001said I can't retire the government, isn't it? >> Yeah. Heat. Heat. Good. Sorry. >> Okay. I'll call the meeting to order. Please join us for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, we're going to go to 1.3. But before we do that, we have some guests in the audience. So, we welcome our Taber College students coming in from your policy class as observers in our process. So, we'll try to explain the process as we go. And we have some other guests here also. So, welcome to everyone. And um so 1.3 is our approval of the agenda and consent. Um before I ask for a motion there,
002there were several um communications that Dr. Vincent received. Um and we'll be looking into some of those a little bit further um at our next meeting. Do you want to >> Yeah, since it's included in the consent agenda, I'll just draw your attention. There's a couple that I received questions on associated uh with two different um board policies in here. The specific one being I I use of artificial intelligence. This is a really interesting world that we live in now. And so this is a draft um that's in front of you. So just as a reminder, these are pres presented for acceptance this evening, meaning that uh these don't this is just to continue our process moving forward. this is a great way for that process to happen. So, I'll I'll review those questions uh
003make sure that I provide clarity for the whole board on that and then it's put it's possible as we uh move forward that this may be something that the board would seem uh or would deem necessary to pull as a standalone kind of like we've done with our cell phone policy. Um things like that. There's also um an item in here related to uh offduty police officers. I believe it's KM uh right here, visitors to schools. This was uh updated to make sure that we are in alignment with the House Bill 2052 which was passed last uh legislative session. Um, and so there's some nuances there. More than anything, I'll just make sure I touch base with our uh, law enforcement and share with you and update too on just what their knowledge is and
004awareness of it is. Um, and I just it was specifically related to I, as is the case for legislative uh, action at times, there were some isolated cases related to concealed carry is my understanding. and that ultimately created uh some conversations last spring in a law that went into effect. So, this policy um is to bring you in alignment with that law and keep us in alignment with it. But there's some more questions that I'll answer that way. Aside from those items, if you yourself have some and weren't able to provide this to me, just please do so. As a reminder, your approval of the consent agenda will approve the acceptance of this. We'll then bring these forward in the the months ahead. >> Right. So we'll be seeking a motion to approve the agenda
005consent agenda items. >> So move second. Any other discussion? All in favor say yes of the approval of the agenda and consent items. >> Yes. >> Any opposed? No. Thank you. That passes. Okay. We'll go into 2.1. Um we have no um comments from the public tonight. So we'll go to 2.1 and that is our donations report. >> And we actually do not have a donations report. So we we no action required on that. >> Okay. And we'll move down to the superintendence report 4.1. >> So there's a couple of things I just want to remind the board of and then I'm going to actually I'm going to move my screen around here a little bit. Um I want to just remind the board a couple of things. So tomorrow evening, so the so last
006week we had our two informational sessions for the bond. Um they were well attended, great conversations, great questions. Um what I what I observed and and would want to report to you as a board was I think the positive was there were different people um in each of those sessions. early and I'm sure there were some similarities, but it was good to see uh people be able to take advantage of the Tuesday session and those who could take advantage of the Thursday session. One was at the middle school and one's at the high school. This uh week, tomorrow evening, we will have the we'll have uh Miss Rob Schwarz from RSP here conducting our community open input for the um elementary boundary study. And then he'll be here on Wednesday as well over the lunch
007hour for specifically as a reminder for the board to make sure that we could uh capture some of our shift employees and community members and families who work through the shift um in various industry across town. So, uh those are coming up and then in just another short few weeks we will have a bond election. Obviously, you're aware of that. Um and then at the March 9th regular meeting, we'll hear that uh final recommendation for the boundary study. So, a lot of work that's going on uh within the district that I wanted to make you aware of. The other item that I want to draw your attention to, there's a lot currently um in uh discussion obviously at the state level. One of those we've talked about briefly here, well, not briefly. you you spent
008a great deal diving into cell phone policy. As a reminder, the state uh legislature is currently considering law that would would put into place a bellto bell policy. Um so for that reason and talking with board officers, we've we've not brought forward uh like to continue the discussion related to what this policy would look like. We're kind of waiting to see what emerges from that specifically at that point. Do we need to be prepared to be drafting a policy that falls in alignment to a new law this spring or are you drafting it on your own? So, we're kind of waiting to see what happens there. But for our patrons in the uh in the gallery as well as the board's knowledge, I wanted to draw your attention to what I believe to be what
009I think we all should be covering uh and keeping an eye on very closely is the uh funding uh increases specifically um around special education or lack thereof maybe the better way of saying it. Um, so I wanted to share this image here and I was seeing that was cut off. So I moved a couple things around for us here. But I just want to note this was a this was an update provided out to all um special education directors and u and uh superintendent. But we've been in a critical position as it relates to special education. and you're all acutely aware of that as our as the cooperative as the the district that houses the cooperative. But just want to draw your attention to the governor in her fiscal 27 budget called for a
010$50.6 million increase to special education funding. Uh that was would have been estimated to bring us to 70% of excess cost. The state law calls for them to fund up to 92%. So even that 50.6 million would have kept us below that 92.6, but it would have brought us into a better position than we are. In the House K12 budget, it was recommended that a $10 million increase would occur, uh, which is obviously about 20% of what the governor had recommended, uh, and obviously far less than 92%. Just as a reminder, we continue to go um, in many cases backwards when it comes to excess funding. And that's this critical cliff that um our that we've been talking about for probably the last five to seven years in public education that we've routinely our government
011our legislature has continued to invest less money into our special education um excess cost and that's at a time when we've also seen significantly growing needs. what I think is probably the best dollar amount for you to see. And as you as you can see the outcome that occurred there, we did have a brave uh representative who made a motion to increase funding by just under 240 million. And of course, it was not successful. But the point of the motion, my assumption would be, is that's the kind of investment that needs to be made in order for Kansas school districts to be funded um at the statutory amount of 92%. So, there's a lot of conversation about cell phones and a multiple other items at the state level that are all of great importance, but
012at the end of the day, this is a really crucial topic. So, um as I learn more, I'll continue to share it out. Some of you have asked me and said, "I want to be able to to coordinate with um our our representatives and senators. I just don't always have the the the thoughts or the the best way to frame it." So, just know that if you're in that camp and you have you want to reach out to Senator or to Senator Wilborn, Representative Wilborn, um I'm happy to help coordinate with you on some of those points. I will I will provide a uh over the next several months a little bit more in-depth uh legislative updates in both the weekly report as well as in our uh future conversations at the table. So I'd
013be happy to answer any questions about those items. Otherwise, we have some guests here that I'm excited to introduce to you as well. >> So Dr. Vincent, when the state doesn't fully fund special education, what is the ramification of that for a school district? you all. Great question. You when when the state does not meet its obligation to fund special education excess cost, you fund it out of your general fund locally, which prohibit which allow which doesn't allow it takes away from opportunities to to add new programs. It takes away from opportunities to invest in our employees from a compensation package. uh a multitude of issues that um you're as a board aren't able to invest in because it's an automatic transfer that happens each year to make sure our most vulnerable youth get the
014supports that they need by law. >> March 11th is um advocacy day um in Topeka for those that have the ability of abortion. It's all day 9 to 4 is my understanding. Do you have any other information yet? I don't, but I believe I got maybe Mr. Gro and I are signed up for that. I'll have to double check, but if you're about Yeah. If you're interested in traveling out to Topeka for that for advocacy and action, send me an email. I'll draft an email to send that you can reply to. But that's it's always a great opportunity to connect with them and talk through some of those uh some of these things. And ex let me name one thing. I almost missed my opportunity to do so. when you have a chance to talk
015with lawmakers, there's this really interesting reality that's happened where they set a budget last year. They approved for the allocation of funds for all Kansas schools based on predicted enrollment for this year. In the state of Kansas, the total headcount went down by 9,000 students, but the weighted FTE went down like 12,440. Because of that weighted enrollment, I believe it equates to about 109 or 123 over 100 million that were would have been prepared to be allocated that is no longer going to be allocated because those students didn't show up. So the general fund or so the the funding formula won't flow that money but there's that means that they have that money available that they've already allocated to education that they could fund the shortfall um in special education. So there's kind of a
016golden opportunity in that um that that I think we need to really beat and I and I don't actually I want to say this. I think that to a certain degree some of them are aware of that but I don't know that they're fully that they would fully understand it. So at a place like advocacy and action when you're having dialogue with with them we can have a real opportunity to talk about we're not asking you actually to spend money that you haven't already been prepared to spend. We just want you to be able to do right. So those are the kinds of conversations you can we can all have. >> Any other questions for Dr. Vincent this report? Thank you for that. >> Okay, we'll move to 5.1 new business. >> I have been
017really excited and I think we've got at least one member of our community uh in Miss Casey Morales, the uh Come on up Casey and team. Come on up. Uh Casey is the Make sure I say this right. The executive director of McFersonen Industrial Development Company. >> That's right. >> Okay. And Don Loving is the board chair for MIDC. And then we're happy to have Dr. Shelley and Mr. Christian or is it doctor? No. Um, so I'm going to let them share a little bit about uh what what's in front of you, but let me name from the board's perspective what this is. This is an information opportunity for for the board to hear. So there's no action um related to this but we have um so just a reminder for the board you you
018outlined student success partnerships and future ready facilities and uh empowering culture is the three B is our three focus areas of our strategic plan and specifically when it comes to community partnerships. I I bringing this group to to you to this group to this level to really highlight the kinds of robust opportunities that lie ahead of us as not just a school system but as a community because what we're really going to talk about and hear about this evening is how do we create some really rich learning opportunities for high school kids and then how can that result in a pipeline that can help McFersonen kids grow up and stay in McFersonen and serve in McFersonen and have really great opportunities right here at McFersonen. So our hope is that 10 years from now when
019there's a whole different group of people sitting at this table or wherever that we're able to look back and go what an amazing opportunity. So what this actually I'll just stop there Casey I'll let you take the rest and >> Dr. Vincent kind of stole my thunder. So I am the executive director for the McFersonen Industrial Development Company and uh MIDC's role is to we are the lead business recruitment retention expansion agent for the city of McFersonen and also the county as well. And so part of my opportunity is to be out interfacing regularly with our manufacturers and the number one issue that has kept them up at night has been workforce. And so, um, over the years, I've worked closely with the CTE, um, folks here, and Miss Williams can attest to that. Um,
020but we've just done oneoff events, one-off opportunities to promote manufacturing to, um, students. And the main thing that we've done recently is that we've we do like events with the CT or excuse me, the um, the career counselors. We work with them when the students are kind of on they're going out. um and they they haven't really had a chance to really explore manufacturing. And so we have learned over the years that the earlier that we can get programs um in front of students and opportunities in front of students, the more likely um the bigger the chance that they would go out and select that for themselves. And so last um last February um one of our manufacturers, VGA, brought to us a program through the Society of Manufacturing Engineers called Prime. And so we
021have been working on this for about a year, working on funding right now. Um, but to explain it a little bit more, I think it's best to turn it over to Dr. Shelley Woolly and Christian. So stop rambling. >> Thank you. I think I'll give Oh gosh, now I know why you're all writing it down. I think I'll give Christian a second just to talk to you a little bit aboutme, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and why we are here and why we're interested in your community. and then I'll jump in and kind of take you through what the program is, how it might meet your needs. Well, it will meet your needs um and and answer questions. So, I'll do the deep dive, but go ahead. Thank you, Shel. I appreciate you taking the
022deep content. Good evening. Uh thank you, Dr. Vince and Casey for the warm introduction. Uh members of the board, thrilled to be here tonight with you all. And Nick Fen, uh my name is Christian Jensen. I'm the director of institutional giving for the SME Education Foundation. um want just to provide a quick overview of kind of who the SM Education Foundation is, how our programs work, uh and some of our work. I'd love to just set the stage. As Shelley mentioned, um we are fairly large now for profofitme has been around for 95 plus years. We have 300 employees. Um and do about $80 million a year in annual revenue. Um we are uh a not for-profit and the SM Education Foundation is a distinct not for nonforprofit um having been around for 47 years.
023Um theme is our parent is the largest producer of manufacturing trade shows and conferences in North America. Um we also boast about 15,000 members across the globe. Um in addition as part of our family of companies we have tooling USAMA which is a leading provider in workforce training and accreditation solutions working with companies like VGA and others here in McFersonen and across the globe. Um and we also produce manufacturing engineering and technology our flagship publication uh which reaches about 170,000 subscribers on a monthly basis in the manufacturing sector across the globe. That brings us to our work at the theme education foundation. Um we deliver on our mission which is to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of skilled manufacturing and engineering talent through three signature programs. Um the first of which is our
024student summits where we show young people that manufacturing is not dirty, it's not dull, it's not dark, it's not dangerous, it's not a dead-end job, but a pathway to prosperity and a higher high income earning potential. Um, secondly, we are the largest uh manufacturing specific provider of scholarships in North America. This year, we'll award over 1.5 million in scholarships to several hundred young people out of a pool of 5,000 applicants. Um, our scholarship portal uh has both need-based scholarships and art based scholarships. Scholarships for students going into two-year programs, four-year programs. Um, as I like to say, if you're pursuing a career in manufacturing, we probably have the scholarship for you. Um, and you don't need to be an SMA member or participant in any of our other programs to be eligible for our scholarships.
025That brings me to our prime program, which is why we're here today. Um, and just to provide a little bit of context, um, we began the conversation with some manufacturers in McFersonen, uh, VGA being one of them, as well as MIDC and others. Um, last year in I came to McFersonen for the first time, got the opportunity to meet Dr. Vincent. Um, and just candidly, my impression was this is a community um that could really benefit from a program like Prime. You've got a lot of enthusiasm and district leadership and Dr. Vincent. You've got a lot of enthusiasm from the manufacturers in this community. Um and quite frankly a lot of pent-up demand um for manufacturing talent uh specifically skilled manufacturing talent which is where um as we kind of assess propensity for success um
026when you've got a school district that is excited um and eager and you've got manufacturers clamoring for talent to us those are very very positive indicators of this is going to be a successful place to launch a prime program. Uh I'm going to turn it over to my colleague Dr. Shelley Willie to talk about our prime program in greater detail and kind of the form and function of the program uh and then we can talk about uh where we are in the process from there. >> Sure. Sure. Thank you. Um so prime prime is an acronym. It stands for partnership response in manufacturing education. So just to uh sort of set the stage sometimes our student groups don't even know what manufacturing is, right? So one of our jobs is to introduce what is manufacturing
027and then to let them see where opportunities lie for them in manufacturing. So why don't you advance? All right. Um I'm looking at this from a different angle. >> So ours we believe and and I haven't seen anything to the contrary is probably the most comprehensive manufacturing education program out there. Why don't we advance? There we go. Oops. We're in 25 different states. We've got 118 schools within the network. We're serving 12,000 students. But I want to talk very specifically about what the program is. So when we come into a high school, we are bringing a body of resources to support manufacturing and engineering education. We provide everything that is needed to support four pathways of education. When we provide the curriculum plan, it's written over four years. So grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.
028But it doesn't have to be delivered that way. That's just sort of the model. We've seen it delivered in a number of different ways. We've seen it delivered over 3 years. We've seen it delivered over 2 years, which kind of brings us to one of our core values, and that is we're not in the business of telling teachers what to teach and how to teach it and when to teach it. What we're in the business of doing asme is bringing the resources to educators that we have heard they need. So they need community awareness. They need to know what the community needs. They need a design for a curriculum plan. They need the gathering of resources to teach on that. They need the professional development. They need opportunities for students to see themselves within this
029pathway. So, backing up, let me just tell you a little bit about what the program includes, and then I'm going to talk a little bit about the program deliverables. So, if this were delivered over a 4-year period, we would see 9th graders begin the year with exposure to what we call um little bots, little little uh remote control vehicles that the kids cons uh construct themselves. They work in teams. Why do they do that? Because one of the things that we hear from manufacturers, for any employer, is that students need help with their communication skills, they need to know how to work in groups with each other. So, we start out with something that we know they're going to think is fun. It's also a recruitment tool, right? So, as a student is running these
030little remote control vehicles up and down the school hallway, another student might say, "Oh, you mean I can I can have a class in high school where I'm building remote control vehicles? Sign me up. Now we're getting back to students who don't necessarily know what manufacturing is, but they know what remote control vehicles are. You know, that's a lot of fun. And now we're introducing them to some um robotics concepts, right? We're introducing them to a certain type of motor. We're introducing them to how you can make parts work together. All right, so that's the bot. Then we introduce precision measurement. So the students learn how to measure. All right. The kit on the screen here includes a kit of sterid measurement instruments, 10 of each type, put together through Snap-On with a Snap-On curriculum
031that was written for them. Why is that important? Well, every one of these different measurement instruments has an industry recognized credential that goes with it. All right. 14y olds are learning how to measure and they're earning an industry recognized certification. Uh, one of the things that your team learned a couple of weeks ago is that I actually had kindergarten in this area. I was a military kid and so I started kindergarten just down the road and had 13 more schools before I graduated high school. All right. If this is a student like me, maybe they're here with you for only one year, but they are walking away with an industry recognized certification in measurement that cannot be removed from them. They've already earned that. All right. So, industry recognized certifications in precision measurement. Then we
032go to CAD CAM. So, they've learned how to measure. They learn how to design something through CAD CAM. And then, if you're a 14-year-old or a 15-year-old, you want to work with your hands. you want to produce something 3D printing at the end of the year they are doing additive manufacturing they're printing what they design so in one year they learn how to measure they learn how to design they learn how to create something and that is foundational to the entire rest of the programs we call those the core pathways we bring those pathways no matter where we are going anywhere in the United States then based on your community input we design the next 3 years program. So maybe your community comes back after we have surveyed manufacturers and that data tells us um
033there are a lot of mechatronics robotics programs are uh work underway in this community and we need to design a program for students that's going to complement that and that's going to feature the same kinds of equipment that are in place at those manufacturers. So we're going to design that program and they're going to spend 2 years in that program. If it's a meatronics and robotics program, they're going to have one or two robot arms depending upon the budget. They're going to have mechanical drives trainers, hydraulic pneumatics trainers, AC/DC current trainers. They're going to learn about um the entire setup of a manufacturing facility through what we call a mech lab. So, they're going to be introduced to meatronics and robotics. So, so Shel, if I may, one of the important distinctions with Prime is
034all the equipment that we're bringing in, like the robot arms, like the mechatronics, those are all pieces of equipment that students will see if they walk into a manufacturing facility in this community. Um, every piece of equipment we bring in is technologically relevant and also industry relevant. So, students are learning real world skills in high school. Thanks for letting me cut in. >> Yeah. Um the so moving on from meatronics and robotics, it is industrial maintenance. We're going to take that meatronics and robotics knowledge and exposure very similar and couple that with an opportunity to have an orientation to either precision machining or to welding. Why? Because in industrial maintenance, what we're trying to do is keep production going. and the the student, the technician, the industrial maintenance technician is responding to a time when
035the line is down. And so, how do they respond? Well, maybe they use their precision measurement strengths, their CAD CAM skills. They design a replacement part that they print in 3D printing. Meanwhile, they've been on the phone and they've ordered the replacement. Now, we're keeping the line going. Or maybe we weld together that part. or maybe using those same CAD CAM and precision measurement skills, they machine a replacement part. One way or the other, the student understands that they are keeping the line going. So, we provide those orientations. Maybe the community data says we need welders in this community and there is not a welding um facility at the school. So, then we would come back and talk to uh Dr. Benson and say this is what the data is showing. we come in and
036we build out a welding facility or maybe it comes back in and it says we need the same thing for machining. In which case we would provide provide manual mills and lathes. We would provide um desktop CNC trainers and then we would provide um um a a high mini mill which is about $64,000 piece of equipment. We would completely set up that precision machining facility. that going back to your comment Christian, it is absolutely imperative that the student be trained on equipment that they can expect to see in the production environment. What we do not do, and there are trainers out there that do this, what we do not do is put trainers in front of a student where they learn to push a button, but it doesn't look like what the facility is going
037to look like in manufacturing. Does that does that make sense? All right. So it's very important to us that it is in industry relevant and relevant to this the the the experience of the student in terms of preparing them for going on to work. So that's kind of the focus of the program. But what are the deliverables? The deliverables we spend about 70% of the budget on brand new equipment, materials and supplies. Not donated, not refurbished. Always brand new. always reflective of the community, right? We want to position these students to go out to the community. We're going to provide that curriculum plan that is tailored specifically to the community based on that workforce needs assessment input of manufacturers. We are going to provide professional development on every single piece of equipment that we bring
038in. It wouldn't be very fair if we brought in brand new equipment and said go forth teacher teaching. Then we didn't give them an opportunity. Most of that equipment has specific curriculum that goes with it and specific industry recognized certifications. So I talked briefly about the uh precision measurement certifications, but we're going to provide access to certifications in CAD CAM, in 3D printing, machining and fabrication, welding, um megatronics and robotics, the robots, right? We want to make sure that those students are prepared to go to work. The other thing that we're going to do is if they are interested in post-secary education, we're going to position them to be able to apply for scholarships through SME. We already give away over a million half dollars worth of scholarships. We are the largest scholarship provider in
039North America in the field of manufacturing and engineering. So, we want to help these students if they want to go in that direction. And then finally, the question I typically get asked at this point is, you're going to come in, you're going to put in a very large footprint to catalyze interest in manufacturing and engineering, and then what happens 4 years in when that program is fully built out and that budget is fully expended. Well, we brought that concern to our board of directors and they created for us a sustainability fund that started at a million dollars. is up to 2 million now. And every year when we ask the school to tell us how the program went, the school has the opportunity to apply for between 5 and $10,000 in program sustainability money. I
040just recently signed off on 48 schools receiving just shy of $400,000 and there's no end to that. So we position a strong program and then through a completely separate fund that we fund raise for completely separately, we help to maintain that program because our purpose in all of this is to develop the interest of young people in the field of manufacturing and engineering. And and if I may, Shel, because you're far too modest, Shelley has a team of very gifted uh program managers that work day in day out with our 118 schools across the country. Uh several of whom have both industry and academic experience, including my esteemed colleague, Dr. Shelley Mully. So it will in addition to the ongoing sustainability funding, we you have at your disposal our resource of prime program managers um
041that will be a shepherd and be a steward along the way. So it's not hey here's a great program, here's some funding to keep it going. No, we're going to be a partner in perpetuity. >> So one of the questions I get asked usually at this point is does it work? Does it work? Are we making an impact? Are we keeping up to our mission? And the answer is as students tell us if they have spent their high school career, so that would be four years in the prime program, engaged in this program, 91% of those students plan to go on into manufacturing and engineering. All right. A little more than half tell us they want to go into post-secary education split between students pursuing four-year engineering degrees and then students pursuing two-year um associates
042technician type degrees. A whole another group of students have accepted apprenticeships or going on to trade schools and then just shy of 20% tell us that they want to go straight to the workforce. Sometimes I get asked do you would you want to change that mix and the answer is no because our mission is to introduce opportunities and awareness of manufacturing and engineering. So how that mix turns out simply reflects the community but we are there to support those students no matter which direction they want to go. So we're pretty excited about that. It is administered entirely by our team. When we come to these are some of our supporters. I'll just back up. Um when we come to a school, sometimes we get asked, okay, what's our commitment on this? Well, your commitment is
043space to house the program and staff to teach on the program and that's it. That's it. We bring everything else to the table. We administer it through our team. So, we're not leaning in on your business office. Nobody has to do invoices and purchase orders. We do all of that. We do all the negotiation. We've got great relationships with our partners um around the country in providing this equipment. Um often times they give us things uh extremely low cost or no cost so that we can pass this on to you. So we fully deliver on that budget to the benefit of your of your institution. So, I want to pause right now and oh, I know one other question that I often get asked. Well, how does this line up with our state standards? Um,
044and it does line up with your state standards. When we design the curriculum plan, one of the things that we're going to do is write into that curriculum plan and identify the state standards that your institution has asked to report up through the state department of education. We also are going to call out those industry recognized certifications. I'm sure Dr. Vincent can share that there's interest at the state board of education level in the volume of students who are earning credentials of value. Credentials of value meaning these industry recognized certifications. So it's a real bolster to your program. So through this through this program, we're positively impacting not only your student success, but also the success of your school as it relates to the rest of the state and as it relates to your partners
045in your community. >> Pause for questions. >> Yeah, I'm going actually ask a couple of different questions, but um board to just kind of get some clarity. Well, actually yes, no questions. So this board, the superintendent would want to know. So we'll have to spend how much on this? >> Nothing. >> Okay. >> Nothing. Just add a little more specificity. So provide the physical space where the program resides, pay your teacher salary and benefits, and pay your electric bill. And pay the electric bill. Very good. >> That's it. >> Corporations are donating the money for this. >> And I think that actually, if you don't mind sharing, um, cuz it I'll just share with the board. I think for me, one of the most impressive uh conversations that I've been able to be a part
046of, and I'd like Casey and Don and the group talk about that is the eagerness of industry partners um in McFersonen, Kansas to have this kind of to be able to fund this. So, uh I guess Casey, I'll start there and then I'll come to Don. Casey, what's the what are what are the industry partners in McFersonen seeing as the benefit long term? The long-term benefit is building a sustainable pipeline of students that are interested in manufacturing. So that's what I was I didn't say it before. Like before we were just doing one-offs. This is a sustainable program that gets the interest while they're young and they can build on those skills and directly enter the workforce or go on. We have some other opportunities as you guys know with um higher education around here
047that would they just it translates to them. Yeah. >> So it is an overall allound benefit to everybody in this community. >> Are they supportive? Is our industry partner supportive of it? >> Yes, we um do you want to talk about that? >> Yeah. So um I want to be careful of confidentiality of our donors, but we have uh funds committed for the majority of the program right now from several industry partners um that have a presence here in McFersonen. Um uh and just anecdotally when I came and first talked about this program back in June, we probably had 30 different uh manufacturers in the room um we just talked with a group of manufacturers today and I they must like my talk so much because we had uh probably a half dozen repeat offenders
048uh join us to to talk about uh this program and there there's there's so much excitement. Um, and as I shared with the group earlier, uh, we're in communities all over the country and we see various levels of commitment and engagement. Um, and everybody loves everybody loves these programs until it comes time to write a check. Um, we're seeing that follow through here in this community. Um, and as I as I opened with the propensity for success we see from both the school district and from the industry partners that are coming and coalesing and and supporting this with their checkbook. Um, all the signs are very very positive from where I sit today. >> Yeah, >> I was really proud or I like I just I I'll just share with the group that uh one
049of our industry partners said if it doesn't ever translate to workers, >> I'm fine with investing in it because I know that they'll be getting really good learning experiences. And that for me that that person said and that for me is enough. And I thought what an awesome community that we have. >> Yeah. Uh, I guess one more for Casey and then Don. Sorry. So, we know how industry feels about it. Have you talked with our teachers here locally? What did they have to say? >> Yes. Actually, last week we had the opportunity to meet with um Mr. Cornhaus um and several other teachers and they were excited about the program. Obviously, they had questions about how it ties into state standards, but Dr. um Shelley did a great job of helping ease their concerns,
050but they seem excited about the program. You know, I'm going to repeat it again. I think one of the strengths of our program is that we don't come through the door and tell teachers how to teach. We are we are recognizing them as the educational professionals that they are and that they're prepared to be. We are bringing them resources that enable them to do their job. >> Don, what do you see from your partners and what do you see as the greatest benefit of this partnership? So, so the so the one thing that um I think our community probably recognizes but have never walked into some of the manufacturing facilities. I have had the opportunity to do that as part of my MIDC role and it is mindblowing what is here in McFersonen Kansas and
051you walk into VGA there are robots doing um things you know on and on. It is impressive. Um and so what we in talking to industry they need workers and you know our attitude is if we can save one child and and introduce them to the possibilities of of living and working and staying here. We've been a success and um so we're you know very excited. are our the uh manufacturers are very supportive. Obviously, they've opened up their their pocketbook. They see it from many different perspectives. Um when companies are evaluating um the existing ones that they want to grow or new ones that might want to come here, one of the first questions they ask us is about education and not only what you guys are doing but what um we as an economic
052development organization might be doing to help facilitate future workers. And so this has a lot of pluses. I love this is my favorite slide. this was going to be the one that I I wanted to make sure that we showed because it's it's for all children and um and so we're very excited about it. We have already presented at the curriculum committee um and we're really looking forward and hoping that we can have a really strong partnership to get families involved in this um and and to really get excited also about the school district. this is something that um we we feel can be a real positive for everyone going forward. Let let me also offer a comment since we have a second or two left. Um two years ago we asked some a school
053in our community. It was in a rural school to come our rural community to come in and present one of our school board or school board meetings but you could tell it was an old school board member. I was the president of the board. um one of our board meetings, board of directors meetings and um the teacher came in and she introduced what the program is and and who the students were and then she stepped back and she said, "Let me just let my students tell you about this." And all three students came in and said that they had been on the verge of dropping out and because of the handson focus of this program, they found their purpose. They found a place where they could fit and so they stayed in school. So to
054look at this as a retention program and and there's other positive elements too um in terms of uh introducing habits of mind, introducing workplace um qualities that we're all looking for, showing up to work, hearing about what you're doing, communicating across different groups, learning how to communicate with people that maybe you may not be comfortable with with adults. It brings all of that. But a powerful piece for me was to see students who themselves said, "I was walking out the door. I wasn't happy." And now they're happy and they're staying and they're getting their degree. They're getting their degree. >> Yeah. >> Questions. >> Question. Looking at your uh sheet you handed out, Kansas is a state that doesn't have pride. >> I know. I don't want to bring it. It could be the first
055year if that's what I wanted to know. >> Yeah. >> You would be blazing the trail. >> Yeah. So on the budget, I understand that, you know, schools bear no cost, but then I also caught this uh reality that schools need to come back and ask for some funds um at some point. So can you explain that? >> Sure, absolutely. So at the end of the year, we had what we call an outcome survey. I want to know how many students were in your program. Do they learn industry recognized certifications? If so, how many? Which ones? I want to know if they're graduating seniors, where are they going? What are their plans? And so, we probe that a little bit. We want to know um did they engage in student engagement programs? Did they go
056on and participate in summer camp or do they go to Skills USA? And then the very last question is, do you need any money to maintain your program? It's as simple as that. If so, tell us how it fits into these four categories, what you need and what you're going to use it for. And we get all sorts of requests. Um, and it and understand that it is purpose at maintaining the program, sustaining and maintaining the program. So, it's as simple as that. They give us a one paragraph answer. Um, we have approved almost every single application that's come through the door and we got the check. It's there in the fall and they use it that school year to keep everything going. And if I could just add a little bit of additional context,
057we have a board and down fund of seven of a couple million dollars that is open to every prime school. We also have regional manufacturers, regional partners that have created school specific funds. Um I'd like to call out one of our national partners, the Caterpillar Foundation. They identified about 15 different communities and in addition to our board endowed funds um last year we awarded a4 million just to those schools um because of that local or or regional support that we've received. So uh yes we have an endowed fund but there's more that we are we are contributing to the schools. So at some point it doesn't we don't end up in a situation where there's equipment or something that the school needs to come forward with because of unforeseen reasons. So wait a minute. Um
058I'm going to ask for clarity on that. So um equipment that the school needs to provide. So let's say that equipment that has been donated to our program, right, breaks or someone breaks it. Um so like like those kind of scenarios cuz that's what I'm looking for. I mean, I love this. I think I I would be shocked if anybody around this table wasn't super excited about this and we want to see this for our community, but also my job as a board member is to look for um for risk. Yeah. Residual. >> Yeah, that's and that's what you're talking about is residual cost. So, potential for residual cost and that's where that money comes in. So, if at the end of the year somebody says, "We have this piece of equipment um the tooling
059broke, we need to replace this tooling." So that's how some of these funds would be used. We're going to listen to that. And yes. >> Yeah. And the last thing we want is equipment to be sitting in the corner because there's not a consumable for it or it's broken. Um our objective is to see the equipment utilized and to see students using it. Um so the last thing we want is moth old equipment >> and we want to provide space and staffing um you know as the budget allows for that. What I don't want to see as a board member is um our our curriculum fees continue to go up for our families. Right. And that's right. And that I'm sorry. Go ahead. I interrupted you. Yeah. That's our vision too. Right. We've made a
060very large investment. We have a fiscal responsibility to our members cuz we do this on behalf of the members of who want to see future members enabled or not members but future um students enabled to enter this field. I mean honestly they want to retire right they want to be able to retire you can't retire if there isn't a replacement waiting for you so we too are making a major investment as an organization and so that is the entire reason why we established a sustainability fund so that we knew that nothing would get mothball for the wrong reason and and if I may um I will disclose we have two bias as an organization one we want to see a robust manufacturing talent pipeline in this country that is our goal because we serve all
061manufacturers, not just our members, but every single manufacturer in this country. That's bias number one. Bias number two, we want to positively impact the lives of young people. That's why we exist as a philanthropic organization. Um, we want to see investments into changing lives through manufacturing. So, I just wanted to disclaim that to to know what our so you all know what our motives are as an organization, >> right? How long have you been in operation? >> Ah, good question. So, we are in our 15th year. 15th year. This model that I'm describing for you has been around for 7 years. Why? Cuz I retired 7 years ago and I joined as a myself and another dean. I retired higher education and so a fellow um colleague also a retired dean. He came out of
062the school of manufacturing and engineering. I was the lead student affairs officer university. And what we came into was essentially an equipment grant program. All right. Here's the problem with an equipment grant program and you nailed it. you name it. Um, staff member number one has a vision for this piece of equipment and then staff member number one moves on to another school and it sits and it takes a year to find another teacher because teachers are not easy to come by in this field and then that new teacher that comes in doesn't share the vision or doesn't have the training and so we've just now seen equipment covered in plastic and mothball. That's not a very good investment for our organization. So for that reason, myself and my colleague Ron Scazari um were asked
063when we entered to put together a program that could withstand those issues, withstand staff turnover, withstand funding um issues that schools find themselves in. And so that's where this model came from. That's why we put together this entire program. um was been really an interesting outcome. Prior to uh this iteration of the program, we were seeing a lot of schools with robust manufacturing programs having their equipment funded because they already had the rest of the program in place. This iteration with this 360° package of supports on the rack rounds allows us to go into schools that don't have existing manufacturing and and um um engineering education programs in place and start from the ground up. So we've been able to create capacity within the system that wasn't there before. >> And just to expand, our
064parent uh nonprofit organization has been around for 94 years. BSME Education Foundation has been in operation 47 years. >> I also just want to add sorry but uh these four uh things that you're bringing in are are well thought out and I I think my favorite I mean PD ongoing PDA is really important but I love the community awareness and connecting educators to what the community is asking for. Yeah, I'm sure you know like we just we just don't know how to do that very well. And so being real intentional about that I think is going to just you know so let me tell you a little bit about what that looks like. Um we began and I I suspect I'm running short on time so give me the sign. Okay. Um I told you
065we wanted to hear the voices of your manufacturing partners in the community. Right. So we're going to work with you. We're going to work with anybody that the school has worked with that says this is somebody who knows us and is in the world of manufacturing is we want to capture all that information. So we capture that through a workforce needs assessment. It's about a 20 minute long survey coupled with regional research. We're going to do our own regional research that is augmented by the voices of your local manufacturers. That goes into the design of the program. All right. Then before the program launches, we're going to have a meeting where we bring in those manufacturers who are participating in the survey and we're going to bring in the educators who have who are receiving
066the program and we're going to report out what we've learned. This gives the opportunity for the educators to meet the manufacturers, the manufacturers to meet the educators, the manufacturers to see that their concerns have been heard and have become a component of the program that's going into the school. Now, I'm going to I'll tell my story. Um I have lots of stories. Anyway, uh in one of these meetings, um this was at school in Georgia. We were up in northern Georgia, which a lot of your carpet comes from Northern Georgia and one of the manufacturers on the line was a flooring company and he interrupted me because I was describing the precision measurement piece that we talked about earlier. So that became um work that the students do and he said is that okay? Of
067course it's okay. Um, I need your teachers to know that these precision measurement certifications are so important to me that I will hire a student at $64,000 a year who's these certifications regardless of whether or not they of course the teachers call here in New York. Anyway, um so so that is just one example of how a manufacturer came to partner with the school. That school went on to turn over their entire summer camp experience which is about a two week long summer camp to the manufacturers in their community. And the manufacturers now each take one day of the summer camp. The school brings the students in, makes sure that there's lunch, gets all that facilitated, gets the signups done, and then the local manufacturers each take one day and they do the programing on
068that one day. Talk about a great partners. I mean, it's just wonderful. Now, when you say we need internships, everybody's ready and everybody understands where we're going, right, with the program. So, that's the piece we want to facilitate. Manufacturers want to be in the conversation. Educators want to talk to manufacturers. It just can be hard. It just can be hard. So, we try to give a an opportunity, a stage for that to take place. >> Do we know I have a couple questions and they're not necessarily for tonight, but I just want to put them out there. If this comes to USD418, what the floor plan space I mean, we're in the middle of some some big work hopefully that happens. Um, and that's not something we've necessarily woven into all of our discussion. And
069um, so there's that one. And I'll just go ahead and give all of them. My student interest, what are who, how many um cuz I sat at the curriculum, so I've heard this presentation already um and it was a little bit different um there um which is fine, but we're not totally through that whole um process yet um curriculum wise bringing it here. So um and then uh you answered I think my other question. So we don't need necessarily just I mean no space. >> Yeah. Let me talk about space for a second. So you do have potentially some facilities changes on the way. So one of the questions we were asked earlier today is can you still roll out the program not necessarily knowing what the what the future space looks like. And the
070answer is yes. The first year of the program all equipment you see one picture here. This snap-on tool kit all of that equipment for the first year is in wheels. All right. It's all on wheels. It's all portable. So, it's a computer lab that we will, by the way, I didn't talk a lot about that. If you don't have the computer lab facility available already for CAM, we will come in and pay for it. We will come in and pay for facility that can support about 25 students. We'll put that in in place. So, computer is portable. That snap-on tool kit that you see there on the screen is portable. the big 3D printer. It's a Stratus F170 3D printer that's on wheels and that's portable. That gives you a year to look at space.
071That also gives us the time to pull the research in to look at what is that fourth pathway going to look like? And that fourth pathway is always a conversation. What we're not going to do is impose on a school something that that school can't accept. So just have faith in us that we will work with you to make sure it's something that that is workable for you. Does that does that answer the space question? >> Yes. But you just said something else that makes me anxious by saying that that fourth whatever it's going to be that we'll figure that out um along the way. And I don't know no along not along the way. That's the the pathway that is identified through your curriculum workforce needs assessment. is there's the voice of your manufacturers
072telling us we need these kinds of workers in our community design a program that complements that and when when is that fleeted so that happens in the spring semester before so that'll be happening very quickly that happens if we were able to roll the program out in fall of this year and we don't know that we will yet we're working on a lot of things but if we were to roll it out in the fall of this year we would be presenting that research probably in April of this year. >> So, so and also to answer your question related to curriculum development and why it may be different than what we've talked about previously with the curriculum council. Um the curriculum is really driven from what that workforce needs assessment turns back. We're not we're
073not going to rinse and repeat a program that we're doing in Lelo, Kentucky, for example. It's going to be specific to here in McFersonen. So we have to we have to wait and and make data informed decisions based on what the research turns back. >> Thank you. And then you also asked about the number of students and that's a really good question. So and I was asked that question earlier today also. Again it's really important that everybody understand that the program needs to complement your school. That's a core value for us. We're not going to come in and be prescriptive. So the the the cohort model can look different from school to school. For budgeting purposes, we think in terms of 25 students in a class, perhaps one cohort with one teacher. That's often the
074model. One teacher uh one cohort of 25 students the first year and 25 the second year, now we're up to 50. 25 the third year, now we're up to 75 and 25 the fourth year, now we're up to 100. And then we have constantly 100 students. Okay, that's one way of approaching it. that gets you to an exposure about 100 students. There's other ways. We got one school that took a look at the program actually more than one that took over the program and said, "You know what? Precision measurement is not a concept that needs to be teached specifically by a teacher interested in um manufacturing. It can be taught by a teacher in a field of math. It could be taught by a teacher at one school or it's the heavy equipment operator teacher
075who's teaching that. Um, I've got a physics teacher at another school teaching that. So, depending on how your school wants to approach staffing the curriculum, you may expand exposure. Just imagine if all algebra 1 students, assuming that's n. I know sometimes it's offered in eighth grade. Let's just assume all algebra one students, ninth graders learn how to do precision measurement. What would that do to their geometry scores when we're just giving them context? So I told you earlier one of my experience in life I didn't do too well in college calculus the dire was my twice and then his come in Houston and he said the derative so what does that do I don't know I don't have the research to support it but I think I can But if we add context to a
076student's math experience, they might. So what if all the nth graders were measured certification where they went on this journey? students like me who went to graduate school graduated just and maybe some of those students don't get to complete their high school career with you but they're moving on with an industry recognized certification that can't be taken away. So again this is some of the tailoring that's going to be done in conjunction with Dr. Vincent and your entire team. We're not going to tell the school how to do this. We're going to present possibilities. How often do you guys see uh some of your prime teachers that become fanic certified pass uh CNC and then all of a sudden guess who wants them? We haven't had that yet. What we have seen actually is coming
077from manufacturing into the classroom. Amazingly enough. I know sometimes the salaries you sit there and wait a minute how did this happen? Sometimes it's a matter of getting back but we have not yet lost a teacher from the classroom to manufacturing. I have I have seen manufacturing into the classroom you'd be fantastic. I mean you find some kid people out at some point really want to be on mission and we haven't talked too much about the curriculum plan but what I have told you is we've got curriculum that's specific to each one of these pieces of equipment. Also their industry recognized certifications right that's rather static. One of the things that we do is we work with tooling USme which is our workforce development unit. They are in more than half of the fortune companies.
078They're being used in beta to help um support onboarding and training of existing employees. We work with them to one design the program and then we fold in their online classes as a teaching resource. So each one of the curriculum plans has calls out and has a curated list of anywhere from 100 to 150 of these online 1 hour 1 hour and 15 minute long classes that teachers particularly teachers coming in for manufacturing really rely on. They know how to teach in their sweet spot. But maybe we just take them to an area that's not their sweet spot so they can lean in on those two classes to get that done for their students. Last question is uh like are you guys aware of some of our Perkins changes in the state of Kansas? Does
079that affect this at all, Shiloh? When we think about some of the robotics and the different ways that Perkins has invested in our school systems that now is I just know we've had changes >> I think. So that's a great question that I don't know the answer to, but I will want to make sure that we know that that's but the benefit and actually there's there's actually some really which I know Casey and the group is saying like to me as I'm hearing this there would have been a wonder this would have been a wonderful opportunity to know 20145 when the when our weld shop was being constructed and like equipped and everything else but like how in what ways can they meet is where they're at. And I think that what I'm hearing you
080say is at what point if we're as we're overlapping some of our programs, how do we make sure that we're being cognizant of where what has been spent where and and things like that. But with it being new to Kansas, part of the reason bringing this to to this table here is for you to have the information and then that's a good question that we'll make sure we're researching on the back side. Yeah, there's a lot of emphasis on industry recognized certifications and there's no accident that we are interested in industry recognized certifications. So when you understand that that's the backbone of the curriculum plan, it should complement nicely what's happening with Perkins. um you know in each state can look a little different but the common theme that we've been seeing is uh um
081credentials of value. I was in Washington DC uh Joe Biden was very interested in the pride program. So I was asked to come to Washington and talk a little bit um about the pride program and the career connected pathways is a huge theme that's been driving a lot of this work. So I would say to you the industry recognized certifications are where you're going to see the compliment. >> Who we thank for bringing this exciting program to us. You can thank um your friends at MIDC. Um Casey and Don have been true um just champions for manufacturing education. Um and also uh I can share VGA has been uh just a a wonderful partner and have given generously. Um but it's it really has been a community effort. Um and I I I really say
082this from a place of uh gratitude. Um McFersonen is a very special place because of the people. You've got some very passionate people. >> So we're the only Kansas school we talking to >> right now. So we give you the first bill. We hurry up. We want to meet the university with you. Remember almost your kindergarten teacher. Do you remember? You know my heart. I don't remember her name, but it was um elementary school up in Salena. Okay. That's where I went to school. My dad was in my Christian's going to start kicking me out of the table cuz I'm so sorry. Yeah, when you said one last question, I just cuz I think we're moving very fast. I'm not anti- any of it, but um there is a lot for us to understand as
083a board and the questions that we don't have and if we're talking about in April some kind of information research, the research will come in. Yeah, that's so so telling you what we learn happens April could be the beginning of May, but telling you when we come back and share again that information does this team how's this what's the next >> So my goal in bringing this to the board table is for you to be aware of what's going on so that depending on what's the most appropriate way to come back you'll be you're getting the information out and then knowing that more information will be coming forth. So repairs is that locally done like if there's repairs are we engaging with our local good question staff. So we will put you as as we
084exit the program after it's been fully built out. We will be providing you with all the contacts for the vendors that we use to procure the equipment. So they'll help to maintain that equipment. And remember that sustainability money will help to pay for any repairs that that might happen. And because we bring in new equipment, different OEMs have different service plans included with and warranties included with that equipment. So, there'll be a period of coverage and it varies based on what equipment is which. Um, and back to your question regarding um kind of next steps and timelines. Um, and I know as a as a board of education, you have a fiduciary responsibility and a due diligence process that you have to go through. Um how this typically works is once we have all of
085our funding finalized um we would then select the school um and what that looks like is um making sure that there's propensity um that there's we see a high degree of likelihood that the program will succeed. Um once the school's been selected we would present you with anou that we have used at all 118 schools across the country. It's fairly standard. It says the equipment that we're providing is yours. It is a gift in kind from the SM Education Foundation for you to have and to hold the love that you cherish uh till spindles do you part. Um and from that there's an indemnification clause that you will hold our our donors harmless. Um you'll hold the SM Education Foundation harmless. Um and it's fairly straightforward. Um and that is um that is the extent
086of the paperwork that goes back and forth between the SM Education Foundation and the school in terms of legal ease in terms of indemnification. >> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> A lot of times about this point, people say it's it's too good to be true. Where's the catch? And and there really isn't a catch. The catch is we want to support students um opportunities to learn about manufacturing and engineering. That's it. >> Thank you, >> Casey Don. Christian, >> thank you. >> Dr. Philly, thank you so much for your time this evening. Uh and thank you uh the hours and hours of work behind the scenes that brought us to here. Uh been able to be a part of that. And I think I just want to re-echo just I think the commitment that
087I've seen from you named one of the partners, but then seeing and talking with some of the industry partners, I think there's some really um commit there's some there's some really invested community members who are industrial leads who see irregardless of how it impacts them, this is going to impact kids. >> Yeah. >> And they're they're all for it. and it's been a testament to the hard work that you guys have done. So, thank you so much. And obviously, for the board's sake, we'll continue to provide updates in the next couple of few months. So, thank you all. >> John and Casey, you're going to for one of our goals, Perry, is we want it to be a positive for the school district. >> Yeah. >> For week. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, was
088nice. Thank you very much for inviting us here. You can tell I'm excited about this. So, it was nice to to bring you up to speak. >> Thank you, sir. >> Would the board like to take a break at this point? >> Break. Yeah. I also have a new song for me. Okay. Well, thank you very much. Shadows up Everyone together. You know my Everybody. Okay. Heat. Heat. actually I also understand I was surprised Heat. Heat. transition here. Elevator music. I like something. >> Okay. Um, back in session. I want to just for the record um Bill and um Terry both um have left the meeting on to other responsibilities. So um that will take us into uh routine items. >> Uh and actually just as or my understanding is I think Bill will be
089back but um disposition minutes. I don't have any questions about either any of those clerk's report. Um just as a reminder for our comparison as we continue to watch that um the uh again our percentages we carry those we will start to see uh slight uh differences in those um because again as we've talked about since dating back to June July we know that we have a deficit that we're spending into this year. So we'll you'll start to see that now that contracts are settled and uh moving forward uh you'll see those salary those adjustments in future. But you can see right there that you're right in alignment um with where we were at uh previous uh this year's uh and looking back at the previous year. So um actually Bill was a part of
090the conversation around payment bills. Uh he came in and had some good questions primarily. Um there's Bill right there. We'll just pause and let him share. Bill, we were just starting to go over the payment of bills. Was there anything you wanted to note for the view of the group? I keep learning more about the district every time I do this. No, not everything. Nikki explained everything to me to my satisfaction. It's just interesting why we pay certain colleges special ed money and I hadn't found that out, you know. Okay. >> And the good news about the insurance settlement on the bond or the ground floor. >> That was cool. >> Yeah. >> Uh no, I think it it looked good. As a reminder, um, one of the questions that did come up, if you
091see PayPal, Venmo, those are not supposed to be used on PE cards and we have to when you have as many employees as we have, we have to end up speaking with individual employees related to those things. So, uh, when you see those, certainly reach out. It's a good double check, but those items, uh, were, um, addressed with those individuals that were affected. Other than that, um those were the questions that I had and >> I had the one I had one question that we're going to look at here about our uh deficit that we end up paying on our UN uh our bill meals and what we're doing about so that should be coming forward with some more substance for us to understand um from our book. >> Yeah, let me name that a
092little bit. Uh appreciate that. So, next week or next week, next month, uh we'll have Bill come and present about the food service audit, but in the payment of bills, and there's kind of a couple of different layers of questions that that get asked there, but um one of them specifically that we're going to that he'll be able to speak to uh centers around. Um we have two different systems. One of them related to our food service system and then we have our bookkeeping system. And if uh depending on timing of those, you'll have individuals who have gone into a deficit on their spending in terms of their lunch service. So they can spend up to $10 over and then they'll bring in their deposit to go back into that food account. What what we'll
093talk a little bit about and get some clarification around is it depending on the time of the month that debt will be cleared over and it'll become a and the district will cover it while it becomes a student uh it goes onto their student fees but then they'll put their monies in and they'll think that they're fine in terms of their lunch balance. So there's some internal checks that have been put into place to just improve upon that. But that's the kind of that's the question that came up very nuance. um question that uh we'll make sure that he's able to speak to you as a broader group on um when he's also shared an update about our food service audit. So, >> so what I just think I understood was that because those have
094to be at a at a zero balance, we're moving it over into their student fee account and then caregivers are likely putting in the money to catch it up, but all of a sudden it looks like they have additional money now instead of just paying off of student service balance. >> Depending on when it happens, it can happen in a multitude of different ways. But an example that I'd say is if my child went $10 over and I send a check with my child for $50, I as a parent would be expecting it if it's before it's trans the $10 over is transferred over. I'd expect it to be $40 in the but in my uh lunch account. But in some cases, the $10 will go over before the $50 gets deposited into my account.
095And so the $10, the two systems aren't talking to each other. And so then there's a a back and forth that has to occur. >> Well, >> and then it creates confusion and it creates clarity on in a lack of clarity on both sides. >> And sometimes it can create a outstanding balance which can be preventative from eighth grade recognition or even graduation. >> And in both of those scenarios, yes. And we've run into that and we've worked with families when I just want the board to know that. But that's the kind of thing later on. Well, let's assume that sweep is happening at all the same time and the checks going at all the same time. It can rack up over the course of the year and they and that student does and family
096doesn't fully understand that that debt that that debt has been created elsewhere and the district is carrying that um in in place of that. So, that's we'll we'll get clarification and some some actual data around that. Yeah. >> Well, and just how can we have those two balances sit next to each other for visibility with families so that they can see, oh, it something changed over here even though it's not reflected over here. >> And like so many things in life, it comes down to communication. Exactly like what you're saying is how do we communicate them both and how do we make sure that families understand it? And so that'll be it. So yes, that that did come up and that'll be at the at the March meeting. >> Okay. Thank you for that. Um,
097we're seeking a motion to approve the routine item. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any other discussion? All in favor of the motion to approve the routine item, say yes. >> Any uh not in favor of the motion with a no. Okay, that carries 6. Thank you. >> Oops, I tried to skip a couple here. >> Yep. We have future meeting items. >> Just know obviously we're excited about the work session. We'll have our principles with us. Miss Mc Williams uh will be helping to provide that his kind of service the point person on that. We'll look through some student performance stuff including an attendance discipline as well as performance data and uh excited to to talk with that. Uh, additionally, food service audit as I just mentioned, facility planning is of course
098ongoing, and then elementary boundary work, just a reminder, March 9th is when that recommendation will be being brought forward. >> Well, we have the opportunity to look at that data prior to that meeting so that we can come in. >> My hope is as soon as we have information after, thank you for asking that. As soon as I have information related to the RSP, what they've heard from the community sessions coming up over the next couple days. As soon as I have that, I'll share that with the board. >> No, I mean about about performance and attendance and behavior. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> My apologies. I thought you were talking about before March 9th. Yeah. What's the date and the time? >> That is that is an already scheduled one. That is February 23rd
099right here. 6:00. >> Yep. >> Thank you for asking that though for clarification. >> Yep. >> Do we have next Monday night off? >> Get a whole Monday off, but we don't want you to get used to it ourselves. >> Announcements. Um our well just a couple things. Don't forget early voting actually begins this week. Um next Monday we have our uh professional development. Uh election day is the 3rd. No school uh teacher work day on the 6th and then the week of the 9th is parent teacher conferences and just like that. Officer Jansen, it is spring break. >> Spring break. >> So, it's been feeling very spring breaky out lately, which we're loving, but I have a feeling, you know, the ground dog did supposedly see his shadow. So, we have somewhere in there
100some winter coming. But we have two items. Um I believe we said we needed 15 minutes for this first one. >> Mhm. >> And then we'll just start there. >> Motion to go into executive session to discuss an individual employee pursuant to the non-elected personnel exception under the Kansas open meeting act and the open meeting will resume in the board. We'll have 15 minutes. Um the exe executive session will include the board of superintendent, assistant superintendent and that's everybody. >> Second. Thank you. All in favor of that say yes. >> Any opposed with no pass expected out of this executive? No sir. No. Okay. zero. Um to go into session Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Ooh. Ooh. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat.
101Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Hey, Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. All right. >> I think I'll need 10 for this next one. >> You are ready. >> Okay. Uh thank you. We'll look at 9.2 which is um I'll read that. um motion to go into an executive session to discuss proposals being considered in contract negotiations with teachers pursuant to the exception for employer employee uh negotiations under the Kansas open meeting act and the open meeting will resume in the board at 8:00 the executive session will include the board superintendent and assistant superintendent second. >> All in favor say yes. Okay, that carries 6 um until ex Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Ooh. Heat. Heat. transition
102ready. Okay. I um move to uh motion to ratify the agreement by USD 418's negotiations team to continue the days and minutes currently in place effective through the school year at which point it will be reviewed by the team again. Second Oh, it's okay. All in favor say yes. >> Yes. Any opposed? No. >> No. >> That is 501 or a motion to ratify the agreement. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. And 10.1 is our adjournment. So we look forward to seeing you all in two weeks. >> Thank you all.