Board of Education Regular Meeting 6/16/25

001Everyone here we have full house. Uh I'd like to welcome you and Mrs. Murphy. Would you please send the pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisibley for all. Thank you for a motion to approve the agenda with the um removal of 4.3 and 9.1. They will be presented at additional for the agendas. So move second. All in favor? I motion carries. recognition. Spring uh spring athletics recognition. Matt Smith. Yes, you're on. Thank you. Uh good evening everybody. I just want to thank you all uh for recognizing our young men and women who put a lot into what they have accomplished this year in our sport of track and field. Um Loai here sitting to my right. Um he

002is a great young man uh that has a very bright future. Uh his athletic accomplishments at Spring Mills have been vast. He had a be he had the best senior year as an athlete in school history. Being a part of a state runnerup football team, then winning a state championship with his basketball team, and then capping it off this spring with a high jump state title in track and field. Uh myself and the rest of our staff at Spring Mills are very proud of him for all those accomplishments. He'll be taking his talents to Western Indiana State in the fall, but before that, he'll be representing Spring Mills one more time this weekend in Philadelphia at the New Balance National Track and Field. Thank you. this wings. What's his name again? Where is that? Thank

003you. We are so proud of you. You're a very fine young man who represents your school in this county. Well, thank you all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Air Force and Air and Space. Let me scratched off. I did my second. All right. Are you Jenkins or Marcel? Yes. Double check. I I have been Eva Kra's long-term coach for the past two years. Um sorry I didn't prepare anything. They didn't tell me. That's all right. We played. But I I would just like to say um you know I'm only two years into coaching. Uh my entire life I was a cross country runner. She also did cross country just not here when I was coaching it. Um and coaching an athlete like has been extremely fruitful. All right. She is a wonderful

004person. Uh she won state by a pretty good amount. Um, she's a great student, an amazing athlete, and she's taken her talents to WVU uh in the fall. So, even though I went to Pit, and I shouldn't be a fan of that, I'm very excited to see what she does there. Well, we won't hold that against you. Yeah. And I'm also I'm going to be there this weekend in Philadelphia to see her at nationalist as well. So, she'll get to Are you wearing Mar for the next time? So, she'll be good. But yeah, everyone should uh give it up for Evo. Congratulations. And when will we find out the results of the this weekend's long jumps on Sunday? Oh yeah, we're rooing for you. Congratulations. Now, Air Force Air and Space Force Association team of

005the year recognition, Mr. Sherman. Good evening, guys. It's a great pleasure and honor to be here to find honor Chief Glazer and what he does with our junior ROC. Uh not only is he did he get this award that that you're speaking of here tonight, he also was uh received a email from the commander of ROC. He has been recognized as one of the outstanding instructors in the United States for ROTC this year. um what they do in ROC with the students that that they deal with is uh just amazing. I not only did it teach them character and honor and responsibility and uh discipline, the things that uh you know any any of our military branches in in the in the country teach their their cadets. That's what these guys are teaching their students.

006In Martsburg, we have a motto, enter to learn, go forth to serve. And what I what I can say about these guys is they teach other students how to serve as high school students. And they do it better than probably any of the programs that we have in our builder. And not only do they do it with Martinsburg High School students, they do it with all Berkeley County High School students. Uh so those students get an opportunity to come be a part of it and and get the same teachings that that these guys give everybody. I think just spent a week at a camp over at Shephard that they organize and have uh schools from Northern Virginia come and um it's a leadership camp so they teach leadership to students and I don't know you

007said you graduated 70 students who graduated from three states from three states in a leadership camp so it's great things in the ROC it's one of the the best programs that we have in Berkeley County schools so it's definitely an honor to to honor him this evening and to say thank you to for what he and and the other instructors do in the RTC. I just wanted to say very humbled by the awards that I've received. Um, and it's not because of myself, but because I have a great group of parents and cadetses that put their all into our program. Um, we we uh performed 4,900 hours of community service this year and received a national award, one of 42 units in the world that received the award. So, we're again doing our best to

008serve here in uh Berkeley County. Uh, and we couldn't do it without the support of our administration, the board, uh, CTE Director Kim Pac. has been amazing to support our program. I have never been denied a bus when I want to take our cadets on a field trip or community service and um he always takes care of our dry lane for us for these uniforms. So, I'm very appreciative for that. So, thank you so much for the honor. Well, thank you so much and and it's beyond an honor to have you uh work with our students and represent our students and all all of our GCC make us so proud. Thank you. Thank you. They love to serve. They really do. Thank you. Well, and it's very notice. Thank you. It is. And you know,

009uh, one of the things that I think is the a hallmark of a a well-rounded school district is a district that is ensuring that as we prepare students to walk across the the graduation stage, that they're college, career, or military enlistment ready. And while the junior uh Air Force ROC is not just about enlisting in, you know, the military, it does provide a pathway for students to learn um, experientially leadership and well-rounded civilian type skills. Um, and the fact that we have such a robust uh JOTC program here in Berkeley County, I think speaks volumes. But what I'll also say is just having the program alone is not enough. It takes high quality instructors to make sure that those programs can thrive. And I've seen firsthand when you don't have an instructor that is truly

010passionate about kids and community and um those types of opportunities that go well beyond the regular workday. Um then it it's not going to be as successful as what it could be and like what we have here. So um thank you for your leadership, sir, and uh continue to move the program forward. We're excited to see where it will go. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have no signed up for citizens forum. So we'll move on to the next item which is the superintendence evaluation and I have a statement regarding that evaluation and uh this also on behalf of myself and the board as a result of the evaluation the board has unanimously concluded that the superintendent has exceeded or met all the requirements for performance of all the duties of chief executive officer

011of the Berkeley County Board of Education. So, thank you, Dr. Thank you, Madam President. And um if you would permit me, I'd like to just say say something. Yeah, sure. Um first of all, I want to I want to thank the board um for what I think has been an exceptional year in being able to uh work together collaboratively to move Berkeley County Schools forward. Um, as superintendent, I can tell you that while um, you know, I attempted to make sure that I set ambitious but achievable goals, that those goals would not have been possible if it wasn't for the continuous support of the board. Um, the the dialogue that we have um, both collectively as a as a group, but sometimes individually as as a between board member and and superintendent. But I can

012also say that um the success of our school district would not have been poss would not be possible if it wasn't for the dedicated employees that we have working in this district tirelessly every single day. Um in our classrooms um uh teaching our students, providing them well-rounded educational opportunities. Um the the the front office staff um the custodians that keep the hallways clean, the bus drivers that deliver our students from home into school and back safely. Um to the cooks that prepare our meals, to the aid that provide assistance in the classroom, to the principles that are are providing leadership and vision for the schools uh also trying to work with families to address concerns to the district office staff um that uh handle human resources or payroll or accounts receivable or professional development um

013or teacher support. Um, it takes all of us working in concert and I am so blessed uh to have the opportunity to work here in Berkeley County and to lead this school district because it is a first class school district and um it's because of our people. They make my job a lot easier. um and working side by side with each of you is so rewarding and um so I I appreciate those evaluation remarks and I look forward to the year ahead and continuing the work that we've set a strong foundation. Thank you. Thank you so much. You guys have come a long way and thank uh we have a great future. So next on the agenda monitoring items and before we get to that I just want to mention that uh Mr. Martin is

014on virtual with us and Dr. Woods and Dr. Alonso status update Mr. Tyson. Yes. Good evening. Good evening. We're going to start off with the Hedesville Early Learning Academy update. And they're still laying a lot of block out there. I feel like every time I talk to you, I tell you they're laying block. And so they still are doing that. But um they're also have been setting the steel roof trusses. You can see from some of these pictures, a lot of the roof decking is also uh in progress as they progress with the the steel uh roof truss system. Um I took a picture where you can see they're doing the waterproofing on the concrete block that are complete. There are certain sections that are complete. So, they're doing the waterproofing and they did a

015mockup of the brick just to make sure that we like the look of the brick. So, I took a picture of that so you can kind of see that's what's coming here in the in the next uh next few weeks. They'll be starting to do that exterior brick veneer. And um we heard back from First Energy. You know, we're trying to rework the details on that corner. And so they have accepted uh the plans that we submitted and we are waiting to hear back for them to give us the thumbs up that we can move forward with that one corner uh that where we had to make some changes. So uh hopefully I'll have a good update for you the next time I present. Um the next one is Tomahawk intermediate edition and that edition

016is moving along very nicely. They actually have started installing the ceiling grid because a lot of the painting is finished and they um actually I think they finished the painting this week and so ceiling tiles was starting to go in and then of course the flooring. This project is on target to be finished as planned which is the end of July. And there was one um area where I'm going to be bringing some information to you here in the near future. But you can see that um if you've been out at Tom to Tomahawk, this is the current addition they're working on and the um the school has a like a baseball field down here that's it's it's rather a steep bank down to that location. And so the contractors recommended uh plus the architect

017that we put some kind of a retaining wall around there uh to help so that bank is not so steep headed down toward their baseball field. So, I just want to give you a heads up that that might be in the works uh to see, you know, how we can address that steepness that we're dealing with. Could you ask them if we could instead of doing a retaining wall, we could um do some sort of like rip wrap along there that obviously we could have fencing or whatever, but some sort of I think it would be a more cost effective to do. Yeah, we can certainly do that as well. Absolutely. What is that? Rip wrap is just um large boulders and rock, bigger steps. maybe make the whole bank out of the of a

018stain system, but you have to have something to prevent the the wash out. Yeah, it would be more cost effective than having to dig footers and doing a big retaining wall. So, yeah. So, I'll have to look into that, too, and give you the information next time. Of course, there's no students back there, shouldn't they? Um, yeah, this is their baseball field. So, the students um you know, when they go out for recess, there's Yeah, this is the back stop. And so, everything out this way is their baseball field. So, we're trying to help prevent the the the wash out that potentially looks like it's going to be there. Say the first suggestion was a a retaining wall that would kind of go basically where the back stop is and then but um that's a

019great idea too. Is that a potential change order? That would be a potential change order because that was not something originally. It just called for this to be a steep bank, but it is it's hard to tell from the picture, but it is significantly steep. And uh so that's what it originally called for, but we just think it needs a little more than that. I guess my question is I mean if the original plans called for a steep bank to a baseball field, it did originally. Yes. Well, why would something that would basically route the water to the field and not consider that? That doesn't make sense to me. I think it's a poor it's poor engineering. I would agree with that. I would think so. Yes, I think we can explore whether or not

020that's an error in their geotechnical. Yeah, because that's that's like right there. It is right there. You're you're not talking it is a very steep just you know like 10 20 yards. It's there immediate drop off. Yeah. I mean, two steps out that door and you can't really there's no room to make it more of a like a gradual because then when you walk out that next two there's no landing. There's no walk out. Correct. Right. And that's why we have that dilemma. So, and at the very least there needs to be fencing or some sort of guidance there because I I can just see a little kid doing some dancing and he's going to move you right off that sidewalk. Sorry. I just I I see I wasn't even thinking of kid falling. I

021was thinking that that whole thing just slowly and then plus the water going down is constantly waterable. I'm thinking child safety versus water because I don't Yeah. So I'll come back to your two options. One will be the rip wrap and one will be a retaining of wall type of system and uh but it it needs to be addressed one way or another. Is that is that the only thing that we're seeing at this time that could potentially be a change orders this? We're so close to being Yeah, that is the only thing that I'm aware of because a lot of the the change orders were kind of sorted out with the first phase because of like just simple things like the signage and different things that I presented to you. Um, and there was

022some thing I presented about the roof drains. So, all that has already been previously addressed. So, right now it looks to me like that is the only thing that's kind of an outlier of course. Okay. All right. So, I just want to keep you in the loop on that. Uh the next project is I believe Martinsburg High School uh band room edition and it's come along very nicely. Uh this is an image of the actual band room. You can see they painted the the ceiling and then in that ceiling system it's going to be exposed like that, but there'll be clouds that kind of help with the the acoustics and acoustical panels also on the wall. Um but all the painting is finished and they're you know they'll be heading in that direction next. A

023lot of the electrical work is it's finished in the band room part and it's progressed over to the auditorium. I took a picture of the auditorium. Still a lot of scaffolding in there because all of the work is way up above the plaster that's been removed. So right now they've done a lot of the electrical work in there. Um also the um current band room has been demoed and the walls have been reframed up. This is standing in a hallway that never used to be there. Looking into the current band room that will become the choir room. So you can see a lot of the framing is complete. Drive wall is going up. They're moving along very nicely on all those parts. And the um the dilemma of course is the auditorium space. Remember it's

024likely that this will not be ready until maybe November or December because of the delay that we had due to the plaster issue. And I just also want to give you another warning since I'm here to keep you in the loop, right? Um the fire marshall has just notified us that the sprinkler system in the existing auditorium is not sized large enough. So we are going to have to increase the capacity of that sprinkler system due to this newly renovated space. And I don't know what that means for us yet. So we're waiting on the architects to finish the design so that the contractor can give us a timeline on what that will look like. So um previously in our meetings it was looking like November December that this would be complete. I don't know

025if the sprinkler will change that or not. I just want to warn you that that is a a surprise that just happened this past week. So um that's Martin High School. Do we have everything else be ready but not the auditorium. Go ahead. Sorry. No, that's okay. I was just going to ask about the lockers. The lockers have been ordered and they will be uh throughout the three walls in the uh the band room. That that has been ordered and the the furniture such as the uh the student chairs and the uh music stands, all that has been ordered. Uh but yeah, that's all good. Okay. Um do we have any concern of the sprinkler system throughout the building or is that literally just for this? Literally just for that uh space like like the

026uh you know the choir room for example that used to be the band room like all of that checked out. Everything's good. Okay. It should because we changed the configuration of the ceiling. Yeah. For whatever reason, that changed the requirements for the sprinkler system according to the fire marshall. And like right now, the main line running through there is a 3 in. And he said it has to be a 6 in. So, uh it just doesn't quite have the volume that is required due to the new ceiling. So, that's another warning for you. I'll be coming back with some information on that uh that you know everyone who has ever thought changing the ceiling would end up I know it's well a lot of a lot of times what happens is you're grandfathered in under

027old code until you make a substantial renovation substantial enough then you're making changes it's substantial enough and the ceiling of course it's going to be an exposed uh ceiling kind of like you see here but it'll have the clouds so the sprinkler system has to spray above and below the clouds No, that makes sense. He's kind of almost doubled the capacity that's necessary. That makes sense. So, there's your warning for Marksburg High School. Uh, next one is the Mountain Ridge Primary School and they are moving a lot of um actually they've been moving a lot of mud lately. They've kind of been working throughout all the mud despite the rain that we've had because of the standard. They've been working. Yes. because a lot of what they have to do right now is they are

028uh they they've come across some rock ledges here and there. So they're able to set up while it's raining and muddy and just, you know, pound away at these rock ledges. And um so that's the kind of stuff that they're doing in between times and then as soon as it dries out, they start moving dirt again. the uh if you drove past Jertown Road uh currently you can see the uh the road entrance and today or yeah today they started cutting in the connecting roads that are going to connect to the Mountain Ridge Intermediate and the Mountain Ridge Middle School so that all of that those pieces will be completed first so that when school opens up those roads will be able to be used they'll be paved and everything. So that was their priority

029to get that part of the road knocked out of course, you know, tied into the uh other part once they were working on the school. And I think this will be really beneficial because families are going to actually see the benefits of this construction school year starts because they'll be we're going to have traffic pattern changes to help improve traffic flow over. Yeah. On day one, we will have a new new route for them. That's great. So on that part first and then progressing over to the main site. And of course at the main site they Yeah. They've got the drains pond in. They've got the site excavated. So, there's been some big changes, but it's it's been a battle with with the rain. Um, so yeah, that's Mount Ridge Primary. And then I think

030the only other thing I have for you, I didn't take any pictures, but it was every each one of these schools, uh, Burke Street, a major HVAC renovations. I don't know if you've stopped by or driven by and seen the construction, but at Brook Street, you can see the new windows going in. And you can you can immedately see how much nicer it's going to be with those new windows. But the entire inside of that school has been gutted. Um, and I'll try to get some pictures next time so you kind of see where we are. But, uh, they're also upgrading the restrooms in Brook Street, which is much much needed. And Tomahawk, same thing. If you walk in that school, all the all the ceilings are gone because they're replacing all the piping system.

031Uh it's not a geothermal system, but it kind of is. It's uh it's an out of the ground system, but uh there is a water system that flows through each of those units, and all piping has to be replaced. And so, currently, they have been removing and then replacing all that piping, which is all all of it is up in the ceiling. So, and of course, they're also working on those gymnasiums. A lot of that is rooftop type work. When I went Burke Street or yesterday, or maybe it was the weekend, they were working. So, they've been working. Yeah, they're working as much as they can because they know, you know, got to get this thing finished before school. Well, the windows were out and I kept thinking, "Oh, they get those in like I

032mean, as much as it rained, I was thinking about that, too." Yeah, those windows are huge. They are very large windows. Yeah. Yeah. Um, two things I wanted to say. I was over at Burk Street. I'm sorry. I was over So, Berkeley Heights is also getting a a restroom renovation. Yeah. Berkeley Heights. We also are doing um I didn't really include that but at Berkeley Heights the um a lot of the floor drains were they were bulged up out of the ground some of them maybe one to two inches. So we have to go through and jackhammer those out replace all those floor drains. Well in the process of doing that we're like you know what looks like we're have to replace these floors and uh which wasn't a significant expense but they have to

033be redone and so um of course you have to remove the stalls to do that. So, right now, Berkeley Heights also looks a bit of a mess because we've got all the bathroom stalls and toilets and everything out in the hallway. So, we can get those floors repaired like they're supposed to be and all that'll be back together here in a couple like that epoxy. We had epoxy pouring in there. Yes. Did the Did the floor uh sink? Um I don't know if the floor sank. I don't remember those being out of the ground that much. They well not all of them were but none of them were serving the purpose of a drain because they were higher than the surface of the pool. The water they had they I don't know if they bulged

034up or if the entire school sunk around them. So I don't know how you want to look at it but the drains needed they weren't working. They weren't working on the quarry. So and that it's been filled in and you know tons of dirt. So we had to reconfigure Yeah. We had to reconfigure each of those floor drains which of course you have to you know jack camber out around it. So, the floors have to be redone. So, and we're also I'm sorry, but I want to make sure that we celebrate what we're trying to accomplish across the district, but at Hedgesville High School, we're also renovating the restrooms there. Correct. We are. Usville High School, we're replacing the stall, the dividers and stalls. Yes. We're going to paint. Yes. And we're painting and and

035Hexville High School, we have gradually been replacing the the old 1977 carpet and updating it with uh with a tile flooring. And so um so that's you know the next phase of that is happening as well. I forget to talk about all these stuff that I do off the side. I was kind of focused on these but yeah those things are happening too. I would think Mr. Murphy will be excited since we're talking about restrooms but we're not talking about additions to restrooms. Not twice. Well, Rome wasn't built today, right? Getting warm. Okay. I saw it after. Did we have the fly over? Uh, last week we had a fly over. I don't think we have a an updated one. Oh, we did the fly over at the last board meeting. Yeah, we did. Yes.

036I apologize. I totally forgot about it. Flew right over me. Hey, all good. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Approval of the consent agenda. So move. Second. Second. All in favor? I approve. Motion appeared. Action items discussion and possible. We move we remove that then discuss our contract. Yes ma'am. We're going to we'll bring that back to the next board. You see where I am? 1.2 is the literacy literacy literacy statement speak to that please. Um so board members as you recall our um uh board retreat um we focused on a lot of good things um to help our school district move forward and to begin to have a real hard um stance on improving literacy outcomes for our students all across Berkeley County. And so, um, as we broke out into our groups and

037we came back together, we sort of had, you know, several different, uh, portions of vision that we wanted to be able to include. And so, as opposed to a, um, vision statement, um, one of the things that we talked about was things that, you know, looking at the word believe and making sure we had student ownership in into the and a student accountability, but also accountability for every group, I think. And so I tried to take that feedback and um I'm proposing tonight that um the Berkeley County Schools literacy commitment statement uh be approved because again this will be the foundation of the of the work that we do with our staff with our schools uh with our teachers and in making sure that not only do we set the expectation but we also um

038establish high quality professional development. We're beginning the work on um a five-year strategic plan also. And so I think this is perfect timing to start setting the stage uh for this. And as what my thought is is that as we move forward um being able to involve you know you know key stakeholders in our community and in our schools in that fiveyear strategic planning process. making sure that we have part of that 5 plan to focus on literacy is going to be really important. So again, this is a a foundational uh step. Um and so I'm asking for your approval of this statement this evening unless there's any tweaks or suggestions that you'd like to make changes suggestions or questions for Dr. S on the lacy statement. I think um the way that you you

039were able to craft this from from our time together um is is very well. We had that classic run-on sentence uh when we were were together and it it feels more cohesive with this. Um I my question I would ask is are we going to put this um in some sort of like front and center on our website? um you know, are we going to are we going to do some sort of like um marketing, not necessarily marketing, but advertisement um communications to to folks that were we're adopting this and that we've collaborated for this. I I think we're going to need to do something. We have not yet defined exactly how we want to market this or to make sure that everyone has has an awareness of the fact that we've adopted a statement.

040Obviously, we want to be able to embed this into our strategic plan. Yeah. Which won't be completed, you know, um until middle the middle of the of next year, but it is is definitely going to be ingrained in how we plan forward with our principles, with our professional development leading into the new school year. And so, I think that making sure that this is front and center when we lead those trainings and lead that work. I think everything should start with the fact that we've made this statement. we've made this commitment. Um, but yes, I think it should be on our website and I think we should have it in key areas to make sure it's reinforced. I would like to see it. I know students don't get a handbook anymore. They probably get something

041online with everything in it. I would like to see that in the handbook. In the handbook. We probably are some way. Absolutely. We're probably behind the eightball for this fall. I don't because I think those have probably already been ordered. I believe communal on that the end of the school year into early June. So I think we just missed it. But but if we haven't, we can definitely try to find a way or we can have some sort of addendum. So we'll work on that. Definitely the digital versions what's online we we can fix that a problem. But anything that's already gone in the print that's gone through printing or ordered would be a challenge. Is there a way that we can maybe this is where my my creativity starts to come into play. Is

042there any way we can put them on some level of stickers? We printed stickers and stick them on the inside of the cover of some in some capacity where there it is it gets added. Yes. After the fact, but we do some level or a card that gets stapled in or something something that can we can shove inside. We'll work with our communications department to see what might cost. Well, one thing I don't want to wear a bunch of stickers and then we're criticized or a waste of I'm just trying to think of something outside the box. I agree and I agree with what you're saying. So if if it can be posted somewhere and given somehow to each student or sent to uh parents definitely parents we have students who are not following this

043process. I think that would be an appropriate time to give them abbreviated copy of what we expect from and uh just reinforce the ones we need the reinforcement. Is there any way that um you know I have good news. The handbooks are not printed so we can't include it. That sounds all I was just going to say and there was uh parents have to sign off on things at the beginning of the school year if they had to sign off on something like this but they have seen that I know many parents have to sign off that they handbook even so but something where they they're having to look at this it's a specific statement because it's a commitment for them too correctly what I feel I I agree with with what Miss Long is

044saying getting their getting them to to specifically see it, acknowledge it, and then you we can't, you know, then come, no one could come back and say, "Well, I wasn't aware of that." So, try and questions and we voted. No, not yet. We didn't put it on it though. Oh, we got to get motion. Second. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Discussion and possible action on the I rating renewal and districtwide pilot for reading adoption for 26. Dr. Wood. Good evening, President Long University of the board, Dr. Saxs. Um, I'm here tonight to put the recommendation in front of you on behalf of of the superintendent uh to make a motion to renew um our I Ready contract and to also approve the districtwide pilot of the K5 reading adoption for the 2025

0452026 school year at the cost of 1,573,95729 out of funded out of step 70. Questions for Dr. Woods? the I can't keep up with the the P under the shell here sometimes. So uh I read will that be A5 A5 portion? So u if you break it down it's several things. You have the I Ready diagnostic which is our assessment that we do um kindergarten through 8th grade. The um I Ready uh classroom which is essentially the math curriculum that's K through five. the uh magnetic reading that is the uh English program uh K K through five and then uh the toolbox that is K through eight but it's um a supplemental instructional resources K through eight and then you have the phonics for reading that is for our lower levels K through three um

046yeah I think I made all of them and we also have um the personalized instruction and the professional learning which is K has been K5 in the last two years, but we're expanding that to middle school for the first time instead of LL. So, this covers the whole the whole game. Great. Okay, great. So, um it said renewal and I was just wondering when I looked at the these calls, is there anything on here that we haven't used before? Yes. So, we're expanding the u the pilot for magnetic reading. So, that'll cover all of our lower level or all of our elementary schools, excuse me. And we already had that conversation with the principles just to get their buy in and blessing. Um when you look at the professional learning like Dr. Sax had alluded

047to, we had um excuse me, this year we had this will take the place of that because now we'll have that professional development and learning to support u our teachers and schools for K through 8. So that pretty much flip-flops it takes the place of it and a little bit of the Iring classroom that 720,000 because it's being expanded to middle school. It's a higher number than what we would have normally paid because of K5. So the expansion also is it it is it because um we're not using scholastic board already. Correct. Yeah. Okay. That was that was the big question I ask about that. Yeah, we we will be moving away from utilizing scholastic as our core and we'll be piloting um I ready magnetic reading um it's magnetic reading and um ready reading

048ready reading um or K5 ELA. Okay. I wasn't sure what magnetic reading was. They use a lot of different I have to look at it myself and I do want to say board you know this is a this is you know uh the recommendation is really built out of a sense of urgency uh because you've heard and seen the data from our are our um what I would say is has been a minimal minimal improvement and literacy in uh performance in the district. And you've also seen and heard from our uh our uh curriculum audit of some of where we're we're we're lacking. Um and that there is a high level of frustration with the current report. Um and then the fact that the state has, you know, postponed the ELA adoption for another year.

049Um we feel very passionately that uh we can't afford to wait for an actual statewide adoption in order to provide the best resources for our students here in Berkeley County to develop strong literacy skills. And so we need to be able to support our teachers and our schools um in the uh implementation of high-quality curriculum along with uh high quality instructional practice. And so the way we do that is we provide the resource and we support the implementation of that resource with high quality professional development. Um and and to let you know, we met with our principles to talk with them about is this the right path right now? And it was overwhelming over overwhelmingly positive. Um many of them were saying thank you, thank you, thank you. It was a I do think that

050there is uh you know obviously whenever you go and you try to pilot something this large scale is is there buy in? I will tell you that without a doubt none of this recommendation was made without in isolation and it was with very much consultation with stakeholders. So it was encouraging to hear some of those stakeholders that you're referring to, you know, at at our retreat last week. Um even though we were in individual groups for um part of that day and I didn't get to hear what maybe Miss Long did or Mr. Wright did or or Mr. Murphy or Mr. Martin, but it it was all collectively the same. I I that was one of the startling things when we came together for um the the together collaborative uh collaborative meeting in the afternoon.

051That was the startling picture that everybody was getting it. Everybody was seeing the same thing. Everybody was saying what the priorities looked like and we were all saying the same thing. So, I I love that, you know, there's there's continued buyin from from staff. Um, and that we're you you are correct, uh, Dr. Sachs, that we're we need to do this now rather than later. Our our kids our our kids need it. Our staff need it. Yeah. No, I I couldn't agree more. I I will say that you know of the input that we received the biggest concern I want to be fully transparent here is is that the biggest concern is is that there is a so there's there's two sort of products there's ready reading and then there's magnetic reading so ready reading

052is is a resource that um has been in existence for quite some time and it does have some areas in the standards that um may be lacking certain skills that need to be reinforced like certain areas around phonics for example and so um what we what we do in those areas is that we have a supplemental resource that will go in and help teach that like for example a product called youly which we currently already have magnetic reading fills those gaps and it you don't have to have all these other resources because all of those skills are absolutely sort of um are covered and addressed through the content that they provide. the the issue is magnetic reading will not be rolled out until like December. Okay. And so we I want to be very very

053intentional in the fact that we understand that. And so as we roll out our training with the start with magnetic reading and those standards and those expectations, we're going to have a crosswalk with teachers to show here's where you pull this, here's where you pull this, and then we'll be able to transition to magnetic in December. So there is there is a lot of intentionality behind this as opposed to waiting. Um but I did want to share with you that is probably where some of it was only one person that really brought that up um within our team but we feel very strongly that we've been able to address that. Would um would you agree? Yeah. So to give you an idea, um, one thing that we we put in front of the principles to

054talk to them about is as we're diving into the curriculum and we're in the process of re-evaluating and updating our curriculum maps. So the plan is to have, for example, in English, we want to be able to show a crosswalk between that grade level standard and then when we say the curriculum, but actually pinpoint teachers to where in the curriculum. So, if it's like standard uh 4A, they'll be able to look at like their IRA curriculum, unit 4B. So, they'll know exactly where to actually dive into their curriculum and teach. Um, but on the flip side, it will actually give our principles and um some of our supervisors the the tailored support within when they're going into classrooms, they'll know exactly what they're looking for to seek for that alignment. So now um this.5 million

055is coming out step 7B right question. Yes. Um I appreciate Jessica giving me the paper format here. Uh on your devices there. Do you have the uh school breakdown? Could you look at pages 10 and 11? Oh no. They have a page number at the bottom of a page there. Oh, page seven. 10. Yes, sir. All right. U if you need to go over here, I'll just figure it out. [Music] You may have already come this Dr. S. it. But on page 10, we have Hedgesville Elementary School with an enrollment of 540 students and it's covering grades preK through two. And the total cost for this school is $89,000. You go across the street to head Hedgesville Middle School on page 11 and you have 705 students, but we're only spending $30,000. I'm just wondering

056um why what's going on here? I can answer that unless you want to. Go ahead. Go ahead. Um so the difference is is that we are not purchasing the core content for middle school. We're only purchasing the personalized learning path which is the digital digital portion and the diagnostic. So, uh, the difference is they're not getting a core curriculum in math or ELA. Whereas at Hedesville Elementary, they're they have the resources for both the core math and the core ELA, which is why it's so much more. Okay. Now, when you say core, so like for example, it's the the textbook. Okay. So the textbook that um that the teacher will use to to teach every day every class that in the elementary will be through the ready reading and ready math at the middle school

057they have their own Glenco or uh Pearson or and I I hate to I don't know the adoption for ELA math. It's I I'll tell you like this Mr. Bur because it it it helps me and that's one of the things we're looking at the critical math. I think the word I Ready is getting thrown around a lot. So, we actually have a lot of teachers, they hear I Ready, they think about the diagnostic test. They hear I Ready, they think about the curriculum or they you hear I Ready and like Dr. Sax is saying, it's a supplemental resource but it's not your core depending on your grade. So, in the updated curriculum maps for the folks who have um portions of I Ready as the core, it's going to be stated in there. As

058you start going up the grade levels to middle school, when they see the reference to it, we're actually going to reference your supplemental resource. And we think that's going to help clean up a lot of clarity, but also make sure that all of our teachers, the the products and the things that they should be using, they know exactly um where to locate it, where to use it, and how to use it. So, um the middle school, uh what are they using for their core? That's a supplemental. Pull it up real quick. Our apologies for good question. So, just curious. This is in my computer, so I have to try real quick. Remember, you're on justice. So, yeah. Get it. No pressure. No pressure. I was just curious and and I and and while Dr. Woods

059is is collecting that, that was one of the things that was actually very challenging for him. Um, you know, the first, you know, couple weeks that he was here was he was trying to make sure he understood what the curriculum was we were using and he got lots of different answers. And so if I can be honest, um, and it's, you know, even when I was out and about talking to teachers, um, so kind of going to what you said, Mr. Murphy, there were a lot of teachers who were actually showing me items and it was the supplemental resources and they were like, "This is this is my curriculum." Um, so that is actually one of the big things I had reported back to Dr. sachs and I'd actually debrief with my team about like,

060hey, you know, I'm going in there and I'm just asking questions. I'm asking you what the kids are doing. I'm asking the teachers what they're planning for. I'm asking questions about what I'm seeing. And there was a lot of inconsistencies. Um, and you know, the thing is this is very foundational, you know, to a structured school system is is that you have a a core curriculum that everybody uses. you have a supplemental, you have a supplemental resource that enhances and and you know helps with tiered um additional support for students and then you still have the ability for some teacher autonomy with certain things as well. Um and so but it it helps provide consistency in how we provide expectations, professional development. when we go and do classroom walkthroughs, we can assess is the teacher

061teaching the content that to the grade level standards and so on so forth. So go ahead. So which one say it again? I think she wanted a middle school math and ELA. Middle school middle school ELA is a study sync which is um out of McGraw Hill. Um that's our that is our curriculum but one of the supplemental resources is I read. Okay. And then and that's and I'm sorry that is the one where when you heard the report from CLI that they said that you had study s books. still in packaging on that that was the example they yeah that's the curriculum and then you said math math 6 through8 is a reveal math which is um out of McGraw Hill and then some of our supplemental resources for that is for example I

062already tools for instruction like I already teacher toolbox um and and so forth well um this is probably totally open to open do we feel that the core um the core of the materials that we're using is up to par. Uh because in middle school, yeah, because our test scores are deplorable, but I I think you go ahead. Um I I think that's a that's a great question. I being honest, I think it's a it's hard for me to answer that right now because if if everybody isn't using the curriculum and actually has a good understanding of how to actually implement it, um I have a hard time faulting the curriculum same way as I'd have a hard time faulting the teachers. So once we have some of these cleaned up curriculum maps, then when

063folks are actually teaching their standard, they can actually see like where in the curriculum they're supposed to go. But something Dr. Saxs had said as well, I'll piggyback off of is when we when we're updating some of these curriculum maps, there could be sections where we say the core curriculum doesn't address that standard, but then we're going to plug in that supplemental resource. So that way teachers know like when they're looking to whatever they're teaching, they know exactly like where they're going and what resource they should be using. I think when we have more consistent uh conversations like that and planning then we can kind of come back to your question like how do we really feel about this curriculum that we're using? Well, all I'm asking questions but I just have one more will

064all of our schools be using the same supplemental like all the elementary and all the same supplemental resources. It depends on the um it depends on the grade level but then it also depends on the uh subject but I mean this thing grade levels will get across the okay because that was one of the issues that we found with Scholastic everybody and not everybody but many teachers were using something different might be that's just don't Rosemont people don't call that they might be using this but then view could be using something else and then or Pekkin's using something else. Yeah. Everybody was using because they they felt like Scholastic wasn't doing the job. So, they were hunting supplemental materials wherever they could to So, so we'll have for example um like I have a it's

065on a spreadsheet right now. It's kind of a dirty version, but each tab you click on it. For example, I can see all the math for the district, the curriculum, the supplemental resources. So, that'll be available. But how we're going to take it a step further to help the teachers is then in those curriculum maps where we start breaking it down standard by standard. Then when they hear um like if I'm K5 and I hear I already math. Okay. But then when I actually know which standard I'm teaching then I'll know like where in the curriculum to to start my instruction. I just if if you permit me I'd like to also add you had a great question that was is and and I think Dr. Woods answered it very well, but I just wanted

066to add to it and that is is is the middle school curriculum we have up to par. I think that one of the challenges that we've had that I've sort of been able to, you know, as you peel back the onion layers is that when we've had the adoption, you know, we've had we've had probably a decent initial training on how to use the resource, but I don't know that it's ever been aligned to a map to the standard to show teachers how to how to roll out or if it has, what has not happened is that when we have a teacher lead and we have a perm sub come in or a new teacher, you know, that's fresh out of school that we've been able to have what I would say is a sustainable

067professional development where we coach those teachers up with the resource. And that's really the beautiful thing of our new academic specialists and the work that Dr. Woods and his team are doing with the the um um the aims is that they are all going to become the experts in the maps and the content and the adoption so that as we are working in schools if it's a new teacher we can help build their capacity around the curriculum that's been adopted and we're the resources that are aligned to their standards and the maps. Then of course the same thing if you have a teacher that's struggling or you know administrator is is doing walkthroughs and he that he or she consistently sees that a teacher is not following the maps then we need to triage that

068with some additional support and some additional professional development maybe some modeling in the classroom and and before we really didn't have the staff to do that dedicated we didn't have a dedicated team to do that. we now have um a group that will is is all in alignment with the expectation, the resource, the practice um that can go in and help triage those situations as well as build a comprehensive system with for our new employees and and our perm subs. What I hear throughout all of this is empowerment. We're empowering our staff to understand where the stand what standards are and then how they're going to be able to implement into their classroom using the curriculum. And I think that is is crucial because to your point, you would go into a classroom and you

069could ask, you know, some questions and they'd immediately talk standards, then you could go into another classroom and they weren't. So I think there's that inconsistency there. And I think by doing it this way, we're going to see more consistency and we're going to see that level rise. So other questions for Dr. Woods? Can I have a motion to um approve the I read adoption at 1.5 second. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Next on the agenda 9.4 discussion with possible action on the Berkeley County File IDF equity and inclusion. Superintendent recommends a motion to abolish discussion. I am I'd like to offer amendment to the abolishment of it. That's propos. Can we get one to Michael? Okay. Yeah. I just want to make sure he he has a copy of it. Yeah, this

070whenever you're abolishing something, uh I think you can offer amendment to improve something before you abolish it. And I understand that there's a there are two executive orders to abolish all DEI things as well as a a bill pass Senate Bill 474 to abolish this. What I'm a asking is yes we would strike everything old policy but insert uh the language you have there in front of you. This language is section one of the 14th amendment the constitution. So the language itself would be constitution. The only changes would be I would retain Berkeley County file IDF instruction and I would retain the par the sentence equity and inclusion. I've included the language here. I think the section one of the constitution of the 14th amendment does this. It says everything's going to be equal. uh

071uh everything uh you you you can't deny your citizens uh different things. For example, we're saying we're getting rid of the equity and inclusion. Uh I don't have diversity in here. I just have equity and inclusion. And I So that language is there. That's out of the constitution. So, I don't think somebody could challenge our policy to pass something that's that's unconstitutional. Uh, the other thing that I I want to say that Berkeley County School are recognized as having the most diverse enrollment in the state, 30.4% of our enrollment. uh and uh so I believe that that is a another factor that I'm trying to be conscientious of. staff attorney gave us a very good crosswalk and I don't know how to I I don't want to jeopardize the passage of this amendment in court

072by including the crosswalk but the crosswalk does a very good job of pointing out and I think that with the crosswalk in this language someone could look it up and say well the school system is has violated title n we we can't hire a diversity person. I'm not suggesting we do, but we can hire a title N person, which we have. And so I think that uh rather than just abandoning the entire title, uh we should one keep in focus on what the Constitution United States does say tell us to do by putting it into our policy. And second, u I I would defer to you all uh whether we should also include in this policy the crosswalk that council has spent a lot of time uh doing. Uh I just believe that we do

073not by precluding this saying we are going to have to also be hitting people in a unequal fashion and also excluding them uh in everything. So that's that's my uh that's my concern. Okay. So I I don't I have to wait first as somebody makes a motion to put it before I offer that word. So, I guess you're making a a motion to um approve your uh I think first what he's saying is his first um well, so what is it? The agenda item is discussion and to take and to possibly take action on Berkeley County file IBM. If if um the board wanted to consider what Mr. Murphy was suggesting, um there would not need to be a motion. I think the motion would just need to be to uh amend IDF to do

074what you're asking it to do as opposed to a motion to abolish. If we do that, then we would then we would set the wheels in motion of putting it out for public comment for the amendment and then bring it back at a future board meeting. Well, what I was going to what I was going to say is uh the amendment was to uh to abolish the policy, but we didn't vote on that. So, there is no uh recommendation. I think that the superintendent recommendation to abolish the original motion, but we didn't vote on that. No, we haven't. But I think I just wanted before we abolish something, we we should try to perfect what we have before us. And so I I I didn't put in my motion there to uh remove everything after

075the words equity and inclusion of the original policy. And so we concluded there this paragraph. One I just want to say one thing when we have abolished other policies we have um in our policy man um put just just put in there where what section of code that it applied to in the law. Um whereas with this we didn't spell anything out because you would be reciting code. So, I kind of see that as the same thing with this. I'm just throwing that out there. Yeah. Well, I I'm saying we do have a section of code. Uh is is Qual monitoring this? Do we end this? I don't I don't believe she is. Okay. I should have called you in. Well, that's okay. Yeah. Um I I just think rather than abolishing the entire policy,

076we do that. Clearly says in the code that we have to do that, but we do not have to abandon being equitable and inclusive in our actions. And I want to retain that language and just put into the policy manual paragraph one of the 14th amendment or section one, excuse me. Well, another thing I'm just throwing this out there because where then on all our other policies do that we start um putting in the constitutions amendments to the constitution on our other policies. I don't want to get into you see what I'm saying. Yeah. I get this. I get what you're saying and I get what you want to do with it. I'm curious I because we have the other policies that address the the concerns that were key in articulation with the equity inclusion.

077I'm just wondering if we are we just have yet another policy that's stating verbiage from all the other policies. It's like what what are we actually doing? Um and and are we just having a policy to create a policy? And I don't want to do that for the sake of that. Um, but at the same time, I think we do need to be able to reference what has what was to what is and how do we do that? Well, to first answer President Long's decision or question, uh, when you look through here, for example, on the very last page of the when you say of the cross, okay? Yes. It's talking about the freedom of speech. So that's a direct reference to the first amendment of the constitution. No, it's talking about that academic. Yeah.

078Uh on the first page you have title n discrimination that's that's referring to a code section. So we we have this and we could uh by using this policy rather than abandoning the entire policy we could use this policy as a reference to crossbar all the other policies that are in existence. So somebody could say, "Well, uh, what about equity and inclusion includes?" And then you could you could go to this, but I just think that I I want to stay within the Constitution of the United States. Our Constitution of the United States says that we're going to be equal in our treatment of every So I just wanted I just thought, well, I ask the Constitution put it right in here. But aren't we doing that though in the other policy? Yes, we are.

079So, we're having a policy for the policy. Well, we and we're also reacting. I'm just asking. No, that's a good point. And my response is, are we just reacting to a title DEI? I think I I don't think that's necessarily us. I we're swept up in and we we are and there's there are several things we've been swept up in that are going to be controversial or you know or have been controversial will be controversial and I think um where where my where I sit is I don't want to have another policy just to have another policy that that's me that's me okay because we are we do have so many of the other policies that address what was in that policy. It It had a name. Yes. But if we already have it in

080all the other policies, why did we even have to have that to begin with? Well, we have to have it for the convenience of to make it look question not to look good. I I'm just asking to help anyone who is trying to find an answer. we have we will not have abandoned the idea of equity and inclusion and we'll have a place here if if we decide to include this language uh there to go back and say but all of these other areas are there and even in the law they're it's Senate bill 474 they refer to a number of these uh these laws both in the higher education and the general education areas So they're they're also referring to other sections just as our policy year. So where are we? Well, I guess

081I have a question actually. Um it's even on page well first page of crosswall at the bottom where it says adoption of instructor materials and key provisions. It says encourages balanced accurate representations of history and culture. How do you balance the Holocaust? How do you balance child slavery? How do you balance many of the things and even the law says um cannot cause discomfort? How do you teach those things and not cause discomfort? I agree and I understand our attorney can them but if my grandson is in class he feels discomfort and I see county schools because you taught something that he's now comfort board. You you rais a good point here and I was trying to avoid it in order to get when you read uh Senate Bill 474 that is the basis for

082that sentence. So on page four uh it says the discussion of those concepts and theory as part of an academic course if discussion of alternative theories is also included in the course and I I jot it down here. Well, if uh we're discussing that the time has to ch from 1948 to 19 or 2000 to pass an anti-ynching law. What do we have to go out and find the people the law to lynch people and ask them what was your motivation for lynching this person without giving them their chance in court and get their perspective as well as the the victims of lynching? Uh and and you properly ask the question world about the genocide of the Jewish people in Europe. Do you have to go dig up SSN Nazi people and say, "Well, why

083do you feel justified in doing what you did to those people?" I I question that uh aspect of the law. I understand that they want they don't want you to be biased in your instruction because some things are just so horrendous. Well, let me say dig up and say the to me if I was if I was an educator, I was a social studies teacher because they say it has to be balanced. Have somebody speak against slavery. Invite somebody from a white supremacist group to talk the reason why it should be and have them come and speak to our students and see then see what complaints we get because you can't get a complaint because we're showing balance. My concern is how do you determine what's actually balanced? balance to me is one thing could

084be very unbalanced. I was gonna say but there's there's subjective views to that in definition. The reason why is because historically the daughters of the American Revolution censored textbooks to make sure that those things weren't in there so that people got a work view of history throughout for for generations. When they taught the truth then it's all a sudden what? This this can't be true. This is not right. But I would argue and this goes and this goes back to something that we learned on Tuesday last week with Dr. Woods is understanding the definitions is crucial and key. And I think that is probably where we're going to have to have a different conversation. I don't know that that conversation is solved by retaining or abolishing the equity and inclusion policy. It it is something

085that we have to discuss period. I I think we absolutely need to teach our children uh the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. We have to. It's the only way we're going to be able to learn from our history, learn where we're at right now in order to get to where we hope we can get to, which is being a civilized conversation with folks. Um but at the same time I I think I think that the articulation of balanced the word balanced the word um and we can have that discussion about accurate representations of history because absolutely when people have won a battle they can absolutely write whatever they want to right well it's not actually it's not even about who won because this in this case the people that lost That's a problem.

086And and so now my thing is I what I was suggesting even in May was rewriting the policy, not abolishing it, rewriting it in a way that conforms with the state law, but very unequivocally states that Bry County Schools is going to make sure we treat all students equally, but the and the students that help going to help them. But we already have that in all the other policies. Why do we have to have a standalone policy to say that when we've got it in all the other ones? I guess my concern is that um where it says encourages balanced accurate and rep representations of history and culture. A teacher might be thinking they're doing that and then a parent uh will contact them and say Johnny says you didn't teach this this and this

087and I don't I don't see any balance there at all. So I I mean I just think we're drawing at straws here and we have polic. I just think it's that we have a policy that that we're we're trying to create a policy that other policies already address. We should we should have left the one that we have there and just and just edit it slightly. choice. No, no, we we do have the choice if we edit it in a way that still conforms with the state law and and I said before I I want the state to tell us where we have violated it. Well, what says that they want the policies abolished, not where we violated it? No, where we violated the law. Where did we violate the law? We not abolishing the

088policy. No, no, no. Certain certain There are certain things they want out of the policy, but that's what they're that's where they're going to go with it because the executive orders specifically reference the polic I understand what you're saying. I'm just I'm I'm telling you they're they're going to come they're going to come at us from a different perspective than what you're trying to make. I not disagreeing with what you're trying to make it as. I'm just saying they're going to look at this and go you didn't you didn't get rid of it. My my concern is not us. My concern are the individuals trying to teach this that are going to be fear scared to death of what they teach and what they don't teach. I think and the other problem when you read

089the law here the principles are put in in a precarious position too. they are because they have to treat the complaints in a certain manner and that so I think one history will be subject of the past like handwriting I hope I mean but I I just think I I just think people are saying I'm not going to go through this madness and doing it and we'll we'll just not have history classes over to avoid the the stalemate that the the planes can do I But Mr. Rice properly mentioned here discomfort it's in here. I mean what makes you uncomfortable and we start and I just so you know it just it it's it scares you. I I don't want to see the and I supported this concept back in the 80s when I was

090in the legislature that the legislature oversee the rules and rates propagated by the state department. But after I've read this law, I've changed a lot. I I I just I'm just uh everybody's trying to put their fingerprints into the what's going on in the classroom and they're going they're going to be doing more harm to the classroom and the education of our children than what you would think it's going to benefit. And I I just but I'm trying to keep the policy with first amendment constitutionally okay. If you pass a con language from the constitution saying you're going to treat people with under equal protection under the law and you're going to and you can't preclude them from life, liberty and all these other uh pursuits that it says in the constitution, I think we'll

091be safe and we'll be will be in compliance with the law and our language will not be declared unconstitutional by the state because it's part of the constitution. Well, that's what you say. My my my my question goes to something that we all were talking about just a few minutes ago that administrators and teachers are going to be put in a position that whether or not that was intended it is what it is right so my question for our um staff Dr. Saxs and Dr. Woods is how are we going to facilitate and assist our principles and our other staff to to understand that you know teaching history you know you're going to talk about uncomfortable subjects teaching math there going to be people that are uncomfortable so how do we do that and ensure

092that they because irrespective of what language we put in here because I I I love you Dr. Murphy or Mr. Murphy. Sorry. Oh my gosh, I said I said the wrong thing. Um I but I just I wonder does having this language from the Constitution actually protect our our teachers and staff the way that we were just talking about and I don't think it does. So from that perspective, how are we helping our our staff? I'm going to ask for keep I know for all so How are we not gonna answer that question? Go ahead. Yeah, that's fine. I I apologize. I was trying to find I I wanted to make sure that I could clarify um some of the question which was you know could we just take out certain portions or what have

093you and and I was trying to find the exact email that I had from the council um in that where she had clarified for us that the legislation was mandating the elimination of DEI related off offices officers programs training and policies across all departments agencies public schools and higher education institutions. I was just trying to find that that actual guidance from her. Well, you sent it to us and that's exactly what I remember. I'm saying it's going to and I don't think it prohibits the board from doing something different. It's just that that is what the law had stated. And um I don't want to um I don't want you to feel like I don't because I absolutely understand uh Mr. Murphy's uh points and I also understand and absolutely and I don't disagree at

094all with what Mr. right has referenced even in some communications that I know that he and I had which is you know at what point you know you know there's going to be points when our kids are uncomfortable over historical situations and what do you do in those situations and so I think that would be a good point for you to to if you would talk about how how will we handle this I mean I can kind of speak of it firsthand I was a history teacher so I taught world history too and one of the units that I had to cover was world religions and um you When you think about that standard, it talks about uh teaching what they consider at the time the five main world religions and you know so you

095have Christianity of Judaism Islam and I just know firsthand that you know by when I was a classroom teacher I got called in by my principal because a a parent had got upset based on what I had taught. I was able to show the standard and showed like this is what I was supposed to be teaching. you know, they spoke to some of my students just to make sure there was nothing that they thought I was insinuating in there and and everything was fine. Um, so I think it still goes back to our teachers knowing what they are supposed to be teaching when you look at the standards and then sticking to that. Um, as long as you do that, you you will be fine. But but there are things that you you unfortunately can't

096anticipate sometimes how someone's going to react, right? But what you can do is if you're teaching and instructing what you're supposed to and you can stick by that, you put um yourself the principles and then myself in positions where we can support you. You did what was right. And I think that's the answer that I was hoping you would say was you go back and point specifically to the standards. I think that's that it goes back from what we were talking about with the literacy. We have to empower our staff, empower them to know the standard, empower them to show them how they can complete that standard. And then at the end of the day, I think we are going to end up with a balanced accurate representation of history and culture. But at the

097same time, we are also going to have times where you are uncomfortable. I I don't I do not know how you can teach history and not be uncomfortable at certain times about it. There just is. Well, let me let me ask you this. Um when we say teaching the standards um for history since we don't know what they are um I mean it's showing the standards um like you mean like right now like you mean like if I was the teacher if you were if you were a teacher well if you the teacher you know you pull them up for example like they're available on um like the state website you you would just pull it up you would you would look at what uh like the action it's asking you do to do and

098then the content that it wants you to cover and that's where you would you would be that's where you craft your lesson plan that's where you craft like how I'm going to go through um the different strategies and so forth with the student or students for that day but you you stick at that standard I think where the the concern can be and not even just from history but I mean you could have it happen like in math or or science so forth if folks want to go on a tangent and they start doing something that's not aligned to what you're supposed to be doing. You do put yourself um at risk in in a in a very gray area and then you make it hard for someone like myself to come in there and

099support you when I'm the first thing I'm going to do is look at okay, what were you supposed to be covering that day? Show me your your lesson plan, your instruction, and then if you pivot into something that you weren't supposed to, you know, you put us all in a bad spot. Okay. I just want to make sure that that's clear and that teachers and others um I mean even in elementary when they're teaching that they know exactly. Yeah. I I have found that uh nine times out of 10 what actually gets someone in hot water is when they're trying to teach a standard around religion as an example and they they you know are are sharing um or or instructing as to what these different religions are but then they offer an I think

100or an I believe. Yeah. And that's and that's usually and it's sometimes it's hard when you're trying to share passion and those sort of things, but that's usually what happens when it comes to those those um I would say sensitive topics when we have different races, different um religious beliefs, different values in our in our schools is is we we don't want to come off as oppressive or as um um as uh culturally insensitive. or religiously insensitive um to make other people feel less than or what have you. But often times it's because we offered the I think or I believe statement and that's where it sort of goes off the tracks. The the law itself says on page four section says a school district all the other state department of education chartered school board

101or important but a school district the forementioned entities may not provide instruction and require instruction make part of a course or require a statement or affirmation by any employee of the following concepts. Then you go down to the list of concepts. Number six, an an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of the individual's race, ethnic, background, or sex. And then it goes one of the others. So I mean you can have one person sitting there in your crowd who who who who like like you said Mr. Ray feels discomfort say my wife's family is German. So, I mean, they've been here a long time, so I'm not worried about somebody being related, but I'm sure they have cousins many times removed who were part of the German

102uh atrocities in World War II. And u they would, you know, they would sit there and well, my great great great grandfather um related to this psychological distress. I've got a complaint against my teacher. My my amendment won't address it. My amendment won't address it, but that's what's in this law. And it's and I like and I'll say it again. It will it I think it's going to hamper instruction. They're going to have to come back and clean this up. They It's going to hamper good legitimate awareness, preparation of our students to be citizens of the community. um uh just just all kind you know history is taught so you don't repeat the problem and and uh that's and that's what I'm worried about is going to suppress that awareness of the problem people of

103my generation a lot of us didn't realize what the Holocaust was about until the Lei Urus wrote the book Exodus and then then we we became aware and we weren't taught it. I I don't know why. I guess we had sort of 1920 standards or something. Did a pretty good job teaching us things, but but some things were were omitted. Look at the genocide of the Native Americans in the 1880s and a lot of and we still you know all we do is go back and talk about well this group lived in long houses this group lived in peas but we don't talk about the policy of of the western expansion of the white people to take over the ind was a was a government policy students come but the uh and we don't we

104we need to we need to teach things to our children. If you want to teach parents to a child, teach them about the negro baseball and and the involvement of that that the kids who were right off the bat, that's not fair. And then, you know, when you talk about Satchel Page and Gibson and all the other great players of the day. So you can teach lessons that also teach other lessons, but what you're trying to prevent in history is that your future history doesn't repeat the old history because you didn't study it. And that's and I love history and boy I I just I just am worried. But I wanted to try to bring to this board a way to teach and centralize that we do have to be equal in our treatment. We

105have to include all of our people and we have to be sensitive that we have a large minority of students who are not all of the majority. Well, can I have a motion? Okay, I'll move to Brandon policy before as presented by superintendent. I have something else to say. Go ahead. Okay. I I then wrap it up. That's fine. That's fine because I You know how many times been here 11 12:00 I want to get up early so I have everybody in here. Well, so I wrote this. I never say this. Go ahead. We can be here all night. That's not a problem. But we need to come up with something concrete instead of just going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth because this is an important issue. I'm not taking away

106from any of that. I get it. Obviously, I know we've gone back and forth on many, many issues, many nights in here and and yeah, but anyway, I wrote this stuff over a month ago, but I wanted to make sure that I said what I had to say because it it's I'm getting frustrated. Uh, and I'm not the only one. Many people in the community are frustrated as well. So, one of the one of the things in this um let's see what's it called the uh cross um talks about um equal employment opportunities, encouraging hiring of most qualified candidate possible without discrimination, etc., etc., and all these other uh things. And we just had a training last week. So, I had had a couple questions, but one, Murphy County was formed in 1772. By County

107School, as you can see, started in 1862. Can anyone tell me how many assistant principles or principles of our high schools that have been persons of color, not just black, any race since 1772 and 1862, how many assistant principles and principles have we had in this count? Well, I can only tell you after I was born or after I went to high school. I would tell you that one since 1862. That was Dr. Perry. Yeah, that would surprise me a bit. So that county grammar school because that was all black school. So there was no no. So see and so right now it seems like the graduates of Rammer school which we just had a documentary about last year at the pace we're going all of them will be deceased or will ever have an

108administrator that will be a person of color because right now we don't have any assistant principles or principles that are minority. Well we had Fred Johnson. We had Fred I'm saying now. Oh now Mr. Baker right now. No. No. No. high school. He's talking about secondary and that and that's another point, right? Currently, for the last I don't know how many 30 years or so, the only positions people persons of color could get are at the elementary level. We had one at one middle school not counting Mr. Baker because he was there for a short time and that was at the end of her career where she went from a from a teacher to to the uh principal of school that was Miss Clark. Well, we had that was Mr. Robinson was teacher, [Music] right?

109Yeah. He was he was my help. Yes. Exactly. So, um see um so many of the staff like I said we have so many staff that were were also not hired teachers after Rammer Club. The principal Mr. Franklin was not able to be a principal in Berk County because the residents would not allow a black man to teach their students. It seems that from from 1964 to now, we are continuing that same thing where where minorities are not able to get past the glass ceiling of the secondary school. We have students that are now in prek that will go through 12th grade and may never have an administrator of color and some will never even have a teacher of color. We're out prek through 12th grade, but we have 30% of our students that are

110non-white as as Mr. Murphy stated. So 30 30% of our students will go make or probably at least 10 15% of our students will go through school and never see anyone that looks like them in any position of authority unless they can make to board office where we have a history of hiring. We have Dr. Woods, we had Dr. We have Dr. Alonso, we had Dr. Walker, we had uh Dr. Perry. So, but and notice what I said on the front of all their name, doctor. So, it seems like in order to get this board office of a person of color in a position of power, you have to have a doctor. That's historical. That's that's not me making this stuff up. Hey, it's amazing that we're coming on 40 years since Dr. Perry left

111to come to the board office that we have not had anyone else of his level. I'm glad Dr. Wood is here. probably the highest ranking minority that Berkeley County has ever had and and I'm glad to see that we're moving in that direction, but we are still and it's good that we have these well educated staff like Dr. Walker and Dr. Albano that I mentioned, but if our students aren't seeing those same faces in the classrooms and in their administration, we are failing. We just had training last week on the opportunity. I don't know if anybody else noticed, but one of the things the said was that a study showed that 66% of teachers who shared their students race or ethnic ethnicity held high expectation for those students versus 35% who do not. If we

112want our students, if we want high expectations for our students, but we don't have the staff that are going to push that same high expectation from the studies, it's not me saying our staff is racist or anything like that. I'm saying this is based on studies. We are going to fail our students, especially our our minority students. They're going to fail because they don't have people that are going to push them and expect more of them than they expect of themselves. And we as a board and we as a county school have failed for hundreds over 100 years, but at least for the last 60 years, we have failed. And it's it's frustrating and tiring that I'm probably gonna die or my grandson or my great grandchildren. Somebody looks like me in a classroom or

113this boardroom. And it's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. I'm glad my father didn't come here. He's going to die and he's never going to see somebody that looks like him ever. You all don't live that life. You've never had that happen. You've always had somebody that looks like me. And I tell you that. And I'm tired of it. We have we have people that leave this county, go loud, go Pagerstown, go all over the place because they can't get anywhere here and they will never work here because of the history. And and I'm saying it's that we can work as we can be in elementary, we can educate our elementary students, but we cannot seem to get past the hurdle of middle and high school. It doesn't make sense. It's sad. And it it's frustrating. It just

114angers me. I want qualified, not the uh as people want to interpret it. Qualified people of color leading our students because every student succeeds that way. Especially our white students can really benefit from it because you won't think the only thing that we're good for is tap dancing and and entertaining you. every time we get well this person successful this person said yes there's a few people that have made it out and been successful that's wonderful I want everybody to be able to do that I want everybody to be able to have that opportunity but we're as the study shows we're not expecting it I want I want more people of color to even apply yes I love that force but why would you apply when you can see that in 60 years we've never

115even we've never even had one so why would I think I'm ever going to get it I'll go someplace else. If if the people that I see on our little advertisements, yes, they're in the board office, but they're not they're never in a classroom, they're not in school. So, I'll work here for a couple years and I will leave. You're talking about an administrator. If there's no if there's no path for me to go up except to leave, then I'm going to leave. I agree with you. I mean, it's all of us would do that, but I'm like I said, I wrote this over a month ago and it's been and I'm just like the sister's just getting it's been diarrhe You know, I was saying this in the summer um the teachers push their

116students push their students anybody that graduated there was were excellent. Yeah. They came here. They came to came to Berkeley County School and many of them were poured out of their mic. They' already learned everything. They had they'd already been taught all the things that county school was trying to teach because the teachers there again just like expected more. They knew they had to learn more and they had to do better because they were already going to face the hurdle, the race. So they had to be more intelligent, work harder, and do everything else more. And still that might not get you the job. So, I'm I'm I'm just asking you all what what are your suggestions? What What do you want done besides this that I don't think does much doesn't do much? I

117appreciate it, but I don't think it I want some kind of motion or Okay, I I'll get the ball rolling here. First, I will move the super recommendation. Abolish abolish you. I'm going to put it in the position so I better Okay. I move to to bring the super desk recommendation before the board. Second on favor. Uh I wish to offer an amendment to the motion. Got to be quick with you. I move to amend the motion by striking everything after the title of the policy that's before you that we're going have so far and insert their section one of the 14th amendment right after the title equity and inclusion. That's my question. I'm not I'm just I understand. I'm hoping somebody will second. I will second I will second it in in in fairness

118since you have seconded some of my motions that would never see the light of of day approval. So I I reciprocate. Yeah, I second the motion. Thank you. I wish to speak briefly to my motion. Brief. Where? The other day we went to a signing of the bill legislature of truths to teachers and one of the persons commented in there. We need more men in the classroom. Now that would be against the law that they passed at the same time before saying you can't make any sexist statements. So here I'm sitting there listening that we need more men in the classroom. And I'm a veteran who became the teacher who went through all the hoops. But I'm saying we we selectively pick the parts of the law we sometimes want to follow and we don't

119realize we're doing it. And I think we sometimes selectively have people who are racist and don't realize they're doing it. I mean, it's just been it's been a occurring. And so I am trying to keep equity and inclusion before us in our policy and a consolidated panel. And the only way I thought I could do it after reading the law is to put something forward before this board that it's supreme or over over what this law is and that is the United States Constitution. United States Constitution that amendment that I'm offering here says you're going to treat people equally. It's it even says here it talks about persons. It first talks about citizens of the United States but then it starts talking about to nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction. That's talking about

120all your illegal immigrants. There's people, you just don't try and pick them up and throw them on a plane and ship them off somewhere like some people might think they should be doing. You've got they're in our country and after them, even though they're breaking our laws, they're entitled to a chance to go to court and be hurt to be get that due process that a lot of people don't realize our United States Constitution says that. That's why a lot of people are in the court. Now, I'm not sitting I I I've I have Hispanic I've had Hispanic children in my classroom, very polite, hard workers. I've had when when this law if this law goes into effect about immigration general, you're not going to get anybody to shingle your roof because a lot of

121them are Hispanic. You're not going to get anybody to put drywall over the new home. We're short of houses now and we're going to be shipping off a lot of people who are providing the housing shortage. But I am focused on our students here. I am focused on their children and I want to make sure that our children all of them that 10 9% Hispanic whether they're legal or not. And that's wrong on my part. I just made a mistake. I'm sitting there making a statement treating all of our Hispanic children as though they're noncitizens. And I just made a mistake. We do it. But we need a policy that keeps us straight. And I think and I I thought about this and I was angry the first time this was before us. I was

122making all these statements, but I I scooled off and I sat down. I thought I've got to take something back and say we've got to keep equity and inclusion before us. We need to be able to do it. And I thought the only way to do it is to take something as superior to the west to the West Virginia code United States Constitution. So I want to I'm urging you all to put this in there. Good arguments made against policy for policy sake. That's that's a wonderful argument and I can't defend it. You are absolutely right. But we got a heated policy before us that says to our children and our children's parents, we have we want to treat your children in an equitable way, an inclusive way, and we need to keep that that

123one paragraph there. Everything else, okay, we have to get rid of it. Superintendent is right. But we have to keep something there in front of us that says do our students and our parents there is a higher law than the West Virginia code. That's the United States Constitution. And in the United States Constitution, we have a form of equity and inclusion and let's just put it down. That's all I'm trying to do. My my concern is um that we still would be directed to get rid of the policy. Is there I got a question. Is there a way we could then append as a policy? It's not a policy. It's just it's just statements of what we're going. So it's not really So that was like a permission statement that talk about inclusion and everything

124else. We u have other statements, but they're just statements. They're not policy. So the way that we could have the procedure statements I disagree when I was asking I don't know. So it's no the way the policy has more standing than intention. Oh yeah. Well well my concern is that we were directed to get rid of anything to do with equity inclusion and diversity. They can't tell us to get rid of 14%. No but then you need to call it something else. That's that's the policy in our in our miss statement and some of our statements. We have the word inclusion and equity in there too. Yeah. So he's he's making this a policy. Oh yeah. And call on it and putting it in. I see what you're saying. You you can you can violate

125the mission statement, but you can't bo. Yeah. So unless you want to call this something else. I want to call it what it is. Well, we were directed not to do not have that. We lose our funding. That's up to you if you want to lose the funding. Well, I have to add it. if it was that and they I don't know they would be saying we don't 14th amendment. So I mean I get I get what they're trying to do. Um there's two words right there. I mean that's the competition. So I guess is there a is there a perception that we're being childish? Is there a perception? I'm gonna I'm gonna If that's the case, then the legislature would charge. I'm not in disagreement with you, but when you have people pitching fits

126on both sides, nobody wins. The people that get lost and in all of the shuffle are the people that are in the middle, which is our staff and our students. So, I I'm I'm sitting here saying to myself, we have policies that address all of these concerns that we're putting out. I don't I do not agree with having the blurb from the Constitution. The Constitution it we we have it. Uh I I just I feel like we are going to be fighting off more than we can chew because we have a policy that we were told to get rid of. And the ones who are going to fail are our kids and our staff. Doesn't address the equity includment they're talking about. What does this what forward doesn't address? Right. But there's a policy period

127named equity and inclusion. Yeah, that's that's the problem. Got a policy called equity and I hear what you're saying, but what they've told us is to get rid of those policies. If the policy is labeled that it's not going to matter whether you say the tree has green leaves on it, they're going to sit there and go get rid of it. Um, I I think we've done what they told us to do. Got rid of the policy. Well, we haven't voted on that yet. Well, I mean, no, because you made an amendment. I know, but we got rid of the policy. And now, if they're telling us to get rid of the 14th Amendment, then they're going to be able to get us, but we're not having that conversation right now. We're having the conversation

128about this false suit. So, I guess I'm almost where we are. We Thank you, Mr. We voted to Did we We have not vote. Did we vote to abolish the policy? No. He offered an amendment. Vote on the policy. He had to vote on the policy first. Yes, that's exactly right. I mean, I want the amendment first. The amendment first. So, do I have a second to Mr. Murphy's amendment? I I seconded it just so that we could have the conversation and have the vote. Um, all in favor of um Mr. Murphy. Mr. Murphy. So, amen. Say I opposed. Nay. Mr. Martin. Oh, Mr. Martin, where are you? Yeah. Nay. Can you hear me? Okay. So, 32. So, we have abolished the policy and that's where we are. No, we we we've amendment. Now, we

129still need to policy policies. So now can I have a motion to abolish the policy IDF? Well, you already have it. You need a um you already have the motion. Second it. Yeah, that was how you got to the amendment. So you have a you have I think anybody second I seconded it because Pat Pat offered it for us to be able to open it up to then so that he could then members I made the motion and you said I want to offer an amendment. I didn't hear any second. That's okay. I I I did say I apologize. our motion. So all in favor of the motion to abolish IDF say I I too. Thank you all for the praying. Of course, no actions. Madame President, board members, um we have we have Mansel

130with us this this afternoon. Um because um Dr. Skoolie is out and I think Mr. Kimlowski is also out on vacation and so she has graciously accepted to be able to present personnel to each. Good evening members of the board, President Long and Superintendent Saxs. The personnel actions stated for Monday, June 16th, 2025 are as follows. We have two coaching appointments and one coaching resignation. We have one extra duty contract resignation. We have two unpaid leaves of assets. For professional personnel, we have 21 professional appointments. We have one change of assignment for the next school year and four mutual agreements. We have four policy 5,000 hires for the 2526 school year. We have rescended the reduction in force of 10 employees. One will be assigned to a new position and nine will remain in their

131position for next year. We have three professional resignations and two revised retirements for their effective dates. We have 17 transfers for the 2526 school year. I would like to bring your attention to line 55. Dr. Tyler Long will transfer from the principal position at Tuscoral Elementary to the director of alternative education. And line 56, Miranda Lynch has been hired as a principal of Martinsburg High. She was formerly the technology assistant director. Miranda's here with us tonight. We have 14 professional personnel who have been removed from the transfer list. Nine have been assigned new positions for the next school year and five will remain in their position. For service actions, we have four service personnel appointments and nine change of assignments for service personnel. We have two mutual agreements of service personnel changing their contract terms

132and two annual reclassifications changing titles due to a change in duties of service personnel. We have one removed from the preferred recall and assigned to a new position for the next school year. We have six resignations of service employees and three retirements. We have 12 transfers of service personnel beginning on line 123. We have 40 45 service employees who have been removed from the transfer list and assigned to positions along with two who have been removed from the transfer list to remain in their current positions for the next school year. We have two upgrades of service personnel due to college hours or certification. We have 18 new appointments of substitute service personnel, two renewals of substitute contracts, two removed from the substitute list that have been rescended, and one substitute service resignation. For professional substitute

133teachers, we have 10 appointments of professional day-to-day substitutes, one substitute teacher that has passed away, 15 renewals of substitute contracts, and six resignations of professional substitute contracts. Tonight we also have 95 summer school appointments, one correction of a summer appointment, one summer appointment rescended, and five summer healthcare appointments for a total of 328 professional service and substitute personnel actions for tonight for your consideration with Superintendent Sax's recommendation. Uh before we vote, I want to excuse myself of line 55. And I think Mr. um you can say the reason. Oh, the reason codes is relevant. Mr. Right. Yeah. I have to recuse myself from line 56. I'm number five. Okay. You have a von. So would we want to vote on what you say your number was? Number five. On all the actions um with line

134five, 56 and 55. So move and I have a motion to accept the personnel actions um close out line 55 56 and line five. So move second in favor I had a couple questions. Oh sure Murphy before you answer those questions can I make a couple points just because it might actually question. Okay. Um I I wanted to point out that um part of one of the mutual agreements for for change is for Mr. Pontton to come back and he he would be the um uh ELA um and social studies uh uh coordinator for K through 12. That allows for Mr. Burkhart um to go off of Bird Recall and to go to back as principal of Mountain Ridge uh Mountain Ridge Middle School. So that's in this evening's um personnel action. The other thing

135is is that it also takes account for the restructuring of our transportation department with adding um the structuring which you all um were consulted on. Um and it gets those people that were on again transfer from those positions back in as coordinators for routing and allows us to be able to have two clearly delineated transportation. um higher I guess chains of command uh for the north and the south. So I just wanted to make sure I shared that with you all because I know that those were things that you know um were sort of left still in limbo was the Mountain Ridge uh middle school uh principal and then of course um the the restructuring of transportation and those impacted staff. So I just wanted to be able to share that with you also. So

136I apologize. Right. you you answered partial good one of my question uh and that is I know you're you're trying to cut down the top heaviness that's perceived I heard you on the radio where you did a good job here and u so I'm just wondering with all of these positions are we still going to see a reduction this number of administrators with these other positions or will we see fewer reduction, a smaller reduction. I apologize. I'm not sure I understand your question. I apologize. Well, I think I think in your reorganization, you you saw a a reduction of about 10. Oh, yes. Mhm. And I was just wondering, did you have to compromise on that 10? Have you added one or two? I think we would actually be at eight with these some of

137these modifications. Yes, sir. So, it's still a decent number. Yeah, it's it's it's little significant saving. Yeah. Um my other question was um we're hiring the itinerary school safety officers. I I thought maybe we excuse me for forgetting, but in our budget process, we're not going to go through with ethic to hire them. We're going to do them directly to the school system. We actually that that was not necessarily discussed in the budget process. The budget process was just allocating the the funding to add However, the reason that we have to go with our employees as opposed to Epic is it was um the new state law and how we employ those individuals. Um we actually could not employ officers through external through an external agency. We have to hire them in the school district

138or contract with a law enforcement agency itself. So that is the reason for the change and you'll actually see those Epic employees become Berkeley County School employees, but we did get some additional funding for those offices. Um, we allocated funds through our budget. I wish we got additional funding, but no, that didn't happen. That was something that was brought in, but it didn't go anywhere. I think it's really important to point out though that this board did prioritize funding for safety officers in our schools because because of the fact of how important it is. So yes, I I do have I do have a question when you're when you are Okay. Well, my last question I saw a lot of the ecats were on the transfer list. Could Could you go into detail about that?

139Well, they're also on here. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Um I'm gonna have to ask maybe transfer. Okay, I'm going to actually ask Karen if she can answer that question since she's dealing with those transfers day in and day out. So, she could probably use that better than I could. Well, during the budget process, there was a change in how we were um handling prek aids. So, we did have several prek aids that were put on transfer um to change how they were allocated. Um luckily, you know, most of our aids have been already taken off transfer. I only have um 30 left out of uh I had 83 to begin with because we added all of the third grade needs. Um so it's really changing where the aids are located. Instead of maybe being

140all in prek, they're they're spread out through some of the other grade levels including the third grade which we had to add 43 additional aids for third grade. And we had for whatever reason going to two aids for prek which was above the state formula. Correct. And we were throwing the entire cost for that extra and we're transferring I don't want to say transfer but offering people an opportunity to go to go back to just one aid per brief aid and that extra aid by seniority and get a third grade teachers aid position or other or other places or other places. But they also are uh unless that um prek child was a special need that age still there. Yes. Yeah. And that's a really good point. I I I know I had an email

141from someone that um I don't remember it was anonymous or or what have you, but they but they had said they were critical over the fact that we were we, you know, in a classroom that had um severe um disabilities or or mental impairment or what have you that we were, you know, taking away a staff member. And that that was just inaccurate. I just want to make sure that's clarified. is that are classrooms at the pre-K level that are classified as special needs. Um those will still have two ECATs. Um and we also have in some of our schools that have high prek classroom numbers um have floating ECAPs also to help with coverage and those sort of things as well. So that was also still in there. Um just just for clarity, I

142know um it looks like we have um number line number seven, a mathematics teacher at a middle school that's going to be um out for a little bit, the first part of next year um the 25 26 school year because of that that individual being being out um for a significant part of that first, you know, uh part of our our our new year here. I'm concerned because it's mathematics. Where are we at? And you might not know this and that's totally fine, but how are we doing as far as staffing that particular position so that there is someone with the mathematics background to to fill in for that role for a while and I can't speak specifically who the sub's going to be in this room, but I can tell you knowing this far

143ahead of time, which is really good, gives us time to plan. We have an excellent coordinator of our substitute pool that works with that employee along with Mr. Camel to find a good person to fill in for that long long-term leave. So, we have the time to do to look for that person now. And there might already be someone. They could have already picked. A lot of our teachers work with the subs that they know that they trust to be in their classroom. Yeah. They they pre- select which is nice with professional substitute do that. Okay, great. I just I know I know we've got some lead time. It was just more of I know parents are potentially going to see that and uh oh, what do you do? Because it's a math class. This

144isn't, you know, um a class that isn't um shouldn't even say it isn't. It's not. It is it is a core class. So, correct. This is it's hard. I just want to make sure we're covered. But I would also suggest that when if you all have a question on a specific position like that, I'd be happy to make sure that what we do is that we follow up with the principal and provide you all an update saying that that specific position where there's going to be a a long-term leave of absence, here is what we're doing in order to ensure adequate uh coverage in their absence. So, um Dr. Woods and Mrs. Clutner can make sure we report back to you all. um just a simple email plan. Hey, that position was in question. Here's

145what we're here's what we're doing to address that. So, yeah, I because math is such a a poor area. I'm I just want to make sure they're they're good. Well, and also and this since Karen was all service personnel, Jason Camoski, you already might know that. That's right. And I know that's why I made the comment. I don't know that you know, and that's okay. He did a great job answering it though. Um, so I that was my that was my my big um t I guess quote unquote takeaway. I um it's it's very interesting looking over um this this list of of personnel and and it's encouraging to see some of our our ECATs coming off of um the list. I know you said you've got about 30 left and I don't sleep until

146they are all How how confident are you? I'm I'm very confident. I was I was going to share um just for your information, this is a little outside of the box, but I still have 98 open jobs. Okay. And the reason is it just takes time to go through the lists because there's so many people on transfer. My principal's got lists with 90 names, right? And so it takes time to get through that list. I have no doubt that we will uh find a place where there's definitely and we do not hire anybody off the sublist or outside of the county until these 30 people have a have a spot. All those people will be placed before the first day of school. I I'm hoping they're going to get placed in the next couple weeks.

147But sometimes it sometimesakes sometimes it's also on that employee to say yes, I'll accept that position, right? And so, you know, the principles are having there, right? Yeah. The principles are having to call through that list and say, "Do you would you accept this job?" No. Then they go to the next one. No. And so, you have people that, you know, they don't want to they don't want to live, you know, in Hendrisville and travel all the way to Edward, for example. You know, and so I want I lived down the north end. I traveled to Bunker Hill for eight years. So, it's what you like. I I was going to say it's easy. I mean, I I shouldn't say that. Sometimes it's effect one job. I didn't have a question. Did you ask? Yes.

148You have any um concerns because uh I know for Virginia for instance, they can now push or lack of a better term our people because they're closed from doing that themselves. That's so current today. Yeah. So now they have an opportunity to reach out to our people and be like, "Hey, I want to come here." I'll be I don't find that as often with service personnel um because most of people want to work where they live. So I haven't you see it more with professional than you'd only see a handful of people. So and usually it would be on the fringes of the county. We do have the we do have the in West Virginia the 20-day hold rule which is 20 days before the instructional term begins that people are under contract and they

149are not allowed to transfer unless the superintendent you know um uh agrees to it um and that's mid July that's mid July that's a lot of times you know county to county in West Virginia um and um you know a lot of times I I would I will still allow for transfers in county up till, you know, the uh the the professional development days or the start of school year depending on how the count this the the board agenda calendar works. But all we really have to hold them to is if they were to breach that and go across state lines is submitting their name to the West Virginia State Superintendent for possible suspension of their license for up to a year for breach of contract. Um, and so that's the that's the the thing

150that we usually hold to make sure that they don't go after the statutory timelines have passed. Well, and with service personnel, especially with AIDS, if if they haven't decided that where they want to go, she can place them. Correct. Tell them, well, if you don't go here, I'm going put you here. So, that usually speeds up the process. That's the last resort. Yeah, that's the last resort. But in add Yes. Um, any other questions for Mrs. Simple? So, hearing none, we have a motion and a second to vote on everything except line five, 55, and 56. All in favor? I pass now. Um, I take the first read. Okay. Get out. I have a motion to approve line five. So move second. Second. All in favor? I motion carries. Um line 56. Mr. R. Can

151I have a motion to approve line 56? Move. Second. Second. All in favor? I motion carries and I think you probably should is 55. Correct. Um I like to have a motion reporting for that. Um I would like to go into executive session under 69A um for personal matter due to the posting for line 5. So I should probably not I just want to go someplace. Um, yeah, that that'll be fine. Um, if we if the board wouldn't mind though, I do want to congratulate u Mrs. Lynch on becoming the new new principal of a new superintendent. Miss the new principal at Martinsburg High School. So, congratulations. Thank you very much. Um, I'm very excited and and just humbled. Martinsburg has such a strong tradition of you hear people say I'm a first generation, second

152generation, third generation and you just see the passion and excitement and I'm very excited to carry that on. Uh with me tonight I have my husband. Um I thought it might not be appropriate to bring our children. They do have four legs. So, I didn't think that would be appropriate to bring our dogs with us. But I am just very humbled uh to be able to experience this with our district and just really lead by example and be there with our teachers and our kids and our families to help them graduate career, college, and life ready. So, I am dedicated to doing that for us. Thank you. [Music] I'm going right after I need a vote. So, we need Wait a minute. You need a second. Yeah, I second the motion. You second the motion.

153All in favor to go in executive session at 8:15 say I. I choosing myself. You'll have to um Michael All right. So, we've come out of executive session at 8:29 p.m. May I have a motion to uh uh vote on line 55 of the personnel actions? So moved by Mr. Martin, seconded by Mr. Murphy. All in favor? I All right. Motion carries. Miss Okay. Yep. We're back and we voted. Oh, we already voted. Yeah, we already voted. You put them all back in. Are we done? Well, almost we got a we got to hear superintendents announcements. So, we are done the the professional. So, we're out of executive hand. Yep. We already did the personnel action. Ready to move on to board announcements? Any board have any announcements? Well, I I want to say before

154vice president so efficiently ran the meeting, I was going to say a nice appreciation for Dr. Long's appointed. I just want to say that a couple years ago, I don't know, three or four years ago, Mrs. along and I w went around and visited all the principles in the county and the elementary principles would tell us about the dis moms and and uh we uh Dr. the wrong volunteer being the leader. I mean, we uh put it in his school because it was uh trying to address some disruptions and I just always was impressed by that willingness to step up and I feel like uh he will he will do a good job. He's very sensitive to the students, not he doesn't dismiss them as a write off. And and I see that and also

155in Mr. Marquette when he's he's talking about children he served some of them just don't fit uh in in the regular classroom and we have to have that release thing. So I I think that the appointment of Dr. a long time, but very good. I was going to say while his mother was out of the room and I didn't get a chance to, so I apologize for putting you under that spot, but hey, I wanted to see. Uh, another thing that want to point out is Chief Glazier. My grandson came in today and I didn't want to take any attention away from Chief Glazure and what he did, but uh he he had a big influence on my grandson in the ROC program at Martsburg High and now he's now in ROC RER studying to

156be an army officer. That's wonderful. So he'll go in as a commission. Yeah. So he's he's on that path. I think he'll do it. And one of his goals is to make me salute him. So, but Chief Glazier, I just can't say enough about the impact he had from Rex. So, and I know that's magnified many times over by the other students. Thank you. Anybody else? for all and I appreciate you seconding my motion and I appreciate the civility that we had in killing production but uh but I mean I I walk away sincere I we we have to debate and bring some very uh sensitive issues to the table that we all have strong feelings about and may in the same breath have disagreements over. So the way we did it, I'm sorry that

157Mr. Martin wasn't here in presence, but I know he would have been just it's a five five person process here. Well, very good very good conversation under that something that's very difficult that we all I shouldn't speak for everyone, but that we I just wanted felt that we had to go there with that. And and Mr. Mr. Murphy, I just wanted to say part of that has to do with the tone that you had set after, you know, the election um that Mr. Wright and I um you know, participated in a few years ago and you set the tone that um everybody's voice is important and you were going to, you know, make sure that if someone proposed something that you would second it even if you didn't agree with it, just to make sure

158we could discuss it. And so I appreciate the fact that that you not only put that out there, you did it. You set that example. Um I appreciate all that you you do to help teach all of us on this board. Coach, um but I I just want you to know that that it's it's very much appreciated. And I want to also say to Mr. Right. You have every right to have emotion in frustration. None of us know what Damon goes through his family. Yep. None of us know that. None of us. And for you to provide us a glimpse into that even though we cannot understand it. Just providing a glimpse. I wanted to say thank you for sharing your heart. It has not fallen on deaf ears and I am hopeful that your

159dad will be here when it does happen. Thank you. Thanks Announce. Um um another thing on June 19th at Pro's Chicken and Ribs on at 4727 Shertown Road celebration. Where is that? It's right right on town road. I haven't been there, but it's for Is there a little restroom? He's got he's got a right. Um right. So on the 19th there's gonna be a celebration there all day um from about 2 till Wednesday 30 at night. Then on the 20th there there's going to be Hidden Figures movie. The 21st they're going to have outdoor games and on the 22nd on Sunday Rmer Hades found we're going to have a celebration downtown Martinber from 1 to 5 from Thursday to Sunday is a whole time of celebration of where downtown square. Okay. Are you going to

160be putting this out on on Facebook at all? Like I did on my personal page. I guess I can go put it on the board page. I Yeah, I would love to to see um you know I I'll have to go to the page because I'm not going to remember all of that. Um but it it Yeah, that that's that's wonderful. That's wonderful. And he's giving out um scholar not scholar he's giving out um back to school awards. Nice. What this Sunday? Uh the Sunday one is 1 to 5. So, and a square in a square. So, some roads will be blocked off trucks and different things like that. Cool. And it's supposed to be nice. That'll help. Supposed to be nice. When you finish, you ready for Okay. All right. Um, thank you board

161members. And, um, uh, it's a continu to be a busy time in Berkeley County Schools. Um the first thing I wanted to be able to update you on is is that um Mrs. Manuel, our board clerk, has been actively working to make sure that um the public um has uh more ways to be able to become engaged in our board meetings and to see what has occurred. And so we now have um within board docs, we're now able to use timestamps to ease the viewing experiences after meetings have adjourned. Uh there are two ways to immediately find the portion of the meeting that you're interested in in within the video. Uh on the top left you see I'll have to have a tutorial but on the top left you see the main agenda page where

162the various agendas are listed on the right side. If you click on the desired agenda and then the watch video icon which is circled in red um that pop a popup will appear. From there you can click on the item of interest and go immediately to that portion of the video. At the bottom is uh from within the detailed agenda pings you click on your item of interest. You can click on the film icon at the top to have the video pop up of that portion of the meeting. It's not a perfect science and Miss Manuel manually puts in the timestamps. So timestamps may be off slightly by a second or two. However, it'll get you pretty close. This capability began on the May 19th regular meeting on board docs and is available the day

163after a meeting is adjourned. Hope we ask that you be mindful because um of the manual a aspect of the capability the option won't be immediately available. Um as an example if Manuel is out um and on leave or whatever um the time stamps won't be available until she does return and update those. So, but we're really excited about that new feature and I want to thank um Miss Manuel for Mrs. Manuel for you know her work in trying to make sure that every ability of us to keep and to leverage board docks for the community is is done. So, thank you. Of course. How can you have a question? Well, I just how can I Yeah, because you know you could I'm just going to ask how long does it take for you to

164organize this? It's not bad since I'm sitting here knowing through the meeting. So, I just had to click through and find like where Matt was talking about our track runner or GoFundM where this Matt was up there. Did you mark where I you know my dad Well, you know, basically I said, you know, listen, you're just sitting back there, you know, I need you to do something, you know, and uh so no, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. No, she she's a I'm telling you what, I she is first class. She's done a great job and I will tell you that I've had several assistants and having had several assistance with board docs and and uh Mrs. Manuel really does a great job. Watch her. It's all quiet and silent back there. I I will say I

165had a pleasure of communicating with her earlier today and I I do want to acknowledge she is a very wellorganized individual and she she keeps um all of us straight including Mr. Murphy with all of his sticky notes. Um, but I'm I'm going to tell you, you you're wonderful. She keeps me straight, too. And my wife has high praise for you. I talk a lot. Uh, some dates to remember. U, Berkeley County Schools buildings and office are going to be closed for the following days. In observance of Junth, which is on June 19th, um, so we we are will be offices and all of our schools could close. We have West Virginia Day on June 20th and then of course July 4th. Um we will be closed for the 4th of July. Our next regular

166meeting will be Monday, July 7th, 2025 um here in our boardroom and I look forward to seeing you all then. Second. All in favor? I I'm sorry. Um thank you. Okay.