Board Meeting - Feb 26 2026

001Good evening and welcome. Let's go ahead and call the meeting to order. Call the meeting to order. Here we are, February 26 at 5:30 p.m. Going to go ahead and get started. District celebrations. Well, thank you very much, Dr. Wright, and members of the board of directors. As always, it is a privilege me for me to stand before you and highlight some of the wonderful volunteers and community partners that support our school district. But before I get started, Jackie and I would like to take the opportunity to invite each of you, including our beauty of viewing audience here and at home to our volunteer appreciation event that we will be having in April on April 21st. The VIPS board will be personally welcoming all of our volunteers to the Garden of Gratitude on the evening

002of April 21st. So we look forward to seeing all of you there. Uh on the slide that Pam is displaying, we've provided two important QR codes. One is to the awards nomination link and the other is to the event RSVP. So we encourage you to not only come to our event, but encourage your schools to nominate outstanding volunteers and partners. That's what we're all about, saying thank you. So thank you to some of our district's most dedicated volunteers. We appreciate you. I encourage you to plant the date on your calendar, jump on your tractor or whatever ride you prefer, and come celebrate a year rooted in service with all of us. Again, uh our garden of gratitude. So, tonight I have the pleasure of introducing four faith-based groups that serve with our students in the

003STEP encourager program. And I'm going to ask Natalie Hunt to come up here and join me. She is the um encourager liaison with the STEP program and she's helped engage these partners specifically working as encouraers which means these individuals come into the schools each week and work with two students in the course of an hour and so it's making a great onetoone student impact and we're grateful for that. So she's going to help me uh recognize these individuals. Okay. Now Dr. Wright and board of directors y'all are going to have to stay alert. >> Okay. and conscientious because as we recognize these schools, you know, if you represent them and we want you in their picture, we want you in all of them, Dr. Wright. And so, please help us do that because they're going

004to come down and join us and Jack's going to take your photo. Okay? So, thank you for that. Uh, we also want to thank Mary Carol Peterson. She's the executive director of Encourager. She's been uh doing this for a while and she's been engaged in the district forever. So, we're appreciative of her. So, uh, first we're going to recognize Stevens. So, I believe that Dr. Wright, you can come join us. You'll be here permanently. And is that you? >> We're still in our old zones, right? >> Yes. Okay. Just making sure. >> I don't think there's been an election yet, has >> I know, right? I'm just making sure. >> Let's just pretend there's >> And so you're Yes. And you can get step back with Dr. Wright or however Jack would like to have

005you. The exciting thing this is 501 church who is working with this organiza uh working with Stevens uh Keith Williams is the pastor and also is a step employee. So we're appreciative of that. >> Yeah. Tell me who you are. I'm sorry. >> I'm Carrie Manny. I'm the assistant principal of >> Miss Manny. I've never met you. Nice to meet you. So, do I bet you appreciate this program coming to your school? >> I do. I certainly see it helping our students. >> Well, well, thank you for that. And we have a plaque for your school out in the foyer. So, I want you to be sure to pick it up. Okay. Well, thank you. Okay. I'm going to introduce the next group. And I know I know Principal Elely would is excited about this

006group, too. >> Yes, she is. >> So, and I know her. I I'm I'm sorry I have never met you. Um, okay. This the next group we'd like to introduce is St. James United Methodist Church who is supporting Fullulbright Elementary. And I believe that's Joyce Wesley. Is that correct? >> Am I guessing correctly? >> Yeah, you are. Okay. And Principal Jackson's all excited about this. I know. I I call I called her and I said, "Miss Jackson, who's going to be working with these dedicated volunteers?" And she said, "Me. I am. I'm going to make sure this happens." And you know, St. James is right across the street from school. >> And gratefully, they have been partners many years and come and gone. and during co and you'll see them late you'll see them on

007information later in the program too. St. James is touching a lot of different schools but we're grateful for their engagement as a a step partner for sure. >> Yeah. So >> wonderful. my daughter who was over there following the program and so um and they come every Tuesday and she >> microphone microphone >> and she loves this program and the one thing she did tell me was I feel so good after meeting with Miss Emily so that that's >> my kids the encourager title right there are encouraers you know kids like they love it folks follow up with them. So, thank you for that. Thank you, Mr. Okay, so let's see. We have we have two at McDermott. So, who are my McDermott school representatives here? Y'all, Scott, please come on up. And um yeah,

008we I have all I have your uh your plaques here cuz y'all had several. So, I wanted to make sure it doesn't matter who holes. We're going to we're going to recognize uh Christ Community Church first. Uh we're excited about their involvement at the school. They have Jeff Jessica Stag at the church helping with this and Pastor Will be. And you know there I know Principal Dos excited. >> Yes, >> absolutely. And you just it's your school has flourished with volunteers this year. I went to their partner lunchon and it was fabulous. Fabulous. So, we thank I'm going to hold that for you because you have others. We're going to thank Christ Community Church for their participation. >> Absolutely. Oh, did you not get it with your plaque? I don't want to. >> Okay. I

009was probably standing in your way. See, Jack has to give me the right directions here. Wait, let me give Pam this. Thank you. Okay. And also we're going to rec She's juggling. See, she's juggling plaques because she has something. We're also going to recognize as a step encourager, we're going to recognize Pleasant Valley Church of Christ. And do we have any representatives from the church? And she has her flag there already. Thank you for coming. Do you actually work as a step encourager at the school? We got to hear from you. >> Yes. Uh >> we are grateful. They actually are the ones that hosted the uh partner lunchon that McDerman had just recently. Would you as an encourager, would you like to inspire us and just say a word? You can do it. Well,

010we've done it for several years. And I think that we just really enjoy going in and visiting with the students. you know, we only get about 30 minutes, but just that 30 minutes I think of the dedicated time where the kids know each week and they depend on that um stability of that person coming in each week and you know, do we accomplish great things? >> I know you do. >> But it's you know, I think it's >> what keeps you going back as a volunteer. >> Um just the kids enjoy. So every everyone in this room can sign up and get inspired and encouraged. Thank you for doing that. >> It's a very little bit of time during your week and it means a lot to the kids. >> A lot. Thank you. I

011appreciate you. Okay, so my dermatic group can stay up here because y'all still have more, but I'm going to let Natalie say just a couple of words about step since we are concluding the step portion. >> But here, >> Two words. Which way do I face? Cuz I don't want to have my back. No, we would love to have any of you. Uh it makes such a difference and it's such a privilege for us to be able to come into the schools, ordinary people going in making a connection one on-one, eye contact across the table, side by side, um just giving life support because life is hard. And so that really spills over into their day and making it fabulous for them. So, >> well, thank you for supporting this program in our school. We

012appreciate you, Natalie. Okay. Okay. So, my I'm going to hand the microphone over to my colleague Jackie Merrill. She has some other partnerships she'd like to share with you as well. We're doing this as best we can. So, as as you've already heard, McDermott was a busy busy place. Um this next recognition is for Cap Capitol Community Church and that who has also joined McDermott as a partner in education. Um this is a new church. The pastors moved from Kat and are building their congregation here since 2024. Um we know that one-on-one time with our students is important, but you know what opens a lot of doors too is food. Um, and it's something that, uh, Pastor Miranda, his wife, often says, you know, food is a way to open doors. And that is a

013great, uh, mission that they are giving to the students and staff at McDermott and bringing um, those those items for the school. Would you like to speak? Just a couple words. >> Just a just a couple of words. >> We uh, two two words. I don't know if I can do it in two words, but uh part of our mission statement is to serve our community. And what better way can we do that than to just invest right there in our own backyard. And that's what we want to do in any way possible, not just for students, but also for the staff. We want them to know that we love them as well and and that they're appreciated. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> This one is you guys. And >> I think you can

014finally sit down. I think the McDarant portion of the program has concluded. We thank you. Thank you for all of your hard work. So directly Dr. Wesley, I'm going to ask you to join us again. Um this is actually a partnership with Lion College School of Dental Medicine. So that is one that is a district partnership. So, I have uh Miss Jacqueline Mchuan and Miss Mary Otwell coming up. And um this is a really unique um partnership, I think, because not only are they doing screenings and some care, but I like to say they they sprayed a little sugar and spice in December and took the children for a field trip to meet Santa and to get dental sealants. So, as I said, the sugar and the spice, the hot and the cold. So um

015we appreciate L College liaison Dr. Megan Inkland and Dr. John T for providing their support and direction. Thank you so much to L College School of Dental Medicine. Thank you so much. As all of you know, volunteering and financial giving complement one another, ensuring that our schools have access to people and monetary resources needed to help our students thrive. Please join me in appreciation of the following district donors. The estate of W. Ralph Watson, $250 to Career and Technical Education Criminal Justice Program. Interfaith Power and Light, $300 to Ford's High St County Academy Community Garden. St. John James United Methodist Church. As we'd heard, they were partnering with Fulbright, but um they also spread their love to the JA Fair Next Generation Mentoring Program with a donation of $2,400. And Kaylee Hawkins donated $1,000 for

016students staff supplies to Terry Elementary. And just again, I have to because I'm here, another reminder, April 21st, 5:30, Ron Robinson Theater. Come enjoy our garden of gratitude with us and hear some more of these awesome, fantastic stories of real people in our community coming in and working with our students and making a change. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you, ladies. All right. Okay. So, we're going to go move forward to public comment. Do I have everything, ladies? >> Oh, more. I'm sorry. you know, >> I mean, it's so many more celebrations. I'm so sorry. >> I know we have a lot to celebrate, but I promise you, I will speak. >> It's No, it's fine. You enjoy your opportunity. Um, >> important stuff to share while we have a captive audience. >>

017Okay. >> So, if you will direct your attention to the screen, we'll get started. Want to say congrats to the LRSD early childhood program. They have an impressive recognition. All five early childhood sites at LRSD have earned recognition toward the NAEYC accreditation. And what that means is these programs close achievement gaps, as you can see on the screen, to help ensure performance regardless of a student's income or ethnicity. Nearly twice as many students who attend such programs are rated as school ready or proficient compared to students attending other programs. So deal. >> Yes. Congratulations to Miss Jones and her amazing team. We're thrilled to announce the results of the 21st annual Mass Leads Challenge Championship. >> Fine. You enjoy opportunity. Um, >> important stuff to share while we have a captive audience. >> Okay. >>

018So, if you will direct your attention to the screen, we'll get started. Want to say congrats to the LRSD early childhood program. They have an impressive recognition. All five early childhood sites at LRSD have earned recognition toward the NAEYC accreditation. And what that means is these programs close achievement gaps, as you can see on the screen, to help ensure performance regardless of a student's income or ethnicity. Nearly twice as many students who attend such programs are rated as school ready or proficient compared to students attending other programs. So huge deal. >> Yes. Congratulations to Miss Jones and her amazing team. We're thrilled to announce the results of the 21st annual Math Leads Challenge Championship. Don Roberts team two took first place. And if you will check out the other uh top five finishers, we have

019in second place Forest Park, third place, Don Roberts, fourth place, Fullbrite, and Forest Heights, fifth place. And these were uh additional teams. They all had multiple teams. So, congratulations to all of these students. Big news for Watson Elementary. They've been awarded a $2,126 conservation education grant from Game and Fish to launch an archery program at the school. Big shout out to Miss Charlotte Cook Bulmar, the GT teacher, for helping to secure the grant. Congratulations to Haley Eaton, a senior at Park View, who earned first place in the performing arts division of the Thea Foundation's 202526 scholarship competition, which equals a $10,000 scholarship. >> Speaking of Park View, and if y'all y'all are going to be clapping all night, so if you want to just hold your applause to the end. >> That's all right. >>

020Okay. Well, clap on then. All right. I'm trying to speed through. Speaking of Park View, we celebrated the grand reopening of the newly renovated performing arts center. That was so much fun um last week. And if you've not had a chance to go by, we encourage you to do so because you will be impressed with all of the new bells and whistles which will help the stu the students shine even brighter on stage. Speaking of theater, Parkview's theater and film magnet program had an incredible showing at the Arkansas State Thespian Festival in Springdale. Troop 7955 earned $288,000 in scholarship offers and that's a more than $161,000 increase from last year and they got more superior rankings, strong finishes in tech competitions and workshops with artists from all across the state and the country. So, uh,

021we're so proud of them. And a huge congratulations to Miss Tamara Zinc, named the Gail Burns Theater Educator of the Year. A well-deserved honor. Now, this is quite a mouthful. Uh, as you can see on the screen on the national stage, Central High School. >> Don't know if any of them are. They made history. The policy debate team captured the 2026 National Championship Award at Harvard University, becoming the first and only team from Arkansas to win the prestigious title. We need to give a big shout out to Jack Louu and Shangu Woo, the 2026 champions of the Harvard University National Special. A number of other impressive showings. will direct you to the website for those uh particular details, but uh all of the things that we're mentioning will be on the website or if not

022already on the website and social media. So, be sure you check these uh well-deserved recognitions out. Principal Nancy Russo, speaking of welldeserved recognition, she's always been a great supporter of the arts and she was named the Arkansas Thespians Outstanding Administrator of the Year. And probably some of the team members are in the room this evening, but I know I saw the coach on the mat. Central's wrestling program delivered an outstanding performance at the 6A state championships. The boys team finished an impressive sixth overall, while the girls powered their way to a state runner-up finish. Along the way, Central wrestlers earned numerous all-state honors and produced multiple state finalists and celebrated state championships, highlighting the program's competitive spirit and leadership of coach Aaron Butler. Where are you using the butler? >> Any wrestlers in the house,

023please stand up SO WE CAN THANK YOU ALL. WE ACTUALLY didn't know they were coming, but we never miss an opportunity to celebrate. So, there we go. >> Congratulations. Way to go to LRSD DECA students. They had an incredible showing at the DECA State Career Development Conference. A special shout out to Matthew Run Young of Southwest for earning a top five ranking in sports and entertainment marketing and to Central School DECA for celebrating 22 winners and their chapter's president election as state vice president. A total of 15 Little Rock Southwest students are now certified flabotamist with 10 earning national certification. >> After completing After completing 40 hours of hands-on training and passing a challenging exam, these students have proven their dedication, skill, and readiness for careers in the healthcare industry. Way to go, GRIFFINS. THANKS

024to the generosity of Souls for Souls and Bright Futures Little Rock, the district received 500 pairs of sneakers, or tennis shoes, if you prefer to call them that, that will be distributed to students over the next few weeks. The effort kicked off at Dr. Mary and G. Lacy uh this week with about 40 students receiving new pairs of shoes, and they were super excited, and we're grateful for these partnerships. So, thank you, Souls, for Souls and uh bright futures, obviously. Well, we had a big Reading in the Rock and LRSD moment this past weekend at the Trojans's game. LRSD partnered with UA Little Rock to pack the rock while simultaneously spreading our literacy message. And we are so proud of Pinnacle View's Tessa Corbin. Not only is she a great distance runner, uh, she did

025the district proud with her moving rendition of the national anthem. So, look out, American Idol. We need to hook Tessa up with the cross country at our one of our high schools. So, we're crossing fingers for that. This is CTE month, career technical education. So, we are honoring the young women of welding. 29 female students are enjoying and excelleding excelling rather in welding classes. And for those who may not be aware, Metro has 10 career pathways, eight of which are H2 pathways. Do you know what that means? >> High demand, highwage jobs. That means they're making some money with more than 1,000 students taking advantage of these classes. Students from all across the Palaski County area. So, uh, if you get Mr. Burton or Miss Montgomery in here, they will happily tell you all about

026it. Uh, and as you see on the right of the screen, we even managed to get a great pick in the newspaper highlighting the program. We also had a great photo of U reading in the rock in the paper. So, uh, we've been doing very well. Thank you, Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Uh, for highlighting all of our wonderful students and success stories. So, we're super proud. A reminder of the current episode of Write On Education, the podcast available focusing on school choice. Of course, we know it's school choice now through May 1st. So, we are inviting our community members to come out and check out what the Little Rock School District has to offer. And if you are in this room and you know somebody who is not a Little Rock School District family member, we

027invite you to serve as an ambassador and ask them why not get them to join the Little Rock School District. Part of our celebration includes a big shout out in the athletics area, Pilaski Heights Middle School, sixth grade LRSD city champs for 2526. Also an incredible weekend for the Little Rock School District Middle School basketball championships uh with some incredible finishes. Seventh grade girls, Palaski Heights Middle. Seventh grade boys, Dunbar Business Leadership and Entrepreneur, Magnet Middle School. Wow. >> Eighth grade girls, Palaski Heights Middle School. Eighth grade boys, Horus Man, Multimedia Arts and Digital Innovations, Magnet Middle School. >> In my zone. >> A huge shout out to these amazing Equally proud of our Hall West basketball team who showed their Warrior spirit and pride in a convincing victory yesterday with the 5139 win over

028CAC, also known as Central Arkansas Christian. Uh they are going to be facing the winners of the Fountain Lake Palaski Academy game tomorrow. These are our 20 25 26 boys 4A South Conference champs from Hall. I'm sure you tell Hall. We gave them a shout out because they've been fussing at us. Um they're under the leadership of head coach John Coleman. Very proud of them. We mentioned school choice already again through May 1. Also, uh it is magnet school month. So, you're invited to check out our Magnus School programs. We remind you that what is what's Tuesday? >> Election day. >> That's right. >> Let's get there. Okay. >> So, early voting is still underway right now, but election day is Tuesday. We encourage you to familiarize yourselves with the candidates who have uh opponents.

029We have some board members who will be ushered back into service and we'll be happy to uh work with them and and serve with them again in the coming year. But we remind you that this is your opportunity to uh make sure you exercise your right to vote and we have this information on the website along with the early voting sites. All right, a lot going on. Save the date for Artistry and the Rock happening March 16th through 19th. That's a showcase of the arts all across the Little Rock School District. We have daytime performances of students. The schedule is on the website uh as well as will be sent home to families and hopefully publicized through our uh media partners. But we also have some evening events. We'd love to see all of you

030board members and adults in the room because you guys have the money and we will be raising scholarship funds through an auction to support some student who may be interested in pursuing the arts. So, uh, and if you can't come, we'll take your donations. So, uh, but we do really want you to come to see what our students have to offer. May March 11th, excuse me, is our state of the district address. that is going to be at 6:00 in the Darra Center at Cow's which is the fifth floor of the main library. Uh also on that morning, March 11th, did I say May? I meant to say March. Uh March 11th, that morning, we will have another Java with Jamal uh at Carver, Washington. So you can come out and enjoy uh coffee and

031pastries with Dr. write and um tell him all about it. Tell him whatever you want to chat with him about. All right. We want to share this great news compliments of our HR department. We rely on many partners to support our students and schools and that includes substitute teachers. So, we wanted to give a shout out to all of the hardworking substitute employees that you see on the screen. They show up day in and day out and they represent individuals who have worked 12 or more days in January. and we will continue to do this in partnership with HR uh throughout the coming months. So, thank you to these wonderful substitutes for all you do. Ladies and gentlemen, we're almost done. Finally, please direct your attention to the screen. Good evening board members, Superintendent Wright,

032and Little Rock School District community. Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Shereekica Williams and it is a pleasure to introduce the work of the Little Rock School District customer service committee here at Little Rock School District and recognize excellence in the service across our district. Customer service is a critical component of how Little Rock School District operates and how we perceive by our students, families, staff, and communities. Every interaction, whether in person, by phone, or through written communication, reflects our values and our commitment to professionalism, respect, and accountability. For that reason, customer service must be intentional, consistent, and held to a high standard throughout the district. The customer service committee was established to do that work. The committee is made up of representatives from across the district on

033both district and schoolbased levels. The committee is made up of representatives from across the district who collaborate to promote best practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and help ensure a positive and consistent experience for those that we serve. At this time, I would like to introduce our committee members. Sherekica Pulam, the chair of the committee. You have Robera Cross, Monica Hughes, Britney Jasper, Carla Count, Pamela Vingham, Tanya Prrow, Rain Wilson, Latoya Grave Lamb. We have our board director, Norma Johnson, and our one and only Miss Pamela Smith, our district liaison. Together, these individuals bring diverse perspective and a shared commitment to Little Rock School District and their strength customer service districtwide. In addition to community work, we believe it is equally important to recognize employees who consistently demonstrate exceptional customer service, their effort setting standards, and

034serve as an example of what excellent looks like in Little Rock School District. Today we're pleased to recognize two employees of the month. One from the district level and one from the school level. There are in individuals who emphasize outstanding customer service through professionalism, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to those that they serve. At this time, I would like to turn the presentation over to Miss Pamela Smith, who will introduce our employee of the month from schoolbased and district base. She will also share our customer service pledge which reinforce our district-wide commitment to service excellence here at Little Rock School District. One team, one dream, one LRD. >> So, thank you very much, Miss Pullium. Just very quickly, uh, Miss Pium and these volunteers are leading this effort. I want y'all to know that she

035just threw me in there, but I told them that I'm here to support. this is their baby and I'm so proud that they have taken the ball and decided to run with it and they're all doing this on a volunteer basis. So, uh we want to continue to support them. We did a customer service professional development at the beginning of the year and they developed a pledge. I'm just going to read it very quickly because she said I was going to do it. So, um the customer service pled service pledge. We believe customer service starts with a positive attitude, a warm greeting, eye contact, and a genuine smile. When someone visits our schools, they should always feel welcomed, valued, respected, safe, acknowledged, and heard. One way we will show kindness and respect with every interaction

036is by actively listening with empathy, showing understanding, offering help, and making every person feel truly seen. To ensure consistency, our team will commit to clear communication, professionalism, following established guidelines and protocols, and setting shared expectations. When faced with challenges, we will stay calm, remain patient, seek support when needed, and approach every situation with compassion and a problem-solving mindset. The phrase that best describes our school's customer service philosophy is one team, one dream, students and families first. Together, we will create a welcoming environment where every interaction reflects who we are and what we value. So, having said that, we will introduce our first uh employees of the month who will be recognized on a monthly basis. You won't have to see this whole presentation every time. Uh but we do have more in-depth information about the

037honores but due to uh the time this evening we will post this information on our social media and website and of course shout it from the rooftops. Uh but we we did a little sneaky thing where we we told these employees they needed to be here for something else. >> What happened? There we go. All right. We are happy to announce the establishment of our first customer service committee. These staff members have volunteered to to create the district-wide standard and we are recognizing the honores this evening uh who exemplify exactly what you heard us talk about in the pledge and they do it with a smile and a very warm and welcoming spirit. So please help us acknowledge from Little Rock Southwest, Miss Janelle Washington. And eventually we hope to have a fundraising opportunity to

038support this work, but uh Miss Miss Pullium wanted to make sure that they got a recognition beyond a citation. So she got them a $25 gift card. So Thank you, Miss. Our second honore, you know her if you've ever called down the payroll, and she definitely the smile you see on the screen represents who she is every day. She is the same. You never I've never seen her um have a bad moment. If she does, she doesn't demonstrate it at work. So, >> everybody knows Miss Laoma. Come on up, >> Miss Ring. Come on up. >> Thank you very much board members. This concludes our celebrations for this evening. >> Thank you. Thank you guys so much. And thank you so much for our district employees of the month. All right. Okay. So truly now

039we will move on to public comment. The place in the agenda where we hear from the public, parents, stakeholders, and friends of LRSD. We like to hear public comment regarding LRD issues. We allow three minutes for public comment. Responsibility being to listen to your comment. Not allowed to respond or have discussion. So if I leave anyone out, just let me know. So, I think that I have a concise list. However, I'm not 100%. So, just let me know. >> I'm sorry. >> No, that was not my No. No. Okay. So, David Butler. David Butler. Okay. >> I'm gonna start my timer and make sure we're good. >> Oh, she's got you. >> Well, I got to see it. I got to pick >> Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. I've been working this whole time. >>

040Control. I'm sorry. >> If you don't mind, just wait one second. Uh, >> you're good. >> I got to start my timer. So, everyone's good. All right. I'm ready when you are. You good? >> Yeah. I was not that down to the second. >> Okay. I I got it. She I mean she'll probably give you a little more than you give yourself if you allow the control to release. >> Okay. >> I PROM I PROMISE YOU IT'S NOT going to be quite as intense. >> All right, >> coaches. Right. >> Well, um first off, my name is Aaron Butler. Um I am a third generation Central graduate, class 2008. I am also a Spanish teacher at Central High School. I am also the head wrestling coach for both boys and girls wrestling. Just to give

041you a little background, the Central High wrestling team started off this year with over 100 wrestlers. There were so many wrestlers, I actually ran out out of space. I had to put them on a wait list. Um there were so many wrestlers we had to get a weight list and I had kids begging me to go on the program and I said, "You just have to wait." Um and eventually we were able to get them in. Just attached second, first, and second. We've been nationally ranked, top 50 in the country. Um, and our boys have also had very great showings, finished as high as third just last year. Um, our res team is thriving to say the least. Um, we we have currently we have four paid positions and we have a volunteer assistant. So,

042right now I'm managing four assistant coaches. Um, we have over 100 athletes. Our girls team has a varsity and JV. Our boys team has a varsity and JV. Um, and we we we couldn't be better spot right now. I invite all the board members to also go by Central High School and look at our beautiful new wrestling room, which also I'll I'll brag to everyone is also named the Aaron Butler wrestling room. So um so um our wrestling team is um I was also named national girls coach of the year and also Arkansas's coach of the year. That's all sports and all classifications. I don't say this to brag on myself, but to honestly highlight an an equity issue I do see with wrestling. For for starters, with all that being said, of my recognition

043as a girls coach, I don't receive any compensation to coach the girls team. Um, I coach them all as a full volunteer because I love this program. If there's wrestling going on at Central High School, I promise you I'm a part of it. I was on the very first team at Central High School. It was started by my now father-in-law. Uh, I took the program over by my second coach, Coach Hickey, who's also in the room with us today. Um, I'm here today also to talk about the proposal and the wording on the draft um for coaches uh next year, specifically non- major sport coaches. Um, the proposal I find to be a little bit harmful in its language. Um, it it kind of demeans and lowers the work that we do at the school.

044Um, I think it's harmful not just to wrestling but other sports because I think that while we not be we're not classified as major, the work we do is major and leaves a major impact on the school. having over 100 athletes and being nationally recognized is a major part of the school and the district as a whole. So, um I'm asking one to first look at the language itself. Um just classifying everything as major non- major is kind of a blanket statement that has great um consequences to it. Um I think that when we just go off what's major, what not major, it kind of gets a little arbitrary and convoluted the more under a microscope. Um, so for example, you know, football's a major sport. We can all agree football's king. But what about

045when you go to eightman football? Is eightman football still considered a major sport? When you have 16 kids on a team and I have a hundred and I'm making, you know, 20% less than these people, I think we have kind of an equity issue there. And I think we should look at some wording and some evaluations on our contracts. Um, and then lastly, I I don't see any reason why myself having four assistant coaches, 100 athletes. Um, why am I on a 10-month contract on other sports that are major sports? Um, I think that there's definitely an argument there for what I do. And overseeing two sports at the exact same time, giving up my summers, my winters, time with my twins, to be with these kids is a commitment that I make, and I

046will not take it lightly, but I just feel like we should evaluate how we look at things. I think this this school is uh this district is >> I'm sorry. We've come to the close of your of your three minutes. Oh, dang. When when her when her timer went off, that was >> on this. >> Okay. Well, well, hey, go Tigers. >> Thank you so much. Okay, Wallace Hadenhower perhaps. Feel free to correct that if I'm wrong, please. The last name is Hatenhower, as in state champion Lane Hatenhower, who's on the >> Central High wrestling team. >> Um, I'm going to do my best to do this threeminut thing, and I'm I'm going to try to speak as quickly and as clearly as I can. I mean, I feel I I first of all, I

047don't envy any of you. I can't imagine what it's like presiding over the size of school districts that you guys have to deal with. I came from a small town up in northeast Arkansas. I graduated with 86 kids. There's more kids on the wrestling team than I graduated with. But I'm going to I'm going to start and get this going. Obviously, with the step program you mentioned earlier, there's some faith-based connectivity going on with the schools. I think that's a wonderful thing. Our family is a very uh faithfilled, faith focused family. And I'm going to start with this. In Genesis 32 of the Bible, it says, "Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip

048so that his hip was wrenched and he wrestled with the man." The man said, "Let me go, for it's daybreak." And Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob. will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome. Wrestling is one of three sports mentioned in the Bible. It's a big deal. I want to say and and I'm going to try to stick to my script. I apologize. Um I get a little emotional about this and as these kids know, I get emotional at these wrestling tournaments because I take off work. I go to every one of them. And even though my daughter's on

049this team, I've got an entire school full of daughters and an entire school full of sons that I support because this program is so important, not just to our family, but to every one of these kids back here. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I'm not here as just a community member, but also as a parent. My daughter is part of the wrestling program at Little Rock Central High School, and I have the privilege of watching what this sport and this program have done for her and so many other young men and women. Wrestling today is not easy. It demands discipline, accountability, resilience, mental toughness. It teaches young people how to push through adversity, how to prepare, how to handle both victory and defeat with character. I've watched my daughter grow, not just as

050an athlete, but as a student and as a person, because of this program. Central's wrestling teams, both boys and girls, are among the best in the state of Arkansas. They compete at the highest level. They win. They represent this district with pride. And in terms of achievement and competitive success, the wrestling program is one of the most accomplished sports at Central. This is why the proposed elimination of the athletic of the athletic period for wrestling while retaining it for football, basketball, and volleyball is so concerning. This isn't just a scheduling adjustment. It changes the the trajectory of these athletes. The athletic period provides structured consistent training during the school day. Removing it means wrestling athletes will no longer be able to practice after school or no longer be able to practice during school while other

051sports maintain both in school and after school training time and that creates a very clear imbalance. It suggests that some sports by any extension some students are worthy of more support than others. I don't believe that's the intention of the board but it is the practical outcome of this proposal. Please don't diminish this opportunity. If we believe in equity, equity must apply across all student athletes. If we believe in excellence, then we must support excellence wherever it exists, including wrestling. I respectfully ask that you reconsider this change and preserve the athletic period for all sports at Central. Our children only get these four years. Let's make sure we give them every opportunity to succeed. Thank you. Thank you. >> Sean Hickey. Sean Hickey. Thank you, >> board members. Um, that was incredible. I don't think

052I could say much more about wrestling better than that. Uh, my name is Sean Hickey. I was the original uh coach at Little Rock Central. I coached the two coaches that that coach it now. I was there for seven years as a volunteer head coach. Um, and I think you can see by the turnout from their team and from the parents and the words that have already been said here how important wrestling is to to the school and and to the district. Um, the the color that I want to add to to all this is just basically I think the athletic period is is an incredible addition to the the curriculum and having that available to school. And obviously they've talked about how hard wrestling is and the value and the the lessons that you

053learn through the sport, but a little bit that I want to bring to it is just it's um I'm I'm in the medical space. I've been there for 25 years. All of you know that we we have a healthc care crisis on our hands in the United States. Um we've got the highest rate of diabetes in in the history of the United States. We've got a lack of physical activity that is affecting our country in a in a really negative way. It's costing the health care system billions of dollars. A downstream effect of unhealthy living and vascular disease causes us to lose a limb in the United States every 20 seconds to diabetes. So the point that I want to bring today is is that the value of having all sports, especially a sport like

054wrestling where you learn to train in the number one predictor of mortality is V2 max. There's not another sport in the world that conditions your V B V2 max like the sport of wrestling. So having the ability for these athletes to have that hour during the class period during a school school period to develop those muscle memory and that athletic endurance that they going to carry with them for the rest of their lives is is critical. So obviously the success has been spoken about in here today. you know, you've got two incredible coaches because they get a hundred kids out for the team every year. But it's that downstream effect from learning the lessons from being an athlete and being physically active that these student athletes are going to carry with them the rest of

055their lives that are going to make them they're going to make them healthy for for a lifetime. So, thank you for the time. I appreciate it. >> Absolutely. Thank you, >> Miss Dockery. Mary Beth Dockery. >> Hello. >> So, I'm the mother of twin boys that are juniors at Central. They have been a part of the wrestling program since they were freshman. and the life lessons that they have learned through this program and these coaches are immeasurable. Um, perseverance, grit, resilience are just a few of the lessons that they're going to take with them well throughout their life and beyond this sport and high school. I wanted to speak tonight to demonstrate my family's passion for this program. Um, and I feel my fellow mom, Candace North, summed it up perfectly with the following. The

056wrestling program is not simply functioning, it's thriving. Last year, as coach Butler mentioned, um, we brought home the state championship and our coach was recognized as coach of the year. These accomplishments are the direct result of disciplined athletes, committed families, and coaches who pour into these students daily. The athletic block block is a foundational part of that success. Removing it would jeopardize the momentum of a program that is not only winning but representing our district with excellence at the highest level. It's also important to acknowledge that the wrestling receives no financial support from the district. We raised all of our own funding, which was about $30,000 this past year, which I thought was a very impressive amount that's coming from the community and family members. The athletic block is one of the few structural resources

057our program provides is provided. Maintaining it does not require additional staffing, additional pay, or schedule restructuring, which means it's fully complies with the district staffing formula without creating any financial burden. Removing it would take away the only meaningful support this district currently offers to these athletes, creating an inequitable situation compared to major sports that receive both funding and protected time. For these reasons, I strongly encourage the board to maintain the athletic block for wrestling. Removing it would unintentionally limit opportunities for the students who depend on it most and would place avoidable strain on both athletes and coaches. Preserving the block ensures equity across programs, protects participation for multisport and working students, and upholds the standard of excellence we expect from all of our athletes. I feel what needs to change is the conversation. It shouldn't

058be about what to take away from this program, these athletes, or these coaches. It should be to talk about maybe turning this into a major sport and how the Litter Rock School District can better support this program, these athletes, and these coaches. Thank you for your time, >> Bria Jackson. Bria Jackson. >> It's Bria. Yes, ma'am. Okay. I'm sorry. Hi guys. Um, I'm a wrestler for our girls team. I'm also our team captain. This sport is a collection of tenacious and passionate individuals representing an the epitome of hard work and grit. The word wrestler constitutes more than the eight letters it requires. It's not a collection of medals, but a collection of conquered adversity, relentless spirit, and unwavering support. Through every match, every drill, every every practice, I've been molded into a more confident and

059fierce individual on and off the mat. Not only do we practice every day, compete o almost every weekend and lift throughout the week, we also have homework, we have projects, we're devoted students. Um, to ensure that we're not only exceptional wrestlers, but we're also exceptional students. My sophomore year, I had I had a full schedule, a full class schedule. I Sorry, I lost my place. Um, I was not only devoted to be a great student, but a great wrestler. I did whatever it took. I practiced for hours after every school, and I went home and I did hours of more homework. I did whatever I could to be a great student athlete. But I shouldn't have to. I shouldn't have to pick or choose where I can be great. I should be provided with the

060means and the opportunity to do so. Let me remind you that the year we had the the district's first state state state wrestling champion championship, we had a lifting and athletic block. It gave us ample means and put in to put in the work to win a state state title. We have pro proven that we are more than we have proven that we have more we have earned the title and amenities allotted to priority sports. I am saddened that the time and effort that we put into building a winning team isn't reciprocated enough to keep it going. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Lane Henhower. >> Hello, my name is Lane Hatenhower. I am Central's other team captain and a two-time state champion. I was here before the athletic block was instated. And

061my sophomore year of high school, I completely devoted myself both to the student portion as well as the athlete portion of the person I was. I lost everything in my identity as an athlete and a student. I became a wrestler. I became an athlete. And the next year I struggled the entire year with my personhood, with the things I enjoyed outside of being an athlete. I put all of my worth into how I competed on the mat. And getting an athletic block allowed me to invest in myself after school, to read, to work on my homework, to get an adequate amount of sleep, to have a job outside of school, to do all of the things that were so important for my college applications. This year I am asked for community hours, my job experience,

062and many other things that would not be possible had I not gotten an athletic block. It allowed me to really dive into myself as an individual outside of wrestling. There were practices that I cried, I broke down because all of my identity was stored in something that had taken all of the time that I had. An athletic block for me not only meant freedom but more time. And we only have four years of high school. And it has been the most wonderful four years of my life. But I think as people, we deserve to have time to develop. We're still growing. We are still finding things. I'm also the president of Central's art club. And without my athletic block, I would not be able to contribute to the murals that we have been creating for

063at least eight years that are going in Central's auditorium because those are after school. It is also an issue of accessibility because the amount of people who are available to participate in our A4 athletic block is significantly more than those who are able to come to after school practices. Those who are able to come to after school practices sometimes don't get home until 7 8:00 at night because they're riding the bus. That increases the difficulty of the situation. They don't have time to do homework. They don't have time to work. And when you don't have time for any of these things, you store your identity in something that will go away. I will not have wrestling for the rest of my life. I will not have all of these things that I've done in high

064school for the rest of my life. But while I am here, I want to devote myself to everything. Sylvia Pla talked about the metaphor of the fig tree and how we as people have different parts of ourselves that we could become. I could become a great athlete. I could become a lawyer. I could become a doctor. I want all of it. I want all of it. And my athletic block has allowed me to explore so many more things that I would not have had time for otherwise. I appreciate your time. THANK YOU. ASHLEY Shippy >> or Ship. You'd have to tell me familiar with that. >> What was that last name? Ma'am >> Shippy. >> It is Shippy. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. Um, hello board members. Thank you for giving me the opportunity

065to speak this evening. Uh my name is Ashley and I am the wife of Adam Klein, the uh coach over at Central High School Wrestling and I'm here as a supporter of the program and as a parent to share my perspective that I am here to help inform your decision regarding this ath athletic block. This conversation is not just about scheduling. It's about students, families, and balance. Coach Klein and Coach Butler are deeply committed to the young people that they mentor. I know they spend countless hours not only teaching technique but also guiding students through challenges on and off the mat. I have seen it firsthand the late night phone calls, check-ins with parents, and the extra time given to students and and teaching them that they're not just athletes, they are people. You may

066not know this, but they are also parents. Between the two of them, there are four young children in their homes. They have to share their dads with a hundred student athletes and the wrestling season spans from October through February. They do not get home from school from these practices until 7 o'clock at the earliest. They wait until every athlete has safely gone home before they can return to their own family. The success of the central wrestling program is absolutely beautiful. As you've heard here today, they have so many accolades and it's amazing. Through this, it has it's not accidental. It's by the dedication, hard work, and success that requires structure, time, and with this athletic block, it helps them have that. It is a crucial role that is a structural sustainability for both the students

067and the coaches. Behind every win and loss, there are students there, excuse me, there are children at home who miss their dad. It's heartbreaking to explain to my three-year-old why dad can't be home to take him to the park or be home for dinner. Coach Butler's wife, Taylor, and I, we feel the same way. It pains us to say that we gripe through the entire wrestling season. Where are our husbands and why are they home so late? But unfortunately, we do. It is a struggle. If we are truly doing what is best for the student athletes, how can we uh tell a teenager that their sport is not considered a major sport? How can we tell them that they cannot go home at a reasonable time and cannot hold an after-school job, have less time

068with their family, and must complete those service hours? all because their sport is treated differently. As you're making this decision, please consider the little boy at home who wants their dad to come home to tuck them in at night. The 100 plus families that are waiting for their child to come home as well for dinner, homework, and rest before the next day. And supporting this athletic blocks helps the students succeed not only in sport, but in life. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Thank you. Alexandra Croc. >> Hi everybody. Hi. Um, thank you so much for opening the floor for us all to talk to tonight. >> Um, I am no longer a central wrestler. I'm a freshman in the Walton Honors College at UVA. But last year I was the captain of

069the wrestling team and an AP scholar and I graduated in the top 10% of my class with a 4.3 GPA. It was a lot of work and my freshman year there were 10 of us girls on our wrestling team and by the time state came around there were only six. We were only practicing after school and with the lack of resources, we didn't have much to give into the sport when we were also trying to do our homework and get ready for class the next day. I was getting home around 7:30 every night, eating dinner, getting ready for bed, doing homework, and many nights I would wake up again at 4 in the morning to do my homework again before class to stay on top of my AP classes. Central this year and the following

070year has added a lot of AP classes and concurrent college credit classes. We have an extremely high team GPA and in past years it's been the highest in the school. These athletes are so committed to their sport because I have done it. I've been that athlete that they're not going to be taking these classes. they want to and they're going to take what their course will allow, but only with the fact that they can have an athletic block so they can go home and do their homework where it's supposed to be done, not in the middle of the night, but when the sun is still out. Also, being a female wrestler is a new experience for many people. I didn't come in with any knowledge, but our coaches have done an incredible job of giving

071girls, I get so emotional about this, giving girls the opportunity to fail and giving girls the opportunity to get better at challenges with no repercussions. >> Girls get to go into college and go into life knowing that they can do hard things and they can do all the things they want to do. They can be the student. They can be the athlete. they can work a job, but they've given the opportunity. They've been given the opportunity to do that and to know that and have the confidence in themselves to continue that later in life. I'm starting a wrestling program at the University of Arkansas because there hasn't been one in the past and I would not have had the confidence to do that without the coaching and the staff and the teammates that I have

072had in my past. I was not a confident person going into high school as many people aren't either. But I have been completely transformed by wrestling and the ability to have faith in myself after accomplishing hard thing after hard thing. With that, I would just like to say that after adding athletic blocks and the six girls on my team my freshman year, we had upwards of 40 my senior year because they all had the opportunity. They all had the opportunity to be there and be present and continue with the rest of their lives as well. And that's 30 more girls every year that gets to know that they are enough as they are and they can do hard things every day. Thank you. >> All right, so we're Thank you guys so much for your

073comments. Moving on to district committee report certified PPC. Oh, I'm so sorry. Hold on. Let me yield the floor. Was there anything that you'd like to say? I'm sorry, Dr. Right. Specific to the wrestling fee. >> Uh, sure. I um communicated with some of you who um uh emailed the board and um I think signed up for public comments that I would spend some time next week uh looking into this issue. However, I also got a message on my way here that a member of my staff, I guess they must have reached out to you, Mr. Butler, and she just sent me a message and said it was handled. I don't know exactly what that means. Um but we will not sure exactly what that means but we will definitely um look into this matter.

074I was just made aware of it last night and so uh we will look into it and make sure that um the students have what they need and thank you all for showing up and for uh uh representing yourself and representing your school and we of course want to support you and the program and all that you guys are doing at Central. So I look forward to hoping to get to a resolution quickly. >> Thank you so much for showing up. You are enough. Absolutely. Okay. All right. District committee report. Certified PPC. Certified PPC. >> Um, good evening to everyone. I won't be long at all. >> The certified PPC, we had a special called meeting last week where we met and submitted a proposal for the inclement weather. We decided to kind of go

075along the same lines as the classified. So, we are asking if the certified um staff could have three personal days and three flex days to make up for those six inclement weather days. Um classified did something very similar. They're they're they were given three personal days and three days to come in on days where they were originally off. And the only difference between the certified is that we would get 18 hours of flex time in lie of because we're here, we don't have any days off. And so we would really like for you to um support the inclement weather proposal that we brought forth. Um we also met about the contract language um proposal. um we were able to talk about it, meet about it, collaborate about it and met somewhere in the middle and

076we actually had a unanimous vote on the contract language proposal that we sent to um HR and we would also like for you to support that as well. And then last but not least, um the contract changes recommendations of the certified PPC who voted, 70.6% 6% said they were in support of the employee contract changes. So that's just a copy of the results for each of you all. Um and so um I think the other question that many were asking is the 12 to$17 million cut. Is it like over a certain amount of years like three or four million over three or four years or is it like all in one Um because if it was all in one walk, there were some concerns about is it even worth the amount to cut the contracts

077because I know I will be one of those people affected um by the change in the contract. And so it looks like I'm hearing nods like it's like one big So, you know, um at the end of the day, that amount um I guess it would have been different if it was that over four or five year span, but um anyway, you have the results >> of those who did vote for it. And that's it. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I appreciate you. >> All right. Okay. Class 5 PC. >> Oh, I'm so sorry. Yes, ma'am. >> Um of this uh 70.6% 6% is is this how how many uh teachers >> that's 34. So actually half that is 17 responses. >> So 17 people responded which makes up the 70.6. >> Yes.

078>> So it's so it's not >> it it's not everybody's vote but that is what I had as of today. >> Oh okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you ma'am. >> You're welcome. >> Classified PPC 17. Good evening everyone. I'm going to actually yield my time uh because we are going to be presenting on on 9.3. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you for your efficiency. 4.3 principles round table. Where is that gentleman? >> No, it's uh superintendent student advisory board. That's the gentleman I'm looking for. >> Yes. What's his name? >> I just saw him. There he is. Come on. >> Are you trying to hide? Here is some great news. >> All right. >> Good evening board members. >> Good evening. >> I'm Tony Hayar with a report from the Superintendent Student

079Advisory Board. This month, we continue to carry the productive momentum from last month's events into this month's. First, a few celebrations. A member from our board recently earned her certificate of completion in filabomdy Philabottomy, however you say it. on the bottom. >> Another was crowned homecoming king and another was honored for scoring over a thousand points in basketball. >> And another part and another was a part of men's winning championship eighth grade basketball team. First, we had our LRC student leadership institute hosted by director Carlton McGee and Stephanie Vestal on February the 18th. This was our second session which primarily focused on a nonprofit team. We first started the institute with a quick question for our tables to discuss to break the tension. We were then introduced to our keynote speaker, Joyce Cuban. She was

080a former class president at Little Rock Central High School and has always been in very close contact with the former first lady and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. She served Hillary for about eight years and now works at the Clinton Presidential Center. In short terms, she was a highly accomplished individual who was hidden in the background of very well-known figures we see today. She first shared with us a presentation of her personal life and how she evolved from the ability to come to the United States to establish herself within our society. The Cuban informed us about the reality of her corporate life and the decision someone may need to work in the nonprofit field. Another thing I can't dismiss is the outstanding quotes included within her speech. I'd like to share one of them

081that I felt deeply connected to. What is delayed is not denied. Our next section of the institute included a group of panelists. The panelists were Jeremy Hill, Karen Strachin, Anthony Hampton, and Chris Wyman. Each of our panelists had a background in the nonprofit field. Jeremy Hill was city year little rock. Karen Strachin was a Clinton presidential center. Anthony Hampton was the city connections and Chris Wyman was potluck feud rescue for Arkansas. Director Vessel asked a series of questions to the panelists and then they took up some of our questions that we submitted online on a form. After all our questions about nonprofits were answered, we then proceeded to break for lunch. After lunch, we split the group into two breakout rooms. In one of the rooms, we were given a slip of paper with various

082scenarios that a nonprofit may face. We then discussed within our groups what we do to solve each problem. After several minutes of intense discussion, each of us in our group presented our problem and the solutions we developed to address it. In our next breakout room, we focused on issues within the world and were asked to put a check to each one that we value. We then assembled into groups and made a poster showing that which issues we think Arkansas glows and needs to grow in. After our second breakout room, everyone rejoined in the main hall for a closing speech. The next and final session of our student leadership institute will be Tuesday, March 31st at the capitol where we will be hearing from several elected officials and we hope to engage with some of them

083in conversation about the cell phone policy or in other words act 122. Our next big event this month was the day after the student leadership institute which was our superintendent student advisory board meeting. We are happy that one of our board members, Norma Johnson, was able to attend our meeting and help us answer some questions for us. A big part of our meeting consisted of the counseling and guiding department with the hot topic being about social workers. For this portion of the meeting, we were also joined by two guests, Brandy McCoy and Lita Grayson. Dr. right then joined in later to help answer questions in in terms of employee training and professional development about diagnosing students with certain disabilities. In the next portion of our meeting, we were joined by representatives from Inner Peak, which

084was the AI therapy platform I mentioned to you all last month. Our group took a unanimous vote supervised by Crystal Green Brazwell that we would not like for our district to spend its funds on this AI platform. We believe that there's more valuable resources our district could allocate them that money to in a sense of searching for better student mental care. The very last part of our meeting was on deciding on an Instagram handle that we can use for our board and creating our own meet and greet cards. If any of you are wondering, our next meeting for the board will be Thursday, March 19th. Thank you for your time and dedication as board members. We are sad to see that some of you are not running for reelection, but we look forward to the

085future that we can build for our school district together. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Could Could we have like I don't know that I could come every time, but I would love to come to one of y'all's meetings. Can we could we like would you be open to I know Miss Johnson got to come this time. >> Okay. Well, I don't know. Maybe I'm looking at Valerie over here. Maybe we could work on a little schedule where we could all kind of pop in maybe once once a year or something or Oh, I was Okay, Stephanie. Okay, that's all. Thanks. Thanks. I really always appreciate your updates. >> Absolutely. >> Stephanie's email is Stephanie. >> I love it. I love that you also just put that on the whole internet. >> I just

086I want to um add a little piece even with the fact that the students um voted down um uh the idea about working with Inner Peak. I got um an email and a call from the CEO of Rene Peak afterwards um stating that in all of his years and all the districts that he has going to to talk about um this particular product, he has never ever number one um had an opportunity to talk to students who would have been the end users and then number two seeing students so engaged um and involved in district decision-m and he asked me does their vote mean that we're not moving forward. I said absolutely if if they said no, then there's no need of us even pursuing additional conversations. So, I do want to thank um thank

087our our our student um advisory board although they are sometimes they are a thorn. Um they are a good thorn. Um and I I and I do think that we ought to I think this is something not I think I know this is something that we're going to continue not just with um our students but I know in academics u when there's things that we're piloting we we always bring in folks who are going to be the end users to be a part of it but I don't think that we've ever talked to students about things that we were considering for students until this particular time. And so I do think that we're going to make this um a routine um going to make it a routine. So any anytime we consider bringing something to

088our students, they're have to they're going to have to come before our student advisory board, which honestly is the toughest group. Um so thank you guys for your engagement. Um I I really appreciate the time that we do spend together, even though you guys ask a lot of a lot of questions and have a lot of demands. >> We're very thankful for having a supportive superintendent. >> Oh, you know what? Let me say something. That was a just a great meeting. I have never been around so many students that were so knowledgeable of what goes on in their school and what goes on in the district. And some of the questions that they ask, I wouldn't have even thought to ask them. They were just that knowledgeable. And sometimes I felt a little intimidated because

089they'd be like, "Well, you know, since that didn't happen, this needs to happen." Like, you're right. But they were great. Thank you. >> I'll show you your warm regards. I know that this is probably the last time, Tony, that um that I'll see you in this capacity. So, I do want to just tell you how much I appreciate what you are doing. And I just you are such an inspiration and I just I love your vigor. I love your intelligence. I love your professionalism and I just um encourage you to continue to do what you do and do it way up. Absolutely. >> And I like your hair growth. It's cute. He's cute. >> Thank you, Tony. Appreciate you. >> He didn't blush you anything you said, but you pass. >> I wonder why. Okay.

090Thank you, Tony. >> Thank you. >> I appreciate you. >> All right. Okay. Student advisory board. Okay. Consent agenda. Okay. So, we wanted to pull >> uh 5.3, please. request to pull 5.3 and then we will entertain a motion. If there is no objection to pulling that, I move the LRSD board of education approve the consent agenda items as follows. 5.2 personnel changes wait oh yeah 5.2 personnel changes 5.4 purchasing reports 5.5 approval of school board meeting Dr. Wright. Did the meeting minutes I talked with you about get updated? I have not looked at them since then. They >> they did. Okay. um meeting minutes 5.6 community service learning applications and 5.7 donation property. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second that the LRD board of education approved the consent agenda items as

091follows. Moved by Director Strong and seconded by Director Johnson. Uh 5.2 personnel changes 5.4 purchasing reports 5.5 approval of school board meeting minutes 5.6 community service learning applications and 5.7 donations of property. Is there any objection? Well, no. >> All in favor? >> I Any oppose? Motion carries. >> I ask 5.3 pull down uh to avoid the appearance of impropriety. I'm second. >> My wife's in here, so I'm going to step out. Let them vote. >> Very good. Thank you. >> You want to entertain another motion? >> I'll entertain a motion. Yes. >> All right. I move the LRSC board of education approve item 5.3, round one, staff recommendations for the 2627 school year, elementary only. >> Second. It's been moved and properly second that the LSD board of education approve the consent agenda item

092as follow.3 round one staff recommendations for the 2627 school year elementary only. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Any oppose? Motion carries. >> All right. Absolutely. Mr. Okay. All right. We're moving on to schools and academics six. All right. >> Atlas winter interim results. >> Yay. >> Uh good evening everyone. Um >> excited to get to share this. We wanted to make sure we got the interim update uh before you all were not all in your seats anymore. And so going to do that. Um some of this is super fresh. Jenny was actually updating. This is Jenny Parnell, our district testing coordinator. So was updating a few of the numbers. If you looked prior to this morning, I think we did have some updates for K to2 with some uh more

093results coming in. So let's jump in. Um contextually, you all know where this is aligned. This is why we're all here. And um uh focus on increasing academic outcomes for our students. And so that's what we're going to look at today. I do before we jump in want to set a little bit of context about the interim, right? Right? When you think about any assessment, you want to really think about what the goal of the assessment is, what it's designed to do because then that allows us to make sense of what the numbers actually say. So this interim is based on the summitive blueprint, right? So the state department puts out a blueprint at each grade which basically just says what's going to be assessed and how much of the assessment will be each sort

094of part of grade level standards. um it really provides a snapshot right so we're looking at how are kids doing as of you know uh K to2 took it sort of January into February and then 3 to 10 the window was uh February 3rd through yesterday actually um and so it provides a snapshot right how are they doing right now based on what we would expect them to be able to know by the end of the year okay and it really is not designed for us to look specifically at individual students It is really designed to say how are we doing as a grade? How are we doing as a class? It's a little bit more big picture than that. When we look at the results, we're looking at four different levels of performance, right?

095So, if we start at the top, level four is really uh means students are demonstrating an advanced understanding. Level three is what we would consider like grade level proficient, right? Level two means that they have some grasp of grade level concepts, but it really is what we call a basic understanding. And level one is a limited understanding, right? When we think about targeting and and tracking students in the lowest 25%, we're talking about kids that are level one, right? And and moving them out of of that level. Um I think I already talked about K to2. We took it in January to February, three to high school. Um the window just closed. Um and just for you to know, the state window was pretty wide this year. It opened in December, is open until March.

096And so sometimes as additional state data comes in, it'll shift the state comparison numbers a little bit. So what you're looking at today is what has been assessed as of now. Um and Jenny, you can probably I don't know. There was a large sample size in there. >> Yeah. No, we I don't know. Yeah. it. I mean, it seemed like a lot of students had already assessed basically. So, we're looking at a good comparison. Um, so let's look at the data. Always start with celebrations. This is what our schools do when they look at data. Our data today was actually Monday. And so, schools started with um what were the things to celebrate? We have some really big ones. Those uh start with the the list at the top and want to just explain what

097this means. So, kids just took the interim. We just talked about what that is. is it's showing how they're doing right now in reference to what we would expect right them to know by the end of the year. But when we compare how they're doing right now with how we ended at the end of last year, you can see all these areas and ELA 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th are already right now ahead of where they were at the end of last year. >> That's a big deal, >> right? That's really, really good. That's five grades. It's not all of them, but it it's it's a lot of them. Same thing with math. Seventh grade algebra and geometry are already outpacing where we were at the end of last year, right? So, science, third,

098sixth, seventh, eighth, and biology, right? Um many of the grades, five of them total are um outass outpacing end of year results. Uh in the middle are some cohort celebrations just like what grades are, you know, have more than one like ELA and science. Um but at the bottom I think also our science interim results. Uh last year we took a science interim in the spring. We did not last year take the math or literacy interim in the spring. Right? So we also had last year's spring results to compare for science and you can see compared to where we were in March of last year every single grade except fourth at this point is outpacing where we were at this time last year. >> Right? So, it's not every single grade. And that's where we

099want to get to. But it's a whole lot of grades. We've got five in ELA, three in math, and five in in science. And so, that's just a testament to, you know, how people have really dug into understanding the atlas results, you know, looking at the data, doing something about it. Uh, but I think most importantly, focusing on really strong tier one instruction, um, you know, every single day. And so want to start here and then we'll sort of dig into, you know, specifics. Um this is ELA performance and this is really specifically looking at we took interim one in October, we took interim two in February. And so you can see at each grade that um the dark blue line is further along than the light blue line. Um we would expect that to

100be clear, right? They shouldn't have done as well in October as they would do in February. So, we expect there to be growth, but you can see in some spaces, um, it's pretty, uh, pretty substantial. Um, third grade right away should jump out to folks. Definitely did to me. Um, and I think, you know, some other ones, fourth grade made a pretty good jump um, as well. So, making making good progress. I think the other thing we really want to look at is we talked about in the beginning level one is that lowest performance um level, right? And so we also want to look at like are we moving kids out of level one, right? So this is we just looked at proficiency and now we're looking at level one. And so we want the

101dark blue line to be shorter than the light blue line, right? We want our February results to be a smaller percentage of kids in level one. And across the board, um, we're seeing that, uh, every single grade level, eighth grade stayed, uh, flat, but other than that, um, every single grade level is is moving kids out of level one. And third grade specifically, again, by a pretty, um, substantial amount. The last sort of comparison that we have here is like how are we doing? Um, comp is this the day? What am I looking at? I missed one. I was Oops, I went the wrong way. Sorry, y'all. Um, that's ELA. That's math. Okay, here we go. Compared to the state, right, is the last comparison. So, you can see we are dark blue here. State

102is light blue. Um, across the board, some are closer than others. Third grade specifically is is very close um to to where the state is. um in some other grades we have some more work to do um in terms of closing that gap uh with the state and and just improving that over overall score um as a whole. So those are the three ELA slides and we're going to do the same thing looking at math. Right? So for math, first of all, when we look at proficiency, which is levels three and four, right? Our data from February is dark blue. Our data from October is light blue, right? So >> some some big jumps. Um but again we would expect right for these to occur. We should be doing better in February than we were

103in October on on grade level standards. Um but but some that made some some really really big jumps. I mean algebra for example um while it didn't start incredibly high uh has has has uh increased pretty substantially. Same thing with level one for math. We want to move students students out of level one. And so you can see here that, you know, in each grade, the number of students in February that were performing at level one has reduced pretty drastically in some grades. Third grade, again, 23% difference is is is huge. Um and then some others that um didn't maybe move quite as far, but I think positive growth overall at every single grade, right? Less kids are in level one. And then finally, I went back again. Finally, um what's the comparison to the

104state? So you can see right we're dark blue state is light blue and in all grades particularly third actually is is the grade where we're currently outpacing and um also geometry uh which is a real real bright spot. Um you can see we have a lot of room to grow though like 20ome% proficient is not right we're not we're not happy living there but I think in terms of of seeing that percentage uh grow is where we want to be. Um finally, science. If you look at February to October, um we had some really big jumps across the board in science, um from how kiddos were doing in October to how they're doing in February. Um I think the bright spot here is middle school. If you see the three at the top, seventh, sixth,

105and eighth grade were all the ones that um are at the highest performance. That was not true in math. Middle school is an area of focus for us in math, but in science, we've got some real um strong uh leading performance in our middle school grades. And then how does that look now compared to October? Same thing for science. You can see that the February to um October comparison is moving kids out of level one, right? So across the board, we are seeing that happen. And then finally, how does it compare to the state? So you can see um we're not quite there. We're closest in third grade again, but um working to, you know, close close that up. Um and then finally, this is the comparison to uniquely for science. We do have the

106data from last spring. So, this comparison is looking at how are we doing this spring versus how we did at about the same time. It was in March last year. Um, and this is exciting. We've got every single grade is except fourth, right? Uh, what we talked about earlier, what was on the slide earlier, but you can kind of see those numbers here, right? In some grades, um, seventh grade is 8% ahead of where we were at this time last year. It's a huge a huge increase, right? So, this is a really real bright spot. And I've got a little bit of data about K to2. And we don't have as much because we don't have as much to compare. >> Oh, I'm not going to skip it. But we don't have the data from

107last spring. So, really, we just have one slide to to look at. Um, and we do have a comparison to how the state looks. So you can see here um you know we've got we're not far away in K and one math or second grade ELA but um we we have work to do in you know in looking at kindergarten literacy specifically um first grade literacy specifically and you know in the foundational skills when kids are working on what most of this test is covering um it does take longer for kids to solidify those skills But still the gap between us and the state. Um, you know, we want to we want to close that. Want to spend one minute just sort of zooming in on third grade, right? Just to make sure we're all

108kind of uh on the same page. On the left, we already talked through the data, but just captured the highlights here. Generally speaking, you know, we're moving in the right direction from interimm one to interim two. both increasing level of proficiency and also decreasing the percentage of kids in level one. Both of those are important. Um also right now we are ahead of where we were at the end of year last year. We talked about that but that is true for proficiency. We're at 30%, we were at 28 at the end of last year and we're at 35% in level one and we were at 40 at the end of last year. So those are both very positive comparisons. right on the right. Um some updates that just want to make sure everybody's on the

109same page about in terms of retention um or promotion. So first of all, we did learn sort of in late middle to late January that uh determining good cause exemptions is a district decision, right? So we don't submit anything to the state. I would imagine there'll be some auditing and they'll sort of check on on what we've done. uh but we determined the criteria for those good cause exemptions. Right? So once we learn that uh that that wasn't coming from the state, we have been working feverishly to create some explicit guidance for schools, right? And so our schools will get a toolkit on Monday uh laying out for them sort of exactly what they need to submit for uh for these exemptions. The other new thing that we learned was the the ability for us

110to retest. And I think that was brought up in a previous board meeting, but just wanted to confirm that there is a retest window that's open through June 30th. And so to coincide with summer school, so for any kiddos who do not move out of level one and do not qualify for a good cause exemption, and I want to be clear, we will have some. Not every child is going to move out of level one and not every child is going to qualify for a good cause exemption. So those kids for us, we have summer school planned from June 1st through the 26th, right? A solid four-week intensive um another atbat for them when students will retest on June 24th or 25th to again see if we can move them out of level one. Um,

111but we are working hard to figure out, you know, and we've been tracking students data across the year. This is not a new thing. And, you know, we've been looking really closely at the good cause exemptions that kids will qualify for. Um, but we have we will have a full summer school um, as well. And, you know, um, want to be clear about that. I know there's been some conversation around kids won't actually be retained, but the law is really clear um about retention and um just want to be be clear with you as well. So the last thing I'll say is just Monday was day-to-day, right? You all supported us in creating time for teachers to come together to look at their data and so that happened on Monday. Um folks were, you know,

112got to be at a couple schools, got to hear the conversations teachers were having and you know that is really that's the work that's going to help us move move students. Teachers need time to review that data. They got to spend time doing it and have some pretty intensive action plans between now and when we start spring testing. >> And I'll just end with this. I think what's most important, it's really easy for people um to fall into a test prep sort of strategy, right? We've got this high stakes assessment. People think, well, if I, you know, if I start test prepping, they'll they'll be ready for the test. And I think, you know, it's really important to stay the course in terms of high quality daily instruction is what matters most. um tracking student

113data, collaborating with colleagues, celebrating successes and you know I think we have seen steady progress um and we have to we have to keep seeing um that steady progress but stopping everything to test prep and this is me just sort of talking to folks out there right now um doesn't doesn't work right doesn't get us results and so um high quality instruction is what gets us there. So happy to answer questions. Um but excited to see uh the growth on this interim. >> It's exciting questions. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Mine's just comment not a question. >> We say it all the time. It's great wonderful numbers moving forward. State's numbers are just as rotten as they can be. And just getting up to where the state is is not a great brag. But >>

114we do need to improve things. And you have to make little steps first. Zeno and his paradox and all that. You got to go halfway before you go all the way. >> That's right, >> Mr. John. >> Um, thank you. This is my favorite part of board meetings when we kind of get to know see our measurement and how we're doing. And I really appreciate you guys taking the time and effort to do this and thinking about what's happening at the school building level. Um, a couple I have three questions and I think they're all pretty quick. Um, the first is just can we see the toolkit? I mean I think I envision that we will all start to get a lot more questions about this and so we can better understand like what's happening

115at that >> you know at the in the building level just I mean not that we are going to be doing anything there but I think it would just be good for us to know um if we can see the toolkit you're sharing. Um the second one is the summer school only ELA will that be just an ELA intensive or will also include math or science or other subjects? it will likely be largely ELA just because that's the um you know that's the metric we have to move but I think you know kids can't spend three hours getting intensive reading intervention and so having a chance to practice math too will be will be a part of it >> do we provide like transportation and is it an all day thing like I mean is

116it something that like kids who don't have a stay-at-home family member can do >> yeah I mean so right now what what the elementary assistants soups are working on is actually a half day to end at noon. >> It's hard. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I just was thinking about that with all the kids who have maybe a single parent or work two working parents. I don't know. Just >> I don't that's something I think a lot about as a person who has two kids in a two parent working household and it just like having transportation and summer options is is really important to us being able to continue to do our jobs and things. So, um I know and and I know we have limited funds so I'm not complaining. just just putting it out

117there. Um the other the last question I had was really are you able with this to pull I know that one of the ways that we're measured on our letter grades in the end is with the lowest 25%. Right? That's a one-third of our grades for elementary is the how are the lowest 25% of performers growing. Are you able to look at this and kind of feel how that is going versus the kids who are already doing well? >> Yeah. in this data. There are a couple of ways that they can I mean schools can actually I don't know if you want to speak to this Jenny but schools can actually pull uh reports for the lowest 25% can look at that specifically um because >> from the previous year's lowest 25% or something how

118does is that just does it pull out the ones that have or the lowest 25% on an >> does it follow the interims or is it just from the summitive >> just from summitive >> yeah I I think I thought so I thought it was just from the summitive but still >> I think that gives them a good sense of like if this is your lowest 25% sent then you know what what would that look like if you move them >> um yeah so there are reports to do that >> uh oh can I and I'll add one last one to this do you feel like any of the extra supports that we have invested in I know we've talked about Ignite I know we had the what's the one this year that you added

119>> on your mark do you feel like those are helping when they're used in a targeted way >> or are you able to measure if >> well we've had a lot of moving targets with moving sort of testing systems and so I think to you know, we've been able to to look at internal data about how kids are moving and we we can say that we saw positive movement. I think what we're going to have this year that we haven't had before is a consistent state interim. And with our outcomes based contract, we have four metrics that we're tracking. Yeah. Two of them being dibbles, two of them being um atlasbased. And so, you know, not only will we be able to look at that concretely, but that's how we're going to pay the vendor

120based on how, you know, whether students meet those um each of those four outcomes or not. >> So, I think we'll have the most specific data that we have had. Um, we've had data to track, but I don't know that it's been um triangulated in a way that we would have liked. >> Yep. Okay. That's that's really helpful. As a third grade mom, I'm mostly worried about the typing. That is where I still my worry lives right now on the typing on the writing part. >> Yeah, thank you guys for that. >> I had a question. >> I'm sorry. >> That's okay. >> Either one of you guys, you guys work it out. Adams and Johnson. >> Thank you, Mr. Adams. >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm just going to piggy back on transportation. So, we

121know that parents work full days. We know that it's a strong possibility that both parents may be at work and can't pick up their children. So, if we identify, say, a small group of kids that goes to a community center for their summer program, will we be able to drop that small group off at that community center? >> Um, I think that's something we can look at. I mean, so, so they would >> call the city. Uh, >> oh, so they would be there at the the community center for the rest of the day. Yeah. >> Um, yeah. I mean, >> I'll bring it back to the team. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. What's that? >> Adam, >> I wasn't looking at you. >> And they could be a motivator to just get

122kids to >> Yeah. I mean, to be clear, you know, that is I mean, we know that it's difficult for I think we're trying to figure out how to balance all the all the variables, but I think that's a great idea. >> Absolutely. Mr. Adams. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. First, just add my thanks to to all the work that's been done. It's encouraging to see the progress and I know that everybody would like to see see us in a in a different place but we we we start with where we are >> y >> and we build from there and so when we see progress from there that's really encouraging and I take Mr. Ro's point that that the state's performance is not the gold standard but but it is but in some ways

123it is >> it is the next place I mean to me in some ways it's the next benchmark for us >> you know is to try to get to that point and then to build from there not be satisfied with that >> y >> but to build from there do you have a do we have enough time and sense to know if that gap is narrowing or is it staying the same or we losing you know with that if we think about that as a benchmark. >> Yeah, I think I mean again I go back to like I think what what I'm encouraged by is looking at the year-over-year >> performance and you know we just showed you we had that to look at in science. We didn't have that to look at in math

124and ELA. So we compared to endofear results but I think as we start to look at you know here's the gap right now between us and the state what is it this time next year and have we been able to close that as one metric um I think we will have that moving forward I think our state s assessment system has settled I guess in like having some consistent metrics next year we will have two interims again and another summitative so I think that year-over-year look will be something that we frankly haven't had >> um for for several years. >> Um and so to answer your question with I mean it's difficult for me to say for sure, but I definitely think you know I think when I think about even just old assessment data

125that I saw when I first got here and the gap that we saw on different tests in some ways were larger than you know three percentage points in in third grade. And so, you know, that's not comparing apples to apples, but it's looking at one assessment to another. >> So, >> Okay, good. >> Thank you. Other question? >> Yeah, I have a few questions. um with the Okay, so I think everybody's um I think acknowledged that the state benchmark is not the best and even though they've changed it to meet the standard um grade level um across the state which helped our um help some of the schools um letter grade. Yeah, we could do better there. My question centers around uh communication with the family and the supports, right? And so uh can you

126I got three questions and so I'm going to ask them separately. >> Okay. >> Uh the first one is uh with the atlas testing and let's just talk K3 K2 K3 um when does the interventions start? Uh right. No, no. Right. When students are showing need improvement at what level? >> At what grade level? >> No, no, no. So, so when a a student needs improvement, uh after the results come in, what type of resources are are are poured into the student? Um I think you know starting at kindergarten I think when you know our first step is to go to our our resources that we use for teaching foundational skills. So everyone has foundations we have foundations to use. Um that is the first thing kids sometimes need an extra at bat with foundations

127and so that's where we would direct folks to go. Um schools then have things like some schools have 95% group. I mean there are different intervention tools that they might use during their small group time, they might use during their win time. Um and and then that would be the next place to go is like what's the intervention that you're going to use. Um oftent times the curriculum materials materials themselves provide quite a lot that teachers can't get to and so then that becomes an opportunity for them to do that. >> Okay. Um the build program is is that something the district is still uh utilizing? >> Yeah, so that was that was um purchased specifically as a K1 dyslexia support like for kids that have been flagged for characteristics of dyslexia, but is a

128really also high quality intervention um that that teachers can use with students, but we purchased it specifically for K1 build or K1 dyslexia. >> Okay. And then the uh what is the role of um uh the parent? And then with parent with with parent meetings are um parents still still able to bring their own team uh right to their um student uh meetings, their parent meetings, the ESP meeting. >> Uh I think I mean the ESP team, you know, those meetings are typically designed at the school level to troubleshoot and problem solve. But if that ESP team, you know, needs to bring the family in, if there's going to be a recommendation for special ed services, whatever, I mean, yeah, the family would be a part of that process. >> Okay. And then like the

129family is is able to bring in their own their own advocate, their their own team as well because it's correct. >> Okay. Um had another question around uh the four and five grades. Uh was it four and five that I didn't see up there or five and I think I seen five and six both four and five I believe was missing on was it literacy is there what type of growth happened with them um with their ELA because the first few slides were um I think it was on the celebrations I was just curious if there wasn't any growth So here's ELLL. That's the level one. So here's our October to February data. So if you're asking about fourth grade, they were at 19% and then at 28%. >> Okay. What about fifth grade? Uh

130okay, never mind. I seen it. It's just down below. I didn't see it. It was after sixth. Okay. All right. I think uh that's uh all of my uh questions for for that. >> Okay. Thank you so much. We appreciate the work you've done. Thank you. Exceptional as usual. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. Uh seven, finance and operations. >> Mr. Bailey, the man with the plan. >> Make me blessed, too. That's a joke. All right, we're going to run through this uh fairly quick. I got a couple presentations, but the financial report you have before you as well. So, the update as of the end of uh January 2026. Uh, of course, the same summary here. Biggest part of course is our our tax collection. Uh, they're coming in. So the biggest

131part next part is going to come in in April uh May portion of of this uh fiscal year. So the first part we're pretty much closed out on that where we are closed out. So projections came in about 2.3 million short. So hopefully our next portion will come in over that amount to make up that difference. So Kent, you try to do your best estimates on how people are going to pay and how collection going to come in. Uh but that was pretty pretty close as far as the 111 million. uh delinquent taxes is kind of above uh uh beyond what we uh expected to collect at this time of the year. So about 87% on that. So we still have a little ways to go on there or the portions you're going to see

132some zeros here. Those won't actually come into the the following months there. Uh interest on investment of course down there we've overcolcted won't say overcolcted but interest rates were still uh significant for us to to collect more than we actually had budget. We went in with a conservative approach on there. So, we're just waiting on really some of these things to to continue coming in. If you hadn't paid your taxes, go ahead and pay them. You're a little bit late now. Uh, but of course, the escro companies typically pay in the April May period as well. So, uh, I think we're going to get all the collections that we actually had is going to be very close on those. So, when you start looking at the expense update here, uh, the salary and benefits projecting,

133we still had as of today about 120 something vacancies out there. We're going through contacting uh the various departments and schools to clean that up even more before we start this new round of creating any positions or deleting the rest of positions or whatever we might be doing for the budget period there. So right now as of the end of January was looking about $3.5 million of possible savings with uh salaries and benefits. So some of that may be eroded based on some compensation compensated absences we may have to pay out as people leave. That was a vacation uh time. Uh security it's going to still be negative. We we won't have the budget for that. I told you all I think I mentioned to you all the last few months that we had that

134uh pretty much a one time of paying some back invoices from our SOS that we were waiting from the city. Took us a little while to get those invoices uh from the city but we had to catch those up. Uh other professional services. This is one that's been looked at on sped audit as well. So this is primarily uh sped services OTPT outsource uh providers on this U. So most of this is 60 uh 6702 which is 6B funding. So we're looking at trying to get that balance out before the end of the year constru these are all the things you're going to notice when you see red on red or negative on the actual report following construction services. We actually had to close out a PO and issue another PO out there, but money

135is there. So that's rebudgeted. That's based on our bun funds out there. Other pieces, we're we're taking a look at student transportation. I think we're going to actually come in a little bit below that. Of course, we uh we're closed for six days. So we're going to have some reduction of transportation costs based on first student contract, but we do have that money encumbered out there. So I feel that's going to be in the black by the end. And the supplies, I just highlighted these. We're really not over holding overall supplies. It's just how our main supply area uh object code is 66100, but these are some subsets there. So, as you look at the detail behind there, you'll see some negative, but overall it's not negative, but wanted to highlight those things as well.

136As we go into our fund balance, this has been a discussion we've had last couple of weeks or so doing the public uh community engagement. So operating fund balance currently is 47.8. So this is a snapshot in time as the end of January, but we're going to continue to liquidate that down until we get our next tax uh money coming in. So right now we're we're healthy. Uh capital improvement fund is still healthy about almost 50 million as the end of that uh reporting period. Federal fund balance, we were still awaiting some reimbursements at the uh end of January. And when we're talking about fund balance, that's a great example right there. You see the federal is negative 2.3 million. So you have to have enough fund balance to carry you through those times as

137you're waiting on reimbursements if you have a and we do have a healthy amount of our budget that's federal federally funded. Child nutrition is still hanging in there real good. So been a positive balance there for several years. So we don't have any issues or concerns about those I don't think. And of course this is just a pictorial. We don't want to get back to this October right here where you can't see the other colors and different things. So, uh, right now we're January. So, we're working hard to make sure we make the reductions out there. They're still forthcoming. I know we have another part of this uh agenda to talk about those as well, but I'm going to slide down here. I'm gonna make this a little bit larger here. So, when you're looking

138at the numbers, these are all our revenues. We have a lot of revenue sources. I try to sum them up based on the ones that uh kind of have some flexibility. a property tax. I mean, you project what you're expecting to get uh based on the assessment values and and your uh past collection rates, but that's not exact science over there. So, we try our best. We scroll down to a couple of more pages, you'll see the expense portion as well. So, uh when I'm talking about the different balances here, you'll see available balances that didn't include all the income sets that were liquidated. So, it's hopeful that we we're going to be a little more positive in the black when we end this year. we don't have any surprises. So, >> we did have

139one surprise about 250,000 cleanup that uh from the winter storm. So, that's kind of where we are right now. So, >> okay, questions do we have? >> 250,000. >> That's what he's saying at least. >> I was about to ask you about that. What does that consist of mainly? Trees? >> Uh, no. Awnings. uh say just a 75,000 just on parking lot cleanups, just snow removal and ice and stuff. Uh if we wouldn't have I mean some of that stuff probably might have still been here >> now. >> Uh yeah. So some two weeks later, but we had a lot of awnings that were down. We had a we had one major busted pipe that was at Hall. We discovered it the first day. We had another one at Dunar uh minor. And then we

140had one we discovered actually this past week at Wilson. uh or Hamilton Learning Academy now. So, but most of them were awnings that collapse under the weight of the snow and ice. So, >> and then what fund uh does does that come out of? It's >> going to come out of operating. We we have a open claim with the insurance. Our deductible is 250,000. >> So, it may go a little above the 250,000 depending on other things. So, >> but the first I mean >> Yeah. I I think um >> the Oh, you can go ahead and make the motion. Are you going to make the motion? >> I was just gonna add a question. >> Um the I I what I was going to say this this is more for the public really. Um

141right, we get a lot of budget questions. At least I I know I do. And um our property tax. >> All right. >> You know, if you're cheating on me, you >> No, I'm not. I'm not cheating. I promise. Um Someone else need to call the meeting back to order. >> But um >> Oh boy. >> That must be for Will Jones. >> I don't know what that was. >> Um hilarious. Um okay, back on track. Our funding, our our per student uh funding. Uh most people think that most of our dollars per student it comes from uh the state and uh from what I remember and you correct me if I'm wrong we only get $18 to $1,900 per student coming from the state. Correct. >> Uh somewhere around that. That's for state foundation

142funding. You may get you get additional more for special categories a little bit >> but but just state based funding. So, uh, for those who listening or just doing a LRSD and chill watching the board meeting, property taxes, you the taxpayer who pay your, uh, your real estate tax, your boat tax, your any type of property tax that requires a tag, uh, you guys are actually the ones paying for our students here in Little Rock School District and not the statebased funding. So this this this is the slide that like um not this slide but the property tax then when uh Chief Deputy Bailey is talking about property tax that's why it's so important because when you look at your um property tax and you see Little Rock schools uh that is Little Rock school

143district it's not anybody else no matter if you live in the city. So, um, I get that question a lot and I just thought that this will be a great place to, uh, point go back and point that out is that you, the Little Rock resident, is the one that is truly paying for our 18,000 or whatever uh, students we have um, outside of them having sped money or different uh, category money which are federal. So, that's all I wanted to make a good point at. >> Yes, quick question. Um, I was just going to ask I know I did not realize that we had an insurance claim in on awnings and such and I know with the spring rainy season coming up there are a lot of kids. I know that we the my

144kids school lost their entire back awning. Do you I know that I heard initially they were not going to be replaced soon. Do you if we do an insurance claim that made that change? >> Oh, we we have an open claim now. We're moving forward replacing them. We have to replace them. So, yeah. >> Good. Okay. So, we are getting awnings back. I think so. >> But how much cheaper would umbrellas? >> Yeah, we we are getting honest back. So >> good. Okay, that's all questions. Any other questions? Okay, I entertain a motion. >> Join a motion. >> I move that the LRSD board of education approve and accept the January 2026 board financial report as submitted. >> Second. It's been moved and properly seconded that the LRSD Board of Education approve and accept the

145January 2026 board financial report as submitted. All in favor say I. I. >> Any oppose? Motion carries. All right. 7.2 Wakefield Dental Clinic. >> I have some people much smarter than me about this topic here. They come up from Kieran and >> they have as well. >> I love seeing those too. >> Good evening everyone. Um, my name is Jackie Mchuan if you don't know me and um, I am so happy to be up here in front of you tonight. Um, we are talking about kids tonight with the Wakefield Dental Clinic and the sustainability of our clinic. So, we recently this year took over ownership of our dental clinic because we were lucky enough to be able to get a three-year grant from the AD. We are on the first year of that grant. That

146makes me think a little bit more long term. How are we going to sustain this clinic? Um, we do an important service for our students and I want to mainly point out here really quick. Um, so we do get some reimbursement for Medicaid. Um, they are trying to statewide try to get those Medicaid reimbursements a little bit higher, but um, a law was passed for that to go forth, but we're kind of um, they're trying to figure that out right now. Um so looking back in 23 24 we had 71% of our students that went to the Wakefield dental clinic um that were Medicaid insured by Medicaid. So we would get a kickback from that and only 29% were uninsured. Now we're looking at 25 26 school year and going from October to January. So

147only three months we have 54% of our students that are uninsured and 46 that we've had Medicaid reimbursements with. So, to me, that's pretty alarming. We want to be able to help all of our students, but we also need to be able to find some sort of money source. So, that's what we're coming to tonight. Uh, Miss Mary has uh some great numbers from you and some data with that. Um, but every kid of all age deserves some uh good dental care. And so, I brought you all some toothbrushes and toothpaste tonight so you can take care of your teeth, too. So just and this is not with district funds. >> Is she here tonight? >> Okay. So while Jackie is handing those out, I'll give you guys some more information. Um, so we're proposing

148that we introduce um a fee implementation for our uninsured folks. Um, and that is a super low cost compared to what uh Medicaid reimbures. And we know Medicaid reimbures a lot of times less than what it actually costs to provide the service itself. Um, so you have our uh draft letter to go out to families. Um, we're proposing that it starts in August that we have plenty of time to notify our families. Um but yeah, so for instance, like uh cleanings with X-rays, Medicaid reimbursement is $107. So we're only asking 25. Um but yeah, that's kind of our plan. Um it'll be done through our electronic medical record system. They have billing services um and messaging system that we utilize. So, it's a pretty streamlined process and families will be able to pay credit card,

149online, cash, that type of thing. >> Um, and schoolbased health clinics, one of the main principles is not turning away kids for um >> the inability to pay. So, we'll still stand by that, but trying to get some sort of revenue from um our uninsured friends. >> Questions we have? Yes, ma'am. Miss >> Oh, okay. Uh, so is are is this like a co-pay if they have Medicaid or something or or or is this cash um uh patients? >> It's right. It's a uninsured patient. >> It's uninsured patients. Okay, got it. >> Okay, that was my question. >> 54% was uninsured. >> Okay, so let me ask you this. I don't know to what extent you asked the question, but >> is it because a parent is overqualified? Is it because a parent didn't reach

150out to a program to be insured or >> Yeah. So, we see a lot of kids who are ineligible for Medicaid. >> Um so, um we do work with the families and uh give them the resources to enroll in Medicaid, but a lot of our families just are ineligible. >> Is that the only program we Uh, this clinic only sees Medicaid and uninsured because there are so many other resources for families who do have um private insurance. Okay. >> Thank you. >> It's along the lines of Medicaid. So is our kids A and B is that different than Medicaid? >> No, >> it's a little higher. >> I mean, but there is a co-pay, but so is it in category? >> There's only a copay on our kids B. >> Our kids A doesn't have

151a copay. >> Yeah. So we've typically >> the question >> the years of service. >> She's still answering. >> I'm so sorry. >> Okay, go ahead. >> In our past years of service, we've just done what Medicaid reimbures. We've never paid uh asked for any out-of- pocket costs. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> And we also accept um donations. Is that correct? >> Sure. Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> Private donations are welcome, right? >> Oh, yes. >> Bring it on. >> I think Adam. >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Mr. Adams had one. >> Thank you. Yes. U do you have a sense of of what why there's such a big change in the uninsured rate for our students? What the what obstacles may be there or what the conditions may be happening? >> Um well, most of our

152kids that we see are from Wakefield itself. That population has changed over the years. um a lot more undocumented families and >> those undocumented families are most of the time unable to >> get in get Medicaid. >> Thank you. >> Um thank you guys for all that you do in this world. Um I was going to ask a little bit more from building on what Norma was asking. What what is it what are you hoping to bring in from this? And then also like how much is the monetary gap you're trying to fill? >> Um so operations uh salaries include dentist, dental assistant, dental receptionist. Um and that's about 125,000 a year. Um operational costs is about 37,000 a year. Um so right now we're getting reimbursed I we're expecting around 4550,000 for Medicaid. Um,

153but we're filling those gaps and more this year with grants. So, still want to apply for grants and everything like that. Just any kind of income that we can get to. >> Gotcha. >> A little bit. >> Okay. I guess my question I Oh, no. I see this on here. 45,000 re Oh, no, that's reimbured by the city. >> I just partnerships. Yeah. >> I I I just um I mean, having worked in this space, you know, I know there's so so much need for so many kids. I remember like just kids with their who needed like eight or 10 u like pulpotoies or root canal baby root canals on their third grader teeth you know and I and you promise this is not going to be a barrier to the kids who cannot pay

154because I know like the collection of finances and like does the kid come with money in the envelope like how do we actually facilitate the paying at schoolbased health centers can be challenging I know that and I'm not trying to push back on this I just like really don't want this to be a barrier to those kids who are maybe not even able to focus in class because they have dental concerns. So, >> right, >> that's all. >> So, we're not going to turn anybody away. We are not going to do that. Um, I do want to say as well, um, that we are still looking for a partner. So, if anybody's watching, I don't know where the cameras are. We would love for you to be our partner. Um, we we've struggled with when

155we have spoken with several people coming in is that they look at our finances and they go, there's not a lot of money coming in. So why would we be your partner? And so we always try to sell it as we're this is a greater good. >> Do you mean the dentist partner or Okay. >> dentist and just helping support us because Children's International was our partner for 20 years and they help supplement our clinic and we no longer have that partnership because they are focusing on different things now and not the health world. So, we will continue to fight for looking for a partner, but in the meantime, >> you asked for that monetary amount like for that three months for the uninsured. I if $15, if everybody paid $15, if that was all

156we could get, it would be we're talking a little amount like 4,680 to be honest. And then if it was $25 on the top end, that'd be $7,775 for three months. And that's just the patient load that we had at that time. So, we're not talking about a lot, but we're talking about maybe some supplies that we could get or something to help help support us. >> Okay, Mr. Meister, >> I'm sorry. >> We just, you know, earlier earlier in the meeting, we just had a a a dental school >> do a partnership with us. >> Yes. The Lions. >> The Lions. >> They help support us with screenings and they they had the Wakefield students go over there. Um they're brand new um here in Arkansas and so we've been we've met with them

157before. Um sorry am I Hello. Um we've met with them before and um it's not off the table but they're they're trying to get their >> college off the ground too. So, >> well, also, is there an avenue for individuals to make donations to cover some of those co costs? >> Yeah, we would love to have donations from anybody. Yeah, we would we would love to have that. >> We're like foundation. >> Yes. How would that be done? I think >> that's come up a couple times. Okay. Well, hold up. Well, maybe hold that point. I think we had one other question, too. Um have you okay so with US have um is that a partnership with their dental um school as well? So everybody is doing a little bit of something >> to fill

158in the hole the the gaps. >> So US dental hygiene school provides um three dental hygiene students two to three days a week um at no cost to us. >> Um so that is really providing a lot of services. They're doing all of the cleaning. So, >> um we're getting a in a way a donation that way. Yeah. Pretty large donation. >> That's I was gonna say three hygienist three days a week. That's >> that's great. >> That's a lot of >> teeth clean. >> It is. >> Yeah. >> Mr. Bali, you had a question. >> Uh no, no, I don't. I just have a statement. >> Statement. Well, thank you for >> I mean I'm going to vote for it. So uh but I think the issue I think most people might not understand

159and maybe this will help uh bring about some type of donation or some type of mechanism to get funding but uh the amount of hours nationally that kids miss out of school related to dental illness and chronic pain and the school hours through like basically from UN untreated uh decay or or whatever uh type of >> tooth issues they might have. And so I think it's important that uh especially uh our students that aren't insured have access to a free clinic where they won't get turned away. So I think that just needs to be stated out loud. Thank you. >> And I'm glad that you brought that up. Um so I always talk about the mouth is the gateway to your whole entire body. So, um, systemically you're looking at if you're not treating the

160teeth, you could have some internal pro problems as well. And so, it's just really important to help our kids in the district. Thank you for bringing that up. >> Thank you so much. Chair will entertain a motion. >> I move the LD board of education approve the Wakefield dental clinic fee implementation plan. >> Second. It's been moved and properly second that the LRSD Board of Education approve the Wakefield dental clinic fee impleation implementation plan. All in favor say I. >> Any oppose? Mason carries. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> 7.3 IP. >> All right. I'm gonna bring somebody else up as well, Mr. Will Black. So, this is one that we have. Uh you you all remember the Renew America School Grant. So we have we won

161the prize money to 300,000 first which we went and we actually did the uh air purification refreshing and put some things on the diesel buses as well because we have EV buses here. Now it's time to move to the next phase of this of the project. So of course uh we've been meeting with DOE for the last two years. So some funding was put on pause but uh we've been assured that this funding is there. So now it's time to do our strategic plan for those 17 school which uh may only be 15 schools now because Carver is still kind of on hold and baseline is on hold. But uh we're excited to uh be able to issue RP for ESCO Energy Company here and uh Performance Services were was the winner of our RP.

162We've done a lot of work with performance services. We had three bids come in on that. Uh and we just had a kickoff meeting with their team, my team along with Linda Young as well. And it was exciting to have somebody on their team that's dealt with three of the schools in the Renew America school program. I mean, the rules have changed almost every time we get on the call with them over the last couple of uh years. So, it's refreshing to have somebody with that knowledge along with uh the knowledge they have as well. So, I'll introduce you, Mr. Black, just to introduce you've been before. Been here before. Yeah, >> not too long ago. Yes. Thank you all very much. Yeah, we're excited about exciting projects. So, good stuff can happen. Excited about

163it. So the great thing about this that their price was the a great price they're offering for us is at no cost for this part. So going through the strategic plan and going through the budget continuation and then we'll bring back before you a project plan once we get everything. Not sure we had about 13 million about 11 million of grant funds about 25% match out there for those 17 schools. I'm not sure what what the prices look like now over the last two years but we're going to work our be very best to make sure we touch every one of those sites. Okay. Questions? >> Questions, guys? >> You say we have to provide a 25% match for all those dollars. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Where are those dollars coming from? >> It's

164going to either come from con uh construction funds, capital improvement funds. Okay. So, capital >> or part our dedicated Yes, ma'am. >> So, not operational dollars, >> not general operation dollars. No, ma'am. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I guess. Yeah. Right. Okay. >> Yeah. >> But we have a dedicated maintenance part as well. There's about four billion. Yeah. Mills. Yes. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Um, how does this um can contribute to the uh budget cuts we're doing >> for next school year? >> It's going to help us on those all those mechanical needs we have out there so we don't >> So th this is one of the ways Well, you were on that committee. You co-chared it with me. So these are things the grants we went out looking for to try to

165help supplement some of those mechanical needs that we have out there. >> Uh so of course we're going with partnership with the state as well. So as many projects we can identify that we can get grant funds instead of us having to spend 100% >> on replacing this boiler we spend 25% in the grant you know take or whatever it might be. So it may just be a door or window here or there. So yes. >> Okay. >> Chair will entertain a motion. >> So um I move that the >> I move that the Little Rock uh Little Rock Board of Education approve the >> Sorry, let me read the right one. >> Here we go. I approve that the Little Rock Board of Education approve administration to award RFP26009 to performance services. >> It's

166been moved and properly second that the LRSD Board of Education approve administration to award RFP 26-009 to performance services. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? The motion carries. Thank you very much. >> Absolutely. 7.4 four >> budget development process discussion part five. >> All right. So tonight um we are um having as it says part five of this particular dis discussion uh the worksheet has been updated somewhat and you can see that the total now is getting close to about um 7 million. Let me pull this one up. >> Can you click on it? So pull this. >> Yeah, actually pull both of them. Are these two documents the same? >> They almost look like >> if you if you look up at the the on the agenda there is a specific documents

167for today's date >> right here. You'll see it >> for 226 >> says we will either approve the joint or the other one. Maybe it's at the very top of all that. >> No, it's at the very bottom. The documents where it says >> I >> documents for review and discussion 226. >> Now we only have one. >> Well, can you pull up the one that he's talking about so we'll know? >> All right. This is the budget plan reduction document. The same one that we've been looking at uh for a couple months now. >> Uh it there has been some additions and some things updated to it. Um and you can see that the total I think the last time we looked at this it was just shy of five million or a little

168over five million. We're now up to about almost seven. Um we've couple of things that I know that we've added. If you look under the elementary school-based personnel reductions, we started um the board approved the round one recommendations. And so we kind of know at this point um how many uh teacher um positions or reductions we're looking at based upon our projected enrollment for next year at the elementary level only. And this is only including just teacher positions, not other school b school-based positions. That'll be updated as we, you know, continue to go through the process. Um so those two have been added. We still are working on secondary. Secondary is going to take a little while because they're going through um course selection and massive scheduling and all of that stuff. And so um

169it'll be a a little while before we we get those numbers. But I'll just stop because uh there's been a couple of things added but not too much and just see if there's questions before we get to the action item for tonight. >> I just have a couple of quick questions. Uh with the one academy with the academy coach, uh what academy is that for? because I thought we moved away from academy. So, which academy coach is that or what does >> We have not moved away from themies. We moved away from the partnership with themies of Central Arkansas, but we still have the academy coaches. And what we're proposing to do is Central never had an academy coach. >> Excuse me. >> Central never had an academy coach. And so what we're looking to

170do is to we're in conversation with the UAPTC, the career coaches that we have. I think we have like three that we pay um half of their salary. UAPTC pays the other half of their salary. And so what we are in discussions about is moving away from the career coaches because they do the exact same thing um as our guidance counselors and some of the unique things that we wanted them to do we have been told that they are not able to do. Um, and so one of the so one of the things that we'll be able to do if we move away from those career coaches, we'll be able to add a career coach at Central. And so that way all of our high schools will have career um academy coaches. So that will

171help us continue the initiatives and things we're doing with CTE and all of the pathways. >> So and so one academy coach is will will get paid $100,000. >> That's that's salary and benefits. >> Okay. >> And that's just an estimate. >> Okay. So, so what what is the projected base salary? Because because that's a lot of fringe benefits. >> So, if you look at like the average teachers about $88,000 on on a regular nine and a quarter contract once you add it. So, if these are either nine and a half, I'm not sure what contract. >> I think these are these would be nine nine and a half >> probably. So yeah, it's going to get >> I this is a I think conservative estimate may be less than this but I the career

172coaches that he mentioned here we pay aboutund just say 117,000 versus 100 >> maybe 95,000 maybe 90,000 depending on the person that's current. My last question on this this uh position here is is it so is the district looking to hire a certified a licensed and certified teacher in that position or just someone like like a noncertified person >> for the academy coach? >> Yeah, >> it's a certified teacher position. >> Okay. Okay. All right. I just I wanted to be clear. my other question because we kind of went kind of fast. Uh >> oh, let me go back up. Okay, so I still see Tandaji on here. So, is that So, we're getting rid of that or we going to um we are still getting rid of Tendagaji. Are you your recommendation? >> It's

173still on the documented. It's still the recommendation, but you are you all aren't voting on that tonight. >> But, but it's still on for to be cut. Yes. >> Okay. All right. They haven't been been cut yet. Okay. Cuz I know they do a lot of push in services um outside of the children that are suspended. So, okay. Um the other Go back up, please. And sorry, I'm just kind of going over this real quick. Uh go back up. Okay. Uh question on the reduction days in the superintendent contract. Uh this is something that you're proposing. So have the board and I could have not been here when this happened. Have the board already talked t talk talked about this um voluntary reduction um because typically we don't have you know employees raising and lowering

174their own salary. It has been up for the board to discuss every time we get to this. >> I know. And I've been and then I asked, but then it's numb. So maybe hopefully we can have a some point have a discussion because I've asked for it. Um I think this might be my second second or third time. >> What is I mean what is the discussion about? >> Okay. My concern my concern is the grace like as far as as far as um I I do appreciate the fact that like um you volunteered to do the salary uh deduction. I did re I I did say that a couple maybe a year or so ago that people got upset with me for. But my concern is that the that it wasn't a conversation uh

175with the board. So I didn't understand where the board the board um fell on it. >> At at one point, I don't remember how many meetings ago it was. The first time I heard him say the words, I'd seen it on paper before that. First time he said the words, >> I looked right past you and said, "Thank you." And he said, "You're welcome." And I just I thought that was the settled. I mean, what was what's the problem? So the problem the I don't know if problem is the right word. The concern is and it's the the concern is that the board should have at least had a conversation um about it typ that's that and and pretty much that's all I'm saying is that um we don't have for instance with our teachers

176our our contracts for employees our normal employees cannot dictate and write their own contracts and just tell the board and we just approve it. We take them through a whole bunch of loops to get there. >> Well, if they wanted to give money back, we probably wouldn't take very many. >> Well, I'm saying even as far as raising the their salary. >> Well, yeah, that's sure. So anyways, my my whole point is that that should have been a board a discussion and just not like a rubber stamp where um he decided to uh raise or in this case uh deduct his own salary without the board having a conversation about it. >> I did some enjoyed rubber stamping it though. >> Okay. >> I many the majority of do enjoy rubber stamping. That's I'm >>

177okay. What else we have >> for you, >> Miss Hatter? Did you finish? >> No, you you can go on along with it. >> Are you good? Okay, we had another question here. Mr. Adams, >> thank you. Thank you. I I'll just just want to make a I'll make make a brief comment on on that topic. I know I have a question. >> Um I really I'm join I'm very appreciative of this. We we made a commitment to pay you at a particular level. you are voluntarily saying in solidarity with everyone else that you'd be willing to take less. That can't happen unless we vote on it. We will vote on it at some point and but I'm really appreciative of that because that is totally voluntary. You didn't have to do that and we

178did not mandate that or you know it was it was something that you are offering and I think it's a gracious offer. I do have a just a question just to confirm under the Dr. Right. Under the district office personnel reductions, there's an addition of the communications position. Mhm. >> Is that in that seems to be in response to me of of the communication the report we had and the recommendation we had um last meeting I think it was about our marketing folks and clear recommendation that if we were going to be able to really implement the aggressive and and uh changes in our marketing approach that we would need somebody to to be able to coordinate that. Is is that what this is? >> That is 100% correct. >> Okay. Thank you. So, is

179is that another position >> in communications? >> Yes, that is. It says >> I see what it says. I was just being being clear because >> Okay. Oh, okay. Okay. >> I don't want to beat this to death, >> but we wouldn't have to vote on it. We could we He has a set if he wants to write a check payable to us and hand it to Mr. Bailey. We can't stop it. >> Tony Rose, um I'm I'm I'm I'm off of that. Um the point the I made my point on that. I was talking about the conver the uh position. >> Oh, yeah. I was >> but just to >> but but just to be clear on what I'm saying um outside of what the other members are saying, my point is that um

180the board should be more active in the superintendent's contracts and and the in the pay and not just um allow the employee to raise or decrease their own salary and we just rubber stamp it and then come out with pleasantries. You have said a couple of times raise the superintendent raises his salary by himself. Like where does that happen? Like where where on earth does that happen? And where has that happened here? >> Every time you got a raise. >> Okay. >> If you look at my contract, my contract spells out the requirements me for me to get a raise. And in order for that to happen, the board has to vote on it. I don't dictate my own raises, Miss Hatter. And so that is just a flatout lie and something you need to

181stop saying. >> No, you do. Just like when you quit and you came with the six six page contract or agreement I'm going to bring the meeting back to the top five of the superintendent in the state. So please do not do that >> with me >> finally. >> I'm I'm I'm just saying he's he's calling me a line what he's saying. >> So we're we're going to bring the meeting back to order and I'll entertain a motion. 7.4 please. >> He quit to get entertain a motion. I move that the LRSD Board of Education approve the joint employee contract changes proposal. >> Second. It's >> been moved and properly second that the LRSD board of education approve the joint employee contract changes proposal. All in favor? >> I just have a comment if I

182could. Miss Wesley, I I just want to say thank you to the PPC and the administration. >> Absolutely. >> You know, for working together and collaborating on that. There's there's a lot of you know this is a very difficult process a lot of difficult things and I think it's commendable that they were able to come together and bring a joint proposal. So >> that's not what you guys voted on right now though. >> Yeah. >> No. You're voting on the >> joint contract >> very strange contract lang. >> So we just went ahead and voted on the thing you hadn't covered yet. Thanks. >> That's what happened. >> We haven't voted yet but it's on the table. We're we're voting on the piece that we've all all hopefully all reviewed. >> What? But what about

183the budget? You're on the budget. You're not on the contract. So, how about you just stick to what we're on instead of trying to jump and jump >> overpower and talk me. >> Just stay focused >> on this agenda item. It's the employee contract changes, not the contract template. >> Yeah, the the Yes, I did. Yes, the contract changes proposal. I was just responding to his remark because what his remark was about the contract template. It wasn't this. >> Right. Right. >> That's what I was saying. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Well, that was that was missp speaking by me then. Thank you. >> Okay. That's okay. That's okay. >> That's okay. So, it's been moved and probably on the employee contract >> just to make sure we're all on the same page. That the

184LRSD board of education approve the joint employee contract changes proposal. It's been moved and probably second. Any other comments? All in favor say I. I. Any opposed. The motion carries. Okay, we're moving forward to eight. Nothing there. 9.1 Revisions to board policy 3.5. >> Hey members, how are you? >> How's it going? How are you people? item. Oh, and actually, well, let me not get them ahead of myself. Let me talk about the things in front of me first. Board members, and uh in the last meeting, there was a some discussion about uh conflicts that would exist in the personnel policy part of board policy. uh if the board were to adopt changes to the contract template. Uh specifically items are policy 3.5 and 3.19 were mentioned in that meeting. Uh these are by by

185virtue of of that conversation they're being offered for consideration discussion by the board. Uh it's it'sformational really on on what those are. Um the the upload on the board agenda 3.5 it uh simply puts the the return period from 30 to 15 days. My understanding is that the PPC uh or both PPCs have agreed to that. Uh so it simply reflects what's been agreed to there. And then 3.19 um the only change in that document is at the or in that policy is at the very bottom and that is uh the grant funded funded position contingency and as much as possible I tried to track the the same wording that the contract template uses that everybody has already seen. Um, I did add a a definition on what a grant funded position is, and it

186is broad uh that it's federal or state funds, but it's not specifically restricted to those. If Amazon or somebody wanted to give the district a grant, it it would be broad enough to cover that. Uh, so that's and in doing that, I I didn't try to to shoehorn it into 3.19. you know, tried to create its own its own distinct area and to track the same wording in the contract so that there's no surprise, nothing that anybody hasn't seen before. Even though as a matter of process, it will still if the board wanted to make a proposal out of these, they would still have to go to the PPCs for consideration. And at this point, I these are in the certified PPC. And I did that partly because later on in the agenda, you've got

187a classified broader PPC do our policy document to consider this evening. So that's that's where those are. And I can also mention that uh there is a another policy that was not mentioned in your previous meeting uh that uh was brought to our attention yesterday about uh 3.46 certified personnel vacations. And Madam Chair, if I can approach, I've got a hard copy of that document for you. board members. Uh this is also uh by virtue of being informational. Um the concern that was that was brought to us uh yesterday was okay if there's a reduction in contract ter term lengths from 245 does that need to be reflected in the policy and so out of a out of actually I've got to give I'm going to give credit to the customer service uh staff member

188Miss Loma Johnson who took some time with me today to walk me through all this to make sure I understand how we actually handle vacation time and then how we should word it better to capture it. So the draft that I carried down to Miss Johnson, she was like that's not really how we do it. Uh so this is largely informed by by her input on on how to capture what we're doing. So uh I've moved away in the in the suggested draft there from 245 days to 12 months. Uh vacation time under this system uh occurs or is credited uh to ADM which is administrative employees. That's how that works. That's the only category of employees that this would apply to. Uh, I struck through a couple of stray non-renewals that were left over

189from um pre-learns. This policy dates back to 2022 in its first form. Um, and then I you'll see a fairly significant amount of strikethroughs that all came out of my conversations with the payroll staff. And so essentially on vacation time for administrative employees, um, there are For a for a just beginning administrative employee, there are 15 days that are credited at the beginning of the of the fiscal year. It looks like because five of those 15 days are built into the calendar over the winter break. Uh so those are those are how those are put in there. And so what I tried to do in the wording is to to reflect that process. And then I also wanted to and this isformational for you board. Um five of those 15 are used during the winter

190break. And then the remaining days can be used by administrative employees subject to the approval of their supervisor. That's just a standard shorthand that seems to make sense to me that everybody has a boss. Everybody reports to somebody. Everybody needs approval. Um, and then the tricky part and Miss Johnson was very patient with me in walking me through this so that I understood it. So any any error in my explaining it is me and not her. Um, but only 45 days of vacation leave will carry forward into the new fiscal year. So if an employee has has acrewed whatever it doesn't matter well it does matter for this illustration if they have accured 45 days as as of June 30th then when the fiscal year begins on July 1 they will be credited all of

191their new days. So it will look like 10 days are going on top of that. So from 45 they'll go to 55. Now, if they don't use a single vacation day other than those five that are already built in, and I'm not counting those in that 10 because they're not discretionary. Those are on the calendar for every employee in that class. Then if they don't use a single day and they have 55 on the next June 30th, they're only going to carry forward 45. So the >> So they'll go back to 55. >> Yes. And then they'll and and it and the math changes a little bit with uh years of service. Um so those those numbers will change a little bit. So nobody gets nobody gets short of those. You're not capped at 45

192only if that makes sense. But you'll get your you'll get that that next year's aotment of days. And it's it's the responsibility of the employee that if they're like, I'm gonna go out and whatever, I'm gonna go to deer camp, I'm going to go to Disney World, I'm going to go to the lake, uh then it's in it's the responsibility of the employee to make those plans in connection and cooperation with their their supervisor to make sure they get that done. >> Uh so I wanted to I wanted to offer this up to you. um also is one of those items that that you may want to look at. Uh since I'm giving it to you for the first time this evening and you haven't had time to to mulle it over, I just wanted

193to walk through to make sure that I was trying to capture how we're actually doing it. And those are three policies that readily come to mind that will probably need changing as we go forward. and board members. The contract template um if the board chooses to approve it will only go into operation on July 1 of this year. It will have no bearing on any policy or any contractual arrangement between the district and employee from now until June 30. they are still by law underneath the policies that are in operation now. These are that would be a prospective move. The same thing with these if the board wanted to take these three policies up and make changes that would be prospective to begin on July 1. And as a housekeeping matter, the stages that the

194board would go through, um, since since I'm giving the these to you in draft form, um, maybe this becomes a recommendation from the superintendent for you, maybe it doesn't. Um, and at that point, the board can decide, well, we're going to adopt it as a proposal and send it to the PPCs for consideration before we vote on it. The only ask that I would have of you is that um we don't let it linger into June. Uh because then there are certain statutory notice requirements that employees are entitled to that we have to meet uh in order to bring those into operation. So that's a long way of saying you have some time to think about it, but don't think about it forever. um just kind of decide what you want to do. >> Okay,

195questions. Yes, >> thank you so much for this. I really appreciate all the work that has gone into this. Um one one question I have in in this is I know we have item 9.3 coming up. If should we hold on approving that until we've made the analogous changes to section 8 of the I guess I the document that's uploaded on the agenda was the um is not searchable. It's like a PDF that has been scanned in. It's very hard to search in it and so I was not able to make see if these exact same policies existed in that in when I was reviewing the agenda for tonight. So I guess yes that's my question. Do you think we should hold on that? Sorry I know you've been sitting here for like four hours.

196Um but should we hold on that until the next meeting where we have a vote in order to make sure that it's all aligned? >> I don't think so. >> Okay. And I'll give you I'll give you >> because I know we don't have those or I guess if you come back go go finish that and I was just going to say if the answer is yes I would like or no then I wanted wondered if you could come back with the similar changes to the classified employees. Well, yeah. And part of part of the reason for that is that when I went and when I went downstairs today to talk to Miss Johnson about the the way that we handle vacation leave, >> uh there is also a category of employee on the classified

197side, the ANS >> and A plat they're they're not, you know, they're not administrators, they're not clerks, they're some somewhere in between in the way that we handle it and the way that vacation days are granted to them are different than they are for the ADMs >> and the classified policy doesn't reflect that at all. So, it's going to be it's going to be brand new. It's going to be something that Yeah, it'll be something that will be brand new to you. It's not under consideration in tonight's packet. So, that one you don't >> It's going to be new anyway. >> Okay. >> So, that was one we just didn't update, I guess, when we went through it. >> Uh well, I'm I'm not sure that it was it was >> it wasn't on our

198radar. >> Yeah, it wasn't. Yes. And then on the other two um as it relates to contract return and the grant awarded positions, >> right? >> Both of those have already been considered by the PPC. >> Okay. >> So >> both of those have been considered by the PPC on which >> on the contract template and I know I'm kind of blurring things a little bit, >> right? And I didn't realize that the because the certified PPC had originally approved the first contract and then y'all have gone they've gone back and now they're aligned that both PPCs are aligned with the changes, right? And so I had not brought that up as needing to change the policies in section 8 last meeting because we did not need the changes for certified at the last meeting.

199But now that you've voted on the new contract, we're making the contract the same for everyone. We will need those changes in section. >> Yeah. And and it's really the same. My reasoning is the same. It's because it's prospective, >> right? >> Um it seems to me that >> Well, first we need the we need the vote on the >> the whole thing >> the contract. >> Oh. Oh, okay. Yeah. >> Um because if if the board says we ain't doing that, >> then at that point if you changed your policies prospectively, then you're you're reflecting a contract that may fail. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Uh so I would I would feel more comfortable seeing the outcomes of what you all do with the with the contract template and and in light of that I

200don't see any upside to delaying the section 8 of the board policy done by the classified staff >> as long as we just know we're going to come back and change it as well. >> Yeah. And you know they've worked like champions on this. So >> I like that. Other questions? Other questions? Okay. So we do need a motion for 9.1. Correct. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't know why there wasn't. >> Yes. >> Oh, no. There should be a motion. >> I think we just said we were not going to do that until we vote. >> It says it's Yeah. >> So, you guys tell me then. >> Since it's the first time that this has come, I guess. >> if there was going to be a motion, >> it would be a it would

201be a motion and I'm I'm sort of speaking for you at this point. If these are are the superintendent's recommendation, then it would be a motion to adopt the recommendation as a proposal and send over >> before you take final action on them. >> Um, >> do you understand? >> So, what is the pleasure to >> I think time to wait on that. It's fine with me. Is that fine with >> Okay. Okay. So, information only. Okay. So, we'll go with 9.2. two contract template. Contract template. All right. >> All right. And board members. Um >> so here we're in agreement, right? We're in agreement, right? My understanding both PPCs have seen this and both PPCs have agreed language as as you know like Miss Austin spoke about in her report to the board earlier

202this evening. >> Very good. >> The um the changes from the draft proposal that the board sent over for the PPC to consider had a 10-day return. Um my understanding is the agreement now is 15 days >> and that the enrollment provision for termination has been removed entirely >> from the contract template. >> Okay. >> And what all that is left are these grant-f funed position. >> Okay. >> Uh where it's it's money that the district doesn't control anyway. Uh it's and not to opine uh but you know if the United States Department of Education decides that certain grants aren't coming our way then it's it's sort of to reflect that. >> Okay. Chair will entertain a motion. be glad to make this motion with gratitude again to the PPCs and to the administration for

203working together to make a joint proposal and I would move that the Little Rock School Board of Education approved the joint proposal 2026 27 employee contract template. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second. >> Discussion. >> Any discussion? >> Uh yeah. So I I will be voting for for this. I am happy that the um language about firing teachers in the middle of a school year was taken out based on student enrollment uh numbers. And so, um, no matter how people may feel, um, about the current state or morale or the district, at least next year in the contract, uh, you can rest assure that after October 1, you won't have to be faced with a termination, right, of a contract based on enrollment numbers. So, um I think that this is a

204good another good victory and win for staff as a whole. I also think it's a great um uh way to end my bo my board service on the board. Um it seemed like my whole second term have been fighting um and helping support teachers. So, um I'm not 100% happy with the con contract, uh but at least the most callous and egregious part of the contract uh language have been taken out. >> Other comments? Okay, it's been moved and properly second that the LRC board of education approve the jointly proposed 26 to 27 employee contract template. All in favor say I. >> I. Any oppose? The motion carries. 9.3 classified personnel policies. >> And board members, I'm I'm listed on that agenda item, but it would be a disservice for me to present because Miss

205Jacobs and Dr. Bradford have been absolute champions in working on this and showing great leadership. >> Um, I would >> I am not going to talk over the work that they have done nor claim it because they've been they've been a credit to the district. >> Good evening, board. >> Good evening. 9.3 are the classified personnel policies that the policy committee has been charged to work on. Uh I want to introduce Dr. Angela Bradford who was she was the first PPC uh chairperson who's been supporting this whole process and then the current PPC uh committee chairperson, Miss Tangela Jacobs. And so I want to let them say a few words and if you want to ask any question we are here to answer them. >> Yes ma'am. >> First good evening. Um this most definitely

206was a collaborative effort. So I want to first recognize the committee. Of course, we have our current chair of the classified PPC and that's Tandela Jacobs, Miss Nurse Patricia Brown, Litha Austin, Ro Rory Vaughn, Terresa Ne Gordon, Anna Strong, um Miss Burgess of course, and Mr. Gaz. I served uh on this um committee. Um but I did not vote when I last stood before you. I was the classified PPC chair and I um actually this summer I transitioned to HR. So, I stayed as kind of a facilitator over this because I worked for a whole year with the certified committee and I just felt like all that knowledge shouldn't go to waste. So, thank you uh Dr. Wright and and Miss Burgers for allowing me to help. Um how do we create this um this

207particular manual? It's 143 pages and my goodness. Uh we started off with the ASPA model template. Of course, it's just a template. So we had to make it work for LRSD and then afterwards we made sure that it was aligned to the the learners act and then we had to make sure that somehow mirrored the certified policies when possible. Um there are four policies that kind of stood out um this particular in this particular manual and the first one is um 8.11 and that was dealing with overtime and um FLSA and what happened is because of the ice storm we just kind of brought some awareness that we need to clarify um who is considered essential workers during inclement weather. So, we just specify that that those individuals need to most definitely uh uh keep

208um keep communication with their supervisors in case they have to report. For example, transportation may have to go out and look at their routes to see if it's safe to pick up students. Maintenance and operations may have to go to different facilities to check and see if there's a water leak or or something of that nature. um uh security and also child nutrition may have to go in and inventory uh inventory some of their supplies things like that. So we specified that uh 8.14 was an easy one but since we have the new travel uh policy with the new uh system that we just simply went ahead and and copy and pasted that particular policy into that uh into the the template. So that's already been pre-approved. So it's really no no need for discussion

209on that one. Um and then there were two additional policies that came up from the state uh after the class the certified manual was completed and that was 8.49 that was dealing with AI and then 850 is a new one. Um that one we had some discussions on it. Okay. And what the committee uh decided which I think was the right thing to do is we create an anti-discrimination and harassment policy that discussed all discrimination for all demographics and then we broke it down into A and B. Okay. And the the B was the anti-semitism policy that was recommended by the state. And that is basically it. I know it's a huge document. It is in compliance. I believe it does mirror the the certified pretty pretty well. Uh we made sure we took out

210all the nonrenewal uh language. So that's basically it. If you have any questions for us, we are here. >> Questions? >> Yes. >> I just say I just would like to say thank you to you guys. I mean I know this these have all been a labor of love, but um that the the anti-semitism policy particularly I think thank you Mr. particularly for going to help write something that we all I think felt comfortable with and and talking about anti-semitism as one piece of our overall commitment to equity and commitment to a having a place for everyone in our district. Um uh because some of the definitions that the state required um there are just a lot of different definitions in the world I guess of anti-semitism. Um, so anyway, there was a lot that

211went into that and I really appreciate all that you guys did to make this easy and smooth and kind and everybody was, I feel like, very collegial in this one and thank you all for all you did. >> Very good. Other questions? >> Is there going to be any policy around antilackness or anti- Palestinian or anti >> well >> anybody else? I mean be because to pull out one group of people to write a policy around that opens us up to have to write policies around antilackness >> or I get that but I get that I wasn't talking to you. Um, so are so so if a so how would so how would we deal with a someone who's come in and they're anti- Palestine or they're anti- blackness or anti-Mexicans? like is is is

212there any room to just um write on its own standing create I mean we can always create policy but is there any foresight on creating policies around any in any other anti- group of people >> okay I'm going to answer the best of my knowledge and this is a discussion that we really had I mean if I'm being straight transparent um and the a part of this policy. If you go back and if you go back and read, it talks about that. It talks about every nationality, every demographic because we felt it was important especially with the climate of the country right now. So that's in there. The part B is statemate mandated and regardless of how I feel that we have to kind of you know abide by the state law. So and the

213great thing about this policy manual is it can be altered as needed. So, but are we changing it today? >> Well, I would I mean whenever a motion is there, I would like to add antilackness to it because I mean, if we think about it and we think about our our systems and we think about um systematic racism, um institutionalized racism, um black and brown folks are constantly at at the helm of that. um whether or not we see it in um uh relations pro professional relations, we see it in education, we see it in all aspects of it. And so um I would uh whenever that motion comes, I would like to um include some some um of the groups that are directly and daily um impacted by anti racism because essentially that is

214what we're talking about anti-racism. >> Okay. Other questions or comments? >> If I may make an additional comment for people who've actually read the policy, if you go read 8.50, it does include all of those um groups that director is referring to. Thank you. >> Other questions or comments? Uh chair will entertain a motion. I move that the LRSD board of ed education accept and approve the proposed revisions to the classified personal policy committee. >> Second. >> It's been moved and probably second that the LSD board of education accept and approve the proposed revisions to the classified personnel policy committee. Any other questions or comments? All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you ladies. >> Thank you indeed. >> All right. Um, we're moving on down to

215>> We can move on. >> I'm so sorry. >> It's fine. You can move on. >> Oh, Miss Hatter. >> You You already It's fine. You can move on. >> Did you have Okay. Okay. Okay. So, we're going to move to board comments. Board comments. >> Aware. >> Board comments. Yes, Mr. Adams. >> Thank you. I I just wanted to say uh a couple things. One, I want to thank Miss Goody and Mr. Bailey. They both were helpful to me. I had a request from my church to give a update on the dark school district and I asked them for some information to help give a an accurate and informed update and they were very helpful. I also just wanted to note that on our personnel changes tonight that we approved um two retirements. I'm

216sure we'll hear more about it later. But we had two principles that I I think that are worth mentioning. Many people are retiring, but one was Miss Andrew Register at Jefferson Elementary. Another was Miss Nancy Russo at Central. Both of them have served the district for a long time and made incredible contributions wherever they have been. for Miss Register everywhere she has served. Students have improvement has happened and um and it's been a great thing to have her service in a long time. A lot has been said for Miss Russo and I'll just say this personally. I express this to Miss Russo too. In my day job, I coordinate a grief support program for children and teenagers. Miss Russo is the only principal in any district in the state who has ever called me directly

217several times with a stu with a family in her office to say I have a family in my office and a student who has had a death in their lives. Is there support for them? Can and can they get support and um and that kind of dedication and concern for students is greatly appreciated. So, I just wanted to recognize those two particular people for their long years of service. And again, more will be said later, but I want to make that tonight. >> Other board comments. Other board comments. >> I'm sorry. Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. So, sorry. I was trying to look in the policy because I didn't remember seeing anti-blackness, but um you guys thank Thank you for allowing me to serve you guys. I have one board meeting left on this uh school

218board. Um, and I just really want to appreciate uh you guys and the the vote of confidence and uh partnership uh you guys have had um in me and uh appreciating all of the tons of emails and or messages more so calls about uh the board board service. One thing I do want to impress um upon you all is to no matter what the road looks like, no matter if if it's in the valley or what have you, continue to move and continue to speak up and continue to let your voice be heard and to shine bright no matter what type of um adversity comes. come comes your way, no matter if uh people mob on you, regardless to what. Um, always speak up because some of the major wins that we accomplished together, whether

219it's from a policy level and being an advocate as well as a um a policy maker up here on on on the board, a lot of this can't happen without deep deep relationships. So, um, the last win that I always love giving examples, we think about this last win of taking the language out of the contract, um, template to fire people mid school year, which is it shows lack of compassion. It's callous. It was hard. It was cold. But if you think about who all spoke up here for that and and voiced it, um you always want to tap into people and never allow administration or anybody make you think that uh you don't have your first amendment right to uh speak to your elected board members. Um, and another thing that I will leave

220uh with you is Always speak up no matter how much they throw at you, the politics, the the the friendly fires. Um, keep on moving cuz it been a hard road up here. I've I I took a lot of bullets up here, even from people sitting up here for advocating for our staff, advocating for students, making sure that you guys are seen and just not getting pleasant pleasant words, but their actions are detrimental. And I want you to judge people by what they do, not by what they say, not by the puppets they have out writing for them or moving or um pushing out the narrative. Look at what people actually do. Look how they vote because that in the end is is is is what really really matters. So, um the last thing I

221want to impress on families is um with this whole retention thing um going on, make sure that you are an active um participant in that um meaning that if you have uh a parent meeting uh because even today I was invited to a parent meeting Um, you could bring your own team. You could bring your own people right in order to advocate for you um at these meetings and nobody can ever stop you from um uh advocating and bringing in your own team because it actually infringes right on your your parental right. And I think for now that I I will just end it on that. I have a lot more to say. Um but some of it you'll read about others um and it's going to be good. um in next meeting you'll hear

222more. Thank you guys. >> Just one really really quick comment. Uh this is something that um has been left with me so many times and um I feel compelled to read it really quickly. It says the phrase the best way to be seen is to be quiet highlights the power of observation, mystery and deliberate purposeful action over chaotic noise. It suggests that in a world full of constant chatter and self-promotion, silence can make a person more noticeable, respected, and influential. And I think it's so important to make sure that we are thoughtful about what we say, how we say it, and that we are intuitive about our motivation. Um sometimes we have so many um ideas about what we want and it's so important to recognize our power and to lean into that. Any other

223comments that we have from the board? >> I want to excuse myself to anybody that I've done this to. >> Um I I may have made some obligations to talk to some people or to be seen by people. Yep. >> I was sent to the hospital not in an emergency for emergency surgery but for urgent surgery. So there were a lot of things I didn't get a chance to square away and I hope I'm forgiven for all that and I'll try to do better in the future. >> Thank you for how you've shown up so recently is by the way. >> Oh just now you just now left because I rolled on my arm. >> Not that go in there. >> Anything else? Superintendent did you have any comments? Don't forget to vote. Uh get

224out. Oh, I'm sorry. >> Uh don't forget to vote. Get out and vote. Um zone 3 race is really interesting. So, um up here. So, uh definitely get out and uh vote. And yeah, I'll see y'all next week. And don't forget about that prosecutor's race and vote by before us on that one. >> If there is no objection, we will stand adjourned. >> You know, you can't do that. >> Yes, we can't do that. We'll just just cover your