalties, anything like that? >> Excellent question. >> That remains the same. That has remained constant. Another discussion topic we had going into this late last year is one of the items that I always demand of the underwriters is as early as possible uh what we call an optional redemption provision. It gives you the opportunity where it's normally between 7 and 10 years. We make the underwriter price the structure that in 5 years you will have an opportunity to pay it off. restructure. Most importantly, why we implement that 5-year call is the uh opportunity to refinance and that's going to remain constant and the pricing has never fluctuated to bring that to five years.

084The moment the underwriter starts telling me that there's an expense associated with that, I'm looking for another underwriter because that is a given we will not falter on. any refinancing option is does that exist? >> So that that particular >> like in other words if the interest rate dropped >> that option that optionality allows that for you but prior to 2017 you were eligible by law by IRS law. So, if I may, again, only two minutes. So, [laughter] you have a five-year call, meaning at five years, any investor who holds those bonds 5 years and out, they know that you have the right to tell them at any given time, here's your money. I'm out. I don't have to pay you the interest. I can give you the principle that's owed. If you have a

085windfall, more importantly, before 2017, you were eligible to tell them that once before those five years. Now you cannot you have to wait those five years. >> If you were to try to restructure or refinance prior to those five years, you would not be eligible to do so in a tax exempt fashion. >> We did that once. >> Yes, we have refinanced and there are currently callable portions of the debt existing. We have kept those on our radar and we'll make certain if by chance come April. We just don't know what may happen with there's going to be new blood at the Fed, there's going to be a new uh approach to Fed policy. If there is a run on rates, the best time to refinance is when you have a new money component because

086now again coming back to you have economies of scale. There are redundant costs just like if you have to pay for your security cameras at home, you got to pay for one or you pay the same for 10. Now, if you have two transactions, those costs remain the same whether you're doing one or two. So, you can dilute the cost associated with the refinancing, which makes it all the more efficient. But we will keep an eye on that as this progresses. Mike, is it am I understanding this correctly? The TANS was the option that could not exceed 50% of PI. >> That is correct. >> Where COPS isn't tied to PI. We will use PI, but we could pay general fund a COPS back. Correct. >> That is correct. >> Okay, >> that is correct.

087And we generally in in in our world we call a cop's issue a general fund borrowing because unlike general obligation that's tax uh backed you have the opportunity to bring in these funds with whatever it is obviously we are looking at and we make certain too going through I am not going to recommend a transaction that I think the district cannot afford that would be pretty stupid on my behalf. So we are making certain that there is room for allocation of additional monies from the permanent improvement uh revenue uh not that is completely taken up by the obligation on these cops. And on our last look at the 15 million it was somewhere just under a million dollars. So that's about a third if we took it all out of PI. That's that's approximately what

088it would be. Yeah. >> Well, it may change a little bit, but I doubt it changes too much. >> The rate uh the rate environment has moved slightly since the end of the year, whereas you may have seen an increase in the 10-year Treasury rate, Treasury or municipals tax exempts have actually outperformed treasuries. So in my world for the longest time I've been doing this 30 years now you would see treasury rates and tax exempt rates kind of move uniformly though there's a gap one lower than the other that trend is done I mean just the other day it was amazing I saw the equity markets the Dow industrials came down almost a thousand points which for 25 years in my world you were always to look to the treasuries and say okay how well

089do they rally meaning how low did rates come today the opposite happened. So the economy given everything after after co those trends and types of projections are very escu but the environment in total has not moved against us in any dramatic fashion. You're talking a handful of basis points. We have the team ready to go. I've spoken with Tom Wilson, your bond counsel. He is aware of uh everything that I was going to talk today. I had talked with Dr. Ratino earlier about establishing a date. Going to be another kickoff call. We did it once before. This one's not going to be nearly as intricate, but I'm going to make certain that bond council has his list of to-dos fully ready to go. So that way we get on the phone, work contemporaneously while your

090architects and GMP come up with their numbers, and then that will be the number that uh uh Mr. Thompson will ultimately put into a new resolution. And if there are ex costs that are starting to be accumulated, you may still want to consider the resolution of intent. I believe we had passed one before. That gives you the opportunity to not only pay with certificate of participation proceeds. In the end, it gives you a 60-day look back. So if you've had any type of soft cost, design costs that have come out of pocket, these are things that we can still capture in paying off with the cops. I will talk to Mr. Wilson about that. That will certainly be one of the topics upon which we will touch when we have our next kickoff call. >>

091But we are in good position. >> Thank you. >> Oh, my pleasure. It's great to be back here. We look forward to having you and Ryan and um Roger all working with our administration and bringing ideas back to us so that we can have some good discussion here at the table. >> You got it. I'll be able to put all the analysis for it together. I'll keep everyone updated. That was pretty reader digest, man. That was >> I appreciate it. >> All right, >> Mike. Can you also calculate our percent of debt? You know, we can exceed 9% of >> Oh, certainly. I know we're nowhere near it, but I'd like to see it >> there, too. I'll start having Tom Wilson look at uh potential exceptional need calculations here in the event the capital

092plans in the future to be examined because you're obviously >> you you're expanding you're the student body you you have those needs so I'm on top of that. Thank you. >> That that is encompassed in that like these these bonds would >> it wouldn't it would not apply to this but for >> for future but these would affect that >> correct? >> These will >> like does this indebtedness the cop's indebtedness It will not it will not count against that because these are >> lease revenue bonds, not general obligation. >> I'm going to go out on limb and say that I cannot ask you to take that as gospel. It's a little out of my lane, but I will make certain I address that with Mr. Wilson. >> But in the scheme of things, if

093it was I do not believe that it applies. I truly do I just remember in two 2020, whatever year it was, we were like right up against that. >> Right. Right. And you have in your AV though here has really really blown up. It's huge. >> It's one of the biggest in in this part of the state. >> Thank you. >> You got it. Pleasure being here. Thanks again. Happy New Year. Any questions? >> Both Drs. Thompson or Tino have my contact information. Anybody from the board wishes to email or call anytime, no problem. I'll get right back to you. >> All right. Thanks everybody. Have a good night. >> Thank you. >> I'll be back to you and Steve with the dates tomorrow to get that call. It'll be in the next couple weeks.

094>> I won't take it. [laughter] >> Okay. I have one more uh special report tonight and that's just an update on the strategic plan as we are getting near the end of it. So, I will try to go through this as fast as I can. Um, again, in 15,000 syllables or less, but our strategic plan um has has been approved passed by the board from 2022 to 2026. So, we are kind of closing out this plan. Uh just as a reminder, it's based on four main pillars. Safety, climate, and wellness, advocates, part advocacy, partnerships, and engagement, fiscal sensibility, and teaching and learning. When I took a look at all of the things that we've done in these four years, I took a bit a deep breath and said, "Wow, we've done a lot." Um, to

095really look at where we are with the plan and kind of just providing the next steps. So, really looking at safety, climate, and wellness. Uh, the main pillar under that was make Riverside a safe, healthy, and happy place to work and learn uh through the development of healthy organizational habits. And we had some major points of focus. Develop staff celebration and support programming. Uh we have done that in our annual end of the year uh kind of carnival or picnic I guess it is uh for staff we do these staff welcomings. Uh really done a lot to kind of make staff want uh to be a part of it and make them a part make their voices heard. We've done it also through our our BLTs and our DTS and bringing different types of staff

096members together to really get their get their input and feedback and really have those uh conversations. Uh the next the next point was proactively identify at risk students. Create program to address discipline and mental health. We've done a lot of that through not only our threat assessments but also adding some coaches to work with behavior coaching um as well as really kind of key up our support personnel to make sure they're there. Increased communication and shared decision-m um kind of really looking at what we do in terms of buyin and all that. We've worked through that our communication. I think Nick does a fantastic job um throughout and now he's even including songs and um uh visuals throughout social media. We have a great a sound social media presence which really does impact not only

097our families but also our students as well. Uh relatively concise emails as well as uh robust phone calls as needed and all that but trying to come up with different ways uh to reach our families as well. also some of the things that we will sure talk about in an old business or new business in terms of uh coffees with Chris uh just getting out there and listening listening sessions with our with our constituents getting people to provide access to um not only myself uh Dr. Thompson, our our administration would also move forward. Uh and then increased safety and I think we've uh shown that uh in a number of ways. I think to highlight the one was Halloween a year ago when we had the gunshot right outside of Riverview and the fact that

098we we handled that um with um you know very very few hiccups along the way. We have school resource officers, school safety officers in every single building uh that are there and that form great relationship with our students to make them feel safe. We have put out vestibials. All of our buildings have secure vestibials in them as well. And as we continue to build out, we're looking at what that looks like throughout. So, uh, next major area was teaching and learning. Um, this is one that, uh, Dr. Locker has championed and, uh, cannot we, our programming is amazing. Expand program options and deliver to meet the needs of each students and grow teacher capacity and efficacy. I think that's what we've done a lot with our personalized learning and really taking that approach with our

099teaching, but also the courses and programs that we've done to address the needs of all students. Um, next month we'll be in the CTE when you really see that first firsthand. But our our career exploration classes, our our pathways courses, the develop the programming that's coming through business advisory that are career based starting as low as second grade and all the way up. Um, the different curricula that we're providing for our students to provide more challenging, more rigorous curriculum. I think the shared instructional expectations, we had a DLT meeting today to really talk about what instruction looks like, what high quality instruction looks like. uh the Riverside Way, the uh instructional round piece to it, MTSS, and the data that's shown from that M from really implementing that MTSS process with Fidelity. We're seeing great

100gains this year uh within our MAP testing along the way from the from September to uh January. We saw that and then also the high quality staff development that's there. We don't necessarily bring people in. We do it inhouse. We have an in-house staff development that has been the past couple days we've gotten nothing but great feedback from. It is about personalized learning. It's about giving our staff members choice like we want them to give our students choice. So what are they what interests them in a safe space? Um we do provide some recommendations for things to attend but we also want our staff to kind of find their passion and go with their passion and continue to build. And I think you see that a lot in our staff when they ask hey can

101I try this? We look for ways to say yes um to to new programming and new courses or new concepts. are always looking for how can I do this best and they always have a student- centered approach to it because this will make it better for students this way. So I think those are things we've done in teaching learning and it's it's an area we have really really made great strides in can't wait to see kind of where we're going especially uh in the in the opportunities for growth in our career spaces. Um unbelievable fiscal sensibility. This is always one I think whatever we do we're going to always be fiscally responsible. Maximize return on investment for all funding sources. seek new revenue streams for facilities plan implementation, improve physical safety and financially support district

102priorities and strategies. I think now as we are shifting into a deficit spending role, we have to be even more considered this. But when you look at what we've done with our facilities through grant money um through not only $2.5 million for CTE and how we've not only purposely placed that there but also when you talk about maximizing dollars now CTE is not only a place where we can offer um great educational opportunities. It provides a nighttime entrance to the campus where we can kind of have a center point where all it goes into student dining. It goes into the uh directly into the auditorium the places where our families will be. it goes directly into that and they don't have to walk all the way down the long hallway. So, it makes it easier

103for our families to have that. Um the act the expansion here, how we're using that, we designed those classrooms to be preschool as needed, but if we need to shift them because uh casement we see a surge of enrollment, we have the ability to shift and pivot and have these courses these classrooms have different serve different purposes as we need. I think those those are great examples there. I think we are open with our finances and how we continue to communicate them out. Um, and we've been, you know, kind of working on on this idea of fiscal sensibility and fiscal stability throughout. I think that's something that this district has has always done and getting the most return um on our on our taxpayer dollars to make sure we're moving that forward. Advocacy, partnerships, and

104engagement. Um, excuse me, there it is. Hitting the wrong button. Advocacy, partnership, engagement. engage the Riverside community through communication, educational advocacy, and development of purposeful partnerships without business and alumni. Uh I can't thank Mr. Caravine enough and say enough of the great things that his department or department of one um but but that but >> I'd like to thank my staff, [laughter] >> but that that he has done to put Riverside's name out there. um to push out all the good things through social media, through just the the sponsorship programs, through the banners, the banner sponsorship program, the money he's raised through that and kind of providing some advertising opportunities, the continued good news he posts about the district. And when things don't go so well, the way that message also gets spread, the way

105he purposely delivers that message in terms of transparency, openness, and and straightforwardness, I think that's a fantastic job. I think too it's about how we have these meetings with our with our community when we sit um and have those listening sessions and bring our community in um to listen to what is what is happening with them. I those are really uh purposeful things and then the things that we have put out the quality profile continuing to build with uh our website and I think that's one thing you know as we develop our website and put things on the website but having a central place uh to find onetop Riverside I think we can continue to improve and I think as technology improves we continue to improve and if you keep the same it gets a

106little stale so when you shake it up you have people more hits to your website but then there's also the change aspect to that and all that but I think those are things that we look at to the next up the last pillar. Um, wait. >> That was, wasn't it? That was it. >> That was it. That was all [laughter] four. So, I hit all four. So, um, again, 15,000. So, trying to [laughter] keep it up. >> You're doing great. Keep going, boss. >> Um, so for that, I guess any questions specifically till we get to next steps, although I have that have it up there. So, so kind of as we close this out, recommended next steps. I think it's a good plan, but I think we do need a refresh. I think we

107need to kind of get a refresh of the plan to [clears throat] revise it. Um, to look at are have we closed out some of these. I know that a lot of things we've done facilities plan uh has fallen under the strategic plan. I think that's still a kind of a concept, but we've also introduced new concepts and new uh kind of anchor documents if you would. The portraiture of a Riverside Beaver isn't really touched in the strategic plan. Moving forward, I would recommend we kind of incorporate that into into our next plan. Uh one of the things that I know um touches dear to me is a simplified mission and vision statement. We have a vision a mission statement that is a paragraph long. Uh it was created probably 12 years ago now if

108not more. Uh where is actually more of an an activity of words smithing and really truly what's our mission and I would say our mission is on our one logo. It's it's educating excellence. So do we look at do we change that to that's our mission and kind of simplify it so that everyone knows it. our vision. I don't think anyone here would argue that our vision is one community pursuing greatness and getting better every day. That's how we do everything and kind of really looking at what those are. Uh and really adopting those as this is our mission, this is our vision and how we work into that. And everything we do falls under that and is guided by that. Um and then finally, I think it's time to go back have some focus

109groups and not by us. I would I would recommend a third party entity who actually knows how to run focus groups come in, meet with our community, meet with our students, meet with our staff, meet with our stakeholders. Um, get that feedback and say, "This is where we're going. Are we living our strategic plan or are we saying we're living our strategic plan?" But actually, I'm experiencing this. Um, to kind of have some of that feedback to put this plan together. I don't think it's a big document. I've seen strategic plans that are that are this thick, 100 pages, you put them up on the shelf. It needs to be simple. I I do believe in that. I believe the one chart kind of kind of highlight you point to it. I think we need

110to keep a simple plan. Um but I think having people who aren't tied into it as close and intimately as we are. Um may point out some things that hey you're really missing the ball here to have some ideas to that really does help. So I would you know would like to work with Mrs. Graci. I know that she is a liazison to bring in and have some companies give us some proposals to what that work would look like, what it would take um and kind of move forward with that so we can adopt a new plan starting uh 2027 and out >> or 26 and out I guess. >> Like what do you think the timeline is for having that done? It's taken us probably a year every time we've done it. >> I

111do you know what I'm saying? So Auburn, I know Auburn recently did one and I was going to reach out to the company that did Auburn and they just approved theirs now and they started in August. >> So they they were able to do it in a short and condensed time. >> Okay. >> And Auburn had a lot of work to do. >> Um so I think that's a like having a company come in to have that and kind of set that up as a >> I don't know. I'm looking at old and new business. We got a lot, >> but I would say for the first time in a really long time, we have a document to look at and say, "Yes, we accomplished this. No, we didn't did." And I and I don't

112mean to cut you off, Dr. Ratino, but but I've been here through all of them. And I feel like for the first time, we're starting from a point where we're like, "Yes, we accomplished this." Or the community or the stakeholder groups will say, "No, you didn't do this." And then we can move forward. We're not starting from ground zero zero. >> I would agree like I mean that's a starting place and we have something new things that we've talked I mean we even talked in curriculum you know that we have some things that we want to work on. So those would probably >> best be served by getting added to as a strategic plan. >> I think we do have some anchor documents that we can build off of. I think when you look at

113the pathway to excellence that we've talked about a lot if if our mission is educating excellence here's the pathway to it kind of how it ties together. It's all really brilliant how it all works. um when you look at the portrait of Riverside Beaver and how that looks and how all within the plan and and partnerships and how we build those things out and then I mean it is about giving back to that community in one community and how we work with our partners um along the way. I think those are all kind of key points to that and having an outside firm come in and kind of really draw who's specializes in those to tie those together I think is really a strength to it. I don't think it's going to take nearly the

114time that they took before because we live this and we we point we tie things back to it. We we make decisions based on where does it fit in the strategic plan. Does it kind of bother that? I mean, it's a it's not just a document that's there. I will say one of its major downfalls and areas to really grow on are yes, we can check it off, but it's all and it's it it's qualitative. Yes, we did it or no, we didn't. And this these are examples of the hard data isn't quite there yet. And I think that's where you know the next plan to really have some hard data points along the way too. I think to have some metrics qualitative is great and it's and yes we can do some of that

115but I think there's a quantitative piece as well um that needs to kind of continue on with some of this. >> Let's do it. >> Okay. And finally that concludes my report. >> Let me see. So now we're old business, new [laughter] business, >> which um we have a lot. So we'll go quickly. Um you know, I've just for the board to know, I took everything that everybody sent to me. I combined some of it because there was very like topics. Um some of it I asked Dr. Tino, I know, covered some of it in the personnel meeting recently. Um so what I have here, we'll kind of go through. I sent the list to everybody. Um so they're aware of what we'll go through. But the first thing under old business first under old

116business um is vouchers hurt Ohio. Belinda, that's yours. >> Yes, it was. So, we had talked about this I think going back even till like last April and May. Um and that lawsuit is gaining some steam that they're going to hear that at the court level in I think it's July of this year. Um, and so there's a cost to joining that program and if we are considering it, I would be happy to gather that information. Again, this was, you know, two days ago and I told Lori, I think I would have to pull all that information together again. Two days probably wasn't enough time for me to do that. So, um, just what the pros and cons are. Lori put a the website on I think you >> I did. I included a link.

117you included you included a link to the website for vouchers for Ohio and that that advocacy group. Um there are I think 210 districts now that are members um supporting that legal battle. Um and what vouchers mean, what they do. So I think maybe if we had some information around that that this board full board hasn't heard before would be helpful and I can put some of that information together because I had gone to a workshop in April where a big component of that workshop was um the vouchers lawsuit. So if we are interested in that there is a cost to that. that I would what it was $2 per student um for the students in your district. And if we value public education, personally, I think it's a valuable spend of our dollars to

118make sure that at the state level, we are advocating for as much money as we can. Um moving that away from the voucher program, which they get far more dollars than we do. Um, and so if you want to move forward with that conversation, I would be happy to bring that to the next meeting. >> I know I would like to move forward with it. >> In the last year, the now most recent budget of billion dollars was >> it's more than that. Correct. >> To for the voucher program and and the most recent legislation has, you know, been impacted on property tax reduction, which is our primary funding. And I have I have re I have data that supports information from the through the last fiscal year and then they did come out with

119additional data for the last school year. So I could just add that to the information that I had available and I don't believe that I ever really presented the information to the board because there was no interest at the board table at the time where I brought that to the table. Um but if this board is inclined to hear that information, I would be happy to do that. prior prior to I thought there was a deadline or not a deadline but that they're saying if you want to get involved you should do so by a certain date >> you got to start asking >> is this $2 to let's say $8,000 annually or a onetime fee >> it is an annual fee but again the court is going to hear that that the court already

120heard the argument and they put a stay on it until July where they were going to take it to um a higher level court in order for them to actually hear all the arguments And so that's going to happen I think in July. Um I think it behooves us to be part of that again and to support those kinds of advocacy efforts that are happening. Again >> just some brief interesting information uh that I think's lost in all this. Um, in the Ohio Constitution, Article 6, Section 2 requires the state of Ohio to secure an efficient system of public common schools and forbids religious or other sex. So, as Dr. Routino just mentioned $1 billion this past um cycle was sent to uh in the form of ch of essentially vouchers. And what they found

121out early early statistics vouchers were supposed to be for poor poor students in um struggling schools and an opportunity for them to have a better shot at education. That was the initial intent. 86% of the kids that take vouchers are well above uh the poverty line. In fact, now that you can get the full voucher at 400% above poverty, 400%. And there is no c they can always get some amount of money. And 76% of all the students that are taking vouchers so far were kids that never attended public school. They're just they the parents have an opportunity to to get this these dollars. And what we've also found is what do you think when the voucher money comes in, which is about, you know, roughly depends on what grade you're in, but roughly around

122the 800 8 the $8,000 mark. What do you think many of the private schools did once vouchers were available at $8,000? >> They they increased by 8,000. >> What a thought. Yes, indeed. It didn't make it any more accessible. And yet it it this is clearly clearly a diversion to further negatively impact public education and and and my opinion an underhanded way to shift dollars from public education to the private to private schools. that um is clearly unconstitutional and that's what this lawsuit is all about. >> There's there's a whole slew of data on who's participating. There's five different voucher programs within the state. Some of them, you know, like our our autism scholarships and there are certain reasons for some of the scholarship vouchers and then the ones that have not have been newly

123introduced are the ones that have proliferated. and once they did the voucher expansion, why that has been a problem and now more and more dollars just get funded over into that arena. Um, statistics have proven that there's test scores don't go up. Um, there has been a lot of data that says where these where these individuals are coming from, who's participating. um and that there is no accountability for the schools that participate in the voucher program and their accountability to the state that we have to do is not the same and that has been problematic. And so all of these things are rolled into the lawsuit and the legisl and the legal legal issues and so again I would be very happy to bring that information. I have it all summarized and and would love

124to do that. And last thing, because I get I could get fired up about this. Um, in 2023 24 school year, um, the students in Cleveland Heights University Heights district received $2,600 of state funding per student. at choice. Every student of every student that left their school on a voucher received in K8 $6,166 and high school students got $8,48. So what in effect is happening is a levy goes on the ballot. The community votes up [clears throat] or down, let's assume up in this case, up to support their students and their community to have vouchers take dollars that were intended to be spent and paid for by those homeowners to wherever. And that is wrong. I think I had done some math that if we got $8,000 for every one of our high school students

125and we got $6,000 for every one of our elementary students, we would get $47 million and we wouldn't have to have any property taxes. So, at the end of the day, it's really important for us to advocate for these things. And like I said, I have I have a slew of documentation and data that I will be happy to gather and just add the current year's information to it so that we can have some basics and if we are so inclined that if we could have that on our agenda for next board meeting, I think it would be a really great >> You and I could get together and geek out with the numbers. >> So awesome. >> Yeah, it would be. Let's do it. Put it on a spreadsheet. >> We'll put it in

126a spreadsheet. >> Put on a spreadsheet. I did have the opportunity when I went to the Ohio School Board's uh convention this fall uh to attend uh one of the Ed Choice voucher lawsuit uh moving forward toward a favorable outcome presentation. And so I did have um you know a summary of it that really was good. um don't have a copier here to make a one of that but there was a recent article if you want to pass that down um about the school voucher program under legal uh microscope and it it talked about um and this was just published in a filing Monday Columbus city schools urged state appeals court to uphold a judge's ruling that taxpayer funded vouchers for private school tuition are unconstitutional and then it goes into more detail. I also

127went on the site to click on um all the um communities or or school districts that belong and I this is a complete list I downloaded um you know just locally just for your information um in Giaga County it was Chardan local um I know we're a member of the ESC of Northeast Ohio correct uh they're a member uh Geneva Area city schools they're asked to representing Ashtabula. Um, a lot of other uh, school districts around the state, Mayfield City Schools is a member in Kyahoga, but there's other Kyahoga ones. Uh, Shaker Heights and uh, the only one in Lake County right now is Wickliff City Schools. So, just to kind of give you an overall of which schools are, you know, doing this. Um the main thing being, you know, the cost and if

128you know, I mean, we're levy eminent, so if you know, $2 a student, uh equaling $8,000 or a little over $8,000 a year, it is in litigation. And um it sounds like it's going to be acted upon fairly soon. According to this um it said on um June 24th, Judge Paige in a surprise ruling without a trial ruled that Ed choice voucher system unconstitutional on the basis of a two-day hearing and um ruled in favor of the coalition on three of the claims uh counts one, two, and four. Uh there were five claims total. And so um the fact is that when the state pays 8,400 for a high school voucher student and 2,000 for a district high school student there's a fundamentally you know right issue services. So those are the things and then

129it also went into some of the reasons that are given um you know by administrators or boards. Um there were eight reasons. So I'm just going to pass this along. My ink was going dry on my computer so I didn't get to do that. But if you want to just look at it and these are the you probably have all this but maybe some of our members don't. So because I'm legislative leaison I'm really focusing in on some of this stuff. >> Okay. And I I realize the district we are you know levy imminent. You keep saying it and I get it, but >> $8,000 when we look at $2 per student >> to perhaps get the fair school funding plan back into full funding is extremely important for us and sometimes that again we

130we have got to fight for those things. We don't we don't and we need to. I think so. >> One of the things that's fair to mention is that it's not just our cost or our loss is not just 8,000. We're still responsible for transportation for some of those students. We're still responsible for special education services in some point or title services. And there there's more to cost to us than just the um $8,000. depending on the school that they go to or depending on what else those students could still they still may come back and play sports for us because those laws are written in that or participate in some of our extracurriculars and all that. So they're it's and and not that say whether it's right or that's that's irregard like it is

131the cost is more than just the voucher >> and we are on the hope for more than just the voucher and I think that's an important that's an important thing in a time when we can't find bus drivers in a time when we we have a challenge for all of these other ancillary services. We are legally obligated to make sure that we transport private school students almost more than we have to transport our own um and the way that the laws are written. So they are they are very very hampering to um us as an entity. If you look at Columbus specifically, they were in a huge lawsuit because they couldn't transport their charter schools um to where the states came out and said you transport them first and then worry about your public school

132kids. >> Wow. >> And it used to be that it used to be that all those dollars would come out of our budget. That's no longer the case. So at least there's that. You know, those those dollars are not being deducted from us at a full $8,000 like it used to be. So that's gone away. But the dollars that are leaving the state coffers that should be coming here, I when we when public schools provide education to 80% of the students in the state of Ohio, yet they get that much more money than we get is is criminal. So >> there you have it. >> So I think uh the question is Miss Graci is asking is I interested in her bringing some more information. >> Yep. And I know we talked a little bit

133in finance about the um uh calculating how many students that are are our residential students going and taking advantage of these vouchers that it was hard to delineate that but they are taxpayers. So you know you just want to know you know some impact or whether we get feedback. I don't know. >> They're not releasing that data like they did just a couple of years ago. >> Yeah. It's harder to find it. >> Much harder. >> Thank you. Um so the next one drawers also um administrative handbook update. >> Yes. Okay. So we had I think last year at some point >> decided we were going to relook at the administrative handbook and update it. And I think we had done so to a >> to a point. It's a it is a work in

134progress. I guess I'm looking for some direction. This is the one handbook. That's the one. The board handbook. I did not get a copy of the administrative handbook with revisions >> to some of that. >> Um because >> because that would be a finance and personnel issue, right? >> I would I would suggest right I would suggest that that handbook be looked at. We always used to look at it in per in the personnel finance committee. >> I would I would add exempts to it as we had talked about both administrative and exempt. So I would suggest you guys have that conversation in the committee like take it up take a look at what it has to say what kind of changes you want. >> I've started some of the work on it. It was

135just >> right and and I have the original book where we started doing edits. >> That was the board one. >> Yeah, that's the board. That's the next administrator. >> You're talking about the administrator, >> right? And so and I think it was both. I think we were looking at I know there's >> Yeah, they're looking at both. >> Yeah. >> So So Mr. buyers has that he I think he's agreed to take it and make sure that they're >> taking a look at it personel. >> Okay, >> there you go. >> We'll work at it. >> All right, >> delegated. >> Um the last thing under old business is midyear evaluations and goal setting. Um I'm going to go ahead and pick that up. So um Miss Brewster, if you wouldn't mind just kind

136of sending everything over and I'll pick up the midyear. So I'll work on setting up a working session for us so we can get those that information as far as um Dr. Ino's midyear evaluation and then I believe we owe you some goals. So we'll work on >> No, no. I I I have um here's copy. Um >> yeah. >> So that those goals were set and signed on September 2nd, I believe. >> Right. Because you just came to the district. >> So um I'm not sure if you flip through it, you'll see them. Um, >> okay. I see your signature. So, yeah. So, we'll go ahead and then do midyear for you also. >> Okay. That'll work. >> And the ones uh with Dr. Ratino, um uh we signed off on those prior to

137August 1st. The um the midyear or excuse me, the performance objectives. Just the performance objectives. >> I think you emailed those. Correct. >> I emailed those to you. Um originally there were six. Remember we I I have a copy here. Yeah, I am >> that you signed. So, um, but there were there were six. We condensed it to four. We did >> and we worked closely with that and he was comfortable with those. So, um, I'll hand these over to you, Lori. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, because those were signed off on and, um, yeah, the only concern would be if there are changes, we just want to make sure in all fairness to the two administrators being evaluated that they, you know, have been looking at those goals, working on them.

138more at that more than the well almost the halfway point and we just want to make sure they have ample time to achieve those goals. >> So, can I just interject? I thought part of what we were >> One moment we'll get to that. >> Are we going to get to this? Is that under one of these? Okay, [laughter] never mind. There were so many things I There were so many things. [gasps] >> All right, so that takes care of old business. So, new business again. Um the first thing on here is board retreat. um as part of that board retreat. Okay. Um so, one thing I would like to talk to the board about is um setting up time for the board to get together uh for us to meet and have a retreat.

139I'm thinking somewhere around six hours. Right now, what I'm thinking is um we'd have an independent facilitator. One of the activities I would love for us to do is to go through our board handbook and walk away with an agreement how we're going to work together here at the board table um to get board business done. Um some training. Um Mr. McIntyre has agreed to do some ethics training, um, boardmanship training. If there's any other training, I'd love those ideas brought to the table on what we could cover in a training session, and then also some goal setting for 2026. Um, that's the three sections of the board retreat that I kind of pictured I think will help get us moving in the right direction in 2026. But if there's other ideas, I'd love to

140kind of talk about that now and then we'll start working on pulling that together. >> So, when are we thinking do we already have a date set for this? Are we thinking like or do we have a facilitator? >> Um that's all we're working on. So, but here's what I need to know first is do we want to do it on a Saturday? Do we want to do it on a weekday? Like what what's the best option for us to get the board um Dr. Tino, Dr. Thompson [clears throat] together? And depending on what we do, there might be some other roles we need some help with. So, um >> I'm I'm flexible on the date, but Saturdays work better. But I'm flexible. >> Okay. It's busy season. I know. Saturdays probably. >> Yeah, Saturdays

141are really tight for me in February, but you know, March, but I don't think you want to wait that long. >> I'd like to get it done in February. >> And I don't know what flexibility people have with their work schedules. I know um I only work a half a day usually on on a Wednesday if but I don't know if that's sufficient time if you started at three, but I don't know about your jobs. [snorts] >> What's the starting time? >> We don't have a starting time. I guess the first thing is to figure out Saturday or weekday. >> I could also do here's a random date, but I could do President's Day. It's the 16th. >> I think the best option is midnight to 7 a.m. because then nothing conflicts. I'm just telling

142you. [laughter] >> I haven't seen the ball drop. >> I'm just saying as long as it stops snowing the next day and it's a school day, then that's good. Quite honestly, like for me, I'm going to tell you like a a weekday actually probably works better because I could just take a day off and just do it. Whereas a weekend is tough. It's tax season, so weekends are filled with that work. >> I'll take a day off. [laughter] >> I that's just >> I mean, I could do anything. I just The weekends are going to be really tight for me. >> I kind of would rather burn a vacation day. >> A weekend. What did you say to us? >> I can make a weekday work. Just no Tuesdays if we could. >> No Tuesdays

143and I I can easily do Wednesday, Friday, Monday. Take a long weekend. >> Yeah. >> Oh, long weekend, >> you know. >> Long weekend. >> Yeah. >> I I can't do the long weekend. It's >> You can't do Mondays or Fridays. >> No. Oh, I thought you meant um >> No, just any just any >> random. >> So, Monday or Friday. All right. Great. So, I'll send a couple dates out um after I'll work with Dr. Tino, Dr. Thompson, set a couple days out, get an agreement with you. As far as the three sections, the board handbook, that's really directed for us as a board um to spend some time and figure out how we're going to move forward and work together in 2026. Everybody okay with that? Mhm. >> Um training, any additional training

144again, ethics review, boardmanship, anything else that um we'd like some training on as far as a board. Um I >> I have some I have some thoughts on like from a fiscal standpoint on how to read some of the data that we look at because we have new board members who've not seen this data before. Um and and maybe a primer on school funding would be in order. >> Okay. I mean, I just think that's important stuff. >> A lot of what you talked about earlier, I would love to hear more of how the vouchers impact public schools, how the busing to private schools impact our school. Great training on >> so much. So, you know, it's a long weekend. >> That's just my thought. Um All right. And then 2026 goal setting. And I'm

145going to bring in someone independent to kind of facilitate that for us. I think that includes our administration. We'd like them there for that piece of it. Um we can talk about like who we want to all come in. Um so that's I think will take our full six hours. I mean there's a lot to go over there. So u we'll find the date, we'll find a location, and then we I'll get that information out um to everybody so we can start planning for it. >> Yeah. And I don't think this has to what I'm going to suggest doesn't have to be necessarily hammered out in that in that retreat, but what I would love to see potentially at least for us to discuss, and I alluded to to this in an email, is to

146take the handbook for the board and maybe end up paraphrasing it into a portrait of a Riverside board member just to kind of have a document that mirrors similar expectations to the staff and students of the school district. >> Yeah, absolutely. I want to come away with a one pager too for us on how we're going to operate. But I like your idea of turning it into that. >> Yeah, that could be the one that same concept. Sure. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. All right. Next is open office hours, >> Miss Graassy. >> Oh, that was me, too. Sorry. I have a huge list. [laughter] >> You did. >> We haven't had you slept. >> I don't sleep. I'm sorry. [laughter] >> We haven't had some really good conversation at the war table in a really

147long time. And so I think it's that's the reason for so many topics being brought out like that we have so many so much old business and new business. And I know that we had we had talked about when we campaigned or whatever that some of us had talked a lot about having um communication with the public, communication with the staff, communication with different different interest groups and how we could facilitate that. And I know that at one of our local trustees meetings, they have open office hours prior to a meeting. Um, and I thought that maybe that would be a really helpful way to facilitate some conversation with the public. um that we could on a rotating schedule have people who would come in to board members say come in and before the board

148meeting and just have open office hours so that anybody from the public who wants more than three minutes of our time where we don't get to speak to them in return um they could actually have some dialogue with us and times that we would actually be there instead of just on the phone or whatever. And so I thought maybe that would be something that we could consider >> going forward on a on a rotational basis and we could just assign that out or whatever. Um >> Mr. McIntyre, I was wondering if you could give us some insights or thoughts from uh Sunshine Law perspective, some things we need to think about. >> Yeah, I mean I like to think about a little bit, but I've seen this sort of thing before. I will tell you

149that just in a general sense that I I feel like it works really well if it's like you know croissants with Chris you know >> you like alliteration you like alliteration >> because um it's easy for Chris to in his role as CEO to say I feel like I understand where the board is. I can't say for sure, but this is my perception and as the chief executive officer, I feel as if I can have a dialogue with you based on that information. Um, when you're a board member, it's a more difficult uh proposition to try to anticipate where your other four be board members may be on any given issue. So, you may find yourself in conversations that require you to perhaps uh make some assumptions about where you feel your fellow board members

150are on an issue. Um, and then maybe later find out that they're not really where you thought they were. Um so effectively it requires you to be almost like a spokesperson for the whole board which on many topics I think is feasible. Uh but on a lot of other topics it's probably not feasible. So I think I think it's possible to do it. I would say though that you would have to establish some pretty clear ground rules, some expectations with the people that show up um and that have a lot of questions. Now, if you if if you're just taking in information and then sort of channeling the person or their information to the right area, which could be the board table for uh future discussion, I think that's a great function for a board

151member to do and makes perfect sense and I don't see any sunshine law issues with that. Um, I'm more concerned about that former situation that I first mentioned where you would be maybe called upon to uh take a position on something before the full board has had a chance to consider it. And and and you may say to yourself, well, that that's not a terrible situation. It just depends how the board perceives their options after information is put out into the community that may feel like it limited your you know your ability to take a different position on something. Uh, you know, some sometimes it's when you find yourself in these situations, you it it would be ideal to solicit questions from your members of your community and talk about it in a venue like

152this where all five of you are together. um it it's not as spontaneous and it doesn't feel uh maybe as responsive to your community as you're I think hoping to be with this kind of a program. But I've seen other districts try it and they take a certain portion of their meeting and they just said, "Hey, we got five really good questions and now we're going to spend some time talking about them as a group." um where you have the benefit of hearing each other's ideas, each other's thoughts, concerns, your administrative team has the ability to participate in that dialogue, and it's a really I think it's a really um I think it's a really good practice, but you know, to your point, Belinda, it's it you want to sort of develop this grassroots um

153kind of respon responsiveness and availability. Um, so I'd love to try to brainstorm it with you and share my ideas on um, how to manage it in from a boardsmanship standpoint. So that's a long answer to a short question to like you said, you know, some districts that have done this and have experience doing this. um just to have a discussion. Um maybe one or two people just to see how they structure it, you know, how they avoid, you know, maybe some of the pitfalls you said um or making assumptions just, you know, whether there's some way of going about it. Um it might be beneficial. [clears throat] Yeah, I mean I'd be happy to go into there's lots of different forms that I've seen >> and um I think yeah I think some things

154work better than other things. I I think other I think though that you have to a lot for the [snorts] fact that this is about trying to be as responsive to your community as you can be. And so a lot of it comes down to the community expectation. So if there's something specific here that may not exist elsewhere, I think it's worth trying to find that thing that you you you know that mechanism that you feel will best serve the community where it is right now. So yeah, I mean I'm available. >> Maybe we can talk about it at the board retreat. I just feel like we we talk about accessibility. We talk about, you know, how can how can members of the community reach board members to have conversations and you have a conversation

155at a basketball game or wrestling meet or whatever, but it's not a formal conversation really and as as long as administration is present so you can refer I mean and there's some ground rules to it. I don't I would just like us to have some conversation on how that could look and how that could work. Members of the community want to be engaged for more than three minutes. I know this is just the beginning open part of that discussion, but [clears throat] I'm a thousand% for something like this. I did something similar in my campaign. Granted, I was able to speak freely. So, I understand the parameters you're mentioning and I think that would make sense if were there more of a listening capacity than a speaking capacity and the appropriate people are there. I

156feel that it can be done in a way with the parameters that you mentioned and that you're suggesting as well. I would I would agree. I think that we need to the we call them coffees with Chris. They were they were great. I think they were good turnouts, but I think even more um different areas of of accessibility whether we do and I mentioned like a lunch with leader Zoom type hour. I know Dr. Thompson used that before and it will be East Lake and kind of pushing with that. I don't know what that looks like in the legalities behind it and who can join. Um, but I think that that would be a true a benefit to provide something like that where maybe it's a it it's a sign up and we send out

157a Zoom link to those people who sign up to say here's the link right before come on and jump in, ask your questions. We'll have candidate come. I love those conversations. I think those conversations really go where they are kind of unscripted. Um, people ask the real the real questions. They get some of the time. We we put an agenda together so at least it's a topic that you may be interested in. Um, and we have the right people in the room at the time. uh but over your lunch hour we could set schedule some of that from a from a administrative standpoint but I think the [snorts] board presence as well. I think there's two there there's two purposes to it. I think it's getting people into um not only here from you know

158administration but then also to have direct access to to their elected board members. I think both can both can work. I think they can look different um at the same time, but I think they're both critically important to moving forward and and achieving the work that we want to have done. >> Yeah. And I think this goes into your next new business topic also, Miss Graci. Um which was new committees. Um so again, maybe this is all kind of combined together. There was a suggestion of like a staff committee, a community engagement committee, and a student engagement. Maybe we figure out what's the best way to approach those three things. um whether it's open office hours or um through the administration, but explore that a little bit more and come back and bring those ideas

159to the table. >> I think it would be it' be awesome. >> I I think some of those committees I would recommend actually having those be superintendent committees with a board member representative or a leazison board committee um just because then we can have some true conversation in in closed doors >> which is sometimes a little better than trying to be something else. And I and I think we had alluded to earlier in meetings in the fall that it's important for people to be able to come and have conversation with board members freely without without repercussion without having any, you know, worry about who's sitting at the table that affects my job. So I'm I'm trying I'm trying to choose my words carefully, right? Like it's it's important that people be able to come, our

160staff be able to come and have a conversation with the board member that they don't usually get to have or tell you what some of their issues are. Not not that I want to have major gripe sessions because that's not what I am anticipating and that's not what I want it to be. I would like it to be some open dialogue about what people in our buildings actually think about how they run and how they work and what are their real problems. And we don't get to hear that without >> I do. Well, I get it. You do. You do. You guys get to hear it, but we don't get to hear it. And we only get to hear it through your lens. And I feel like that is not the appropriate lens to hear

161it from sometimes. I think we need to hear it from the people who really want to tell it to me, not to you, and then and then you tell it to me how you choose to. Actually, having the words come from somebody else, it sounds different. and and and I I made that a focus of my campaign. That was important for me to say, "No, I value that." And we don't get we never get an opportunity to do that unless I see somebody out at an event, right? And I don't have kids in the district anymore. So, I am not at events all the time. So, I feel like we need to do that. We We need to do it. So, however we need to make it work, I think we need to explore it

162in some way, shape, or form. I I also believe that down the road, it furthers our relationship with the people that we that we represent out there in the community. It it furthers our relationship with our staff and and allows them to be able to trust us in a way that we haven't been able to do previously. And I think that's important. So, >> so Miss Gracie, are you um do you want to work on with Mr. McIntyre and Dr. Rino kind of to figure something out or do you want me to work with them and bring back some ideas? >> I don't want to do anything. I'm just kidding. [laughter] >> Yes. And but I but I also think we should have some conversation at our board retreat about what we want those to

163look like and what groups we want to try and reach. >> So, are there 20 26 goals, >> right? Like if we want to have rotating groups, this month we're going to do staff, this month we're going to do students. like however we want it to look, we should come up with some plan because I don't think it's just a oneanddone type of a thing. I think it should be an ongoing forever type of a thing. So, >> I will make a note of that. >> All right. Um, >> please tell me I'm done. Like none of the rest of these. >> So, your next one, the next one, and this is a combination of a couple different things from a couple different people, but I combined them together because I think what it comes

164back to is we all know we're Levy eminent, >> right? >> Yes, ma'am. All right. [laughter] Just want to make sure nothing changed. Right. >> You'll hear further evidence of it shortly. >> Okay. So, the next new business was really levy readiness like staffing controls and [cough] cost containment. Um after reading through all the um all the comments for new business that was sent to me, I would like to recommend that we ask Dr. Thompson and Dr. Ino to return with kind of a written plan or ideas on how we make sure that we're looking at the right things um or what's going on today in in the district so that we can start making some decisions. Is everybody okay with that? And we might get some of it today. It sounds like >> you

165you you will. >> Okay. Um so there were specifically things like sta staffing baselines and controls, cost containment options, levy planning readiness. I know recently some of our neighbor districts have recently made some very um >> major cuts um to the east of us I've been hearing. Um so I I think it's important that we get ahead of this and we start really taking a look at what we need to do. Um is there anything in here? I so again staffing baseline and controls cost containment options and levy planning readiness are three things. >> Um Mr. Ver buyers and I um did talk about this a little bit personnel and um Mallalerie did provide an update on you know um possible retirements resignations and that included certified and classified exempt staff and uh you know

166having worked uh through that last year um looking at what's needed you know it's like reshuffling some people want to move here but we may need not need to have somebody placed and what the cost savings are in that and so that that process is just starting. Correct. You know, keeping track of this. >> We are as retirements and we we have a process we go through to see if we need to um >> actually refill that spot or back fill that spot or can we do it with something else, >> right? >> You know, can we we we look to do a lot of attrition um reduction through attrition and last year to two, you know, a little over a million dollars. I think the issue we run into is we're playing against a

167moving target. So, we've cut a million dollars and then we had an $800,000 healthcare assessment uh in the middle of the year. Then, okay, now we're we're we're back. All of a sudden, we have the double roll back which is going to hit us to another million or so. So, you know, we take one step forward and there's two steps back. So, h part of this is really truly yes, we can make our recommendations and all that. I think it's it's it's part of it's out of our control in our hands and >> I mean it's also getting that word out that we are doing absolutely everything we can and the best that we can and you know being fiscally responsible and this is how lean we are. Um and you we we need people

168to run schools and to run schools effectively. [clears throat] >> Um I I think we need to be more we need to stop softpeding around the verbiage that we use. we're gonna have to ask for money, but why are we gonna have to ask for money? Have we really really done our job at cost containment? And so I sit back sometimes and I think, I don't know, is every want that we want, is it a need? Like we hear things at committee meetings and and I and I say really like I don't know and then it comes to the table and we really don't talk about it but we just approve stuff or we approve staff hirings or new additions or whatever and and we have not really talked about do we need everything and

169I know that our at our facility meeting buildings and grounds committee meeting not to pick on the maintenance staff but I I had asked a couple of questions and it led me down the path of I would like to see a staffing model of what our staff is, how many people we have in departments, where they're assigned because I remember a time in 2011 when we didn't have people. We had nobody and I realize that was way on this end of the spectrum, but now I feel like I don't know, now we're way over here and there's got to be a middle ground and we have we have to we have to sell that to the community. We're going to have to sell levy dollars in one way or shape or form to the community

170and we need to do a better job of saying no. We've looked at we've looked at all that. I don't believe we've looked at it because I haven't seen it because I look at some things and I was like wow I really we're we're that far over here already. That's interesting to me. How did that happen? Right. So we we really need to have some conversation around that. I asked Valerie to provide some of that at some point. So hopefully she'll be able to do that. It should be you already have it. I'm sure you already have it, >> right? And in finance and personnel, um, and Jimmy Lee, if you want to jump in here, um, but we did have some discussion about, uh, things that our treasurer is doing, uh, with the the

171building budgets and things like that. Don't want to take away your fire, but all good stuff. And then also um because we made a big change with our insurance, our health insurance, we're going to have to look at what kind of savings are we getting out of that because then it's new, >> you know, because that was the intent was to save [clears throat] major dollars with that new program. But and then I then I I just want to bring this out in the open also is we have communities now who are doing um their own education campaigns on on the abolition of property taxes and whatever. And I look at that information and I think oh some of that information is really interesting. I believe we have to change the narrative of how we

172speak to the community about where we get our money. We talk about the general fund. I had I had a township trustee ask about like our our dollars because I had made a comment that and I had to explain myself and I did but I did so in terms of of you know we only we only run our our organization on 50% of the dollars that we get in property tax money is what we actually spend we have and and they and the question was really your budget is that large and And I said, "Yes, as a matter of fact, if you look at all the funds that we spend money in, our budget is that big." But people don't know that because they only see the five-year forecast. And we frame everything that we

173talk about about the five-year forecast. And I believe we need to step away from that and start telling our community that we actually spend almost $75 million, not $50 million. And where is that money coming from? Not all of that is property taxes. And people think they see their property tax bill and they have this pie chart out there. I'm just telling you. And it says 49.6% of the dollars go to the school. Well, yeah, but if you look at all the communities that we collect money from, they're probably total in some total collecting more money than we are. So we need to reframe how we discuss this with our community so that they actually start to understand we are not taking all of their money. We're not like and we are actually being very

174responsible with how we spend their money. And so it's just a it's just a big deal for me like the way that we frame how we speak gives people impressions that are not necessarily true. >> Yeah. So what I took from the new business again and I'll send this to Dr. Thompson and Dr. Martino [clears throat] from what was sent to me um staffing baseline and controls certified and classified. So that includes like department location staffing map um recommendations on hiring controls and then the second one is cost containment options. So identify reduction curtailments down sizes that protect core operations establish need versus wants decision criteria and then the last one is levy planning. So, data collection plan, timeline, decision points, communication. So, I think that all fits within what we're kind of looking for

175you guys to pull together for us and we can start having those discussions because we know they're going to happen. So, I'll send those things that came through in the new business from the board members so you know kind of what they're looking for. >> Sounds good. >> There's no wrong answer to this question. I'm just curious in the goals that you were given, Dr. Thompson, is there a cost reduction goal, maybe basis points or full percentage points? I'm just curious if that was a part of it. I I don't believe it was structured as that formally, but for example, one is um new initiatives that we institute. What's the our ROI on that? So, you know, if we spend, I don't know, $500,000 on a software program. Um I think the paramount question is,

176you know, what's the purpose in it? And while I assume the purpose is to improve student achievement in some form or fashion, how do you measure that? How do you quantify that? And is it actually making a difference? Because if it doesn't, uh that's a $500,000 cost. But um you'll I I when I get to uh my section, I'll talk a lot about what we're trying to do. and Chris and I are working together on that um to try and re in our cost. But one of the proposals that will be on uh the board agenda in February is a software uh that um I've had prior access to. Uh we already have parts of it, suites of it, Front Line. Um but they have a section that used to be called Forecast 5. Now

177it's just part of uh Front Line. But the data that can be at my fingertips, the data that can be at Chris's fingertips, the board for that matter, um all these things of there's there's just a lot of assumptions out there. You spend too much money on administration. Well, is that true or that not true? There's a section in forecast 5 called um um it's it's called financial analytics. And I can line up for example do we have and like districts do we have more administrators than everybody else? Do we have less administrators than [clears throat] everybody else? You know, I pulled the data. There's a cap. You can't spend more than 15% on it of your of your total budget on administration. We're at like 7.5 7.6%. We're well below that. But I still

178there's always this perception in the community that you're overstaffed. Um, usually an early target is administration, but this software will instantly tell us and give us a real and it'll even I can even in analytics, we can compare salaries are are, you know, a 10-year teacher and a 10ear teacher over here. What do they make? Superintendent here, superintendent there, treasurer here, treasurer there. we can um glean a lot of data that I think will help us um make reductions and do what we need to do. Um but I will tell you this, no matter how much you cut, no matter how fiscally responsible you are, the system is guaranteed to put you back on the ballot. It's guaranteed. There's no way around it. >> What is that? House bill. House Bill 920. [laughter] >> I've

179seen that software and it's really it is really >> Do you like it? >> It's cool. >> It's super cool. >> One of the things even for our benefit from it is there is it has a live birth or birth cohort survival. So it takes the births in the area versus and they call it a survival. How many of those go to kindergarten? So we really look at okay are we getting what is our what is your percentage rate? Usually it's around 90% or so, but if it's higher that like when you look at a school district like Olan Tangi, uh, who's the fastest growing in the state, their survival cohort rate is like 150%. So that means that people are moving in there to go to the school. So you can really look at

180that. That is really critical at a time when we have the potential to get a large development in. As we start to see some of those influxes, we can really plan out to say, well, we we are having an issue and we can we can do some of that. The other thing that it does is it does really benefit with large tasks like a redistricting which we know as part of this is is is eminent just like we're levy eminent. We're we're redistricting eminent as well. Um and I think that's a part where it will help with that and really kind of look at zip codes and and addresses and that kind of vote force and and really help you assist that and and I've not seen yet since AI has become so part of

181it. I can't imagine what it does with AI. I'm guessing that they've got I'm sure they've got that component worked into it. But to do that to really make our efficiencies work so much better too. I think it does provide a lot of those those information as well. Um and it's just I mean to have that data and to know how to use it I think is the second part >> and it's not hard. It's pretty if I can do it anyone can do it. But for example, it'll give us an overlay of our district. And in a scatteragramgram, it'll show us where all school age students are, even if they don't go to our school. And it can tell you where the pockets of population are. It'll also give us birth rate by sections

182in the s of the communities by Leroy or by Concord or what. And and what will probably I don't know it'll be interesting to see. uh in my previous district it was significant reduction in birth rates. So when you know when you have all these huge birth rate declines, you're going to have less students, right? Uh it doesn't take a PhD to know that. Conversely, um if your birth rates are are higher, then it it just allows us to plan. It'll it'll it'll feed into our facilities plan. We need a long-term facilities plan that needs to be done. We know that. Um, and it'll help us, as Chris talked about, redistricting. So that scatteragramgram alone will help us change boundary lines or whatever we need to do, you know, depending on what that what that

183final outcome is on in terms of redistricting as you build more classrooms here, more classrooms at Buckeye, you know, what's the future of Mel, on and on and on and on. >> So that'll help us do all of that from a educated perspective. >> And thank you for that. And the the reason why I was asking you if there was a goal, I think there's a big difference, and this isn't a critique of our school district, but I think there's a big difference in having a cost reduction goal versus a goal of cost reduction, >> meaning do we have a tangible goal or can we come up with one? And I think as we head towards that being eminent towards being put on the ballot, being able to tell the public, here's been our cost

184reduction goal year-over-year. And that goal could hypothetically let's say it's 5% year-over-year that we can go to the community and say we've hit this goal two years running now. We're striving towards year three and here's the things that we've done to get us to that number. >> Yeah. the the the um the the I think the great challenge with that I I understand that concept but for example we cut a million dollars I shouldn't say we prior administration Chris they reduced a million dollars off of our um payroll but that's but reductions aren't are are are there's a limit to it there comes a point where I mean we could set a goal and say we're going to cut a million dollars every year and by God we could do it. Now you might have

18535 kindergarteners but I I could get us there but is that the kind of school district you want? And and there I think that's where the real challenge comes. I I think we need to and another thing that we can do if we choose to I've done it at a previous district. the state will do an independent audit not of our books but of how we're spending our dollars. Um [clears throat] I can do a lot of that on front line. Back then I didn't have that so there was no way to do it. But >> we can I think what we have to do is say this is the quality of education we want to put to the community. This is the staffing levels that it's going to take to realistically maintain those programs.

186Because when you slash too far, what do what do parents, especially parents who have means, what do they do? >> Take their kids. >> They take their students out and you never get them back. Um tip and and I'm painting a broad brush here, but very often those are your best test takers, etc., etc. So, not only are you reducing our state share, we're probably creating a no voter for eternity or very likely and we're hurting we're we're negatively impacting our test scores and then people come back and say, "Well, geez, look at your test scores. We're wasting our money sending it your way." So, while I agree with what you're saying, um I I think it's also important, really important for us to educate people that um just as as Mrs. Grassi was saying,

187how we frame it and what we say to people re really matters for them to to understand. You know, for example, we do get the lion share or a large share of property tax, but do they know that income tax, we don't get any s when cities talk about that often, those that have income tax, they don't mention income tax. They just talk about how all the money goes to the school, all the money go, let's make the schools the villain. When in fact, they're sitting back there pulling in, I don't $6 million in income tax that they just keep hush hush about. So there there's a lot of interesting dynamics that are going on here, but but I think by spring we can we'll be able uh to truly give this board a true

188assessment of do we have fat or do we not have fat. I I think we can get there. And then secondly, what are we willing how far are we willing to go? How far is this board willing? You know, what ratio are you comfortable going to? How dirty do you want your buildings to be? Because that's the next thing. You know, a lot of times you circle the wagons around the classroom teachers and you cut all these extra things, right? And then your buildings are dirty or they're not maintained or we say, uh, we're not going to invest in those buses and then we get drilled three years later because we got to buy seven buses, you know. So, you know, I've been down this road a lot uh many times. Um, and it it's

189tough to do it. It's it's it's tough to be in because the system simply has structured itself so that we're heavily dependent since 1976 on the will and vote of the people. And that's the that's the bottom line. Can we do better financially? I'll give you a straightup answer. full transparency to you and the entire community in the spring. Um, and Chris and I'll tag team on that. But, um, I, you know, what I've seen so far, I don't see a lot I I see, I see some issues with, um, how we can tighten some things up. And I think tightening those things up will save us some dollars. But, you know, we just took $800,000 in health insurance and 1.2 million in roll back right off of us. 2 million bucks. You know, that's

190tough for a district with a $50 million general fund budget to absorb. >> Yeah. And just to clarify, thank you for that. Um, I'm just suggesting that maybe we consider having a tangible goal. I don't want to swing the pendulum so far that it would impact the experience or the outcome of students and teachers and faculty. I'm just suggesting that if maybe we had some kind of number goal, it might help us uh when it comes to cascading to the community what what we have done. >> I I absolutely think that we will do that. You know, we will do that. And you know, I just I ask us all to keep in mind, you know, when that administrator says, "I need this teacher or this aid or um um Rich says, you know, I

191I'm not I need an HVAC guy. I can't keep up or whatever it might be." And they wouldn't bring those to us if they didn't really feel like that. Doesn't mean you greenlight every one of them. I'm not suggesting that. But I'm just saying [laughter] that um >> that's what you think >> they wouldn't come to us >> if they didn't need it >> if they didn't feel like they really needed it. >> Well, I I think we do operate on it because I'll give you the example of the lecture room at at the high school. We looked with as part of the CTE project to put heat and air in the lecture room because it hasn't had it. Um and it was I believe the the bid that we had to do that part

192of it was I want to say 70,000 60,000. Um, you know, Rich's crew came to us and said, "Give us a shot." And and that room is now, we have students in it all the time now, so it's an occupied school room. It now has heat and air conditioning in it. I think we did it for under 20,000 or right under $10,000. >> Nice. >> So, by using the expertise and trusting our people, I think, is a is a great thing. Uh, in in some cases, now we can't do that for the cafeteria. Um, [laughter] you know, but but we can do it for certain areas and we can take areas. And I think that's where we really do rely on, but those aren't dollars that we show as, hey, this is a win or

193a save. Maybe we do need to broadcast that a little more and and tell that story that look what we did um to this facility. And I think I I will say that we do not, you know, brag about our wins enough, you know, in in some cases where we we do what we do because that's what we've done. Um but we don't come out and say look look how much we saved and and look what we did but we did what was best for kids and now those kids have a great a better learning environment for you know significantly significant cost savings. Yeah. >> And and I would tell you also to keep in mind when you know when I went to school when most of us were in school there was it was

194the only real option was public school. There might have been a Catholic school somewhere kind of sprinkled around, but it was just everybody went to the public school. It's a totally different environment now. We're in a very This is comp very competitive field now. Many many options and choices for parents and things like facilities for example matter. They matter to people. You know, if you were to get transferred to uh Indianapolis, Indiana, and you're trying to figure out where you're going to buy a house and you've got three kids, you're going to be very interested in that community, schools, what they have to offer. My kid's a swimmer. Oh, you don't have a swim team? Well, you can't go to school here. You know, those things matter. Um because keeping keeping our best and keeping

195our students that live in our district is crucial and we're losing a lot of money from kids that are going to private schools. Now, we can't get them all, but I'd like to get a chunk of them back. >> All right. So, just to keep us moving. >> Yeah. Well, yeah, you shouldn't let me talk. >> Um [laughter] so, I'll send the information kind of what everyone's looking for. allow you guys to put it together. It sounds like spring is probably a goal for when we could get a kind of in-depth report back and um help us with our discussion. So um next was public comment board policy. >> Yes, this is new business now. >> Yeah, we're on new business. >> Number five new business. >> Got Oh, sorry. Yes, we are rolling. Y

196[laughter] we're moving. >> Um yes. So I was just wanted to have a dialogue and maybe we can we could do this in our retreat but um specific to public comment the policy and for those of us that are here the policy is 0169.1 the public comment section um sections A D and E which I can quickly read here in a second I feel are either need to be clarified maybe uh amended uh tweaked a little bit and I'll give you my point of view. Section A of public comment says public participation shall be permitted at the discretion of the presiding officer. And no offense to you as the presiding officer. We maybe could see historically that there's been times where that policy has been picked and choose when we want to follow it. And

197I see that some other school boards, including in Lake County, uh have policies that allow the board to vote on changing that in the moment. I think if we have to if we have to vote to take a recess, which by the way, we have to vote to take a recess. I think that perhaps we should look at do we vote to limit public participation in a meeting. Um especially when there's no specific policy as to when we would limit public participation. I don't know if Mr. McIntyre you have an opinion on that matter. >> I do. I'd like to steer the rest of your comments to respond to them in policy. >> Okay, great. >> Suspect. >> Yep. Um and then policy D says each statement made by a participant shall be limited to

198three minute duration unless extended by the presiding officer. I just I'm not suggesting it has to be the opposite of that. I just think that's extremely vague to say 3 minutes duration unless extended by the presiding officer. I've been to many board meetings in the school district and I've never seen them extended. So I don't know maybe if we want to clarify a situation when they would be extended or maybe provide at least a couple a handful of examples of when we'd extend them. And then the third one is E. It says during the portion of the meeting designated for public participation no participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard. That's a policy I was unaware of as a

199public participant and I've never seen us um execute that policy. Um so maybe we could clarify that, amend it, eliminate it. >> There was there was the Notre Dame transportation issue >> and we had at that point we had people speak more than once on the same >> more than once. Okay. >> So it has happened >> that was a long time >> and I'm not suggesting that we get in a habit of letting people I know meetings should go till midnight if we do >> masking. >> Yeah. what >> we have seen recently where people have come with the policy printed and wanted to >> showcase that maybe we were or were not following the we maybe finding ourselves in a gray area. So I think D and E maybe need to be revisited

200and then a I'm suggesting that maybe we consider changing that to a majority vote needed to execute that specific policy. I would also suggest that this is those are kinds of areas that we could have board training on because not all of us read the policy every day, right? And just saying >> um [clears throat] and you lose sight of what is actually in the policy. And so having an annual update on, you know, these are some important policies for the board to understand like so that we don't get into those situations where we're actually not following policy. We want to do that. And I know these policies are written by Niola and we look at them and we approve them. We're supposed to read them and and everything else, but that's a lot of

201policies. It is a lot of policies. So >> I comment too, >> you know. So Mr. Mr. McIntyre, I don't know if you want to comment now or we have our policy committee work with you through Dr. Ratino to make updates or >> Yeah, I think we need a working session because I think they're all very good issues and there's lots of options that are available. >> So, I think if we schedule it as a policy committee agenda item, then we can work through all the different options. I'd be happy to be there. >> Yeah. The policy was written three months after I was born. >> [laughter] >> Get up. >> It was >> okay. Wait. >> Oh, Belinda's looking it up now. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. That just makes me >>

202So, that will go to the policy committee for further followup, please. >> Uh, yes. So, um, we'll have to schedule a work session and >> we will I would um I have heard through the grapevine that the Neola policies are coming out rather quick rather soon. So, there will be a rather large I was just at a superintendent conference yesterday where some reference from Manila said they're working to get out their first update. It's going to be quite a robust packet. So I think we will schedule it at some point. We can add this to that. >> Okay. >> So you and then we'll involve Dan because >> of course yeah. >> Okay. All right. So um do you want to keep us posted on >> I will as soon as I get them I

203will send them to you and then >> Okay. Because I know you've been waiting. >> It takes a little bit of time to process them, right? >> But as soon as I get them I'll get them. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Get something on the calendar. >> All right, Mr. Ardina. one more your that you started but I >> fully agree with it so I might have some things to add but go ahead. >> Okay, [laughter] you got it. Um and I know we just got done talking about cost reduction so pardon me when I suggest this. Um but my next item would be that maybe we consider um how the logistics of our board meetings in regards to audiovisisual and I mean today worked out great but when we're in the uh media center

204or um in the board room it doesn't really lend itself to larger groups. Um so maybe we can consider a couple options. Maybe Nick, maybe you're the wrong person. Maybe someone else in the school district can look to see what equipment we currently have that would allow us to microphone the seven of us plus an eighth microphone for a guest speaker comment or if that's not procurable maybe we look into buying tabletop microphones that have onoff switches that allow us and here everyone can hear us. It's very loud but in um the media wing we know that's that could be quite challenging. So just something for us to consider on how we move forward. Yeah, I think one of the things we have to decide is where are we going to have our regular meetings

205at? So, you know, we used to have them in the lecture room. Um, we used to have in the board conference room. So, I think that all matters too, right? So, >> [snorts] >> um I I think it's important for us to figure out where those meetings going to be held. I think we've noticed the lecture room and I think we might get back to a point. >> We can get back to the lecture room next next months will be in the CTE wing. Yeah. Uh just as a special. >> Yep. As a special and but we can get back to that. [cough] Lecture hall typically lends itself better to audio because it's more like this. It's bouncing off the concrete. Media center was tough because it's kind of all one open area and in

206some meetings the board is was going this direction but all the audience was over there and it was all open. So there's nothing. >> So I get that that was not the greatest. um lecture hall we typically have not had the issues with the audio and you also I mean could fit you know 100 plus people in there >> and Mr. Allesic, you have some um like right now they're just in the planning stages with what we're doing with the lecture room. >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, what I don't know what your timeline is, but at some point if we can't use it, I think it's nice to be able to go around to the different schools. Um >> we used to do that when we had when we used to have work sessions. We

207used to have a regular work session. Remember when we had those regular like the second Tuesday or whatever? >> Yeah. We had two meetings a month. and one was a work session, one was a board meeting, and we used to have our work sessions at different schools. So, I mean, >> we are >> I don't know if I want to make a regular traveling circus, but I I think that it's something I think we're up to. Definitely for sure. >> I went to the high school first. >> Um, [laughter] >> today, >> yeah, >> I pulled in and immediately was like, nope, this is not the right, >> but I I mean, it's it is it is nice to kind of get out to see the buildings. I think it's a very important thing. Um,

208I don't know if this is a regular business meeting type thing, but I think for some of our special meetings or work sessions, we can schedule definitely in other places. I think that looking at finding a regular a regular place for board meetings. Um, I know at a point the board conference room was plenty large. Um, because there wasn't the people who came to the meetings who kind of started to show up um kind of during COVID. It's become a thing. I think as we film them and look at options for that, we may get back down to where that room does suit our needs for the most part. >> And in the lecture hall, I agree with you, it is more conducive, especially from an audio lens, but sometimes there are presenters even in

209that room or guest speakers, public comment that maybe don't project as well. And if that was a way to incorporate it into the camera, then the audio when when someone's watching on YouTube, they'd be able to hear all the speakers because sometimes even on the YouTube videos, depending on where they're standing or how quiet they are, the the audio is not captured. So >> So I think good point. If we move around, we need to make sure audio that we have the capability to make sure we can be heard. Um Yeah. And figure out what that permanent location is and what changes need to be made. >> Sure. Yep. >> Yeah. I'll work with TC to see if there's just some portable things we could introduce and especially when we talk about meeting. It's hard

210to just have one set area, you know, seven mics and you never move them because we're always there, but because we move around a lot and then, you know, even lecture hall in our meetings there, classes are during the day, so you got to So, I'll talk with Texas to see like what kind of >> portable options we could maybe introduce. [snorts] And >> I think they take up every inch of that lecture hall when they're using it during the day. So >> yeah, they they definitely did and they got some great designs. So what do you do? >> All right. So I have good news. >> We are done with old and new business [laughter] for today. Um >> today >> so that brings us I've lost track. Hold on one second. >> Board

211of education committee and liaison reports. The first one is buildings and grounds operations committee and strategic plan liaison. Miss Rossy. >> Sure. So, we had a buildings and grounds committee meeting on the 13th of of January. Uh, many of the things that we've talked about here were discussed in buildings and grounds. Um, Mr. Allesc had let us know that we had a power outage on the 29th of December and that Paysville Power worked really, really hard and our staff worked hard to get that back online really quickly. And so, thank you for everybody for that. the lecture room, again, we've already kind of glossed over this a little bit, but now has heat and cooling. Um, so that's really wonderful news and our own staff did that. So that's great work for them. >> Um,

212it's the first time in over 15 years we've had heat and air in that built in that room. So that's really amazing. Portable heater. Um, we had we we discussed some staffing for custodial midday at Riverview, the need for that. We talked about the Payneesville Township Fire Department came and conducted a walkthrough for all their staff of of our campus for getting them familiar with what our buildings look like. Um, they did that. The softball scoreboard was uh installed on January 14th. So, that is done. We have Mr. Allesic is reviewing our vehicle fleet for needs, what we need to get rid of, what we need to keep, um, and what some of our options are as far as getting some vehicles for the district if we need them, um, what kind of options we

213have in if we get rid of this, do we need to replace it with similar or should we be looking for something else? So, they're taking a look at all that information. Um, we talked about the addition projects. Those are already wrapping up. Um, um um I we did we did have some conversation again when we were talking about the custodial needs at some of our buildings. That's when we brought up the information about what the staffing actually looks like because I think I I I for myself I've kind of lost touch of what that looks like. And so I thought it might be good to get that as an update for um for everybody at the board table. And then we talked about the lecture room and what the plans are for that. And

214Mr. Allesc shared that our students have actually come up with some designs for the lecture room and that to me was pretty exciting, right? And so what those might look like for that room and I think we had talked about some options and some different things that maybe we had thrown out at the table. Can they take a look at those and maybe that we would be able to do those options and take care of those things inhouse and what those would look like and how we could involve some of our students in doing that um work there. So, more to come on that. I don't think that is is committed yet, but that's in the works. So, that's we've talked about that for a really really long time on what that lecture room would

215look like. So, that's exciting news. Um, and then we just talked about some additional dates. Uh, and then we also we we had Mike Purcella who had actually zoomed into that meeting for probably half of that meeting time to talk about some information about that he came with and presented this evening so that we could talk about moving forward with the additions, re-engaging with the people that had stepped back for a little bit of time and so they're back. And so we had that conversation and you guys have already done that so you've moved forward with that so we're good. >> I did get a chance to watch that meeting and um uh you know it's impressive how the lecture room is coming together. Uh but um I know they're involving an engineer. Correct. Somebody

216was going to help with some engineering ideas. >> Idea of what direction we want to go. We'll have somebody sign off on it to make sure that we're >> Yeah. Yeah. That's the only thing I was worried about is the liability and how it all comes together and different levels and handicap accessibility and all those fun things. Um, other than the the concrete option, Melissa, [laughter] >> I know. Um, other than that, I don't really have anything. We talked about updating the strategic plan. Um, I think we actually talked about that during the curriculum meeting, not really during the facility meeting, but we've kind of already covered that, so I'm not going to do it again. >> You're welcome. >> All good. [laughter] >> Um, all right. Uh, next, Mr. Aino will provide an update

217to the board on curriculum and programming committee and booster organization. >> Yes, thank you. Yep. We had our meeting on January 12th. Um, [clears throat] and Dr. Dr. Malagar walked us through February 9th's professional development day. Um they she and her team have set it up to mirror uh similar concept of the student personalized learning. Uh basically in that concept what do students want to get better in? So similar practice but for the teachers and staff. Uh 25 teachers volunteered to be team leads and help facilitate do check-ins, monitor progress trainings and collaborations um throughout the second half of the year which was pretty awesome to hear. Um and then in regards to student services in relation to the professional development day, Mrs. Rit shared that she and her team are using the internal monitoring

218meetings which are held quarterly to provide uh her team with feedback uh across the district. Uh second thing we discussed was a construction update which I won't bore you with because it was a riverview update which you saw firsthand. We also discussed the CTE wing, which is the cliff notes on that is they're doing touch-ups, furniture builds, equipment install. Um, and then next month, it sounds like we might have our meeting there. So, more to come on that. Uh, third, we discussed the student experience interviews, which is essentially student focus groups uh for fourth to 12th graders. Um the nice thing is it's facilitated by students in particular 8th to 12th grade students will help facilitate it with the help of uh trained staff and super supervised by teachers. Uh they will discuss in those

219focus groups what students like, love, don't like, what they'd love to see more of. Um and then they're looking for feedback from about 100 kids per grade. Um I have that correct right? >> That's what they're trying for. That's right. [laughter] uh the data will be collected from those 100 students per grade anonymously to help shape uh how we approach student learning going forward. The fourth thing discussed was the effective leadership academy acronym ELA which is a third party who helps our students transition from one building to another elementary to middle middle to campus for example. Uh in doing so, ELA provides data back to the administration on wins and opportunities related to competence levels, program concepts, overall mindsets as they make the change from one building to another. Uh fifth thing we discussed was

220a special education update. Mrs. Rit shared that our rating which comes out which came out in November was a meets expectations which is the highest you can achieve despite its lackluster uh verbiage. Um, but it does mean that this school district has consistently demonstrated compliance and positive outcomes for our students. Uh, in December, our preliminary special education profile was released and Mrs. Rit was proud to announce, as I am now, that the district met all expectations. We will get the final copy of that in May. Why, five months from now, I don't know. Must be lost in the mail. That's snail mail at its finest, right? But sincerely, a huge thank you to Mrs. threat and her team and the intervention specialist and the teachers who really impact that uh and to you and your

221team um in setting up a great professional day. Last thing is preschool registration opens February 9th for new students whereas there is a priority registration for returning students that already opened up a couple days ago through January 30th. That is my report. >> Thank you. >> All right, that brings us to policy committee legislative liaison Miss Brewster. Okay. Um, as it was stated tonight, uh, we're going to plan a work session to go over the plethora of things coming our way. Um uh that's pretty much it with policy other than right before the break we did um uh pass some policies um that had to do with um I'm trying to remember they were bus driver you know um stipulations that you know about drug testing and all those kinds of things. So um that

222was all all completed already. Um the other thing that's um as far as uh the legislative uh piece, there's going to be a lot that relates to the superintendent, some that relates to the treasur. Uh, so we'll try not to step on toes, but um, one of the things that I saw about academic interventions, and I know this is on your radar, Ohio Senate Bill 19, uh, would allow public school student who scored below proficient in state assessment tests in math or English language arts to receive academic intervention services at no cost. I mean, our schools are already providing, you know, interventions. uh we have a lot in place but what where that goes it says the academic interventions in the bill must be evidence-based which ours are mostly um I think and could include

223high dosage tutoring at least three days a week additional instructional time and extended school year calendar. So that's where it could become more comprehensive and um you know we'd have to accommodate that. Uh the bill passed unanimously in the Senate in November and the bill now heads to the Ohio House for consideration. Ohio Senate Andrew Butler um out of Delaware introduced the bill. So anything you know >> so yeah uh interestingly enough that bill is put in place to corre some of it is to correct some of the language that came out of the budget um some of the budget about advanced learning opportunities and math specifically. Uh so they do address some of that in there as to what they look like and spell that out a little bit more. So it's a really

224a definite one to follow to look at what it specifically means and looks like. Uh once they passed that in the budget bill and how it looked uh the ODO kind of came to it and said this isn't logistically what you want in order to make any sense. Let's take a closer look at it. This hits it as well. It it also is provides a little bit more um paperwork on our behalf. So, math improvement plans like reading intervention improve and monitoring plans. There's going to be math MIS now, if you would. Um, and what those they're trying to keep all that up. It's it's another layer of paperwork and also um you know, just compliance and not necessarily. I think the the the tutor and what that looks like, I'm waiting to see kind

225of how that that comes out. It's one that it's one that we're watching. uh when they get back in session. >> Okay. >> It should be one that the house takes up relatively soon. >> All right. And then the other thing um since you explained it the other day, uh the kindergarten eligibility how that's changed. So would you like to we actually I have a slide for that so I can >> Okay. So you're going to go over that. Absolutely. Okay. Good. Yep. >> So that's all I have for now. And surely there's dollars associated with the high dosage tutoring and that they're going to give us to increase our funding. >> The unfunded mandate. >> Yeah. Back to >> Yeah, I know. [laughter] >> always do this at no money. >> All right. Next

226is superintendent business advisory. Um so I had the opportunity to attend my first business advisory council meeting in 2026. um lot going on since the last time I attended over a year ago. So um really exciting to see everything that's taking shape. Um first of all, we did get a tour of the CT or the CTE space which is amazing. Um and can't wait for us to be there next month. Um but what is really great that's going on, um there's some [snorts] things being developed for different grade levels. So for instance, second grade, um there's check out check out the truck is how you would say it. Um, probably coming in the spring, it's going to be for second graders to come and check out big trucks. Who wouldn't love that, right? As a

227second grader. So, I know you're working with the townships, um, the city, um, different people in the community. I think, um, Mr. Hillier was interested in getting some of the snow plows over that we paint, um, things like that because that brings in then what our high school students are doing also. So, which is really great. Um, fifth grade is career exploration. That's just kicking off. Um, so there'll be more to come on that. Ninth grade is the future forward. Um, that is most likely coming in the spring also. Do I have that right? All right. And then 10th grade is a reality tour. Um, is there a date on that one? I didn't >> that were Yes. All this in the spring because these all things are getting done as by Swan. >> Okay.

228All right. And then also we have the 12th grade capstone which is already in progress and it's its first year. Um so we'll be seeing how that works and >> yeah so a lot going on. Um we do have um people from the community involved um entrepreneurs um work for the city the township. So a lot of different people bringing their perspective and helping us kind of build these things out. So really appreciate that and that is my update. Um so that brings us to thank you superintendence report. >> Okay. Uh kind of a lot to report on and um Yeah, I know. Come on. Um, [laughter] >> so first up is and as we've said a number of times, CTE uh update the space is that the furniture is in the space. It's being

229built by our construction class. Uh so that our students are putting the furniture together. We will be there in February to have the meeting and really kind of look at what that space looks like and envision envision it. But I think it turned out even better um than we imagined. And that large large area construction room is amazing and it's going to uh span more and more. One of the things and we've made some shifts even in how we're going to spend our equipment dollars. We're looking at we were we were looking at a virtual autopsy table for our health careers class which is a rather expensive piece of equipment and people gather around the table. Uh Dr. Thompson introduced us to a VR company. So we're looking to implementing some VR technologies where our

230students are putting on headsets and doing a working with that and stuff. It is really [laughter] neat to see. So once we get those in too, we will uh hook the board up to it so they can see as well cuz it's a super um it's an exciting opportunity. This company is really getting us in on the floor where they want to design programming and it's not just going to be for >> uh like the autopsy tables limited or medical careers classes. These are they're talking programming for construction of what it's like to work on a 40- foot ladder um and kind of provide some of that experience uh for some of our classes. Um for welding, we underwater welding and that experience and how that looks and they they can do different things in

231a VR setting. It's a really neat concept and something that we're really looking to work with this company to expand um along the way to kind of use that technology moving forward. So for the cost of the autopsy table, maybe a little less, we're getting the VR sense. I think we should do show and tell and let the board try it out. >> I think I fell off of the 40 foot ladder. >> Well, the first thing they're going to build for us, so we're working with the biology teachers in the healthc care world. They're going to build a program that shows the the heart and you're going to be inside the heart. You'll be able to see where oxy oxygenated blood goes out. You know what I mean? It comes in. You'll be able

232to see the difference between two chamber, three chamber, four chamber heart. So, because that's a pretty easy lift according to the um programmers, we're hoping that we'll be able to pilot that in May with our biology kids and then we'll grow in the experience things will take a little bit longer. So, that will be a next year thing probably, but they're already working on the first. >> So, we've talked about all kinds the opportunities are really pretty exciting for us. Uh, next up, want to little delay. Congratulations to um our RHS students who signed letters of intent uh to continue their academic and athletic careers in college. Claire Granchie who's going to Oakland, Michigan to play softball. Uh Tenley Hammond who's going to Grenell College to play softball, Jenna Janisk at Edinburgh for softball, and

233then Kendall Mb who's going to Wake Forest for football. So really excited about those students and their opportunities um that are coming from that they continue their career. Um, want to mention some of the great community activities that we had. Um, of course, Halls of Holly was just it's an awesome activity along with the holiday market craft show that came out in December. And thank you to all our campus students who supported that on that snowy afternoon. Uh, it really puts you in the spirit, but to coordinate work around those events. They're just great community events that filled um all that. As mentioned, preschool registrations uh for the 26 27 school year will go live on the website February 9th at 9:00 am. That is a very big date. Spaces will be limited. Um and

234existing preschool families have have priority. Uh preschool will be located at Riverview in the four classrooms that we shared uh that we just toured Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11:00 and then the PM is from 12:00 to 3. Um this is a change. Students must be 3 years of age on or before August 24th. Some of the leg the legislation that has come out has changed the date. Our date used to be I believe it was September 30th. >> Um and and we have shifted it. The legislation says you have to be the start date by the first day of instruction. So preschool instruction is August. We are going with preschool and kindergarten instruction are the 24th of August. It's not the first day of school for all students. It's the first day of

235instruction for those grades. So there's some work into it. So we are trying to get that information out as much as we can because kindergarten registration um is coming up and that's all part of House Bill 114 which says that kindergarteners must be 5 years of age um honor before the first day of instruction which kind of shifts um when students can go. Some districts near us had August 1st. Uh we had September 30th. So we would have some poor girls register for kindergarten. Um now it is university the first day that you offer instruction for all kindergarters. So that day will change every single year as we set the school calendar. Um and it will affect both preschool and kindergarten at and actually first grade registration moving forward. There will be policy from Neiola.

236Uh I am assume I'm assuming coming up in the next packet to address this. So because we do have policy currently so we will be changing our policy as well. >> Preschool registration usually goes >> it's fancy. typical preschool goes really fast and then we start to have [laughter] the have the lineup, >> you know, 5 seconds it's over like >> a little bit longer than that, but yeah, it does go uh pretty fast for our typicals. >> Um >> there's a waiting list, too, >> which is a great thing. And then we get some in the waiting list and all that as it works out. I think at Riverview uh we may see some more some fast it may go a little bit faster because the rooms are new and the excitement that's >>

237um Riverside scoreboard was was installed the day before the snow came. So the the day before we got all this done, they got the softball scoreboard in. Uh again, thank you to the alumni association for their generous donation to fund part of the scoreboard. And this does provide us with a sponsorship opportunity. You don't see the ads on it now. Uh we are working with Folton sign to create some ads along the sides to provide some sponsorship opportunities for the sides. And then there will be a um a sign on there commemorating the alumni association and encourage thanking them for their donation, but also trying to provide some advertisement for them to draw up some membership as well around that softball. So, we're working to kind of see what that looks like um as part

238of our sponsorship program. Um and that's that is a prime location because everyone who drives through the campus actually sees that sign. So, that those ads are there for them. really exciting moment for our high school. They were recognized as an AP school honor role um that recognizes schools who programs deliver results for students uh while broadening participation. We have added AP classes and we continue to look to provide additional AP opportunity for our students. Uh this year we did graduate a number of AP scholars or we are graduating a number for the first time. I mean those are students who scored um in both the seminar research class as well as the number of AP tests they scored a three or better. So, we're excited about that. Uh, this recognition reflects a commitment to

239increasing our college going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credits and maximizing college readiness. We currently offer 14 AP courses. We are looking at what the opportunities are to expand that uh if we have teachers who are willing and students who want to take that offer. We did meet today um in a fantastic meeting of the district leadership team. We met over at the Woods. the woods is generous enough to give us the space uh to meet there. So, we had we had focused on a lot of our goals. We reported out on our committee work that's coming out of our DT and it's it is something truly to um brag about and shout about. um our MTSS committee, which is one of the uh spokes on the pathway to excellence, they shared

240their amazing gains across across the district as to how they're they're moving kids from um one tier to the next and kind of increasing their their competency. Uh we worked we talked about our instructional rounds committee, what that looks like and getting people into classrooms. We did focus on the portrait of a Riverside beaver, what that looks like and how we um can express that and and share that out in our classes and what those look like at different grade levels, what those traits look like at different grade levels. So, it was a it was a great day of work and really kind of got um our teacher leadership is built upon our capacity to to lead. I was a very small part of this. Um Dr. Malacher um and and our curriculum and special

241ed supervisors really ran the show. So, it was it was a great great time and anything where they I don't talk as much is always a good thing. >> Um, mark your calendars. The spring musical Between the Lines, uh, Thursday, March 12th, Friday the 13th, and Saturday the 14th. Um, again, the senior uh, senior appreciation dinner will occur again at 4 with the show beginning at 5. So, we are excited to offer that for our [snorts] for our seniors. Uh, please register ahead of time for those watching. Please make sure you register ahead of time with Mrs. Poy for that. The annual Easter egg hunt is Saturday, April 4th. Uh it's at the front lawn and it's from 12 to 12:01. Uh we may stretch it out by doing the staggered start like we did

242last year where we walked across to kind of um help that go, but that's a that's a great opportunity for RPTA to get back. Hopefully we won't have snow this year. Um and we'll have a we'll have a great time. Now, the Easter Bunny and I think the beaver will be there again making their appearances as well for some pictures with those groups. And January is board member appreciation month. We did not have the picture of the collective board because we just got out today. So want to thank all of you uh for your dedication, your time and effort you put into making our school district the best it can be. This work is um thankless for sure and uh you it does not go unnoticed and is truly appreciated. As a part of that

243um we have a couple of appreciation gifts. First is one of the things that we noticed that we had some requests for is the next one community pursuing greatness and getting better every day shirts. Um and we would like the board to pick that. So what you have in your packet is a voting form >> and these are we I asked our students in our um business class to come up with some designs to capture that. We're going to make this available to the public, but you will be the first to get the very first run of these. Um the the three on the top or on your left are the designs for the front capturing the we are Riverside theme. Um the three on the back are the ones capturing the one community pursuing

244greatness, getting better every day. If you would check one front and one back for your um selection, we will tally those votes. >> Anonymous. [laughter] >> Yeah. Um but but don't don't share off your neighbor. and I will come and collect them. Do I get the vote? >> Yes. >> You get to vote. >> Oh, you fold it. >> Fold it in for as well. >> Oh, fold it in the for >> I cheat. I don't cheat. >> Thank you. >> Also, >> the other You do have some homework. >> Oh, you missed one. >> I'm sorry. You do you do have some homework as well. The other part that our business class is is working on is we are now offering Riverside vests. >> Oh. >> So, um we are trying to get this

245customized more into the Koopa and not necessarily the Beaver if we can that logo. We're trying to get that. But over here are sizes for you to try on. We did not I've learned don't guess sizes. So, um so there are sizes to try on before you leave tonight. So you can give give us your sizes so we can get you your own Riverside vest as well as a thank you um for all the hard work you do for us. >> I wear a youth medium. So I hope you have >> youth [laughter] med you and both. >> So >> seriously that includes viral time sizes. >> All right brings us to exciting part of the evening. It's going to be our finance audit personnel committee and alumni association update. Mr. Buyers. Okay, we had

246our uh first finance meeting on Tuesday. Uh if anyone was concerned with Ratino's dedication, he had us come in on a snow day [laughter] >> and then he mocked us with the snow day hoodie. >> It's true. >> Did it say snow day? >> Yeah, say snow day. The students gave it to my first year. >> Uh so Chris shared some positive news regarding the health insurance switch. The negotiations and transfer went well. Chris noted a significant uptick in voluntary life insurance participants that was taken advantage of via open enrollment. The [clears throat] district is introducing two new club sports. Girls foot uh flag football, but you said that was actually a continuation. >> So we've had that before. >> This is the third year I believe. >> And um boys volleyball and our girls

247varsity volleyball coach is going to volunteer to coach that. Correct. So we want to say thank you to her. Um, Mallerie gave a personnel update. She provided a list of people retiring and or resigning. Um, and I think we will touch on that a little bit later, but I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all of our retirees for their dedication to enhancing the lives of Riverside students. And again, thank you and congratulations. Um, >> we have some big ones. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> She also shared that we have three nonCDL trainees. uh to become future bus drivers. So that's uh awesome for us uh because we know how hard they are to come about. And uh our nutritionist is to provide uh another member to the fairport cap cafeteria team.

248>> Um >> and that is all self-funded by that program. >> Yes. Oh yeah, you did that. Right. >> Um, at this time I don't have anything to report on the alumni association, but I contact has been made and communications are open. So, we'll have something uh next meeting. Uh, and then Chris provided a or I'm sorry, Steve provided a budget process uh handout. He's looking to uh clear some stuff up with the budget process and uh talked about some controls and I'll let him talk about that since I know how much he likes to talk. >> I'll [laughter] spoil that twice. >> I have a handbook. It'll tell you what to do. >> Uh we put together uh >> Oh, I'm just sorry. One moment. So, are you done with your update? >> I

249am done with uh my update. Yes. >> All right. Can I go ahead? >> Can I ask one question? Um, when we talked about the booster organizations, I know we had we had talked about kind of getting a handle on what our athletic boosters are because we are pretty good with our >> We are still working on who has what booster groups and who's in charge of what and >> I want to keep that on the radar so that we can add them to the agenda of how we communicate with them. So, >> yes. And I did fail to mention that in my report the second half the booster we're meeting we're picking a date in February Miss Kalin and Nick and I and Dr. Martino we're trying to find a date where we all

250can meet for the first time. So no update there quite yet but >> great >> more to come. >> All right. Sorry. You're good. >> I'm good. >> You're good. >> I'm good. >> Your turns now. It's our treasures update. Um, so we're putting together a handbook that'll that will step by step uh let the the whether it's a building principal or department um leader uh know what their roles and responsibilities are and then each step with date due dates uh in terms of developing a building budget. I want them to have say in the building budget. So, for example, we'll take every every line item and we'll do a three-year look back. So, we'll we'll have a good understanding of what they have at least what their historical spend is, but we're going to

251sit down with them also and go through it, make sure that we're everything that we're spending um is is is necessary. And then if they know of a large expenditure coming that we might not know about, um, you know, maybe there needs to be a new roof, maybe there's a curriculum adoption, you know, something that would skew their budget. We want to budget for it upfront and then, uh, those folks are going to be held accountable for staying within their budget. So, um, I won't hesitate to reject a purchase order if they don't have money in the accounts. So, we we're just we need to really tighten that piece up. So, they'll get that um and they'll get a training session and then um credit cards. There's a lot of credit cards that are out

252there. They're all going to get brought back in. Um there are reasons for a credit card and there are circumstances that uh would dictate the use of a credit card, but they're going to have to come to central office, sign it out, um fill out the form of why they want the credit card. They go out, whatever they use that credit card on, it has to match. There has to be funds in that account that they're charging that off against. and then they have to bring the credit card back with their um with their receipts because we go long periods of times without people bringing in receipts etc etc. It's just it's just very loose. Um, and we do a lot of Amazon purchases. And again, not that you can't use Amazon. We're not saying

253that, but what we are saying is there has to be money in the account um that you're using to qualify, you know, pay for the purchase of this Amazon. So, in other words, don't order on Amazon and then send us the bill. No, it you've got to create a purchase order, etc., etc. So, um, and then we're going to cut back on, and this this one was, uh, the suggestion of, uh, Rich, um, he doesn't want those large blankets of dollars, um, given to him. Um, so the blankets will, we're going to knock those back. So, you know, there might be $300,000 in in this particular line budgeted for for a variety of things, but uh we're not we would normally issue a huge blanket and they could just spend off of it, but um

254we're not we're going to reduce those to try and um if we can save 25,000, let's save 25,000. And if you do that a few times and you have a material number. So, we're going to work through all of that and um start that process in the next uh well really about the next week or so. And then in February um I'll make sure you all have these handbooks in the process. Um and every all of it will be on one Excel spreadsheet that we can easily monitor and then each um leader will get a building budget uh update sent to them monthly letting them know how much money they spent and how much they have la left. >> How many credit cards do we have? >> Over 20. >> A lot more than that,

255I think. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's the wild wild west. It doesn't have to be. I mean, there's it's not going to be. >> There are software packages out there that again, and they're inexpensive, trust me, because we use them on my office and we have over 65 credit cards >> out there um that people can use to automatically produce their receipts and their expenses and whatever. Doesn't mean you don't have to pay. >> You talking virtual cards? >> No, not virtual cards. They're actual credit cards, but but but like Concur, right? like and and businesses use it and it's maybe it's just worth a conversation cuz it's really really easy. >> I would love to learn about it >> and it's really cheap like you can negotiate a really low rate if people

256only sip it once a month. >> I would like to get together with you and learn how to how to >> it would be really helpful. This that doesn't negate that they have to get a purchase order for their stuff. But >> no, anything we can do to be >> you work with your bank and it automatically feeds the data. I'm sure there's some great tools out there that we just don't know about. So that'd be great. Thank you. >> Yep. >> I think Joe uses it. >> Concur. Yep. >> Yeah, I use Concur. >> Do I have an app? >> Called Enc. Okay. >> And there's an app. >> You've heard it app. >> Very user friendly. >> Yes. >> You can take a picture of your receipt right there and >> upload it.

257>> Yeah. It's really >> Oh, that's nice. >> Love it. The bank feeds the information right into your software. >> Yeah. Ties into SAP. >> Thank you. So you also >> it's downloadable. >> All right. >> And then and Okay. Can you give me a click? >> I sure can. >> Uh and so this is just this and remember is through month end December 31st, 2025. Uh it it covers and the detailed report is uploaded so you have that. Um but um if you don't, I did make some copies if you want the detailed report if you haven't gotten comfortable on board docs yet. But um we are investing our money and that's critical. Uh the total investments are 27.22 million and you can see the yields there. They're still not bad um on Star

258and Red Tree. So we are making money and funneling that back into the general fund. Um so in general fund uh beginning balance uh 20.6 million or and current balance is $19 million and current unencumbered balance and this is the important part 13.73 million. Um so fiscal year-to-ate revenues are at 25.15 million. Uh that's 52% of what we forecasted. So we're pretty good. That's pretty that's pretty spot-on. Property taxes and state funding performance. Uh they're performing and coming in pretty much as we had forecasted and expected. Um our expenditures are at 28.11 which is about 49% uh of what we appropriated. Again, that's pretty darn good. Um, and of course salaries and benefits remain the largest cost driver and always will because that's what we do. We're a service industry. So 84% of our budget

259is uh paying for staff and healthcare. And then here's where uh where it it starts to really paint the the picture of where we're heading. And this is a uh the the deficit spend is in large part due 2 million of it is healthcare and roll back and if we hadn't hit healthcare and roll back to your point earlier uh Mr. Dino, we we could have probably reconciled and balanced that, you know, and at least gone another year without going into deficit spending, but um we are not uh our trajectory is not there right now. So um in fiscal year 25 in December, we had 16 million um in cash reserves and now we're at 13.7 million in cash reserves. So you can see we're it it's going to get a little bit higher o

260over the course of the year, but the trend is we're eating into our cash reserves making us levy eminent. Um and we all know that's because of >> House Bill 920. >> Thank you. [laughter] I love it. Okay, go ahead. Go. So, uh, revenues are tracking pretty close to projections outside of the, you know, once we made the adjustment for the roll back. Um, that it the expenditures are pretty aligned with what we anticipated. Uh we're in that deficit spending um largely due to the roll back in House Bill 920 and we're still uh not quite what it was a year ago, but the liquidity and investment performance is still >> pretty >> strong. We're still making money. You know, when when you're talking almost 4% on $13 million, >> that's that's material. That's material

261money. So, that's kind of where we are. And um I know that we'll um I I'm in the process of putting together a lot of different scenarios um that we can look at at our retreat that have to do with um what what do we do? What do we what do we do? >> What goals are you going to set for us in this area? [clears throat] >> Exactly. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Was that fast enough, Mr. Buyers? >> Yes, that was good. >> Thank you. [laughter] >> All right. That brings us to public participation. Anyone wishing to address the board of education will be recognized by the board president. Speakers are requested to speak from the podium, identify themselves and their topic. Comments are limited to three minutes. Do we have

262any public participation? I think our public left. [laughter] >> One more. >> That That's the key. Just stay here and talk and talk and talk and they'll leave. >> No public. No. Okay. [laughter] >> All right. staying. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Brought popcorn or something. >> Yeah. So, the [laughter] All right. Um, so that brings us to the consent agenda part of the evening. Um, first up is finance and audit. >> Um, have a motion to approve items A through E listed on the finance audit consent agenda as recommended by the treasurer. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. >> I just want to thank the following organizations for their donations. We've got $300 from Scaffo Scaffolding and Supply Company to the Care Closet. $2,000 from Assembly Specialist Inc. to the Riverside Choir. That is

263a former district family. Um, an electromagnet etching power unit M-150E valued at $1,261.97 from Monode Marketing Products. I hope I said that right. To the Lemouth Fab Lab. So, thank you to those individuals and entities for providing those donations. Okay, please call a roll. >> Mr. Buyers, >> I. >> Mrs. Kreninski, >> I. >> Miss Brewster, >> I. >> Mrs. Graassie, >> I. >> Mr. Adino, >> I. >> Motion carries 50. >> Yep. Next up is personnel. I have a motion to approve the items A through E listed on the personnel consent agenda as recommended by the superintendent. Any questions? >> Oh, ask for a second. >> Oh, sorry. >> That's okay. I'll second. >> There you go. And there you go. >> Any questions? >> No. I would like to um just recognize our

264retiring teachers. >> It's a big one. >> So, yeah. I I I think we have to actually um Mr. Schwarz >> Mr. Schwarz is retiring. >> Is retiring. He is the longest tenur band director at Riverside High School at 31 years for the high school. >> Wow. >> So, he ran regiment for 31 years and he is >> he is stepping on and they are definitely big shoes to fill >> right >> not be shiny shoes without any scuff marks. [laughter] >> So, that's all I have. Uh, please call the RO. >> Mrs. Kreninski, >> I. >> Mr. Buyers, >> I. >> Miss Brewster, >> I. >> Mr. Adino, >> hi. >> And Mrs. Grassy. >> I. >> Motion carries 50. >> That brings us to our consent agenda for curriculum and programming. Uh, motion

265to approve the items listed A through D on the curriculum and program consent agenda as recommended by the superintendent. Can I have a motion, please? >> Second. Excuse me. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Dr. Thompson, take the role, please. >> Nuss. >> Any discussion? First time. >> That's okay. >> You're good. >> Now you can call. >> Thank you, Mrs. Grassy. >> Hi. Miss Brewster >> I >> Mr. Aino >> I >> Mrs. Kreninski >> I >> and Mr. Buyers >> I >> motion carries 5. >> All right that brings us to >> there number 13. There are no items. >> No items. There we go. All right. That brings us to board of education update. I just want to say I really appreciate all the conversation tonight. I know it's been

266a long night, but it's been wonderful. Um, so thank you to everybody. Um, and then I believe Miss Brewster, did you have something? >> Uh, yes. Um, I wanted to um just thank everyone involved. We we talked about it earlier on our tour. Um, but it's quite an undertaking and it's such a short period of time to be able to add an addition to a school. And uh while I was sorting through all my papers, I found the um uh groundbreaking um speech from Dr. Ratino um and I thought it was very well stated as a recap of where we started. I know what some of you may be thinking. Didn't we just build this school? In 2019, we opened the doors to two larger elementary schools within the district, Parkside and Riverview. These buildings

267were constructed to meet Ohio Facilities Construction Commission standards and were built at the largest capacity we were allowed at the time. Unfortunately, it wasn't long until this building was filled to that capacity, even though we built it larger than what the OFCC originally suggested. So, here we are just uh six short years later breaking ground on an eight room uh classroom addition that will help solve our large enrollment problems as well as make room for additional students who will eventually reside in the Riverview District due to several largecale housing projects scaled to begin construction soon. I would like to thank the Riverside Board of Education, then design, architecture, Cleveland Construction, and our owners rep, Roger Riat, Riyachchi, for all their hard work on making today's groundbreaking ceremony possible. And I would also like to thank

268the staff and administration for their support and continued mission on making Riverside local school district a great place to live, work, and learn. Lastly, I'd like to thank everyone in attendance for your unwavering support of the Riverside Local School District as we all uh strive to be one community pursuing greatness and getting better every day. So, thank you for those words. Um, you know, just so it just seemed like >> I I'd be your best there, Nick's words. So, we are [laughter] blessed. >> But I thought it was well >> I Yes. No, we as I said to our communication, we are blessed. um to have such a great person. I cannot steal credit for for speech. >> I don't remember writing it. >> Well, and I asked you for it at one point because

269I liked what it said and then yeah, I just happened to come across it. >> Okay. Any other board of education? >> Yeah, I actually have one more thing I want to say. I wanted to thank um uh first of all, I wanted to welcome our two newest board members. uh I have the pleasure of you know speaking or serving with you on committees and um you know it's it's a a learning process to go through everything but we're we work as a group and we'll we'll continue to um you know um make things happen in the best interest of kids. Um and um I would also like to welcome um Dr. Ino back and um you know the amount of time and effort it takes to um you know work with the administrative team

270to have everybody um you know pulling in the same direction is important and um whether it's you know administration at the board office or building level. Um but there's a lot of other people our bus drivers our maintenance people teachers aids secretarial. there's just countless people that that are all working for the same goal and that's for our students and um you know uh Dr. Thompson has um sent out some very positive messaging and um he he um right before Christmas you said to our newly elected board members please know that you have our full support as you begin our service. These roles are incredibly important, deeply rewarding and at times challenging but you are not alone on this journey. So, I just wanted to reiterate that and um I look forward to working um

271with everyone going, you know, uh as we do a pretty aggressive agenda. Thank you. Any other board of education updates? All right, we're going to adjourn to executive session. So the Riverside Local School District Board of Education hereby recesses into an executive session session for the purpose of one considering the appointment employment discipline and compensation of public employees under revised code 121.22G1 and two conferring with an attorney for public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are subject of pending or imminent court action under revised code 121.22 G3. Upon conclusion of this executive session, the board president shall galv the board back into session at this location. All matters discussed in these executive sessions are designated to the public officials and employees as confidential pursuant to revised code 102.03b because of the status of

272the proceedings andor circumstances under which the information will be received and preserving its confidentiality is necessary to the proper conduct of government business. Can I get a second, please? Thank you. >> I didn't buyers. >> Mr. Adino, I think everyone said, but >> All right. Um, can you please call the role? >> Miss Brewster, >> I. >> Mrs. Krennki, >> I. >> Mrs. Grassy, >> I. >> Mr. Adino, >> I. >> And Mr. Buyers, >> I. >> Motion carries 50. >> Wonderful. Thank you for everyone who stayed around.