001All right, we're going to call this meeting to order. Is everybody Is this too loud? Everybody hear me? >> Good. Okay. Okay. Good evening. I'm Black, president, board of education 434. The public hearing is being held for to KSA72-1431 to consider the prop proposal to close preschool and the district administrative center. The purpose of this meeting is to present our proposal and to hear from patrons holders to listen and allow patrons time to speak on this topic. I will quickly review the procedures for closing the building KSA 72 national king. The 2002 legislature amended the building closure law that now allows the board of education to close any building at any time with a majority vote. Prior to adopting the resolution board a public hearing on the proposal. The following is the public notice of
002the hearing for closing the school building. This was published in O County Herald. The board of education proposes to close this building to improve the school system due to consolidation of facilities and the efficient efficient reallocation of district resources. Currently, the facility houses only a single grade level which is preschool and the district administrative offices. Closing the building will allow the district to better utilize staff and keep operational costs and integrate preschool students into a more comprehensive educational environment along other grade levels. Additionally, the district will relocate administrative staffing and the district missionary center to an existing vacant building previously utilized for this purpose, ensuring more efficient use of the current district property. This proposal specifically addresses the loss of revenue resulting from declining enrollment challenge currently affected affecting the majority of Kansas school districts.
003The board determines that the fiscal savings realized by discontinuing the operation of this physical infrastructure be reallocated directly to enhance student instructional programs and educational services by prioritizing investments in students over the maintenance of underutilized brick and mortar facilities. which aims to protect and improve the overall educational opportunities for all students during a period of shifting during the practice. Students attending Scranton preschool will be reassigned to the Liber Center. Um at this time I know there's been some questions asked and Justin is going to be a brief statement and may answer some of those before we proceed. Can I ask if you guys introduce yourself? >> She wants wants to know if the board can introduce themselves. >> I am faith schools. >> I'm Amy. I represent um over Okay. What? >> And Michelle, >>
004can we ask who this gentleman is? >> This This here is Ann. She was our board. >> My name is All right. During this process, the board has been committed to ensuring a future for this school. We have the superintendent for research for repurposing the school and manner that being beneficial to both our community and the district. We are pleased to share that community college expressed a sincere interest in establishing northern presence for postsecary programs to serve around the region. They are genuinely excited about not only providing educational and employment opportunities for the area but also becoming an active part of our strength and school community. >> While this is a very exciting opportunity, we will begin more formal steps if the resolution for closure and disposition is approved by the board this evening and
005in the Kansas legislator. >> We want the community to know that we are committed to a bright and beneficial future for this facility. We will continue to communicate updates regarding this opportunity as we look forward to the process. >> What was the name of the college? >> Okay. Um >> college. >> Okay. Um at this time we're going to move to uh public address to the board of education. Uh we have a few people that called in that would like to speak a few words. I will ask um when somebody has to work please be quiet. It's kind of difficult I hope for me to hear it for everybody else but uh please respect their time their words. So, um, Alicia, we have a lot. >> Good evening, president, members of the USD 43 school
006board, superintendent, and community. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity tonight to speak. My name is Alicia Lester, a proud graduate of the Santa Trail class of 2023 and co-op for that class. I'm here to respectfully voice my concerns regarding the proposed closure of Stratton. I would like to begin by sharing a little bit about my history. In the 1920s, my great great great grandparents moved to this town. Since then, my family has spread throughout throughout and I have relatives on nearly every street. In the 1990s, the town was almost renamed Lesterville when my great-grandfather served on the city council due to the large number of Lester's relatives living there. Today, my grandfather is the mayor and other family members serve on the council. I share this to illustrate that I am deeply rooted in
007the community and I am a part of this future. Closing a school in a small town has consequences that reach far beyond education. When a post district closes and when a school closes, it often harms the entire community. For example, the superintendent of the Healey School District, which closed in 2011, stated, "Loing a rule school is like they're losing a community's life. Kansas is a whole state and Kansas has to school not only for learning, but also for employment. At strength center alone, 21 staff members, not including teachers, are important. That is also not including district or district set aside. Um, are we ensuring that every one of those retain their jobs? Beyond the staff, a local economy beneath and shop. Closing the school would directly weaken the economic out of town. We are currently
008working on developing housing for its population. But how can we attract families when the local economy is threatening? Research, including a study conducted by the Vermont Legislature, shows that when school school closes, property values decline, school businesses that rely on school traffic are hit hard, and the loss of the school can begin a cycle of economic social deterioration. >> I also watched the Kansas Department of Education interview that you guys where Dr. Harvard explained that school funding is not just about the numbers. It's about where the money goes and how it affects students. This raises concerns about financial trans particularly regarding the experience which staff travel to events such as the national school council with your dad. To be clear, my concern is not the award itself but the decision to fund travel for free
009of fees instead of over the rewards of rewards. Additionally, Dr. emphasizes the importance of engaging in transportation conversations. Yet concerns from the sprint community regarding the overcrowding were dismissed until video evidence forced the response. I would also like to question the criteria used to select the sprint attendants closure students and the district officials. It is among more more constructed or well-maintained facilities in the district. posting overhead buildings like over first would be a more economically responsible and considered choice. While I do not have exact protection dates, it is clear that strip requires fewer renovations than over making this closure decision difficult to justify. Furthermore, I ask for a clear long-term plan. Decisions about closing individual schools should be part of a transparent districtwide strategy, not a peace meal approach. is a comprehensive 10-year plan for
010present to be voted on. Spring residents wouldn't have wouldn't have confidence that decisions are being are being made carefully. Without such a plan, it feels as though grant is being retargeted, which is deeply concerned for our f our community's future. In conclusion, I respectfully urge the board to reconsider the closure of this grant tendency. Its role in educating our youngest learners, supporting its role in educating our youngest learners, supporting our local economy, and sustaining our community's identity cannot be replaced. Please weigh these consequences carefully and ensure that your decisions reflect the best interests of our students, families, and the town of Strand. Thank you. Patricia, >> sorry, old and bad knees. I'm not as prepared as I should. >> Hi, my name is Pat Lera. I have lived in this district my whole life. My
011husband has lived in this district his whole life. Uh we raised our children in this district and now some of my grandchildren this district. So I'm pretty familiar. And besides the fact that I'm old, I can remember the boat when we first started going to school together. In the 60s, nobody wanted one building. Everybody wanted to keep their town buildings. And so we got the we got the the Santa Fe High School and each town built their building. Excuse me. in 1990. I'm not exactly sure the year we voted on it, but there was a bond issue. My husband was on the board of education. I'm quite familiar with this setup. I've been going to board meetings for a long time. I thought when I retired, I was done. Um, but in the '9s we
012were very invested in making sure that everybody was approved. Uh, they went to uh every Rotary, Lions, whatever meeting that they could get to let them in, they were there. >> We delivered flyers. We put up signs. We were all over the place making sure that everybody had a voice. We had town meetings. Lots of people showed up, listened to what they said, and they said, "We want a building in every town. We don't want to lose our identity." And so they said, "Okay, we'll make that commitment. We'll make that commitment. We'll build a new Scranton. We'll build on to Overbrook." I believe that's when that is the West End Carbondale was added on, I believe. And so that's what they put on the bond issue. And the people said, "Yes, that's what we want."
013And they voted for it. So there was a mutual agreement there that we're going to keep, excuse me, we're going to keep that. This new school was opened in 199697. So in 2009 when it was made into just a preschool, that promise was nigged on basically. But we were told that well we're keeping the building open so that you know it has a future and now it doesn't. The newest building, >> no this isn't. But the building where kids will be educated is the newest total building in the district. Less than 30 years old. >> No. Probably some of you guys aren't much older than that. Few of you are, but we are. So my question is, and I was told, well, why weren't you involved? I didn't get any notification. I just got on
014Scranton Scoop 4 days ago. I didn't know it existed. I don't get I don't get school emails. I don't get on the school Facebook page or anything very much. So, no, I didn't I didn't see it. My bad. But I think there's several other people that didn't see it. So, my question was why was Scranton I looked through somebody told me I need to uh I need to look at the board meetings that there's YouTubetubes of your board meetings. I was going through some board meetings. I didn't see all of them. I picked I pick and choose my dates. I look through notes. Nowhere do I see where keeping Scranton open was ever considered. I was told all things were considered, but I never found it. So, you would have to point out to me
015where that was because I don't I didn't find it. So, I would like to ask first of all that you consider going back to K6 and move the junior high out to the high school. I think that's the best thing for the junior high because right now junior high doesn't really offer much as far as electives and things or accelerated by putting in with the high schools uh teachers. You can share teachers. You can have more opportunities for your students. Um it makes kind of a lot of sense. I know Council Grove does it that way. I have a grandchild there. Uh I know it's done in other places, too. That's just the one I'm most familiar with. because I would like to ask you to keep your commitment that was made. Not by you
016guys. You guys may have still been in diapers when that commitment was made, but but it was made. Um, if you can't if you absolutely can't keep that commitment, but it sounds like we're I keep hearing we're hemorrhaging numbers. So, I'm not sure why, you know, since we haven't had individual town districts, you can adjust that rural bus routes however you want. So, you could pull more of this rural students into this into this building. So, you can adjust your numbers without a whole lot of extra busing. It can be done. I don't think it doesn't seem to me like there was that much thinking outside the box. Um, the other thing is was it Well, I'm pretty sure it wasn't considered. I can't find it. Couldn't find it on on the computer of keeping
017Scranton open and making it a prek too, a primary school. There's primary schools in Topeka. This is a perfect size for a primary school. It's even got a little mini bathrooms. So if you did that and you made 3 through six at Carbondale again, you can send junior high and high school out of Santa Fe Trail. Yes, that means closing over. I'm not advocating closing any school, but it's the oldest part. Part of it is the oldest. All you have to do is go into their lecture and figure it out. I know one of the things that says it needs to be done is a bait asbestous of bait in our schools. I excuse me. I think I saw that uh water pipes. I'm assuming that's under the old section. These are things that you
018shouldn't be having to deal with in a in a building this size. Um, I know busing was a concern, but if you if you know if you've seen the original triangle yearbooks from this from the late60s, you'll be able to figure out which one's Cardonell, which one's Canton, and which one's Overgrip because it's about twice the distance from Cardonell or Scranton to Overbrook. So, if you're concerned about busing, you're busing whatever kids there are at Carbonddale, whatever age group you decide to put it over. If you're busing them 10 miles each way, if you're busing from Carbondale to Scrant, you want to bust them 5 miles each day. And I'm only using Carbondale because I do know that that is the highest population. So my my question is, are you jumping into this too fast?
019And and I know everybody says, "Oh, it's been talked about for years." Again, I looked back and I saw when we added, you know, I know I was still working here when we added the the last two beauties to our district, but then I as I don't see much before 2022, so it doesn't look like any real big talk being done since 2022. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's not out there easy to find. than it has been. So, I guess what I'm asking is that you take a little bit more time and you consider using what you have, using the resources that you have, and then maybe eventually people would pass that bond issue to put everything out to high school. Don't think it'll pass now. But if you push this down the road with
020we're going to do this either one of those with this as our goal and show steps toward it, people might be more inclined to to support you. Thank you. Okay, Libby Thompson. >> They can't hear. >> Excuse me. >> I've got that fixed. >> Sorry. I think that's fixed. Um early on, yes, it was echoey. Um but I've changed mics and I think I've had several people report that it's bad. So, >> hi, good evening. My name is Libby Thompson and I want to start by thanking each and every one of you for your time and dedication and service to our district. It is appreciated and I want to make a point of acknowledging um your efforts, but I am here to voice my opposition to closing this grant and attendance center. First, why is
021the district considering closing this school or any school before even bringing the bond issue to a vote? Whether you frame SACE as being repurposed or not, taxpayers are being asked to accept the loss of the building that has been heavily invested in for probably far less than what it is worth and means a great deal to its community. This is a rather bold move and dare say heavy-handed. I also find it interesting that our textbooks, curriculum, and student supplies has a larger portion of our budget than buildings, grounds, and maintenance, including utilities, especially when the argument is that we can't afford to operate all of these buildings. Over the last 5 years, our mill levy has averaged 49.66 points. Depending on what option is chosen for the reconfiguration, our mil levy could potentially increase over
02264 points. As you know, property taxes are at the forefront of pansin's minds, especially with how high they've become, and many are calling for relief. We are already seeing the state cut millions of dollars from our budgets. The state funding formula expires July 1st, 2027, and we simply do not know what that new formula will look like. I share these points because given the current financial climate, it seems more responsible to utilize the buildings we already have in ways that best serves our students, including eliminating the fourth rate transition to Carbondale rather than significantly increasing our mill levy at a time when both state funding and taxpayer tolerance remain uncertain. Declining enrollment is being attributed mainly to lower birth rates, but families are also choosing neighboring districts, homeschooling, or other options. Do we understand why
023are we actively asking? These families still live in our community. They're not leaving. Gaining insight to their decisions could help us strengthen our programs, improve relationships, and better support our family our families, making our district the clear choice. With school choice open enrollment continuing to impact districts statewide, building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders is more important than ever. Instead of closing the school, let's explore alternatives. sharing administrative roles, partnering, researching grants for before and after school care, closing unused wings instead of entire buildings, and prioritizing investments in students and staff over facilities that we may not be able to sustain long term. We lack a clear, defined, long-term vision. I'm concerned about investing in buildings that are planned to later be sold again for far less than their value potentially before these investments are
024even paid off. How many buildings do we intend to maintain in 10, 15, or 30 years? If the ultimate goal is to move to a single campus model, which appears to offer the most efficiencies in student success, collaboration, and cost savings, does it make sense to invest heavily in other facilities right now? Why risk leaving one community behind when we ultimately need broad community support to pass a bond issue? Please do not shut down SACE. I urge you to pause, develop a clear long-term strategic plan, and fully evaluate opt evaluate options before moving forward. We all share the same goal, strong schools and thriving communities. A successful USD 434 is essential to that future. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. And you had somebody send you a message that only had a phone number that said
025they would like to speak. Is that person? Is that you? >> No, but I would like to speak. >> Okay. Let me find out who this is first, please. >> Sure. >> That was me. But to be honest with you, if these ladies have said everything that I would like to say anyway, and I will pass. >> Okay. So, this was you. All right. Thank you. Um, >> first of all, I would like to say that none of this is personal with any of you. This is business and we have to look at uh the reasoning and quite frankly I've looked at this for some time trying to figure it out and I can't figure out the reason and I'll give you some points to to ponder and um I'll go as quickly as I
026can. The the enrollment table on the website shows the district enrollment for 2002 at 1312 students. It shows the projected enrollment for 20 9 2025 at 896 students. That's 6 that's 416 students less in enrollment. These campuses were all in use in 2002. I find confidence in saying that the district must have plenty of room for the the current enrollment. That said, why is the board asking the public for more money for more building space? If the board closes Strand andor over campuses, what happens if the declining enrollment reverses and begins to grow? Do we just ask for more bond money, more bond issues for more buildings? You also have to realize if you close this and you sell it, it's not yours ever again. This this building is the public's building. They paid for
027it. If the board closes Scrani and or Hoverburg campuses, do you think that perhaps upset patrons will take their kids elsewhere and thus the enrollment declines further downward and here we are stuck with a 30-year bond issue might I add plus interest. That's a lot of money. Moving the kids out of Scranton or Overbrook closing the schools only alienates the patrons of Scranton and the Overbrook communities. Do you really want to upset one or two of the communities in your district? Do you want more discord in the community? Just in the past few years, the district has made channel 13 and 27 for the district discord which have upset patrons. You ready to do that again? Is this good for our communities? Is it good for our kids? Leaving the school in each community shows
028respect for each community. Respect for each community. These people live in Scranton. They pay taxes, too. And they should have the right to have their children here in their town. What are you what uh are you proposing to do is being perceived as disrespect for the patrons of Scranton over patrons? When a school leaves a small rural community, that community loses its lifeblood. Look at Estridge, Haringtonville, Do look at those talents. See what happened. The community suffers loses in many more ways. We do not have time to go over all of them right now. Homeschooling is on the rise in Kansas and many other states across the United States. School choice with tax dollars following the students going to private schools has been talked about for many years years in the state legislature. If this
029happens, enrollment could decline even further. Once again, we are stuck with a 30-year debt. As for discussion and concern over student transition, students of all ages are in constant transitions of some sort. Adults are also in transition of some sort. The old saying nothing ever stays the same is true. Try to to lessen the transition would be in essence be lessening our students learning opportunities. We learn from our adversities, successes, and failures. Transitions are possible avenues to adversities, successes, and failures. Any scored school member who is in favor of closing a school in these respective communities could easily be perceived as someone who does not understand that schools are the lifeblood of small rural communities. The last issue, bond issue for the domes. Is it paid off? >> No, it's not. >> How many more
030years do we have left pay on that? Do you one more year? >> Circular circular dome-shaped buildings are good for only one thing. Wolf Creek nuclear reactors. What a waste of our taxpaying tax dollars building such in insufficient circular spaces. I know that's not you guys that did that. I find it hard for many patrons to swallow another bond issue after that debacle, especially since it is so fresh in their minds. Discord in the district has been pre prevailent in the last few years. Perhaps the board should spend more time bringing the district together than devising ways to close community schools and further divide the district. In uh January 14th board meeting of this year at approximately 303 minutes marking mark of the meeting, Mr. Ramell Ramdale made the statement that I don't think anyone
031in this room is going to be in the district or on the board in 30 years. that so not one of the board members at the table disputed it. So it is safe to say that these current board members are asking us to commit to an expenditure of 30 years, but they will not be here to help pay for it. Can anyone on the board enlighten us as to the day and year the district officially came into existence? I lived all that. I was just a kid. July 1st that's when this became a district and it was ugly back then friends against friends family members against family members but this is what we got. Um, does anyone on the board know when the district was formed, one of the selling points was to have a
032school in each community? That's what they told us back then. We're going to have a school in each community. As the board members have, you consulted former teachers who spent their careers primarily in this district asked for for their input about closing schools. Folks like Gerald Fiser, folks like John, Bob Vonstein, Gary and Dan Blosser. What about former board members? I have a couple little notes here. I talked to a couple people that I do some things with and we were talking about um the steering committee and two of them were on the steering committee. Both of them told me that the worst schools conditionwise any other way condition of the buildings is Santa Fe Trail High School and Carbondale. The condition of the buildings are terrible. Not terrible. Not as good as Stratton. Not
033as good as Overbrook. So why would we close down one of the best buildings that we have? If you sell this building, the folks that paid for it is going to want to know how much. What are you going to get in here? What about just leaving? You've got plenty of classrooms. What about just uh leaving K through prek, K through six or seven in their hometowns? These kids can walk to school and walk home after school and not be bust all over the country. Why do we want to close a school and then put more money into a school that's not as in good condition as this one is? It makes no sense to me whatsoever. And I'm not going to, you know, I'm going to oppose it as long as it doesn't make
034any sense. Business is business. Spending taxpayers money is business. I wasn't going to do this, but I am going to read something that is was sent to me. Remember this is not personal. This is not me. This is a a knowledgeable person that could not be here. Boy, uh Faith Flory doesn't realize the board and the superintendent work for the community, not the other way around. They need to come up with a different plan than closing schools. If they clue if they close Scranton, the next step would be to close Overbrook, it's coming down the track. I guarantee you that's where the $26 million bond comes in. We have a superintendent leading the charge on all of this who has never lived in our district, has never paid t taxes in our district, and her
035children do not attend school in our district. Why is she in charge of this? Another thing and I'll leave the the the next thing is the last meeting that I watched I saw where you decided to take the administrative office out of this school. Sounds like you're already figuring on closing it. So, you're going to get that done first. You already voted on it and you decided you're going to move it back to Santa Fe Trail to a building where it once was, where it was built for that. You spent money from that building. When you moved it over here, you spent a lot of money for the administrative office here. Now, you're going to go back over there and I heard it. You're going to remodel that. What's that going to cost? Do we
036know? I thank you for your time. I hope you do not do this. Um, it's just not the right thing to do at this time. Thank you. >> Anybody else have anything they like to say? I come with a different tone than the others. >> Some of you may know me, some of you may not. I hope you remember my mated name, not just my married name. If you do know me, >> trust me, >> you got me. Okay. I grew up here in Scranton. I've lived here for 30 years. I lived in Carverdale for 5 years with my husband, who I'm pretty sure most of you also recognize. It's different being back here this time. I um I was coached by Pat in this very gym. When I walked in here tonight, there's a
037smell that I recognize. It elicits a response in me. I immediately touched the floors. I used to run suicides on these floors in this building. I hated them so bad. I walked up here at 5:00 in the morning from my house six blocks away so I could play basketball. The building that you're that you've closed in my opinion because there hasn't been a school in this town for 15 years. I literally helped build I moved from the old school into this school and I was the first eighth grade class to graduate from this building. I'm not here to relitigate this issue or to argue that the board acted without effort or intention. I recognize this has been studied and discussed for some time. I did see the Facebook posts. I do get school emails. I
038get every stupid email, phone call, and text message when there's been some sort of emergency. I appreciate that and I hate it at the same time. So, thank you. I don't feel like you have any sort of ill intentions, but I have to say Scrant being the smallest town in the district by population and is also the lowest income base of the three towns. Our medium median household income is the lowest of the three, trailing Overbrook by 10,000 and Carbondale by nearly 14,000. The fluff that you've put out there is lovely. I have I'm an hopeless optimist. I would love to see a community center. I would love to see a workforce center. I work for a national association of workforce agencies and I know what workforce centers can do for small communities. I know
039that I live in a food desert and I know that there are limited income and working options for these people in this town. I have known this for 30ome years. I have grown up with the people in this town. I don't often identify with their ideals or their morals or their political views, but I share one thing with them right now and it's a feeling of grief. I recognize there were only three Scranton residents on the staring committee for this. I thought about it for a minute and decided not to. And whether intentional or not, limited representation deepens the feelings that decisions are being shaped by neighboring towns rather than by scranting voices. Perception matters and public institutions. If people believe they are not being represented, trust in roads regardless of the process quality. We
040carry deep memories of being treated as the smaller voice in shared systems. As an adult, when I take my children to school functions, I still feel that feeling. Everybody who's ever met someone else from anywhere else and told them you're from Scranton, you know the reaction. I still feel that. Maybe you don't say it out loud, but I feel the energy. I know that my kids are probably looked at differently because they are from Scranton along with every other child from Scranton. You will not erase that feeling from me. The anger and sadness you're seeing is not hostilities for sport. It is grief. And grief is rarely tidy or polite. Schools are civic anchors. They hold memories, routines, and community pride. Expecting calm and acceptant is immediately unrealistic. Discomfort is part of governing. Leadership sometimes
041mean absorbing the frustration that follows hard choices. I recognize you have a hard choice ahead of you. Being confronted by upset constituents is not a sign the process failed. It's a sign the decision carries real consequences. If you don't know anything about Scranton, once upon a time, we were designated as a ghost town. Again, I have lived in this town for 30 years. I've seen us flourish and now I've seen us head back that way. Without a school in our town in the last 15 years, it has gotten much quieter. I know folks from the surrounding towns that want to say that you accept us as your community. You do not patron our restaurants. Can you all say that you came over and ate at Trac's restaurant while I was open? I live here and
042I never even went there. So to say that you have somehow built this community of all three towns to me is is is not the case. And I really wish that the picture could be different. When you make your decision, whatever it is, and I believe in my heart, you know what that's going to be. What our community is going to need is time to grieve. We're going to need visible acknowledgement of the loss of both times. From the time they took our school and moved it and dispersed them into other towns. And from this time, they have to grieve this feeling of hope that this was going to come back, that someday our community was going to be whole again. As I spoke about growing up here, I spent seven years, kindergarten through seventh
043grade, eight, eight years, whatever that is. I don't do math in my head. In the old school building, the contractors who built this new school took me and my best friend out for lunch at the tavern in the in the cafe here in town. It was an awesome experience as a child. I can tell you exactly where every time capsule is placed in the building of this building. I have bricks from the old building. I hoped that someday my children would get to go to school here, but that wasn't the case. And that's fine. But when this decision stands, how you walk with this community afterward will matter so much more than the decision itself. Scranton may be the smallest town in the district, but it's not small. It's not a small community in spirit
044or in history, and we can all do better. Thank you for your time. Anybody else? >> I was told that I wouldn't be respected because I didn't dress up as nice as Alicia. And I hope that's not true. But everybody's got something going on in their life. And I sit in front of this board and I watch you all listen and I know that nobody on this board lives and scream. You may have a street and address, but you didn't grow up here. I also know enough information to go Harper Valley PTA, but I won't. What I do know is I've sat across the table from you discussing your policies and your research and you didn't know what policy related to others and how they contradict each other. What I know is in this information,
045not once has anybody seen what it would cost to upgrade Scranton to keep it in in in function. But we have published on the district website that it would cost $1.6 million to abate Overbrook for asbestous that the plumbing in Overbrook needs to be redone and the bathrooms need to be replenished that the windows are leaking and there's water damage in the gym. I have members who've worked in the lunchroom at Overbrook that say it's pathetic. That kitchen isn't functioning. It can't feed the kids that are there now. You say this kitchen doesn't work, but everything was scrapped out of this kitchen to save money to fix the other schools. So, that's a cost that should be considered as well. Nothing has been published about the cost that it would take and what options were
046out there to keep Scranton running. it has been to keep the Santa Fe Trail High School going, Overbrook going, Overbrook High School and Carbondale going, Carbondale High School. But never once have you guys presented a val a valid option to keep Scranton moving. And you want to come up and talk about accountability and transparency and you're not giving it to this town. You're not giving it to this community. And yes, this is the smallest town. It is the smallest income. And as a single mom, I can't make it to all the schoolboard meetings. I can't do all the stuff that needs to be done all the time and handle everything else in life. But we see the notes. We get all the emails. We get everything else. And nothing in it includes a fair view
047at what it would take to keep this school open. That's all I My name is Ken Silver. I've lived here all my life. I went to from kindergarten through 8th grade here in the old building. My first basket in a game is there. My uh mom cheerleader here, she's 89. My dad played basketball here. He passed away at age 87. And my grandma played basketball here and she was born in 1916. So have a lot of family ties here. I understand it's it's difficult to make these decisions because it does affect everybody and I know there's a lot of emotional ties. My concern is on saving money. How are you going to get the school district out of the basement on your proficiencies in mathematics, reading, English, language? The school district used to be above
048the standard. I looked at the proficiencies now. You said you need money to pay teachers. I get that. How come we have like a 27% proficiency? You know what's being done to give our kids at above the standards? 17% of the kids in the district are at or above >> the median for mathematics. You know, we can build new schools and everything, but it's like we get our kids back to reading and writing >> above the stands. Explain that. >> How are you going to get us out of our basement? How is getting rid of this school going to get our children out of the basement efficiency? Explain that. I think these people deserve an answer. You know, maybe the decline in and people wanting to come here, if they do the research, go, dang,
049they're they're at towards the bottom. But maybe get your standards up, work with the kids, teach them what they need to be taught, help them, and get them at above that proficiency. Maybe more people want to come here. You know, people are getting taxed out. They want to add more room. Like I said, I've lived here all my life. I bought a house here in 2004. My my property tax was $1,000. Now it's six $6,000. You want all this? I get that. This community can't afford it to keep going up. Make us proficient for all the people here. People want to get out to Peeka because of the crime and everything else. give with the communities. How can we grow the district? Make it appealing. Make it a place where people want to have their
050children educated. Get the proficiencies up, you know, that's when I when I looked at those proficiencies, it really really got to me. Didn't realize it. We used to be in the 60 65% Now we're in the 20s. I know a lot's happened. >> We There's a lot we can, but what are we doing now to give us that reason >> seems to be stuck there. I haven't seen the 2025s, but it's something to consider before you think about closing school. People want their children educated. That's all I got to say. >> Would anybody else like to speak at this time? So, as many of you know, I graduated high school with an associates degree and in that I graduated from Allen County. So, they are near and dear to my heart. Yet, now we have
051students who are seniors in high school getting to go to Emporia State and those credits are going to automatically transfer. All of the kids taking Allen County classes, unless you get that degree, you don't know if they're going to transfer to a college or not. So, what happens when Allen County comes back into the county, they can't do that anymore. So, you're not only taking away education in this building, but education from a 4-year university that's going to transfer and that's going to have a larger income, a large larger impact on their educational return. So, how are we going to combat that? because that's a great you great resource to have is allowing them to go to Washurn and Emporia classes. How are we going to combat that? Cuz I'd rather have classes at Emporia
052that would transfer rather than spending my entire high school career busting my butt to get a degree so that they would all transfer. Didn't think about that. Also, where would the new pickup location for Scranton students be? Cuz this isn't a school anymore. It's not regulated. Anyone can come here. There's no staff. Who's going to watch those kids? You expect the parents just to stay here? They have to work. Um, also the school summer lunch program. That is a very utilized resource in our community, especially here. Where is that going to be held? Are they going to be expected to ride their back to ride their bike to Carbondale? Also, did you guys know how many people in our district are below the poverty line? 566. I That's 10% of the district's population. We not
053thinking about how the taxes are going to increase and that's going to cause more people to go below that poverty line. These are all questions. So, we not have responses from you guys. >> I'm happy to respond. I also was very close to getting my associates when I was in high school and all of my credits transfer. my aunt worked um for a different uh organization through the state of Kansas to actually align some of those so that more would transfer. Um she currently works for our district, but they're looking at aligning that more and more all the time. >> Yes. So to to answer that part of your question, >> yes, they are aligning those more and more, but not every single class is going to transfer. >> Sure. I also took a class
054at KU that didn't transfer to Washurn though. >> I mean, that was >> it happens all the time at Ross Universities. It's not specific to a community college. >> But if someone's going to go to Washurn, Euphoria, cuz I'm just saying cuz those are near where we are located, why would they not want to drive to that campus and take that class when they're it's going to be there already when they're going to plan to go there after they leave here? For me, it was because it was cheaper. I'm sure everybody has their own reasons, but just just to have dialect in response if you're wondering in response, which and then also, have you guys compared the jump start prices uh for each com each college and compared it to Allen County? Because from the
055numbers from what I paid for Allen County and what people are paying for that jump start program, that jump start program is a lot cheaper than what I paid for Allen County. Have we compared those prices? >> I'm not sure I understand what you're asking because we wouldn't be responsible for county. Correct. But it's um more of a standard of how like how your students are going to and how the families can afford to pay which which college level classes their kids can take. And from what I've seen, Emporia has offered cheaper classes for high school students in LA County. I luckily haven't had to look at college classes for a while, >> but I mean I feel like as if that is a great program in util in resources in our district that we
056can allow for students to take dual credit classes and we're just going to throw it away once count if Allen County comes here because they claim the county. I think postco the expectation of a fork or community college is unrealistic and unless they have given money to the district saying if you want to do this this is the enrollment we have they couldn't keep early game open they closed it and on the back roads it's just as accessible to peak as anywhere else so county coming here does not seem realistic at all thank answer about our summer meal program, what your thoughts are. I'd like to know what the concept for how this busing to other schools is going to work when there is no personel at this and fully where we drop off forms
057those questions right and so far >> yes I I think we need to respond. >> There will be a variety of operational decisions that are going to have to be made about transportation, food service. You are correct. Um we have not logistically gone through all of those based on we don't have a current resolution at this time. There's not been a decision made to close this. No different than the Allen County opportunities that we have. um it would be unwise for us to sit here and make promises about what exactly Allen County is going to offer when we are in initial infancy conversations with them. I think it's a very exciting opportunity for this community for not only our students and our patrons here to utilize Allen County and a partnership with the school district
058um but also employment. So I I would like to give you lots of information. I just think it's going to take a little bit more time once we know the direction the board of education wants to go and they task me with making sure that we have all those logistics and operational things in place. Scheduling bus pickups, operations for preschool to move over to Overbrook. Um all of those things will have to be um obviously considered and decisions made. So you are correct. I wish I had more answers for you at this time, but I know in other towns we do bus stops. I know Allen County has mentioned many things about wanting to partner with our community and our school district on the use of this facility as well as um their capacity here
059to offer courses to our high school students um which would probably serve more students than um we currently have right now and and that decline. So, I'm hoping I'm thinking very optimistically about what Allen County can still provide as a school and educational setting um for this community even though it it's not PK through 12. So, at this time, I I I don't want to pretend that I have all those answers for you with those operational questions that you have, but I do believe I have a great group of administration administrators, a great board of education that will help guide me and and work with me on on all of those decisions. And um I know even on our steering committee, we talked a lot about those things. Where does this go? Where does that
060go? How do we do this? How do we do that? We have a ton of conversations around those things in our steering committees about many of the options that have been presented for reconfiguration. Um and and some of those are unknown until we know what direction we're actually going to go. There's been no decision made on a bond. There's been no decision made on school closures at this time yet. So um that that is what I I know as of as of right now. It seems concerning that this meeting is titled about the Scranton School closure and we come here with concern about our community and you just flat out said that you have not taken into consideration the effects that the summer school lunches and all of those things would have on the school.
061>> I didn't say I hadn't taken into consideration. I said, I just don't have a definitive plan or answer to give you based on if the if this board decides tonight to close this school. There is a process then that goes a right to refusal to the Kansas legislature. They have to then sign off on that. Before any of that happens, there is not even a permissible pass to sell this to county. So, I don't think it's wise for me to sit here and tell you exactly what the plan is when there are other steps that still have to take place. One of which the board has to decide whether or not they're closing and disposing of the building, which is two resolutions. So, it's not that I don't want to tell you we haven't
062talked about these things because we have talked about school meals. We have talked about all those things, but I don't want to sit here in a public forum and make promises that um aren't guaranteed until there are three or four other decisions that have to be made. But yes, we've talked about busing. I talked to Mr. Madden the other day, Greg Drabby. We've talked multiple times about this in steering committees. We've talked about food lunch program here. I we brought breakfast this year to our preschoolers. I very much care about all those things. All these children here. I've spent 22 years of my career here and I I'm determined to make sure all of those things are are good and in place for our students. >> No offense, but how is it that we are
063supposed to trust what our board of education said when in 1968 they promised that each one of us would have school that 2009 they moved our district have all their kids at preschool that wasn't that's why they built this that didn't happen. So how is it that you expect us to believe anything school work and nobody wants to answer that? >> I I would like to answer that. I wasn't alive in 1968. Um, and so I don't know the promises. To be truthful, I don't know the promises that were made then. Um, I know that we're in a very different time than we were then. Uh, I I couldn't begin to go back and look at all the meetings and and nor do I even know if we have amendments from that far back to
064know the promises that were made then. But I can tell you that each and every one of us are doing the best that we can for our students in the district. Now, >> you are absolutely right. The time now that we're in is not anywhere near what it was in 1968. And most of the families in the school district come from two parent working households, at least two. And how are they how are how is this comfortable at all to sit here and discuss like the closing of a school and there is no clear plan that you can give us at this moment about what's going to happen with these kids busing them to Overbrook or Carbondale or the high school. Parents cannot sit here out their car. This expected they're going to they're going
065to have bus pickup somewhere a stop in town. Are they expected to I mean are I I'm just kind of baffled on the floor of buses >> and that was acceptable to the school board to sit us on the floor our kids on the floor to transport back and forth on buses. >> That was never something that was brought to our attention. >> It was because it went to the news and then we got extra buses. So there is not a concern. And if you have a transparency, if there is a plan, all we're asking for is publish that plan, put it out there. If you have something to show, maybe you'll ease people's mind by actually showing the transparency. But you're not. You're not showing the numbers to keep Scranton open in any of
066your published information, any of your previous meets. You're not having a conversation to keep Scranton in the loop. It's always the other three. Nobody here wants to see Overbreak closed. Mike, that's not why we all came here today. But that's why all the minions on Facebook want to put on is that it's just everybody's against town. There is no transparent information that you guys have actually looked into the cost of opening Scranton up and refiguring to keep a school active in this town. And none of you sitting on this board have anything to do with this town. So, no, nobody here has faced with that decision because you're not being transparent in in Dana's defense when she said 1968. I think he left that in 1997 also that promise >> when that other promise was
067made. So, that's that's less than 30 years. And do you know that there's already rubbings people are happy? I have the kids anymore club >> but there's already rumblings. So you think your numbers are hemorrhaging now? >> Test scores are better, you know. I I don't know. But but know that people are angry. People feel not found. And so that's that's a you know there's been conversations made what does it take to get a vote to change districts talking about cost ESU is half price just so you everybody knows they're half price I know that's the cost. >> This is I will say that you guys are trying to promise us that we will have a great workforce program here which I think would be wonderful. I think that is a great thing. But I
068will say if you go back in history you guys didn't find And then Allan went to Berling. After Allan went to Berling, they found out that there was not enough students there to keep them going. That's why they call internet. They left this facility that they already had, but they didn't have you guys already said no to them once. They have buck our account for rent. So I don't see that as a positive. I still >> What are you voting Yes. >> Are we going to be voting on it like right now? >> No, not right now. >> So, >> possibly at our regular meeting. >> Yes, that's a meeting. >> This this is the hearing that we're having for this and then when this is adjourned, we're going to have our regular meeting following
069this and we have an agenda item to discuss it at our regular meeting. Okay. >> But not not now during this hearing. Does anybody else have anything any comments at this time? >> My name is Melinda Barnes. My three daughters went to school. Uh we live, my husband and I moved to Scranton in 1997. Uh, I've lived this in this town for that long and I can guarantee you most of these people don't even know who I am because I am an introvert and I don't talk. I hate public speaking. I do not waste my words on things that I do not think are concerning. This is concerning. When my neighbor comes to me to ask me to come somewhere and I see another neighbor here is as concerned. I think you have all heard
070enough from the people who have lived here longer than me have gone to this school to realize that your vote should be put off before and you do more research. You need to research the community. First of all, I'd like to know how many of you have business degrees. Who has a business degree? Ammonia. I rest my case right there. I don't think you guys have really put the research to make this vote. This community has been devastated in the time that I've been here. I don't know what it was before, but I I know that the stigma because my my kids have felt it. You've heard it in people here. And it does cause problems in the schools. and doing this decision without the research that you flaged just by hearing. And your non-response
071is telling me that you're rushing this and you haven't given it the consideration that it really should be given. You are impacting a community. You are impacting your s you're you're impacting Santa Fe Trail. It can backfire. And you can lose more students. Berling games just down the way. How many will go there? They these people from what I've heard just observing feel defeated. They're angry. They're upset because whenever anything happens, Grant is the one that takes the punishment. And this isn't this is just me observing things over the years. This has nothing to do with anything else. I think you guys are rushing into this for whatever reason. And I understand you have concerns about and you have budgets and stuff like that, but I really don't think that you have given the research
072that this really deserves. And I think you need to step back and put the vote off. do more research and I think you need to make it a little more clear to the people of Scranton what exactly your plans are. You don't know Topeka is moving out. People don't want to live there anymore. They are coming south north wherever they can go. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Carbondale ends up in 10 years, 15 years a suburb of Topeka. So, you may have more people coming in in the years in in in future years. I don't think you've given it a long-term plan. And I think you need to do that. I think you need to work with the city of Scranton to make other options for the building. If you do plan, if
073it's inevitable, fine. But I think you need to do more research on how to save the community that you think that you want to help because this is not doing it. And it's been said and people are not happy with the decision. And right there should give you pause. Pause to even vote on it tonight because if you don't if you have un happy people, that means you're not doing your job. And the fact that you guys don't have business degrees except for one, you need to thought maybe look at outsource people to help you make the decisions. That's all I'm going to say. >> Anybody else have anything at this time? >> I just have a few numbers to throw out real quick. Um, just so you guys are aware, this is from Casey's
074Instagram. Um in 2009 when we um merged when this building lost um K through 8th grade um KC reduced protracted by 22%. Then when we lost our summer ball teams under we through the summer months we lost 11%. So what happens when this have we thought about that we might not have economic I would really like to see impact you guys really circumstanced AC like Harvard and Berlin. We ain't get that because our business is going down. So we may not name this little piece of art, but it is a big deal for us. The fact that we had those without I I'd like to say I don't want our silence to be mistaken for lack of research because we have poured a ton of time and effort into this. Pardon? >> We're not sharing.
075Well, we've shared it in our public meetings that have been open for years and you you're you're giving us the history, but I don't know if there's been recent history with that because years this has been talked about and we've been inviting public, we've had town hall meetings and so I just feel compelled to say that out loud that we have had town hall meetings, we have invited people, we wanted people to be involved, we wanted the community's voice involved in this and I think that's important to know. That's why the steering committee was developed. That's why we've done all of these things. This our district has be has been reconfigured what three or four who has who has money through the spring. >> So tell me what Carell has ever lost other than kids.
076Tell me what Overbrook has ever lost other than having kids. I'd like to know because I haven't worked out any of that. >> I I wasn't on the board then. I'm talking about right now. >> Okay. >> And so I you know trying to move forward because I I don't have any influence on what's happened in the past. But where we have stuck with that already and what decisions we make is going to affect us on. >> You you asked why people weren't answering your question. I was attempting to do so. But I will say that there's been a ton of research done, a ton. And and no, I don't have a business degree, but we are all intelligent people. >> But if I'm not answers either, >> you've done all the research, but you
077don't have any resolutions. >> We don't have any resolutions because we've not voted on anything yet. >> Okay. You haven't even considered apparently what possibly could happen with our summer meal program. You can't poss you can't even giving us possible answers for what's going to happen with the busing situation with our kids, but yet you're going you're ready to vote on it. You can't make such a decision. That's BS. >> I will I will respectfully interject and the fact that you were town hall meetings, but as far as I'm aware, there was no notice that went out to the citizens of Scranton about a town hall in this town because, like they've mentioned, they're not on the blast for school district website. The mayors have never been contacted about the possibility of this happening. The
078board's never reached out to the city that that he's aware of to have it discussed. So, >> how would you like for us to communicate? Well, apparently Facebook >> Well, I No, this is a this is a legitimate question. How would you like because we do emails, calls, text, >> not everybody lives in the digital age. >> So, how there's newspapers, there's public bulletin boards, there's city council meetings that you can attend that you can attend as a partner of a representative of the school to say, "Hey, this is a possibility. Those branches haven't been outreached here. they haven't been extended on this side. So I I I will admit my naivity that I assume everything was in the best interest for the communities and that was wrong on my part and I will do
079better going forward. But you can't say that Facebook is going to cover it all because as you said there's been many generations covered here and not all generations use Facebook or social media platforms. So don't throw it back on us. And how would we like you to? We would like you to have the forethought to communicate with your whole community. >> Newspaper, city council meetings, Facebook post, phone calls. We have a representative in the newspaper here tonight. So I don't want to get into an argument with you about it. That's the best meeting. >> They were they were >> But there hasn't been a town hall here. >> There was a town hall. There was two town hall >> or mail letters. The majority of the noninvolat. >> Does anybody have a comment about the
080closure of the school? Communications is separate issue. Lunch programs is a separate issue. Transportation in the future is a separate issue. This hearing is about the closing of the school. If you have any more comments about that, please do so now. If not, we're going to move forward. Can you just answer why you think that that wasn't about the closing of the school? Those are two just two major things. School program or the school lunches and the buses that affects all the kids. So, how does that not go to >> Mr. I can't hear I can't hear too well. >> I just want to say I have been on council where for the last three years I have heard anybody judgement council or ask about the utilities and that's all I hear about the hire
081from my perspective there'll help other council that's on board with it if we want to work with the school to make something work but I just I I just see the other guy Facebook again supposedly that cost too much to run over here nobody's checked in. I know when they first built this building, it was kind of high. I know it's got a lot higher, but that's something that you should have come to a meeting or had somebody come in and ask the city how they utilities, but I heard about it. I seen it on the thing. So, I just bring it up. There is some council will work a little bit trying to work with the whole town office right now. We got other issues going on but is notable to work. We don't
082have a whole lot of screw. It's one of the things I'm sure they rather lose a few dollars on their account than go to school. This song ever. This last call I know of when I first got council and we came down here to school. You guys had a blessing meeting about trying to figure out what to do with school and that's all I wanted. I'm not a computer. I'm always working. I don't know what to tell you about how to get a hold of people, but that's why I have I'm busy all the time. Unless you put it like on the city's everybody. I have a special meeting over schools double check board meetings. I know what it's like, but I mean, everybody's out there and most of the time the same thing. You
083got to group. I just want to make sure that what I see on Facebook can't afford it. Nobody's ever approached the city about being a problem. Nobody's ever really approached somebody. I have the last three years, but other than that, I work for city. I know people abilities, but I've never been down to ask anybody. That's all I have. Make sure I just want to add on to that as well. When you asked about a house from the city of the city, the school park and brought it to the city brought it to the city. What can we do to fix this? causing a problem for our students immediately took action and would have not but cleaned up that property to not cause again a harmful. So I just want you to take that in
084consideration because it shows is Thank you folks. Um at this time we're going to adjourn this hearing. Um I'd like to take a 5m minute break before we open our regular meeting. Thank you all for coming. I thought you were done. You miss this. You miss it. Feels great. >> Well, it's we got a lot of stuff going on. >> Okay. Is it I don't know if it's that or the tax system. This is hanging. >> Oh yeah. I'm just The other part is here. Why don't you just cover? Oh, I That's right. My Okay, folks. We're going to we're going to open our regular board meeting at this time. At this time, I'd like to call our meeting to order. Okay. Ordering approval of agenda. >> Amy, we have we have a add consent
085agenda and we also have a ad. >> Correct. Okay. Does anybody have anything else like change? >> Motion to approve as amended. >> We have a motion to approve. >> Second. All in favor? Uh 3.0 HTTP Stephanie has Stephanie to see you. >> Just a request. Sorry. Goodbye. What are you doing? You going to hear it now? Okay. >> Stephanie is not with us. >> All right. >> I've been with you this whole time. >> Okay. So, we need to >> all step back. So, we did all that. We had a motion and a second for the consent. >> All in favor of what? I'm so sorry. >> The consent. The consent agenda. >> Continue the meeting. >> The consent. >> Consent agenda. Yes. I approve >> the approval of >> approval of agenda. >>
086I'm sorry. I said that wrong. The approval of the agenda. >> Yes, >> you got that guy. >> Okay. All right. That takes us to 3.1. HGK Architects here. All right. So, thanks for having us back. It's been a few months since we were here. Um, we provided some information to you uh previously that is a summary of where we've been. And tonight we're really here just to answer questions and to listen from you if there's more things that we can do or provide more clarity and information that's been provided. We had a discussion at our last meeting in regards to the two versus three campuses. I provided you with um a couple of questions and deliverables. I'll be asked to kind of review uh the three campuses again. Um we had a couple board
087members that wanted to look at that. And then we also wanted some considerations on the costs of um deferred maintenance and projects that were needed in all of our schools um outside of new construction or remodeling for the two or three campuses. So you eliminating that piece of it and looking at deferred maintenance, total costs and removing those pieces. So I think that's what our deliverables were. Correct. Okay. So I'll let you guys explain a few of those things and then you guys can ask questions. Um so on page number 12 that one has the three campus option and where it's looking at specifically um the deferred maintenance at each of the buildings. That's um that's the whole presentation. >> Did you get Is this the one that they sent yesterday? >> Is that the
088new one? I sent it today edited. Should be. >> Um does that look right? >> No. Sorry. Uh but that one that we can use that slide that'll work. Um so if we were to look at each of the buildings um the Overbrook deferred maintenance is about 1.2 million, Carbondale was 2.5 million and Santa Fe Trail High School is 11.8. So if it's looking at the cost of deferred maintenance just at each of those buildings some of the difference between this slide. This was a previous slide from um earlier presentations and why those cost difference from the 8 to 13 million depends on how many improvements you're doing at the high school. Some of the things like the band room and the under size of the band room. um if you're including that or not
089including that in this scope of work or if you're considering that deferred maintenance or not is where that difference comes out between um now looking at the 15 million which is what was in the latest presentation so maintenance for carbonale overbrook and high I don't know. >> Is it 15.5? >> 15.5. I can move closer. >> Maintenance, but it's also looking at programmatic. So, that number does include the band room. Did you want the band included for that or do you want that? All the construction remodel. >> I probably my question well. I think my my big focal point was the foundation on the east side there by the office. Um the sagging there was safe. I mean those uh are what I was looking >> those specific line items. >> I think I sent
090the line items to you. So there was a slide for that one. Um it was 16 in the last >> you said page 16. >> Yeah. >> It's titled estimate and it's after the building plans >> on that page. Did that include the junior high out there as well or was that just the foundational? >> That was just the foundational. You pulled that information out. >> But ultimately that's the same wall, right? I mean, if you're going to do that repair then as folks have talked tonight and as we're looking then that's something if you add on to that east side, you'd be >> Yes. >> getting back in there. >> All right. Heat. Heat. That was my my primary question was that the differences I had every answer two versus three. So, so I
091guess my my thought is we look at the if we look at a bond right or resolution if it's 9 and 11 just to fix everything right now what we need to do but then if the plan is to get a two campus option long term 15 20 years from now eight or nine of that's going to be foundational repairs we're already in right now we could be starting another three or four extra million 15 years from now going back to the same spot we were staff or is it necessary to to do something sooner go to two campus versus three or fix it now? I guess that that was my big question was what what's the cost of just sitting fix what you have or we have to fix that a free campus option
092and then what else needed to be done wherever >> that was 8 to 11 >> yes >> from what I saw That's it. >> If you're if you're concerned about programmatic needs like the band room increasing the size of the band room, that's when it got to 15.5. >> Yeah, that did not address the band room. Van, you know what? 101 students or less compared to what we actually have in band. >> So the 15.5 did address the band. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> It also had additional CT as well. >> I'm sorry. >> Additional CTE. It didn't have anything with the middle school. So it didn't have wrestling or a gym. >> You guys have additional CTE classrooms. >> Yes. or that additional uh new edition >> in the new edition had the else.
093>> Does that cover anything? >> The only other thing that I added that we didn't have last time was the schedule of the gyms and the gym usage. Um, that's something just to for you to look at. I don't really have anything to note, but just on the schedule you can see um you can diagram that information on which gym was used in what way to help to see that. >> Thank you guys. >> Appreciate your time. >> Y my I'm sorry. Okay, that brings us to 4.0 consent agenda. Anybody have any questions? Motion to approve as amended. >> Okay, motion to approve. >> Second. Is this all in favor? And we need to ask Stephanie call. >> Yes. >> Got that, Amy? >> Yep. >> All right. Thank you. Okay. 5.0. Um, executive session
094legal matter. How much time do you need? >> 20 and we need to invite Mr. >> Stephanie >> and Stephanie shut her off here and I'll call her >> make sure that we Mr. >> Mr. Mr. President, I will be going to executive session to consult with board attorney pursuant to the exception for matters which would be deemed privilege in the attorney client relationship under coma. And the open meeting will resume in the gym at 8:12 with Faith Lori and Greg Cohen present and Stephanie Ganger via telephone. Okay, we have a motion. >> Second right here. All in favor? Stephanie? >> Yes. Okay, thank I make a motion that we extend our executive session to 8:30. back in the session. Thank you for waiting. Andy, do you have Stephanie back here with us? >> I
095She has >> Yes, I'm here. >> Okay, thank you. >> Okay, that brings us to the personnel report. Do you have anything that you need to add to this? Does anybody have any questions for this? >> Yes. >> I don't need you. >> If you need five minutes. Okay. Five minutes for uh Executive session to discuss personnel. >> Mr. President, I will be going through executive session to discuss personnel pursuant to non-elected personnel exception under coma and the open meeting will resume in at 8:36 with faith present via. Okay, we have a motion second. All in favor? Yes. personnel report I want to remove on the approval for Carrie Greg Wire's transfer. So the um the other recommendations for employment of personnel make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. So we have a
096recommendation to approve deployment of personnel minus carriage transfer. A motion here and a motion. Second here. All in favor? Okay. Second. >> Yes. >> Then I'll I'll make a motion to uh approve the recommendation transfer require. >> Okay. So we have a motion. >> I'll second >> and a second here. All in favor? >> Yes. opposed. Okay. Thank you. All right. Uh 7.0 administrators. >> Mrs. Bolt, you look like you want to go first. You're reaching for your computer. >> You guys can come up here if you like. Oh, you have a mic. >> All right. Is this good? >> Okay. Um, word goal four for us this month was community involvement. Um, and it talks a lot about how we communicate with our families. So, for us at Overbrook, we use our Facebook page,
097classroom newsletters, my building newsletter, um, district newsletters that come out from the superintendent to share all of our important information, celebrate success, and keep our families informed. Um we also have really been trying to recognize staff and community members through some of these um so that we can share that information with families. And then we have talked previously um in past meetings about how like when we would have people come for our districtwide site council um sometimes it's overwhelming with all the different facets of communication. So, we had talked in a previous board meeting about looking into parent square as a primary communication piece um so that we are able to just have that one faucet where you can go and find all of the information. So, we're hoping that will streamline our message. Um
098and then I talked a little bit in here about our steering committee meetings um that we had in all of the buildings and allowing for that open dialogue and community input. And then it talks about partnership with communities. Our biggest partnership is Overbrook Parks and Recreck. They use our facilities for a lot of components, um, summer camp, uh, Overbrook basketball, volleyball, all of those pieces. And then we always distribute community flyers so that our students can get into sports and then sign up for like that summer camp. Um, and that gets a lot of our things. And then we'll hit charger of the month. I have one little charger of the month. We got the preK through five student. Her name is Lillian Williams. If you went to the wrestling, she was our rookie wrestler
099of the year at Tournament of Champions. So, she got to go out and present um to the Hall of Famer. So, that was super exciting for her. But when Miss Corey came over and read all about her friendship, her kindness, her ability to love and care about everybody, um, regardless of boy, girl, older, younger, um, just that true passion to be a good friend. Uh, fun fact just for today, I swear I was going to talk about her here today and she said I said, "What'd you tell your brother? Because now you also got charger of the month." And she goes, "He, why?" He said he got charger of the year. like one lower and I said that is not true. So we had to spit but she's a great kid >> questions. Um well
100CIC we've got a lot going on in the last month. The big news of of the the week was uh last week we had our spelling be the county spelling be. We sent two representatives uh from Carbondale the county subway v and our Amberlin Thompson won the county as spelling be so she will be moving on to the state subway be in salina uh next month >> March come in next month so that's kind of big news um did make that change with this Bissell procedures and that seemed to have gone very well um I think the uh you look at the communication goal I don't know why things but making a change like that mid year really worked that communicating with the community um talking to the neighbors around the school and made that
101change and so far after day two it seems to be working very very smoothly so hopefully that continues. Um fifth grade's enjoying Starbase. Uh we did have a CAC family night last night. Uh had the book fair open last night. They did very well at the book fair. It was great to see parents come in with their kids pick up books at the book fair. We had some bean bags and some some blow up chairs in the gym. They sat down and read with their kids. It was kind of cool. That was fun to see. So, Charger of the Month. We had three Chargers of the month. Uh this month, uh we had the classified Charger of the Month, Heather Sage. She's a bearer for us there. Does a great job. Very quiet. Uh just
102kind of kind of sneaks around the school. You don't really see her, but she does a lot for us. She's great with kids. Uh she keeps our she comes in every morning, cleans up our lounge for us. uh cleans up the coffee pots, makes a new fresh coffee, and uh Faith was telling me this. She goes, "That's because I can't stand the mess." But uh he's a great person. Uh Jason Duncan was a uh Chargeman, our teachers, and Jason just does a great job. He's coaching right now. Uh plus he is doing all the PE classes. And so I think see the picture of Jason. He's there with all his class. They all jump in the picture with them. So that was fun. And then we had a fourth grader, Corin Thompson. Uh, another student
103out of Miss Greywire's class. She's kind of got a little club going there this year of Chargers of the Month. Uh, great kid. Uh, a lot of a lot of writers on how how nice she is, how kind she is, every hard worker. So, it was a big Charger of the month for >> All right, athletics and activities at the junior high. We got a lot going on. Uh, FPLA participated in districts on January 29th. Uh, we did really well there. We had three students finish in third place in their respective categories. Uh two students finish second and we had one student finish in first place in their category at FLA districts. Uh boys basketball is winding down. Eighth grade is currently three and six and is in fifth place in the league. Our seventh
104grade has a big game tomorrow. They're at 8-1 right now in second place only behind Burlington who which is who they play tomorrow. So, that'll be a big game tomorrow at CAC. Come out and support uh our junior high boys. Uh their league tournament is next Saturday. 8th grade will compete at Iola. 7th grade will compete at Wellsville. And then next Thursday, we still need one more volunteer to help out with Scholar Bowl. So, if anybody would like to be a moderator or judge, you know who to go to. Well, at the high school, we uh never seem to slow down. uh coming along with the athletic season kind of carrying on the Lawson. Uh coming up to the end of the season, postseason play, our teams are doing very well. Very proud of what
105we're accomplishing this winter. Uh kind of just moving on from the success we saw in the fall and and moving through the season really well. So, please come out and uh catch some events before uh we start hitting postseason play and then join us for that as well. uh in terms of our the work full with the community involvement uh without being redundant uh we do a lot of the same things as uh OSC and CAC or the elementary with junior high. However, I do want to point out that for community involvement I do believe that the high school has has seen an increase. So I'd like to say that the community has come out and supported us and demonstrated the involvement and the support and I really appreciated that. uh going to highlight kind
106of what we did uh in the fall in terms of homecoming uh with one of the largest uh events that we have hosted and then looking at all the sporting events that people come out for anything that we have going on in terms of activities like the music pool I'm very pleased with community involvement so obviously communication is getting out and we are trying to make some personal connections with uh everybody that we can so that they can support our students and we can seeuh what our students have to offer and reach their fullest potential. Uh Chargers of the month. So I I'm very pleased with uh who we selected as a student. Uh celebrate this young man. Got a freshman Clayton Lang. Uh had so many positive things written about him. He is a
107sweet kid. Does not know a stranger. He his it's like his duty to make sure that you are having a good day and if he thinks you're down, he can come up and talk to you. So, uh, very, very impressive Clayton. Uh, very pleased that he got Trevor going. And then on the staff side, uh, a new addition to our staff this year. It was Rose Herurland, our math teacher. Uh, very great addition to our team at the high school. She came right in and we talk about value added. She's been able to, uh, jump in and support that department and students and do some very impressive things and has been a great uh, addition to this center. And I do want to give one more kind of little thing, a little plug for our
108juniors. Uh this is the ACT month for us. So juniors are either going to take the ACT exam or the ACT work key. So if you know a junior, give us some support, a little shout out, raise some encouragement because it's a big moment for them. questions. >> Um, I would like to talk on behalf of Scranton Attendance Center. I've got actually Julie for here tonight, so she can she wants to add anything she can want to, but she can't. Maybe. Um, so for community involvement, I think our preschool's done an excellent job of engaging our families and our community surrounding us. Um, we've had great connections with our community and activities we've done here. We are going to have another music concert for our preschoolers. We had probably 400 people in this gym last
109spring, even when it was raining down rain. So, we're going to do that again. Um, our enrollment process is trying to get a little bit more thorough in how we um bring students in and our screenings have really helped with that. We have six screenings that we do for our birth to uh to 5-year-olds at the preschool. We do six, seven a year. We have a big one in the in the summer as well. So, that's a great way for us to engage with our future coming to preschool and help us gauge um where we're at in our numbers and enrollment. So, that's been really good. They also enroll online now. They used to not do that in the past, but we actually have them enroll online and go through that process with us. So,
110it helps us roll them over into the next school year. Obviously, one of the board goals is about engaging parents in that enrollment process to make those pieces um valuable. And then, um Julie puts out a newsletter every month. Um they still communicate on Seessaw. We um What else, Julie? There's a lot any others. Okay, that was pretty good. I think that was a good list. Okay, that's for the preschool. So, and we did not charge up the month for this month. It was over for PK3. So, congrats. >> Did you have anything tonight or are you good? >> Any questions? Okay. Thank you everybody. All right. Um Okay. Okay. 9.1 uh adopt resolution uh Scranton Preschool and DAC center to close. Just resolution. Whereas ASA 72-1431 authorizes the board of education of any unified
111school district to close any school building by majority vote of the board and whereas unified school district number 434 Oage County Kansas timely published notice of and a public hearing on the 11th day of February 2026 to hear and consider testimony and evidence on the proposed building closure. And whereas the board of education and unified school district number 434, Osage County, Kansas, has found and determined that the closing of Santa Fe Trail USD 434 school district admin administrative center would improve the school system of the unified school district. yet resolved by the board of education of unified school district number 434 county Kansas in a meeting lawfully assembled on the 11th day of February 2026 that the Santa Fe Trail It's okay that the Santa Fe Trail USD 434 preschool and district administrative center shall
112be closed at the end of the 2526 school year adopted by the president of education unified school district number 434 Oage County Kansas the 11th day of February 2026 Thanks. >> Okay. That is a motion for resolution. Do we have a second? >> I'll second. >> Stephan second. >> Yep. >> All in favor? >> Yes. >> Second. Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. All right. That will bring us to 9.2. Approve to dispose of Scranton preschool district administrative center property. Not that Whereas Unified School District number 4340 Oage County, Kansas is a unified school district and governmental subdivision of the Kansas, excuse me, of the state of Kansas existing by and under the authority of the statutes of state of Kansas and which provides educational services to the children of Oage County, Kansas. Whereas unified
113school district number 434 Oage County wishes to address the loss of revenue resulting from declining enrollment by consolidating facilities and reallocating district resources. And whereas Unified School District number 434 Osage County has determined that to better utilize staff, reduce operation costs in area preschool students, the Scranton Preschool/district administrative center located at 104 South Bing Avenue, Scranton, Kansas, is no longer deemed necessary for educational or administrative purposes. Now therefore be it resolved by unified school district number 434 county Kansas that's granted preschool/d district administrative center located at 104 south avenue screen Kansas is no longer deemed necessary for educational administrative purposes and in accordance with Kansas law has directed this disc >> okay we have a motion we have a second all in favor Stephanie Yes. >> Okay. Thank you everybody. That brings us to 9.3
114approved 2026 2027 school calendar. Anybody have any questions or changes you'd like to make? >> At this time it's um the recommendation of the committee, the calendar committee. Uh we meet every year, have representation from each building. Uh we went through this. Amy Hill guides us through our appropriate minutes that are mandated by the state and hours. And then we looked at our master calendar from last year, rolled over dates that we felt were appropriate to roll. um kept a few pieces in there uh such as the homecoming date and um and then if we have any amendments to the calendar based on preschool screenings, those screenings are based on this or next year's dates that coincide with the current calendar we have. So if any of those change, I'll bring those amendments to you.
115Otherwise, um the recommendation is what is in front of you. Motion to approve the 26 27 calendar. >> Second. >> Motion. Second. All in favor? >> Stephanie? >> Yes. >> All right. Uh 9.4. Uh Mr. Lewis is asking us for approval of the service dog. Correct. >> Yes. So before um three so Jess Lewis is an employee of three lakes educational cooperative. He is a special education teacher in an um a practicum school site student right now. So he is the mentor to finalize his school psych uh degree. During that time he has uh approached three legs about getting a service dog that we can use in our school district for special education services. We already have um two dogs that went through I believe both went through the CARES program. >> Yeah, both CAMS
116went through the CARES program. This dog would also go through that same program. So, Three Lakes wanted each uh board to first get approval um before they approved it as a pre-walk to make sure you guys were okay with them coming our schools and working with um our students, but that it would be handled by one of Three Lakes employees. >> This is just for approval to get the dog, right? Not for budgeting or anything. >> No, no, that's on us. That's all three legs. They just wanted us to say we were okay with them moving forward with that for for three legs. Yes. We're not a part of it. They just want to make sure we were okay with the dog coming into our our schools. >> I'll make the motion to approve the
117service dog. Great. So, we have a motion >> and a second. All in favor? Stephanie? >> Yes. >> Thank you all. All right, that brings us to um a student matter. We need executive session. How much time would you need for that? >> 10 minutes. Okay. With Steph. All right. Okay. Mr. President, I move we go into executive session to discuss confidential student information pursuant to the exception related to actions adversity or favorably affecting a student in the coma. And the open meeting will resume the gym at 9:08 with present right here. All in favor? Stephanie? >> Yes. Okay. Sorry. Back in the session. That brings us to 12.0 school security matters. You have how much time do you need for that? >> 15 minutes. Okay. Um Will there be any action taken after this
118session? >> Folks, just so you know, there'll be no action taken after this session. >> 15 minutes. >> Thank you, Mr. President. I will go into executive session to discuss matters relating to information system security measures pursuant to the exception of coma for school security matters to ensure the security of the school its buildings andor its systems is not jeopardized and no meeting will resume from the gym with Faith Flory Andy Lommy and Stephanie excuse me Faith and Lomire president and Stephanie Gar president via phone uh open meeting will resume the gym at 9:27 Okay. Motion. >> Second. All in favor. >> Yeah. That brings us to 13.0 or 34. Do you have anything you want to bring us on this? >> Last night, >> can you turn your light on, please? last night. Um,
119we have to have it Tuesday. >> Yeah, next week for special director. So, I will be there. Dave will be there. It was a combination of uh board members and superintendent interview. >> We're doing all our interviews on 17th >> interviews will be during the day >> at three lights in London. >> Yeah. >> And uh things like that process KSB is on that. Feeling that? >> Yeah. >> Any questions on the next report? Okay, we're journed. Thank you all for coming.