001April 13th, 2026. Okay, so it's required uh by our school board to have a self-evaluation each year annually, and I put a policy in front of everyone where we'd all be familiar with that. And uh see the uh reasoning behind the self-evaluation of the school board. And uh for those who do not understand maybe what we're talking about, each board member was given a survey to self-evaluate how we are doing as a whole as a school board. And uh our mission tonight is to uh look at the results and uh develop some goal some board goals for the coming year. So, that's that's what our mission is, and I know all of you've already looked at the uh entire board evaluation results. And what we'll do to begin with, and then you can make any
002comments you want. Uh we'll start with the top six items that's at the back of your uh back of your handout. And uh and I will read those, and then we'll discuss them. Uh the top six items that we feel as a board that are our greatest successes. And so I think it's right toward the end of the document. Okay, um the top uh area that that was shown in this survey is that there is a vision a vision and a mission statement for the district exists and is periodically reviewed by the board and widely disseminated in the district. So, that was uh the top Well, it's really not the top. That's just one of the greatest successes. Actually, uh it ranked 5.17 was the ranking in it from a uh from a scale of
003one to six. The second uh greatest success or I'm I'm not going to say it's the second greatest success, it's just another one. The board encourages participation by each board member, and that was ranked a five. Uh the next one, the board regularly [clears throat] recognizes student accomplishments at board meetings, and that was ranked a 5.17 out of a six scale. Next is the board recognizes staff accomplishments was uh ranked a 5.33 out of a six scale. And then lastly, the vision reflects community priorities, and that was ranked 5.33 out of a six scale. And sorry, there's one more. The board has developed an ongoing system to review and update all policies annually, and that was ranked at a 4.83. So, all those were determined to be uh some successes with our school board. And
004uh Dean, y'all have any comments on any of those areas? Agree with them or have any thing to say? Just out of the uh the top six of the [clears throat] whole group, you know, the the board has developed an ongoing going system to review and update. That's that's the lowest just the lowest one on the chart, but we mean it's still For the successes, yes. >> still a high one, but you know, there's perfect policy, perfect rule to I mean, we've got a really good plan, and we might not be we might not be excited that we can't just up and do with policy and during a board meeting as some would probably hope so, but there's the committee meetings. And you know, that's where it starts. And Well, the door is always open
005as long as I'm a part of it. Right. Uh If if that seems to be you know, I mean, it's still a great number. I mean, we're still doing good things. We got great numbers in every all six of those items. Really good numbers. I'm just kind of picking on the lowest one. >> Right. And all of it should be perfect In a perfect world, all of them would be a six. Yeah. Um Well, and that's something about our policies uh bringing that up is next year we're really going to have to zero in on the policies and get them all updated because there have been a lot of changes and Yeah. >> and uh Yeah, I think we've been through six in just the last 45 days of the new laws that have just
006popped up. So, you know, our six is going to be added to everything else. Right. >> Right. Is that Congratulations. Does anybody have any comments about any of these? Okay. All right, so that's our successes to see. And this is determined by what we have provided in the surveys. Can Is the consensus of all of us. Okay, these are uh top six items with greatest concern, and um and I'm going to uh start with the first one. It says, "Our board and superintendent agree on how complaints or concerns to board members should be handled." And that is a a concern because we ranked ourselves as 2.33 out of a scale of six. And uh so, that is something that we will need to look at because our policy says that we need to review uh
007our our strengths and our weaknesses >> [clears throat] >> and try to uh come up with a goal or determination of how we're going to remedy it, you know. So, that's the first one. Uh The second concern is the board is open and honest with each other as well as administrators and is able to maintain an attitude of mutual trust and respect. We ranked ourselves as 2.67 out of a six, and we'll come back to these in a minute. Uh the next one, the board is able to disagree on matters and still maintain an attitude of mutual respect and trust. It was 2.83 out of a scale of six. Uh the board and superintendent trust and respect one another. That's 2.83 out of a scale of six. The superintendent is given direction by the board
008as a whole rather than by individual members. This was 3.17 out of a six. And our school board is respected by the community. 3.17 out of six. Uh We'll go over each one of these because, you know, this is this is where we need to improve. And uh and we you may or may not feel like that this is true uh this is true evaluation of us of a as a school board. Uh Like for instance, I'll start out with the the one that's was ranked 3.17. Our school board is respected by the community. Um Individually, I feel like we are, and uh but evidently, perception is reality. So, we need to figure out a way that the community is going to look at us with respect, and I guess that happens with uh the
009the onus is on us to uh take care of that. So, does anybody have any any a goal or any kind of strategy that we could work work on to make that better? I don't have a strategy, but what you said rang true to me that individually, I think we are seen a little bit different than as a whole. Okay. And that may go back to where, you know, these other areas that may reflect on what the other is. >> based on decisions we've made as a whole. What you, Chris? I don't think um you know, we need to try to come up with a way to get more community involvement in with what we do, you know, have a more of an open door. Where they'd feel more a part of Exactly, you know,
010that they feel like that their voices are heard. And and you know, our hands are tied in a lot of ways that Right. that that can happen, but just letting them know that we appreciate them and we want they want their voices to be heard. >> Well, well, with the new law that the governor just signed in, you know, they can come to a board meeting and they can you know, they can make a public comment that no longer has to pertain to the agenda, you know, with the it's about anything, and you know, and I would like to invite them to come in if, you know, they have concerns or questions. I mean, you know, that's what you know, we're here representing them, so if they don't trust us, then we got a problem.
011>> Right. And that would be helpful there because in the past, our policy stated that uh a person could come at the beginning of the meeting and sign up to to speak to us if it was something that was on the agenda. And now that's you know, this law supersedes our policy. >> one of the ones in the last 45 days. >> Right. So, that So, now we're more open to uh to parent to parent input without having to >> [clears throat] >> to pertain to that the specific topics for that night. And of course, everything else still stays the same. Uh they would still have to be a stakeholder in our community. It couldn't be someone from Kentucky in here, you know, wanting to speak to us uh about a issue. But so, that
012would be something that hopefully will help that. Okay, let's go to the next one. Uh Does anybody else have any more comments on that about how we can Mr. Madam Chair, I the you know, you started with a great one. Yeah. >> Every one of these >> Right. That was the Mhm. Every single one of these correlate. Right, they do. And every you take care of one, you're going to take care of a lot of them. >> Mhm. And you know, for me where you started at the highest I'm kind of right there. I started at the lowest >> Mhm. >> [clears throat] >> because the one that is at the lowest is ultimately dictated by TCA code and policy. Okay. >> And that's where I think a lot of our troubles amongst the board
013in just my opinion is knowing what lane to stay in as board members. >> [cough] >> Okay, so that would be number 14 where and I'll read that aloud. This is the one Robert's talking about. Our board and superintendent agree on how complaints or concerns to board members should be handled. And I will preface this with I think all of us are here for the same purpose. Our director, all our board members uh we're wanting to make sure that all complaints and concerns are heard. And as board as an individual board member, I definitely feel like that it's my uh duty to see that they are heard if if they're not. And but there are lanes that I have to stay in. I can't try to solve it for them. Uh I can give them
014direction and that is something that uh I guess that's probably our our highest concern. If that's taken care of, then a lot of these others will fall into place. And once once you read the others, I believe they will just like you just said. It'll all correlate and come together. Right. And it does that has to do with respect and mhm. Just like you said, you know, we want to hear from every stakeholder if they have an issue. Obviously, we're elected by them. Right. But we've got to be very careful of the lane we stay in and what what guidance we give what direction we give. Of course, our policies is what kind of falls in behind TCA that says you need to send them to the next direct appropriate person. But like you say
015once again, there's certainly nothing wrong with a follow-up. Right. Right. And so since we're on that, this is does anybody else have anything to say about that one because this is our our greatest concern. Maybe each one of us need to give our opinion of that and how and how we can take care of that. Matthew, do you have anything on that? Well, I have to agree with Robert on that one that that is a problem for us is staying staying in our lane. You know, um letting the director be the director and um Do I have solutions to it? Okay. Well, we quit doing it. Well, I'm going to I'm going to bring I'm going to bring up a solution possibly after everybody talks and see if y'all agree with me. >> [laughter] >>
016But Scott, what do you think about this? I think mirror everybody else what everybody else says. I just think a lot of it is a lot of things that we're doing now that other past haven't done and I think sometimes it's it's interfered in and looked at different because we are trying to do things about things that's never been done before. I don't know. That's a good question. Well >> You know. I don't know if you you understand what you're saying. We're not just supposed to be a rubber stamp for everything that comes along. But there are parameters of where we can go and our purpose is to get it solved. And if it's not solved, then that's when we need to step in. You know, Ms. Freda, that's a good analysis. You know, for
017for years, Ms. Freda, you've got same emails as everyone on this board has through over the years and everything else from concerned parents or something of that nature. And you being in the education industry have known before you need to go talk to the principal. Right. Go talk to the principal, see if you can get it worked out and then they should be able to explain to you if you got any further issues and because once again, you know, as board members, we also got to keep a separation there because one day that issue might come before us. Right. So you don't want that your your finger in the pie too early. Because it could come around. >> but you want to help everybody and everybody understands that. You just it's the process in which
018you do. It ain't necessarily to the director every time. Right. If we know, well, hey, look, go talk to your principal. Right. See what you can work out. That's just that's that's what's in the policy. That's what's in doesn't work out with the principal, then they can go further to the director. Right. Because we have those >> work out with the director, then that's when they have a choice of asking us if there's you know, it's it's circumstances along the way, but that's basically the the uh guidelines. But What about you, Jennifer? Do you have anything to say? Chris? All right, I got to say is um you know as the board, we have you know we have one employee and that's the director and then he employs everybody else. So when I get a
019con a complaint or a concern, I forward the email to the director because that's our employee. It's up to him how it's handled and what not. But I mean, I feel that somebody emails me a complaint, then I forward it to him. You know, so if that's wrong, then you know. But I mean, to me that's that's the way I look at it. So. Okay, let me give [clears throat] you a scenario. Uh once you send that, you want resolution. I mean, we all do. You know, like once you send an email to >> want to know if it's been taken care of. Or if it's being taken care of. >> Right. Right. And I think sometimes that's where the communication kind of breaks down. And if everybody knows, okay, that's been handled. This is
020what as far as they can tell us. You know, not everything can be Right. made public. But as long as we are, you know, informed and and I think everybody is okay with that. And that gets back to to what I was going to say is that uh I know when we're we're elected by the people and when we're in a small community and it's we're going to be meeting up with people all the time that works in our school system that have children in our school system or previous children, grandchildren, whatever. And I don't feel like as board member that I can't talk to them. I I can I can't I'm not going to talk to them about school uh about school issues. But if in a conversation they say, well I'm just I
021just bring up a something. Maybe they say, what is the status of the rails at the at the uh uh high school gymnasium? Well, I'm going to tell them and there is nothing wrong with that. But I'm not going to be telling them, well, Robert didn't want them and uh No, I did and we had a big fuss over it, you know, which that's not true. But you know what I'm saying? No, you're exactly right. >> to you can go so far and then but it's but if that's the case that uh we don't even need to be a school board if we can't communicate with community and not try to solve the problems for them, but uh and it's and and that's what goes back to I talked to our um our school board
022attorney now and he and it's not Mr. Kegel. He is um uh going to be retiring and his name is Ron Rothencrans and I think we have had a meeting with him once before. And uh uh and he knows the situation with Mr. Ballard and that all of us are uh well, particularly me, knew what I'm doing. And we have a we have a new secretary. You know, there's a lot of things going on that's changed. And um he suggested and I was the one that brought it up because he you know, until everybody understands what their roles and responsibilities are it's going to be a um it's going to be a mishmash of people. I may understand it one way. Scott Scott may understand another way. And he suggested that we have our own
023and this would be one of our goals because we have money set aside for board training and contracted services workshop. And he said that he thought it would be a good idea for us to have our own board workshop where we sit with him and mentors and cover certain topics that we want, not what, you know, when you go to these meetings you can sit and listen, but you don't really get to interact or or ask questions or give them scenarios like this is happening. How do how would I handle that? And we can do that, you know, individually with as a group. And uh this is some of the things that he suggested the topics would be um uh board duties and responsibilities. That would be a big thing and we can ask questions.
024They can tell us exactly what the law is, what our board responsibilities are. And it's not just uh passing the budget. If that because what I told him is that as a board, whenever there's a lawsuit that happens who do they sue? The school board. And if we don't know what's going on up to that point we're putting ourselves out there for a lot if we can't be you know that's part of it. We not only pass the budget, we're supposed to be informed of everything that's going on because the buck stops here. We can't hire and fire which we shouldn't, but there's things that that we are doing that probably shouldn't be doing and there's some things that maybe we should be doing that we're not you know as a school board to make
025us more effective and so that's that's one of the things he said that they would have a session on board duties and responsibilities and then on the director of schools duties and responsibilities and that way everybody hears everything at the same way and we all get to ask questions and and react however and then another one would be um fundraising because you know we've always had a an issue of not an issue but a concern about fundraising that comes up all the time you know whether we're doing too many or whether what we should do because the community gets inundated with this and we we don't want to limit them if we don't have to but if but we need to know what the law is and he they would do that. And um and
026also he said that he would go over in one session about if a board member violates his or her duties to the board you know how and that would be a good thing cuz I would I want to know if I did something wrong what they're going to do to me. And then um the other one is one of I thought was good because I brought this up I said cuz you know I was being told that um that you really can't communicate with people and this sort of thing and I said that's not reality in Manchester in Coffee County Manchester Tennessee and he said one of the sessions would be how to respond to your constituents so I think that would be a good thing give us tips on not just saying oh I
027can't talk to you you know just get away I mean I'm not going to do that >> knowing where that knowing where that line is of protecting your position because there could come a day that you have to make a decision if somebody went through the right appeal process to get in front of us. You won't have the clean clean hands per se right before it got there but you want to help everybody you can possibly help. And and even employees because I don't feel like that we should be alienated from the employees of the school system they should feel comfortable with us and and not feel like we're trying to interrogate them if we're just having a casual conversation and cuz I have a lot of friends in the [cough and snorts] school system
028that I don't want to feel uh I don't want to feel strange that I'm having a conversation with them if it's not anything about you know it shouldn't be that way and if I know my my boundaries then that's good. >> Mr. Cagle before he uh I guess it was probably in the fall or something like that he explained it to me in the best way he said look even with employees or constituents or anyone you're never going to avoid discussion and this and that but leave your work leave your business leave your discussion of something you may come to a day to act on out of the discussion because you've got to maintain heat and that's one thing he talked to me about he said you've got to maintain a truthful line that you
029have the ability to be a board member and handle something for that person in the future with a clean hand clean mind non biased but you also want to help hear acknowledge direct if you need to you know right who they need to hey look here go go talk to this go talk to the director go do this go do that but in the manner of getting staying out of the actual business of it to the point that if it was an issue that could you're one day down the road going to have to hear you want to have clean hands before it gets to you. right And he said that's hard. right it is >> I mean you know for me and you we've been here a long time. >> [laughter] >> Don't talk
030age. You know so it's we it's just natural. But some I think you know it's part of that learning same thing we went through. >> right And you know all of us are are elected board members and we you know we are answerable to to the people that elected us and sometimes people forget that that you know we're not just figureheads sitting up here we were elected for a reason and and it's hard to sometimes to not say or do what we really like to do when it's not our place. Well I think I'm sorry but go ahead. I think a part of it is talking to people but not not voicing an opinion right >> not saying well I agree we did this one was wrong >> right that should never have taken place
031and if we just stay within the hierarchy of policy we'll know that that's not ours to do unless they come before us as a board as a last resort. And then up until that point until they come to the board the communication needs to come to the board of of what that I feel like do you feel the same way Chris that we need to know kind of what's going on because whenever not that we're going to make any decisions but it'd be good to have a you know maybe a an update you might say >> be kept in the loop in case that we are asked in the public you know what you know what is this being taken care of? right Yeah you know it's being taken care of or you know you
032know a lot of times they ask I don't know. right can't take you there >> right and that goes back to and that goes back to the the whole uh public opinion of us you know if we're sitting up here and and and they ask the question you know is you know where I don't know just where's the new swing sets at right right I don't know we voted to to buy them but I don't know where they're at you know because we're not kind of kept in the loop. right so that's And I think that would help tremendously. >> works both ways and also too I think sometimes people misunderstand what we uh what we do because I've I've had people say oh well the the board of ed decided we weren't going to
033have school today well it wasn't the board of ed we don't decide that and then I've had people say you know maybe employees say well the board of ed did this and we you know we didn't make that decision. >> Or I called the school board and they didn't care. >> Yes and you know you see that a lot I called the school board and they didn't do this well they didn't call us and it and it gets the conception out there a misconception in the community that the school board's not doing anything and that they're making all these decisions or not making them because everything is called the school board. And I think if we uh educate the community that or maybe change the terminology because the school board doesn't call school the school
034board doesn't hire and fire and the school board doesn't make everyday decisions but sometimes that gets we get the blame for it and I think sometimes that goes along with the respect in the community is because they're thinking that we're doing all this because that's what they call it the school board. And uh but you know like I said before the buck stops with us and if there's a and and I look at it this way we've got a stake in the game because our names are on there whenever we're in a lawsuit and we've got to know what's going on we may not need to be running the show but we need to know what's going on and if we have a have a problem or issue then we need to go through the
035proper channels to get it worked [snorts] out but uh I'm 100% in with your question. If if him wanting to come down and do that do you think that'd be a good idea I think it would and I think the chair one of the biggest things too would be that Ben Torres has got just as much authority as the other one of them went to the they went to the same attorney. And we could yeah right. We you know he just don't charge us nothing. right We we pay him Ben Ben won't charge though if he comes for a workshop. >> Exactly but for us to call and get advice from him he doesn't charge us and there's no need in us calling a lot of times to get information from him that we could
036get right you know that we don't know have to call another our other attorney right That's what we pay TSBA for you know I think that's what we pay fees for is that not you know exactly Well maybe if we have this workshop that covers and and y'all can give me a topic that you would like covered and that way we're going to have a lot of our questions answered you know without having to go through calling TSBA or or thinking that we need you know different answer If we if we get you know if we get in a bind and we get into something you know TSBA's always been and they'll always be there for that quick answer. right right But if we're worried about getting ourselves into something that we've got to be
037represented for we have to talk to our attorney of record. right they're not going to represent us I kind of like to know their thoughts on a lot of these things because I got to know where they're going to stand by okay >> going to stand are they going to stand behind us or what are they going to do? Because Ben Torres can't represent us. Right. Well, the way I understand that they would both be be a part of the workshop. Ben would probably be the one that's actually doing the doing the actual Well, it's not a retreat, but the actual It's just geared to us and that's what I mean, I feel like we need that and uh It's like your new board member orientation all over again. Right. But, the thing of it
038is when you go to that new member or board member orientation, it's a big room. And nobody You can't You don't feel comfortable asking specific questions that pertain to your school system cuz everybody's sitting there, oh, don't just shut up, you know, we don't want to hear anything else. But, this would be us working directly with them and and asking our own questions and we could have those questions before we get got get there, make sure they're answered. And not have a specific uh you know, we wouldn't be hurried and and but that's just one way of of maybe addressing stress and all these other issues. Because I think that would help I mean, [clears throat] I I really feel like we're open and honest with each other. But, the perception of maybe of some
039of us we're not, but I I feel like we are. And um and the board's able to disagree on matters and still maintain an attitude of mutual respect and trust. That was a concern. I think we all can just uh once we understand what we can and can't do, that's going to be easier to take easier to do. And uh and I think we do that anyways, but and the board and superintendent trust and respect one another. I think that would go along with that also. Uh it's kind of like like I said before, perception is reality and sometimes they both don't match. The reality is that I think we all respect each other and uh but sometimes somebody might perceive that to be different. And uh so, we we've got to get around that.
040Could we uh freedom with the um when we have that that meeting? That workshop? Yeah. Could we make sure that that's available to the public so they can have a better idea of what What Well, >> we we are allowed to do, what we're not allowed to do. Uh I'm Well, that could be. I don't think it would probably be best for you know, not to be a a public thing at that time. Of course, it could be recorded. And and anybody Yeah, it could be recorded. If anybody wanted to hear because it is a it's a learning session, you know, and the and I think once we you know, tell the person that's asking us to solve something and we know how to go about it, we just tell them this is the way
041it gets solved and then I can't be involved at this point, you know, I could tell them that, but I can be if it gets all the way to us. And that way and and I think it's going to teach us how to Well, that was one of the Okay, that was >> respond. That was one of the things that he also had to respond to your constituents. That's one of the uh topic. So, that would be really be good. Well, I have found interesting enough, I was talking to a teacher the other day who didn't want her name brought up um in in our workshop session because and I'm finding that with a lot of teachers, they they don't want the board to know who's making these comments. So, I said people don't understand
042that the board doesn't have the kind of power you you think that they've got. >> Right. You know. And so, it would it would be nice if our teachers could know these are our limits. This is where we can go. This is not where we can go. So, that maybe they'd be more open to talk to us if they realized and not and not feel like that when they see us that that they they can't say they can't talk to us, you know, what I mean? >> and get retribution thinking, well, you've been out here talking to a board member and you're not supposed to do that. And that should never be. No. No, it's I think it's a law that says there's a [clears throat] law says that they can't do that and that's
043a lot of the perception that a lot of the teachers thinks that if they talk to us, then they're going to get written up in the in the And and when I Yeah. And when I'm saying talk, I don't mean talk about school. I mean, just talk, you know. They have to hide their pride to be seen with you cuz they're afraid somebody's >> Talking and and discussion of issues is two different things. >> Right. Exactly. And uh so, in in Like what we said earlier, there's too many people in this community that we know that we're going to talk to and as long and they should feel comfortable that it's not a problem. Now, when it comes to bringing up issues, then there's a way of handling that and we can't solve them as
044an individual board member, but we can certainly put them in the right direction and if it doesn't work out, then that's when the board becomes involved. Uh Chris, you you have anything to say? No, I think you covered it pretty good. I mean, I'm all for them having those sessions, session or sessions, however you know. >> so, too. I mean, I I don't think I don't think it'd be hard to do all that in one day, so I think it they'd be broke up, maybe try to cover two topics I think so, too. Yeah, I mean, I think that'd be a good thing. after you know, after work. I mean, kind of like at the same time as the board meetings are so that Yeah, we we can work on them. How about you, Jennifer?
045I know you have a I will try. >> difficult schedule sometimes. >> to come and I will try, but Well, we'll try to work around everybody's schedule to make sure that we can all be there cuz I think it'd be beneficial to all of us. I know it would me and uh and and it would uh I think it would also show the community that we're on the same page, that we're all working together as a team and that uh you know, we want to be perceived as a board that's working for the community and that was that respects each other and respects the director and uh I think there's no telling what we can accomplish. We can always even do a Zoom meeting if that doesn't work out to come in here. True. That
046could be one person. Yeah, that would be good. So, we could have that fixed up. >> brave bunch squares on the screen. So, anyone that couldn't come in person. Okay. Well, I Do y'all have anything else to bring up about our evaluation? Um If there's anything else that If Do you think that that way we might can come up with some goals after the you know, after we have their meeting with the our workshop? And I I think maybe the goal we could say that we've come up with tonight is to to uh plan a workshop with uh Ben Torres and and Rosenkrans and and uh get all our questions answered. And everybody's a one on you know, everybody hears the same thing. It's not somebody else telling somebody. So, Madam Chair, I believe you
047can you can make that decision on your own also. Uh As chairman, you can recommend or push the board for further training, further things of that nature and make that decision if you want to go ahead and book it, just Well, is that good with everybody? I mean, I'm seeing that everybody agrees with it, so okay. Okay, I think that's probably uh the end of this session and maybe next year we'll be all 60s. >> [laughter] >> That would be or all fours would be Right. Fours would be nice, wouldn't it? Okay, we'll adjourn this meeting.