001It's not [laughter] Oh, [laughter] Yeah. [laughter] I don't even know what you're doing. Yes. [laughter] Hello. >> [laughter] >> What [laughter] did you do first? [laughter] >> [laughter] >> Hey, look. Hey, look. And look. And look. >> Hey y'all. >> [laughter] >> Standing [laughter] outside going around. [laughter] Is it okay? [laughter] Sing [laughter] it to me. >> [laughter] >> I tend to have to come up. [laughter] >> [laughter] >> All Guess what? >> [laughter] >> You all know I was praising God. [laughter] >> [laughter] >> Daddy. >> [laughter] >> I like >> [laughter] >> of a >> [laughter] [laughter] >> Oh my god. Triple >> [laughter] >> No one's We'll start this evening's board meeting. Um, the first thing on the agenda is roll call. Kane >> here. >> Cook >> here. Hollerman >> here.
002Omra >> here. Jones here. Neil >> here. >> Snider >> here. [snorts] >> Great. Next we will stand for the invocation of the allegiance. >> Let's pray. Heavenly Father Lord we just come to you now Lord thanking you for the awesome weather you've given us today that um the sun came up and we have breath in our Lord. Lord, I pray that you be with each one of us as we go through this meeting, Lord, that uh what we say will be pleasing to you. Um Lord, I pray for each board member tonight that you give them a clear mind and a peace about themselves. Lord, I just pray that um each one of us conducts ourselves like we should. For in your name we pray. Amen. Amen. >> [clears throat] >> To the flag
003of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation [snorts] under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [snorts] >> Next on the agenda is to approve November 6, 20 Motion made by John. Second. [laughter] Second made by Judy. All in favor say I. Any oppose say no. Motion approved. Motion approved for the November 6, 2025 agenda. [clears throat] Next, we would like to welcome visitors. Um, I just want to say something real quick. I want to thank the community for coming tonight and the interest you are all showing in our school system, our teachers and our children. [snorts] I know there are many of you here tonight and if any of you take the opportunity to participate in our public comment section, we are more than happy
004for you to do so. I ask that the statements that are said must be done in a professional and respectful manner and that I will also hold myself and our board [snorts] to the same standard regarding the topics discussed in tonight's meeting. Again, we appreciate you all for being here and the support you show for our schools. So again, [snorts] I would just like to welcome everybody that has come tonight for our meeting. Next is public comment. [clears throat] [snorts] Um, we allow the public to make any comment regarding anything that is on the agenda. So, we have first is Nancy Lee. Miss Nancy, you have three minutes and the topic [clears throat] for the agenda topic would be suspension. I would like to appeal the decision Dr. Burton made regarding my two days of
005unpaid suspension. I was cleared of any wrongdoing within the same day by the sheriff's department. I would also like clarification of the schoolboard policy that I had been told that I violated. It was not stated. Um I'm prepared to do this now at the next school board meeting or even in private, however you choose. Thank you. Thank you, Miss. And next is Sunonny Riley for the support for Dr. Burton. Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight. All right. And I'm gonna have to read to get through this, ladies and gentlemen. Good evening. I'll be honest. I've wrestled with whether or not to speak tonight, but I feel strongly led to give voice to the incredible work [clears throat] happening in Lake County schools under the leadership of Dr. Burton. As a board, you face
006[snorts] one of the most difficult decisions of our community and for the future of every child in Lake County. In my 28 years in education, I witnessed many changes in classrooms, policies, expectations, and society itself. Each day, our teachers face more barriers than ever before. And yet, we come back every morning driven by one purpose, student success, creating a better tomorrow for the young people we serve. But the reality is this. Education today looks nothing like it did when most of us room. The students walking into our classrooms now are not the same as those five or 10 years ago. Co changed everything. We now compete daily with technology, social media, and the increasing number of children being raised by grandparents and [snorts] relatives. The those are realities we cannot change, but we can choose
007how to respond. And Dr. Burton has kept our focus exactly where it belongs, on the [snorts] success of our students. As board members, I know you receive [clears throat] many calls from constituents [snorts] about what's wrong in our schools. But it is rare to hear from those who want to lift up what is going right. Tonight, I want to be exactly that voice. Before I became director of instruction, I worked as a core ELA consultant for the Tennessee Department of Education. I worked supporting the 22 districts in Northwest Tennessee and I worked closely [snorts] with many of the directors of schools and supervisors and we worked on improving student outcomes. And I can tell you from that live experience that I had, Dr. Burton stands out. He is exceptional. Before joining the district, I had
008only a few inter interactions with Dr. In the last 15 months, I've had the privilege of working alongside him. I've come to see how truly fortunate we are to have him leading our district. He is one of the most knowledgeable, visionary, and student centered directors I've ever known. Dr. Burton [clears throat] is not just a manager. He is an instructional leader. He studies, researches, and implements programs and initiatives that make a real difference for our kids. When he stepped into this role, [snorts] our district [clears throat] was still reeling from co learning loss and lack of strong strong tier one instruction. To change our trajectory, bold and sometimes uncomfortable changes have been made to get us doing the work that is happening [snorts] in our surrounding districts. Change is never easy and not everyone immediately
009understood the line. But this past school year, we entered 2526 with one of the strongest faculties we've had in years. That was not an accident. That is leadership. We are finally beginning to see momentum instruction and morale and in student growth. It breaks my heart to think we might lose that progress by [laughter] changing. Dr. Burton's impact is visible every day in our schools. [clears throat] Students are now working consistently [laughter] with grade level material. Teachers are receiving meaningful professional learning and support to grow in their craft. Initiatives like the Lake County High School Career Academy and the implementation of high quality instructional materials are not just programs. They are the foundation for sustainable success of our students. [snorts] Our students deserve a leader who makes decisions based on what's best for them. And that
010is what Dr. Burton does every day. So tonight, I urge you for the sake of our teachers, our students, [snorts] and the future of Lake County to keep Dr. Burton as our director of school. Let him continue the work he started. We are moving in the right direction and our students deserve the chance [clears throat] to see [snorts] that success through. Appreciate the time. Thank you. [clears throat] >> All right. Next is the Margaret Newton bathroom discussion. Board members, the last board meeting we had two bids to [clears throat] fix situations because we were talking about um keeping our second graders at Margaret Newton an increase of 50 students, but the bathrooms were in disrepair. Since that moment, we actually had been visited by another professional services organization similar to Schneider Electric, the company Associates,
011also [clears throat] architect engineer firm. They walked through with Lacy and our maintenance team to those bathrooms. They asked some very pointed [snorts] questions which prompted us to go back into the bathrooms and start uncovering discovering ourselves. The good news is the bathroom should be completely functional by the end of this weekend. So that's good. But [snorts] through the process of uncovering and discovering cast iron pipes that were originally installed in the older part of that building [snorts] hooked up to there's a mop closet. So harsh chemicals have been poured down that drain and have started to deteriorate that cast iron. It is a ticking time. [clears throat] All of that infrastructure cast iron behind all of those bathrooms. It's just a matter of time. You should see it yourself. and when we get to
012that point. So, although the bathrooms are going to be fully functional, for those of you that did walk through, you're going to see where we are grandfathered closed in for ADA. The pictures are designed for older students, not the gray bands that they're now. The stalls are in disrepair. It's a remodeling project. Also, with gutting out the cast iron in the back, my ask of you is if you want to take on this remodeling, you really should put eyes on this yourself. >> [snorts] >> that I think we did a walk through on scheduled date, but you see back behind the inner workings and you can see that cast iron for yourself that it's just a moment of time before it completely deteriorates. So, the bathrooms will be working, but I like to schedule time
013for you to [cough] want to take on a remodel project. [clears throat] So, that's a tactic. It will require professional services to do it. the two walls between [cough] the bathrooms, [clears throat] the girls and boys bathroom outside the cafeteria. It would require an abatement to take those walls down because the materials that are in it. There's also the bathroom behind the gymnasium. I would say that they're in a similar situation. We just initially go. That's the report I had for you. If you have any questions about that, I'm happy to answer. has to be fixed. Correct. [clears throat] >> The So, yeah. So, there's the time bomb part of the pipes and [snorts] then there's the part of the remod. So the one is not the top priority, but the other one is is
014do you want it [snorts] to be more accessible for the students that are currently in the building potentially if you want more? >> Well, see if the shadow behind the gym, >> you know, it's younger kids there. There's nobody going to take a shower. So I mean >> that's right. The only reason that potentially would have been there for the Disney football teams and that's not a requirement, right? [clears throat] >> Well, obviously fixed. >> Our children they go into a bathroom that doesn't smell like >> an outhouse for lack of better term. Um I mean it was it offends when you walk in. So our poor teachers have dealt with that. our students have been dealing with that. I think we just need to know how much we're looking at and have some recommendations
015made. >> Would y'all be open to a date to go visit? >> How would you like me to do that? you need to send a couple of dates to >> other >> and and that way [clears throat] associates other school districts have multiple memorandums of understandings with professional services. It gives you watch. So I've learned a lot about how this process works and so they're they're just like Schneider Electric as far as the access to resources. So they're the ones that came through and said we'd like to get a shot at this. So you're selling on the other end there is another option for architect and engineering services that I would appreciate to walk through and that way you can make a determination because there's going to be a cost that's going to be associated
016just to give you an example just to do the scope of work and they would belong to us for them to come through and say the remodeling project this this and this you're you're talking around between 40 and $50,000 just for a scope of work. So it's going to cost So you having to go look at it first will help you in >> Is there any monies available through grants for this? >> No, we haven't done a capital project. I was saying in some time that was not associated with an outside funding source like the grant. So to this point we have not sought one out. Just kind of unravel the layers of the onion and seeing what it is. And so that could be a point of do you wish to recognize that there's
017a need to remodel but you want us to go find an additional funding source [snorts] or do you [clears throat and cough] accurate understanding of what's in the fund balance so that you so you can get to the point of doing the scope of work [clears throat] then understanding what that would cost in real time today and then you can make a decision of hey we want you get an alternate funding source the price will change um just because of time or you you going to so this is step by step but there's always an opportunity >> to keep that fun down >> sure you just need to know what that cost is going to be >> so I'll send out dates and times and see what works for everybody we can do multiple dates
018and times >> all right next director's contract Um, Burton [snorts and clears throat] has been has been here for like this is going on the fourth year. Um, your contract ends June end the end of June and so we're here to discuss Dr. Burton's contract. Um, he has sent performance evaluations. We have time to look at it. Um, does anybody have anything they would like to discuss? No, I'd like to since the retreat, you have definitely worked to do what we've asked you to do and I appreciate that. [snorts] I make a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve Dr. Burton's contract. >> Motion made by John. >> You said to approve Dr. burdens. >> Do we we do that separate approve disapprove or whatever? >> So I would suggest that you motion [clears
019throat] for specific time period in other words, this is an example a motion to renew Dr. B's contract for whatever period up to four years. You can go one, two, three, four. Uh, and then you get a second on that and you can vote on it. And at the end of that, if that is approved, I would suggest that you give me the direction to meet with Dr. Burton, draft the contract, and bring it back to you for approval. I'd like to vote to approve Dr. Burton's contract for two years. >> Extend for two years. Okay. Motion made by John to renew Dr. Burton's contract to extend it for two years >> beyond June 26. >> Right beyond June >> June 30th of 2026. [snorts] Second made by Diane. Roal Kane, >> no. >> Aren,
020>> yes. >> Cook, >> no. >> Yes. >> Homer, >> yes. >> Jones, >> no. >> Neil, >> yes. >> Snider, >> no. >> Windsor, >> no. [snorts] >> All right. So, there was five nos and four yeses. And the nose have it at this time not to renew Dr. Burton [snorts] or the motion fails. All right. Next is other business. Is there any other business? No other business. meeting. >> Anybody? >> No. Sorry. [laughter] [clears throat] >> [laughter]