001Pleasure. One last time, M. Let me see. Okay. 230 days. >> Everything's calculated that you guys think she just missed it. Absolutely. >> Yeah. I'm scared. Somebody tear all this out. Couple more than I started. This is the last one. Is that all, Miss Gold? Good evening. Thank you all for coming tonight. I'm going to call to order the board regular session board meeting on April 13th at 6:00 p. p.m. At this time, um, I will do the invocation and the pledge to the flag. Everybody will stand. Dear heavenly father, thank you for everyone in this room. Thank you for bringing everyone home from a great spring break and back to work. Thank you for this board tonight and and letting us all understand the gravity of this situation. Thank you for all the support
002that you've given us and the community has given us. We appreciate everyone and everything. In your name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. I aliance 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. >> At this time, we'll be moving to item three, approval of the agenda. >> May I get a motion to approve the agenda? Madam Chair, I offer motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> Okay, it has been motioned and seconded. Any dis any discussion? All in favor? I. >> All oppose? No. Eyes have it. 7 to zero. Item four, approval of minutes for March 23rd, March 26th, March 30th, and March 31st, 2026. May I get a motion to approve those minutes? So
003moved. >> All right. Second. >> A second. >> Thank you, Miss Johnson. Had a motion in a second. Only approval of minutes for March 23rd, March 26th, March 30th, and March 31st. Any discussion? >> All in favor? I. >> I. >> All oppose? No. Eyes have it. Seven to zero. Item number five, DC board norm and protocol. I will be reading from board meetings item number two. All board members will come to the meeting prepared by reviewing the packet in the email. And then number six, board co code of ethics conduct as a board member. Number one, devote sufficient time, thought, and study to the performance of the duties and responsibilities of a member of the board. All right, moving along. Miss Pool, any public comments? >> We have a couple. Miss ready. >> Okay,
004Mr. Halcom. How you all doing? >> Hold on. One one minute. Get you set up here. All right, Miss Blorth, you have three minutes. >> I am Rayworth. I think every time I come to you all, something goes on with my voice. Not in the house. I'm here to address the survey that I have and I think some of the community as well. The audit exposed serious financial concerns and acting involving the state and current leadership indicate that the ongoing issues that have not been adequately resolved. My concern is the impact this is having on the community, the students and the teachers. I'm asking for immediate transparency, accountability, and formation of the community task force to support the 2026 27 budget process. Um, I am a community person. I've been coming here for over five
005years. I've been consistent and I have seen a lot of ups and downs. I sent several emails out and we solved a lot of issues together the board in this past 10 years. I'm concerned about these issues that is repeating itself. Um, I know you all are trying, but the recommendation that has been put forth before you all, I think y'all really need to take another look at them and make the right decision for this community. I'm here for the kids and the teachers that's going to stay in this city. And I also want to know, have anything changed about the gifted academy? Is it a school or is it a program? Can you explain to me as well as some of the community members about the gifts academy? Is it a school or is
006it a program? So we can get a better understanding. And when did y'all you all make that change into it being a school by itself? My main concern is for the students and the teachers that's going to be the main in this system and for the community to work with you all under the task force so they can help you all make a decision. that's involving us in his community. So once again, thank you for the time. I look forward to keep coming before you because I'm committed to this. It's just too much. >> Miss Bworth, your time is up, but I do have a question for you. Um, on March 25th, I emailed you regarding this community task force that was a correspondence between me and Miss Bolam Scott >> asking for propose proposal
007on what it looks like >> to present to the board to see if it fits into the requirements of our board. Um, >> I >> where are we in that process? >> I'm not on taken on that project. >> Okay. I just see the need for it. And that's Chris and Miss Falsson, whoever else project. I just see the need for it. >> Okay. >> Because >> Got it. >> The community and the board need to work together. >> And we're open to that. We just needed a proposal to to speak to what it was. >> I think they sent you all something, I believe, >> later today. >> Okay. And I'll get with Mr. Johnson on that. >> But I'm supported. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you. Okay, next we have Regina McCrae.
008>> Good afternoon. >> Thank you for this opportunity to come um and speak and speak for visit you guys again. Um really good to see James here. We're glad to see you here. Um but I felt a need to come and try to um express some feelings. Um frustration, confusion, anger, uncertainty, disbelief, disappointment, fear, betrayal are just some of the few are just a few of the emotions and feelings that are in our that our community is experiencing. We have watched in agony as our school has been turned upside down in this due to this unprecedented financial crisis. That has only been part of the problem. The other part has been how how it has been handled. The decisions that have been made with seemingly no explanation or rationale. We have felt shut out of
009the process that directly affects our children. We remain in the dark remark regarding decision-making. We were promised new leadership and transparency, but we still don't have a valuable plan or at least we don't know of one. I have found it personally impossible to get information from the administration. Even as a city board member, I've asked specific questions regarding program cost and whether or not we could afford them. I specifically inquired about the IG program and requested an estimate in dollar amount of the dollar amount that is spent on the program to which I was consistently told we don't know or the person who does that is out. Here we are 6 months later and the answer is the same. We don't know. This is just one example of how information is guarded and protected. But
010we know that this is not right. DCS is DCS is not some private club that only certain people have access to. It is a public school funded by taxpayer dollars, our dollars and we have the right to and we have a right to have a say in what happens to date. Social media, the courier herald, the rumor mirror continue to be our source of information. If it were not for those letters sent out by state superintendent exposing the board and the leadership for not accepting the recommendations, we as a community still would not have known. The DCS belief statement lists collaborative communication among all stakeholders is v vital for success and high performing of trustworthy leadership is vital to strong to a strong school district. We need to have we need you to practice this
011belief as a board. We we the buck does end with you. There is no blame. There is no blame or responsibility to pass on. We you are responsible for providing a quality education for every student and ensuring that we have the recruitment and retainment of qualified teachers. Tonight I join with fellow with my fellow community members demanding action. We want real transparency. We deserve answers. We want we want we want a movement that encourages to you to do the right thing. I want you to encourage you to do the right thing. I'm not good at reading, but I just want you to do the right thing. Do what we have to move in integrity. >> Thank you, Mr. and do what's best for all. >> Does anyone have any questions for Mr. McCrae? >> Any
012questions? Okay. Thank you, M. >> Next. >> Okay. Then we have Mr. Albert. >> Good evening, >> Madam Chair. Members of the board, superintendent, and members of the community, my name is Alfred Wheeler, and I stand before you tonight as a parent, the four kids in D City School, a community leader, and an advocate. But more than that, I stand as a voice for the children and teachers and families who feel unheard in this moment. Let me be clear from the start. something is not right. There are decisions being discussed. There are cuts being considered. There are changes being made. And yet the people, the parents, the taxpayers, the very community that supports this system are left asking one simple question. What is going on? Why are we in the dark? Why are we here
013now through whiskers than through leadership? Why does it feel transparency has been replaced with silence? Because silence is because silence creates suspicion. Silence creates division and silence destroys trust. This is not a moment for quiet leadership. This is the moment that demands boldness. This is a moment that requires transparency. This is a moment that calls for accountability. And right now perception in this community, the real feeling among the people is that this board is reluctant to fully accept and act on the recommendations of the state board of education. Whether you agree with the perception or not, hear me. Perception becomes reality when leadership does not speak. And while there is hesitation, while there is delay, our children are paying the price. Inaction is not harmless. Inaction is harmful. It is hurting our students who deserve
014civility. It is hurting our teachers who deserve support. It is hurting the very foundation of Dublin City Schools. And let me remind you, this school system has a rich history, a proud history. A history that's built by people who didn't run from the hard decision, but face them head on. So the question tonight is simple. Will this board rise to that same standard? Will you lead with courage? Will you speak with clarity? Will you act with urgency? Because our children cannot wait. Our teachers cannot wait. And this community will not continue to wait in silence. We are not here just to point fingers. We are here to call for action. Make the decisions, communicate them clearly, and let this community know without a doubt that you are doing what it takes to get D City
015Schools back on track. and as a community. Let our voices be united and undeniable. >> No more silence. Our students deserve better. >> No more silence. Our students deserve better. >> Thank you. >> Anyone have any question? >> Welcome back to Mr. >> Thank you. >> Questions? Thank you, Mr. Willie. >> Okay, next we have Jay Powers. Let me say while I'm on my way. Mr. Lir, it's good to see you back at the table, sir. To everyone at the table. Good evening. Thank you all for letting us be here community. Hello. I'm here today because I'm the parent of a student of IGA. I have some questions and a statement. First, I'm concerned about transparency and accountability. Hiring, firing, salaries, these are all matters of public record. So, I don't see the need to
016go to the second session about these points. The state has said there's no more money coming. DCS has stated that QBA QBE funds advancement would be necessary through 2027 into the spring of 2028 possibly. But where will funds come from until then? Are we asking our educators to sign contracts with no guarantee of funding? What would happen if a teacher signed a contract and there were no funds to pay them? For you, Superintendent Pool, you stated that there was a great miscommunication that led to the state's reversal of position recently. This raises questions. Has that miscommunication been corrected? Has the state come back to the table? Even if they do get back to the table, let's not forget, I think we can agree that Richard Woods from the Department of Education has failed the people
017of Dublin. Mr. Woods allowed this system to go three years without an audit, three years without an accounting or accountability. Our children have been failed. This became worse because our local board officials did not have the skills or the support from the state to properly run our school system unchecked. The end result is we may lose one of the brightest lights the city of Dublin has to offer. And it didn't have to happen. Some in this room may know that I'm a candidate to be a state representative in our district. As a state representative, there is no more important job than to represent the interests of our community under the state. This representation is the important is as important in this very room. I'm not here tonight to toss a political football. I'm here as
018a parent and a concerned citizen that just had to pay a way too high tax bill and can't tell my student tonight where he'll be going to school next year. So, let's align with the request of the people of this community and the state. A petition is circulating which I have signed to work with the community leaders to help write this shift to give input into this board's decisions. I believe this is warranted at this point. We are as we know the ones affected here and the ones paying the bill for this financial quagmire. Will you agree here tonight willing to a community advisory board and provide transparency for the future of our students, educators, and our community? I am asking all of you. Will you allow the leaders here in this room to work
019with you to work with the state to this point? This board and those state officials responsible for our community have failed us. that this failure does not have to be final. Leaders have stepped up. We are here. Give the power back to the people of Dublin and back to Dublin City Schools. Thank you. >> Any questions? Thank you, Mr. Powers. >> Mr. Powers, I have a question. >> Sorry. Can you go back to the microphone, Mr. P? >> Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. >> Yes, ma'am. you made a statement uh just a few seconds ago about far as um with the gifted academy program. >> That's where my student >> Okay. Um you aware that the funds that we receive are funded with the gifted academy, correct? >> Yes, ma'am. >> And you made the statement
020as to in that we may not have the money to pay for the teachers. Well, the advancement of the QBE funds for 2728 was what was written by the board and previously. Yes. >> Okay. So, you read for the city to uphold a program that is draining the funds that we can use elsewhere to >> Are we saying that it's a program and and not a school? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, I'm saying it's a program and not a school. Yes, I am. Well, I'm not actually um advocating for any particular portion of a program of the school to be held up any differently than the school system itself. What I'm asking and advocating for is for our school system to have the ability to have a say in what's happening and what's happening in
021the school system and funding moving forward. Whether that be to continue the program of IGA >> or to not, but I believe that that's part of the conversation that we the community need to have a part in the statement. >> Okay. So far as I'm I'm asking you the question, so would you prefer to us to keep training the system to fund a program instead of helping those that are in need of the help? >> Well, I think that that's a point of question that I disagree with in the fact that I'm draining the school system to support a program. I believe that there are some ways that we can look and work together in the community through a board to investigate and maybe rectify that situation. But standing here, I'm not going to say
022that uh that can be done without some good hard teamwork and and community effort to make best decisions on behalf of all the students in our community. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I appreciate the question. >> No problem. We also have >> Madam Chair, board community. Uh my name is Courtney Con and I am a product of Dublin City School System. Um and a product of this community. Uh, I want to address the ongoing budget deficiencies. Uh, specifically the fact that the district still does not have a finalized budget or an established pay scale. Those are minor items. Those are not minor items. They are the foundation and financial stability, accountability, and effective planning. A finalized budget provides a clear financial road map. It shows what the district can sustain and
023how resources are being allocated. An established pay scale ensures consistency, equity, and transparency in compensation across the organization. Without these structures in place, it becomes very difficult to ensure that decisions are aligned, sustainable or fully understood by the community. So tonight, my concern is this. How are we effectively saying how are we confidently saying that we're moving forward financially and at a stable pace when the foundational elements of this budget and pay structure have not been finalized? And also I would like to raise this last concern. How does the absence of a finalized budget and pay scale impact the accuracy and reliability of contracts being issued for 2026 through 2027 school year? Because if those contracts are based on an incomplete or evolving financial information that raises serious concerns about consistency, employee trust, and the
024potential need for corrections later. As a community member, uh I am not asking for partial updates and I'm sure the rest of the community is not asking for partial updates or general statements. We are expecting clear, accurate and complete information, including when the budget and the pay scale will be finalized because at this uh at the end of the day, this is not about the numbers. It is about trust and about clarity. and if we can have confidence in the board. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Any questions from Miss? >> Thank you. >> That's all we have for comments. >> Let's move on to superintendent comments and announcements. Just want to welcome everybody here tonight. Thank you for being here and thank you for those of you that came in spoke and
025I appreciate your comments and um and we'll be looking into those comments. Um I just want to give an update of a couple of very positive things that are going on in our district. Um this morning we were given information about attendance and last year our attendance was at 19% um not attending school at this point and right now it's currently at 6%. So, you know, that's a a great increase and it just shows how hard our people are working to ensure that our babies are here at school and so we appreciate everybody's hard work for that and their students and parents for sending them to school. Also, I want to recognize Hillrest Elementary. They were awarded a book vending machine. J wrote a grant and they are focusing on literacy and this will give
026their students um books whenever they are doing well and so we're excited about them having that vending machine at Hillrest Elementary. And also Dublin Middle School was the tray of the week. Their nutrition department is working hard and thank you to all of you that voted if you happen to see that on Facebook. and um so they won the tray of the week and that was the the week prior to um our spring break. Um so those are some some really fun things that are happening in our district. Also I want to let everyone know that we have been working on the budget very diligently and prior to um at our last meeting the board actually voted and approved a couple of supplement scales and salary scales. And after Mr. Wood's letter came out, our
027board and myself came back together to have some more additional work sessions as well as Miss Corbett, our um CFO currently. And um we have balanced our budget uh for what it looks like right now. Currently, it is still a work in progress. Um it's a tenative budget and we do have some new skills that we'll be looking at tonight. So, um, so thank you all for coming and and talking about those things earlier. Now, I want to ask Jason to come up and give you some more highlights of things that have been going on in and around the district. >> Good evening, everybody. >> Good evening. >> Y'all excuse my nose, but it found all pollen in South Georgia and so I'm learning everything and music and everything else that you have to do.
028Um, jumping right into it. We were blessed to be able to host our annual prom at Dublin High School. Uh this was on April the 4th. Uh I didn't have the good fortune of going because my brother-in-law and sister-in-law were coming into the church and I got to go participate in that that evening. Uh but thankfully we had some of our student interns on point. This is actually from CJ Stubs. She's also one of our star baseball players. Just a wonderful young man. Uh, as you can see, everybody dressed to the nines, and I'm glad they can fit in all that stuff, but I can't. None of them. Um, want to thank our sponsors and coordinators for putting on a really classy prom. Uh, all these pictures are available on our Facebook page if you
029want to look at them. Um, moving forward, Miss Pool already mentioned it, but this is the meal that won, and it I would eat it right now myself. uh Miss Pam Jones and her staff and all the nutrition staff at all our schools over and above every chance they can to make sure that meals that are going before our kids are ones that they want to eat. I remember when I was growing up you got rectangle pizza. That was pretty much the bulk of it. And occasionally you got this they called it huge steak but it looked like the letter H and you got a hard tap biscuit there straight from straight from the military. Um, so I want to congratulate our DMS nutrition staff and honestly if you go to any one of our
030schools, it's rare that they don't get a 100 with their health score. Uh, and all the kids just love every one of them. Moving on, Susie and Asher held their field day before spring break and Hillrest is just around the corner. Yep. I'll be ready. I have to wear a hat so that little top spot on my head that I found the other day watching this bag don't get burnt. I wonder why I itch so bad. Uh, but as you can see, uh, the young people had an amazing time out there at Susie Nasher. Brought me back some memories because I actually have some photos from 1995 of my little brother at Susie Dasher doing field day. And if you look very closely, there's a few of Mr. Lewis, our principal at Susie Dasher, there
031as well. So, it's always a pleasure to get to watch them doing that. We'll make sure to provide plenty of coverage of Hillrest field day when it happens later this week. Speaking of Hillrest, there were a lot of Easter eggs, y'all. I think PreK had like close to a thousand eggs. Their parents, they they went they went over and above. Some parents were dropping off 150 eggs a piece. Uh but I'll tell you, it took three minutes for all of them to be recovered. Uh so that shows that you want something bad enough. Um I mean, they're they're getting after those eggs. And we want to thank Miss Denise Strickland. She's a former educator with W City. She uh she helped the Easter Bunny. I'm not trying to give nothing away to any young people.
032She helped helped the Easter Bunny. Okay. And I want to thank her for doing that. Um and we had these kind of events happen all over schools. Really excited for the paying it forward that some of our schools do. This is IG visiting Addington Place. That's an assisted living. It's over by Fairy Park Hospital if you're not familiar. Several of our schools make regular efforts to go to places just like Addington. Uh you know, a lot of those older folks, they don't necessarily have people visiting regular, but to have these young little smiling faces. Uh and that's my little neighbor right there. Uh she's adorable. Uh and no offense to her daddy, but she looks like her mom. And that's actually her big brother who also looks like his mom. Um, but to see all
033those people there, my mother-in-law happens to work there and she said it just made their day. All those old people just got a bunch out of that. So, I'm very grateful that these kids are learning how to pay it forward in the community. Uh, this thing is always special to me and I hate that I didn't know about it because I would have loved to been there in person. The I can conference helps children and students with special needs learn some of the skills that that they can use to build their lives and to grow. Um, as anybody who knows who has family members uh that deal with some of these challenges, they're human beings and they they deserve every opportunity to be successful as much as anyone else. And uh it's always a pleasure
034for me and I'm so thankful to Miss Stanley and Miss Murphy for continuing to provide me uh ways to celebrate these young people. uh because they're wonderful. And I'm gonna tell you right now, this man right here, Cass, has got one of the biggest smiles on earth. So, I hope uh we get toward graduation, you get to see it because it's a it's a gigantic smile. Um always want to celebrate our read volunteers. That's a partnership project that we've been doing for a couple years now. Uh I was actually kill for at a whole another event. I just happened to see him and I said, "Do y'all mind if I take your picture?" Uh, I always want to make sure that we celebrate these volunteers because they don't have to come. They choose to come.
035And the thing that I love is they get as much out of it or more than the students do. Watching the kids grow with their Lexile. Because if you're not familiar with Read to Lead, it's not just reading books back and forth to each other. They actually have little folders that kind of show a plan, a learning plan for them so they can show what they need to do to grow in whatever area of literacy. So, it becomes really like a mentor uh uh project. And so if you feel so inclined, I'm happy to help you get connected with Read to Lead because they're always looking for new volunteers and I want to put as many uh people in the community in front of our children as I can. Lastly, I always like to highlight
036alums toward the end and this is a great opportunity to celebrate two of the finer alums we've had in recent memory. Uh Megan Haywood and Marriott Thomas won not one but two national championships this weekend. Um, I say not one but two national championships this week. They are a part of the Red Hots dance team in Mount Austina. Turned out to be the 10th and 11th national championships for that dance team, which tells you what caliber of program it is to begin with. So, for the fact that they even just got on the team is amazing that they got on the team and contributed to these trophies. And the one thing that I told um Mr. Pucket and Miss Pucket when they were sending me stuff this weekend. This is the tip of the iceberg
037for these young ladies. Y'all got to understand they're going to do things even greater than the national championship as they have my eyes focused on on being successful human beings. That to me speaks to what we're trying to do here at Dublin City. Lastly, these are just some of the upcoming events mostly at Dublin High School. Senior night for baseball is on Thursday. Spring sports are coming to a close this week. Based on the power rankings, you know, now it's not region seating, it's power rankings for our classification. It's not looking like some of our other spring sports are going to be qualified uh for the playoffs. That can change because obviously power rankings change from match to match and our tennis teams out there earlier today playing hoping they get another victory. But I
038do hope if you get the chance this week to come out, baseball's got a home game tomorrow as well. Um we're going to have a um theater banquet on Wednesday. Any of these things that you guys can can come out support kids. You just don't know what it means to do. That's all. >> Thank you, Miss Bulls. Next, we'll move down to general administration with a school spotlight. >> I want to ask Dr. Edmond to come forward with Hillrest Elementary. This is our spotlight school this week. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you all for having us. Thank you, Jason. Good evening, everyone. Good evening. Chris, like to bring just a little spotlight what's happening, what's going on at our school um currently and what we've been doing throughout this year. I'm just
039starting out letting you see our demographics. Currently, we have 460 students that are enrolled at Hillrest. And you'll see the demographic from our different ethnicities um listed here across the screen that is well represented. And at Hill Press, we try to stay on ready. Uh ready in all areas, ready to go, ready to put forth effort and go that extra mile every single day, every single way that we can. This is our PBIS matrix that our teachers and our students are expected to um follow as they are all leaders within our building. Um, just to give you a little bit of a snapshot as we're getting ready within the next two weeks to prepare for Georgia Milestones just for our current third and fourth graders are um at as we finish our spring beacon which
040is an um assessment that gives you an indication of how they're going to do on Georgia Milestones. One of the things that as being an administrator for the last eight years that I've seen um what they show on Beacon versus what they do on Georgia Milestones, they actually outscore what they do on Beacon. Um, so we have alluded that the beacon tries to test them and challenge them a little bit more because they do so well on the Georgia Milestones, but you'll see the yellow and that's what you'll see mostly going across the number of students that are near target, but even within that range, how many were very closely right there showing that they were um on on scale on grade level um ready to be prepared. But here in third grade beacon ELA,
04197% are near target. Um you look at our third grade math, 95% are near target. Uh with our fourth grade ELA, 86% are near target. Uh with 2% actually being prepared. And then in our math, we have 69% in that math and fourth grade um um near target. And we're still working hard with that fourth grade math. That's what we're doing some intents right now. Um because again, fourth grade is our grade level that we're looking for student growth as well. Um next we look at Lexile. Where are our students reading? Um as you know last year we were u recognized um in the state with our third and fourth grade um with our reading Lexiles. And here we are looking at where we started this year took a dip but our students have regained
042themselves um in third grade with 96% right now reading on grade level. Uh prayfully they'll continue that when they take the milestones. And then our fourth grade um you see a big jump where we have 81% of them that are reading um on grade level at this point. Um attendance as um Miss P stated earlier um looking at where we are with attendance schoolwide. Um I think our team Miss Nelson is our team, Miss Linda Nelson. Um making those phone calls, calling parents, checking on students um their whereabouts when they're not at school. Um but right now we currently have 95% of our students that um have less than than 10% of their days left present. They're there. Uh we only have 5% that are over that 10%. Um and even with that, we have
043uh 23 students that have been in our attendance recovery, which is a program we do after school to offer on Tuesdays and Thursdays for those students that were what we considered in danger. Um that were going to hurt us as far as it relates to getting our points. But again, we're all about points. Mr. We got points, the CCRBI. Um, so strategically select the students, the ones that we can talk parents into allowing us to work with them to give that additional support to recover that seat time. But also, one of the things that some of the parents have commented, it actually offers extra support where some kids don't ask questions during that whole room during the regular school day. They get an opportunity after school to work in a smaller setting, one-on-one uh 10
044to1 ratio with a teacher to get that extra help. So grades are improving for those, but then they also come. Uh we do have a few that um they they come, they miss another day of the week, so they're not changing, but um our percentage wise is looking good as far as with our attendance overall. Uh now, um just looking at some positives, what's going on, how we've recognized some of our students, uh we have four students um to participate this year in the um leprechaun contest uh with uh leadership Dublin Lawrence. We had um one first grader, one second grader, and two third graders. Uh with our third graders both winning. Our third grade female, she won her category. So, we're proud of Miss Taya. And then we had Octavius. He was the first
045runner up in the third grade boys category. So, they all four of them did an excellent superb job. And then they had opportunity to ride in the parade as well. through heart of Georgia Resa they have several contests throughout the school year uh where we encourage our teachers to um enter our students whether it's in writing whether artwork uh we have Miss Tatiana that had opportunity to be submitted for her artwork and you'll see here where she won second place with her artwork very talented young lady sweet girl as well um and then this year we at Hillrest were have the honor of having our systemwide spelling beer Miss Kaitlyn Kraton um I had an opportunity to go with her um to Athens to compete at the um regional level here and she did a
046wonderful job when you if you could have sitting there or just been in the presence of those students that she competed against. Um she made it to the fourth round. Um but to compete with students that were in high school and middle school and to see the great job she did. Um we're so proud of her. Um and she's looking forward to going back there again. We told her you still have up until your eighth grade year to still compete. So, we're looking forward to it with her. Um, you'll see here we have a kindergarter that won one of our writing contests with Heart of Georgia. She won fourth place, Miss Armani. See a lot of our babies and notice a pattern what grade level they're in. Our winners. Um, we have another writing contest
047where Jace Roer won fourth place and he's a first grader. Uh we have Miss Kaa that won fifth place in another writing contest and all of these were different writing contests because it's a writing contest um each month through that is offered through our heart of Georgia. Um and all of those were your values. So what's taking place down in our primary grade levels? Our teachers really push writing um and they help us out tremendously. we got to keep it going so that by the time they're getting third grade, we're not putting too much work on our third grade teachers prepping students for Georgia Milestone when it's their first year taking it. So, I do um appreciate my primary teachers putting that writing in daily for our students and it shows. Here we have some
048of our students um that participated in the science fair that actually had an opportunity to move on to the regional science fair that was held in Milligville. These are our third grade students. Uh we didn't come back as winners from the regional but they are winners for Hill press. Um so we are still proud of them but they won first and second place here in our local science fair. And these are our fourth grade science winners that won first and second place here at our local and went on to our regional as well. Um we've had our leadership bash um this year. We schedule that um usually in the summer before we start the school year how we're going to recognize students so that it's advertised for students so that students have an opportunity to
049know what the expectations are, how they're going to be celebrated, when and what they've got to do because they're responsible and accountable for making sure they reach their points. They actually track their points on their own daily. Each Monday we do a leadership notebook check over the announcements to remind them to check the points. They can use their points to go to the store, but it does not take away from them getting this celebration. If you earn this number of points during the nine weeks, you get this celebration. So, our very first one this year, we had the Coke floats and we thank Coca-Cola, W Coca-Cola. Um, they sponsored that activity for us. Our second one was a chill zone where the kids enjoyed getting out of class, going to have fun with little activities
050that related to ice, snow, using the madeup stuff. Um, and we had our glow party for our third one. Uh, it very nice. The kids enjoyed it just being in the dark, having different little stickers, and they probably came home. Somebody probably thought, "What in the world was going on?" They had polka dot stickers all over them, but it was glow in the dark. They can put them wherever they want. And that's what they did. Our last one, which is the last week of school, is our water day. We saved that one for the last one. Um, so that way we send them back home to the parents all the way. They can clean them up when getting ready for the summer. um looking at how we've also been growing our leaders at Hillrest. Just
051some of the things happening across our campus. Uh Mr. Lewis, we have been so blessed to have Mr. Lewis this year. Um many of you know Hillrest. Last year we did not have a school counselor. So we were winging it. Um kind of getting by with all of us being counselors. Um we didn't go to school for but we learned how to do the job. Um but he has been a blessing to us. Our kids have really been loving it. that you'll see here where he's taught about bus safety, but going into the classrooms doing guidance counseling, something that we were missing that whole group counseling piece. Um the kids truly do look for him to go to him and talk about things and I mean the students, we've actually had parents that reach out
052and wanting to speak to him. So, it's truly been a blessing and a a reward. He's been an asset here to us. Um and currently he is going through bereiement. So, please keep him in prayer um with the passing of his father. Um this week um we had our wonder days of school that our kids always enjoy where they dress up. Um even our um prek, kindergarten, and first grade teachers, they join in dressing up as the um elderly, what they um think they may look like when they get older. Um we had our Dr. Seuss read across America week during the first week of uh March. Um and that took a spin on us. Um we had our regular week just planned and Miss Nelson um um posted her um feelings about our um
053asking guests to come in and we opened our doors up and it was like an overflow. You ask you shall receive. We had an overflow of um readers coming in throughout the week reading to our students, people still reaching out, still coming even beyond that. So we are very appreciative of our community members. I see Mr. um Mr. uh pooling over there his they came so we do thank them for coming in um even uh sponsoring our teachers showing love to them as well so we do thank you for that um but our kids love it when another person or an adult can come in and read them a story. You'll be amazed even your third and fourth graders um how appreciative they are just to hear someone else read a story to them and
054them not always being the ones to read out loud because you have a lot of students that are not confident in their reading ability and their skills in front of their peers but they want to learn and as Mr. powerful as pool stated earlier about to leave. Our volunteers, they love coming, but the kids, not only that, they get out of class on the day they know they're there. They're they're waiting for their person to walk in, and you don't have to call them all the time. They're they're ready. They're eager. Um we also have an opportunity for students to celebrate their success. We have a computerized program, progress learning, that our students work on um during their small group and also during win time. We have a challenge with aliens. We want to make
055sure that our students are moving. You don't stay where you are. So, they have an opportunity. Each teacher has been challenged weekly. They celebrate students. They choose the day for their class to go. Look at their point. See, have you moved up to another alien? It's the day to celebrate your students in your class. So, you'll see the students have a star with their name on it. It moves only if they have meet met the requirements to earn their next alien. So, um, our kids love doing that, having that opportunity to be celebrated and also sending in television. Um, we recently partnered with the, um, Dublin Cur Herald, um, with a kids corner. Um, our students had an opportunity along with students from the, um, all second graders in Dublin City, Lawrence County, and Trinity
056had an opportunity to um, vote on a mascot. So, they won a mascot, and I think the name is H Harold. It's a little hound dog. Harold. Um and so he came to visit um a few weeks ago and had an opportunity to read a story to the kids. They got a chance to um interact, look at the newspaper, teaching them how to read it, encouraging their parents to um get it. But now they have just that one page um in the newspaper dedicated to second graders, hoping to encourage them to read, but also to see what's happening in their classroom and what they're doing. Um but another way to help to promote literacy but also just um bringing out the students skills and their talents within that page. Um and Miss Pul already alluded
057uh but we did um and thanks to Miss Jessica Da our media specialist um she went on a grant writing on spring force um to reach a goal that we have been working on each year with our book fair with the funds that we received. We were wanting a vending machine that didn't work out last year but we didn't give up. Um and then just so happened this year, um we applied and when we got the call that we were in the four finalists to come and do a fivem minute presentation to see if we would be the one selected, um I was excited when that letter came in the mail um that we received it. So our book vending machine has been ordered. We're waiting for it to be delivered. We've got books that
058were put in there. So we are excited to be able to share this with our students, but so grateful for OKone MC for that donation. And for those of you that may um have bills coming from, thank you for rounding up. Um and here um is just some pictures from St. Patrick's with us on the float with our two of our winners that participated in the leprechaun contest. And then Miss Lawrence, myself, and my little one rode with them. >> And then closing out here's our prek leprechaun hunt. They were too cool that day. They were going to search for leprechauns um at the school. Um and this is just a few of the things snapshots that have been going on at Hill Press. We also still do our clubs where our students monthly meet
059with um teachers and staff members to engage in a moment of fun. They do look forward to that. Um we do still push our students monthly. We have our assemblies where we push our students to lead the assemblies. Um so it's less of us as part of being a leadership school and they're taking um charge of that. um they did an excellent job with our Black History program um with the students um the staff that got it, but the students did a great job, a tremendous job of doing their parts this year. We did something called A Different World. Um if you all remember that show um back in the day, um our kids know nothing about it, but they do now after listening and us talking about it. Um but they had a lot
060of fun doing that. But um overall, Hillrest, um we're having great success. We continue to grow leaders. Um our students are happy. We try to keep them happy. Of course, it's the spring. Um, and they just came back for spring break. They were very quiet today. Uh, let's hope they stay quiet this Friday. Um, but we do have our honor day that is coming up in um May. If you um see our newsletter that sent out to some more, those dates and times for each grade level um is listed there. Cat Georgia mouse coming up at the end of this month, the 27th of April through the 29th with retakes uh being on May the 18th. Um and then we also have our leadership day that is scheduled for May 14th. We do welcome and
061invite you all to come to our school on that morning at 9:00. If you have about 30 minutes of your time, come share with us. Our students will be glad to show you their leadership skills and also what they've accomplished for the year through their leadership notebooks where they get an opportunity to share that with family and community members. What day did you say that? >> May 14th, 9:00 to Thursday. Other than that, we do thank you for all you all do and thank you for your support of us at Healing. >> Gee, that was awesome. >> Awesome. Awesome job. Moving on to item 10, financials. We have our revised FY27 salary bill that you can forward and talk to us about it. We're going to attempt to um community was asking about you know
062some of the DOE's recommendations and um I'm okay. Okay. Let me touch screen. I'm not very good at this. All right. >> Thank you very much. Uh we've been working diligently to try to bring our budget within reason so that we could uh be viable for next year. Uh it's been a lot of give and takes and we just had to say okay we've got to bite bullet get this done. So um the board uh asked that I give them a presentation on following the statebased salary schedule. The state of Georgia Department of Education gives out state salary schedule every year and and that is where our QBE funding comes from for the teaching positions uh certified positions is comes from that state salary schedule. So, I took that same salary schedule and adapted it
063for you to see for the what we're going to present tonight uh for the uh WC schools. Let's see if this is mine. Can I open that one? >> Uh Jason, I might have to do that. There we go. I think this is the correct one. Uh, nope. Yes, this was the correct one. I had a What happened to my sheet that I cleaned up? Okay. All right. I want y'all to ignore this column right here. And now I saved it another area. They have the right one in there for me. They got the right one in their folder. But what this is, I took the state salary schedule and I used it to come up with the cost for payroll for our payroll, our benefit, and our benefits. And our largest pay center is
064teachers, 10,000. That is teachers, terros, those people that are in your classrooms uh teaching your children. That's the pe the most important people. That's who we're here to support. That's what everybody else sports is classroom. All right. This was the recommendation we used the for our last May the 20 March the 23rd board meeting. This was the scale that that was used, but we decided that scale is not viable because we would have to go back and change and take out the local base, the years of uh experience over 21 and then um come up with a a number that is still higher than what would be a state base number. And I hate it that I'm not I'm so big y'all can't see through me. I'm not transparent. As you can see, using that
065scale would be $17 million. Using the statebased scale is 16.5. That's $500,000 in savings just in the in punch 1000. Um, and this includes our uh health insurance, our um TRS, Medicaid, Medicare, not Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Um these items add up more than what um what our salaries are. Five. There's there's one point there's it costes more benefits than it does in just about salaries. When you see my total I wanted to show y'all that cost center. Then I want to go down here to total. I did it for all of the um functions of the school district. Okay, y'all get better at this. Aren't y'all proud? All right, as you can see, it's a million dollar savings. This is where and that's that's stripping that other one down to being basically what
066this is. This is 24.8 a $6 million. Okay, I took that and took it and projected our cost for next year. And I rounded it up 25 million because you're always going to have adjustments. You're going to have adjustments for someone leaving. You hire somebody with a higher schedule or somebody gets a u a certificate upgrade. You've got to account for that. There's just so many um variables that you can't come out to penny. There's no way to go to pennies. All right, so that's 25 million and we still got 3.3 million we've got to pay back in state health over the next 12 months uh in a rears and our operating budget. I added u 12% to what we're paying out now. We are on a freeze now. So if things are tight, people
067are asking, can I buy a lawn more? No. I sharpened it. It can't be sharpened no more. Uh, and they laughed at me and I said, "You sure? Can't get another coming out of it." All right. And then, uh, this includes cost of the salaries and for these products here for our federal programs and our school nutrition. Okay. Our revenue sources. All right. Got federal revenue. Title one, that's your for you disabled students. Got title two which is improving um uh instructional improvement of your um more of a uh improving teachers uh in the classroom. Title five ROC this IEDA stands for this is our our sped program um federal funding for sped programs for for flow through that's all grades and then for preschool our nutrition revenue uh and our total federal grants comes
068to 6.8 8 million. These can change at any time because it's up to Department of Education how much we get. Um there's, you know, circumstances beyond our control changes those. Oh, I did it. >> I did I did it too big. All right. All right. State sources. This is where most of our money comes from. Basically, the state it's QBE earnings. We get it's net 15.44. 44 50 to $449,249 that is less your five shares. Part of your tax payroll tax your property taxes go to pay five meals of your education cost to the state. We have to match five meals to what state gives us. So they subract five meals from their from their lotment sheet. So basically they fund not quite all you know uh five meals of it. I can't remember quite
069what five meals brings to this county and then y'all remember it now >> it's about $4.5 million. >> Okay. >> And that that five mills goes toward funding the uh equalization grants that go to other other systems. >> Yes. So basically we're contributing money to Hston County, Gwynette County, and those other counties because they get equalization and we don't, >> right? >> But I've been told since I've been on this board, equalization doesn't matter. >> But Gwynette County gets $100 million a year in equalization grants. Hston County gets $74 million a year in equalization grants. Twigs County, Wilkinson County, and Bel City get not one penny. So tell me how that makes sense. >> It has something to do with I don't understand it myself. >> Yes. I'm sorry. I shouldn't get on my soap
070box, but we get no equalization funds at all. >> We rely on the tax dollars. >> Okay. We get this is for uh classrooms. This is funding classrooms salaries and benefits. Then they give us a little bit of transportation money about $44,000. Well, that don't go nowhere to meet how much it cost to um do transportation. Nurse may give us $67,933 for a a nurse. And there's no nurse that will come to work for your assistant for $7,933. So, I'm just, you know, they they're just giving you partials. It's all about doing partials. They do partial so that you'll say I need this so we're gonna fund it. But we fund not one but two now two nurses two nurses. >> So that's that. Um they give us the charter system supplement $274,217 and we
071use that towards payment of our social security. Our social security alone is about a million dollar. So see taxpayers are paying majority of our social security. It comes out of tax dollars. Uh we got a a school security grant. This goes a long ways and it pays for our security officers at our schools. U mental health grant $60,000. This is paying for a counselor. Our counselors make more. One counselor makes more than 60,000 but it's just a small supplement to get towards your payment. Uh other state category grants is about 100,000. uh prek lottery we get $867,000 we have seven classes am I right seven class spread across our schools so state sources we get $17.4 million okay our biggest revenue source other revenue source is our tax is $13.8 $8 million. Um, that's an
072estimate. It's based kind of on what we collected this year or hope to collect this year. Finish collecting. We have intangibles. That's like real estate tax where they change property titles that time 118,000. We get tax title tax. That's your vehicle tax. Y'all go buy new vehicles. that contributes that $700,000 because the state of Georgia last I don't care where you buy it at buy anywhere in the state of Georgia get paid sales tax on it that sales tax goes back to the county you live in not county you're buying it in so that's a good thing we got other local revenues that's about we estimate 150,000 that's very generous this is interest on your bank accounts on any of your investments that we which right now we really don't have any investments, but anybody
073wants to donate any money, that's where this goes to. So taxes and other local revenue comes to 14.7 million. So we're just getting it's almost as much as we get from the state and it comes to our total revenue is 38,700,000 $74,86. Y'all excuse my voice. This is the third time I've told this to so be patient with me. Um, our expenditures, like I said, we got $25 million in uh salaries, state health, TRS, um, Medicare, and Social Security. And I've I've touched some. How in the world did I do that? >> Just cleaned up. y'all. Thanks for that. >> All right. And right, we've got 25 million and we've got repayable 3.3 million in the next 12 months to state health, Georgia state u for our health insurance and the rears. All right. Operating
074expenses I said at 6.8. Uh, I give a, you know, give a conservative um, 12% increase. That's just being conservative. I'm hoping we going, you know, not have to spend all of it. There it goes. And these two expenses, their salary benefits are included in 25. So, if we deop this salary schedules, we're going to be in the good $664,000. And this is without any um reduction in days. So I know that previously we had looked at eight and this is without any reduction in days. By adopting states out of schedule, we will not have to have any reduction in those. So I know that y'all want information. This this is I know uh it sounds um it sounds too good to be true, but if we stick to our guns and and keep our
075cost in check, um we'll be building toward a future because in reality, you should have at least three months of operating expenditures in your fund balance, >> right? in case of you know any kind of disaster uh or you know the state goes broke you need something to pay these teachers. So we need to build towards that but first we got to pay off that debt to stay at health and um so any questions I'm open for any question from the board or from the audience. Miss Betty, when you started all this, was was any of the information any software program for financials for the for the Dublin city schools? >> No. Uh, >> y'all got that right. Like it was nowhere. >> None of the information that she had to input anything hours and
076days to come up with some of this stuff and and and we've had help from DOE in to start, but as you know, they pulled out. So is and but they will answer my questions. If I have questions or need advice on something, they'll answer that question, but they will not do the work. Does that make sense? >> We have to do our own work. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> I trust I work better anyway. >> I hope I hope I have not added something wrong, but I've looked at this spreadsheet and I'm blue. Okay. All right. Um now for you going into salary scales or Okay. >> Can I ask a question? >> Uh, you were looking at the monies that come from the state reference like transportation places like that and
077you made a statement where they give partial so they'll ask for you to come back or >> I just want to make sure I understand they just partially fund. They never fully firm fund anything. >> Yes ma'am. You know, even QBE is not fully funded. Your teachers are not fully funed. >> I just wanted to >> Yeah. >> No, they you don't go back and ask for anything else. >> No, they give it to you the first year. That's it. >> Yes, sir. >> Is there a breakdown in your operation cost for individual um departments like individual schools, their cost of operation? >> Not individual schools. We do it by function like 2600 maintenance. So at all schools uh light bills, water bills, uh you know, any repairs are paid through the maintenance. It's uh
078sometimes uh maintenance is u uh they'll go buy a bunch of light bulbs, you know, replacement light bulbs. Well, you don't know which school those go into because they go into all schools. So you >> I'm going to stop you. We're not doing an open >> Yeah. >> session right now. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So, if you want to submit a question, we'll be glad to answer it afterwards. Okay. >> I know. And I'm sorry. I should have stopped. I'm so sorry. >> I'm sorry. I should not have got carried away. I apologize. >> We need to stay on task. >> Yes. Stay on task. We all go home. I haven't had lunch yet. Little. Okay. This is the same day schedule. It is get right back to it. This is fact based salad schedule
079is broken down in tiers. Uh this is teachers are paid according to their certificate. This one's got messed up but that's okay. That is a professional T6. That's uh earning a six year degree. All right. and it's paid on um um stamps for years. U so that's what we we have used is what the state has given us. All right, let me go to uh the teachers are paying this. Um we have a uh director scale. These are our directors. Man, you going to have to help me. I can't make it go down. >> Oh, that's why it wasn't going. You know, I really All right. One thing that we adopted this year is take anybody that works 240 days and we're putting them down to 230 days. Um that's a savings of about $130
080something,000 just to reduce 10 days off our is the leadership staff. It's not anything to do with school staff. Um so M said that nowhere in in our area do we have people on a 240 contract? >> No, they have at the U Lawrence County they are 230. They don't have the 240 employees. That's what they they the scales they gave us that were compared. Um so this is based off of years of service and steps health care. I think I must be dead. I'm not getting any touches something. Don't seem to move it. All right. This is our L if we had an LPN which we do not but our RNs are paid on for 109 days on a on a T6 scale. So we're using the state base scale although we only earn
081$53,000. We only get 53,000. We still have to pay them. That'll pay for a beginning teacher without any I mean a beginning RN with no experience coming in. That's what that you get. to get that don't include your her insurance TRS medicare or social security. Okay. And then we have a mental health counselor. Um and pay. All right. Here comes the fun. I'm telling you. >> Come on. Yes. All right, Ben's my driver. Come over this way. Make it a little smaller. All right, Ben's done presentations using this monitor. It looks like and I'm sorry, this is 230 days. I got to change my heading, but they're on 230 days. Also, even maintenance and transportation that are not bus drivers are on on 230 days. Uh so I apologize for the heading in this brand
082but u this bus driver is your own on a schedule and it's five years of service uh maintenance and transportation supervisor is on a on a and it's all based off of a salary scale T4 have salary scale state salary scale I think it's two centians then we have a mechanic and then we have a transportation director and a maintenance director is paid off the director still. Okay, this is our pair pros. Thank you. These are our pair pros. They're ranked by one, two, and three. And that's going to education high school two years or some college in two years. Then we have our family engagement family engagement coordinator paid on this scale. Okay, it's based on a T4 scale. Okay. Admin assistance and district admin assistance. Okay. They're paid on the scale. These are
083those at school level. This should read 230 instead of 240. Um we were going with 230s. 240s. And actually, this should have been taken out because we want to go with 230s. This probably needs to be deleted. I'll get that completed because everybody's going to be working on only 230 days. Most assistant at school level and the board office will be 2:30. Um and then we have districtwide specialist such as payroll the register uh superintendent secretary that type thing. Right now we don't have superintendent secretary she wears many hats. This is our technology. technology for you know paid off a T4 scale and then we have T5 scale pay those that have has the master's degree this is up to a four year degree and let's go I know y'all anticipating this leadership the leadership
084supplement scale this is for assistant assistant principles, principles, coordinators, special permanent heads, um directors, they're paid on this scale and they can't um uh additional days is 40. That means they can't be more than 230 days pay. Additional days when it says additional days because their pay is based off the state salary schedule. And the state salad schedule is right there. Ben is right there. I know he's going to the kitchen. I appreciate that, but my mouth has gotten extremely dry. Um, state salary schedule is based on a teacher's base. It's 190 days. So, to get a 230 day employee, uh, you're going to have to take that scale, divide it by 190, and multiply up to four. I mean, yeah, 230, not 230. So, um, that's how that's says 0 to 40 here. And
085then we have our athletic supplements. Now, this is long and their days are they nobody's over I think there's only 20 women on the number of days they get in addition for certain sports that uh have summer activity. We've got um also our ext extracurricular activities such as uh cheerleading uh band director literary esports competition dance manager training hand recruiting coordinator skill maintenance football. So that is our salary. And Miss Betty, do you feel like those supplements were reduced? >> Yes, they were reduced. Number D was drastically reduced. >> Yes. >> How many? >> Not right now. >> You can submit that question before we get to I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even asked that. I'm just so used to being in a room with my peers, I guess. start ask questions. Okay, that's all
086the salary schedu. >> All right, board members, do we have any questions? >> No, I just again like I asked in the work session. Just want to make a point to let everybody know just because we have supplements listed on this sheet doesn't mean somebody gets paid that supplement. Not >> they're just entries in case we offer those programs at some point, we have to have a scale set to pay them by. So all these supplements that you see on this paper and money that comes out the budget goes in somebody's pocket. >> It's not active. >> The only thing I have budgeted is those people that's already pulling those >> and it's included in those numbers that we saw. >> Yes. Those numbers that's included. >> That's all I have. Thank you, >> M.
087>> Okay. At this time, we need a motion to vote on the revised FY27 salary scale. I'll make the motion that we approve the FY27 salary scale. >> I second. Right. It's been motioned and seconded. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor? I. >> I. >> All oppose? No. Eyes have it. Seven to zero. >> Question. Question. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, sir. >> We do a voice on there. >> Sure. >> I We'll have to change. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. Repeat the motion. >> All right. So, there has been asked to be a voice um vote on this. So, the revised FY20 salary scale, it has had a motion and seconded. Mr. Walters. >> Yes. >> Okay. Mr. Laneir, >> yes. >> M. We lover. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Davis. >>
088Yes. >> M. Okay. And I'm also Yes. So, all of us are yes. >> All right. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Yes. Yes, sir. And I'll repeat the same on the supplement scale. Okay. Thank you. All right. At this time, I need a motion for the revised FY27 supplement scale. >> I'll make the motion. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. The motion has been made and it has been seconded to revise the FY27 supplement scale. Any discussion? All right, a voice vote. Roll call. Mr. Walters, >> yes. >> Mr. Laneir, >> yes. >> Miss Glover, >> no. >> Okay, Mr. Bell, >> yes. >> Mr. Davis, >> yes. >> Miss Johnson, >> yes. >> Okay. And I'm Yes. So that vote is 6 to one. All right. Moving known to C. ES employees 2000 governor's
089onetime bonus. Miss P. >> Okay. In your packet, you have some information about the governor's onetime $2,000 bonus for our ESS employees. We've already given the $2,000 out to all of our uh DCS employees. Um, but we had to check and make sure we could u give our ESS employees this money. Um, if you look, you will see that we have 10 employees. Um, and this is $2,000. ESS um will have an 18% processing fee and so that will be taken out of that $2,000 that's being issued. Um and they have and our auditors have said that they do not recommend that we pay them directly that we pay the ESS and then ESS actually makes um those payments. Um, so you kind of have a list of all of those people that we're talking
090about, those 10 employees, as well as the amount that it would would cost for this. And we have um all of these employees are actually included on our CBI. So, we have earned the money for them. >> I just I just have a problem with ESS charging 18% processing. >> I got a big problem. >> Is that I mean, is that standard? No, >> that's what they they told us it would be. So >> I I I I'm I'm I'm not forgiving in people 18% of these people's money. >> Well, they do not recommend that we pay them. >> I I I understand that. Well, I I would like to see a representative from ESS coming in and explain to me why they should get 18% of the people. >> See, that's the thing about
091it. like get a contractor, then they get you over the barrel and start charging everything to the point that you can't do anything. So that's >> Well, we we felt like that they were, you know, still part of our our system as employees and they deserve them and they should >> and that's kind of the only way that ESS, you know, suggested that we do it. >> So, we're going to give them $360 an employee just to pass through some I'll make that >> I do Yeah, that's that's >> Miss P. Do you feel like that's negotiable? >> Um, we can go back to the table and and talk about it a little bit more if y'all would, you know, suggest that we do that. Um, it just delays this money to those employees. >>
092Well, I don't want to give them money, but you know, >> I'll give them their fair share, too. >> But I think going forward, we should have a have I'm like, J, we should have a conversation with them. Do y'all want us to get back to >> I ask him is it worth keeping that cont? >> I personally would like to go ahead and then try and make the employees hold you know further down the road to get them something now. >> I don't have a problem with that but I do want ESS to come do an explanation of that. >> I'm not happy about it but I think we need to go ahead. Can we withhold the 18% from ESS feast? >> Okay. At this time on the agenda is to approve the ESS
093employees 2000 governor onetime bonus. >> I'll make a motion. >> Okay. >> I second. >> All right. It has been motioned and seconded. Any discussion? >> Yes. I want to ask the question is the motion to accept >> to approve it. Not sir give it just to approve it. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Okay. It's been motioned and seconded. ESS employees 2000 governor's onetime bonus. All in >> fad chairman. We're voting to >> approve to give >> not give the money >> 10. >> No that's not in the motion. The motion is to approve it. >> Approve it and give the money. >> Just amen. Right. >> Right. >> That's not what Mr. Walters is. >> No, that's not what I asked. That's not the question. >> Are we voting to approve it?
094>> Yes. >> Only not necessarily give it to ES >> to it to give to ES. >> That's what I'm asking. I'm going to get clear on the motion to >> It's not to table it. It would be to give >> to give them go ahead and give them the $2,000 so they get somebody money. those top. >> So, uh like some clarification on the motion motion to give it to approve and give it to them. >> Okay. >> It simply states ESS employees 2000 governor's one time bonus. >> Well, that's giving it to them >> to approve these 10 to receive the 2,000. is the $2,000 tax at our employees to our employees. >> Okay. So, let me another point of information. Is it they're going to deduct 18% and hold taxes out on
095the balance? Is that is that what I'm saying? >> Well, I'm I'm for getting the money to go ahead and get the money to our employees. I'm all for that. I just I just want some clarification on where that money is going, how it's going to be dispersed. >> Okay. >> So, it has been motioned and seconded to approve these 10 to receive the 2000 governor's onetime bonus. >> Miss Betty, did you have something? >> Yes. The only other choice you have is you pay the 18% on the $2,000 and the $2,000 will go just like the rest of our employees and be taxed appropriately like the rest of the employees were taxed. But then that 18% would be your cost >> and that space. >> Huh? >> Did our auditor say not to do
096that? >> Yeah, that's what >> Well, they prefer you did not. >> That's an extra cost to you and that's 3,600. >> I think that's a battle we have with ESS at some point. I think we'll go ahead and pay the employees their money and get that get that cleaned. I just think ESS needs to come in here and have some accountability about 18%. >> Well, to be honest with you, 18% is paid on all of them every month. Their salary ASS charges you 18% to hand >> basically what that is is to cover the workers compensation and their part. Yeah, I understand how employee leasing works, >> but what I'm saying is I feel like that's double digit. >> Oh, okay. I understand what >> Yeah, that's where I'm saying. >> Well, maybe you
097can negotiate. >> Oh, I'd be glad to. >> I'm sorry to interrupt. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> I like I think I'm I'm clear on what I have been doing and I deal with my >> It has been motioned and seconded and we've had discussion. So, all in favor? >> I. >> All opposed? No. >> Eyes have it. Anybody knows? >> Seven to zero. >> It was seven to zero. >> I couldn't hear. >> All right. At this time, board member comments. Mr. Walters. >> First of all, like I said, thank everyone for coming out. Love this meeting. We have a lot of people, a lot of input, uh, help the committee that y'all form and help us out. We I'm sure this board not going to turn any help. Anybody want to help
098us out? You got any ideas, any suggestion? We appreciate that. We've had Let me let me start. The chief of police been down here. The sheriff has been down here. The DA been down here. They got the GBI down here doing that. If y'all can find out something they can find out, let us know. Please let us know. But you got to understand, I don't know is an answer sometime. And a lot of time question y'all as we just didn't know. We've learned more probably in the last month month and a half than we ever knew about finance about looking into it and checking out to it and terminology about budget about a zero base budget all terminology. But we know now we know now and we going to do better. But what I'm asking
099you guys to do, look at some of these other areas, and that's why I really been in this to how some entities been holding money back from the government school system. I'm not making any excuses of what happened with our financial office office and our superintendent and all that. I'm not that's separate. But it's a whole another group that's been holding money back through abatements for tax not being appraised properly, housing not being appraised properly, appeals on their appraisal and losing millions and millions of dollars. Ain't nobody talking about that. Nobody talking about that. Millions of dollars. I knew one time that we actually got $80,000 back from a failed abatement because they didn't do what they were said they was going to do in the abatement agreement and they had to give the city
100eight I think $80,000 the county $80,000 and the city $80,000 but ain't nobody talking about that. But we need all the help we can. We're not going to turn out any health, but just trust me and believe me, everybody's sitting here because we care. And I can speak, but I can honestly believe everybody's sitting here because we care about the school system, want the school system to achieve and want to be where it can be. And I just feel so bad that so much information was kept away from us. I've heard it tonight in our workshop. I've heard it from our chairman of 25 years when we had a previous workshop. He said, "I've learned something now that I ain't never heard before." So, just understand that we're here and we accepting any kind of
101help you guys can give us, we appreciate it. We ain't trying to no death here. Just let us know. If you know something we don't know, just let us know. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Mr. Walters. Mr. Laneir, glad to have you tonight. >> Well, thank you. First off, let me say thank you to all the people who checked on me and called and text and sent messages. It it means the world to me. Uh lets me know that we can disagree sometimes, but but I love everybody in this system that's represented in this system and I appreciate I I can honestly say that prayer helped me get through some things and I just want to say thank you. Uh I don't take serving on this board lightly. I I've made it a
102passion of my life and and I love this system. I believe in this system. I believe in what children of this system get from their educational opportunities. And uh I just want to say thank you to this board uh going through these hard decisions. Sometimes my comments may be a little harsh and may be a little pointant, but it gets the most attention and that's what we need sometimes. So, uh I just appreciate the opportunity. Thank y'all for coming. We'd love to have this room full all the time. And Linda, if you tell me who that was that said that, I I promise you. I appreciate you and your passion for the system, too. Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you, >> Mr. Glover. >> Where do I begin? Well, first and foremost, thank you everyone
103for coming out tonight and sharing with us your concerns, your very heartache concerns, and know that we feel it. We feel it. But there's only so much that we all can do together to make the pain lesser than what it is. And far as with the state, um, as Mr. Pow made the comment about the state, Mr. Pow, I agree with you on that. Far as um, how they failed us. And by them failing us, we failed our kids because we were only following what the state recommended. Um, also for the kids that have I mean Smarel, Dr. Charelle, I'm sorry, Dr. Charelle, excellent job with the kids over there. Excellent job. And um, I'm not saying that the young men that are sitting up here, I know that you have a good leader that
104is teaching you things that um, go on behind the scene because these are things that you don't normally see. And that way you can learn a couple of things, you know, we want you just observe and listen. And for the parents that continue to keep your kids on task and working with the kids and for the supporters out here, for all y'all community leaders that are out here supporting us, you know, through this tough time, it is a tough time. There are decisions that is hard for even for myself to make because I want to make the right decision for the kids, you know. Those be my first one because I am a product of this community. So I know how it feels to when we think that we don't have anyone to support us
105or support our kids. So on that note, just continue to work with us. Um Mr. Johnson, um like Mr. Mr. Waters said that whatever we can do, I'll speak for myself because like I say, I work in the community as well. So I speak for myself. Anything that I can do, please let me know. you know, we have to put some five from the our intern down there. You know, every now and then I like to kind of shake a little shake tail on her little shirt, but just let us know. You know, we always we always willing to listen. We always will listen. Sometime we just can't act on sometime it be emotions and we just can't act on the emotion. We have to come up with a strategy to see what needs to
106be done or what next step that we need to take so that we all can get the result that we need, you know. So just continue to work with us and be patient. Um I know patience is very thin but you know with prayer and working together as a group of people for our community and for our teachers. I mean our teachers are going through it. our teachers are going for and there's only so much that we can do to support them because when someone got their foot on your neck up up there, it's hard for us to make the clear decision because we want to make the right decision instead of clear decision. We want to make the right decision. Um being transparent is what I speak for myself. I want to do and
107I try to do that being transparent. If there's a question that you need to, you know, ask, hey, I'm I'm going to answer it. I'm going to answer it because if I don't know, I direct you to someone that will be able to answer that question. And if they can't help you and I can't help you, I said, well, we'll get back with you on that. We don't want to leave no questions unanswered. We don't want nobody's mind to be clogged or clogged. We want you all to be our support system so that we can make these right decision and the correct decision. And thank everyone once again. Thank you, Miss Glover, Mr. Be. >> I'd like to thank all of y'all for being here tonight. And we are going to do something. We just
108need y'all to get things and give it to Miss Smith, Miss Poo, and we've already said that, you know, we talked earlier that we were willing to do it. We just got to have I tell you, she's been so busy and she's been busy. I don't know how they've had time to sleep. >> They haven't. And and we we have gotten stuff from the state. Bam, bam, bam, we want this. Bam, bam, bam, we want that. 2 days later, oh, we got to have this. And it's like basically y'all hearing it when I'm hearing it because it hits us so fast. We don't know >> exactly. >> And we're not hiding anything, but it's been hitting us and hitting us and hitting us. Oh, you got to cut this many. >> Oh, we cut that
109and two days later they say, "Oh, you got to cut all these." Then they come back and change things. And and we've been working with the state trying I wasn't happy about that letter at all. I was not happy about it. And I tell you that right now. All they had to do was make a phone call and we could have had it all straightened out. And I do appreciate every one of y'all. I guarantee y'all we're going to have this budget preliminary budget very soon. And uh we just got to go check make sure everything's all right. And then we will have a budget and have some extra money left over. And when we get that state help funds and all that paid off, that's going to help us a whole lot cuz we're
110going to have to pay that off till I believe >> early February 27. No, 28. 28. And I'm going to tell y'all one thing. I'm sick and tired of hearing about solar panels because we've done everything in the world trying to find how to get out of that and we cannot find how to get out of it. They're bonds on it. We have to pay the bonds and we don't pay the bonds and we're in trouble. If anybody wants to go out there and tear them up and take them off. >> No, I'm I tell you, we had tried and tried and tried. We got into a deal that everybody was so happy about and all of a sudden everybody's getting on us. It was us, a development authority, and everybody was down here celebrating
111the solar panels. Next thing I know, >> videos, I'll be glad to see you. >> Yeah, we got it all on video. Everybody celebrating it. And and you know, they've been tearing us up on that. And we've done everything. Every lawyer we've talked to said there's no way you can get out of it. >> So, what do you do? >> Thanks, Mr. B. >> Thank y'all. >> Mr. Dy, >> uh, thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, everybody, for coming out. Um, when you talk about these new scales and the cuts, um, you you have to have some comparison. Um, back in October of 2025, the district spent $2,885,000 on payroll that month. Uh, annualized times 12, that is $34,620,000. Uh, when the problems came to light, the previous board did make serious cuts. uh cuts
112continue to be made and more cuts will be made. Um but with the scales Miss Betty presented uh starting next year we'll be on track to spend $25 million on payroll. That is $9,620,000 less in a 12-month period. That's how far out of whack we were. So that's a that's a that's a big number. Um, I want to thank Miss Betty for all you've done. Uh, you didn't make this mess. You're cleaning it up. Not fast enough for some, but what you're doing is right. U, Miss P saying, you didn't make this mess and you didn't have to be in the chair you're in. We would have been in a mess if you weren't. So, thank you for cleaning this up. Um, I want to thank the state department of education for the resources that
113y'all provided. Again, this draft budget and these scales include no furlow days, not 12, not eight, not four, not any. That's days that the kids are in school and not at home. That's significant. Um, so again, um, to the teachers, you know, y'all are awesome. Y'all are totally blameless in this. I hate to come to this. I wish we could pay you what you deserve. Um we're working toward that as fast as we can. Uh to the taxpayers also in that draft budget um that anticipates property taxes being the same. There's no mass reval this year of commercial or residential. So property taxes should be fairly close revenues. So that in and of itself says that we should not have to raise our millage rate. That's something I'm going to fight for tooth and nail
114to not raise property taxes this fall. If the numbers we're seeing are accurate and good, we should be able to not raise property taxes. So, um there's a lot of things to try and balance and and and and make make right. And most of all, I'm a product of this system. My children are all in this system. Uh I pay property taxes in the city of Dublin. So, um we all want the same thing whether some people believe it or not. So, uh, thank you all teachers, staff. Really appreciate you. >> Thank you, Mr. Davis. Miss Johnson, >> good evening. It's always good to see all of you come out. And um one of the things I would like to say uh as we look at this budget um we didn't want to have to
115make the cuts but just know that the cuts that we have made is to move our system forward to ensure that the school system remains to make it as healthy and strong as possible. Um we work really hard on these scales studying over the weekend. This is my third meeting today supplements, you know, and so but it is good to have a good understanding and so we had the opportunity to ask a lot of questions um so that we will understand exactly what is going on. Uh as far as uh the people that came forward with the public comments, I appreciate you coming forward because it lets me know that you are interested, you are concerned, you are paying attention to what we are doing. So keep us on our toes. Keep us focused. You
116know, that's fine. You know, we're not this is not our school just our school. This the school belongs to the community. And so you have a right to come and voice your opinion. you have a right to participate. And so just keep coming, keep asking, and uh hopefully we can uh establish something that the community can come forward and have their input. I I think we should be open as much as possible. I really do. I believe in transparency. Um even when I first got on the board, I asked if we could have people just sign in when they come in and and and do public comments. But, you know, that's not what we wanted at the time. And so, somewhere along the way, uh, the state passed that law and it made it possible
117that people can come forth and speak to the board. You know, all you need was 24 hours. Well, in our case, you have to say so on a Friday. But, um, I do appreciate all the comments, Miss Ray, uh, Regina, Mr. Wheeler, Mr. How uh Miss Courtney uh I'm glad that we've got this salary scale and supplemental scale out the way because it's been bothering me. You know, I know we've been behind and I was disappointed in that and so now we're making that right tonight. So um I am glad I was very excited to know that we won't have any furlow days you know because it's enough to have to cut and then plus furlow days. So I am glad to know that that was eliminated. Um we have a great staff and I
118applaud all of you all because you have stuck by us during this terrible time and as Mr. Gri said to no fault of yours. You continue to educate our children. you continue to make the sac sacrifices and you know it seems to me that you all have kept going forward you know providing that excellence in education even though things were not right and I do thank you for that so um hopefully we can continue to put out good news you know everybody know what happened you know we don't need to keep talking about that but maybe we can put out information as to the changes that we're making you know what we've uh done in our meetings, you know, some type of synopsis so you'll be aware of what we're doing and you won't feel
119like you have to listen to the great line. You can hear it maybe from our chair, our chairwoman um maybe or our superintendent and maybe you know you can get some facts instead of having to get it through the ruling wheel because it's not always accurate. There's usually something wrong within that although they might be on the right track. Um, as far as uh coming up to our budget time, we will have to look at all of our programs. We have to look at every aspect of our school. We would not be good schools if we did not do that. >> And so, uh, that is my intention. I don't have any personal uh preference or not. Yes, it would be good to keep everything we have, you know, but we have to be good
120steward. So, we have to look at everything we have and then based on what is documented, based on the finances, based on how we can pay that, that will be the end result. Okay, but thank you for coming and keep >> last but not least. Um, so while I had a minute this spring break, um, I did prepare a statement to kind of do a board um, announcement every week to speak to what's been going on and then review the recommendations that have been made by the state, where we're at, where we're going. So, I just want to start with the statement and then I'll speak to some of the questions that some of the um, community members have tonight. Okay. said, "The situation facing Dublin City Schools is a result of years of mismanagement.
121For an extended period, the district operated under serious and repeated failures, ongoing financial deficits, employee health insurance payments that were constantly late and at one point nearly two years behind, and audits that were not completed on time. These were patterns that were allowed to continue. As everyone now knows based on audit findings, the last two financial officers hid from the board the true financial condition of our school district and instead provided the board with false information that we were on solid ground with regard to our finances. In the last four months I have served in this leadership role, there has been an expectation that these deeply rooted problems could be corrected immediately. That is not realistic and more importantly, it's not responsible. We are f we are focused on fixing these issues the right way
122through accountability structure and long-term solutions. There has also been a significant amount of miscommunication and misinformation. With too many voices contributing to the narrative, confusion has followed. What I have referred to as too many hens in the hen house. I will not engage in the he said, she said. Our focus is on facts, transparency, and measurable progress. We do appreciate the state involvement. Their engagement has helped identify and begin addressing a wide range of issues. At the same time, it is clear that the full extent of these problems only became evident once there was direct involvement inside our system. These conditions developed over time and it is important to acknowledge that they were allowed to persist for years even by the state. Today, we received our recent cognitive monitoring review regarding our accreditation. We did
123not meet seven of the 31 standards. We were all aware this would shed light on the critical issues facing our district. We know there's a tough road ahead of us and we've already begun to address many of the issues listed in our board. The board the board has had more training in the last four months than ever before. Internal controls are in place and we continue to address concerns made apparent by the state and now Cognia. Transparency is of the utmost importance. We will continue to work with the local media and live stream our readings. But please let me state those that created these critical issues are no longer employed by our district. Again, we are doing our best to fix years of persistent problems and years of persistent cover up. The board is taking
124action. We are moving forward with hiring a chief financial officer hopefully tonight to establish strong financial oversight and our superintendent search is on track closing April 19th. We look forward to reviewing applicants who are prepared to lead with accountability and deliver results. Additionally, while I'm not the GBI, I am aware that they continue to request information and are actively completing their work. As soon as any official information is provided me, I will ensure it's communicated appropriately. Let me be clear, my identity is not tied to a title. My sole focus is the work building a stronger, more stable school system for our students and teachers. That is the responsibility and that is where my focus will remain. This is about establishing trust, enforcing accountability, and doing what should have been done years ago. And that
125work continues to be done. Now, speaking to the state recommendations, we have removed the eight furlow days and will hopefully have that revised calendar to vote on at the next meeting. We have set salary scales, reduced extra days, eliminated unnecessary supplements, and reduced supplements overall. We also reduced admin contract days. Where are we headed? I hope this week we have hard conversations regarding the state recommendations of the alternative school and IGA. There's a lot that factors into both of those. It will be a lot of tough work, but we're willing to do it. I don't know 100% what that looks like, but as soon as we have looked at it, laid all the information out, pros and cons, we will let y'all know. The state also recommends gradeb banded schools for FY28 as our focus
126to reduce transportation and also um help with collaboration. I'm not sure what that's going to look like either. I hope that we have a committee to speak to that to speak to help with IG and with the alternative school. And again, as soon as we have that laid out, we will go forward and let y'all know. Okay. I appreciate all of your involvement, your willingness to come in your questions. If you want to talk more about finances or anything, please send Miss P or myself questions or the entire board. We'll be glad to get those answered for y'all. Okay. But thank you all so much. At this time, if no one has any more comments, I need a motion to go into executive session. >> So move. >> All right. Mr. Davis made the motion.
127Mr. Leer made the second. Any discussion? Do you need to state why you're going in motion for personnel >> real estate and litigation? Sorry, I'm tired of talking at this point. >> So, okay. Thanks, James. All in favor? I >> I. >> All oppose? No. >> All right. So, we're in executive session at 7:50.