USD 453 Leavenworth Board of Education Meeting: Monday, June 12, 2023

001So, since he's not here, since he's not here, we need to change the agenda. Okay. I don't think you're Good evening. This is uh Monday, June 12th, 2023. This is the first is the budget hearing. So, this time we'll do roll call. Mr. Carney here. Mr. Goodman is absent. We'll keep trying. Miss Murphy here. Mr. Powell here. Miss Reed here, Miss Wells here, and I am Judy Price. Okay, item two, the budget hearing. So, Miss Beth, are there any comments or questions from the public or the board? So, this this is strictly federal funds. Um, it was due to the how Medicaid was paid out, which would give us more atrisisk dollars. And so this affects it does not affect um any local tax dollars or it does not affect revenue neutral that the board

002voted on um last September. Okay. Any other questions, comments? All right. So at this time I'll move on to item three. I'll entertain a motion to approve the 2022 2023 USD453 budget. I'll make a motion to approve the budget. All right, we have a motion by Miss Murphy, a second by Miss Reed to approve the 2022 2023 USD453 budget. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. And that is the adjournment of the budget hearing at 601. All righty. Good evening. This is the regularly scheduled June board meeting 12 June to 2023. At this time, we'll do roll call. Mr. Carney, I'm still here. Mr. Goodman, Miss Murphy, here. Mr. Pal here. Miss Reed here. Miss Wells, here. And I am GD Price. At this time, please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the

003flag 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. Please be seated. Item 63, Dr. Roth. Yes. The district mission statement is to prepare every student for success in every classroom every day. All right. Thank you. Item 64, there is no scheduled patron input, so we will move along. Item 65, adoption of the agenda. I would like to make a motion to adopt the agenda. Uh well, I don't know if we're thinking about removing number 11 to table. We would defer it. Defer it. Yeah. So, we'll do it when we get to that point. Uh we can defer item 11 now. Okay. Okay. I'd like to approve the agenda with the exclusion of having 11 deferred, which would be

004the policy. Okay. So, defer item 11 to July. Okay, I second it. Okay, we have a motion on the table by Miss Murphy, a second by Mr. Powell to adopt the agenda except for deferring item 11 to July. Is there any discussion allowed? This is just for the basic agenda. Okay, but I mean to push that item to July. Is that what we're doing? Is there any discussion allowed on that? If we're going to defer it till July, we should discuss it in July unless there other reason. Okay. It was specifically requested by one of the board members that if they couldn't be here, they wanted to defer to like a discussion. Okay. Okay. So, back to motion on the table by Mr. Murphy or Miss Murphy, second by Mr. Powell to adopt the agenda

005except for the deference of item 11 to July. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. All right. Item seven, recognitions. Um we have somebody that's leaving us um that the end of this school year. She's almost um she's going to go up on post, but um she's done a lot of work around mental health um for our students um for our district and for our community. Um and so Mr. Pal um I believe has a certificate that he would like to present uh to Miss Kim Knight. I'm going to ask u one of our county commissioners to come up and and participate. Um we we occasionally get an opportunity to really see uh someone who exemplifies the quality of our teachers and our administrative staff and our educators and something so clearly there's there's

006no argument and I think in this case uh Miss Knight represents that uh in an extraordinary fashion. Actually, I would say we have extraordinary teachers and extraordinary administrators, but to change the wording a little bit, I think that Miss Kim Knight is extraordinary. And um I'm I'm not making it funny and I'm not downplaying it. I mean it is the truth that um this lady started because of a passion for our kids uh in recognition that um we were losing them to mental health and you know we were looking at suicides and any number of different things that she took deeply and personally and then she said somebody ought to do something and she did. So, I'm I'm really proud to be able to recognize Miss Knight tonight. And uh Kim, I thank you so

007much. But before I before I read this certificate, because this is kind of the formal, hey, this is the big words, uh I ask um our county commissioner to to come and and say a few words because she then tells the rest of the story. uh not just what's in our school, not just what she did in our educational system, but this woman generated energy across the entire community that's resulted in a fundamental change in our uh mental health uh system. And it's uh it's just amazing. Thank you, Kim. Thank you. Let's see. Seven years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Kim Knight for the very first time. I reached out to her following a county commission meeting during which um she appeared before the commissioners to ask for financial support to provide mental

008health services for students at Levvenworth High School. Her presentation was both alarming and compelling. She had also presented the same information to the board of education. At that time, I was and continue to be a patron of USD453 and I was also a volunteer with the Levvenworth Suicide Prevention Coalition and I was a candidate for the board of county commissioners. As some people might know and some may not, I share Kim's passion for ensuring that uh access to mental health services and compassion for individuals struggling with mental illness. Debbie Greor and I requested a meeting with her to offer our support following the meeting with the board of county commissioners and to enlist her participation in our efforts to prevent suicide. She immediately accepted the invitation to join the coalition and following my election to

009the board of county commissioners, she became an original member of the mental health task force formed by Commissioner Doug Smith. I am proud to say that as a task force, we have celebrated many accomplishments over the past years. We really have and and it's been amazing. Because of Kim's dedication to USD453, our community has received financial support for bringing mental health services into our schools for students struggling with behavioral health. And I don't know how many of you know, and I'm sure many of you who have been here also know, that her door is open all the time for our kiddos as they struggle with the issues of of mental health and behavioral health issues, and she is always there to listen and to act. So, I I she's going to be missed. Uh she's

010also played no small part in obtaining expanded grant funding for students attending schools across our county. Additionally, she assisted our community with providing information and data that has been used to secure grants obtained by the guidance center from both the state and the federal government. Not everybody can make that claim, but Kim Knight can. She has been an integral part of that process and the Sam Sha grant that the guidance center received and is doing some amazing things in our community. I've come to admire Kim and I believe her to be the one of the most dedicated education professionals I have ever known. Her commitment and compassion for all students as well as our staff is extraordinary. We have that word again and I use the same one. It's extraordinary. I am certain that Kim

011will be missed by our school district, but I am happy to know that she isn't going far and will continue to serve our county as a member of the guidance cent's newly formed mental health advisory board. I wish her well as she continues to serve the children and youth at Fort Levvenworth. And and I thank you, Kim, for everything you've done and everything you will continue to do. We're going to miss Kim. Um, but like I said, he's not going far. But I also want to say that um what we know about circumstances of uh kids mental health that we've experienced and we've documented over this period of the last two years or three years that um the one legacy she will leave behind is that number one, we know that there are kids in

012school today that might not even be on this planet today. And the second is that she helped build a system that kids in the future can be backstopped and that we can save more kids in our in our buildings and uh maybe change the environ mental health environment that we find them living in. So it's a big legacy. So with that, the Levvenworth United School District hereby presents Kimberly Knight for her dedication and commitment to the Levvenworth High School in USD 453, a specific tour of her key role as the district's mental health intervention team. Excuse me. She helped to ensure the mental health of students and staff remain the top priority for the board. Community partnerships were strengthened and staff additions were made to increase support services. awarded on the 12th day of June

0132023, President B. Price and Superintendent Mike Ro didn't even come close to saying what you thank you so much. Okay, moving on. Item eight, the consent agenda. Does anything need to be removed for discussion? Yeah, I'd like to remove the the last one. Um the 8.11 consideration of your closing transactions. Okay. And that said, Madam President, any other removals? 811 becomes item 91. Yeah. consideration of membership in KSB works compensation fund 2324. Said so 88. Was that what you said? Yeah. Okay. And then 810 consideration of 2324 student handbook. 88 810 and 811. All right. I've got 811 becomes item 91. 88 becomes item 92. And 810 becomes item 93. Any others? And if there's no others, Madam President, I move to uh accept the agenda as modified for those three items on the agenda.

014Second. Okay, we have a motion on the table by Mr. Pal, second by Miss Murphy to accept the consent agenda absent items 811, 88, and 810. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. Okay. So, moving on. Now, it's item 91, which was 811. consideration of yearing closing transactions for 2022 2023. Uh yeah, madame uh president, the reason why I wanted to have that removed because I wanted to make sure that the entire board knew uh actually in the community that instead of just transferring funds this year, one of the things we wanted to target and hopefully we'll do this in the future when we get the strategic plan built, we'll have plans to roll end ofear funds into our our key requirements is for a uh coordinator for our um career and technical education

015programs. So, if we have year, and this is an if, if we have year-end funding, that's uh one of the things that we want to roll the money in. So, we actually have a budget uh for the hiring of a coordinator next year without having to add another line or other items to the budget. Okay. Any other questions or comments on nine item 91? Where do those usually roll into? Does it just go back into the general fund or does it go into the funds that they are accessive to? Uh general fund cannot have a carryover. So any unspent general funds is transferred either to the career technical education fund, food service fund, textbook fund, special education fund or capital outlay fund. [Applause] Okay. So yearly is there enough to sustain a position with those

016funds? So uh this would be a startup fund basically to for the position in the first year if there are funds available to transfer and then as we budget the following years we would budget for the position. Is there any other comments? I'm not against that. Okay, Madame President, uh I move to accept agenda item 9.1 as discussed. Second. All right, we have a motion by Mr. Palace, recogniz Murphy to accept item 91, which is consideration of year closing transactions. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. Okay. Item 92 which was 8.8 88 consideration of membership and KB workers compensation fund for 2023 2024. I'm just asking for a separate vote on this issue. That's what this is. Okay. So I don't need to discuss it further unless you want me to. Okay. Any

017other questions or discussion there? Okay. Need a motion? I'll go ahead and ask a couple questions then just because it's here and it's been opened up. Mr. Carney, how are you feeling about these numbers with this since you're the one that sits on the um committee for workers comp? The numbers for what? Well, that you've got the annual premium, but I mean, how are you feeling while we're paying those premiums? I'm feeling badly because the more accidents you have, the more your premium's going to go up. Just pure insurance. Luckily, we're in a pool. So, but uh still we've got to do a better job at not having so many claims. And what's our ratio this year as opposed to last year, a year before? Ratio? What? Do you know how many more accidents we're

018having each year? I know the mod factor went what one nine no from 1.1 to 1.17 and it's a threeyear average of claims is how the mod is calculated okay and the longer the claims stay open that adds to the to the mix as well right because litigation and I guess it begs the question okay so if we're not part of this pool because it's just a pool of other schools who are in this. What are our options for having a workers compensation program? We're going to have to go to if you want to try to do it by yourself through an insurance company, it's going to just cost us a lot more money. That's the purpose of a pool. It cuts the cost. Yeah, absolutely. It's it's insane to do it on on your

019own. The more the marrier in the pool and we we're right now we're still waiting on about seven schools to come back in. We're kind of waffling, but usually it's the bigger school districts that ensure themselves because they got the money. But there's no reason for us to get the pool. The biggest thing we need to do is focus on not having accidents. Do I mean without getting into the weeds of it or anything personal like that, what type of accidents are we seeing say in the last year? What are some examples of of these worker comps? Falls. Um there's been some cases where students or teachers have been assault injured by students. Yeah. Breaking up a fight or doing something like that. That would be a workman's comp. Lifting a box and hurting your

020back. U just a variety of things. And you know, one of the things I will say that's changed over time is that um when you call to make an appointment anymore, two of the first questions they asked was, "Was this a fall or an injury at work?" And so there's a lot more attention paid to workman's comp and that's an insurance thing from personal health insurance to business insurance. Um yeah, hospitals like to grab that workers comp and get in there. There's a variety. I mean there's a variety of things but falls um injuries building things um so on on these falls and and this just goes in line with trying to have prevention and maybe we need to have a different kind of topic on an agenda later and that's always something that we

021could do. Are some of these falls preventable? Do we need less slippery surfaces? Maybe something put on the stairs if it's happening on the stairs. More ice melt in the front. So any of those things, anytime that there's what anytime that there's a fall that's reported, um depending on where it's at, um or what it's related to, um it's looked into by HR. Um and usually that brings in the the maintenance department to see, um like we had a fall on the stairway at the IC. So Matt and his crew went out and did what you just said, they added some strips to it to make sure that it's more noticeable where the next step is as opposed to blending in when you're walking down carrying something. Right. Kind of like painting the curb so

022somebody doesn't step off the curb. Right. And so ice melt. Um his crew does an awesome job getting that out there. But as people come in and snow's melting, there's slick floors or things like that that could be I know um one was carrying some boxes around uh a water jug or like where they and slipped on some water. Um I mean so there's a variety. when you have 600 and some employees, you're going to have some you're gonna have some accidents. I was just trying to look more toward the prevention, right, portion of it, like you say, the stair. So, it's great somebody goes and adds more um non-slip things in areas after the fact. But, um I'm just almost wondering if we shouldn't be going through doing reinspections going, "Aha, maybe we need

023to do this here. Maybe you have audits. You have the actually the KSD fund actually sends out auditors and they audit for safeties and falls and that usually happens annually. Yes. Do we have any OSHA type standards that we have to abide by? Okay. And with the lifting um are we encouraging buddy lifting instead of doing it on oneself considering we always I mean the you talk about that a lot but it's just like in your own home a staff member sees a box or they they want a box moved you're you're going to grab it right um or uh you know a v I mean it's just a variety of things and so you know to Mr. Carney's point, absolutely. We need to do a better job. Some of this is just things happen.

024They They do. And there are some things that we can improve on just like anything else. Okay. Thank you. Just so we're clear, we can selfinsure or we can insure through this group. Are there any other uh options that we could pull with other organizations that would make uh financial, you know, fiduciary as well as management sense? I would I would tell you that with the history and and where you're at when you're when your mod's going up, that's the last time or that's the worst time to try to go out. Um there I think uh ENC has a ordinance comp fund that you can join. Um but again based on your mod based on the participation um that that's I don't believe that would be an advantage to our school district. Okay. Well the

025good thing is we're looking at a credit. There's a loyalty credit there. Yes. The loyalty credit is over in 24. We're gonna in our meeting in April, we're going to decide whether to offer it continuously. So that'll happen in April 2024. Well, it'll go through the 24th school year. Our meeting April. We got to make a decision. But for now, we still get that, which two $200,000 and some change is not something to bat your eye out at a credit. That's a good thing. Yep. I'd like to make a motion to go ahead and approve the uh KSB workers compensation fund for 2324. Second. All right. We have a motion by Miss Murphy and a second by Miss Wells to go ahead and approve the the membership in the KSB workers compensation fund for 2023

0262024. All of those in favor 51. Thank you. Okay. The new item 93 which was 810 excuse me. Yeah, student handbook consideration of the 2023 2024 student handbook. Okay. Questions or comments? I have four if you'll bear with me. Uh the first one is a statement found on page seven. Um I know this is not something new. It's just a concern uh that I would like to talk through if you guys are interested. Um with two and a half miles from a home or designated attendance area with the exception of special education students having to pay for bus services. So, as I was talking with uh Dr. Roth earlier today, that could require a student to walk five miles if they're on that line. And um as we talk about getting to how how do

027we reach our academic goals, I feel like I would like to look at um what it would take for the district to either narrow that. So that's, you know, maybe a half mile, um, which would put a student walking a full mile a day or, you know, maybe just covering it. Um, we don't know where they're coming from. Maybe they're crossing a four-lane. Um, so that's just something I would like to consider if the board would like to just get considered and that would be something you definitely could add into your strategic plan as a as a way to try to budget for that. One of the things that um, way back when Mr. Torpson was still on the board. Transportation was something that was always near and dear to him as well. Very much.

028Um and so uh that would be something that strategically the board would have to like budget for. Yes. Um and that would be like whether you take it in quarter of a mile increments, half mile increments, whole mile or in mile increments or all at once. that would have to be something strategically you would want to do um and kind of plan that in. So, you know, you're in the perfect process with the strategic plan to uh to really bring that up as a discussion item. Yeah, I guess my cons it's it's a concern from the perspective of you provide it but will it be used we have to look at this really deeply because we make this art because it was a concern of mine when we started as well. why are we doing

029this? And then when you see 10 kids step off a bus that was supposed to have 40 on it regularly. Um I think we can look at it, but I think we really need to figure this out for more than just the mileage. It's how how can we get more usage, get the kids, parents to use it so that they're comfortable with it. I don't know what the problem is, but and that was one of the things um to Miss Reed's point on safety, that's one of the things the board did several years ago was to add actually two routes to the Woodland Village area. Um and usage reduced that to one. Um and the board at that time took it because that was they would those kids were having to cross the busiest intersection

030in town. Yeah. Um, and also at the time the board uh wanted to add to Shannidoa um because there was no direct sidewalks from the Shannondoa housing development to Henry which was their primary uh uh Attendance center. Yes, thank you. And so um again uh that was also to help to try to help with the flow of traffic. Um, and that bus is not full as well. That was one of the things I was hoping we could address because I have gotten concerns. Why am I seeing a bus with only a couple students? People aren't sure if it's a good use of taxpayer dollars. So, I was hoping when we did this evaluation to be able to look. So when when you accept when you accept the funds from the state on KSD, so if

031every student once you accept those, every student that lives 2.5 miles or further has to have a seat on that bus. They're not required to ride every day. So when you look at Easton, what they try to do is take a percentage of those open seats and give them to the parents that you're talking about on a per paid basis. they can't give up all the seats because if it rains or a student gets in trouble and you happens a lot in high school um is that you get the kid gets grounded from driving to school so they call and say for the next week Mike's riding the bus and so that student has to have a seat by law. So that's why you see such a variance in bus ridership and that's one of

032the hardest things for Eastston to explain because as a parent that's waiting well I see that bus have three quarters full. Well you have to have a seat based on the 2.5 mile rule and how many students are eligible to ride that not necessarily take advantage of that. But what they try to do is once it gets going, look at a percentage of I only had 60% this week. I only had 60%. So then I'll take 20% of those seats and try to disperse those out uh to give the opportunity for that to take place. Okay. My second item was on page eight. Um it's under the non-discrimination statement. Let me find it. It's in the end of that paragraph. Superintendent of schools Dr. Kellen Adams has been designated to coordinate the institution's efforts to

033comply. Um, so then we go into talking about titles and sections. Um, I guess one of my concerns was that I don't know if it's fair um to ask Dr. Adams to carry that for the district. I feel like it would be the responsibility of the board to make policy decisions and that's what I wanted to discuss. Guess we need to pull up the language. I don't know what it says. So, we have to see the language because I don't know the part she's referring to. It says the superintendent of schools, Dr. Kellen Adams, has been designated to coordinate the institution's efforts to comply with the regulations implementing uh title six, title 9, and section 504. That's the little That's not a board function. That's daily operations. It falls squarely back on superintendent in the

034district. I know that we had a father um here at a previous meeting asking for the board to make policy, right? We can make the policy, but it's but that is saying that he's the one coordinating to make those things happen. So that's daily operations and that falls squarely in his job, not ours. So it's not a policy, it's coordinating. It's something completely different. So what would he be following if we don't have a policy in regards to those as a district? We already have like the policies there. So we don't feel like we need to amend anything as a board. Okay. I mean if a parent came up with a recommendation we should use the board to see see if there was a policy change required. Yeah. And that's what and honestly but that

035just goes back to the policies and then the handbook gets amended right unvisually until it gets revoted in under under current regs on all the title nine all of the the federal your superintendent oversees that as so like since Dr. Adams is coming in and he he would be the one naturally that would flow into that. Um but like Beth has a hand in that Amy has a hand in that. So any issue that would come up or any violation or anything the board would be aware of that. Um whether it through be through parental like a like the parent talking or just like any of the other policies that have been challenged like policy if or any of those it still would be the board. But once those policies are in place and there

036hasn't been any discussion on changing those or doing anything with those specifically then it would be Dr. Adams um and his team or the district team uh to uh to make sure that we're abiding by the federal regulations regarding those u those I'm glad that you said that um because federal regulations don't protect girls sports currently and they don't protect any student. They don't protect girls spaces. They don't protect boys spaces. They don't protect transgender students. That's how I interpret what's currently going on at the federal level. And I would not, you know, if I met that gentleman for coffee who was here begging the board to make policy so that his student had direction and the way that I viewed his concerns was protection and guidance that served that student fairly through whatever interactions

037he has with the school district. I would not feel confident telling him that his concerns are invalid. I I would listen to him as I'm trying to do now and ask that the board looks into what his concerns were and where he felt the district wasn't serving his student well. And that's one of the things um also that's the same thing your admin does as well. They meet with try to come to a solution that meets the safety requirement of that student um and to try to protect students all students. And so um and and that's what like I have been doing that visiting with Mr. Vanic or Dr. Johnson. Anytime that those situations come up, we try to have that communication with the family, which we reached out to the dad that you're speaking

038with. Um, you know, and we Do you feel like he was satisfied with the conclusion? You know, a lot of times, um, depending on what side of the policy you're on, satisfaction is a wide margin, right? because um you're reacting or you're you're following or you're doing what's best for the the the district or the corporation or the business. Um and then you're narrowing it down to the the situation at hand, the individual, what what's feasible, what can be done. Um and you're trying to do it within parameters that's safe for everybody. And so it's not just a matter of somebody coming and speaking and and it's there's a there within that there is some areas of maneuverability but when you look at the area of maneuverability it's trying to encompass everything that takes place.

039So, I would encourage um the board to make policy that this is specific to this district regarding sports and locker room and bathroom facilities. That's what I'm asking. then that's that's fair to the board to uh look at the specific policies that you want. Make recommendations. We'll vet it with uh your board attorney and then just like policy if the board can change or or um do what they see as a whole. I mean it just takes the majority of the board to make those changes and then your administration will do the best they can to accommodate um whatever changes the board recommends or votes on. So basically this is would be later on setting on a study setting up a study session appointment and then figuring out what the board itself may need to

040write a policy. Right? If you're talking specifically to the to that each one of those would need to be reviewed. Um any changes the board would want to make. you would want to do an accommodation, a first read, um, and and move that, but it wouldn't affect the the at this time. It would not affect, right? It's the impleation of, it's not the the policy of Okay, your next slide, page 13. I was going to ask for an explanation of changing the tardies. I didn't I didn't hear the question. the verbiage on the tardies. Could we I had asked Jake about that earlier. Just for the public's sake, could we have someone brief? And the change provides more. I guess my question to this policy change would be what could be possible academic effects if

041people start going to this wire because it is an adjustment in basically being able to receive the same results for coming later. Yes. Other than the lost class time I mean they're still going to miss assignments. So it's really the attendance reporting what's impacted for them whether or not they're missing something. I I think this might have an incentive to that if you knew that after 30 minutes being because that's what I used to read 30 minutes. Well, I'm going to be late anyway, so we'll just come later. I think with us providing in the window like 10:00 a.m. then if they was scrambling and they might things slowed them down that as a parent I would appreciate being able to get them there and still being counted because right now they wouldn't be same

042thing after uses after 2 p.m. Yes. if they have to go to a doctor or something like that. So, and I know we're my concern would be that we're careful that we're not just moving the bar, you know, and not uh still holding ourselves accountable for going after uh you know, the uh the tardies and the other things that we've already said are impacting our like one or two in our uh strategic plan. One of those is the absenteeism. So, but I understand it. I mean a little bit here. I know a majority of the families usually tend to get their kids out like right before school gets out to get to that doctor's appointment that they can get to. That way they're not missing the whole day. But, you know, sometimes easier to get

043them in at at 2:30 instead of 5:30 when everybody else is getting off work for those last that last 1 hour appointment before the office shuts down and be at 5 or 6 p.m. And just for everybody's information, so you know what we're talking about. In the previous policy, if it was within 30 minutes of the beginning of the school day, it was tardy. You know, you were done. But we moved it to 10 o'clock so parents and providers have an opportunity to get them there and not lose a half a day because that's what they lose is a half a day of attendance. Same thing in the afternoon. So that's the change. This also bears some grace when school's still in session, but maybe with the roads a little being icier in certain sections

044more so than others, it gives them a little bit more safe travel time without maybe causing an accident in a hurry to get there. The last one is page 35. Visiting the school. Visits to a classroom must have prior approval of an administrator. Visits with a teacher must be scheduled with the teacher prior to the visit and the office must be notified. I had had a parent complaint that they couldn't get in the building without an administrator's um approval. I was wondering if you could describe the uh district's reasoning behind this policy. Well, that's the reason you have all of your vestibules that are secure entries. You just don't want anybody walking in at any time. Teachers um have their plan times. That's the best time to meet if you're going to meet with. So,

045the principles know the plan times of the staff members that you're requesting. Um, if it's a situation where the principal needs to sit in or an administrator needs to sit in, uh, then they would need to be able to clear their schedule during that time, too. Uh, so it's really more of a convenience for the parent, um, to make sure they get to speak to the person they want to speak with when they want to speak with them. As the showing up and Mr. Smith's in the middle of a lesson, we're not pulling Mr. Smith to talk to the parents, so the parent wasted their time. So, it's really more of a convenience for the parents than an inconvenience. but is also make sure that we uh have the opportunity to meet with that family

046member at any building. But that's why you have the vestibules that you have um to be able to that they check in and check out of those um for a variety of reasons. Safety is one of them. But if something would happen while they're in the building, we also know that they're in the building. So evacuation, all of that is the accountability. Thank you. Okay. Any other questions or comments? Madam President, I move that we accept uh agenda item 9.3 as presented. Second. All right. We have a motion on the table from Mr. Pal, second by Miss Murphy to accept item 9.3, which is the 2023 2024 student handbook as presented. All of those in favor? 51. Thank you. Okay. Item 10, the Horizon's Before and After School Program, Miss Edwards. [Music] Good evening, members

047of the board. How are you all? I am Katie Edwards. I'm the coordinator of secondary public relations and I'm also the director of the Levvenworth Education Foundation. Uh the Levvenworth Education Foundation and the Unified School District 453 have enjoyed a wonderful and strong relationship for a number of years. We have um worked well together. We as a foundation have supported our students, our teachers, our district as their mission. That is what we are about. Today we're here to talk a little bit about changing times. Everything changes. Um things evolve. Uh we're coming before you tonight to summarize and propose a new look for a program that we have been running since 2006. You all have the packet. Um you you've had it for some time. Hope you've been able to read that. Basically, the Horizon

048Kids program provides high quality, affordable, convenient care for our families, for our pioneer families during out of school time. So, uh the primary uh way that we deliver that program is before and after school service care for our families. Um it's the convenience is the kind of one-stop shop, if you will. The family drops the student off at the school. They receive before school care. Uh they're attended to. We serve breakfast. We take care of them. They shuffle off to school and they do their school day. And then we conversely finish up the day with after school care at the same location, one location, drop off, pickup. It's a beautiful thing and it's worked very very well for a a long while. The challenges of recent years have brought us to this point where the

049education foundation is looking to um perhaps change things a little bit and and looking to you for partnership, if you will. The need for child care remains strong. This district, this community, we do not have enough child care for our families. And so we are very passionate that we in some partnership form are able to continue that care package for our families. It's just a matter of time where the education foundation uh needs to get back to its mission, kind of get back to its roots, and we're looking to you for partnership to be able to continue that service. just in a different look. The foundation is lucky enough to have Dr. Roth attend our meetings on a monthly basis. He's with us to update and provide new information about what's happening in the district

050and in the community. Uh vice versa, we share with him what we are up to. It's a great partnership. Uh he has supported us all the way and we support him and the board and the district as well through his attendance at our meetings. We um have have shared we share every month one of our regular uh agenda items is about the Horizon Kids child care program and he has heard our challenges of late. He has heard the struggles with uh you know keeping our buildings fully staffed with uh some of the more intricate child um behavior issues. just the things that take so much time in administration that it is truly pulling from the uh core mission of the education foundation. Uh I believe recently he was at a conference and heard of and

051brought forth a resource for us to consider again knowing that the need and the commitment to child care in our district is very very strong. So we collectively have spent um probably three or four months doing very very what I would consider deep and reflective research as to the best approach for this um struggle this place that we find ourselves in. Uh we have vetted three separate what I call traditional or formal child care providers beyond and besides the Levvenworth Education Foundation. Uh the first two did not work out. you have that information in your packet. Happy to answer any questions to that. So that has brought us to a a place where I feel very confident and I want to introduce um my my compadres here. Uh the first one um Miss Holly Pitman.

052She is the foundation president and she had to leave. She had to go juggle her her her own child first priorities. This is Whitney Shocki. She is our Horizon Kids program director. So, she's over the entire program and then we have staff at each of the buildings. And then this is Mr. Jordan Elo. I'm going to read his title because it's way it's longer than mine. Even senior district program director of youth development services with the YMCA of Kansas City. So, he's our our representative here representative here tonight with the YMCA. So uh in many conversations with them in um you know researching their organization their mission uh them kind of inquiring of us and our the way we do business. We have come together to propose to you all the board of education that

053you enter into partnership with the YMCA to continue that very very much needed child care service to our pioneer families. Um, we envision that it would look much like it does now. I'm going to let Jordan answer any of the questions of what the future might look like, but our vision is that it would look very much like it does now. Care centered at each of the elementary schools. Again, convenience and um high quality. Uh, it would be as we most uh confidently feel that it would be our same staff members. There are local experts in the field and they still want to serve our children. So though it might be a different house, a different hat, a different name on the check, so to speak, I think they would stay with us. I feel

054very confident in that. Um, we want it to look much the same just in a different management function. Uh, the education foundation really needs to get back to its mission and this program is just pulling and taxing us. So that brings us to tonight with you all have two pieces of information that you've studied. Um, at this point I would open it up to questions and the three of us will hopefully be able to answer that four of us counting Dr. O. My the only thing I really had is that I I'm concerned that they will be doing not necessarily their own hiring, but what protocol will they have um as an organization vetting your people? Will you use the same things that we do um currently to make sure that we have people that

055are safe with children and have qualifications? Yeah, everybody is state background checked. Okay. Background checked and fingerprinted. So, we follow all the other the same protocols you guys have. Um we'll carry the same licensing that you guys currently have. Um we've started that process already working with fire marshals to gather floor plans of the schools. So, all right. This will be as seamless as we're going to change a name. And are you doing this in any other districts currently? So, the YMCA of Greater Kansas City is the single largest child care provider on either side of the state line. We provide it for 3,200 kids every before and after school day. Um, from Lee Summit to Plaque County and several spots in between. So, yeah, we this is this is the Y everybody thinks of

056the YMCA as swim and gym. This is where the YMCA makes the most impact on a daily basis. Okay. So for the for us, this is just helping out with a management and it also, you know, helping the district out as well. When you're seeing your staff coming, I'm hoping 100% from here. Um and then we'll, you know, partner with the um district to provide different career opportunities for for staff and hiring. Um, our intention is not to just clean house or, you know, our our opportunity would be to reach out to every single staff member currently employed and just convert them over because those are the families. The families are comfortable with those folks. This isn't us coming in and making a clean sweep. This is us just coming in and taking a program

057that's already great and just taking it taking it over and keeping it going. And what would Whitney's position be? they uh the Y has reached out to me and asked if it was something that I would like to pursue with them. Um my heart right now and my place I need to be is with the district. Um so I don't know what that looks like yet at this point. Um but I'm looking at what my options are. We first met through the child abuse prevention council. So I know that protection of children is is one of your main focuses and priorities. Yes, 100%. And that's why I was so I mean so childcare licensing was what I did before this. So all the process that he's going through is exactly everything the fingerprinting the rules

058and regs what their program follows is what I have to follow right now and that's what I regulated prior to coming into this. Um my kiddo is going into sixth grade um in our district and um I have been a part of this district. I fall in love with the district. So my heart is to stay here right now. So but they have been very kind and generous to offer me a position. So sorry. But Mr. turning to your question really we believe and Whitney and I know our our people and we've had conversation with them because they know this is you know in the conversation loop and our workers love our kids and they want to stay working with our kids. So I I would say a great great percentage will stay right where

059they are in just a different management structure. Well, I picked up my grandkids quite often and it seemed to me like the high school kids. So, so they're going to be adults as well. Oh yes. Oh yes. And that's all by lensure and you know requirements by the state because we the the foundation run the current one um we follow all of that lensure and guidance as well. So we have uh three layers or levels of staff members and that's all the way up to you know highly qualified college um has some college with them all the way down to the ones that you see which are the students. We have quite a few our afternoon workers mostly high school students. So yes we meet all those layers and age and um lensure requirements. Do

060you hire very old grandparents? Hey we have no cap. I doubt you will. Right. We just want you to love our kids. So, I I know some, not me, but I know some flexible schedules. That's right. That's right. How else can we promote that? I guess one question I have is because we're getting ready to our go deep into the strategic plan and go after student outcomes, which is um obviously that's what we're about. um as you take when we had it with Katie and the others if there was some way that we wanted to mature or modify the program to go out because what was 68 kids in it now is what I read 83 now um that's that's quite a few kids and I would hazard a guess that a number of them

061are single parents or working parents and those kind of things that reading a book to them or you know going after a specific uh learning objective might be a little difficult but we've got these kids we got 80 plus kids and so I would hope that as we go through the strategic plan, we'll look at the Horizon's Kids program for opportunities to reach kids that might not the parents might not have the time to give to them uh when they get home. So, I my point is I know it's a long statement, but my point is though is the YMCA, you know, do you have uh whoever your director is uh will you guys be willing to partner with us as we look at initiatives into the program? Because I mean, it costs more. It's

062more work and there's a whole lot of reasons, but yeah, it's the right thing to do, I think. Yeah, I mean, from a curriculum standpoint, we're always we're always open to making adjustments to after our after school curriculum. We're in the process of kind of a rewrite right now and it's, you know, kind of giving the program back to the kids a little bit, but then also um because we we we had a big piece that was homework time. Elementary schools really haven't given a lot of homework in the last five or so years. There's some things for some kids. Um, but giving some kids some more voice in some of the activities and programs that they want to see, right? But we're happy to do that also with you guys. Well, but you're bringing

063up a good point. If you have 3,000 plus kids that you deal with, you've got a reflection on a heck of a lot more kids than we do at those different levels. So, we would appreciate your input. Well, this is what I'm saying. There's power in someone who does this, you know, on on such a large scale. Now, I might have missed it. What time does the day start when they're getting dropped off before school? 6:30 in the morning and they go till just after 8 when we kind of transition them to their their school day and then we get them anywhere the the retransition to Horizon Kids is anywhere 3:15 3:30 and we close at 6 6. Okay. So yeah, and I understand what u Mr. Pal's saying is like a tutoring curriculum program

064where we have giving you basically what they're learning and then can tutor on top of that. Um this is predominantly the kids 12 and under or it encompasses more older through fourth grade. Fourth grade. Yes. We have in the past depending on configurations of the buildings. You know we've had five down at elementary and that type thing. We have served through fifth grade and we have looked at do we need to push this to sixth grade but the need at fifth six that just is not there. There are not enough to warrant a full program at fi at fifth six. So we've we've stopped at fourth grade. And that's nice because that's the confined the structure of the buildings right now. Right. Right. And is it pretty even with the buildings that you have about

06517 per building like kindergarten? Not really. No. Okay. So you may have 25 over at one and 17 at another. Henry Levvenworth and David Brewer are our largest sites and they kind of they they fluctuate every year. you know, people are fluid and lives change and that type of thing, but those two historically have been our largest attendance centers. So, what we envision, as I shared in the packet, is that we will we Whitney is Levvenworth Education Foundation Running Horizon Kids is currently hosting summer summer camp. So, we are in that we will complete that um 5th of August. Is that right? August 4th, I think through August 4th, right before, you know, kind of right before school starts and then we have that transition and then at that time for the school year, the

066YMCA would pick up and do the before and after school and we education foundation, we would step out, right? And it would be work on your actual mission. Yeah. That would be the two of you all partnering for that service. Any other comment? Madam President, I move that the district accept the uh Greater YMCA of Kansas City as our Horizon Care provider. Okay. Second. All right. There's a motion by Mr. Palace, second by Miss Wells to accept the um YMCA of Greater Kansas City as our Horizon Kids provider. All of those in favor? 51. Thank you. I just have one thing to say as a um Horizon Kids um alumni. Yeah, absolutely. My son was in at Lawson and in the program for six years and I couldn't say better things about it because it

067was just a program that just helped him in and out every day and I thank you for all that you've done there and I hope you can continue doing that. Maybe not at last. I feel I feel very very I I this is one of my babies. I would not want to give this to anyone else and I feel very very good about this. I feel it's it feels right. It feels good. So the letting go is hard and Whitney and I will definitely be there in the transition as we head into the school year. We'll you know do whatever we can and need to to help principles learn them, they learn buildings, all of that. We will we will be there because we want it to be successful. That's that's the overall goal. Well,

068Katie and and Whitney and the foundation, I think it's appropriate to thank you for all these years that you've invested in our kids outside of school when they when the need was there and to help parents uh parent. So, thank you. Thank you. And I would just I mean that's that's the scale right here. Uh she's she is one. Thank you. [Applause] Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, Katie. All right. Moving on. Item 11 is deferred to July. Item 12, consideration of the mid mid duty utility cart. Matt is here if you have if the board would have any questions on what was in the packet. Do we need it? Do you have money for it? Yes. Yes. And yes, this is a late request because we did save it towards the end of

069our budget cycle. Uh we do have that funding confirmed with Miss Maddox. Um, so this is a request to repurpose an existing unit for some other needs within the high school at a lower usage rate while upgrading one of the the machines that we use daily. Any other questions, Bernette? No, I'd like to make a motion to go ahead and approve the um cart bid after I get back off the computers. Um, cart bid for $23,12926. I second. All right, we have a motion by Miss Murphy, a second by Miss Reed to accept the bid for the mid duty utility cart. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. Okay. Item 13, consideration of teacher and staff desktop computer replacements. This is Mr. Brian Herd. Good evening. So, the uh refresh cycle on our teacher

070and staff computers, the desktop PCs is five years, and we've reached that five years, and it's time to go ahead and renew those. They're getting older. So, uh we went out and checked with uh actually seven different companies, but two of them were no bids, so um and you know, they fluctuate in pricing. Uh what these are is they're off lease computers and we've done this in the past. They're still in good shape. They go through a reertification program and uh and you get a lot a lot of computer for a lot less money and you'd have to buy it brand new. So, and they they last. And we're all Dell certified anyway, so we can repair anything that goes on with it. And there's a 5year parts warranty so that if we ever have

071a part go bad, they just ship it to us. And we did just do this like four and a half years ago, didn't we? Yeah. It's it's been over four years. It's it's been over five years. Yeah. Yeah. I just remember sticker shock that year first coming on the board. Like what? Yep. It's a lot less sticker shock than if it was brand new. Yeah. Absolutely. Any other questions for Brian? I'd like to make a motion to approve uh system liquidation purchase of 450 desktop top computers for $178,650. I'll second. All right. We have a motion by Miss Murphy, a second by Miss Reed to accept the system liquidation bid for the 450 Dell desktops. All those in favor? 6. Thank you. Okay. Item 14, consideration of the security system and recommendation. So, this has

072been before the board since October um with Cintageix. Um and that if you recall, it's the button that's the alert system on the button. Um we as per board request starting in November, we've been trying to get it to where a camera system and the CIA card could actually talk with one another. They do have a proof of concept. It hasn't been sold yet, but it has been uh a proof of concept that that's possible. Um, one of the thing and the recommendation from us tonight and Matt and Brian would be here to answer any questions that you may have as well. But it would be our recommendation, my recommendation to the board that we approve Centix and get that going so we can get that system hopefully up and going by August so we

073can train staff on that. um and with them having a proof of concept that we could add cameras at a later date um and time um as the board and uh would seem fit see the need at that point. So this is just adding the the button functionality that we were originally talking about whenever we were first presented back in October and additional cameras. The the button badges the button badges. Yeah. And you could do um a threeyear or a fiveyear. You would save money on a fiveyear, but you could do um a three-year lease with the S or with that. But the button itself and the batteries, all of that would be the lifespan would cover the five years and and we talked what if we did approve of principal. Um what were the

074additional costs if we did like Third Avenue? So, if we did Netty Hartnett, um Matt and uh has worked with the vendors, he and Brian have worked with the vendors, they believe that they could add the cameras to to the classrooms and to all the areas of use at the at Netti U with not to exceed 75,000. So we could do a proof of principle on top of this in a kind of a high need area because this is where we're going to we got sped which could be used for review of of a portfolio for a child or it could be used in the um alternative school which we're again looking at performance of individuals. Um we could do that for 75,000 not to exceed and that the probably will be less than that

075but with the ceilings and how the ceilings and right um they're not drop ceilings they're higher so different angles and until they actually go in and hard bid that um they felt comfortable with not to exceed 75,000 to cover the areas seems like pretty cheap proof of principle yes agreed what the difference between the threeear lease the fiveyear lease. It's just the the matter of payment for the equipment 120. Oh, actual number 128,000 I guess. I guess is there a cost benefit to 128. So the three-year lease is 239200. A five-year lease would be 367200. So there's a significant difference. Yeah, you're getting some extra bang for your buck on that fiveyear. What's uh what are what's your technical view both of you that in five years um because you guys have managed I in

076my just as a side note I think you guys have done a great job of managing our digital programs, our camera programs and the others to keep this and get us where we are. Um so what's your view if we take a fiveyear versus a three-year what kind of risk do we have that of obsolescence or or in the end of five years we'd have to replace the whole system kind of what's your view of this technical program? Well from from what I understand from the original presentation that we would be looking at a cost for battery replacement throughout the district on on a 5-year. Um as far as obsolescence um who knows what fiveyear is going to bring. Yeah, there might be a newer and better product in five years that they can upgrade

077and um price back out something to us. So, I guess a better question would be because that's a fair statement. Um do you see this as a fair risk to go the five years versus the three years? I think if if the the board um feels that they want to spend that additional dollar for f for two additional years, um I think this product would serve you pretty well uh within the district. That is uh something that we have gone back and forth on. Um it is a recommendation now to the board where before we we kind of hesitated to to give you an option to weigh all all the products that were out there. And I will tell you, Matt and Brian probably spent 150 hours going through this since October. They've been tasked

078with this um and they reported out almost weekly um to cabinet and we had lots of conversation in cabinet uh about this as well. And so those two individuals and their teams that they help have helped do this uh to come to this recommendation has spent a lot of time researching and diving. And if anybody knows Brian Herod, he knows the grandfather of the grandfather, the grandfather of the grandfather of any company that you guys task him with. I have to encourage him to make a decision every now and then because he's still trying to deep dive into something. So, um, I appreciate the the time and effort that those two gentlemen there spent coming to this recommendation to board. Thank you. So, Matt, I know that you like to project out and this is

079not one of your projected costs and it's it's a hefty amount. What are we losing as the district in your forecast to add this in for that? I would I would have to direct that probably to Mrs. Matics, I think there are dollars available right now. Um, anything we take from our capital pool does potentially impact us down the road, but I will say the the finance office does a great job kind of keeping us in line and saying we can or cannot or we should or should not move forward on something. So, I don't want to speak for Mrs. Maddox on that. Um, I was talking specifically to your like 10 year plan that you so um because we already cut your budget once by saying it, right? And so you you lost out

080there and so this is taking away an even more than we took away last time. So I I guess the answer I don't have an answer because I don't know what the cost would be after five years. Okay. If that would be a brand new system at a half a million dollars at the time. um if it is something at the time where we can just put batteries in and keep going. Uh if that's the case, that would have very little impact on my budget. If it was a we really love the system, it's proved its use and we have to revamp and put in brand new, it would have to be part of that five or 10 year plan. And as we approach it, I would have to add that into my my budget

081or Brian's budget. Um, so I think we don't have enough information to to make a a statement other than what I just said. But one of the things, Miss Wells, that uh can play into this is that safety grant that Matt's going to talk about here shortly. Um, some of that can be pulled uh that some of this cost can be pulled from the safety grant to where we offset that piece. I mean it from a budgetary umbrella standpoint um we can we Beth can uh and Dr. Adams eventually will be able to maneuver the budget if the grant stays alive um to be able to have little impact okay to what she allocates for uh Matt or Brian. And one ask that I would have is if we do approve this, I before it

082even gets off the ground, I would like to have structure in place to where we document how many times it's used, what it's being used for, and if it's effective. They do that for us. Okay, perfect. Al, also I I would like just to make a little point on the three-year versus the fiveyear. Um, should the board vote for only the three-year? My concern with doing that, knowing the way inflation is, computer parts, everything else, we could be looking at twice as much to want to continue it again another three or five years. And um the little bit of extra it is just to carry it to the five right there. And you know, you all hope for the best, but you got to plan for the worst. And my my thing is I don't

083see anything going to get any cheaper. It's a good thing to get locked in getting more years for less buck at this point right now if this is something we're serious about. And Cintage has been super good to work with through this process. Um they've rode the roller coaster with us. Um and uh they they've stayed pretty firm with the price from where they originally put forth to the board. And so, um, I think they would be a good partner for the board, uh, moving forward, and I I would be excited to work for them short time I have left. Okay. Any other questions or comments? I think we're just really talking about the button right now, correct? So, um, because I before we move on to 15, I want to make another motion. Sorry.

084I Madam President, I move that we accept the bid for $367,200 for a 5-year contract with Senate to field the security program. I second. Okay. We have a motion on the table by Mr. Pal, second by Miss Reed to accept the Centix 5-year program for 367200. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. Now, the second motion I'm going to make, u, I I really am looking for discussion on it. Uh, but $75,000 seems like a very small price to pay to do a full building proof of principle that, you know, whether we're filled it or not, uh, it's also seems to be the right building. So, uh, Madame President, I move that we, uh, authorize the, um, district to pursue a proof of principle on engaging Avalon as well as Centix and a proof

085of principal in the third district building or excuse me, Third Avenue building not to exceed $75,000. Exactly. I second. All right. So any any other discussion on that questions? No, because it's going to prove principal. Just want to make sure before I say take it up. All right. So the motion Mr. Pal second is read to um enact a proof of principle at Netti Building to not exceed $75,000. All those in favor? 51. Thank you. All right. Moving on. Item 15, consideration of health security items, title title 4 part A. Okay. So, we have a title for part A grant that Miss Sloan uh and Miss Mrs. Batics handed over and said uh we wanted to purchase some additional Halo devices. A halo device, you have a summary. Public has access to it as well.

086It's a multi-use sensor that um basically helps in this instance support the health of the students by identifying if vapes are being used or another uh smoke or even THC within our bathrooms. Part of this grant um what's in front of you tonight, I do need to make a correction. I have five cameras. It is actually six cameras and four halo detectors for the amount provided to you this evening. Uh that would complete a total of with what we already have going on um a total of 10 of 24 bathroom that are multi-use at the Lemmore High School campus. So we have 24 multi-use bathrooms. This will complete 10 because we already had a couple others in in motion already. Um, what we'd be looking at is not only the Halo detector, but it's also

087upgrading a camera outside of the restroom, not inside, but outside the restroom in the hallway. And, uh, by doing an upgrade on those cameras, when the Halo device is triggered, it will automatically bookmark, making it easier for the admin or the security officers to find the the person coming out and be able to deal with those situations quicker. So, question, and this may go to Amy with HR. Uh, you have 10 students in the bathroom. Halo goes off. Camera takes pictures of all 10 kids. And uh, are all 10 kids getting rounded up to the office being questioned because they happen to be all using the bathroom at the same time, but only one was utilizing. Um, that's where the administration then goes through their investigation process, brings the students in. So, all 10 would

088be brought in. Yes. There's no cameras in the restroom. It's just outside the restroom. So then we would bring them in and ask them and and typically nine times out of ten the no one wants to get in trouble for something they didn't do. So they're gonna say I seen this person with it or the other or sometimes students will confess that they had something in their possession that was illegal and so then we handle it that way. But yes, we do an investigation through the administration u bringing in the students. Do you have a alternative suggestion? Do you how do you No, I I've just I've heard things besides kids like, "Well, we all have to go to this bathroom because everybody's always assumed guilty because they went to this bathroom and this is

089where they're doing it in this bathroom." Uh some of them have switched out to only do it in the stalls. That way, they're less likely to get caught because they're inside the stall versus wherever the detector is may not see it. It'll still pick it up. Um, so you know, I just was kind of curious to see how effective it was or if it was just more of a we scare you, we got you kind of thing. No, we we've been able to obtain who had whatever illegal substance most of the time without repercussions. No, there's disciplinary action that's taken against the student. Oh, you mean the student that may have shared information? Yes. Yes. Right? Because it says there to cut down violence, but as soon as a snitch gets somebody upset, you know,

090it's pretty easy to tell when the person has an odor about them, right? And you know, when you bring them into the office, that's reasonable. And so then you can search. Administration has the right to search. And so then that's when they obtain the illegal substance and then disciplinary action is taken. Is staffing able to support a timely response? Yes, we have security at the high school as well as administration. We actually receive notifications on our phones and our devices, so it's a quick response. Also, we have the cameras which, you know, if a kid gets away, it's really easy to track them. I'll just add u this not only senses smoke vape THC, it also just u as you said uh prevents the bullying or prevents violence because it also has a decibel meter

091in it. So if you had a fight in the restroom, it could activate and notify that there's a decel level increase which could be related to a fight that So is that the vibration and pressure sensor that's in there? Uh probably the pressure uh the vibration would be part of the tamper. So if somebody tries to remove it, it will also notify you. It has a number of features on it. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, uh say because a garbage can got set on fire because somebody dropped something in if there was a fire period, it would help. Um, we also have detectors. Um, but it has a number of sensors on there um that have proven to be effective. We have we have this in the bathroom as you mentioned at the high school. We're

092just increasing the number of locations. Is there Sorry. No, go ahead. Is there a need for this at the middle school? I would say eventually. Yes. Not right now. Um, I don't know if it's a right now. I would have to I would say probably there would be some need at the middle school, but I think right now the high school was selected uh just because of the number of bathrooms to try and get some coverage. I think kind of follow on to that though is the need at the high school. We're only covering down on 10. So we do have the potential where we just move a problem to other bathrooms that don't have the sensor. Um this was a a grant, you know, security grant. Um, in our planning, our 10-year plan, do

093we have a kind of a schedule to do this for all the bathrooms, common use? Um, so this specifically kind of goes back to it's new technology. Um, we're trying things out as they come out. Uh, we're careful not to just jump on the bandwagon and grab whatever new pieces coming out. Um, it will have to be something we build into it. I'll answer it this way. Currently, I do have a a budget line item to replace cameras and other technology that needs to be um it's a smaller number, but it will it would have to increase a little bit if we were to outfit all the bathrooms. In our investigation, we are we trying to find out where these kids are getting and stuff. They're not of age. That'd be 21. So, we do

094that with the help of our school resource officer. Yes. Um, we do have an on-site school resource officer and we work with more police department to try to obtain where it comes from. Um, that'd be I think it'd be a crime. We're a lawyer. So, what happens outside of the school as far as prosecution is separate apart from the discipline that we do. [Music] Any other questions or comments? Madam President, I move I don't see the number on here. 21,000. 21. Okay. Madam President, I move to accept the uh recommendation for the purchase of American Digital Security of the Halo smart detectors and cameras in the amount of $21,65.33. Second. I'll defer to Mrs. Re. Okay, we have a motion by Mr. Palace, second by Miss Reed to accept the purchase of the Halo Systems,

095the amount of $21,65.33. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. All right, moving on. Item 16, mental health advisory council for Leworth County. Excuse me. Dr. Um, this additional um Mr. file. Okay. You do you want to talk about this at all? Well, I can other than I want to get a recommendation from you for the board for who's going to replace Kim because that's going to be the important piece. I I would just uh so all the board knows what's happening. We had a task force that was formed based on Kim's impetus. I mean, I can't say that enough. Uh that really got everybody thinking communal is and so that task force has uh taken the the needs and we talk about need statements a lot. The needs from throughout the community, quantified

096it, validated it, and presented it to the different agencies that uh we really weren't making headway with. And so from that though, we now have several programs to include. We know we have mental health professionals in our schools where we've opened up an essentially an emergency uh mental health facility in the old Cushing Building. There's there's just whole number of different things. So this task force um has actually matured to the point to where we have a community-based mental health system now through that the guidance center is uh is standing up and as part of that they have an advisory council. So the recommendation was to transition this task force then to this permanent council and they would continue to do much the same thing but annually do a needs requirement that then would roll

097into what we were talking about justifying how we were going to improve our mental health program. So for the last three years I've been on this task force representing the u the district and Kim Knight has been from the administration representing the district. So, uh, I will continue in that capacity now in the in the council, um, pending anybody that would like to replace me. But at some point, I would recommend that we always have a designated, uh, board member sitting on that council, number one. And number two, uh, I ask for a recommendation, Dr. Roth, for who will be filling Kim Knight so we can notify the council. And as well as notifying that I'll be participating, uh, Dr. Releberger will be representing the district. Okay. So, does this require an action item to

098approve uh participation in the council? Is that what the that I mean if the board wants to continue like with membership like in that it would be best to have a a recommendation to stay. Okay. Uh, Madam President, I move that the uh board support continuing participation in the uh revised mental health task force into the mental health councils uh and that we provide a board member design as well as a an administrative uh participant and and for the purposes of this year it would be Dr. Reynoldberger, myself and place as necessary. Okay. I second. All right. Motion by Mr. Powell, second by Miss Wells to continue participation in the county mental health advisory council and that Mr. Powell and Dr. Rleberg will be our um representatives until further notice. All those in favor? 6.

099Thank you. And thank you Item 17, superintendent report. Dr. I'm going to defer a little bit of my time to Matt because we had a situation at uh Anthony that I think the board would like some more information on or need some more information on and Matt lived that. But as Matt's walking up here, I really do after you hear all the things that really kind of took place, we had a lot of people in your district step up um to this um responded quickly um and really showed a lot of pride and a lot of team from teaching and learning, the teaching learning team uh to Matt's custodians to maintenance crew to Matt himself um to administration um at the building. They really did a nice job um and really mitigated a lot of

100damage that could have taken place um with that. And so I just wanted Matt to kind of just walk you through in a short minute or two of kind of what happened um and where we're at with the insurance company. Thanks, sir. Um, I did provide the board a document outlining a little bit of what the situation looked like, but for the public, uh, June 2nd, we did have a water event at Anthony Elementary School that covered approximately 21,000 square foot of our building. It originated at a water source. Um, it's called backflow pre area. Um, there was some work taking place outside the building. We're still working through that. Uh, we did make a quick phone call that next morning. uh staff showed up 6:30, got other staff over there. We shut the water

101off, started moving forward. Like Dr. Roth mentioned, we had 32 employees on site. Uh we were able to pull in extra equipment from other uh buildings. So we took care of all the hard surfaces. So all the BCT, the cafeteria, hallways, classrooms, uh we were able to extract and pick up the water. As we had partners from Surf Pro Levvenworth show up, they took over in the carpeted area. our music room, our library were underwater as well as part of our um our office area. Again, 32 employees. Over that weekend, we put in over 240 hours uh just on our side. Uh Surf Pro also work full-time with a crew of between eight and 12 people. Uh they remove parts of our sheetrock in our classrooms. Um they have to certify everything dry. They were

102still there today cutting out parts of the sheetrock in some of the classrooms. Um the equipment is slowly disappearing. the bands are dwindling down to one or two and we've had conversations with our insurer. Uh so we have had a site visit with travelers. Um they've been on site. We've talked through what we need to do. I have had a company walk through as well that does the reconstruction. And we talked today in cabinet about trying to hit a date that is prior to uh school starting. And summers seem long, but when you have a project like any of ours, it seems to get shortened pretty quick. So, we're working really hard to put a plan together in the next week so we can get people on site, replace the sheetrock, paint rooms, replace carpet.

103Uh, luckily we did not have a lot of content loss. We were able to, as Dr. Rose said, mitigate a lot of the could be worse damages. Um, so primary it's some flooring, some sheetrock paint, those type of things, couple bookcases here and there. Um, I just have to say the staff was amazing. um as we always see on events like this that came together, work together from uh the principal to board office staff to any of my staff that would have responded. So, um we do shoot for a 72-hour return to service. We were targeting that. We were really close to hitting it and then we discussed internally we'll move those programs over to another location. So, that's what we've done um pretty much uninterrupted. I think we had a two-day delay on summer

104school for that location as they move to Henry Levvenworth. And I think that's a pretty good summation of where we're at. There'll be more information to come as it's uh as it's gathered. Okay. You you mentioned right when you first came up there's somebody outside working on something. What was that all about? Uh so so Love Water Department did have a main um repair out on Evergreen Street. There was about three locations they they had experienced an issue with on there lies the road. Yeah. So, um we have good relationships with all of our municipalities and we're working through that. Um the new superintendent of of the waterworks showed up, walked the building with me and we're in communication. So, uh I think we'll be fine moving forward. But, uh the goal right now is

105to move forward, get the building back in operation and ready for school. um our insurance does cover it and then there will be some opportunities for recovery after that. Like I say, shouldn't they have some responsibility? That is going to be decided. Yes. And our deductibles. Yes. Because it happens all the time. Okay. My son fixes all the things and when they turn that water back on when they're working on them, it'll blow somewhere else. It happens all the time. And I mean, they should be totally responsible if that's the case. At least with a deductible. Yeah. Yeah. They they need to reimburse travelers for everything that has to be paid plus the deductible back to us that we would have to pay travelers or off the top. Um what was the total estimate of

106the damage? I don't have a total yet approximate. It's probably going to be over 200,000. Okay. If not, I was thinking at least 250 by what I was Yeah. looking at. Yeah. I think that's maybe what I gave you as a summary the first time was around 250. Okay. Um I didn't know if you'd gotten anything else since then. No, I have not. That's within a week I hope to have a little bit more detailed as I said travelers walk through with our uh company that will be putting it back together. Hopefully they'll have a little bit tighter number uh and start working towards it. And I will say the the Mr. Carney's point um again we have great relationship with our municipalities. I understand your point and we will be working through uh those

107opportunities to recover but that is between our insurance companies right yeah not part of it but those things I just handle between them with the burden of yeah travelers would be working with the municipalities insurance carrier to try and recover anything like that correct and they do have each other's contact information I've received emails from their office thank you the uh I'm sorry go ahead No, I wasn't going to ask about this. I was going to ask something related. So, please go ahead. Uh, just a question. You know, from a technical nature, you said they thought the backflow limiter had maybe been jammed or there was uh was something in it that precluded it from operating properly. And we talked about drywall and all that other stuff, but do have we gone in or do

108we need to go in and reook our our access to the service line coming from the city with that valve? We replace it. I guess that's the question. That could be a pretty big deal. So that's a great question. Uh so that's one of those things that we are investigating. I have our inspector coming up on Wednesday to do an inspection on those backflow devices. We do have two, one on fire, one on domestic water. Um we do have those inspected annually as required and we do a quarterly inspection as well inhouse. There's not a lot to them, but when we get air pocket or some or some debris in that line, it can cause a failure like we experienced. So my question was with the moving of location from Anthony to Henry, did we

109lose any families participating in the summer school program? I don't believe we did. No. Thanks, Matt. Thank you. And then the last thing I have um is really just kind of a a a short farewell from me um to the district and to you as a board and to past boards. Um, I'm wrapping up my ninth year in the district. Uh, Dr. Adams is taking over in July as far as sitting at the seat with you as a board. Um, I will tell you through the years I've learned a great amount. Um, I know Dr. Adams will learn a great amount as well. Um, but just a few things I want to talk about. Uh, that the staff that USD453 has is second to none. Do they have challenges? Absolutely, they have challenges. Do we

110have um some amazing things happening every day in our classrooms? People don't want to talk about the amazing things because it's easy to deflect that to things that we continually try to improve on every day. But your staff that they that are on the front line um are amazing. From the uh people that Matt talked about, 32 people showing up to help in a sloppy mess standing in two and a half, three inches of water um and working their tails off. That's pride. That's not somebody that doesn't care about the district. And and all the time we try to talk about, oh, uh, the morale is bad or the or, you know, you got a bad culture. That's garbage. It's absolute garbage because people, 32 people don't show up if you if you don't care

111about your district. It's not at that point. It wasn't about the job. It was about what was best for kids, reacting quickly. And that happens every day in every classroom. Um, do our test scores need to prove improve? Absolutely. But our teachers and our and our support staff are busting their tails every day to try to do that. We do have some students that are hard to reach. We have some families that are hard to reach. That's not a district problem. That's a society problem. The district is at the forefront of that. And we're doing things that we can honestly do with the manpower that we have. Um, and we change and we try to do things and we try to get to different levels and we try to add things. Um, but consistently you

112you have teachers that teach. Um, do we have teachers that can teach better? Absolutely. But do we have teachers that teach outstanding that don't get recognition? Absolutely. And that's the thing that I I will challenge the board and I'll challenge the community and I know that Dr. Adams will do a great job and I look forward to his energy because I really believe that's what our community needs. I believe our community needs some new energy, some new eyes. Um, and I look forward to finishing out the next several months with him. um helping him do whatever I can possibly do to make this transition easy, not only for him, but for our staff u for you as a board and for our community. You don't become the first city of uh of the state of

113Kansas and not be first in a lot of things. And uh support of our school as a whole has always been something that this district and this community has done. Um, and Julie and I, um, have truly enjoyed living in this in this district, this town, this community. Um, from parades to, um, the the variety of events to supportive football and basketball and forensics and the plays that get sold out on a regular basis. That's not a community that doesn't care about kids. That's not a community that's totally dissatisfied with where we're at as a community or as a school district. success is earned um through a process and it's hard work and our teachers have have many scars from the hard work that they've done to try to change lives of kids, your administration

114and and school boards. Um you know, we've led and went through some of the most difficult times probably in generations over the last three to four years. And it's been tough. And it's not just been tough in Levvenworth. It's been tough across the state of Kansas. It's been tough across the nation. There's a lot of fractures that's taking place. Um, and there's a lot of mistrust and distrust and false information that gets spread daily. And that's okay because everybody, that's what's great about America is that you can have your opinion and you can do the things that you need to do. But I go back to what Matt said. We had 32 people standing in inches of water, not because it was their job, because they wanted to save a building. They wanted to prevent

115damage to kids' stuff. They wanted to do things that's right for the district. That's what represents USD453. That's what USD453 stands for. And I've been extremely proud to be the superintendent of this district. Um I I cannot say enough of how much I've grown as a person, how much I've learned as a leader, but I've learned from the people that I've got to work with every day. And um you know, we have that sign that says success is not owned, it's rented. and the rent is due every day. We've lived by that for the last nine years. Um it's time that I pass the rent on to Dr. Adams. Um but I know he's more than capable of paying it and I know that the the staff will respond well to him because that's the

116quality of staff that we have here. Um and I want to thank you as a board for what you've done for me and what you have allowed me to do. Um whether we agreed or disagreed. Um I hope we've all grown as professionals. Um, and I hope we continue to do that moving forward. So, I wish USD453 nothing but the best and I will do everything in my power to pass transition or leadership all that as smoothly and as seamlessly as possible. And with that, I thank you. Thank you, Dr. Rose. [Applause] Item 18, executive session for matters affecting a student. Madam President, I move that we go into executive session to discuss matters affecting a student pursuant to the exception relating to actions adversely or favorably affecting a student under the Kansas Open Meetings

117Act and that we return to session. How much time do we need? 10 minutes. Do we need a bio break, please? All right. A five minute bio break at So, so we will return at 75. You laughing about five earlier, young man. The board will invite Dr. Rose, Amy Sloan, 7:55, uh, and Dr. Adams and, uh, attorney board attorney Robert Hangula remotely. Amy, I'm sorry. Okay. All right. Motion by Mr. Powell, second by Miss Murphy to go into executive session for matters affecting a student and to return at 9 at 7:55. So, a fivem minute bio break up front, please. All those in favor? 6. Thank you. like if you have it I'll read it for five months. So you're going to read six confirmed. No, you can't count campaign. Yes. That's its own animal.

118Okay. Okay, for item 18, final action after an appeal hearing before a hearing officer and a student extended term and suspension or sus expulsion action. This is the um reading the whole resolution. I'll still need a motion for the resolution 223-023. Whereas, pursuant to a hearing under the provisions of KSA72-6114 at SEC, the hearing officer recommended that a student be suspended for an extended term or expelled from April 13, 2023 through the first semester of 2023 2024 school year. And whereas the student or the students parents or legal guardians, if the student is under age 18, timely appealed the decision of the hearing officer to the board. And whereas an appeal hearing before the hearing officer appointed by the board was held on May 16th, 2023. And whereas the hearing officer who heard the appeal

119submitted a written opinion containing findings, a fact, and conclusions in this matter and recommended that the student may return to school beginning the second semester of the 2023 2024 school year. Whereas the board has received no additional evidence in this matter. Now therefore, be it resolved that the findings and conclusion of the appellet hearing officer be adopted by the board and that the extended term suspension or expulsion of the student in this matter be affirmed and that's dated 12 June 2023. Madam President, I move that the board affirm the resolution as written. Second. Okay. A motion by Mr. PAL segment by Mr. Miss Murphy to affirm the resolution as read. All of those in favor 51. Thank you. Reminder to all to come sign this after the meeting, please. Okay, moving on to item 19,

120executive session for non-elected personnel. Madam President, I move uh we go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel pursuant to the exception under the Kansas Open Meeting Act in order to protect the privacy interests of the individuals to be discussed and that we return to open session in this room at 15 minutes at 8:15. Second and we're going to invite Y and the board will invite Dr. Roth, Amy Sloan, Dr. Adams and remote uh board attorney Robert Ingala. All right, we have a motion by Mr. Pal, a second by Miss Murphy to go into executive session for non-elected personnel to return in the room at 8:15. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. No. So since we're not doing 212 date, just we're skipping. All right. Motion for that one. Madam President, I move

121that we accept the staffing report as presented. Second. All right. We have a motion on the table by Mr. Pal. Second by Miss Murphy to accept the staffing report as presented. All of those in favor? 6. Thank you. And Madam President, I move that we amend the agenda to eliminate item 21. We no longer need an executive session for consultation with an attorney. Second. Okay. Motion on the table by Mr. Pel, second by Miss Murphy to eliminate item 21, executive session for consultation with attorney. All those in favor? 6. Thank you. Okay, moving on. Item 22, closing our meeting. Um, just some highlight some key dates that 6th July online enrollment will begin for the district. That July 10th will be our reorganization board meeting and that new teacher academy will be occurring from 31

122July to 3 August. Did I miss anything? Just want to make sure. All right, moving on to item 22.2, two unscheduled patron input. The first one I have is Ashley Creek. Hi, I'm Ashley Creek and I'm a parent of an elementary schooler at David Brewer. In reading the proposed IF proposal for tonight, I wanted to ask you to reconsider it before you examine it next at the next cumbersome to the professionals who work for schools. As a librarian, when you select materials, you are already reviewing materials that have been seen by professionals in your field. professional reviewers who are familiar with the content areas and to ask them to then review. Send them for review to building administration and then the school board and then public comment rather than asking for a reasonable review policy

123for items of concern for individual parents and individual items is a waste of time and resources. There are already examples that exist of reasonable policies for reconsideration of items. If you are asking people to review items in full before they even add them to the collection, you are also asking them to purchase those items with funds other than school funds or otherwise gain access to those materials in another way before they can actually add them to a collection. They are not able to commit the level of review that you are asking of them before actually purchasing and having the full item in their hands. Review publications do not necessarily go as deep as the most critical person who has access to the internet and the school website. I respectfully ask you to seek out the

124professional opinions of your teachers and your library staff and professional librarians in the community before ch considering changing this policy because it will mean less content in your classrooms in your school libraries. And less content that's available for students means lower test scores in reading. Fewer professional librarians in your schools means lower test scores in reading and writing. And as we just talked about and have heard reiterated, increasing test scores in reading and writing are strategic plan goals for this district. I want to see us succeed in that and I want to help us get there. 15 seconds remaining. By making sure that we are providing good libraries and classroom libraries for all of the students in Levvenworth. Thank you. [Music] All right, Eric Price. Good evening. My name is Eric Price. I live in

125North Leworth and have had a child in the district for the last 12 years. I addressed this board last month and asked why the IF policy in place since 2009 was suddenly inadequate. And I've seen or heard nothing since to convince me that there's a driving need for this change. We say it's about protecting kids, but we all know that not every mention of sex, sexuality, gender, or nudity are harmful to children. It is the contexts in which materials are presented and used that determine harm versus benefit. and your policy removes context from the equation. As you continue to consider this policy, let me share a couple of examples on why the proposal is problematic. A few years ago, a 10-year-old girl in Delaware picked out a book at the library that's since been banned.

126A book that tries to answer kids questions about sex in age appropriate ways. Her mom let her check it out, and after reading the book, the young girl showed her mom the chapter on sexual abuse and said, "This is me." She was being abused by her father and had been unable to summon the words to tell anyone until she found this book. Simply hiding information from kids doesn't protect them. It disarms them. In the Davis School District in Utah just this spring, a parent successfully managed to get the Bible removed from the district's libraries on the grounds that the religious text could be defined as pornographic with its depictions of nudity, sex, lust, sadistic abuse, and so on. This is a perfect example of how narrow definitions of what is not acceptable can be weaponized

127by bad actors. Your proposed narrow language will simply paint you into a corner when time to address the complaints that will surely follow as people use the new policy to score political points. We don't need to impose wholesale limits on content, but rather we need to rely on our media center and educational professionals to do their jobs, have schools deal with issues as they arise, and make decisions on any single book based on its own merits and context. The 2009 policy was designed to do this. Thank you. All right, moving on to 223 board member comments. Miss Reed. Okay, let's see here. I want to thank and congratulate the district for improving transparency on the public content of the agenda. I think that's amazing and wonderful awesome sauce if I can say that. And then

128I also wanted to reiterate what Dr. Roth was saying during his uh superintendent part of the meeting that shouting out to all the staff involved with the Anthony Water situation. I think that's awesome and um just want to make sure that everyone involved in that situation feels the love and appreciation from everyone. I want to thank Dr. growth for the good that you have done um while I've been sitting on this board. Even though we don't see everything the same way um you have been a help to me um and on some large items. So, I want to thank you personally from to you and I am sure that I'm going to miss you as superintendent. Uh speaking to some public comments, Miss Creek, I think it was. Um I had asked I think you

129were here from the beginning if we could have discussion on the if policy. Um my thoughts were uh and I've been talking to others about that prior in this week, actually last week, that I would like to as a board member have the opportunity to at least have building level meetings. Um definitely with librarians and staff members. Um, I think all the teachers are effective that have uh room libraries potentially and uh I know I received some feedback on that from some staff and so that was going to be my ask is uh to be able to hold building level meetings with staff members that wanted to participate and there was some discussion about um you know feeling like it's a a warm and welcoming environment to really sort of speak their mind without potential

130potential repercussions of any kind. And so was a suggestion that those meetings would be held without administrative staff and I'm open to that obviously either way. And then um to agree with Mr. Price, um I definitely take up issue with this uh policy. I myself found, you know, I've had problems with it from the beginning. I didn't obviously propose it, but um definitely regarding the sexual abuse item, um that's obviously hugely important. So, thank you to everyone for all the good they do to support our staff and students all year long. Great. Thank you, Miss Murphy. I want to say what a glorious day for our graduation that we had. Uh it was outdoors, something that we always pray for every year but don't always get every year. Uh I wanted to thank all the

131uh teachers, staff, support, maintenance, everyone that takes part to put in that graduation for all their hard work to get the students up there on the stage to get their diplomas. And um I want to thank all the students and the parents. I know those kids were really, really happy and it just sometimes feels like it's been forever since we've seen those kind of smiles and faces, let alone in the bright sunlight. Um, so congratulations to the class of 2023 and I hope you guys stick around and mentor some of your undergrads so that you can help them have the same accomplishments. Uh, Dr. Roth, I have been working with you for five and a half years now. I know it's been a pleasure since the first day I met you. I appreciate your mentorship.

132I appreciate your support and I appreciate your friendship. You are a tremendous asset to this district and I wanted to let you know I appreciate you and I will miss you very much. Um, we have lots of work to do. Even though we have lots of work to do, there's so many wonderful things here in our district and we need not to forget that. And I want everybody to remember kindergarten and pre-K don't get out till the end of the June. So technically school's not over yet. So we got some little still going strong. And I know they're really excited about their new adventures. And um I want everybody to have a happy and safe summer. Thank you. All right, Mr. Carney. [Music] Oh, you going? Yes. Well, I'm just sitting around thinking today as

133as you get older and you're retired, you think a lot. And I'm sure all of you know that 11th school district was the first school district in Kansas territory and of the state of 1865. And here we are in 2023. I'm just wondering over the last three years the the problem we've had in this district were those problems there in the 1920s and 30s and 40s late 1800s. I don't know. Maybe it's just society as it is today. But I think it's pretty sad that that we spend a lot of time spinning our wheels on things that aren't really necessary and it's only been the last three years as far as I know. I mean, history may prove me different if I want to really research it, but something's got to give somewhere. Okay. Call

134Miss Wells. Um, I would like to remind the community that our schools are providing breakfast and lunch at different facilities. I did not grab the handout. Can you tell us where they are? No, but Beth can, please. So, Anthony Elementary does have an open site for breakfast and lunch. And David Brewer. Yes. and Wman Park. They have lunch at Wman Park and the high school. It's the high school. I'm not sure. It's an open site. I think it's true. It's just summer school. Okay. So, I think open site is just the Anthony. Thank you for that. Um that is available. And then also um our local chapter of the NAACP is hosting the Junth festival on June 17th. I encourage everyone to get out. There are activities all day. There is a dusk parade um

135that kind of kicks off the activities, but the Buffalo Soldier um movie is being played at 1 p.m. at the local prior. Um the director of that movie is going to be there for a Q&A and that will be fantastic. The tickets are only $10 to see the movie and have that interaction with the director of the film. So, if you can attend, get your ticket soon. I hope it sells out and it's standing room only. Um, Dr. Roth, I've said it the whole time you've been here. You know, I care deeply for you. You were not my choice when we did the hiring. I was a parent then. I met and eaten that ingredient. I was wrong, guys. I mean, I I I don't know how that the others would have gone, but you

136have knocked my socks off as a parent and being on the board. I never imagined I would be on the board at that time. um whenever I met with you and getting to work alongside you has been a true honor and you have made me a much better person than I was before. Um thank you Mr. Pal. I would ask the parents in the district that u might be able to use the transportation system. We're really not getting good feedback on right why we're not getting the use of our vehicles. And I think a good presentation was made that the hands are kind of tied in the district. We have to provide that many buses, that many seats regardless of whether they're used or not. Um it's such a uh a capability for a parent

137to to use particularly if there are challenges in getting the kids uh to different places or even to you know go to your job. So my question to the community is and the parents uh we really would like to have your feedback. I know we do surveys and other things but I'm I'm calling and asking for some help in trying to figure this out. Um, and maybe it is what it is, but if there's something that is keeping parents from utilizing uh, you know, concern about the safety of their kids or whatever or too far for them to walk to and I don't know. I'm just looking for us as a district to kind of sort this out and and get, you know, better participation that serves parents better. Um, we don't know what the

138problem is. So if there is a problem, we ask your help in in defining that so that we can uh make this a better used capability. Um I want to return to Kim before we end tonight um because I want to make sure that we all recognize that that's not a oneup or one off. uh she is just a awesome example of so many educators that we have in our school district that are doing other hidden things. You know, there's probably many of you here or those that are watching that didn't even know that Kim was fighting this fight for the community and for the district. And uh she just said, "I'm going to do this. Somebody's got to do something. I'm going to do that." And I see that so much and and hear

139that about our teachers and our you know our educators, administrators that that you know despite we we have things that challenges that we need to address. Uh it really makes me feel good that that we've got a solid district. We just need to have a work harder to make it a better district and that's all. Thank you. So, I want to re reiterate for graduation that mother nature gave us a beautiful, perfect day. But one of the other things that made it such a great day were the speeches, the performances, and then recognizing all of our different categories of students as they stood up and seeing the smiles as they realized that they had um accomplished something that maybe they didn't think they could. And it just was amazing day. And so, I don't think

140anything is better as a board member other than shaking those graduates hands. That is such an awesome feeling. Um, I don't I really don't think anything else can top that. Um, the summer sessions, uh, yes, Lawson is still in session, but for summer school at the other locations, for those staff members making it all happen, for those students who are there, put that effort in and do the good things. Dr. Oath, thank you. I don't want to say too much because I will um, quickly lose it and I already am. So, thank you. Excuse me. Okay. Uh, for all of my fellow board members, before you leave tonight, please come by and sign the resolution. Um, I don't want to have Brenda chase you down. And it is now 8:34 and it is always a

141good day to be a pioneer. Happy birthday, Judy.