001of education uh April 15, 2025. It is uh about uh 4:12 at this point and we are talking about the board's self- evvaluation. Now the our the policy that guides this is policy 1.103 103. And it states uh in here under item uh uh item B is that the evaluation shall be at a scheduled time, which it is, with all board members present. We are lacking Freda Jones. She is here. She is sick tonight. So, we have a couple options. we can um we can postpone this and I believe um I'm not seeing in policy that this has to be a separate meeting. Um I think we've kind of done it that way but I'm not seeing in policy and maybe I'm missing something here where this needs to be a separate meeting. So we
002could piggyback this in May if we wanted to reschedule it or the other alternative is we could vote to suspend policy and proceed with the meeting and do the do the self- evaluation here. So uh I believe those are probably my options Dr. Powell and Mr. Shores on this. Okay. So we need to do one or the other because we are missing a board member. So So I will entertain a motion either way. I will make a motion to suspend policy and do this right now. Motion. Okay. So um all in favor uh Mr. Gilly I. Mr. Cordell. I Scott I I I I chair votes I. So that passes 8 to nothing. So we are suspending policy and proceeding with the um discussion of the Coffee County um uh self- evaluation results. You all
003should have a copy of this and uh it goes through section by section. Um the first one is board meetings. Uh there's some questions on team building. Uh board superintendent staff relations, vision and planning for vision planning, board policy, student achievement, board community relations, um I can turn the page here. Uh advocacy and budget and finance. So all those different areas are ones that uh we we went through as board members to evaluate ourselves and there was for each uh topic we had um a how we were doing and then how important that that particular topic is. So, um I'll give you a second to kind of look through here and at the end we have two sections that probably everybody focuses on every year is uh the six items with our greatest success. Um
004and then uh conversely the six items with the greatest concern and then the last page is additional comments that that some people have put in. So, um, if everybody's had a chance to look us over, I I think usually probably what you know, um, they kind of range around here. Top score is like five. I think priority was six. Um, was the top on that. Um, zero to six and zero to five on on how we're doing. So, um it looks like kind of the the lowest area was um the advocacy was was fairly low with 2.97 overall. [Music] Um and then uh probably our highest area and of of the groupings was um board meetings and and uh student achievement actually. So those are their our two highest areas. student achievement was number one
005and and board meetings was was uh the second highest as far as accomplishments go. So if you want to turn to the page where we looked where we had our greatest successes, um the number one area that that people ranked was u the board has sufficient time and opportunity to review the agenda and supporting materials before a board meeting. um our um uh we rank that uh um how we're doing is 5.11 and with an importance of 5.56. So both it's ranked pretty high and and how we're doing is pretty good and I'd say that Melissa's done a great job in in getting things out to to the board members with enough time to to look at them before the meeting. So So that makes sense to me. Um the board encourages participation by each
006board member. Uh that got ranked five and was uh ranked 5.56 in importance. Uh the board regularly recognizes student accomplishments at board meetings. We gave that a five overall collectively and that was ranked as 5.56. So um there were actually four that we ranked at at the top here. And the next one, the board recognizes staff accomplishments and that that ranked uh five and that importance was 5.56. Uh the board has developed an ongoing system to review and update all policies annually 4.56 and that was ranked 5.44 in importance. And lastly, all board members are routinely familiar with the agenda materials and are ready to discuss and decide important items. Uh 4.56 is how we rank that and with an importance of 5.56. So um any comments on that? You can you can see the
007the graph down here below comparing how we rank ourselves versus how we rank the importance of these things. So, any comments on this? This is probably more of a discussion than than anything. All right, those are the things we're doing good at. Things we're not doing so good at. Uh areas of concern is uh number one, uh our school board is respected by the community. that gets a 2.38 uh with an importance of 5.63. So, so big gap there and probably something we need to talk about. Uh and and policy by the way. Um states that uh at the conclusion of the evaluation that the board the board will develop a series of board goals for the ensuing year which are stated in terms of behavioral change or productivity gains uh based on on this
008evaluation. So um so that's number one is we need to rebuild that uh respect uh with the community. Um and we can talk about ways to do that. Um uh the the second lowest rank was the superintendent is given direction by the board as a whole rather than individual members. That got three and it's ranked as a 5.78 in importance. So So pretty high. It's ranked pretty high in importance and uh kind of middling in in terms of of how we think we're doing. Um third one, the vision represents community priorities. That got a 2.78 uh and an importance of 5.44. Um and uh the fourth one is a vision mission statement for the district exists and is periodically reviewed by the board and widely disseminated in the district. That got a ranking of three
009on the self-evaluation and importance of 5.38. So pretty good gap there. Um the board is able to disagree on matters and still maintain an attitude of mutual trust and respect. that got 3.56 and uh ranked as as really one of our top top um what we see in the way of importance 5.89. And then lastly, our board collectively and as individually regularly contacts legislators regarding their position on important legislation. That got a 2.67 and we rank that in importance as a as a 5.0. So, so, uh, really the difference here is the difference between how we see the importance and how we think we're doing. So, you can see down below the graph here. Um, and then lastly, there was a few um, comments. Um, and, uh, we can read those. um [Music] uh some
010things to you know look over there and that kind of ties back in I think to some of our um uh some of our issues here. So all right so these were just I think there was some space on the self evaluation to add some comments so you can look those over. So, any questions or comments here? Um, how do we normally I don't I don't remember how we normally looked at these things in the past as far as going and preparing a BL board uh a plan for the board to improve things. We'd kind of gone over the evaluation in the past, but I don't remember having a committee. So, we're supposed to do something there. So, okay. I'm not sure what I'm not sure what committee would do that. So, you just try
011to learn from it. Yeah. As a board member, you see where everybody is and what everybody's thinking kind of and what's important, which it obviously appears that we all know how important uh most of these are, but uh I pretty well agree with a lot of the numbers. I pretty well agree with a lot of the numbers on there that uh we've got a lot of work to do. Mr. Chairman, I I think the policy actually states that the board is to use this information to come up with goals for the board. Uh so I'm assuming that that's what you would do at this time is is to start coming up with a goal uh for the board using using the the self-evaluation. Y'all do it however you want to. I just that's what the
012policy I think says. Yeah. Yeah. you the goals. I mean, well, you write the goals and and the they the board will will decide on what they want to work on and and it's something to strive for. I mean, does it go any specific document or I don't think it I don't think it's intended for a document. I think it's intended for all board members to see where we are as a board. And you know, you can take your talk top six uh greatest success and pat yourselves on the back, but then we can flip over a page on the concerns and uh as an individual human work on it. Well, and I think some of these things probably go to what we're going to talk about later is our strategic plan. And you know,
013a lot of these things I'm seeing here, you know, not all of them, but some of them probably probably uh work into that strategic plan. And we're going to talk about that a little bit at the regular board meeting. So certainly how the school board is respected by the community, that's certainly an area we need to work on and and uh you know, communication is probably key there. So, but having strategic plan goals, how do we, you know, how do we work with the community better and and get them on board with what we're doing? other comments. I don't know if we have to formally approve this. No, I think we I think we did that when we voted a while ago to accept the document. Yeah. Yeah. So, items for discussion on this. Does
014everybody agree with the the results? I think we had everybody participated, right? So, uh, I didn't get that. I don't know. Okay. But she didn't send me anything that nobody did. Okay. But I'm like you. It kind of looks like it would go in this fiveyear plan instead of the strategic plan. Like the director does the strategic, right? So this fiveyear plan that Yeah. And we're going to talk about that the meeting tonight is is how do we how do we turn that into something useful and And I think that's going to be, you know, some of these things. Yeah. I mean, that'll, you know, obviously we can find five-year plans, annual plans, different kind of plans for all of this to factor into, but you know, we we have a lot of low numbers
015in some places that uh as an individual board member, you know, I I need to look at those and then study the way the way I do things and see if I can't do something better to alleviate that number. So, I think this is just a good check for everybody in the uh kind of as a nine nine person panel. Uh we're we're right in I think everybody everybody knows where we need to be and how we are and uh I think we just need to strive as individuals and schoolboard members to make those numbers better any way we can. Yeah. You know, and it's interesting you go to to um you know, our lowest ranked one is um the school board is respected by the community, but we go and we say, okay, um
016our board is accountable to the community actually rates pretty high. Um and um you know, the board provides for involvement of the public and operating our schools. I think we um you know so generally you know we just got to figure out how we do better relating back to the community success and we can't expect it. Well yeah we can't expect it. I mean, you know, we can't expect the respect to come back, but success certainly helps and uh doing the right things and and uh and you know, there's a lot goes into that not respected by the community. It's how we all interact with each other. It's choices and decisions we make. Uh every bit of that. So, you know, some of these some things you can't please everybody with, but some things, you
017know, you probably could. Well, and sometimes there's hard decisions to be made that, you know, it's kind of like can't please everybody. And a couple of these vision and the vision mission statement, those are part of the five-year plan. Yes. So um you know I know that um I need to do better on on uh maintaining control of meetings sometimes you know not it's it's hard to balance I you know I found it's hard to balance things where you know having enough discussion but letting discussion get out of hand and meeting getting long and things like that. So, so it's like well and and a lot to help you with that would be like the number seven. The board is able to disagree on matters and still maintain an attitude of mutual respect and trust,
018right? I'm guilty of that, too. I'll I'll say it. I mean, I'm, you know, we all get heartfelt sometimes and things get out of hand. Well, that would help you with that if we can get a control on some of that stuff. Of course, obviously, you can't avoid every bit of that all the time. We're all humans and we all still believe strongly about things, but it all works hand in hand to get end up with these kind of scores, right? And there's a fine line between discussion and disagreement and and uh you know, kind of getting into a you know getting beyond that I guess. So now, one thing I will say that that uh you know, everybody seems to show up to meetings and and know what's on the agenda and has reviewed
019all the agenda items and and is ready to look at things and and vote and discuss things. So So that that I think is is pretty awesome because that saves a lot of time. Um we just got to work on getting here and then fighting. Well, you got nine personalities and you're going to clash occasionally. It's kind of, you know, Mr. Chairman, I know it's difficult and I've been in your situation before. um when you first became members of the board of education and went to the orientation, remember one thing that they told you was that you may not agree with every vote that's taken. But as a board member, you have to accept the majority of the vote and live with that, so to speak. And uh for the most part, I think that's
020what I've seen most of you doing. Um, but I I think that's something that you that it's difficult to do sometimes because you have an issue that that you feel very strongly about, but apparently four or five more don't feel that strongly about it. And it's not like you've been defeated. It's just the fact that that your interest maybe was more than theirs was. So, I think that's something that that we all have to strive for regardless of where we are. uh whether it's just being with individuals or being on a board of education or county commission whatever the case may be but uh I think that's something that all of us need to strive for is to accept what the majority voted on because that's what you agreed to when you were to serve
021on the board whether it's this board or any other board's concerned but uh I think you for the most part I you know I think everyone's done a good job and And with the exception of, you know, a few disagreements, so to speak, I think the board has worked together. Uh, it's like I told our staff, uh, and I I I wasn't being critical, but I guess I was too. I've been involved with boards of education, boards of education for 50 plus years, I guess, one way or the other. And it seems like, and I know nine people is, it's hard to get nine people to agree on anything just about uh five is is not bad. Seven is close, but when you get to nine, sometimes that gets to be because you've all got
022varied interest and you've got various communities that you work with in in your communities, but you have to think about, yes, I'm working with my community, but I'm also working for the full county uh as such. And I think that's difficult sometimes to do, but um you know, with a few exceptions, I think that for the most part the time I've been here, uh y'all have have done a good job. I I told my staff then, you know, the boards I've worked with, for whatever reason, you folks just have a different mindset and whether that's good or bad, that's that's my opinion about it. you know, everybody has their own thing they want to think about, but I think we've got to get together and and work together as such and and I think generally
023speaking, you've done that. But that's that's what it's all about. Uh whether you like the vote or whether you don't like the vote, you have to live with it. Whether you voted for it or against it, I think. Yeah, that was the hardest thing for me to learn, sir. That was the hardest thing for me to learn. It really was. It is. It's very difficult to learn. when you think you've been defeated and you don't want to be defeated. But uh yeah, I think uh my first year I got dumped a few times by this nine people trying to make decisions and I learned it's difficult for two people to make decisions sometimes, let alone nine. It you know it's it's just you learn those things and you know and I agree you know. All
024right. Um, any other questions, comments on this? I mean, we got some a few things we got to work on and some of it is going to be, you know, I see like three or four things that are going to be strategic plan type stuff or fiveyear plan type stuff. So, if not, um, we can pull this meeting to a close and and, um, take a little bit of a recess until our five o'clock, uh, regular board meeting. Any other comments? Last chance. All right, let's close out this meeting. I I guess we need a motion to to close. I move. I'll second. All in favor say I. I. All right.