001It is 8:38 and we are out of closed session. There were no actions to be taken. So we will move to the consent agenda. Any discussion? >> All in favor? Is an agenda passed? >> All right. Superintendent's report. Can we look at just when we look at enrollment um as of January 13th of 2026 um LSK has 489 students middle school has 365 students and the high school has 356 students um with a total of 1,210 students. Um and Mr. Boon um are you ready for your finance report? No, that should be okay. All right. For the finance report, if you open up that uh finance summary PDF, we are budgeted at an ADA of 111 students. Uh right now we're averaging 11:31 as of the end of the third six weeks. So ADA is
002looking okay. Um and then if we go to the next graph, revenue and expenditures as of the end of December, our um revenue realized is at 41% 6,358,504. And then our encumbered and expended budget is at 41% as well. 6,443,455. And then if you go to the next page, that's a comparison of this time last year. And so you'll see that total revenues are down about 1.2 million. Most of that is due to the tax revenue uh from getting those tax notices out a little bit later with the election of the Vader and they had to wait on us to get the tax rate set. But that tax revenue is coming in now. So that should build back up. And then if you look at the expenditures this time last year, we're 484,000 um more
003this time last year. Um a lot of that is contributed by the increase in payroll. And then we did have some uh capital expenditures that were not budgeted for that are mostly from carryover from last year, some projects that were started. And then a child nutrition budget. We're looking at uh the revenues there. They are just almost $4,000 short from where they were last year this time. And then on their expenditure side, they're less 13,000 than this time last year. And then scroll down to the last page. This is our uh bond construction report. And so you can see there the total balance of the revenue. And then I've added a a section at the bottom there that has listed out all my future payments that are anticipated for this project. And so you can
004see kind of what the remaining payments are coming out to be. Um I also emailed you some um this information previously before the board meeting. So are there any questions on the finance report? Any questions? >> No. Thanks, Josh. All right. Thank you. >> And at this time, we have um representatives with Gallagher Construction and that are going to come and present for us. >> Good evening. So, um I don't know if Miss Vot shared with you a conversation I had with her. We had with her right before the board meeting that we ran into a few issues in the culinary area. We worked through them, but it's going to take a few weeks to get some of that resolution done. I know compared to what we talked about last at the last board meeting,
005um I think realistically it's going to be the end of February before we can really get that ready to turn over because part of part of the thing that has to happen is the existing school. We put a new fire alarm system throughout it, but we cannot activate it and get it all passed until we did this renovation area for the fire marshall. So, just some little concerns about making sure we're not going to be able to occupy until that passes. So, I think we're got a little bit of delay. Apologize, but it's where we're at. >> No, no, but Well, there's an issue with the grease duct that goes on the hoods for the culinary area. So, anyway, it's coming out next week and they got to weld it in and it takes that
006and smoke test before you can cover it up because of the type of system it is. So, it just it's one of those things you can't do much else until that's in and just the logistics of doing that. So, >> is that the same conversation we had in November, the same grease debt? I can't recall November, but we're still working on the the issue is with the how tight that space was. We got all the hoods in. So now they had to make custom connections for it. They had to measure it. That was done in the past couple weeks. And once we have that done with the smoke test, we had to insulate and then we got to program the system for those hoods and that ties >> all ties into the fire alarm. So
007without going into detail, you know, the the additions actually was a challenge getting it with the city with the fire fire alarm system, but I mean it was all good, but we just it's got to it's got to pass and and we don't it's been tested pre-ested the other areas. It's just a matter when we do the final test. It's just sometimes it takes a few days to get that done. So, >> so for you guys that went and walked through, anything you notice, questions? Are we at like 99%? What's I haven't been in the building. So, >> 80 85 the the when we were talking a lot of detail the other day at the last meeting, it was the uh we were kind of focusing on when we were talking the technology side, the
008computer labs and the CT those areas, those are we're floors, fixing, put the floors in in them, ceiling grids in, drop the tile, they've got all the inspections on it. It's the culinary itself, the actual kitchen area. That's really is the big concern. >> So, because it because once we do it in, then you also got to get all the equipment in and connected. So, it's going to be even with that, it's going to be a push. So, >> so that is causing the delays in because I think we talked when we we looked at your computer stuff is like would you be ready and comfortable with the February first, right? >> I agree and I think about the fire alarm aspect and that's a concern. We would have to make sure he would allow
009us to complete those and maybe test it and leave the culinary area out if that's y what y'all want to do. We can pursue that. >> So, is the let me let me finish. >> Yeah, sorry. Is that delaying the drop ceiling, the flooring, and the the computer labs and stuff like that? >> No. No. >> So, why are why is that just now getting to that point >> if we were already going to be moving in next week? >> I can't I can't say that I really have a good answer for that. >> Okay. But you're the project manager of this or you are. >> So, do you have an answer for that? >> So, just delays. There's been some issues that we found that I'm getting addressed now as I look into this
010project a little bit more. We had another superintendent that he's moved on and so that's where he's found a few of these other little issues and he's just having resolved. >> Let's go. So what are those? Are they critical? Are they issues that this board >> nothing needs >> to know about that will cost money or anything like that? It's just there's a in the plans there's a door that needs to be demoed out that wasn't just things along that. >> Okay. >> That we're getting corrected in the next few weeks. >> And are they keeping you apprised of that? I just found out about that this afternoon. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That was not y'all did not mention that when we did the walkthrough on on Tuesday, which was the purpose of the
011walkthrough is to keep us updated and all the information as current as possible. >> Do you have any other updates on the project? >> No. >> Okay. Um I'm not going to speak for the whole board, but I'm going to speak for myself for a second. And I know you guys came in here ready to kind of get punched in the mouth because it was going to be a tough meeting. >> But I'm going to let you guys know this part of this building was supposed to be done in October from what we were told. >> Okay, go ahead. >> You can shake your head all you want. I'm telling you, we were told this was going to be done in October is going to be turned over and we were going to be using
012it in October, end of October at the latest. We're now at the end of February. this project. Well, they're saying timelines by the end of February. >> This project seems to get pushed and pushed and pushed and Gallagher had a great reputation as far as I was aware of before this. Yes, sir. >> And I'm letting you know, we've got some bond construction that's going to need to come sooner or later. I don't know that I've got the fullest confidence in Gallagher to run a project again. I'm just being completely honest with you. So, you know, we we've got things where, you know, there were things that weren't budgeted correctly because they were line items were, you know, said they shouldn't have been. You know what I mean? That and as far as what am
013I looking at? There was some sort of a clay comb architect fee that was miscalculated. And then, you know, we've got I understand things are going to happen and budgets are going to get pushed and and we had $35 million to do this. And man, we were supposed to have a good little B bunch of money coming from interest and everything else to hold afterwards so we can get some AC's done and get some other stuff done. And man, we are pushing right up against that budget now. We're right at a million, if not going to be now below a million of revenue left over when this project's done. And I'm just letting you know, I'm not I'm not thrilled in the least. And um you know I'm my confidence is is not super high
014with Gallagher right now. I'm just letting you know. >> I hate to hear that. I'd like to just make a statement if I could just for the record with Mr. Bowling with the communications. And again I I totally understand the concept because the the anticipation for the culinary area that we were going to be able to do it started last summer when we had the severe delay. And I don't know if y'all are 100% aware. That's why I like to just be transparent with it. Make sure with the foundation for the additions where we lost three months because the foundation had to be redesigned because we came to the school board meeting at that time because remember it was a substantial >> change for it. So we were delayed and the agreement we had with
015Mr. going I'm not trying to throw him under the bus here was we didn't want to tear that kitchen out knowing that we just reduced our construction time down three months for the additions and really thankfully so we didn't because the kitchen we ran into some issues just because the 10 month we went from 13 months to 10 months basically what we built that building in so we delayed that kitchen so when we turned it over that's when the kitchen work started so there was communication on that side that it was going to delay that and it was not really presented as a big issue now this month here or so and you know obviously we talked about at the previous board meeting we've lost about three or four weeks with the plumbing issues that
016we found in the old kitchen. So it's been a culmination of a few of those things but I I fully take to heart what you said and don't like it because I understand we do have a good reputation and this is unusual. >> Yeah. >> And the budget we're actually within our original budget as far as what we presented to the board. That's not for sure. Love to visit with Mr. Boon to see what's he what that's about. >> Yeah. And and I'd love to to do that and see that and and hear it. I will also say to the communication aspect, we can toss Mr. Bowling under the bus all we'd like, but there were several months that you guys didn't come to a meeting and tell us directly what was going on. We
017relied on these little green sheets. So, >> you know, if if if if you didn't like the communication, you got an opportunity the third Thursday of every month to come tell me exactly what's going on. >> I would like to add to that. So, I had weekly meetings with Mr. Bowling and Mr. Calib and it was brought up a couple times if they wanted us at those board meetings and he he did not want us here. >> Yeah. I mean, we're we go to board meetings all the time. I mean, it's not an issue. And so I know we had a whole bunch of punch list items as well that needed to be taken care of. Are those taken care of? Are they done? >> That was a question that I >> I've walked through
018that building and there are still >> things that are not >> There are still things and that I know we're talking predominantly about the CTE wing right now, but there are still multiple things to from my understanding from phase one of the project that are not still punched off the list. Um um and I it's it's an extensive list that we can go through. I know now now is not the time, but I I do want to understand why at least that part of the project is not complete. >> So the the list I have with Mr. Ben, we go through that once a week as well. Most of those items that we had on that list are complete. >> Okay. >> So I'd like to see the the list. >> My biggest one for
019me that sticks out to me every time I go over there is that back door to the cafeteria. you know, our kids can't use that back sitting area, which is an amazing, wonderful space that we paid a lot of money for, and it's not usable at all because of the way that the door is. We also can't let the community use our cafeteria because of that situation. We've had there's multiple things that we've run into because of that one door situation alone, which in my world seems small, in your world, it may not be, but I I would like some explanation about when that will be fixed and and and the timeline on that. So with that being an issue, the specifications for the plans for the door hardware on that did not call out
020for the proper hardware. So we got that addressed. We got the correct ones ordered. Uh the last time I heard from them with that being Von Duper and those have extreme long lead times and Mr. Ben back me up on that. That hardware is one of the things that can take months to get. So that all has been ordered. The last time I spoke to him, they were telling me in the next two to three weeks they should receive it. And as We have a little bit of >> it sounds like there's still some miscommunication. Let's make ourselves available to Mrs. Bo and let's get those things down to the smallest things right so that we all have a clear picture of what needs to be done, what hasn't been done, whatever the reason is,
021and get the get that a little bit better. And when we're looking into that door, the access control on that gate is is another big issue too that we need >> for the or for the gate or for the >> for the gate. >> Um that's a that's a huge issue at the middle school because you know those that outdoor area that goes from the main building to the new wing. >> At one point in time there was not an you couldn't get into either one without a key. So now there is one am my understanding is that correct that there is one one ke pad that's there but the kids you still have to >> call the office or they have to wait for somebody to let them in. So you're just stuck kind
022of stuck outside in the middle waiting which is a huge interruption to the day of the campus administrators or secretary who has to come open or the librarian who has to come open the door and that's been months. That's been months and that is a dayto-day procedural thing that impacts students and staff daily um by the minute. Um, and we've I know we've talked about that multiple times as well >> with that door as well. That's another door that was called out not to have access control. That's a architectural issue that we're working through. >> Okay. I I can't I that again not my area of expertise, but I just can't imagine that would be a PL on the plan to not have access to that door. I mean, that that'd be like not having
023access to the front door almost. >> It happens unfortunately with design. It is unfortunate. Yes, sir. It is. I understand. Point taken. Is there a timeline on that then >> for for access control on that? >> Correct. >> It's an RFI right now. We're working through it. Um, realistically, it's going to take a while to get >> But let let us back up and let us see what we can do. >> If we don't have an answer, we'll talk to the architect tomorrow and see if he's got a resolution how we're going to do it. [snorts] >> I think something that may help out too is not use words in like a while or several months. just like give us the best timeline you can. Two weeks, three weeks because I think that would kind
024of help out with us on communication. >> Okay. But I don't want to do that. We don't want to do that right now because it would be kind of >> It depends what what type of hardware we have to order. But if we can work with him to get something and we can get it quickly, then we can get it installed. But I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, for lack words. Any other questions, >> Josh? So part of us working as far as you were I mean what I can tell there is $16,000 difference aware of that. That's typically a percentage fee. And I'm not I don't know what happened. Our estimating department normally gets the architect's percentage fee and then puts it in there calculations, but if there was an
025error, I' like to know what it was. So, thank you, gentlemen. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next on the agenda is the check payments list for December. Does anybody have any questions on the check payments list? I did not either. So, all right. Uh let's see. Moving on. We've got a couple of uh discussion and action items. Uh so first of all, we've got to consider order uh the calling for the May 2026 general election for two expired seats of board [snorts] of trustees. Those seats are mine and Steve's. >> Any discussion? All in favor? And then not to be left off, we've got the order of calling for the May 2026 special election to fill the unexpired term of one seat, the board of trustees. And that is the seat that Jerry is
026so graciously filling. Any discussion? That is for what? One year remaining, right? Yeah. Just I want to be clear everybody knows. Okay. All in favor? All four. All right. Next up, we have consider adopting policy update 126. I think Miss Day is gonna come up and read every line and tell us >> 1,300 pages. Are y'all ready? [laughter] >> Good evening board. Uh we do have uh presented to you tonight to look at the update 126. There are 28 policies. We included all of the policies so you could look at the legal. Of course legal there there's no um need to vote on legal. That's just part of um the update from all the legal the law changes, but update 126 local, we do have the opportunity to customize those to our district. So, each
027one of those policies um was shared out with the directors and different people in those departments for them to review those to make sure that um there was if there were any additional changes we needed to make. Um, and as TASBY had submitted those, everyone was in agreement that they were good with the way TASBY had proposed those updates based on the legal changes. So, we are bringing to you tonight um, those changes. Just as a reminder, um, anything in B is local governance, anything in C is business and support, anything under D is personnel, E is instruction, F is under student services, and G is community and governmental relations. So, we had a few policy changes in each one of those categories. and we are um bringing that to the board tonight and asking
028that you would consider to make a motion to approve all of update 126 unless there is something you needed to pull from 126. Any questions? Any discussion? All in favor? >> Thank you, Miss Day. >> And thank you, directors, for reading all that. That was a whole lot. I read it and I'm like, man, I almost went to sleep like twice. Okay. D consider TASBY risk management liability insurance renewal. >> All right. If you open up that attachment, um we have our TASBY risk renewal. Um this will our policy expires on the February 28th. So this is the renewal for property, auto, school liability, cyber security, um and violent acts. So uh the total contribution for this policy is $251,39. Uh the total increase from the last year was about 3.8%. And where we saw
029that increase is in the property um category and then automobile physical damage. Uh those are the two main ones that saw the majority of the increase. >> [snorts] >> And um we did um Mr. Cooper called me earlier today and noticed that there is a piece of property that's listed [snorts] in here that's for the baseball dugouts and visitor dugout. Um and so I've put in a call to TASBY. I was una unable to get a hold of them today um about seeing you know if those need to be removed because it seems like those are the old high school baseball field and so that got torn out with the new addition that was built. So um I am going to you know continue to try to get a hold of them so we can
030get that removed. Um, so that's the only uh thing on the property. We did talk about the storage units as well. I'm not 100% sure um which storage units were in question because there's quite a few of them. [clears throat] If you look at the ones located on the high school, storage building, storage container one, storage container two, if those are just those I think what we talked about earlier, if those are just conx boxes and then we're just covering the actual property of the container and not the contents inside. I mean, those are conx boxes are 1,500 bucks. So, I don't know that we need to pay >> I don't know that we even need to insure a ConX box that's just made out of steel, but definitely not for 11,000 unless it includes
031the contents within and I don't really know what we're storing in those buildings. So, if we could check to see if that's what's in the PNC policy >> and would a certain >> and if a certain amount from our regular insurance wouldn't extend out. I mean, there's typically, obviously I'm talking about homeowners, but there's typically like a percentage that extends like outside the walls. So, like, if there's a little bit of our property in there and there's a percentage that's actually covered outside of the building, um, then that might cover that instead of paying extra. >> Okay, gotcha. So, I'm going to continue conversations with TASBY. Um, so with this being expiring February 28th, I mean, I kind of leave it up to y'all if y'all want to go ahead and approve this one tonight
032with the, you know, confidence that we'll work with TASBY on getting these um, additional items removed from the property schedule. or if you want me to, we can bring it back in February if it just be a real tight turnaround of getting that approved and um set up for March 1st for the renewal. >> We also look at the uh sorry uh is this it right here? The district district administration complex at 309 South Main. Uh it's total coverage is almost $700,000. >> Yeah. Um, and I'm pretty sure to get a me building built, it probably isn't that much. So, maybe we can reduce some cost there. >> Yeah, I noticed that, too. And I'm assuming that they're probably insuring everything that they believe to be in there. And now that it's vacant, we could
033probably um >> ask them to come cut that back. >> Yeah, that was one question I had looking at the covered property values of how often those are reevaluated. I don't know how this looking and how it pays out here. You know, is that a is there a co- insurance? Is that agreed value? Is it replacement cost if something happens? Is it, you know, depreciable value? >> I doesn't say in here. I mean, I'm not saying change anything with it. I'm just curious how it pays out. >> Also feel like kind of our deductible might be more than it would cost to actually rebuild the administrative building. How we would rebuild it. I mean, it's a metal building. we probably wouldn't put the walls back up, you know, spray foam a metal building and we
034got it better than we had it. >> Yeah. Um, so we did have TASBY come out, I believe, not last year, as a year before, and they sent out someone to do a walk around and basically appraise the value of everything that's insured. Um, so that it might have been two years ago that they've done that, >> which makes sense if that admin building was full of equipment and people, you know, furniture, whatnot. Well, I think it a 2% deductible is actually really good today's insurance market. So, >> no, I think we're fine to approve it. I I don't I don't think that an insurance company would insure a piece of property that's not there once they're told about it and and we can make those adjustments, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. We can make the
035adjustments with the property schedule and um let them know that, >> you know, like the baseball field doesn't exist anymore. I'll entertain a motion. Anybody Make a motion to >> I make a motion to approve the risk management liability insurance renewal as presented. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? >> All in favor? All four. All right. Now consider adopting the 202526 budget calendar. >> All right. And then the next one, if you'll open up that word document, uh this is what we brought to y'all last month. Uh the budget calendar for 2026 2027. I made some minor tweaks based on the suggestions we got from the meeting last month. Um, so we will definitely be trying to bring y'all sometime in May or June the all the campus budgets and department budgets and their requests
036and how they fit into the um grand scheme of things. And then um you'll kind of see kind of how that lines up with the revenue that we're anticipating. That was the only suggestion we really had. So everything else is the same. Uh do make note of the last two uh calendar dates. So August 13th would be the last day to hold a public meeting to adopt a budget and a tax rate if we're going for a Vader. If we're not, then August 27th would be the meeting that we would do an adoption of budget and tax rate. And we have to do that before September one for the Vader if we did that >> on that 13th. Is that the deadline? >> The 13th would be the deadline to adopt the tax rate in
037the budget. >> Adopt the budget tax rate. Yeah, we'd still have to do the audit and >> Yeah, we still have to do an efficiency audit. >> [snorts] >> And so this would be a document that we would need a motion to adopt. >> Make a motion. >> I'll make a motion to adopt the budget calendar as presented. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? All in favor? All four. All right. Technology update. >> Let's go. Corey. >> Corey. >> Do I hear some uh urgency for me to go quickly? Is that >> I think this is going to be the most exciting part of our night. >> Well, I'm hoping it is less negative than some parts. Um so [laughter] >> so when I so when I started um the the one thing that became
038very clear is uh this district was stewarded very well in terms of technology um and so one of the things that I did when I came in uh because this is my first job as a technology director um was to try and say that's fantastic. Hold on. Oh man, it was set up. >> I know. It was set up so well and then I failed so bad. >> You can start over. >> Okay, let's let's try this again. Um, one of the things that I wanted to do, uh, was to make sure that I tried to maintain many things, change a few things, and remove a couple things, but primarily it was trying to maintain the things that were being done well, and then to try and plan for the future. Um, one of the
039things that, uh, as you get to know me that you'll find out is I'm pretty impatient. And so immediately what I started doing um is I started trying to audit everything that we had. Um so I went through tried to look at every single piece of equipment that we use in terms of our infrastructure. So network switches and um access points and everything that we were using. I tried to look at system performance. Um I tried to look at the licensing structure of some of the equipment that we have because some of it's very expensive. um the platform usage, the things that were being used and things that weren't being used. Um stability, um ju I tried to look at everything because what I wanted to be able to do in my first year, in
040fact, I wanted to be able to do it before Christmas break is to come down with uh what I kind of call the technology master plan, which is a five-year plan that looks at um that has an inventory of everything that we have and it plans out the next five years of what we need to do. So, I'm close on that. So, I'm about 90%. So, my plan is next month to come back with the the finalized thing. I'll try and get that out to you guys well early because it is a incredibly long document even even where it's at right now. However, with before we even get to some of that stuff, um oh, these are just some of the things. Um again, just planning. I I'll just skip that. Um, we are really
041trying to plan to set us ourselves up um to save some money in some of the licensing areas, which I know every time I say that I think Josh gets excited. Um, but also because we have some needs in terms of our infrastructure that we need to divert some money toward that. And so what I'm trying to do is to try to find every way possible to reduce the number of platforms that we use with increasing the functionality. Um so a couple of things that oh and also one of the big things we we were just talking about the TASBY cyber security insurance which is incredibly expensive and and they actually do a great job in terms of our state. Um I want to reduce um the risk that we have across our district for
042any kind of cyber security attacks uh which they are starting to go after the small medium-sized districts because we have fewer IT staff and fewer systems in place. So as we're evaluating all that uh one of the things that became really clear uh is just um with the technology that is available to start migrating away from a Windows environment completely. So that in terms that that goes for every laptop uh every lab machine every server. Um so we've started on that. Um but here's a couple of the things that of why this is also important. Uh currently we just purchased at the end of last year some um a a small number of Dell Latitudes. There were the 5350s. The cost of those are about 1368. Um the cost of a MacBook Air is about
0431118. So $250 less and you will typically get at least four to five years out of those devices. We are seeing some of the brand new devices that we bought from Dell having issues especially with the battery. Um Ryan has to deal with that a lot. Um as well as some other issues that just come inherent with any kind of Windows machine that we that we use in our environment. Um so you would get significantly longer out of the laptops um than with going with a MacBook. A couple of the other things um Windows machines because applications have I don't want to get too nerdy because it has kernel access on on some of the stuff you have a greater um or a larger attack surface in terms of cyber security attacks. Um Macs don't
044allow that which means the max would be incredibly safer. So, while there's some other aspects of that, too, um it would just set us up to be a much safer and stable district with the devices lasting longer and having fewer problems. Coupled with that um is the need to start moving away from our Microsoft environment, our Microsoft 365. Um right now uh when we look at usage it is about a um I think it was a little over 90% usage if we look at the comparison between Google and Microsoft um our staff is using Google products about 90% of the time a little more than that compared to less than 10% for Microsoft and it's really only email um with a couple exceptions like the finance department with Excel and you know I mean there's
045some needs Um but in terms of a large scale, there is no reason to keep going the way that we're going. So one of the plans that we have um is to move our email over into the Google space and kind of go um a little bit more allin on Google. Um Google provides incredible security uh and privacy for school districts. um not not it's a little different in the personal space with Google, but uh for districts is great. The Google Workspace account this year was about $6,500. Um it will increase quite a bit next year. We already know that it's probably going to be closer to like 8,000. Um but the Microsoft licenses was about 14 grand. And primarily all that we're using that for is email. That doesn't make sense. Especially because Google
046Workspace, what we're paying for, could handle our email without any additional cost. So, the plan is to move everything over to Google and we would save obviously you can see there we would save about 14 grand a year. Um, which um is pretty sizable amount. Um, there is a firstear implementation cost. I am hoping to be well under 20 grand, but the to move a um an email environment over to a new provider is a lot of work and there are a lot of things that you need some people that are experts in that to be able to help with. So, um, but that is a one-time fee that would be covered almost completely with the savings on the first year, um, just by not having to pay our own Microsoft licenses and then we're
047free of that moving forward. So, again, we're trying to look at reducing what we're using. Um, so essentially we're saving we'd be saving about 14 grand a year on licensing about $250 a year per device and longer long I mean greater longevity. We would also be saving on not having to buy batteries which we have to buy quite a bit of batteries for our Dell laptops. So um again we're just trying to keep moving us forward. Um a couple other things I'm going to try and go a little quicker. Um, uh, GoG Guardian is an important tool that we use in classrooms to manage Chromebooks as well as to do our content filtering. Um, GoG Guardian, the product itself has been declining quite a bit in the last few years and the cost has been
048increasing. And so what me and my team did is we started going out and um, meeting with every competitor of GoGuardian this past fall. Um, and I think our last count, I think, was 11 um, different products that we had to sit through full demos of. Um, but currently our GoGardian license is about 18 grand. The the best two that we have found that provides the greatest functionality, in fact, more than what we would get from GoGardian is right around 11 to 12,000. Um, so again, we're looking at again trying to save extra money um to and yet still getting uh significantly greater functionality. And one of the things that was a um kind of a uh uh what's the word? uh we we needed them to be able to provide us something for parents
049to be a um to have greater visibility into the students behavior. Um in fact I mean both of the options that we're looking at have parent apps where parents can actually go and see all their student their child's browsing activity during the day. um they'll be able to get notifications if there are things that um were dangerous that they said either something you know like they were searching something about suicide or something like that parents would end up getting that notification as well. So again we're talking about spending a lot less money but getting more functionality than what we have. Um, I know I'm kind of flying through this and feel free to stop me if you if you want to ask any questions, but we also use a product called Gaggle that handles a
050lot of our eiscocovery if we need to do some research as well as student safety monitoring. Um, it the the product has not been pretty much updated in the last five years. Um, it it does a decent job in what it does. Um, but it we've grown past what it can end up providing us and the cost is about 10 grand a year. So, what we're planning to do is to instead, this wouldn't be a full cost savings, but to get two products to replace that, one that would do cloud backup management and one that would do some safety alerts and um cloud security. Um, an example of why like CISCloud would be something that would be helpful. We had a um an outgoing employee that had deleted all their emails before leaving. And so
051instead of being able to access those easily by the next person, we had to go and we would have to go and piece through gaggle in order to find specific emails. CISCloud allows me to with a push of one button restore everything that was on their account the day before. So we wouldn't have any of those concerns moving forward. So again, it's trying to make sure that we protect oursel and provide greater functionality. >> I have a question. So, you're saying that we don't with our current Microsoft Exchange, >> we don't have the ability as administrators to go back through deleted files. >> Um, so that would actually require a higher license that we don't have >> for some of the eiscocovery. >> So, with 365, there's a whole other level of licensing that you
052have to have with that Exchange server to be able to do that. And so that's why they're using Gaggle as like a third party solution to try to help mitigate some of that is my understanding. >> That is correct because otherwise we would need 85 licenses that would have purview as part of it. It's just another product of Microsoft but that allows us to be able to go through and do eiscocovery. It's pretty clunky. I used that at my last employer. >> Um >> it it's not like back in the day when we would have an Exchange server sitting correct on your premises. right? And you could just >> go do a, you know, backup of the of the email box, right? It's it's not like that anymore with 365. Uh when Microsoft decided to
053go to that cloud model, uh with with 365, it it changed the way that everybody did everything, >> especially email. >> And the reason why they're the second most valuable company in the world is they hide everything behind pay walls. And so companies go and >> well and that leads to my next question is if we go from the Microsoft exchange to a Google how do we you know because we are required by law to keep those for five years y >> under under the state of Texas for open records just as a records retention. So how does that how do we >> Yeah. So one of one of the built-in tools in Google is called Google Vault. Mhm. >> Uh it's already turned on for our environment. Uh but we don't have email in
054that. So um in terms of our drive, that's already been covered. As soon as we migrate the email over, uh Google Vault will cover us. Right now, we're actually holding it until we need to change it. We're holding it indefinitely. Everything. So >> So that does give us that functionality without paying anything extra. >> And it is Gaggle holding that. Is it >> Gaggle is holding the emails? Yeah. Yeah. you have to do um individual searches >> which is pretty clunky but I mean Google Vault you do too but um >> I'm not super familiar with Gaggle that's >> yeah it's an education product so yeah >> so any other questions okay I'm almost done I promise but just to give you some highlights of some other things that we've been changing so we just
055onboarded with a new cyber security um MDR solution they do um our cyber security monitoring it's a an agreement or it's a contract that we hold with region 10. Um they provide a great um a a great vendor to be able to do that with us. We just onboarded with them because the costs were going up with our other one. Uh we just onboarded with a new remote access um to be able to get into our servers for our team. Um we just uh did some testing on our brand new print management today. So um that will be rolling out in the coming weeks. Uh we have a couple things to just work out but um we tested and everything was great. So this is all cloud printing. Staff will be able to print from
056home when they come in, put the code in the printer and be able to print. A lot of organizations already have that. It's going to be great when we're able to add that. >> What remote management did you go with? I'm just >> a Uniflow. It's it's what I mean it's a Canon product and we have Canon copers. So it kind of made sense. >> I mean for remote access, what are you using for remote access for >> viewer? Team viewer. >> Yeah. Yeah, they're fantastic. >> Yeah, they're fant. >> Um, this summer we're going to be doing a complete SSID restructure. What that means is our Wi-Fi will look totally different this summer. So, uh, we won't have the same names. We won't have the same networks. Um, we've done all of our initial
057planning. We'll do all of that in-house. Um, so we've we're excited about that because right now just the way companies kind of like when you go through some transitions, we have six different wireless networks that we're broadcasting, that's a lot. So we're reducing down to three, but being able to route the traffic according to the password that people are going to put in. So it's it's going to actually help our throughput through our access points. So, I again I don't mean to get too nerdy, but it's it's going to be awesome. And again, we're going to be able to do that all inhouse. So, so I Yeah. Um, next year we're going to be launching a new help desk and asset management. We have no asset management right now. Um, that was concerning. >> You
058have a spreadsheet? >> Um, nope. So, there's nothing. Um so so we're going to um we found a great partner that we'll be working with to to onboard and it's quite affordable um and it will be able to um to do everything that we need it to do and then some. So that that'll be great and a much better experience for our staff to put in help desk tickets which right now it's pretty terrible. Um, and then also something that's kind of fun. Um, we're going to be doing a new cyber security training fishing simulation. You guys had to do the cyber security training. I mean, it is what it is, right? It was it was pretty boring. Um, um, I know that most people just kind of sit there and let it go and
059then answer the questions at the end and they don't need to watch it. Well, this new option is going to be great and interactive. It's also the fishing simulation is going to be great. And the really cool thing is that it builds in student digital citizenship lessons all under the one platform. So, um it'll be fun. It kind of gifies some of the fishing simulation, which you know that that'll be fun, too. So anyways, so we've got a lot of changes and these are the ones that um aren't even some of the equipment stuff that we've rolled over and and had to do. But um change is always hard. Um and I know that it's going to be difficult for some staff to be able to go through some of the numbers of changes that
060were coming uh that we're going to be bringing them this fall. Um but it's all for um trying to create a better environment for kids and for teachers so that um we provide the resources and consistent performance that we should have. We don't want technology to get in the way. In fact, we want it out of the way, but in order to do that, we just need the right tools in place. So any questions that you guys have for me, challenges like Yeah, >> I have one. if you know all this stuff is uh safer with cyber security. Do we get any discounts on our insurance for any of these things or is there a way or no? >> Not to my knowledge. Yeah. Um everything I'm looking at is when it deals with student
061data and everything like that. Not only are they compliant with just like Furpa and stuff like that, but almost everything is SOCK 2 compliant. So we're we're talking about they're highly secure. Um it just doesn't help us with that. Sorry. And most of the systems we use are remotebased anyways, right? So ransomware is like we're not holding master data. >> That's correct. We hold very little actual student data on prem anymore. >> So you said we're going to be transitioning from Chromebooks to Mac errors. >> Uh no, no, no. Um so these are for the those are for staff. >> Okay. >> So that'd be going from Windows PCs to Macs. I don't know a timeline on that. Um because like as I got a proposal today just to see 165 staff um it'd be
062about $185,000. Um now you can do four-year leases. There's a lot of options that you can do. >> Josh likes leases. >> Oh, does he? Okay. Oh, I'll keep that in mind. Huh. Um [clears throat] the the nice thing is with max on a four-year lease is that you can often times sell them back at the end instead of keeping them and it could end up paying for your first year of the next lease. >> Your refresh >> because they actually hold value. The Dells that we bought this past spring um [snorts] just when I do some cursory looking are are worth less than $100 and they cost us, you know, $1,400 a piece. I I I love the Apple products. You have a lot of people who have used Microsoft for their entire life.
063So, >> yeah. >> What do they want to do? >> Well, um every conversation that I have had, >> okay, >> people are very excited, the ones that I have not had with certain people, um I am going to have to win them over with enough training. >> I think >> because that will have to come with it. >> Yeah. The key to that is and I am I am a former Microsoft user that has has transitioned. Um it's just again you're you're in my opinion you're building the right culture for our technology department and your communication and your ability to help people understand the benefits versus the growing pains of switching over is it's going to be fine. So, but you are building the culture that we're trying to build here in this district
064and this technology and all these changes are part of it, right? And um and and just being able to communicate that, being able to relate and make them feel that we're not just doing this because we're it and we're, you know, we're big bad IT jerks. It's >> I I will say the one way that we can win over almost every staff member is the moment that they can have their laptop unplugged for the entire day. Um they will be happy. Um most people can't last more than 45 minutes. No joke. >> It's true. >> So that in and of itself will win over most people. We will need to do some training with some others. So any other questions? for culture. I mean, I always appreciate your excitement around stuff I don't even understand
065what you're saying. So, um I think the excitement that you you kind of that comes from you is is awesome. So, I think that'll help with the transition as well. So, I appreciate that. >> We'll hope. >> Yeah, [laughter] we'll hope. You know, it's it's just going to be a lot of transition, but we're going to get through it. And I think that people are going to see the benefit once we're through it. It's it's going to be a better environment. And just for clarity, we're not voting on anything today. Nothing. This is just all where you go. >> It'sformational just so that you can kind of hear because I do want you to hear all the changes that have been made and have been planned. Um because there's a whole lot more that you'll
066even see once we get to our five-year plan. So yeah, >> I think I can speak for Josh when I say thanks for finding places where we can cut on really useless money we're spending. So, good job on that. >> Well, um, again, >> it's it's selfish a little bit because I want to find ways that I can cut so then I can spend it on other things. >> I'm going to I'm going to speak for him for a second. Just let you know that every savings that we find, we we'll find a good place for it. It's [laughter] it is not to to just go back to the budget. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, thank you. >> Thanks, Corey. >> Appreciate it, man. >> All right. Last item on the list is to discuss
067uh future Vader possibilities. Um as we all painfully know that the Vader did not pass in November by a ridiculously thin margin. Um and so we just need to have a discussion about um if we want to to go down that path again uh this year um that we need to to start having these discussions now so that we can start advertising it and um helping people understand the benefit thereof. So this is your open discussion to discuss the baiter. I talked to Jared about this uh adding this to the agenda because we were so far behind in the in the in the last process. We do have some things that are not going to work for us this this time this go around. We don't we don't have uh legislation going on that will
068lower property taxes um that will be if there is any it'll be in 2027. So that's one thing. But with the support of if we have more community buyin, more committees that really get behind and push this, I I think we do have a good shot um at it. But we do need to we really need to start working on this if that's the direction we want to go um you know the next month or so. So >> I agree. I think there needs to be some community outreach to see how the people feel about it and see where, you know, what kind of ground we stand on. What can we do to continue to build that trust to to know that, you know, what we're going for and what this money is going to
069go for. I [clears throat] think there's some confusion out there about what the money would go for, not understanding what the Vader can be spent on, what it can't be spent on. I think we need to further educate and get that information out there. >> I was just going to say I think we owe it to our staff to try one more time at least. Um it was close. Uh staff deserves whatever whatever increase in pay we can get. So I'm ready. I think it's just going to be educating the people because there's we can't we can't control what the wording is on the docket and that was kind of confusing for a lot of people. So just educating people on that would probably help out too. >> Absolutely. Wow. >> Absolutely. I'm down. Our
070teachers deserve it for sure. Um, and ultimately our students deserve it. Um, because I want I want us to have the best the best student outcome and sometimes that takes the best teachers and keeping them. And I think this is one step, one goal that we have. We've we've had, you know, all of us as a board, I think we all have kind of the same goals. Uh, and this was a big step, a big step towards that goal. We kind of took a little bit of the wind out of all of us. Um, there were multiple things that we would have accomplished here that I think the community would have liked had we uh, expressed it a little bit better. I think we learned some from not getting it last time. I think we
071learned some stuff that we needed to do in the community. Um I think uh a uh awesome fresh superintendent because we're going to hire the best of the best is going to go out there and they're are going to communicate that with the community and you know win them over on it as well. And I think we got to do a better job. So and then I think we have to get people along with us a core group of people that that work it with us. Um, so really like a a Vader committee, like a bond kind of like the bomb committee we did. >> Yeah, that's exactly what my next step was going to be is we probably should come up with a Vader committee of some sort to start meeting and and start
072getting some some community meetings and different things to to start with that. So, um, would anybody want to volunteer to head that Vader committee? I can nominate. Oh, Steve's mic's broken right there. >> I'll take that one. >> You want to take it? Okay. >> All right. Um, good deal. Anybody want to join him? We have two more. All right. One. Anybody else? >> I'll help. >> Okay. All right. You get three. Uh, will be the Vader committee. Any way we can support, let us know. We just can't all show up at the same time except for you three. So, cool. Any other discussion around I guess uh what's the next step so we can get this because I do think that we started a little late last time then. >> Do you think we
073started a little late last time? So what is I guess the next step so that way we can get the process started now. >> Um if you like I can you and I and Monty can work on that between now and the regular meeting for February and bring back some things that we need to accomplish. Work with Josh. We've already been talking about some of the things and deadlines that we need to get through. And I I know that there's been a lot of community members also that have talked to me about like, hey, next time when y'all do the Vader, like a Vader committee, like I want on it. I'm like, I want my name in the hat because they want to help us get that pass because they know our teachers and our
074students deserve it. Um, so I think we need to start some kind of a Google Drive document so we can keep, you know, somewhat like we did for the other community members. Um, so that way we can all have their their contact information, send emails, and uh meet with them a few times. >> Sounds good. He's already using Google Docs. You heard that? >> Yeah, I'm 90% Google, man. >> From my Microsoft device. Any other discussion around later? We good? All right. If that's the case, then uh no disscent then we can adjourn. 9:41