001Good evening. Welcome to the Red Clay Consolidated School District regular board meeting for June 18, 2025. We will begin with the pledge of allegiance. Please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may now be seated. Mrs. Stevens, can you please commence roll call? It is. It's on. Miss English here. Mr. Leonard here. Dr. Neith here. Miss Sander here. Miss Thompson here. Mr. Wilson here. Mr. Matthews here. Forum's been established. Thank you. We now move on to the approval of the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda for tonight's board meeting? June. So moved, Kathy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Is there a second? Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
002Has been properly moved and seconded to approve the agenda as submitted. Is there any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. We now move on to recognitions. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening, Red Clay family and friends. Superintendent Green and President Matthews, please join me in presenting the award for this month's board recognition. Tonight we would like to recognize excellence in athletics. It is my honor to recognize an extraordinary leader, mentor, and coach, Kelly Wilson, head coach of the Conrad Red Wolves baseball team and Delaware's 2025 baseball coach of the year. Kelly, come on down, Kelly. Coach Wilson's impact spans decades. From playing baseball at the University of Delaware to coaching at Dickinson, Conrad, and beyond, he has shaped the game and the lives of countless student athletes. At Conrad alone, he's racked up
003190 wins, six conference titles, and three state championship appearances. But his greatest legacy isn't just in the stats. It's in the character of the young men he's helped develop. His players past and present return not just for the wins but for the man who believed in them. As one of his assistant coaches commented, "Everyone in the program knows Coach Wilson cares about them and would do anything for them." Congratulations, Coach Wilson. You are truly deserving of this honor. Thank you, Miss Mobly, and congratulations. Very well done. We now move on to public comment. The Red Clay School Board appreciates any member of the community who would like to make a public comment. According to board policy 2006, the Red Clay School Board allocates 30 minutes of public commentary. Each person may have up to three
004minutes to address the board and the time may not be transferred to or from another speaker. The board generally does not respond directly to a speaker. The board meeting is not an appropriate place to raise concerns or complaints about individual employees. Upon request, the superintendent shall provide the speaker with the procedure for submitting such complaints or concerns. The order of the speakers is listed on the screen. As you see your name, please make your way to your seat near the podium or if you are virtual, unmute when called to respect the time of anyone present tonight. When you speak, please state your name and organization. If you are speaking on its behalf and the topic of your comment, there is a timer on the screen that will turn on when you have 1 minute left.
005It will turn yellow with 30 seconds left and flash in red when your three minutes are over. I will thank you for your comments and call on the next speaker. Um, and it looks like we just had um Jenny Howard. Um, welcome on Zoom. Good evening, members of the board. I keep hearing the same questions in the community regarding the attendance zone committee. Why are we being punished? And if McCain is thriving, why disrupt it? But let's be honest, none of this is a punishment. And it isn't AI McCain, Dickinson, AI McCain, or Dickinson's fault. What we're facing today is the result of years of uneven investment and inaction by the Red Clay School District. For decades, the district knew AI's enrollment was sliding. And yet, during that time, it chose to invest heavily in
006selective programs, expanding magnets, and even opening two charter schools under its own umbrella. Schools like CAB, Conrad, and the two Red Clay authorized charters were all positioned for success while AI was allowed to decline. All four of these schools have exclusive exclusive enrollment requirements that many students simply can't meet, effectively excluding large segments of our community. These choices weren't neutral. They reshaped opportunity across the district and left comprehensive schools like AI to absorb the consequences. Some are blaming Delaware's choice law, but let's be clear, choice didn't create this problem. Leadership did. through how and where we invested. Families choose schools based on access, opportunity, and outcomes. When those aren't equitably available, enrollment shifts. And that's not about choice. It's about uneven planning and support. And now it seems like the district, instead of maybe trying
007to attempt to fight these wrong, write these wrongs, the current proposal is pitting communities against each other. All three high schools are being fundamentally reshaped. yet only AI is labeled the problem. We're told the model in Cecil's district, Cecil County's technical school is the um star model, but that center built was built with broad community excitement. Their funding structure is different and their success wasn't born from scarcity or fear of loss. Red Clay's plan right now feels zero thumb. Dickinson feel the race. McCain feels punished and AI feels blamed. And that's not how you build trust. Let's name another real equity issue. Red Clay has lost valuable resources year by year after year by allowing the Charter School of Wilmington to pay far less than its fair share for space in the Wilmington campus. That
008imbalance is real. It has financial consequences and it's part of how we got here. So, I urge the committee, go back to the drawing board, engage every stakeholder, put all viable options on the table, and take a hard look at how our charter and magnet structures have impacted enrollment. Only through transparency, fairness, and real community voice can we create a high school model that truly serves every Red Clay student. I thank you for your time tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the minutes from the executive session held on May 7th, 2025? So move. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Thank you, Miss English. It has been properly moved and seconded to approve the minutes from the executive session held on May 7th, 2025. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? The minutes
009are approved. Is there a motion to approve the minutes from the regular session held on May 7, 2025? So move, Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Miss Thompson. It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the minutes from the regular session held on May 7, 2025. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? The minutes are approved. We now move on to the superintendent report. Good evening, Dr. Green. Good evening. Thank you, President Matthews. Uh congratulations to um Coach Wilson again for his accomplishment and achievement. Um and again, it's no small feat um to have, you know, a baseball team with with the talent that he's been able to to cultivate and the young men that he's been able to influence to get to that level. So, a job
010well done by him and congratulations again to the Conrad baseball team, although we fell short in the state championship game. Uh, we live to fight another day. As we wrap up the 2024 2025 school year and my closing message, again, I want to just thank our community um for their endless support um to get us through this year. Lots of excitement as we now reflect and begin summer school next week. Um momentum will continue. uh we'll look for areas to continue to improve, to continue and engage our community, but more importantly know and do what's right on behalf of students. Um so on my cover page uh this month it's the Meadowwood Mile. I was bringing students together um and staff from the Melewoods program, Forest Oak, HB Mcken, and the Melewood Transition Program for
011a day dedicated to health, wellness, and community spirit. And again, just highlights the vibrancy of our school district community. want to thank our high school administration. Um, in particular, I want to thank Mr. Puit and Miss Jefferson as well as uh Mr. AJ Null for their efforts in coordinating our commencement and graduation ceremonies. Um, you know, we do a marathon graduation ceremony, having four in one day on the Saturday following the Friday night commencement ceremony that we have here in the Cav Theater. Um, and that's always the fitting conclusion, right? seeing all of the hard work and effort that's put into, you know, school safety, the environment, but more importantly seeing our graduates walk across that stage. Um, being able to realize their dreams of putting them on a platform to go, whether that's career
012and or college. Um, and again, you know, over $12 million of scholarship awards, um, going out to this graduating senior class is again testament to the staff members, the families, the true partnership um, that we have here in Red Clay. So, thank you to everyone, but more importantly, again, thank you to the facilitators, um, class presidents, you know, everyone who, again, it's a long day, but it's it's definitely one that's a fitting day, um, that we can share with the Red Clay community. And again, these are just some highlights and some pictures across. And not only do we have um our traditional commencement ceremonies, but we ended commencement with we're one of six James H. Groves um adult ed programs and we had their commencement ceremony here in the CAP theater this time last week.
013Um we also have our project search program in partnership uh with Christian care. Um and so thank you to all of the board members too for giving of your time to participate in those commencement exercises and the ceremonies um across the district. We were also fortunate enough um last Thursday. Man, the time flies. Was it last Thursday, Miss Moblin? Last Thursday already where we had 66 remarkable red clay retirees um who are going off into the sunset um and the longest year of service um was one of our maintenance staff who had 52 years um within Red Clay. He actually started working in Red Clay in 1973 um and tired as a district electrician. And so just knowing that we had that institution of knowledge and that commitment to a community um when I can
014actually say he was working in red clay longer than I've been alive um is a testament again I think to the fabric of our community when we have such dedicated employees. So thank you to all of our retirees. We wish you nothing but the best. um whether that would be late mornings, late nights, you you've now earned the ability and right to live, you know, the fruits and enjoy the fruits of your labor. So again, thank you to all of the retirees. Um and thank you to our HR department, human resource department for recognizing and putting something together for our retirees to send them off in a fitting way. Let's give it up for the regular retirees platform. What many may not know or be aware of is that we have a unique uh program
015and school here in the rec lake consolidated school district. It's the first state school which is located in the Wilmington hospital. Um our first state school supports um learners and scholars who have acute um health care needs that they can't receive their education in a traditional school setting for obvious reasons. Um and this year's district teacher of the year is Miss Mary Adam who is a teacher at the first state school. Uh, Miss Adam will be representing the district now on a state level. Um, but she embodies again the the excellence that um, all of our educators display, but she's top-notch in that effort. So, congratulations to Miss Marie Adam for her accomplishment and all of the work that's done at the First State School. Um, supporting students who again traditionally would not be able
016to receive their education in that traditional school setting. um they do an excellent job and again um Miss Adam is a a true representation and we're we're thankful and look forward to supporting her in her efforts to become Delaware Teacher of the Year. We also acknowledge in the closing weeks of school our district educational support professional of the year, Miss Noring Seth, who works at Joseph E. Johnson uh elementary school. Um, Miss Seth is is everywhere um in the community after school when we have committee meetings and different things and we're providing child care. Um, Miss Seth is is is there. She is a um staunch advocate for children and supporter of educators and again a fitting recognition for Miss Seth as a district educational support professional of the year. Um, so we just want
017to acknowledge her as well. So if we could, let's give it up for Miss Adam and Miss Seth. While summer is upon us, again, as I said, the work doesn't stop, nor does our outreach and support for our community. Um, so starting June 23rd and running through July 24th, um, sunny days, full plates, free meals for our students um, throughout Red Clay. Uh, you should see yard signs posted throughout the district, too, with information, QR codes on there for summer meals. uh children 18 and and younger eat at no cost. Um so again, please u come on our website and understand that there are select sites across the district. Uh the reclay lunchbox um likely will be out and about in various uh parts parks within the community as well um providing that that summer
018sustenance that we know a lot of our families uh rely on. So thank you to um our school and child nutrition program for their continued efforts in supporting the community. And again, anyone 18 years or younger um have the opportunity to eat at no cost. And I'm also happy to report to the board um next year through what is known as the community eligibility provision numbers um our numbers have and the need across our district is such that um likely all of our schools will qualify uh for free um breakfast and lunch meals across the district. So, um, while that is something that again, um, we're excited to provide that service, that is also a glaring need that we know is now in and about our community. And I tell everyone, you can't judge the
019need by the cars that people drive in the food bank line. And so, while it may look different, um, and we know that there are many needs across our schools, um, th this is something again that we are are proud to be able to provide to our community. Um, so again, thank you to our school nutrition, child nutrition program. We just want to give a shout out to uh the students and staff at Northstar Elementary uh for earning the National Wildlife Federation Eco Schools US Green Flag Award. Uh this is the highest honor for sustainability and environmental education. Uh so congratulations to the students who really embraced this at Northstar. uh principal Jason Martin and the staff um for their recognition on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation Eco Schools uh green flag uh program.
020So, Red Clay summer enrichment program start next week and thank you to all of our departments and staff for helping families register. Um we have a whole host of programs. I know uh here at CAB it it began today um ensuring that again we we have the registration. We'll host our um children defense fund freedom school. We'll be at supporting students from Warner Shortage um Johnson Lewis which is our Wilmington learning collaborative WLC schools. Uh that program runs from the hours of 8 to three. It's for rising 2nd through fifth graders and that program runs uh starting next week June 24th through August 1st. and Lewis is the host site for our summer uh freedom school. Uh we still have our partnership with Fame Incorporated. Uh Fame will be hosting programs at Marbrook and Forest
021Oak uh from 8 to 3 for rising 1st through fifth graders from June 23rd through July 24th and that location will be at HB Depont Middle School. Uh spring in the learning which supports Richie Richardson Park Moat and Baltz. Uh it's a half-day program for rising 1 through fifth graders June 23rd through July 24th and then Fame Stimulate actually which is um a virtual program. So again giving a lot of our families virtual options and we're also partnering with a lot of our community based organizations both the brand new uh the YMCA Boys and Girls Clubs and then several nonprofits within the community to uh provide summer learning opportunities through partnerships LACC and others who are anchor partners with our district. So, a lot of opportunities, activities going on. We try to capture and extend
022that school year as much as we can to keep students engaged. Be on the lookout. I know a lot of our families through our student information system have been used to home access and echool. Um, the state is transitioning to uh a new student information system, which is infinite campus. Uh, more information to come in the following weeks. So, we just want to get that out there. So, when you start hearing Infinite Campus, um it's not something that's new or foreign to you. Uh please check for information that will be coming out through our technology and communications office um to prepare students um and families uh for this new information system. Um Red Clay along with all public schools in Delaware um are transitioning as a part of the Delaware Department of Education's uh new
023process through student information system to infinite campus. Um it will uh replace home access center and will be your one-stop shop for viewing grades, class stat schedules, uh report cards, and much more. And again, you'll be hearing more in the coming weeks as we prepare our schools uh for the transition from home access eSchool to the new infinite campus platform. Uh we are our rec education foundation will be hosting the annual golf tournament um next Monday July 23rd at Newark Country Club and um actually uh one of our student scholars here from HB. I'm actually going to put him on the spot um cuz his parents and his dad is actually the president of the Reclay Education Foundation, but they're they're currently traveling and Jonah is a staunch supporter of of the foundation, but more
024importantly, the golf outing and someone asked me that they they needed additional golfer for their forsome. So, Principal Romano, I know you may not be here, but Principal Romano of Lewis William Lewis dual language program said he needed a fourth. So I found your fourth here in the board meeting tonight and it's Jonah Vo who is a student over at HB Depont Middle School. So he's going to be a part of that forum next week. Uh but no in all seriousness thank you to the Red Clay Education Foundation for their support. Um the funds that are raised uh through this effort supports our McKenna Bento families. Um a lot of times that money is restricted. Um while we look to support families with stable housing, it's just not the the the security of securing a
025home or a place to live. It's also all the essentials um that they may need, you know, bedding, utensils, um different things that go into that. And so foundation not only supports those efforts, they support our back to school block party uh with generous donations. They support arts programs um and various other efforts. So thank you to the Red Clay Education Foundation. Thank you to the many partners um both corporate sponsors and donations in kind that we receive. Uh that money again goes to a worthy cause. And uh I want to thank uh the co-chairs uh from the foundation who support the golf tournament, Mr. Bill Allen and Mr. Nelo Poli um for facilitating and organizing as well as um the other Red Clay Education Foundation members for their volunteerism and supporting of the district.
026And for also anyone in the community who's interested in serving again please be on the lookout. The foundation is actively recruiting uh new rec education foundation members um to participate in that foundation. And so we'll make sure that we uh work with them to publicize as they look for uh new members. Happy belated Father's Day uh to all the dads. Um Father's Day was Sunday. So those who are stepfathers, father-like figures, thank you for the what you do. So that that's a a post celebratory um Father's Day wish. Again, June is um National Pride Month. So we celebrate and recognize um those throughout our district and tomorrow is Junth. So in terms of June celebrations, just some acknowledgements about the many June celebrations that we have. Um we just came off of two days of
027WLC first annual um equity symposium. So thank you to not only the Red Clay School staff members that participated. Uh definitely give a shout out to two of our board members, Dr. Smith and Miss Sander who um volunteered and gave uh two full days of their time participating in that effort. Um, thank you to again the schools, staff, teachers who gave up voluntarily, gave her their time to engage in two full days of learning, networking, and reflection on ways that we can improve and support um our four schools who fall under the Women Learning Collaborative umbrella, but more importantly, how we can improve uh systems, teaching, and learning opportunities and access for all of our students throughout Red Clay. Um, I know I have some some reflection points that I walked away from uh those
028two days and again looking forward to continue engagement as we work to improve teaching and learning throughout our school district. And before I conclude and wish everyone a happy summer, I'm going to take this opportunity and executive liberty to recognize two of our uh board members who have served this district. um for decades. And I think when you say that from an elected official standpoint, irregardless of of the nature of the politics that are at play, because as a mentor of mine once told me, there's politics in everything that we do, they did it with class, they did it with grace, and more importantly, they did it with students, children, and our schools in mind. Um regardless of what the topic or the situation, and that's Mr. Martin Wilson, Senior, and Miss Kathy Thompson. And
029at this time, if I could invite State Representative um Kim Williams from District 19, which is my home district, um down to the podium to share a tribute um on behalf of the Delaware General Assembly before we actually continue to roast Miss Thompson and Mr. Wilson. No, we're not going to roast. Should I do age or beauty first? And you can decide who's beauty and who's older. We're the same age, I think. Okay. I'll do ladies first. And I also have one um from the Senate as well, but I'll do the House. And thank you for having me. Hi everybody. This is one of my favorite jobs serving on the Red Clay board. The House of Representatives. Be it hereby known to all that the House of Representatives acknowledges Kathy Thompson, Rlay Consolidate School District
030Board of Education member. Oh, Kathy, we're going to miss you. You've been a great board member. We proudly recognize this outstanding individual and applaud her many years of dedicated service to the Red Clay Consolidated School District community. Miss Thompson has served as a board member from 2010 to 2025. Throughout the years, she has fully supported the board members and the superintendent in making logical decisions for the betterment of students. She served as president of the board from 2018 to 2022, a member of the community financial review committee for about 10 years, and a member of the board policy review committee for more than eight years. Miss Thompson was involved with numerous initiatives while serving on the board, including inclusion, building a new elementary school, theater pattern changes at the elementary level, continuing to employ SRO's,
031school capacities, hiring the first equity officer in the Delaware school, and assisted in overseeing the revision of the Red Clay School Board policies. at Red Clay School District. She has served most am admirablely, giving of her time and talents to the benefit of the board. We commend her for her remarkable contributions to the Reich Clay Consolidated School District and bestow our very best wishes for s a successful future endeavors. The House of Representatives extends its sincere congratulations and directs this tribute to be issued on the 18th of June, 2025, signed by uh our speaker Melissa Miner Brown, the chief clerk of the House, Richard Puffford, and myself. And I have to say it's been a pleasure um working with Kathy. Kathy and I always didn't always see eye to eye at first, but we've become
032friends and probably agree more than we disagree at this point. And I'm very honored to uh call you my friend. That's the trip. And on behalf of the district, we also want to provide you with this Right. Mr. Wilson. So, I've known Martin for many years. He worked with my dad. Um, he's has served a long time, very long. I would say almost as long as I've been alive. But I'd be lying. So, um, Martin Wilson, Senior, Reclay Consolidated School District board member. We proudly recognize this outstanding individual and applaud his 26 years. 26 years, which I think of dedicated service to the Red Clay Consolidated School District community. Mr. Wilson began began his term in July of 1999 and will retire June 30th, 2025. During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to collaborative oversee the
033district's budget, advocate for innovative ways to utilize limited resources, and support investment in and improvements to the educational facil facilities. He was a strong advocate to decrease dropout rates, create safe schools, and promote collaboration. Mr. Wilson held many leadership roles including president and vice president of the rec school board and northeast region regional director of the national school boards association black caucus. He was a member of the community financial review committee, diversity committee, dropout prevention committee, facilities committee, and the red clay education foundation. at the Red Clay Consolidated School District. He has served, most admirably, giving of his time and talents to benefit the board. We commend his remarkable contributions to the Red Clay Consolidated School District and bestow our best wishes for a successful future endeavor. The House of Representatives extends its sincere congratulations
034and directs this tribute to be issued on the 18th day of June, 2025, signed by the speaker, Melissa Miner Brown, Chief Clerk of the House, Richard Puffford, and myself, Kim Williams. We're good, but also 41 years of combined services. Second, man. Wow. 41 years of combined service. That that that's amazing. Again, thank you both um again for again personally supporting me as a superintendent. I think the strongest relationship that a district can have is the relationship between its board and its superintendent. And I can truly say that I'm appreciative of your support. So, thank you both again. And with that, have a happy summer everyone. The meeting still continues though. Now, we move on to action items. So, is there a motion or actually that means make the motion? Yes. Thank you. So, we're on
035to action items. Action item A, it is a recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approve the appointment of Mr. Adam Dossky as principal of Heritage Elementary effective July 1, 2025. As submitted, the salary is commiserate with the approved administrative salary schedule. So, move Kathy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Is there a second? Second. English. It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English. Yes. Mr. Leonard. Yes. Dr. Nesmith. Yes. Yes. Yes. Miss Sander. Yes. Miss Thompson. Yes. Mr. Wilson. Yes. Mr. Matthews. Yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Congratulations, Mr. Donaldson. Action item B is the recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approves the appointment of Miss Norah Wolfford as principal of Brandy Mine Springs School effective July 1,
0362025 as submitted. The salary is commiserate with the approved administrative salary schedule. Is there a motion to approve the recommendation? So move Kathy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Is there a second? M Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Has been properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Is there any discussion? Miss Stevens, please hold the vote. Miss English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. Nid, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Congratulations, Miss Wolf. Action item C. It is a recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approve the appointment of Dr. Lerene Black as principal of the John Dickinson School effective July 1, 2025 as submitted. The salary is commiserate with the approved administrative salary schedule. So move, Mr. Wilson. Second English. Thank you, Miss English.
037Um motion properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Any discussion? Hearing none, Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Mr. English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. N. Smith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Congratulations, Dr. Black. Action item D is the recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Rasheen Booker as the principal of the Joseph B. Johnson Elementary School effective July 1, 2025 as submitted, the salary is commiserate with the approved administrative salary schedule. Is there a motion? So moved. N Smith. Thank you, Dr. N. Smith. Is there a second? Second. Kathy Tom. Thank you, Miss Thompson. It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the uh recommendation. Is there any discussion? Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss
038English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. Nesmith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Congratulations, Dr. Booker. Welcome aboard. And I'll officially say, "Welcome home. Appreciate you." And all four of you go home, take a vacation, cuz come July one, we're gonna get to work. No. Congratulations to each one of you. You're proud of it. Thank you. Action item E. It is the recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approve the school discipline improvement plans as submitted. Is there a motion? So move. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Second. Second. English. Thank you. Miss English has been properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Any discussion? Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. Nesmith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes.
039Mr. Wilson. Yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Action item F. It is a recommendation that the regular board of education approved the school board meetings, calendar, and locations for the 2025 2026 school year as submitted. So moved. Kathy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Is there a second? Second, Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Is there any discussion? I have a question. Sure. Can you hear me? I don't Maybe we can hear you. Okay, we good. Yeah, we can hear you. Um, well, there was louder. Uh, so I know we want to have a location in different parts of the Red Clay School District. I just want to um know if we're ever considering moving the schools at a different point. So for example, I know in
040long time ago there's at Warner and now we're at Richardson Park for that city part and then you know here. So I just kind of wanted to hear about that. Any ideas? So, I I I would say that wouldn't be a bad idea, but the AV and equipment that's needed, um, even here at CAB, as beautiful as this theater is, and they put on Broadway worthy productions, if you notice, sometimes the sound quality, the echoing of the microphones doesn't necessarily lend itself to being the best acoustically to be able to handle it. And we did a lot of extensive AV work at Richardson Park um, to remedy that problem. And so that will be one of the challenges especially given the nature of the hybrid type of meeting um to move it across schools um
041in that fashion. So we try to be consistent you know for a lot of technical reasons to try to keep it at those locations. Yes. Thank you. So hopefully we'll get all schools at some point up to par and then maybe have two schools that not every meeting but like two schools change it every year or every other something like that. Thank you. That's it. You're welcome. which is a good segue. Oh, did you guys vote? No, not yet. No. Any other any questions, discussion? Hearing not. Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. N Smith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. So that was actually Dr. Nish why I asked you that it's a good segue because the next
042action item is for the board. Uh it is recommended that the red clay board of education approved the major capital improvement schematic design plans for six reclay schools as submitted and those schools are Brandy Wine Springs, the John Dickinson school, William C Lewis D language immersion, McCain High School, Meadowwood and Mo. Is there a motion? Kathy Thompson. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Is there a second? Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wilson's been properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. Nesmith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Action item H. It is a recommendation that the Red Clay Board of Education approve the donation in the amount of
043$1,000 to Balt Elementary Baltz Elementary School, excuse me, from the Dillwin Bat Mitten Club to help with cost of the MTSS Carnival that was held in June 2025. Is there a motion to approve? So moved, Kathy Thompson. Thank you, M. Thompson. Thank you, Miss English. The motion has been properly moved and seconded uh to approve the recommendation. Is there any discussion? Just a huge thank you to the Dillwin Bad Mitt and G. Thank you so much. Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English, yes. Mr. Leonard, yes. Dr. Nmith, yes. Miss Sander, yes. Miss Thompson, yes. Mr. Wilson, yes. Mr. Matthews, yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. All right. And final action item. Action item I. It is a recommendation that the reclay board of board of education approve the refund of taxes to the inter neighborhood
044community builders of approximately $132.73 for property taxes paid in error due to the parcel being tax exempted. So moved Kathy Thompson. Thank you. Thompson. Thank you Dr. Nmith. It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the recommendation. Any discussion? Miss Stevens, please call the vote. Miss English. Yes. Mr. Leonard. Yes. Dr. Nesmith. Yes. Miss Sander? Yes. Miss Thompson? Yes, Mr. Wilson. Yes, Mr. Matthews. Yes. Unanimous. Motion carries. Thank you, Miss Stevens. Uh, moving on to consent action items. Does anything need to be removed from consent items before we move along? Hearing none, is there a motion to approve consent agenda? So, move to English. Thank you, Miss English. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Nmith. Uh, it has been properly moved and seconded to approve the consent agenda. All in favor? Any opposed?
045Motion carries. We now move on to schoolboard committee reports and first we have CFRC. So we had two meetings since our last meeting because one couldn't be done in time. So I'm just going to cover there. There's a report for each in um board docs. So I'll just report on the last meeting. So we approved the minutes. We set the meeting dates for next year. Um and one date we approved all of them. One date was moved due to there were going to be a lot of absences for committee a lot of committee members. So, our July meeting is now going to occur on June 24th. The expenditure report, we go through that all the time. Dr. Ammon is incredibly thorough. We we review anything that's over where we should be in the in the
046in the year. And we are all everything is understood, carefully watched, and monitored regularly. um revenue. Uh we we also discussed revenue and it was noted that we fully anticipate receiving 100% of the revenue due to the way in which the state pays division one funds. Cost recovery payments come in June and transportation is always hard to predict. We revenues at 97% we expected to be at 100 and expenditures are at 89. So we're in decent shape. There is a very good PowerPoint on the Newcastle County tax reassessment in board docs. Dr. Ammon gave an update. It was really it was very helpful. Reassessment is to be revenue neutral and as promised red clay fully expects that to occur. Uh recognizing that we are going to we we have to make some anticipation of how
047many appeals there there will be and we're going to make a a recommend we're going to you know have um an assumption about that in coming up with our revenue neutrality. But that that PowerPoint is really worthwhile spending a little bit of time on. No other public comments and our next meeting is June 24th. So CFRC is in great shape. Dr. Ammon does an admirable job uh with our finances and I'd like to thank him a lot for that. And I just want to add thank you Kathy. You've been serving on that committee for a long time. Your reports are great. Um and oftentimes you're able to attend when I'm not able to attend. But you will be at the last meeting, right? No, I'll be in Batswana. Thank you for your time. you've been
048uh giving thorough um minutes and requests. So, thank you. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Up next, we have uh Delaware School Board Association. Do we Yeah, I was unable to attend that meeting, but the report from uh Mr. Tull is in there and there doesn't see I mean, the budget's on on point. Everything seems to be moving along well. The one thing I would mention for our new board members is there is a boot camp and I believe Dr. Mr. Tull has reached out to everyone, but there is a boot camp for new board members on July 19th. And I would highly encourage our new board members to attend because everybody thinks that, you know, they're going to get on here and they're going to make all these great changes, but we have to operate as
049a board and we have to operate under certain rules and it's good to understand the ground rules. Boot camp will help you do that. Excellent. Thank you. And do we have anything for legislative? And u on legislative u got a lot of bills uh coming up and we got uh brother Jack Walsh working on getting ready to vote for the uh for for the bus lot and even with legislative we going to need somebody to get ready to take that ride down do and be involved. a lot of uh votes that came up since uh early June and Miss Kim Williams helped get one through. But take a look at at the minutes and the notes and it'll bring you up to date and you can get ready for next year because it's a lot
050that's coming forth to us as a board to you guys as a board and and getting ready for 2026. We got to get people out to vote. There's a lot of things coming up going to be hitting us hard, but we have to be ready. If you're ready, you can stand as people Old scripture said of the walls of I said that now you can shoot me. All right you thank you Mr. Wilson. Um up next we have facilities committee. Do we have an update for facilities? Hi. Um no Mr. Wilson and I were both attending a graduation that evening. However, I will ensure that by next month I get with the facilities um department and provide a an update. Excellent. Thank you. Um and I I I also will make the plug that for
051facilities, we are looking for community members. Um so anyone in the community, there's a lot of um important work that happens within our facilities committee. Um and the board certainly appreciates the input from our community members to help advise us and and um make sure that your input is included as much as possible um through our approval processes. So up next we have RCF, the foundation. Well, the the biggest thing to mention is upcoming Monday is Monday the upcoming red clay the golf tournament and the golf outing that helps to help support our children experiencing homelessness. So, it's always a great event. It's a lot of fun and Mr. Allen and team do a great job. So, thank you. Thank you. And just one thing that the foundation also supports our annual um health and
052wellness fair too. So again, a lot of that support and that's broad community support. So again, the golf outing is always a great time. Um, up next we have our secondary attendance zone and programming committee. I know there were several of us um there. Would anyone like to provide some high level highlights? I'll get the report. Uh, so I just want to say first and foremost, thank you to all of the committee members who have been participating this entire year to Mr. Puit and his team. Um it has been a journey and I think that you know sometimes we want things really quick and we can't really get them that way but I will say that um it has been structured in a very thoughtful way where we gave input and ideas and there was
053no idea uh not shared that we didn't consider. We went through the democratic process of determining and discussing uh what are some options to reach the goals which is to ensure equitable programming and access across our high schools and middle schools. And so with that, you know, Red Clay is the biggest school district in the state of Delaware. And I think we had a daunting task uh to work together to come up with those ideas. And in that time, it was great to have community members participate, board members, teachers, and administrators and share their perspectives around what we believe would be the best path forward to address some of the concerns around enrollment and attendance zones. We want to ensure that all students have equit equitable access to programs. And so with our uh having
054school choice in our state and and making sure that you know everybody gets what they want or can get what they need, sometimes that stratifies our our schools and makes it a little bit more difficult to run programs to the highest extent. And so there were many discussions around where where we would be going. And uh one of the the last recommendation that was on the table at the committee level was to create an innovation center and reduce to two comprehensive high schools so that all students would have access to CTE and so and that is curriculum and technical education. It's not VOTE. It's having access to many different programs around careers and technical education. And so, uh, we also looked at, well, how would we do that with space? And so, a big discussion
055was around, uh, potentially moving the middle year's IB program to Skyline. We did hear a lot from the public around their concerns uh, all around. Uh we sent a survey out, the district sent a survey out to families and we had 11 I think it was 11 1,158 respondents. Uh we do have over was it 16 almost 16,000? How many kids? We have over 16,000 students about 15 15 plus thousand. And we uh and they were con they conducted uh focus groups with middle school with middle schoolers and high schoolers and they gave some really salient points around what they think they should have school look like. They are our future. They will be the ones who will take us to the next level. And so there was quite a respectful debate at last night's
056meeting around whether to move forward with those recommendations. And so we had I think it was 14 uh members present and we did not get a majority vote for that. So that will be coming to to the board next month. Um, but I really appreciate the efforts and the respect that each of the members gave each other and sharing their opinions. And I do believe this was some of the consensus was that we need to obtain additional information through participation from different stakeholder groups that were not uh equitably represented in the survey and to have an effort to get that information. And I don't know what the committee will bring forth finally, but that is kind of where we are. And so, um, it's difficult, but I do believe that we will get to a
057great decision that will have our students in mind. A lot of times we make decisions based on what adults want and what adults need, but we don't always think about the students at the first and foremost. And I'm not saying that we're negligent. I'm just saying that that's something that we need to highlight. Uh and I'm going to piggyback on the WLC uh symposium because today I was I was there and it and it made me think about our committee meeting last night and there were students there on a panel and they shared their perspectives and they were, you know, out of the mouths of babes. They said the truth about how they felt and what they wanted. And I think that we can learn from that and be more intentional around getting that student
058voice whether that means we have to do some unorthodox things uh in terms of engaging families in different communities who have different challenges of being involved in schools you know everybody has their own thing that they do u but it was very telling today hearing those students voices and they weren't from red clay they were from a different district but um so I think that's where some of the members of the committee are steering towards and I know Mr. Puit will give his report next month and that concludes my report. Thank you Dr. Nie Smith. Um and uh last but certainly not least, Wilmington Learning Collaborate. Yes. Um so I just looked and I realized that I missed the May 20th report. So I will look in my archives and I will um send that
059out so that it can get posted. But at any rate, for the June 9th meeting, um which I guess was last Monday, that was a hybrid meeting um took place at the Red Clay um district office. And mo most of what we've been doing at the meetings in the last couple of months have been planning for FY26. Um, so we pretty much had a focus on our educated educator support programs that we currently have that are working um, and approving those um, for the upcoming year or the fiscal year rather. And then we approved a CFO role and then I believe that that's going to be um, the WLC is going to work with um, Red Clay, the Red Clay CFO, and then they are going to get that job posted. And then lastly for
060this report there was an approval of a director of professional learning and we so effective school boards. So I remember we talked about uh I guess the retreat that we had some time ago where we worked on um goal setting goals and guard rails and we were supposed to host these listening sessions preliminary listening sessions. So we were successful in uh conducting those preliminary listening sessions so that we can work to put some goals and guard rails in place and then um our plan is so we are on track with that particular contract that we have in that timeline. So, we are excited about that and we heard some great things at some of the different community um organization listening sessions that we got to attend and we got to hear from different parents and
061um community members and businesses and um about you know just from different families about what they feel like they need from the education system and how we can better support them. Um, and then the last meeting that we had was a special meeting that was conducted on June 16th where we discussed the Johnson Elementary principal. So, congratulations again. Um, so that meeting was successful and that was pretty much the only reason we met on Monday. And that concludes my WC report. Mr. Matthews, I just want to uh thank the committee too for the secondary improvement uh passed on. No, sorry. It's all right. Um, just every committee member uh was devoted to uh the task at hand which was to find out the tenant zones and what we can do about some of the situations
062we've had in the district and Mr. Puit was uh was great in uh leading that charge and uh coming up with uh some great uh uh activities for this committee. So again, thank you all who participate in that and I think we're going to make the right decision next month uh about where we're headed uh within the district. Thank you again, Mr. Pro. Can I return to WLC? Sure. Okay. Uh I have a couple questions for um Miss English. Sure. Do you know when the next time uh the WLC executive director will send a report I guess kind of connect with us about report about outcomes and the goals that were set forth in theou? Um I don't know that there's necessarily a set date but I can have we can Dr. Green and I
063can have a conversation with her and let her know that that's something that our district is interested in. Yeah, I think it would be important to celebrate successes as well as see areas for opportunity and how we can, you know, continue to feel like we're supporting the work. Uh, and, you know, you're the representative and we we can speak through you, but I think it it's a value and and and that team knowing that they have the support of a board. I I I agree and um to kind of piggyback on that, Dr. Rigos is working on some um great things and ideas that we've been discussing and flushing out for FY26. And so I think it would be great um for the district and for the community to be able to hear what the
064what those things are and to be able to give give their feedback. Um also I forgot to state that the next meeting is going to be held on September 3rd, I believe, at about 6:00 p.m. or so. And I think it's going to be in at the riverfront at the DSU location. Um but it is also listed on the WLC website. Um and we encourage people to attend the meetings and to come and to ask questions and to provide their feedback and um come connect. So it will be helpful. It's it's always helpful. And just if I may, relative to the WLC, we we are in a process. We do engage regularly with Dr. Burgos and her team. Um working with Dr. Huffman, building leadership to make sure we're aligned as best we can. Um
065when you talk Dr. Dr. Smith about the measures of success. We also have to understand and what we learned in discussing um the current measures of success that's listed in Miss English's report is what direct control does the WLC actually have in terms of the inputs to get the outcomes which we know they really don't. And so we're working closely with our building leadership, the educator leader team, sitebased community councils to really ensure that the vision of the WLC was to make sure that it's kind of a bottom up approach and not a top down. And how are we also working with the department of ed through school accountability to make sure that we're not overwhelming our schools with so many external initiatives that they become compliant and just checking boxes rather than being transformative
066and really leveraging the resources and the opportunity. And given where the state is in terms of the funding with the initiative being started under the previous administration um we're really only going to get one more bite of this apple. And I think with strong leadership in place um being cleareyed about again to your point how to maximize and leverage those resources in an authentic way which we heard over the last two days um I'm excited about where we can go and what we can leverage um with a collective kind of impact vision around the work um to ensure that we're empowering our school leaders, our educator leader teams and our families through sitebased community counseling partners to do some what we heard today is innovation but not nothing new because I think a lot of
067our schools get overwhelmed with what's the next thing that they can do to fix a problem when we really haven't really authentically understood the root causes of the problem. So I think with the leadership teams and things that we're putting in place we're going to have an opportunity here to accelerate a lot of those growth opportunities that everyone is expecting from the WLC. Thank you Dr. Green. Any other questions? Jose, I have something. Absolutely. Okay, Miss Thompson. Okay, so I just have something I really need to say. So, as everybody knows, I always say I'm about the facts. It's my background. So, it's been 15 years, 258 regular and special board meetings. These meetings including retreats and workshops, 197 executive sessions, thousands of committee meetings, countless graduations, many NSBA conferences, and tons of individual meetings
068and emails with all sorts of folks, constituents. I know because I counted and it sounds like a lot. So why do we do it? Well, education in my view is the key. And Nelson Mandela said it best. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. I've experienced that in my own life and seen it in the lives of my family, children, and friends. Education is critical to every student. Thus, my service on the board has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime. To be that close to, involved in, vocal about, and supportive of the education of every single Red Clay student. It's really quite an honor. I also highly value our system in the United States of free public education, which really is the thing that makes this
069country great. Through my travels, and I have done a lot of it, I have seen firsthand what happens when there is no free public education. Many children are unable to attend school. Classrooms often have hundreds of students with one teacher, no books, no food, and children must walk miles to and from school, often totally unattended in dangerous areas. It makes you realize just how blessed we are and I do wish that more children appreciated the value of education and what it means to their lives. I've been honored to hold this school board position for three terms. As we all know, the school board's job is to set the direction of the district through policy and to hire the superintendent. The board can only act as a body. It takes a public meeting with a properly
070noticed agenda item and four votes for the board to act or do anything. No board member can act alone and any board accomplishments are that of the group, not of the individual. And our education system here in Delaware is complicated with 15,000 students, more than 3,000 employees, 28 schools, uh various types of funding, be it federal, state, local, what you can and can't do with it. Different sources of authority, federal, state, local, and now even city. The many facets of education from transportation to early childhood education to nutrition to ID DEA requirements, and the list goes on. It's complex. and the board must be focused on the 15,000 Red Clay students in 28 schools. No individual school or person takes precedence over the good of the whole. Over the 15 years I've been part of
071several critical board decisions, the most important of which has been hiring Dr. Green, a highly skilled and knowledgeable education leader who is sought after throughout Delaware, be it by the governor, WLC, reading consortium, etc. Dr. Green has led Red Clay through some challenging times and issues and he has put together a fabulous team. So, a shout out to all our leaders. I won't name anybody in in in particular, though I will name Maria because I have to thank Maria who is like the mother of the board. Okay. But to the whole team, the whole team, I really have to thank you. I have seen firsthand how wonderful our our employees are in Red Clay, how dedicated they are, and how they work every day tirelessly for our Red Clay students and families. We're blessed to
072have this team of administrators, educators, nurses for Nia Cruz. I have to shout out secretaries because she always points out how important they are and she's right. Transportation professionals, nutrition experts, custodial staff, and the list goes on of our dedicated red. The list goes on and they're all dedicated to our Red Clay students, families, and communities. A huge thank you to each and every Redcllay employee for your dedication and hard work and especially for all you have given to our Red Clay students and families. So, as I ride off into the sunset, I am proud and honored to have been a part of Red Clay and I will forever and always be on and a part of team Red Clay as well as its biggest cheerleader. Thank you. I would like just like to say
073real quick I won't go and try to count all the times up days and long nights and can you pull your mic till you just Mr. Wilson traveling wow done on Dr. Now it's weird. There it is. Think one. Yes, absolutely. Here, try that. All right. I was working with this team and Dr. Green said, "Man, you need to get out of that thunderstorm." I was outside a library down in middle of the state of Virginia. he said and uh we'll be all right because that's how dedicated I was. I always tried to get on the meetings if I had to do Zoom or hear it over the phone. But this time, these 26 years have moved past me real fast. Through this tenure, I always looked at all the citizens of the district, especially
074those that had concerns. They wasn't comfortable with coming to the board or even speaking for three minutes and we dealt with it and we worked it through. when I'm able, as Kathy just said, every department we if we start naming names, we could be here all night, but Broomo at uh just my road partner, Dr. Mobly, back in the days when we were taking our trips to help better the dropout preventions and serve them with a few of the grace that passed on. It's amazing when you look over a lifetime and see all that you did, what you done to be involved and help kids and helping the communities when kids were running a muck and just didn't know what to do. And uh we've been involved Also, as a father, a pastor, you know,
075I hold this district close to my heart. Brother Casper, he may still be out there somewhere. Uh, learning the family that we were even young people together. used to go over to the shop on South Wilmington and just all the people that have touched my life and I've been in the lives of so many folks. I thank the Lord for the 42 years with the local union, electrician union and UAW uh Chrysler plant that eventually went a muck in uh Delaware building trades, the neighborhoods, seeing the kids grow up and come across that stage. My my biggest reward was seeing them children from I I told somebody the other week that I think it was Susan from prek seeing the kids before you know prek was an afterthought. It wasn't there when I started, but
076kindergarten right on up for 13 years of seeing the kids and they grow up to be young men and young women. But seeing them come come across that stage for me to shake hands and hug them. I told Kathy on the last graduation, I had a third third cousin that I handed a diploma to and one of my wife's best friend's daughter I handed a diploma to. And then Maria's granddaughter I handed a diploma to. Uh so many people were I I can't remember all the names that we seen and they would say, "Mr. Wilson, I just thank you for just being up there to hug my child or my niece, my nephew." And I think the youngest we have now relative is at Johnson and I think he is going in the first or
077second grade. So it's more Wilson legacies coming. You guys got a hard job. We have about 25 of them right now in the schools that I want you to keep on doing your good work. And as it come to an end, as you said, we gonna ride on in this sunset. Remarkable Rig Clay. I enjoyed my ride. Thank you all. Thank you both. So beautifully. Anything else for the better of the group? Just want to say congratulations and thank you. uh this is not an easy volunteer job and for you all to do it so long I aspire not really uh to do your work but I I do appreciate I know we don't we didn't have all the same ideas but I think that's what you said in your in your statement Kathy is
078that the work is the work of the board and so I think having a diverse board with a diverse thought is important so thank you um I wanted to say thank you um I I started off as the new board member but I'm no longer the new board member anymore. Um, right. Right. And it's and it's just wild. But I appreciate both of you and I appreciate your mentorship and both of you have become like family and I look forward to seeing you out um and on Facebook and traveling and whatever whatever your heart's desire. So, it's been a pleasure. So, for the Red Clay community, Kathy has taken everyone to Batswana with her. She she she she is a world traveler and everyone follows her through her world travel. So can't wait to go
079to Boswan. Great. Well, without further ado, do I have a motion to adjurnn? So move English. Thank you, Miss English. Second there. Thank you, Miss Thompson. Um the time is now 8:15. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Have a good night, everyone. Thank you. Have a good night.