001[Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Good afternoon. All right. Got some good feedback there. So, welcome to this uh fine day and the PK County School Board's work session. Uh we will now call the work session for April 22nd, 2025 to order. And I would like to again thanks uh to everyone for being here with us today. Thanks to our staff. I see you starting to line up there in the back row. Um and I appreciate that you're here. you're accessible to us as we work through uh our agenda today. Uh we have a pretty packed agenda uh during work
002session and then reflecting on what's coming to us tonight as well. So we're pretty excited. So uh we're humbled to serve alongside of you and the most highly educated workforce in the United States and dedicated workforce. Um so I would like to start by reading our who are we statement and it goes like this. We are the P County leadership and governance team. If we were to pick one word to or one phrase to define us, it would be student centered. Uh because when we come together to work, uh we're going to lean on those diverse backgrounds that we have and the experiences that we bring to ensure that our um decisions are focused on providing that high quality education for all students. And the four most important things to our governance team would be
003number one operating with integrity. Number two, respecting our students, our staff, families, and each other. Number three, establishing this culture where stakeholders, they feel valued, supported, and have opportunities for personal and professional growth. Um, definitely seeing a lot of that in some of our social and some of the action this board's taken here recently. Pretty excited to see that um be distributed. Uh, and lastly, supporting an approach of continuous improvement to ensure student outcomes. So collectively when we um we need to work on behalf of those students that we serve and find these avenues of agreement so that we can govern the district in an effective manner. There's no acceptable alternative to that. Uh we're always uh you know willing to collaborate in a respectful manner in order to enhance those opportunities for each student
004and staff members. We will not disparage others. Our students will thrive because we will remain committed to supporting the whole child. We hope to engage and empower our students and stakeholders to create this community of lifelong learners and that's our goal. At this time, I'd like to turn it over to Superintendent Hyde uh to lead us in our work session today. Superintendent, you're recognized. Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, members of the board, members of committee and staff. Thank you for being here. Our first item up for this evening or this afternoon, it's not evening yet. Um I will invite Miss Janette Crowley to the microphone and she will introduce our community partner today. Thank you, chair, schoolboard members, superintendent Hyde. It's a pleasure to be here with you today. So, um, one of our, uh, our
005goal area three is, um, engaging family and community members of our strategic plan. And one of the initiatives is to bring in business and community partners to share about the work that they do in partnership with Pulk County Public Schools. So, it's my pleasure to have uh Miss Chantel Shrubs with us today here from the um YMCA of West Central Florida, and she's going to do a presentation for us on the collaboration and partnership that they have with our school district. So, I'll let you go ahead Good afternoon, chair, school board members, and Mr. Hyde. Thank you so much for the opportunity to be here today to share with you the many ways that the YMCA and the PK County Public Schools uh collaborate. My name is Shantel Rubs and I get to serve as
006the chief strategy officer with the YMCA. So the YMCA currently has three locations. We have one on the south side which is the Lakeland family YMCA. We have the north side which is the Fontaine Gills facility. And then we also have the golf course um par three and soon we'll be adding one more. Today we are going to be talking about nine ways that we currently collaborate and support Pulk County Public Schools. Um we will deep dive into each of these as we go through them. So the first program that we collaborate with the PK County Public Schools is um through youth in government and this program is currently housed at George Jenkins High School. Uh this program has been running for approximately 10 years and it's a program that gives students hands-on experience with
007the government. They get to role play and visit Tallahassee. um they um we will be working to increase uh the number of schools that offer that this year. So, we're looking to uh to grow that delegation. And that's a picture of them right there at the bottom uh for when they went to Tallahassee recently. The YMCA also has um a contract with PK County Public Schools in that we participate in the kidare program. And we currently offer six kidare programs at elementary schools throughout Lakeland. And these are the um the six schools that we currently serve uh with a total of about 250 children in those programs. Um we work closely with uh Dr. Lorie Allen, Rhonda Ballard, Jason Pittz to make this collaboration possible. Uh these programs are licensed and eligible for state funding
008uh for financial aid for families that qualify through the early learning coalition. And again, these are before and after service after school services that are offered at the school site. So the parents drop their kids off early in the morning before school. They can hang out there and then after school we we're there with them until 6:00. Another service that we offer is um before uh is I'm sorry after school at um our main locations. Uh we are currently serving 23 PK County public schools in collecting children after school and bringing them to our sites. And between the two facilities, we serve about 230 children that we pick up and bring to our facilities, one on the north side, one on the south side. Um these programs are also eligible for financial assistance through state
009funding um for families that qualify. The Y Reads program is um one of the most rewarding programs that we offer. If you're not familiar with it, um I think you uh I think you would enjoy getting to know more about it. So the Y reads program is a reading program for title one schools uh where we come in, we pull small groups of children out of the classroom, we do some um intensive instruction with them and then they go back. Um the goal is to focus on the L25 um at the school and it's a mentoring program. So we only have like one or two staff but then we use a lot of volunteers. So, we use high school students, uh, retired teachers, uh, those kind of individuals. We are currently at two schools. Uh,
010this year we added Griffin Elementary as our second school. Um, but we've been at Winston Academy for a long time. Um, and it's been really neat to see students come back and and parents who were in the program and now their students are in the program as well. Um so with regards to the number of students served uh last year we served 48 which was at one program and then this year uh combined we have served 80 students. Um and what warms my heart is that 100% of students have achieved growth. Some of those have actually made it to grade level um and some have not. But regardless, they have all uh they've all made growth. The next program is uh the kindergarten learn to swim and this is one of the programs I'm truly
011passionate about. We work very closely with Tiffany Kitchens who's the curriculum specialist for physical education for the d for the district. And this program is a drowning prevention program that we provide kindergarteners. Um we serve uh about 20 schools per year and we do that between January and May. So we're in the middle of that right now. Um totaling about 1,600 children. Uh the program is a two-week program where they do a week at school where during um PE they will learn about drowning prevention, water safety, those kind of things. And then a week they spend at the YMCA. So we bring them to the YMCA and they actually get in the pool and have to submerge their faces. They have to be able to get in and out of the um in and out
012of the pool. Um, this is a grant-f funded program through the Give Well Grant and the YMCA um, alliance. And if you look at the middle picture on the bottom there, uh, that is Mr. Draper from uh, the principal at Colton Palmer. Um, and he was really concerned about his students with unique abilities and it was important for him to get in the water with this little guy. And so he hopped in during one of the lessons and was right there to uh to ensure that his students were all able to participate. The the next program um is uh the prek uh day camp. Um early childhood is really important to the YMCA and we understand the importance of summer learning loss and what can we do to make sure that our prek kiddos or
013our VPK kiddos don't lose that information during the summer. So, we offer a summer camp just for pre-K students that is a win-win for parents because not only is it child care um you know for for during the day but also an educational enrichment for uh for their children during the summer so that when they come to you they are ready ready to go. This is our newest acquisition, our new baby. Um, and I'm very excited about that. Um, it's the learning uh the early learning center at Mclofflin Academy. Um, we are diligently working to see uh to find a way to be able to open up a VPK program as of August 11th. That is three months away. Um, and may require some pixie dust uh to make things happen. But I think due
014to the partnerships that we have with you and the partnerships that we have with the community, I am uh I am sure that we will be able to accomplish that. We also um collaborate with Pulk County Public Schools with the New World's Reading Initiative Grant. Um and what this is, it's a literacy program for VPK through fifth graders. and we provide information about an at-home reading program and provide a meal. Um, we currently have already served 13 of your schools and um, we are grateful to the community liaison for making that possible. If if it wasn't for them, we would not have been able to um, to really be effective. A few other ways that we uh, collaborate. Um I am currently participating in the inside PCPS class 3. Um and it has been so
015insightful. Uh it doesn't it it is surprising to see what it takes to make this machine run. Uh and Mr. Hyde I don't know how you get any sleep uh based on that because of of everything everything and and it's just it's it's a lot. Um we also have leaders club which is for 12 year olds through 18 year olds and they work um to volunteer and we volunteer with some of the schools. Um we also have um eight middle and high schools that currently use our golf course at par three and um we consider it a win when we can hire uh schoolboard employees and for the summer and um after school programs and then um what's coming well firstly and what's happening uh we are currently registering ing for summer camp at the
016YMCA. Um, and then I don't know if you've driven by and seen the construction out there. That's a $25 million project that's going on and should be done somewhere around October 2025. Uh, we also have the childcare building in the back that will be going through renovations and then that will be done uh in May and that will include a learning kitchen. So, we're looking forward to that. Um and then there are some other things that we have in the works as well with other um with principles and community liaison. So um new thing new and exciting things are coming and that's all I really have to share. Do you have any questions for me? There are a few board members have indicated I have a quick question for you just so that people who
017are watching will have an opportunity to know where to look. So, you said you're currently enrolling for summer camp. Yes, sir. Where would parents go to get that information? They would go to the website which is YMCA WCF for West Central Florida.org. Very good. Thank you, Mr. Sharpless. So, um I don't really have a question, more of a comment. Um just want to thank you for partnering uh with us on the Early Learning Center at McGloin Academy of Excellence. um this in my area, I live very close to it and it's a it's a need uh for our community and so thank you for stepping up to the plate and offering that among all your other programs, but specifically for the Mclofflin Academy of Excellence Early Learning Center. It's it's much needed. So, thank you.
018Thank you. We're we're super excited. Get that pixie dust ready. Yes, Dr. Allen. Yeah, thank thanks for being here just sharing all the infrastructure and just the impact that you're having in our community. Um, you know, I when I drive by Carlton Palmer, you know, I see the line of students actually as they're coming out of Carlton and moving into that space just uh, you know, maybe two blocks or less away and um, as you mentioned, Principal Draper, um, I I just sent him a text real fast. I'm like, "Hey, did you learn how to swim at the Barto pool?" He's like, "Sure did." It was Mrs. Cartright. My mine was Miss Ann at the Gaines Pool here. So, um, but anyway, I I appreciate the work you're doing. It's great. Um, my son still
019has a folded up dollar bill from Coach John at First T. So, I just think about the impact and, you know, that you're having in in our community, but also within my home. So, thank you for the work. Thank you, Miss Fields. Thank you. I just wanted to know if you can tell us a little bit about your scholarship program and how that works. If a parent is in need of assistance, what's the process for that, please? Absolutely. We have um our first and main option for financial assistance is through the early learning coalition. And so uh for families who are working or going to school and both parents are working or one's working and one's going to school, um they would apply for school readiness funding through the Early Learning Coalition. And then the
020coalition uh subsidizes the the fees for child care. And that works for after school and for summer camp. And that's why it's important for us that our programs are licensed because it's the licensing part that allows us to be eligible to offer that ELC assistance um through the early learning coalition. Uh the second option we have is if a family does not qualify for the early learning coalition funding, then we have an internal YMCA process for financial assistance. And um so that's our our second method uh for camp and for programming. Um, so we have donors that have um donors and grants um that uh allows for us to um provide financial assistance. Uh at the Y we do not believe in the halves and the have nots and we don't want anyone to be
021turned away because of financial resources and so this allows us to welcome everyone and even the playing field and that's a good thing. Thank you. Thank you. There are no further questions or comments um from board members. I'll make one comment to the board. Uh board members, due to the construction and their expansion, we know there's going to be and there has been increasing traffic congestion within that area and we have an elementary school called Palmore immediately adjacent to that facility. We've been working with the city since last year to re-evaluate our traffic pattern and our traffic flow to help ease congestion on that main roadway because as you know at that point that pinch point it becomes one lane kind of each direction. Um so we want to make sure that we're good partners
022within the community. So I just want to apprise you that we've been working with them since last year. Some of that traffic pattern will actually come on to the campus um based off our review, but I'll get you a final summary of that so that you're aware of that before the start of the school year for next year. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time. Thank you. Board members, the next item is Mr. Teddy Brown, principal Lake Alfred Polytech. Mr. Giri is also here to provide some support. Um, this is an item, as you know, we have an established process and procedures for naming conventions and mascots and logos. And so, the school decided to adopt a mascot. Um, and I'll leave it the rest to them. Whats forward and back. There you go. Uh,
023I'm Mr. Brown. I'm the principal of Lake Alph Poly Techch. This is my assistant principal, Miss Gaymont. Um the process, there's a book you have to follow to get these mascots going. It's not like we're changing the mascot. Right now, Lake Poly Techch doesn't have a mascot at all. It just has a logo, a little Do you all have the same screen I'm at? The little swirl in the Poly Techch is what we are called, the swirls, I guess. Anyhow, uh the we started the process. We um did not pick pythons as our original. We we were going with the anglers, the anglers because there's a bunch of fish around Lake Alfred. Um but it was shot down pretty quick by the sack committee and so we started the process of looking how to do
024it properly. I guess uh the students um parents sack members, they all voted on at one time or another the python mascot. Well, here's the list of things that we turned down. Dogs, penguins, tornadoes, badgers, anglers, pythons, pythons, the one we picked. Uh the vote from the sack committee and or the parents is also in this uh 174. It won quite convincingly. Um the logos that we picked um through Jason Greg's team, they help us draw these. Uh it takes our already original name, the swirl, all that, and adds the python to it. The reason these two were picked, it depends on, you know, if you want to have one on a shirt, the circle might look better, one on a flag, the pool python. It also, uh, we wanted it in two colors, so
025like white and a color like blue or black, so we could screen print it. [Music] Um why we picked it core beliefs pythons are strong but mainly because it goes with polytech python polytech pythons kind of like being a barto yellow jacket. All right. Um benefits of adopting a new python or new mascot. Like I said it's uh whenever you go up and you're at the basketball games and you're cheering for the swirls. It just doesn't sound right. But hey, whenever you hold your hand up and go Python, so kids get into it. Um, we wanted a modern image. That's why we went with the district to help us make that. A lot of kids were just going on chat GBD, hey, make a Python image. And they did not look great. So, um, the
026whenever you I guess whenever you do this, there's a problem with the old stuff at the school. We're not trying to change anything else at the school. Um, I don't have to repaint the gym or change uh we're a uniform school. We'll still have the same uniforms. Um the new uniforms will have a um the python on there, but the old ones will still accept. So it's not like it's a total change. Um it's more about how it doesn't cost us any to change. So it's cheap. Um, these are the old logos and type. Um, do I need to go through the color palettes? Yeah, we have it in black. We have it in our blue color, too. I I think they give us a choice between blue and green. Blue looked a lot better.
027And those same ones with the circle looking how it would look on a t-shirt. Moes and pins. Flags flat out in front of the school. That might cost us a little bit. Thank you, Dr. Allen. All right, this is good stuff. Um, I feel like I'm, uh, in the classroom here and we're, we're going through critiques and, um, but I, you know, just looking at this, I really, uh, see some really good concepts, um, that really connect with your mission. Um, so really appreciate you walking us through that. Loved reading in the SAC minutes as well. The student engagement around that um, which is pretty important. And then the techniques, I mean, the art around this is great. Um it did have me wondering because I'm a moccasin um at this point at Florida Southern
028and you know they always do the right the pythons don't have things. Yeah. Right. They have a conric they're constrictor. So um so anyway that's really interesting. Snuggle snuggle. Yeah. Yeah. Well it was really I don't know what the hand signal is. Um but no even in the language like the idea of grasping I thought it was really cool because I mean you know obviously it's con constricting around and and so forth. So um love the connection to your academic goals and so forth. So appreciate you sharing it. I did have a question. It might be more for superintendent or Jason if the school wanted to go through this process like how did y'all start it? Um well it started the principal before me decided she wanted to Lake Alfred had three or four names
029over the years. Um when they rebranded as Polytech they lost a mascot. So I think they wanted to go back and be the tornadoes or Patriots or which is something they used back in the old days and it was on some minutes and I was like well if we're going to do this let's just do it right. So I reached out to Mr. Gir and he's evidently they got a whole book and uh you just follow it. It's you go through it. Um, you know, first pick the mascot, get votes, and, you know, take to the sack committee, things of that nature. Awesome. Appreciate you sharing that, Miss White. Thank you. I'm excited for Lake Alfred to officially have something to to symbolize the school cuz while I loved you guys being the swirls, I'm
030I'm glad you have a real mascot now. Um, I just wanted to clarify. So, I know it says in here that families do not need to purchase new clothing. Is that for families that like if they have a sixth grader now, their entire rest of their time there, they're not going to need to purchase new shirts or new a lot of pass down their uniforms from one to the next or we have old ones in the community. Um we're you can wear either one. The new ones are the old ones. Awesome. Thank you so much. I appreciate the work. I appreciate you honoring the process that we have because some schools will just jump the gun and make some assumptions about rebranding and logoing their schools and this is why we have a process that
031we do have. Um I was really very intrigued by the voting from the students. I I considering all of the options, Python surprise me if that's what they picked. Me too. Um, but you know, and one of the things I would encourage you to have your students engage in, because you have the 3D printers and you have the laser cutters. I mean, you have some really amazing technology. I'd love to see the kids print a 3D mascot for you all. And maybe they're already doing that already. Um, but I I'd love to see them use that as an opportunity to learn and and apply that learning in in the classroom in a meaningful way. So maybe you can issue a challenge to see who can come up with the best 3D print graphic. And uh
032I know Mr. Gary and his team will will assist to the extent possible. And we've got some amazing teachers at our high schools and at CFAA and others that are really highly skilled with those 3D printers that could lend a hand as well if we had to flex their time. So Mr. Giri, I just wanted to say thank you to Mr. Brown and his staff. uh they they worked very closely with uh with our team and I also wanted to thank our team for putting in a lot of uh effort and kind of working with them on this proposal. Um in as Mr. Hyde mentioned um you know the the process that we have in place took place last year when we came before you and we said we would uh put together procedures that
033clearly delineate how how a school goes through the branding process and this is proof of it so that whatever goes in place you have a a chance to consider it and to provide feedback for it. So, thank you for taking the time to be able to to review this as well. Um, and we're excited for them. And again, thank you to them for for working so closely with us. I see no further questions or comments. Congratulations. Good job. Thank you. Next item, board members, is Miss is going to be presented by Miss Candymano, senior director for charter schools. And this is our annual um uh it's an annual review and approval process for projected school enrollment for our charter schools. Miss Amato, good afternoon. So before you you have the annual, as Mr. Hyde said,
034the projected enrollment for charter schools for the 2526 school year. This is um outlined in statute 102.33 for our non- high performing schools and one2102.331 for our high performing charter schools. They are allowed to increase capacity um annually. So before you you have all of the numbers we provided you all of the schools and as you can see for the majority of the schools none they are not increasing any numbers. Um however there are quite a few that are increasing. Most of those align with their current approved contract. they're high performing or we have approved their expansion um for additional campuses. So that is where we have do have two schools that are a school of hope that have their own set of policies and we do have one new school opening. Miss Miller, thank
035you um for presenting today. I just have a question for for our school of hope that's growing. Um, I've had a couple of families reach out and I've tried to identify, do we have a contact for each of these charter schools when families call us looking for information that I can direct them to? Yeah, you can direct them back to our office and we will give them the contact information. Okay. Or we can provide you with our contact information so that you have it readily available. So, you have a chain of command for each of these? We do. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. Thank you. for a couple of ours and it's while it's within their approved renewal application, the increase of students currently enrolled to what their 2526 is is much larger than the increase
036from what they could have had this year to what they could have next year. That obviously affects their FTE based on how many students actually show up. How are we monitoring that with schools to make sure that they're not way over projecting their revenue based on So we monitor enrollment monthly. So we pull monthly although that's just a snapshot in time. We also in June or July in the summer we do ask them to provide us with what they want their projected FTE dollars the FFP to be paid out on. So for example they may budget that they're they may think they're going to have 2,000 students show but they may ask to be paid on 1500. Okay. And then when we clean up numbers after the state has provided us the cleanup from survey
0372, we then correct if need be. How often are the the corrections in the hundreds of students? Um it's not very not many schools have that. They're not that far off. Most of them just a couple of these look are 100 students underenrolled from what their projections were for this year. So it gives me a little bit of heartburn. Yeah, we do we do monitor and if they are significantly underenrolled, we do reach out, but most of them are within they're we're paying them appropriately. So, thank you, Dr. Allen. Uh, thank you, Superintendent. I mean, it's been a few days since I looked at that document. Um, I know that there were a couple that were slated as not yet available. Uh, and a couple I can't remember exactly which ones. I have to look.
038Um yeah, it was uh Bach Academy. That would be their that's their capacity. The capacity. So that's that wouldn't have changed though from last. Correct. Yeah. Correct. Okay. Um I don't know. I was wondering also uh any information on the new building for language and literacy academy. They are still slated to be opening in August. I drive by it every day to come to work and I see that they are working feverishly every morning. Um they are there, their workers are there. So um they are still slated to be there in August. They are not renewing their current leases at their current facility. So yeah. Okay. And they have to they have unfortunately they have they do not have to provide us their CO or their TCO or any of their documents for clearance um
039until 15 days prior to school starting and that is in statute. So, we are Mhm. We're at the mercy of everyone else. Indeed. Indeed. And then, um, New Beginnings. New Beginnings. I think they're asking for a thousand. They are. And that site, proposed site was in Davenport. This going to be in the Davenport area. Yes. I spoke to Mrs. Wright yesterday. They are still working. We don't know land is scarce over there. So they are working with some local community churches and other opportunities for them to be housed there temporarily while they find some land. All right. Very good. Last question. Um I don't know any risk of overcrowding in in a couple of these. I was thinking of um Victory Ridge and then Discovery High School. Discovery High School more. So that one's like
040really right at that capacity of what their their fish would be. So um Victory Ridge, remember they're they're building a new building um in Davenport. So that those numbers will be split between their Lake Wales campus and their Davenport campus. So I don't have any concerns with Victory Ridge. I think they'll be they'll be safe. Um are you talking Discovery High School or Discovery Middle School? I think it was Discovery High School. It's been a few days since I've looked at that. thinking about my question. So, they should have they they will have ample space. Their one building occupies 784. Their humanities occupies 625 and they're looking to expand to 950. Gotcha. Okay. I think that's all I had. Thank you. Miss Fields, I had one question about new beginnings, but Dr. Alan asks that
041one, but I can you expound on the ideal Lakeland U increase in the statement that you have there. Can you kind of course so remember ideal Lakeland is a school of hope and they don't actually have a contract. They have what's called a performance-based agreement and in they have their own specific statute language. So their enrollment doesn't follow the traditional increased capacity that our other charter schools do. So they actually are allowed to increase beyond what their per performance-based agreement states and they also can add additional grades up until 30 days before school starts. So this information could potentially change as we reach the summer. Should they see they want to increase and add more students and grade levels, they are permitted to do so. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Amato. There are no further
042questions or comments. Board members, the next item will be presented by Mr. Wigs, director of Travis technical career technical education program, Miss Armstrong, director at Travis Adult Educational Programs, Dr. De Consilio and sorry, director at Ridge Adult Education Programs, and Miss Leanne Bennett, senior director over career technical and adult education. Good afternoon, board. Thank you for having us today. We are here to request a waiver for outstanding invoices. Um our the state statute allows for us to request a waiver for invoices that go unpaid um as long for in any uncollected invoices. Um typically these invoices are under $25 so they don't get sent to collections. We've tried in the past to cover them with um open door grant and some of those available fundings but these were not covered. So, does anybody have any
043questions for us? All right, seeing none. Thank you. Thank you so much, Miss Bennett. Don't go too far while she's staying. Okay. Next item is Miss Bennett's as well, along with Miss Laura Webster, assistant director for career technical and adult education, and Mr. Garrison, director at Ridge Technical College. This is the steel grant program. Uh board members, we've been discussing this for for a minute. It's a great opportunity for our students, but I'll go ahead and turn it over to the team. So, as you know, we have been discussing this for several months. This is the steel program, which stands for specific training empowering exceptional learners. And we are starting this program in the fall at Ridge Technical College. It is a comprehensive transition program for post-secary students. So, this is for adult students who
044are entering into Ridge Technical College for students with intellectual disabilities. And is this my PowerPoint? It is. It is my PowerPoint. Okay. Um, so we're proud to launch this program and we're getting we're getting started with it in the fall. So, what we're here today to talk about is that we need several positions, several new positions to go with this program. The first one is a senior coordinator, which would require a new job description that has been provided to you. and then a teacher and a parah. And those are all funded by the grant. This is a little bit of a breakdown of what the grant will fund. This is a 3 and 1/2 year period. So this this grant is renewed every three years. Um and then we have the half year that we
045started with going into the um 2025 school year. So personnel is going to be our biggest our biggest cost and that's going to cover that senior coordinator, the teacher, and the parent professional. And that's it. We're just looking for approval for those positions. Mr. Sharpless, uh, first I just want to say, um, I'm so excited for this program. Um, when you talk about being inclusive in career technical education, that's something that I'm I'm proud that our district is striving to be. Um, so before I ask my question, I just want to say that, um, my question is, uh, since this is grant funded and you said you renewed every three years, um, is this a competitive grant? Is this a grant that, um, and either one of you could answer this, is this a grant
046that, uh, you know, in three years when we reapply, it's pretty much we're going to get it or like, can you just explain that part? So I I I just want to make sure I feel comfortable. That's all. Yes. Um, it's it's not competitive. It is something that is is renewed every three and a half year or every three years. Um it's through the state and so it's it's not something that we anticipate is going to go away, but we did talk with Mr. Pittz about um having them sign an agreement saying that this is a grant funed position and we understand that it's contingent upon grant funds. Okay. Thank you, Miss Miller. Thank you. Can you just talk a little bit about what this program will do for the I mean there's several of
047us on the board that are familiar with the SEAL program but people listening or watching may not understand what it'll provide as far as services and supports. So um it's a it's a transition program. So it's it's going to provide similar supports that we would provide in our secondary transition program but it's for adult students. So, it's for students who have completed either their high school requirements or whatever they need to complete in order to exit the high school setting and they can come to Bridge Technical College as an adult and enter one of our career and technical education programs. So, the program that we have available to start in the fall of 2025 is our culinary program. So, these students would be eligible to enter our culinary program. They would work alongside their peers.
048Um, it's it's fully inclusive. It's not a separate program. And uh we have also set up to provide academic supports through our adult education program if those are needed. So these are students that def they don't defer diplomas. These are students they're not 17 22 in traditional transition. These are adults over the age of 22 and they'll be completing certifications. Yes. Um and culinary only. Are you planning to add other programs? Yes. As we go on. Just this is just being our first year. We're starting with the one, but we do have plans to add other programs. Are is the staff you're adding just for one program or is this anticipating that it's going to grow? This is an expense for one program. It is um and and we anticipate that we should be able
049to grow at least to a second program with this staff. Um the senior coordinator will oversee the entire program on the campus and then the teacher would be there and the teacher and the perah would be there to support them in the classroom and to provide the teacher additional support as well as the students. So my last question is how are we going to promote this program? How will people know it's there? So, that's one of the jobs of the senior coordinator is to is to work on the marketing. Um, I've actually been working with Dr. Hodgeges in the ESSE department and he's been kind of helping us get started with some marketing materials and getting a quote for marketing and branding. Um, and then he also is using his position um working with transition
050students right now to help kind of get the word out kind of informally until we get the formal process started. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. Thank you. My concerns were similar to Mr. sharplesses, but it sounds like this is a renewable grant, so it would not go and we're very confident that it would be renewed. Um, my biggest concern would be just with not knowing is it a federal grant? I don't believe so. I believe it's just a state grant. Okay. But it's not a pass through. It's a pass through. So, my biggest concern would be what is our plan if if those dollars go away, then would we just re-evaluate at that time? Okay. We will have to do a programmatic review. So most of these funds, even though they may be distributed by the
051SEA, are going to come by virtue of a federal allocation to the state and then the state then divvies it up. My understanding is this is not driven or built into the state's budget per se, but I can do some additional research with staff. Um, but it would like any other program unfortunately with funding limitations or the potential for funding to go away. We always then have to revisit our programs as we have been discussing most recently and then prioritizing which ones provide the best ROI, which ones will we continue to try and fund through internal dollars or other mechanisms, grant writing opportunities. Um, so I but I'll get you an additional followup on that question. Thank you. And I think that's why it's probably a question for several of us is as we're looking
052at programmatic reviews from other other programs, making sure that we're not getting ourselves into similar positions in the future if they're avoidable or at least that we have a plan for what the outcome is. Thank you, Miss Fields. Mine was similar to Mr. Sharpless as well, and I looked at the budget analysis sheet and it says here that the program and all positions are planned to end upon grant termination. So, I would think that that would be something that would be understood from the from the beginning. And I agree uh with Miss White as it relates to we're looking at possibly uh discontinuing some programs. We want to make sure that we're not adding something that we might end up having to uh do the same. Yes, ma'am. Missfields, to your point, that's that's the
053reason why we always provide that disclaimer because it's important to notify any potential hires that this in advance that this is a grant-f funded position and should the funding go away, that position would be eliminated. However, then contractually they have rights to revert back to their previous positions or or opportunities. Even if the grant were to go away um or be unfunded and the district arrived at a determination that we could not financially support the program any longer, those individuals would still return back to a position that would not necessarily be terminated. Um so thank you ladies. Appreciate your time. Next item will be presented by Mr. Pittz. This is an update as to the fortress secured contract, the intram agreement that Mr. Murphy and the entire team have been working on um collaboratively. So,
054Mr. Pittz, thank you, Superintendent Hyde. Um board members, you were provided with the um interim agreement last week. Uh and we are asking that that interim agreement um also be approved uh tonight at tonight's board meeting. So just to summarize how we got here in May 2024, PCPS issued an invitation to negotiate ITN 2024-001 uh for a new high school in the northeast area, Poke County, also known as Point Sienna. In June of 24, PCPS received two proposals, one from Building Tomorrow Schools and one from Fortress Secured LLC. In October 2024, PCPS provided uh the notice to finalist firms to enter into a negotiation phase. In November of 24, each firm provided a best and final offer for their proposal. December 24, Building Tomorrow Schools withdrew from the process. In January 2025, PCPS provided notice
055of its intended decision to enter into an interim and/or comprehensive agreement with Fort Secured LLC. This project is to build a new high school of approximately 343,490 or 409 square ft with approximately 2,712 student stations which will be located on a 63 acre parcel at the intersection of Bayerry Street and Dogwood Road in northeast Poke County. The center agreement before you allows the developer to begin pre-development activities which are outlined in both exhibits A and exhibits B. This interim agreement also allows um the payment schedule for these activities. The activities in phase one total $1,697,112. Phase two, 2,42,563. Phase three,1,47,260. Phase 4 $544,13. And then um the miscellaneous costs that um phase 850,000 for a grand total of $6,541,38 for this interim agreement. questions for that you may have for me, Dr. Allen. Uh thank
056you, Superintendent. Appreciate the context on this one. Uh and the nice timeline provided as well. Um, I was curious just looking at our best and final offer right from when we went through this process. I think we were sitting at 182 million 81,000 something like that. In this contract, it says 187,000. I was just curious why the increase I will need to go I will need to go back and just double check um why there's a difference in price. Um I I want the board to keep in mind that that that was that best and final offer that we received from each group uh was based on their prototype. I'll call it a prototype. That may not be the best phrase to call it. Um, but before sitting down with staff, for instance, this past
057Thursday, we already sat down with the forter staffed um and our individual groups, curriculum, uh, fine arts, um, athletics to start looking at, um, that proposal and fine-tuning what that design will look like. Okay. Um, appreciate the clar. So that I don't want the board to get too focused on that best and final offer because we still have this next phase where we'll work on the finetuning of that that design. Okay. Uh do we have any property that we own as a district in the northeast side? We are looking at some other property, but we do not have property for a high school in that part of the county. Okay. And I think the only reason I'm asking that question is I was just curious why we have in and maybe this is just standard
058language. So maybe Mr. Murphy can speak to this in the section three it just mentions the possibility of constructing uh the project on an alternative site if there are issues with the current property. So I just curious if um if we if we foresee a problem um or why is that language there in the contract? Just trying to get clarification. The contract gives us avenues to get out of the project and not move forward if there are issues. Okay. That that language that's part of that language. If there are issues on that property, can we find another piece of property and still continue with the project is Yeah. Do we foresee any issues with that property? Not that I'm not aware of any issues with the property at this point. Um I think I mean
059at this point that's all I have. So, thank you, Mr. Sharpless. Um, I have a couple questions. First one, from my understanding after reading this, this is just for the pre-development activities, correct? That is correct. Okay. And so, do our staff, how how much is our staff involved in this process as far as, you know, our various departments like, you know, Harry and Josh's and and the construction, all that kind of stuff with the pre-development side of it. what are what are we do like like what are we responsible for and then what is uh fortress responsible for and and that's partly outlined in in exhibit A and exhibit B um this is a new I'll say this is a new process for us you know this this ITN process um and so we're heavily
060involved with the whole the entire fortress organization so we're working with the county uh for instance and in in the land development phase and wherever we can provide information uh our staff will do that. Um but it's really a handinhand um venture between our staff and and their staff and these in especially in this pre-development phase. Okay. Excellent. And um you know after looking over you know ex exhibit A and seeing what all is involved in that um it would make sense for us to have a very collaborative relationship. So I just want to make sure that's Yes, sir. Collaborative is the as Okay. Thank you, Mr. Keys. Yeah. So, one of the questions previously asked, I kind of was looking through exhibit A and exhibit B um in phase one of that exhibit B.
061We're talking about the survey and environmental studies. I would assume in the geotechnical I would assume that we would weed out any issues with the property beforehand seeing as the miscellaneous phase in exhibit B and number eight on exhibit A is property acquisition. My only worry about that is um it seems like we're addressing any issues that could arise before property acquisition because the last thing I want to see is that we we go through the process and we acquire property that we think is not feasible for us to build on. And so I'm glad to see that in there. Just I I guess when I see miscellaneous and initial property acquisition on exhibit B, but then given it a number in exhibit A where that is in the process and that's why I'm assuming
062that all these things are being done prior to the acquisition of the property. Just being very familiar with the area. Um you know, I'm just concerned about that. So that that is correct. And and the and the goal is for that property to be assigned to us as soon as possible. Okay. Okay, that answered the question. Once those activities are completed, right? All right. Thank you, Mr. Pittz. There are no further questions or comments. Thank you. Next item will be presented by Mr. Mlemore, director of facilities planning and real estate, and he will be providing you an updated five-year capital plan. Good afternoon, uh, Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Superintendent Hyde. Uh before you this afternoon is our draft uh update to the 5-year capital plan. Some people call it 5-year work plan, CIP.
063They're synonymous and mean the same thing. But um as we move through this, we it is always key for us to look back and highlight some of the accomplishments that have um that we've made headway on. And some of those include the opening of a brand new elementary school at South Point Elementary. Uh Lake Region's agricultural barn opening. Stevens Elementary underwent a a small uh remodel or renovation area for some of their admin areas. Fred uh Fred Garner uh it shouldn't be elementary but Fred Garner Academy was constructed uh as a part of its master redevelopment plan. Southwest Middle School its master redevelopment plan and Roner Station has already uh completed with some of the uh locker rooms are still underway being completed. Bellisa Middle School expansion. Again, it's Bellisa Ka, but emphasizing the addition
064of grades six through eight in that addition wing of the building and Mclofflin Academy of Excellence Gymnasium. So, this past year, the district has been quite busy with regards to capital projects with ongoing projects that the district is still underway with. Spook Hill cafeterias and c uh kitchen uh reconstruction redesign that is still that is very much underway in the process. As I alluded to earlier, Southwest Middle School's locker rooms uh they're still underway and getting redone and um brought up to really mirror the rest of the campus. It's a beautiful campus in and of itself. Lakeland Highlands Gymnasium edition, uh Lake Gibson Middle School's gymnasium and Elbert Elementary's modernization. So again, a lot of things are happening simultaneously across the district as we continue to provide for the future needs for our communities. This
065next slide shows pretty much a grand overview of the modernizations, renovations, and additions that uh we've identified in the 5-year capital plan. In terms of the modernizations, uh to be clear, when we say modernization, those are the projects in which we look at the ages of the uh buildings and its educ educational adequacy. If we deem it as such, we will demolish those buildings. Uh, typically those buildings are in age that are greater than 30 years old. And then the state allows us more flexibility in demolishing those buildings and then rebuilding them because so much has changed in the uh and how education is delivered in the classroom based off of how our campuses were designed over 30 years ago. So uh, Alta Vista, Wanita, Lena Vista Elementary, Lake Alfred, Florals, Stanbomb Middle School, and
066Crystal Lake Elementary. Those are all projects that we look to undertake within the next five years. Gymnasium additions, uh, Lake Gibson Middle, Lakeland Highlands Middle, Baru Middle, and Blakemy's gymnasium additions. And those are actually going to round out the last of our gymnasium addition projects as we outlined in the halfsent sales tax referendum. So again, we were we will complete that goal of providing those gymnasiums for those schools. Other projects include uh the Southwest Middle School gymnasium locker rooms, uh Mlofflin's auditorium with the expansion of grades 9 through 12 at Mclofflin. This is the last key component uh to provide that campus to really truly function as a 612 campus and high school experience. Lewis Elementary replacement uh that project is well underway. The campus is that portion has been demolished. Lake Region High School
067agricultural uh classroom edition and lastly our deferred maintenance because our deferred maintenance is very integral into this process. It's not just enough to keep rebuilding new schools. It's also how do we balance the growth and new projects with how do we maintain and extend the longevity of our existing facilities. And so this is a uh the next few slides are providing you a 30,000 foot level view of these some of these projects. Um in our first column here to the left that is this past year. We call that the year that is rolling out because a 5-year capital improvement plan is always evolving. You're rolling one year out and you're rolling a new year in at year five. And when a board is approving a five-year capital plan, keep in mind the board is really
068only approving the first year of a five-year capital improvement plan. Years two through five, those are looking ahead, looking forward. Um, in terms of like accuracy of how confident we feel with projects that are identified in those years two through five, I would put it at years two and three, we uh, we would estimate there's about a 80 to 95% certainty there because a lot of due diligence has to be applied not just in year 1, but years 1 through three because as it relates to new growth and concurrency, developers can take advantage of any new capacity projects that are listed in a school district's five-year capital plan that are within those first three. So, we there's still a lot of due diligence and thoughtfulness needs to go into identifying what projects are listed in
069years 1 through three. And it's not to say projects won't change because again, these five-year capital plans are evolving and change. Uh it has to accommodate changes in the residential uh market for instance. Um so I say all that to say that again uh we see our year that is rolling out and the one year that we are currently within now um in terms of new schools and add capacity the former Alta Vista campus which is currently uh it is on u deck to be demolished um but it will be rebuilt eventually and with uh in parenthesis you'll see it is planning so the former Ala Vista campus uh as it currently sits will will be demolished and rebuilt with a campus that will be adding 210 additional student stations for a school that will
070provide 950 elementary student stations. So this year it's in that planning phase. Uh what Miss Peggy Mer showed you is the new prototype model. This is exactly what we're doing this year is that we're starting that due diligence and planning work now. And then lastly, uh for new schools and add capacity, we have the new high school. Uh again, starting to work with that interimm uh and comprehensive agreement, working with that planning work with them as well. You'll see former Altist campuses listed twice under modernization and new schools. That's because this project is really capturing two things. We're adding capacity, but we're also modernizing it. So really, we're dealing with two different pots of money. Uh during the retreat, uh Mr. Mr. Fix provided an overview of our main capital funding sources. So whenever we
071go to add student capacities that we primarily re uh rely on impact fees when we are modernizing or rebuilding existing facilities. That's why uh or that's why we have the uh half cent sales tax uh referendum as well. Uh and so really we split up the due diligence and pre-esign work one year prior to when we expect construction to occur. Uh so if we're doing our due diligence this year, the actual groundbreaking and construction we anticipate to occur the very subsequent year and year two. So you'll see that uh nomenclature listed throughout years uh one through five where the first time you'll see the project you'll have planning and then in subsequent years uh planning will be removed with the understanding that it is actively under construction at that time. Uh rounding out uh our
072current uh fiscal year uh we have the Lakeland Islands Middle Gymnasium edition which is under construction and then we are starting the due diligence and planning work for Barto Middle Gymnasium and Blake Academy gymnasium. Looking on to years two, we will begin the due diligence work um for rebuilding or u due diligence work for the design work for Lake Alfred Elementary. Uh this is a school that initially was in year five, but we have brought it a little bit further uh in in the timeline here because of their enrollment growth that they continue to see year-over-year. And working with the city of Lake Alfred, there's a lot more growth occurring out there. So, this is a prime example of seeing that fluid dynamic of projects that can either be brought forward or pushed back based
073off the needs within our communities. Wanita Elementary uh will be another school which will undergo capacity addition and a modernization effort. So um and then we will continue working with uh the new high school. It's the planning word is there but it all depends on that due diligence with how long it takes. It very well hopefully will be under construction. Some sort of activity will be occurring at that time. And then again modernization for Wan Wanita Elementary uh and Lake Alfred the additions and remodeling uh the construction should be underway for Barto uh and Blake Academyy's gymnasium and then the due diligence and design work for Mclofflin Academy of Excellence Auditorium Edition. Any questions with years one through two before we go on to years three through five? This is a lot to take in.
074We're good. and we'll keep rolling. I was going to wait till the end. Oh, okay. Whatever you want to do. Okay. All right. Well, we we'll keep rolling. I was following directions. Sorry. Um I appreciate you meeting with me and going over the plan um specifically for my schools. And I understand and I don't know that we talked about it as a board when we open magnets that it pushes um it pushes students to non-magnet schools which may create it may move them up higher on the list of things that need to be addressed. So what happened is Lena Vista got moved further down. How can we and I know you said this is we're when we approve it we're only approving the beginning of the plan. We're not improving the whole plan, but I
075would like to work out a communication piece because if I'm in the community, whether it's Rotary or the city government talking about Lena Vista is at 985 students and it's on the list, you know, they've known it's on the list, they know it's coming and all of a sudden it's not on the list and it's coming years later. How can we can we have that communication piece or some kind of um I would need that information to share because then I have to go back and say, well, we had a crisis. We opened a magnet and it pushed a bunch of kids to Lake Alfred which put them in a crisis because of the condition of that school. Um I think one when we open magnets we need to talk about the effects of those
076when we push zones and two how can we better prepare for communities um waiting for their improve improvements on schools that we announced within that plan. So one to answer your first question is is is again that better collaboration uh with our magnets program and facilities planning to again make sure we are considering second and third order effects uh specifically in terms of enrollment populations at schools. Um not to throw in another mix in all this but resoning also there is that component in there as to trying to estimate what that effect would have on enrollments at schools. Um and then add another complexity of uh the districts undergoing the comprehensive facilities assessment. So there's a lot of integral moving parts all uh that we all try to pull together uh to get a be
077the best answers we can. And your last question I'm sorry communicating with board members specifically when things are moved off of that list. and and so uh moving forward how we had our once a quarter touch bases uh last year would be probably the best opportunity to do those uh because while we're looking at this year's uh plan that we're in currently starting next month I'm already going to be working with our CFO and chief of staff on getting next year's update uh so we can u pretty much have our budget uh planning cycle also begin to coincide with the capital planning cycle at the same time. Thank you, Miss White. Thank you. Mine is a question more on timing. So, this year one is 2425, which we have about two months left in. So,
078we're planning what we've already done this year at the end of the plan. So, there were some delays either at the state level and our on our uh this ideally would come before the board um in October provided DOE opens up the state website on time. However, we have there are constantly delays there. Um, but again, we continue to operate off of this. And yes, your year one is pretty much what we've already been operating under. Okay. So, the year that is coming, year two really is pretty set in stone since it starts in in July, 10 weeks. that and again that goes back to when we're looking at years two and three we're looking at like a 95% certainty solution here because we have to be mindful of what we put on there uh
079in terms of concurrency management and developers. Okay. Thank you. Go ahead, sir. And moving on to years three um new high school is well under construction as long along with Wanita Elementary's uh modernization effort. We will begin uh the due diligence and design work for the district's newest elementary school located up in the northeast part of the county. Uh the district owns two vacant sites up there off of FDC Grove Road and Massie Road uh south of I4 west of US 27. Again, those are that school is looking to be around 950 to 996 student stations to accommodate the growth that continues to see along uh the US 27 corridor along with uh a possible middle school at the same time. their two sites are literally uh across the street from one another. So again
080uh those two school sites are going to be integral in providing uh capacity and enrollment relief to those schools in that area. Lena Vista Elementary will also be undergoing the due diligence and design work at this time along with Floral Elementary. So again, uh we're looking at four school sites that'll be doing uh starting the due diligence and design work uh for upcoming modernizations. And with additions and remodeling, uh the auditorium edition at Mclofflin Academy should already be underway at this time. Looking into years 4, uh the construction uh is anticipated to begin at the new elementary school, middle school of the northeast part of our county, Lena Vista, Flora Elementary. their modernization and construction work should uh begin taking place. Jerry Stanbal Middle School uh we are looking to have that uh campus uh
081undergo a modernization and capacity addition. Uh we will start to do the diligence in the 2027208 time frame as well as starting the due diligence work for Crystal Lake Elementary. And rounding out the last year in year five, uh the Jerry Stanall modernization and Crystal Lake uh modernization and capacity addition should be well underway at that time. This next slide just reiterates uh the plan. New schools are captured within this uh 5-year capital plan. I've already highlighted on the high school, elementary school, and middle school uh that are going to be located up in northeast part of Pulk County. Five-year work plan. Uh what do we do it? Why do we do it? Well, one, every district is required to by state statute to adopt and operate off of a uh financial feasible uh 5-year
082capital plan. What it does is that it provides you uh a list of projects we've identified to meet the needs of our growing student body and our communities, but also we take into account what our projected revenue sources are going to look like because again we have to balance our books to make sure that we can uh financially achieve what uh the demands and needs are out there. This map here is just uh looking out 10 years out from where we currently are in terms of areas that we look like we are going to need additional school sites. And we've broken up the county in four primary areas. Looking to the northwest, the district owns property off of the uh Pulk Parkway on the north side. Uh that is intended for a possible future elementary
083school site. and in the central area. Uh we also own uh property uh that is in u we're working with a uh potential land owner uh and looking at possible to see if they're open for selling uh for that area up into the northeast. Those are the two new uh the elementary school and the middle school that I mentioned earlier. And then lastly rounding out uh the new high school in the sana area. Uh and in terms of looking at capacity in addition to numbers, uh based off of our projected enrollment trends and student growth, we're looking that by the end of the FY uh 2031, uh the district is going to need an additional 3,300 elementary student stations, 3,000 middle school stations, and approximately 2500 high school student stations. That all equates to around
0846 and a half schools that the district is going to have to undertake in order to meet these projections. Again, these are student survivorship projections in terms of demography uh in instate migration, new residential developments as well. And then as a part of our the 5-year capital plan, we are also charged with even looking out 20 years. Um again, uh a lot of things can happen between now and then. Uh but again, trying to extrapolate a little bit further into the future. Uh we've identified possible areas where there may be additional needs for elementary st uh schools uh new high schools and uh new middle schools. And uh by and large the district already owns property up in the northeast again for another elementary site uh that was acquired from the miners. Uh yes. I
085can't remember the name of the development we the district purchased it from. It was the the name name escapes me right now, but the district does own around a 27 and a2 acre site up in the sana area that is intended for a smaller footprint of an elementary school. Uh the district does own uh property off a scenic highway uh that is intended for a new high school. So again, that's north of Lake Wales uh southwest of southeast of Winter Haven. Now, in terms of the budget and finances, uh I know this can be a little bit of a busy slide. Uh what I'd like to break this down is is up uh we start with our revenue and our projected revenues. Again, our main sources coming from impact fees, our sales tax, our LCI,
086capital outlay and debt service, public education, capital outlay funding, and proportionate share mitigation agreements. As many of you or as you remember, the district is starting to enter into more of these uh prop share agreements. So, we are having to account for uh those funds that the district does um secure as a part of the developers agreement as well. So, again, we are accounting for them based off of the projects that they have been earmarked for. Uh all that to say, uh that based off of our projected revenue and our projected expenditures uh the balance does uh it is balanced and it is sound at this time. Mr. Sharpless, I thought we were going to wait till the end to ask questions this time, so I don't have anything on this one. Miss Wyatt, thank
087you. I know there's several um of the schools gymnasium, middle school gymnasiums on this plan. Are there any I know JSA still doesn't have a gym. Are there any other middle schools that are not included in this that don't have gymnasiums? Not to my knowledge. That question wasn't meant to stump you. I'm genuinely curious. Um, I will go back and double check, but based off of the original promise from the half cent sales tax referendum, Blake Academy Gymnasium was the last one. So, if there are any future additions, they would be they would be new to what we were uh planned for. Okay. I just want to make sure I I know JW School of the Arts does not, but I don't know if there's any other and other board members may know if there's
088any other middle schools that don't currently have a gym. Um, but just want to double check. Miss Miller, I was waiting for my microphone because I need everyone in Lake Gibson to hear this. Technically, we don't have it yet, but I heard there was a last walkthrough with a punch list and it's coming soon. So, I think we might have been the last one and we're going to have a big party when that happens. But yes, I think that's the only other one in my district. So, I'm assuming that's all except for JW that I've seen on the list. Go ahead, Mr. Bmore. Moving on to our the district's deferred maintenance plan. Again, based at the superintendent's direction, uh the facilities and operations division has taken a more aggressive approach at addressing our deferred maint
089uh capital maintenance. Uh we've currently the district is in the middle of a facility comprehensive facilities assessment. So I will just ask the board not to get too fixated on the data that we show here because uh we will be getting new data u here relatively soon. Uh uh the vendor alpha facility solutions uh they already started their pilot uh they are on ground now and they already starting to work on some of our facilities and getting that data. Suffice it to say, um, when we are looking at, uh, deferred maintenance, we do break it across several categories, whether that's, uh, renovations, fixtures, uh, uh, furniture and equipment, safety, security, site improvements, restrooms, electrical, HVAC, painting, plumbing, roofing, everything in order to maintain that facility to be functional. In terms of our five-year uh deferred
090maintenance plan, again, this is where I would say don't get too fixated on these figures because once we get that new data uh from our vendor, uh I we are all expecting that their projected plan, these figures are going to increase. Correct. But from that too, we will also have a more uh prioritized list of what projects we absolutely need to address and which ones can we properly plan for moving forward. I know that was a lot and now we'll open it for Yeah. Um I was waiting till after the deferred maintenance slide. That's when I wanted to ask this question because I was going to ask about that exactly what you just said the assessment right and how that's going to be um playing a role in this whole thing. Um, you know, you
091said don't be concerned with the the numbers, right? The dollars, but I'm wondering are we going to while we're going to have increased need for maintenance, is that is this all how can I how can I ask this question? How much is it going to impact our our figures here? like are we going to keep them about the same and extend that that uh work plan out further or are we going to increase these significantly and keep it within the five-year work plan? I'm just curious like what I know it's it's it's hard to have a crystal ball right now, right? But I'm just are we So with this plan right now, again, we're just focusing on year one. So 2024 2025, which is pretty much the district has been operating off of years uh
0922 through five. That's what's going to be very it's going to be subject to change based off the data we get back and again based off the urgency and the priority of projects uh that we that we get back from that data. Um we are going to have to make that find that balance of you know capital projects deferred maintenance. Um, in a way, the halfent sales tax referendum allows us to chip at it on one end of the spectrum by completely demolishing some of our uh our older facilities that technically would need a lot of substantial deferred maintenance work on it, but that chips away at it on one spectrum and then the deferred maintenance uh plan and preventative maintenance plan chips at it on the other side of that spectrum to slowly start
093working at it. And over the course of time, you would see at some point an increase in maintenance operational costs, but then it'll be at a new equilibrium of modernization of projects and then maintaining maintenance at our facilities. So we can use that sales tax as part is part of it. It's not direct maintenance, but it's for if we need to do any new structures, demolish and re and rebuild. Yes. And if I may, and the superintendent, you've alluded to this that this may depending on what we get back, this may be force us into other discussions about other funding sources for capital, right? So, for example, you know, do we want to go into further into certificates of participation cops and and use that to modernize some of our old schools to free up
094some of the sales tax to do this deferred maintenance or, you know, I don't know. These are decisions the board will be looking at. Do we want to look at another extraordinary funding source? And I don't know, but it won't be till we get that number back that we can then start having those kind of dialogues of how we're going to attack it. And also, as Mr. McLemore said, I suspect that it's going to be attacked from two approaches, right? That as we look to some of those schools that come back and facility assessment and they're in such bad condition that it says, look, just replace them. So, we'll be attacking it that way. And then I don't know about you, but for me, some of the schools that I don't think are that old,
095you know, when you think about it, they're like already 20, 30 years old and ought to right now be having substantial money put into um things like the HVAC and other things that um that that often aren't even on our radar screen because we just don't even think of those like L and Childs or like um Shaina Lakes Elementary, schools that we don't think are that old that really are at that time period where we ought to be investing quite a bit of money into into those facilities to keep them running another 20 years. Thank you, Mr. Keys. Well, first and foremost, let me just say how much I appreciate you guys. This is a a task and when you say it's a lot to digest, it's a lot to digest. um and and visiting,
096you know, some of the schools in my district uh over the past couple weeks, wow, the need um for some some attention is is probably an understatement. So, I appreciate you guys what you're doing and thank you to Mrs. Miller for bringing up earlier um about the collaborating with us and looking at this plan because uh unfortunately it seems like we're behind the eightball in some of this and and we for seems like it's almost going to be impossible to catch up. You know, I I visited uh Laughman Oaks yesterday and when I asked the principal, Miss Pagan, I said, "How many students we have here?" And I knew that already. I see the the utilization report and 1,200 students at a middle school within and Dr. Allen's favorite subject, 16 portables out there. Wow.
097Wow. We have a daunting task in front of us. So whereas I realize that we have a schedule of events that we're looking at and the way that we prioritize, I'm looking forward to keeping these conversations going, as we see the need um in certain uh categories for us to kind of rep prioritize some of these things. I'm anxious to see how those conversations go moving forward. Um because there is a there is a great need not just in the Northeast, but all over the county it seems like to to look at these. So, um, whereas, you know, modernization is definitely something that we need to look at. I think we also need to see how we prioritize some of these projects. Um, and this is just me speaking. I'm not trying to throw rain
098on anybody's parade, but um, sometimes, you know, we make promises in the way that we use money and gymnasiums, it seems like to me at least at some point sometimes would would you would think take a backseat to having 30 portables at a school um, and and fulfilling seats. So, again, I appreciate what you guys do. It is it is a constantly moving target. Thank you for your diligence in that, but also um looking forward to have these ongoing conversations on how we recind of rep prioritize where our our focus is. Thanks, Dr. Allen. Thanks, uh, Superintendent. Yeah, I mean, I look forward to this document each year as we discuss and sort of visioner. Appreciate the planning that goes around this uh and then obviously the new initiative around the deferred maintenance as well.
099um lot to churn on and think about as it relates to that. So, I appreciate the work that you're doing. Um and I I think I'd mentioned this during our uh retreat, you know, and it it sort of connects back to what Miss Miller was saying around communication is, you know, when we go back to our stakeholders, um making sure that those yes, we're looking for those efficiencies and the way that we're spending our dollars and so forth, uh but also as it connects to that strategic plan around being equitable, you know. So, I think that bigger question that I was asking is, you know, how are we spending those capital dollars um by district? And I mean, you know, I can rattle off all kinds of variables that I'm sure you're aware of as
100well, but you know, as we think about growth and all kinds of different things to to really try to pinpoint um that we're spending this per student, you know, um it's hard. Uh and I know there's a challenge around that. So, I accept that. Um but if we can find some way um to to see a breakdown of how we're spending those capital dollars per district would be beneficial so we can go back to our stakeholders to let them know we we are we are investing uh in in district one you know comparably to you know Mr. Keys district, which I know is a challenge because as we think about the growth, but I I connect this back to the, you know, the past, right? Because obviously if we're looking at that deferred maintenance plan
101and so forth, I don't know what was happening in, you know, the 50s through the 70s and how they were determining um growth and building and so forth. So if we're, you know, exclusively assessing that deferred maintenance plan based on year of build, um, then that does that, you know, create a disparagy, you know, disparity as how we're spending per district, you know, within that deferred maintenance plan. So I don't know, just a um some thoughts. I'm just wondering as we sort of start to tackle that deferred maintenance plan to making sure that we're um addressing it equitably across districts um or I don't know if we're attacking that data in some way. So I'm going to jump in just to clarify a few things. Um so first and foremost the deferred maintenance plan and
102what's going to be presented to board is going to completely change the way we do business. It has to. We don't have a choice. You know, we're we deal every year at the start of the school year, even though this board approved over 600 new units to be installed, but every year in the midst of the summer, we reopen schools and we end up with concerns regarding HVAC. And all of you are pretty much HVAC technicians at this point because you've been provided with every engineering study, every environmental study that indicates that we are restricted in what we can allow the set points to be, not because it's due to saving money. It's not because of any other factor other than it's a life safety issue. Whereas we can help mitigate and prevent condensation and
103mold and mildew and other airborne issues from developing within our classrooms and our schools buildings. But that's a direct result of the fact that our AC units are reaching the end of their life expectancy. And so I think and I and I and I completely understand Dr. Allen's point as far as how do we show taxpayers these dollars are being spent across the district, but you're still going to be put in a difficult position. I'm going to be put in a difficult position to make recommendations to you. How do we prioritize these school-based needs? A roof is important, more important than a playground. you know, HVAC is important, more important than something else. Um, you know, so but we do have multiple years left on that half penny sales tax. And to both, many of
104you have spoken today about transparency. The real issue is just making sure that we're communicating what the expectations are on a continual basis. The board sees this plan every year. You're adding a new year. Once we get to about year three, year four, we're pretty much wrapping up the prior commitments and it's time to re-evaluate and restate where your commitments are going to be with the understanding I think everything needs to have an asterct next to it on those proposals that life happens. And if we had a hurricane and a tornado that takes out a school, I can assure you the priorities I'm going to shift the dollars to replacing that school versus doing a renovation project someplace else. It's just the reality of how we have to operate and do business. Um but the
105board ultimately will have to approve the change in plans. Now you'll get recommendations from the half many sales tax committee from the facilities and maintenance department. Ultimately it funnels through my office. I make those formal recommendations to you. Um and sometimes it's going to mean we have to prioritize certain things over others. Um and that's just where we are. And Dr. Allen, it's a great point for me to be able to clarify too. You mentioned, you know, are we allocating dollars based off the age of a facility during this? And the answer is no. Actually, what they take into consideration is not the building. They'll take into consideration the mechanicals, for example, the HVAC, when was it installed, what's the life expectancy for that equipment, and then what should we do as far as timelining
106that compared to every other school, right? The schools get the priority over offices and shared spaces, but how do we then prioritize and rank order those schools for replacements? So the age of the building has less to do because we have older buildings that have newer equipment. So and that's an important part. So I think if we move in a direction that Dr. Allen and other board members have asked for for transparency and how we're spending dollars, I think we have to approach it Harry and and Josh the same way we've approached our charter schools and others by showing them how much we have spent over the last 10 years. It's not just what we're spending today. It's what cumulatively we have been spending to replace schools, to replace roofs, to do all that work
107so that they see where those dollars are being spent because that's important. It's not just what's new and flashy today. It's what have you been doing in our community that quite honestly nobody sees the roof. Mhm. But that could be $15 million for a school. Easily 3 to 15 for a high school far more than that. But nobody sees it. But you have to have it. Um, and so we want to make sure we look at things like that. And obviously we're going to prioritize all of these things and we're going to talk with you about this and we'll likely have a retreat or several workshops on the topic about how you as a board would like to rank prioritize these interests. Is plumbing more important than H and I shouldn't say it that way.
108Are is plumbing a priority over HVAC, over roofing, over windows, over and that's going to be the tough discussion, right? And so, but we'll do the best we can to make sure that you that you're prepared for that. But we do, thank goodness, because of the generosity of our local tax base and our taxpayers who approve that half sales tax, we have time to develop those plans. And that's an important piece for us. But simultaneously, this number, which what Mr. McLemore was trying to convey was, don't hang your hat on this number because it's wrong and it's not going down. it will most assuredly not go down from 110 million. It will go up a and so you know we just want to make sure that we're communicating this as effectively as we can that
109there's going to be a process to this. The board will be very much involved as have many sales stack committee will be very much involved in this and then to your point we can then publicize and populate these lists within our communities to say these projects are coming. This board had taken action years ago, even prior to my arrival, to make sure that we put up boards, bulletin boards, and signage on any project that's being funded by the half penny sales tax, so our taxpayers can see where those dollars are going. So, it's a good it's a good marketing strategy for us to make sure that our local stakeholders know where their dollars are being spent and in what capacity. But, we just have to take into consideration some dollars can't be readily seen. They're
110inside a wall. They're on top of a building. They're they're things like that. So we we need to make sure that we're sharing that and the dollar amounts associated with it because people don't again don't normally associate what those costs are. But we'll look at Dr. Allen including in that request for expenditures both current and anticipated. I'd like to do like a five or 10 year look back too to kind of capture it in 10-year increments to show how we've spent dollars within the district because Malberry High School was just redone and they got a field and they got everything. Malberry High School won't be touched for a while. So, I I don't want that community to be misled or to operate under a false assumption that they're not getting anything right now, but everybody
111else is getting something. Well, you just got a multi-million dollar school. So, we have to be fair and equitable in that sense as well, I think. So, but it's it's a point well taken and that to Miss Miller and others, making sure we're communicating any potential changes. And I think one of the things we discussed at the retreat when we talked about budgeting was setting aside an emer a small emergency reserve so that if an emergency does arise, we can take care of that without having to disrupt the five-year capital plan. And that was a strategy we discussed at that retreat and we'll be bringing back to you with some real solutions on what that might look like. So, thank you, Superintendent. Miss Fields, I just wanted to say that in the past we've always
112looked at the greatest need uh and when we approved the citizens approved the sales tax uh referendum, there was a list of all the needs and I think we tried to work that work uh through that list. I believe and if anything needs to be adjusted we've been able to justify why and so I think we need in my opinion we need to look at what is the greatest need and then go from there rather than my opinion rather than this is district five this is district 4 but overall how has the sales tax um referendum dollars benefited the overall school district and I'm sure many of you are travel around the country and the the level of care and the quality of our schools in comparison to other school districts, even some larger than
113ours. We are uh to be commended. I think our staff is to be commended for the work that we've been able to do with the limited amount of dollars that we've had, but we we've been able to do some things that others have not. So, that's just my take on it, Mr. Sharpless. And I I don't not sure if if I completely got an answer to the question. I was kind of confused and Superintendent Hyde and you brought up some points. I just like you said the dollar the the figures are going to change. My question is are are we going to is the plan to extend with the with the current figures? Is it to extend that out or is it to increase the five-year work plan when it comes to deferred maintenance when
114we get when we get our results back? Because if it if it's going to go up significantly, we either are going to have to change that and eventually work that into a five-year work plan or is it to make that a 10-year work plan? You know, you get what I'm trying to say? Like, so, so, so once we get that data back and again with the 5-year capital plan being updated every year, so as soon as we get that data back, we start getting that list of priority needs and they provide us an estimated cost with them. So, they help us already start to do some of that uh budgeting numbers wise, but then it's sitting down uh with district staff and the superintendent to try to balance out, okay, these are the needs, these
115are our resources, where do we meet in the middle? And those are going to be the tough conversation to have. So the the dollar amounts are going to be uh they will change because we will be given um as a part of this comprehensive facilities assessment part of that data crunch that we get back is a projected hey this is how you can chew away at it in 10 years 20 years etc. Gotcha. Thank you. There are no further questions or comments sir. Thank you very much. Next item Mr. McLemore will also present on is the update on the clay cut building. I will try to be more brief during during this uh presentation. So again uh good afternoon Mr. Chair, board members, superintendent Hyde. Uh this uh presentation is provide you a quick update
116with regards to the uh district's uh initiative on trying to prepare the clay cut building which is located on the Daniel Jenkins Academy campus uh and prepping it uh for sale uh from a vendor that has approached us and has expressed interest in it. Uh so again uh for those who are unfamiliar with the building itself uh the clay cut building is annotated by the red star that you see here is co-located on the Daniel Jenkins Academy which is located in Hane City. Uh campus and building were built and constructed around 1950. Uh the area that is up actually in question uh measures approximately 1.92 acres in size. It is a two-story building uh totaling just over 29,000 square ft. uh we have gone out and uh updated our appraisals and they are coming back
117at ju just uh 600,000. So in terms of future steps uh we have uh worked with the uh potent interested buyer. We have an updated sales contract from them uh to include uh updating the terms to where they will buy uh they are to cover their own broker's uh uh commission fees not uh not the seller not the seller. Uh we've executed updated appraisals. Uh we have them in hand from Manuso Appraisal Services. Uh we have completed and we have in hand an updated survey and legal description specifically outlining uh the building and some of the associated property with it. So again, that is outlined here in the uh yellow asterisk which encompasses the building and some of the associated parking due east. We have filed and it is uh it has already been executed.
118Uh but the Poke County Property Appraisers website GIS team, they still have to update their system, but uh they have already subdivided uh this little portion of property away from Daniel Jenkins Academy proper and in working with uh uh Don Wilson with Boswell Dunlop, uh we've already executed title work on it as well and we've identified an issue in it which does require some right-of-way dedication. Uh but again, we've already started the due diligence to go ahead and pave that way forward. And in talking about that rightway dedication, uh I'll just highlight real quickly the area that we're talking about here. So in front of the school, you have Leadwith Avenue and uh along the um west side of the campus or the left hand side of your screen, you see Sixth Street running north
119south and then you see what looks like to be uh another street running north south. Uh 8th Street, which runs and bifrocates the campuses itself. that portion has been vacated. That part has been duly recorded. Um but then you have 10th Street. So the area in question uh that appears to be the interesting fact here is that the portion of Leadwith Avenue as it pertains between Sixth Street and 10th Street was never ever intended. And in going back and looking at some of the original plats, uh you can see here I've outlined where the property and campus is. So you see Sixth Street, you see 8th Street and then along the right hand side there, which is currently today 10th Street, there are blocks and those are lots that was never a platted rideway there.
120And so um in working with the survey company, uh we've identified the area uh that we that does require a right-of-way uh dedication, at least at a minimum, a quick claim deed to divest the uh district's interest in this portion of property. Now, City of Hayes City, they've already paved that road. They've already maintained that road. uh and working with Don Wilson, we're working on those legal descriptions to draft up that deed so we can bring it back before the board. And this would satisfy uh that one outstanding issue with the title work, which would then pave way for uh moving on to uh presenting the final uh contract of sale before the board for approve or denial. And lastly, uh we are working with Department of Education to uh get an updated plan survey
121to pretty much specifically call out this building as surplus that would allow this building to be sold. So with that, um we look to bring this back before the board for a final uh determination in May. Pending your questions, Miss Miller. Thank you. Um I appreciate you guys looking at that percentage that the buyer needs to pay. that saved us $18,000, which on the grand scheme of things isn't a lot of money, but if we we need to do that as a practice. In the past, we've paid the commission. Um I don't think it's good business to do that. Um definitely it needs to be negotiated. This deal is a lower um amount that we usually deal with, but 3% of 600,000 is worth saving. So, thank you. There are no further questions or comments,
122sir. Thank you, Mr. McLemore show is over for this week. Good job. Marathon session for you. Uh Mr. Chair, board members, the next item is a close session as required. Um and this will be done as related to a school safety topic. Um Mr. Chair, board members, I will defer whether you'd like to go to close session now or you'd like to finish the remainder of the agenda and come back to that topic. We're gonna take a quick break. Okay. We'll come back. How long of a break are we taking, sir? It's 2:10. We want to do 12 minutes. 12 minutes. 12 minutes. Last time we said we're going to take a five minute break and then we time was like 13. All right. So, break and that'll put us back here at about 220.
123[Music] Hello. Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] It is now 2:20. I appreciate everybody being back in their seats so we can keep things moving. We still have quite a few things to to move through today. Uh we are going to now uh go back into close session. Now that we've reconvened, we're going to go back into close session so we can then uh spend some time with Captain Shay. So at this time I will move us towards close session. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Thank you. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] home. [Music] [Applause] Hey Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Let the team go back there.
124Isn't that nice? All right, board members. I would like to call this meeting uh back to order on this fine day, April 22nd, 2005. It's about 2:41. Uh good to see our staff members rolling back in. So, come on down, Mr. Pitts. Um Superintendent, I'll pass the mic to you to lead us through the rest of our meeting today. Yes, sir. Thank you. Uh, next item is a staff district update provided by Mr. Pittz. Thank you, Mr. Hyde. Last week, you received uh several documents regarding a few changes uh that we propose uh in district staffing. Um, first has uh first is under the Poke Education Foundation and the request is to upgrade two senior technicians for the tape stock and children program. One's a coach uh and one's an advisor. The request is to
125upgrade them to a senior coordinator level uh which would move them from a salary grade 16.2 to a salary grade 20.2. The total increase in cost um salaries and benefits is approximately 16,000 uh in in salary 19,000 with benefits. Um this would be an overall cost increase of $39,88. Uh the Poke Education Foundation will cover these costs and and reimburse the district. So there's no additional costs to the Poke County Public Schools general fund. In addition to these upgrades, um there are modifications to two other job descriptions uh under Poke Education Foundation. One is a senior coordinator, community partnership development, and one is an analyst uh for development. Um the current senior coordinator position will take a more active role in managing the day-to-day activities of the office and will be designated as senior manager.
126Poke Education Foundation. Uh with no change in paygrade, the positions of manager scholarships and analyst community partner development will now report to the senior manager position instead of the senior director. The current analyst position, community partnership development, which is vacant, salary grade 18.1, will assist the senior director with fundraising events, recruiting volunteers, marketing, and other social media activities. Are there any questions for those positions? No questions. I will move on to the next request. The next request is to chain Oh, M. Miller. Miss, thank you. I just want to say that um serving on the board at PF the these are critical positions. I feel like it took us a while to get done. Um but I appreciate you bringing this forward today because I don't know that we could delay much longer. I and
127I'm I don't know how much I can share as a board member, but we had someone that was really great willing to in one of these positions and we lost them because of the delay. So, um and you know, I don't know the process. Maybe we can meet about the process, but I I don't want to see that happen to other departments or programs. Thank you. Go ahead, Mr. Ritz. Okay. The next request is to change four school guardian positions from 10-month to 12-month positions. When the guardian positions were created, they were created as 10-month employees to match the school calendar. In recent months, new guardian positions have been assigned to district headquarters, which operate for 12 months. The increase in cost reflects the additional hours. A 12-month employee uh works 1,976 annual hours, while
128a 10-month employee works, 1568 annual hours, a difference of 408 hours. So the total increase um in cost for salaries and benefits for these four positions is $40,38 which would come from general fund dollars. The next request is under the information systems and technology uh division. a vacant position for an SAP basis administrator is no longer aligned with the department's operational requirements. Um, as we go through the SAP upgrade, this position is just no longer needed the way that it was designed. Um, so the request is to unfund this position. The savings will be $89,485 in salaries and benefits. The request is then to fund a LAN coordinator. This position will provide essential oversight and management of district level servers and infrastructure, ensuring their performance, reliability, and security. The cost for this position will be
12981,369 in salary and benefits. The next request is to upgrade one computer support technician to a newly created role of cyber security analyst. And you also have that job description in your packet. Currently, there is a computer support technician assigned to cyber security investigations. This individual has cyber security training and skills aligned with the duties of this new position. This new position will be set at paygrade 19 which is competitive and aligns with market standards for cyber security roles. The cost will be $5,249 in salaries and benefits. I'd like to point out the subtotal for these department changes is uh $2,867 to the general fund. Any questions on those proposed changes? Mr. Sharpless, just want to make a comment. I just want to say I appreciate under the upgrading of computer support technician uh to
130the newly created role of cyber security analysis. I appreciate the comment in there um that it's competitive and it aligns with market standards for cy cyber security roles because I feel like a lot of times when we get these pres presented to us we don't talk about you know what is the industry standard here and I I've tried to mention that numerous times but I' I've really appreciated that so now we know hey if someone were to go to a competitive role I don't want I don't want us to price ourselves too cheap and then our talent be stolen from us and so I appreciate that it's in there now you know I'm not going ask for proof of that, but I just I will I will believe it based on what's on on here,
131but I just I just want to say I appreciate that. So, thank you. Thank you to uh Miss Pasco for her Mr. Keys words there. Oh, mine's just a general comment. I I love it as a banker to see a negative there, seeing that we're doing a savings in a department. So, that's all I want to say. Thank you. It's helpful to see that information and seeing as when we're adding a role, we're also eliminating a role. We're seeing things that we don't need anymore. So, I appreciate that. Go ahead, Mr. Pittz. No, there questions on that. We will move on to facilities and operations. So, the request is to fund two new HVAC maintenance labor positions. This newly created position will assist trained and experienced HVAC technicians with jobs that require an additional set
132of hands. While they assist and learn, they will gain experience and skills that will allow them to apply and test for open AC positions. The cost for salary and benefits for two of these positions is $121,196. The next request is to fund two new HVAC preventative maintenance mechanic positions. This newly created position will perform preventative maintenance work on AC units, increasing efficiency and decreasing downtime for these units. This position will allow the employee to learn and practice troubleshooting skills, gain experience that will allow them to test for open AC positions. The cost for salary and benefits for two of these positions is $127,011. The idea the idea for these positions uh came forth about a year and a half ago. Um at that time we had nine open ACT tech positions. Um several which have
133been open for more than a year. Um so we work with ask me to assign the an appropriate salary grade for these positions and and now they're being brought forward as a pilot program. Uh the hope is that we can get students coming out of our our tech schools um into positions immediately. Um then the last request for facilities and operations is to fund one senior coordinator uh in the construction department. This new position will assist the director of construction services by facilitating, coordinating, and or directing the activities associated with remodeling and construction services district-wide. This position will also provide succession planning um as a transition between the field and administrative duties. Uh the subtotal uh costs for facilities and operations positions total $336,966. I have provided uh the cost breakdown for you uh which
134is uh the spreadsheet that you normally see. I tried to make it a little more a little easier for you to read by taking out what you've already approved during the year. Um, but in total, what we are asking for is five new positions. Uh, the total cost of the general fund would be $374,47. Uh the other cost of $39,88 will be picked up by the Poke Education Foundation um for a total overall cost increase of positions of 413 thou I mean 413,495. This would then come back to you uh May 6th for approval during that board meeting. Miss Fields, Mr. Pittz, can you can you tell me what do we pay the uh guardians annually? Do you know that? I do know that um they start out at they start out at around $32,000
135is their pay scale. That that pay scale has not been adjusted since we implemented the Guardian program. Um, we've been in discussions with the sheriff's department about We need to do better. Yes, ma'am. I mean, those those people put their their lives uh on the line every dog on day and $32,000, that's embarrassing. I don't know how we need to fix that, but that needs to be really fixed. Point. Thank you. I'm not fussing at you. I'm just saying. Point well taken. Thank you, Miss Fields. Miss Wyatt. Thank you. Are guardians part of a bargaining group? They are not part of a bargaining group. Okay. Thank you. There are no further questions, sir. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Last two items on there are information items, and I will turn the meeting over to
136you, sir. All right. Thank you, Superintendent. board members, next item up for us would be the agenda review for tonight. So, if you need a moment to transition to that other meeting within board docs, if you have comments or anything like that that you have noted there, give you a chance to do that. Um, if you notice, we've got three items of old business as well that we'll transition to after we get through the agenda. Uh we'll start with the millillage then the superintendent's contract then we'll wrap with our general counsel uh discussion. All right. So looking at tonight's meeting if uh we'll just start I do believe we've got uh Mr. Sharpless going down for recognitions and um it was noted who's going to lead us in our invocation invocation. We'll go from there.
137So A through F. Um, if y'all have any questions, A through F. And then going down the agenda, we have G through J. Not seeing any comments on that section. So, sections K through M, if you have any questions on that section, K through M. big section within our facilities area. All right, Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. I don't have a question, just a comment. I just wanted to say with K9. Um, I know that the school is now um, board member Nol's school, but Chain of Lakes Elementary was a school when I was first elected that uh, was one of my schools in my district. And this is huge for them. They're so congested on that road. And that I just I had a friend of mine who had a child there send me a
138aerial footage of a drone on the first day of school for drop off. and this new parent pickup drive is going to help them out significantly. So, I just want to make sure I'm on the record with saying that. Thank you, Mr. Sharpless. Okay, moving down to sections N through R. N through R. Okay. And then we have action agenda for tonight. There's four items there. And Mr. Keys, you're recognized. I'm going to ask that we move um action agenda items S2 and three to the May meeting. All right. Is these yours? Well, the the the one I've I've been in contact with, I haven't received any response back. So, I hadn't had any confirmation on that uh committee appointment. Oh, for your nominees. Correct. I'm sorry. Yeah. Thank you for clarifying. I thought I
139thought you said the main meeting and that's No, no, no, no. Y oh sorry sorry if I'm not seeing uh you know any with that as well movement around that. So we'll move those two appointments to our May 6th meeting. Thank you Mr. Keys. All right, no other comments on our action agenda for tonight. We will then move down to our public hearing. Uh there's going to be no vote on this. This will be our last rotation to evaluate those policies. If you have any addendums or anything like that, this will be your opportunity to bring those forward. I think we've got three policies sitting in that public hearing. And then we'll have our superintendence report. All right. Very good. And then Mr. Murphy, no report. No report tonight. Uh I'll note um several documents
140that we've received from Miss Matthews. Do you have anything that you want to bring forward? Okay. All right. So, I'll note those reports that you've all received at this point uh since our last meeting and then we'll wrap with our comments and then public comment. All right. Any other questions on tonight's agenda. All right. So, I'm going to pop back over to our work session agenda. That will take us down to E, which is the old business. Um so first item up would be additional millillage levy for school operating use discussion and um as noted in our memorandum that was uh crafted so nicely from Mr. Murphy um just to give you all board members um some thoughts here or some some direction on this discussion. Um our goal is to work towards some type
141of resolution uh that we're all in agreeance around. So um in that resolution we're looking at probably A through C of Mr. Murphy's document if we uh so agree on this would be the amount of the additional millillage uh would be a the term of the additional millage levy and then c uh some instruction that would be proposed that would go to the pole county boccc. Um, so that's sort of where we're at and at this time I would love to take some direction in that agenda item. You'll see um the timeline that we're trying to abide by as we try to come with some consensus what we're heading toward. And then secondly, the other document that I asked to have added um would be the collection of ballot language that's been collected from around
142the state. So you can evaluate and look at those. Um timelinewise um we we are on track. I know that some board members have asked to advance this more quickly. So you know these would be your opportunities to speak to those um things that are being uh asked upon for us to act on. So, Superintendent Hyde, I know that we had talked and asked asked about having that document accessible to board members on what the millage amount dollars would be just as a refresher. So, if you can uh get that to board members. Yes, sir. Um so really that's really the first thing that we as a board would have to discuss and move towards is what would be um the millage amount and then making sure that it's legally advisable um or permissible to
143pursue and then secondly that uh distribution formula. In essence, what that means is how um this board would consider allotting those dollars and that's going to help formulate some of our ballot language. So, all right. So, I'll leave it like that and if you have some comments, board members, at this point, Miss Wyatt, you're recognized. Thank you. So, I know the the conversation around this has really been particularly for salaries. Um, but I know in in speaking with the superintendent and I think some conversation we've had here is making sure that that is distributed equitably amongst all employees, not just any one one group. Um, but my recommendation would be to to do it for salaries. All right. Thank you, Miss White. Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. I agree. Uh I I feel like after what
144we've been presented, um definitely salaries is where what we need to address operationally. Um you know, also uh millage is definitely the way I think to go. Um not the sales tax, but millage. Um but I would like to see the figures on uh how much you know proposed revenue that would be and what you know what would go towards or what kind of how can I say this I would like I mean we're not going to know the exact numbers but at least have an idea of how much uh how much would additional would go towards salaries and uh then we can see what percentage increase in you know compared to what our current budget is for salaries. We can see there well it would be about about this much of an increase if
145it was equitably distributed across our our uh employee base. Um, and I would lean towards also our employees that are uh on the front lines. Um, you know, at our school-based sites, um, prioritizing them in millillage, you know, that's not only teachers. Um, you know, that's all of our staff members at our school-based sites. I would I would like to see that more uh focused as a priority. All right. Thank you, Mr. Sharpless. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. Thank you. I assume it was automatically uh known that it needed to be salaries, but just for the record, I would say salaries and making sure that it's equitable. And I'm sure that the superintendent and his team have already started working on what they will look like and just making sure that it's very uh clear.
146Uh and I looked at the timeline and the timeline looks very reasonable to me. We have enough time to get it done uh the right way. Uh and I thought we were pursuing the millillage, not the sales tax. That's what my understanding was in conversation. Thank you, Miss Fields. And Mr. Keys, you're recognized because that's the disadvantage of hitting the button last. I get to say ditto. No. Um I I would agree with my um the other board members uh Mrs. White, Mr. Sharpless, and Mr. Fields that the language be salary. I think that, you know, that reflects our commitment not only to those um teachers, but also administration and support staff as well. Um and also in favor of looking at the millillage as we had previously discussed. I think that's probably the better
147use of our effort. Um and was very pleased to see um as we spoke about previously a timeline. I think that gives us clear directive on those tasks that we need to accomplish um and make sure that we're moving this forward. So um pleasantly in agreement with the other board members. All right. Thank you, Mr. Keys. And Miss White, you're recognized. Thank you. I was so excited about what it was for, I forgot to indicate. But my understanding was also that we were looking at a millillage. Um it seems that most districts have gone for one mill. Um which I think is is a reasonable ask. Um but that's the that would be the direction that I would look for us to to move. All right, Mr. Chair, if I may. Mhm. Uh board members,
148you received an email from me just a moment ago. A quarter of a millage would generate roughly $19 million. A half a mill would generate just under 37 million. 3/4 of a mill would generate just about 58 million and one full millage would be 77. Um, please also keep in mind that there is a committee that's being established and while I think everyone understood that um, any effort to go in this direction would address salaries, there's also been discussion about as many districts have about a percentage hold back to address other areas up to 15% as what other districts have done to address issues like career teched, workforce development, workforce housing, all kinds of other issues that quite frankly that this board will face. So I I would just encourage some opportunity to let that
149committee convene, do their research, and do their due diligence. And that's where that conversation will start from as far as how to allocate and distribute those dollars. That is not something that I will presum presume to do from my from my office. Additionally, once if the board votes to support a millage referendum, if the taxpayers support a millage referendum, there's also contractual obligations that we will have to meet as through bargaining as far as how those dollars are allocated. So, we will absolutely start to work towards and there are plenty of models across the state. Thank goodness we're not invent reinventing the wheel here. Um, but I just want to make sure I reminded you about the committee and how that process will likely unfold and the recommendations. You'll have multiple models to choose from.
150Um, so you'll be able to see that. But as we talked about earlier in the workshop, it's important to keep in mind some of those programmatic areas that we may value that ultimately may may be facing elimination or shortfall. And this is an opportunity for the board to set aside some a small portion of funds. Overwhelming majority of the funds would go towards salaries, but a small portion of funds to help address those. I'd encourage you to talk to your colleagues across the state in districts that have passed referendums because if if my recollection is is accurate. Um the vast majority of them have established a holdback of some kind um to address very specific things in the school district. So just just a couple things, but you do have the email with the analysis
151that was conducted by Miss um by Miss Jenkins. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, thank you superintendent. And you know the document, it's a word doc that's in there. Um if you look specific to our neighbor uh neighboring district would be Hillsboro and if you look at their ballot language yeah did uh target retaining and recruiting highquality teachers and staff but also uh implementing and preserving academic programs. So it's really good to look at um a lot of different ballot language uh across the state. All right, I don't see any other discussion at this point and we will now move down to E2. E2 which is the superintendent's uh contract. Um to give you just uh a little bit of context on this, um as we move forward with the review of the superintendent contract, uh
152we have before us several proposed revisions um that emerged from our recent board retreat um just as well within the last probably 5 days, you've received some correspondence from Mr. Murphy as well. So please take a look at those emails. We will have further discussion during our upcoming um retreat on a couple of the nuances and the email that you've received. Uh but for a point of discussion today, I think to help package this all together, I think the focus should primarily be on enhancing clarity around uh compensation and then the evaluation procedures. So those are the two that I would really like us to focus our attention on uh today to really give some good direction towards Mr. Murphy as he's crafting out um all the language collectively. So the again the two main
153areas for your consideration would include adding language regarding the timeline of board member evaluations um because that's really important to u definitely um solidifying the proposal around this performance-based uh compensation as well. So what I've done is I've collected uh a lot of different performance pay um language from around the state. You can see that in there. So um you can see there's Scambia, Martin, Orange County. Um these samples sort of um you know provide those various approaches to structuring that performance pay. And then additionally, we've been provided that comparative uh superintendent salary data from across the state um from various districts. So you can see uh the highest, you know, the biggest school district um down um and where we rank as far as the compensation that we've extended to the superintendent within that
154contract for an evaluative. I would say if you're tracking the Pineapple Express, it was noted that Brower just um even uh increased the their superintendent's compensation package just within the last uh week or so. So, just something to keep in mind as we're we're looking and doing that comparative. Uh, it's organized by student population and then some other valuable context there. All right. So, the discussion prompt is, you know, I'd really like to open this up um to you at this point. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. Okay. I wasn't able to attend the last retreat. I did look at uh the information not as in depth as I plan to but I looked at the uh the punitive dam the punitive uh suggestion for late evaluations and if we're going to have that as a
155policy I would like to see some uh adjustments made where that if you are not able to uh do the evaluation by uh technology that a paper copy would be available to to do um as well. And the reason why is because when we uh were doing the evaluations the last time I was trying to access technology and didn't get it uh to work and I believe there might have been a storm or hurricane or whatever and we were down for a window of time to get that evaluation done. And so I think if we're going to do that, there needs to be an option of whether or not it has to be uh done electronically or if it can be an option as far as either our paper. Thank you, Miss Fields. If you
156want to note that, Mr. Murphy. Thank you. And Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. Um looking at specifically the uh first page, um number two, superintendent evaluation timelines, timeliness, sorry. Um I'm wondering uh where the 20 business days like like what's the justification for that? Um mainly because I think I mean if it's due a certain day 20 business days that's a month later. I mean that's a lot of leeway. I would I would potentially tighten that window uh to potentially even half of that 10 business days. Um, I mean, if you know whenever the evaluation's due, um, you know, make sure to get in. I I completely understand what board member Fields is saying, maybe a paper copy for people that, um, the the technology issue is there. Um, but that that 20 business days delays
157it even more from talking about timeliness to get the evaluation piece in there. I think I'm just curious the justification behind the 20 business days because I I I have I have a feeling that it's kind of just pulling it out of the air, right? We don't really have a that wasn't part of it, right? It's new language. So, I'm just curious where that come where that comes from. Is there is that from other districts or Yeah, Mr. Murphy, you want to speak to that? That that was language that was um uh provided. Um, so it's up for discussion and if you all as a group feel that it should be less, that's fine. I think the key here is to allow for there to be a deadline established in the contract so that expectations
158and performance can be aligned and that's only to benefit the district and the students, parents, superintendent, staff, etc. So that there are clear expectations. If the board as a group would uh want to uh shorten that time frame, that's certainly fine. There's no hard and fast on that as a suggestion. But just to give yourselves the opportunity to understand that as you enter into contract negotiations with the superintendent, including a contractual provision that allows you all to know, September 30th is the date that evaluations are due and that you must turn those in within a certain, you know, within that deadline or they will not be counted towards the superintendent's performance evaluation pay etc. um which is what those evaluations I think are designed among other things to do in this concept. So you know
159the superintendent is also a party to this contract and I'm sure he I don't want to speak for him on this issue but it's that's not a I I can offer I can offer why the 20 days was suggested. Um the goal is to get an evaluation in a timely manner. The problem is September puts us right at the tail end of hurricane season or right in the middle of hurricane season. And I think to Miss Field's point, if there's an issue that could potentially impact a board member, health reasons, other reasons, I want to be respectful and flexible enough because the board's evaluation, individual evaluations are important. It's also why in the language it said that if the deadline's not met, that evaluation should still be submitted for a discussion with the superintendent. It's
160it's not that it's not considered, it's that the contract stipulates when it should be done. And and and that's the goal is to make sure that we get it done in a timely manner. There there's been other questions about if September is the most appropriate time place or time frame and um because unfortunately in the state of Florida as you know our data rolls constantly and we don't get graduation rate data till typically at best early or mid November. Um so if in addition to this part of that if the board wants to haveation further conversation about moving that timeline I'm fine with that. I just I just respectfully would ask that my evaluation be done in a timely manner. I think 20 days because I did request that um language in there to provide
161flexibility for the board. I want to be respectful of your other responsibilities, your lives, your professional obligations. I think that's reasonable. I did. That's why I offered the 20 days. And I think it makes complete sense that it you know in that language it says um you know to submit it even if it's late it just won't be included in the evaluation you know because I still think it from from our personal meetings one-on-one I think it brings out things for us to have discussions on you know that doesn't necessarily have to impact you know your your evaluation well it's our evaluation of of you then it does it shouldn't necessarily impact uh contractual you know if it's late. Sure. Because to me it I I find the most value just having our one-on- ones
162after that. We have discussions you know things you know expectations and where where there are and we kind of work it out. So thank you. Thank you Mr. Sharpless and Miss Miller. You're recognized. I just want to say um to put on record that the requests and when they're sent out needs to be on our calendar the day that it'll go out that we can expect them and this date as well. Um it'll help us track the date they need to be due back but also when to expect them so if we have a full week we know. So if we can get that recorded on our calendar that would be helpful. Thank you Miss Miller. All right so good discussion on the timelines. Uh and then secondly the other discussion is around performance pay.
163Um so you you see there's different models there. I I know if you need more time to distill on this you know looking at the variations of those performance pay metric. I mean, I think for me, uh, superintendent, I I would be, uh, I would like to maybe see in that third page the very final page, um, if if that's where we're heading in in that realm. Um, maybe spelling out some specifics because, you know, with a performance pay uh, metric, it's very quantitative data. Um, so for example, if I was to look at say fiscal responsibility and budget management, right? And then there's a a subpoint that states um balanced budget with no deficits. So that's clear, right? That's a measurable goal. However, efficient resource allocation and cost-saving initiatives is a pretty abstract um
164statement. So are we going to put a percentage on that as it relates to that area? So maybe just spelling some of these out a little bit more. Um so it is um you know really a defined metric to measure on to assess from a performance standpoint. That would just be my analysis on on some of those within that last section. And I know that I had asked also if we I don't know if you have like a proposed timeline as it relates to so looking at some of the other counties they do have um some timelines spelled out when uh when that would be applied um and looked at specifically. So a couple recommendations to bring forward there. Uh Miss Fields, you're recognized. Thank you. Like I said, I wasn't at the meeting, but
165I looked at the document, and that was one of the things that I had um written as a note, percentages in certain areas, like the improvement and district-wide standardized test scores. So, I think some of those it would be applicable as far as percentages, but some uh maybe maybe not. So, thank you, Miss Fields. All right. Any other comments? Um, I do want to add to this in, you know, talking with superintendent and I don't know if you feel like it's appropriate to speak to this superintendent, but I really appreciate uh this angle that he had mentioned and I'm not sure how you would feel about this board members, but love your feedback. Um, when and if we implement this, the superintendent would have some freedom to be able to allocate bonus um to his
166uh cabinet from from specific from uh these performance metrics. um he just felt like it was an opportunity to uh use this and have that freedom to um bonus out some of his staff members. So, I don't know if yall have any feedback on that as well to give a little bit of freedom on that. Miss Fields, you're recognized. I think it's a good concept. I guess my question would be where would the resources come from? Yeah. And I and you can speak to this, but I think this was if if we accept the performance pay, what is then given to the superintendent, he would have freedom if he wanted to take what was rece, you know, it's just showing superintendent's giving spirit. Oh, that's so sweet. He wants to give all the money away.
167I I assure you it's for tax reasons only. I was going to say there's probably some other tax consequence which we don't no I it's I I've actually seen this in some a few of my colleagues contracts both in the state and out and and you know initially when we started talking several years ago about salary I I would hope to take any salary increase and be able to defer it to student scholarships we weren't able to figure out the fiscal means to do that but if this if the board goes down the road of a performance pay and you can see there we're not talking a lot of money in performance pay. Um, but I would like the opportunity to be able to allocate that and and if the board would like I'd be
168happy to give you certain criteria. For example, you know, the top performing principal in the school district as far as overall improvement from the prior year. I'd love to be able to bonus them out. I'd love to be able and it would come from those funds. It wouldn't come from any other. It's not an addition to it would simply allow me to work with HR and finance and say okay these people met these criteria this year. You know a regional um you know it which region had the most significant academic improvement, attendance improvement, behavioral improvements. I mean, there's lots of criteria I'd love to be able to look at and and if I could incentivize them even a little bit, um, I think it goes a long way, quite frankly. And and it's just asking
169for the flexibility if if the board pursues or agrees to any type of performance pay. I just would like that flexibility to be able to reallocate those dollars to other people who are who are doing the work. Thank you, Superintendent. Miss Fields, you have anything else? No, thank you. All right. Thank you, Miss Fields. Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. I think in in theory this is a great idea. Um I don't I would say I don't believe any of our principles or regionals or would do this for the incentive pay. They want to increase scores because they care about kids. However, it's nice to be recognized and um certainly, you know, be rewarded for your efforts. Um I I would and I always said the devil's in the details, right? And so this would be you
170know obviously an opportunity for you to have flexibility. Um but you know I think of things like how will this impact you know FRS your different different areas because I know it impacts you know we give we give u raises based on salary all that kind of stuff. I just would want to make sure that we had a complete idea of of what all this would impact because really it's not that's at that point it's really not your salary. Right. Right. It's really it's it's kind of just a pot of money for you to potentially, you know, give to reward your administrators and things, you know, would make sense. I would just want to make sure we think through all the impacts of it before something like that were to happen. But I I think
171it's a great idea. There's no F FRS implications if I recall correctly because it's bonused. It's not part of the salary. Okay, it does get, as this board is very uniquely aware, one-time bonuses get taxed at a much higher rate, but again, these are dollars people aren't counting on to your point. um they're not they're not striving to move their schools because they may get a $1,500 bonus because again that bonus structure I think at the top end the most is $20,000. So if if all of that were redistributed in even $5,000 increments to to four different categories they subsequently and and I could make it contingent upon and we can I can iron out all the details but to your point that cost is just the cost to the district. there should be no
172further there's no salary and benefits addition to that there's no F FRS penalty there um it'd be taxed but if I reallocated those dollars I would necessarily have an implication but the recipient would right because I would work through HR and finance to issue them that bonus and it would just be funded from this annual pot of money. Um, so I think that's the best that's it's just a strategy I thought about cuz quite frankly there are people who work hard every day and I and I'd like to be able to recognize them a little bit differently. Um, so to your point, I can work through all the details. I can get you the legal background on that. Um, it's a great question actually and because I wouldn't want it to cost the district any
173more than it than it than what's on face value here. Um, but I would also want to give each one of those people an opportunity to say no. And there may be some very good reasons for someone to say no because that bonus may take them into the next tax bracket and it's not worthwhile for them. So there's you're absolutely right. There's a lot to consider here. This is reason there's a reason why I'm willing to give away money, right? Um, it's not just because I'm I'm being philanthropic, but you there there is that aspect obviously, but I want to be able to be flexible if we could. All right, that's all I have. Thank you, Mr. Sharpless. Mr. Keys, you're recognized. Well, most of what I was going to say again, my um inability
174to hit the button enough time to get first on the list. Um, everything is said before I get a chance, but that was going to be my my main thing. And what a breath of fresh air. um you know to be able to say hey this is a something of a allocate out of a pot of money we've already set aside right no additional cost to the district and getting creative with that and and you know let's be frank that you know the superintendent leads the district but ultimately all those performance metrics right come from the bottom up right and it's representation of the entire district so to reallocate those funds back out I think is very admirable um but that was going to be my thing too is is these could potentially have tax
175implications to individuals feels like giving the opportunity to say, "Hey, wait a minute here." Um I think is definitely something, but I would I'd finish with saying, "Hey, you know, our um the contract with the superintendent is between the board and the superintendent." So, if we get creative and and saying, "Hey, there's things we'd like to see in it." Wow, what an awesome opportunity to have those discussions and and I applaud the superintendent for uh thinking creative like that. That's that's that's awesome. It's good stuff. Thank you, Mr. Keys. And Miss White, you're recognized. Thank you. you will get faster at pushing the button. I promise. Um I if you know you mentioned that you have a couple districts that colleagues in other districts that have done something similar. If they have language that they
176can share over how that is written in their contact contract, I don't know that any of these really cover that. Um so if you have any language that you could help us with, that would be great before we reinvent the wheel. All right. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. So, Mr. Murphy, I appreciate the work thus far you've already done on this and um thanks for the information you've sent out to the board members to keep us apprised and moving forward. Um some targets that we would like to hit. So, if you can continue um working with superintendent on this obviously we're going to I'd like to superintendent carve out a little bit more time um during our um retreat upcoming retreat to to you know iron out some of the details here. We're going to work
177session on it again uh next month. um which is May 6th. We wouldn't have a meeting till um sometime in June. So board members, ideally we're going to have our work session or I'm sorry rather our retreat coming up on the 30th next week. Then we'll have a work session on it as well um in that May 6th meeting and would love to have that as part of action item in that May 6th meeting. So if you have thoughts, keep those uh churning as we move forward. So thanks for your feedback. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I I my um the uh contemplation as we've discussed is that you'll have um proposed contact contract language that has been discussed with the superintendent with yourself ready you know as early as possible prior to the April
17830th meeting so that the board members can have the opportunity. Now, in terms of the performance pay stuff, that can come um if the superintendent could find, as Miss Wyatt indicated, language from other districts that that would be helpful so as not to reinvent the wheel. But we're pretty much in terms of the the contract amendments. I think we're pretty much there with the exception of the performance pay piece. Okay. All right. Thank you, Mr. um in in this as well. This is an opportunity for us to to consider um the the range of the time as we're going through this renewal. So board members um when we meet uh during our retreat, you know, typically superintendent is working in those 5-year increments. So the close out of this contract is 2027. So, if we're
179making these renewals in a sense to the contract language, it gives us an opportunity to reconsider um and to have a fresh start in that 5-year contract. Again, this will be something that will come to us and we'll discuss during that item at our upcoming retreat. And then secondly, uh I did include that comparative data. Um as far as salary ranges, uh you can see where superintendents actually at comparatively. Uh from my perspective, it's um it's low. Um but, uh I'll just put that out there for discussion. And again, we'll we'll target that during our next time together. All right. Uh transitioning now to uh our old business around general counsel and that selection discussion. If we need a little 3 to five minute recess um for us to get reset on that, it would
180be great. I see Carolyn nodding. So, at this time, we're going to go into um recess and we'll be back in let's do five minutes. [Music] 36. Heat. Heat. [Music] I [Music] said something. [Music] Sorry, I think what I had So I can't [Music] Not [Music] everybody usually [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Good afternoon, board members. I'd like to keep us moving. uh because we we need to be able to spend some adequate time on this um for sure before our board meeting tonight. So, we are so thankful to have Doug Thomas in with us today uh who can set the context. Uh you did get an email recently uh from him uh to establish what's going to happen throughout our time today. So, Doug
181Thomas, thanks for being with us today. You're recognized. Pleasure. Thank you. Uh so uh as the board is aware um we started this process three and a half close to four months ago when uh we first uh were brought on board and met with all of you and met with staff to outline the uh the parameters of what you were looking for went through the recruitment selection process narrowed down to semi- finalist narrowed down to finalist and last week um you had the opportunity to spend some time with the candidates both in one-on-one sessions in addition to public interviews with each of them uh where they provided some additional background and material as Well, um so beyond that piece, um and all their their submissions of their first year game plan, their PowerPoint presentations on
182their challenges and opportunities, uh we were able to wrap up the um the reference checks on the candidates were provided to everyone uh yesterday or last week as well. Uh the board had a very good uh conversation at the end just in terms of comments about thoughts and impressions from the what you had just experienced as you went through this effort. uh and there was a desire to really just pause and and get a chance to to take in all that information and give you the weekend to kind of evaluate it and go through everything before you uh reached any conclusion. So, uh where we left it was that the board was going to be meeting today in your work session or workshop and then you've got a meeting this evening. I appreciate your flexibility.
183I'm filling in for a camp or a colleague of mine whose mother recently passed away. So, I'm doing a governance retreat on the other side of the state. So, I couldn't be there this evening. So, I appreciate the ability for you to uh to adjust your schedules to at least reconvene and talk through the process and hopefully arrive at a final decision. My understanding is um as you assuming we land on a name um that that will be that will then be advanced and be discussed this evening for presentation uh at your formal uh meeting this evening. So, uh as it relates to the process of going through the selection, um I think I said last week I had no idea of the timing. I said this is almost like selecting a pope. We don't
184know what color smoke is coming out. I had no idea that the pope was going to pass away this week. So, bit of a fortuitous comment there, I guess. Um, but the bottom line is at this stage of the game now, you know your candidates. Um, you know pretty much everything there is to know about them. It really is a matter of fit and finish and and which one resonates with you individually and collectively as a board. So, there is no one one right way to do this. uh many of my boards uh just have a conversation and I can help facilitate or add any comments to to the comments that may come forward or questions that may uh you may have about the candidates. Um and through that process normally there is kind of
185a consensus that gets reached most of the time. Um, but if that doesn't happen, uh, I was asked to at least have the the traditional ranking system that we've used in the past, if we need to kind of put this down to black and white in terms of numbers where what we've done in the past is one as a candidate you're definitely interested in, two is you could be okay, and three is someone that you're not interested in, we may or may not have to do that, but I had that as a backup plan. But I'm really here to help you uh facilitate a conversation and address any other questions you might have about the candidates. uh they were all advised that uh a decision was not going to happen. So they weren't in a
186panic mode all weekend long uh with the holiday weekend and and I indicated that we anticipated we'd have some clarity uh following their deliberations today. So that's where we stand as far as I know. Uh Mr. Murphy had asked if anybody had withdrawn. That's a good sign. Nobody withdrew after they met you all. So that that's always a positive sign as well. You didn't scare anybody off. Uh so they were all very much appreciative of the opportunity to meet with you all and very much anxious to uh to hear of your deliberations. So with that I'll turn it back over to uh you Mr. Chair and and whatever assistance I can to help you through this process. Thank you Mr. Thomas. And already we do have a speaker list that's starting to build. So uh
187we are ready to just have that thorough discussion. Uh but Miss Wyatt, you're recognized. Thank you. That was going to be my first question is are we wanting to have another discussion even though we I feel like we talked a lot about the candidates last week um or do we want to continue where we left off? And thank you, Miss Wyatt. If other board members have uh feedback on that, I'm definitely willing to hear from you. So, Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. Uh, the only reason I would think to have some significant conversation would be if any of the information that was provided to us that we hadn't have a chance to review brought anything out that we wanted to discuss. Personally, it didn't change for me. It was all I mean it was all good
188for me, but I just in case anyone else wanted to bring something in from the information that was provided to us there, we didn't have we didn't have a chance to digest. Thanks, Mr. Sharpless. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. I wanted to ask Mr. Thomas if he can tell us about the um the background screening and the um categories of folks that they listed for references. Are you able to answer that? Do you understand my question? Uh well, what I can tell you is what we've asked for. Um so we do a 360 process for our reference checks. So they incorporate supervisors, subordinates, peers, colleagues, professional references, things of that nature. Um, so there was one candidate I think I'd mentioned to the to the chair, uh, Miss Treasure, even though this has been a
189public process, um, she's in a different media market. And so she had given me a variety of references, and the way our process works is that we would need to have at least two supervisor positions that would need to be identified. She had asked if if ultimately she was the one to be identified as the final candidate that she would be more than glad to provide those names to me. In fact, I have the names of the individuals, but we have asked not to complete that process with her. The other ones did incorporate the full round of of current and previous supervisor, subordinates, peers so we can get a 360 process. So that's the reference report that I think um board member Sharpless was referencing that you had received last week. So there's we've gotten
190a lot of material on on um on Miss Treasure. I'm I'm I would be shocked to see anything different based upon the wealth of material. Some of those are colleagues and department heads and organizations. So I'm pretty comfortable that we're not going to see anything would be shock but that would shock me. But if ultimately she is your candidate, the only issue I would have is that that be conditioned upon us completing that final two, you know, those two references of of direct supervisor and things. But as I say, I'm not I'm not overly concerned there. Um the other piece that we have done that you haven't seen but we have seen and you have to kind of trust me on this one is criminal history, credit, driver's license databases, academic searches. All that work
191has been completed on all the candidates. There's nothing there of any concern or controversy. There is a lot of sensitive information because it's got social security numbers and and credit reports and all that sort of stuff. So typically what we do is once you have engaged you've identified your candidate moving forward we would then um transmit that information in a password protected fashion to your HR department so they can download all that information and put that into the personnel record. So we're comfortable that work's already been completed and there's nothing there of any concern with any of your candidates as well. So that address your question MS. It does. I wasn't concerned about the criminal and all that. I knew that they would they would be good. I was just wanting to look at it
192and the uh contents of comments because some of the comments for some were a little bit different than you would expect for someone to uh list as a reference. So, okay. All right. Now, I apologize. I misunderstood the question. So, let me uh let me put some context in in the reference processes. As I say, we use a process that um I was the doubting Thomas when we went to this. We used to have I used to uh have an HR director that worked with SDGR that did all my personal reference checks for all my searches I was involved with. Um and as you can envision in today's litigous society, we get a lot of um uh yes, they worked here. Yes, they're eligible for remployment. No, there was any controversy. And that's about as
193much as we often get. People are very reluctant to provide a lot of detail beyond the basics. And in some cases, they don't let a lot of people respond to anything out there beyond the HR director position. So we have used a process that that is automated and it's provides some level of anonymity. We have to make sure that we have the appropriate number of of references in each of those categories. Supervisors, past and present, subordinates, peers, colleagues, and we know whether the person that has been identified has in fact responded to the to the to the inquiry. And we do not know. We guarantee you or an anonymity in this process because we think we get a much better information. I will guarantee if your HR department looked at the references we've got versus
194what they typically get on reference checks, they would find this to be a much more robust model. So that's why we have this this I can only do two other people with Miss Treasure because if one other person ever comes into the process now, I would know how that person changed the ranking and the score. So that's how we've been able to get much more detail that we would get. There are certain questions that will be asked that because of the nature of the individual reference, if they don't necessarily if they've not been a subordinate or a colleague or someone that's worked handinand, but they know the person professionally, they may end up responding not observed. And that's not to be viewed negatively. It just means that the nature of that reference would not see
195that information. So they commented it or they they ranked them differently. We do not know. All we know is that we have an appropriate number of categories of people that have responded in the areas we've asked for. We do not know how they've actually ranked those candidates. That's the anonymity of it. But certainly in some of the comments that are narrative, they'll say, "I work with such and such at this position or I did that." So you have an idea at least that comment came from that person. But we we don't know necessarily how they put a numerical ranking on the score. And as I said, I I was the doubting Thomas. I never thought this this process would work. we get much more detail than you typically get out of a traditional reference check
196at this point. So that does that give you a little more context to the nature of that? Okay. Anything else, Miss Fields? No, sir. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. And Mr. Keys, you're recognized. I was just excited to go through all these references and and able to dive into them and read some of the um typed out responses that the that were offered. And I think it gives us great insight into um things that we may have not had the chance to discuss individually, right? But also um you know see how others that have worked with them previously perceived them. And I think what a great tool was and and I'll echo what I'd said previously. We have a very difficult um decision upon us that all three very very qualified candidates. I think we
197would do well with anybody that we selected as a board and um just excited to to carry on with the process. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Keys and Miss Wyatt. You're recognized. Thank you. Um, I'll echo my, you know, some of what Travis said. I think we have three candidates that are all completely capable of doing the job. I think the real question is what are we looking for in Pulk County right now? Um, and in PK County right now, I think we really need someone that has that K12 experience that can hit the ground running. Um, it's, you know, K12 is a different animal, which I think all of us have, uh, quickly learned as we've come into this role that, man, if we could only talk about education all day long, how easy
198would our jobs be? Um, but we occasionally get to talk about education and the other 90% of the time we get to to talk about all of the other fun things that that the school districts face, whether it's um, you know, from the the criminal justice side or the subpoenas or facilities or so many other things that that go along with K12. Um, but I think we we do have a candidate that that has that experience. Um, you know, while he only has a couple years of K12, I think his interview showed how quickly he has picked up all that's going on in the K12 landscape. Um, and I would love to to make a motion that we um or I guess we can't make a motion, but to to recommend um that we put
199Jim Green forward for our candidate tonight at the board meeting. Did I say that appropriately, John? I caught myself. I'm sorry. We're talking consensus. Consensus. It's not a motion. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. And Mr. Keys, you're recognized. I appreciate um Mr. Wyatt's comment on that. And I think with that particular candidate, the only thing I was concerned with and and I think it needs to be made clear as we all discuss u this going forward is the potential I guess transportation I think has been brought up before and what that looks like longterm. make sure that's discussed thoroughly because I think we do need to manage expectations, right? And knowing that and um but but um great great recommendation. Thank you, Mr. Keys. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. I think that all three of them
200could do a good job. Um, I don't know that we need somebody who can hit the ground running because I think that we still will have the support and whoever we hire, they're going to need that support and uh the assistance from uh Mr. Murphy and his team. Uh, one of my concerns with Mr. green is that he does not uh live in P County and he has indicated when we had our 101 that uh his son is uh in the 11th grade and so he would be uh not moving within the next year. So he would be traveling back and forth every day and um I'm not really sure I think I can't speak for him but if he were to get the position he probably would consider moving after his son graduates from
201high school. Uh I think that um Mr. Patton uh brings the uh the knowledge of knowing our county and he's very passionate about our school district and uh and he knows uh the ins and outs quite well. I think he could do a good job as well. And then Miss uh Treasure was a breath of fresh air for me. Um very uh confident, very sharp. uh and uh she really seemed to have had a very uh outgoing and and pleasant personality with the uh with the staff and with the overall uh team. And to me that's very important. Um and I'll just kind of leave it at there for right now. But I will say this, I asked Mr. uh Thomas this when we were interviewing and I'm going to ask it again. When we
202did the announcement advertising the position, did we say we preferred someone with K through 12 or did we say we required someone K through 12? So, because there's a difference between preferring someone and requiring someone. And if we required it, then we should not have had um interviews with the two that did not because to me that's very misleading. So um we obviously the position was general counsel for a K through for a public school system. So that was very much identified in the position brochure uh under the education and experience in the process. Um I'll just read you what we had indicated. General counsel position requires graduation from an accredited law school with a jurist doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Candidates should possess a minimum 5 years
203experience as a practicing attorney with education with experience in education, government and/or administrative procedural procedures/law. additional experience with a focus in drafting legal documents and complex transaction negotiations, procurement, public finance, mediation, collective bargaining, public records, contracts and agreements, administrative hearing procedures, and Florida sunshine law, Florida bar certifications in education law, city, county, local government law, labor and employment law or administrative law are preferred. Uh, and applicants must be currently licensed to practice law in the state of Florida, admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and be a member at good standing in the Florida Bar to apply. Residency in Pole County is desired, but not required. So, those were your legal parameters. Now, I will say that and all your candidates fit those those buckets. Uh, so
204you didn't have anybody that you had to make an exception for, but I'll I'll defer to to Mr. Murphy as a this is a board appointment process. At the end of the day, you decide what you want and what's more important one way or the other. But I will tell you that all your candidates fell into those categories in one way, shape, or another without any without any waiverss. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Fields. The the other if I could just only add as well, I think I'd mentioned before when I went to the um um as part of the outreach efforts, I went to the Florida bar and I looked for people that had been certified in all these different headboard certifications and different categories that I just mentioned. And as I recall, there
205are only like 20 people that are certified in education law in the state of Florida. So, it's a relatively small field um that that is uh represented out there in terms of your practicing attorneys. Yeah. All right. Any other comments? Mr. Sharpless, you're recognized. I mentioned this uh last week at our uh full day session. Um, I there's I think they're all three great candidates. I just feel like there's one to me that is my preference. You know, it's like eating ice cream, right? Yeah. I have a favorite flavor. It's pick your flavor. And my flavor is someone that's engaged in their professional organ the professional organization that I would hope our schoolboard attorney would be involved in and has the experience um you know an FSBA um and that is Mr. Green. It's my
206preference. Um that doesn't necessarily mean that I think the others would be bad. Um, I just feel like that person would have um the background knowledge. They've been dealing with cases in Pasco County. Um, you know, he mentioned some of those and one-on- ones. I felt like, you know, when I asked qu you, I'm not going to get into the personal one-on-one questions I asked, but I felt like he exhibited the knowledge base that I would like to see in this position the most. and that's where I would be leaning towards. All right, Mr. Sharpless. Thank you. Okay, board members, I don't see any other comments at this point. All right, Miss Miller, you're recognized. Thank you. Um, I'm just going to repeat what my colleagues have said. I do there is something important about
207being from here and having the passion for students here. Um you know but I have been on the other side and have worked with investigations from federal agencies against this district um many moons ago. I don't do that anymore. Doug, you got confused. That's a good thing, right? Um, and you know there there is something to having the knowledge of that and I can just tell you that and I know people and I know I think all three of them are capable. Um, and I know people can be quick learners, you know, but the time frame we've literally done this almost a year. Like I could bring Wes back at this point because he's been gone that long. I'm not sure. I've had conversations um with the candidates and Mr. Green had done research on
208litigation that we are currently in. So, I can see that as an advantage because you're going to have to respond relatively soon. You know, my only concern um as him as a candidate is not that he doesn't live here. I think you did mention moving at one point, but um there's something to to say with someone who's assertive in situations and we encounter lots of things at this dis and in the past um I respected Wes for his knowledge base, but he wasn't a quick one to interrupt a a process or the board to remind us of um procedure or even to interject when what we were experiencing on a board w would was not the most ideal nor followed our policy. Um so to have that in someone you know that was my only
209reservation and I I talked to Mr. Green about it. Um you know it's balancing it's balancing knowledge base with um just personality in general. So, and I enjoyed speaking with all candidates and like I said, I think they're all much they're very much qualified. Um, that FDOG complaint that he or investigation he had to go through is something we've gone through with different government agencies and I think that it's very important to the work. Um, but that's all I have right now. Thank you, Miss Miller. And, you know, I'll just add to this. I mean, I think um yeah, I mean, I I think that we definitely have three great candidates. Um you know, I was thinking Mr. Patton, his strong ties, the pole county just so happened to run into him randomly at Lowe's
210this weekend. So, I hope um if if Mr. Green is that person that we um select that maybe I'll have a chance to run into him at Lowe's um as well because I do think that's important. uh to be a part of our community and um I mean Miss Treasure I mean she was so polished and wellprepared as well. Um I think the the the piece that really stuck out to me is you know I if we do a comparison uh as far as longevity um and not to say that you know our next uh attorney is going to be here for another you know 20 plus years like uh Mr. Bridges was. That's not what I'm saying. in this um I think I would like to see longer term commitments in in some of
211those previous uh because you know I'm I'm wanting someone that can sort of grow with us long term. So um especially as we consider all these challenges that we face, we we want um to know that we can count on that person in a long-term fashion. Uh so that was important to me when I was just reflecting uh more deeply on some of the materials that I looked at. I'd spent this morning just reading the references. I mean, again, just rereading those and man, there all three of them. Um, it just speaks so much to how they were involved in their practice and these long-term relationships that they've built and the impact that they had. I mean, that stuck out to me. I I read all three of them, just kept rereading. And I'm like,
212man, I I can't find between those three based on, you know, these extensive qualitative comments which one I would choose over because it was clear that they were all um so invested in their work and had impacted uh so many people along the way. So um for me, Mr. Green is definitely he stands out that as that sort of steady um systematic person uh that I think's important to that role especially at this moment uh in the district. I think some of those systems and processes that um we we see that falter in some way um can be improved. So, I I see him as being that person that can help us uh with that and maybe bring some cost efficiencies as well uh as it relates to our litigation. I liked some of those
213elements that he was just pondering and considering. Um so, I don't know. That's that's my take on it. Um I think Mr. Green for me is probably the right blend of um what's needed uh to really elevate the function of of that role within our board. So, those are my uh concluding comments on this. I don't see any other comments at this point. If anybody else wants to speak to this, I would just before you decide if you're going to land, um number one, we we appreciate being your partner in this. I know this is a difficult decision. You make two of these appointments, your superintendent and your general counsel. And so, um hopefully we you've heard from the candidates the rigorous process we try to run everyone through. So, by the time I get
214to this stage, most of the time my candidates are all pretty good. They all bring a different blend of things to the table, which you saw and you've all articulated as you got to know them and got to see them personally um last week as well. And so, I know it's a difficult decision for you um because you've had a long tenur uh general counsel position. My hope our our guarantee is a year, but I hope that we're not back. And for you, if you have another 20 years with with whoever you ultimately appoint, that's a great sign because um you know, you you do great work that affects so many people across this county and the k and the the influencing of the children and the parents and everyone in the school systems that
215you're touching. Uh this is an important decision. So I think you saw the passion of all three of your candidates, you know, in different ways wanting to be part of that. So I uh I was pleased to at least help you set the table in this regard. I know we went through some twists and turns and detours throughout it all, but uh I really felt that you had three good viable candidates and that was a matter of fit and finish and dynamics that that work with you individually and collectively. So indeed. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Thomas. And I just want to really commend our staff. I see Miss Caroline out there um just being with us through the process and you know, Mr. Thomas has spoken so highly of the work uh that you're doing
216and in collaboration with work that he was done uh doing as well for us. So, thank you to both. So, let me kind of tee up to where I think you may be, assuming it looks like you've got some at least some consensus on on where the board may be going. Um, my understanding is that that a name it would be helpful for me because I'll I'm about step on the road, but I will certainly call all the candidates and let them know, you know, they know that they may be watching now for all I know at this point of the process, but I'd like to be able to inform them of where we stand. The other piece that I would suggest that you consider, it could be in a a second motion that could
217be done this evening as well, is the um the recommendation that you appoint someone from the school board as a representative of you as a group. Um typically with your acting general counsel, and I'm here to assist in that negotiation process as well, we can work through terms and conditions with whoever candidate you ultimately select. Um, and then we can have that moralized into a formal document that will come back to you. I think we're trying to strive for I think you've got a meeting on May 6th as I recall correctly. We can try to put this together quickly. We'll try to see if it can be together there as soon as possible so they can come back. The whole board would have a chance to review, comment on that, act upon that because um
218your selected candidates more than likely not going to resign their position till they know they've got a signed seal delivered. So, for some reason we get stuck in in that process and we don't hit the six, there may be a desire to try to expedite maybe with a special meeting if need be, but we'll do our best to try to get you so we don't we recognize everybody's schedules are difficult to to reconvene if necessary. Indeed. Thank you, Mr. Thomas. So, if I heard you correctly, uh after we go through our uh vote uh and the action item tonight, maybe a board member could um recommend a motion to appoint uh an individual to work with. Is that what I heard? I my thinking is a little different maybe. Um but my thought is that
219if a motion is made to uh extend an offer to a candidate that that include the authority for the interim school board attorney and the board chair to negotiate an appropriate contract to then bring back to the board for its further review and approval. That could be in one motion. Okay. if that person who made the motion was so inclined to do that and then would be a second that way it would be clear for the record same accomplishes the same thing. No, no argument with there. The only question if you want if you need to have me identify you may want to incorporate that. I can help I I can help try to bring bring my goal you're my client trust me in that regard but I can help try to bring parties together
220if there's distinguishing differences and issues because we see hundreds contracts. So certainly help you in that regard. I I think that yeah that I forgot to say also Mr. Thomas would be involved in that process. Indeed. Okay, we have clarity. All right. Uh, Miss Wyatt, you're recognized. I just want to make sure because it is kind of a tight timeline that you are okay with that, Mr. Chair, in negotiating it in the next couple weeks. Do you have to make it happen? Yes. I mean, absolutely. Yeah. These don't have to be face to face. We can do this by phone or Zooms if we need be and all that. We make it work. I, you know, I think we'll we'll strive to do our very best to meet that objective. Yeah, indeed. Things happen. No
221control over that if personal circumstances come in the way, but certainly we'll strive to make sure that we meet that that that goal. All right. Very good. Uh we'll definitely uh need time to, you know, process and look at that contract before our May 6 meeting. So the form contract, correct? Candidly speaking, we'll use the I mean a similar contract to what we used with Mr. Bridges, which which you all approved in May of or in 2022, I believe. Um if I I I pulled a copy of that contract. Your staff shared that last week. I was my my fear was that perhaps because Wes had been here so long that their contract was done way back when, but I was pleased to hear that it had been updated. So that gave you some comfort
222that we're not starting from, you know, the the ground zero, so to speak. And and as it turns out, we're working on an amendment to the superintendent's contract um you know, so we've got contracts on our brain um and in forms and so I'm I'm not I'm not as concerned about that and certainly working with Mr. Thomas will be very helpful. Okay, great. Miss Wyatt, anything else? No. Okay. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. Okay. So, based on the information that we um use in a in a advertising position, this position would be the second highest paid position with the school district. Is that correct? Um I assume that that would I do not know where your superintendent is at compensation wise at this point. The advertised I hope he's above that. He's above the advertised
223range. Yeah, I would have I would have others are in the pay scale. Well, that's why I didn't bring up that contract, you know, and so, um, I'll leave my comment because I I mean, I am smart enough to know what this is going to look like at the end of the day. Uh, but, uh, it concerns me, and maybe I'm the only one that's concerned, that we're getting ready to possibly, uh, and it appears to hire someone who is not going to be living in our county for at least a year. and he's the second highest paid he will be the second highest paid person in a school district. Uh that concerns me. Uh but again, majority rules and we'll see what comes out in the wash, but I want to make sure that
224uh that I have that comment made. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Fields. there's there if there's any context I can provide to that um Miss Fields is that typically for whether it's a city, a county or a school system such as this um typically the the boardappointed um employees are normally your highest level compensate. So it would not it would not surprise me that if you looked across the the 67 school systems, public school systems that typically your superintendent and and your general counsel would be in those top one or two positions in terms of compensation. Uh I I'm not I'm I I understand the nature of your comment in terms of residency, but the but that doesn't it doesn't surprise me that your two your two employees are typically uh that would normally be
225the case for almost any public entity. The two the employees that report directly to the board are normally your highest compensated. Y All right. See, I'm not seeing any other comments, Mr. Thomas, at this point. So I'm going based on what I heard in consensus. So, as I talk to my candidates, when I'm on the road, my windshield time, I'll at least bring them up to speed, um I can defer to have either um Caroline or or John or someone just follow up with me to ensure that everything works this evening as anticipated and that we're ready to go so we can commence uh any negotiations with your final um recommended candidate to proceed. All right. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Thomas. Appreciate your time. Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure to work with
226you. We're not across the line yet, but we'll get you there. I trust you. Okay. All righty. Thank you so much. Yep. All right, board members, we are now to board comments. So, this will be your opportunity to speak uh before we adjourn and get set up for our 5:00 pm meeting. So, Miss Miller, you are recognized. I don't have a committee report, but I do have a comment um based on I think I owe the cabinet an explanation of my reaction um to the last retreat um when that conversation started at the beginning of the retreat. I may have looked and sounded um like I was frustrated because I because I was. And so I would I just want to document on film again um and let the board know that you know this
227is a lot I call it a ship. I think I fin when I finally decided to meet with one of our staff members I said I'm tired of you know moving chairs around on the deck of the Titanic. Not that we're the Titanic, but I felt like conversations happen in these work sessions during board comments or in if it's in the um retreats that plainly just get ignored and so not by anybody. I think process we need to look at process and so I'm hoping at the next retreat that that John can be there and help us walk through some process. I had talked about frustrations I had with um some of our board functions and I went back last night and documented December 10th, January 28th, February 11th, February 25th, there was conversation that
228a board member needed support and wanted to make decisions as a board um and not on my own. And the first retreat that I'm the second retreat that I'm still waiting for minutes on, it was documented again that as a board member, we need to, you know, I'm asking that we talk about process, not policy, but process to help our board work and function um more efficiently. And it had nothing to do with a person. There's no there's no person matter here. Um it takes as a captain of a ship, there's seven of us. And if anybody any of the seven were struggling for a need or for support or want to have a conversation, I think it's it's in our best interest to address it. And we haven't. Um I did meet with a
229board employee yesterday and walk through all the things that I have struggled with over the last year to be more efficient as a board member. And I don't want to say this, I don't I don't want a badge or I'm not going to ask for a plaque or a red carpet, but for the board member, I came from the community as a constituent services board member. I answer the phone. I show up to meetings. We have a committee right now that hasn't seen their board member all year. I answer the phone all weekend on insurance. And this is not saying other people don't or they don't do what I h I'm in a different place because I have more availability. That people cannot be available all the time. And I appreciate how the board has
230grown into um the districts aren't really a thing. If you want to go support Davenport, we're all going to support Davenport. But for the one board member who I feel um and not the only one but the the fact that I am the one responding if for a year or at least since December you know I was asking for support then we need to we need to talk as a board so I'm not making decisions as a single person I want to make it as seven of us. Um I just I would like the respect of that response and so at our next retreat I would like John if you if you I know you're going to be there. We're going to talk about processes. We're going to talk about board roles of board operations,
231whatever the first thing is there. And I think it's mostly to for the superintendent to discuss um the maybe the roles of his staff or cabinet or whatever. But we need 10 minutes, 15 minutes in that meeting to talk about responsiveness of board members or requests that are made just so there's no other frustration and or confusion um between us because I think we seven of us all work really well together. But um that's the one thing that's just been the greatest frustration for me, especially as an elected official representing my community, making a request multiple times and we just moved meetings on like it didn't happen. And so I I'm looking forward to that retreat and I would like at least 10 minutes in that retreat to discuss how we can work on a
232process so everybody's voice is heard. Thank you. All right. I see no other comments and I have comments, please. Thank you. Um, I didn't press, but I have comments. Okay, stand by. Let me open up your microphone. Miss Miller, thank you. And Miss Fields, you're recognized. So, when we have the meeting next week, uh, Miss Miller, I would strongly ask that you are very specific on what you're saying because I'm confused on um the frustration. I've done evaluations before uh and had some maybe similar concerns and it was like they were only my concerns. Uh, they were not addressed. Um and I think that we have not really even had open discussion about anyone's evaluation. We complete them and then uh we discuss it with them individually or the the chair does or whoever and
233then we kind of like go to the next thing. So I just think that we have to be specific because when I read it I was trying to understand it. So yeah, I appreciate I appreciate that. Um, and I will be and yesterday I met with a board employee and we went through the opportunities that that we could take to make things better and we talked about the barrier and I recorded the barriers and the support level. I felt that my only option was to bring my list of grievances and read them at a work session and I just don't think that's good business. I think that's what a retreat is for. And so I'm hoping we can have that conversation at next at the next retreat. And most of it, and you're right, even
234about our evaluations, which I think has been mentioned more than once, um, an evaluation we had updated a couple, I guess was updated a couple years ago, but it wasn't discussed as a board that it was being updated and I don't know that it's a great reflection of the duties performed and it's not fair to the employee and it's not it's not fair to us to have to evaluate that way. So, we do need to talk as a board and I'm hope I hope that we can have that time at the next retreat. And to the cabinet members that watched, you know, I was I wasn't disrespectful if you're wondering, but I was I was completely shocked that it's like the conversations never happened. And um we're going to have that we're going to talk
235about that at the retreat and hopefully come up with a process so that this we can move forward and that doesn't happen again. Thank you. All right, Miss Wyatt, you're recognized. Thank you. Just expanding on that a little bit. I had submitted a request to Superintendent Hyde that we bring the job description because I think that there are several things that are in the job description and just not happening. There are several things that are in the job description that we may or may not need. There's also several things in the job there's several things that may or may not be in the job description that I think part of it is just cleaning up um some of our job descriptions and making sure that then the evaluation aligns to that because the current evaluation
236does not align to the job description. Um which makes it really difficult when you have an evaluation that looks great on paper but it's because you're not evaluating evaluating the work that is actually required. Um, so I'm I'm hopeful that we'll have that conversation at our next retreat. All right. I see no other comments, discussion. Mr. Murphy, you want to add to this? If Well, my my only question is who develops the agenda for the for the next board retreat? Who is that? Is that the superintendent? It's there's a draft that I provided the board, Miss Wyatt and one other board member requested that the topic pertaining to this specific position be allowed or be be added to the agenda. There are there's 30 minutes left at the end of the day on the ex
237or 45 minutes currently at the end of the agenda for wrapup and discussion. Um I'm not quite sure if that's going to be sufficient time for the board, but I'm trying to get through multiple topics that we have remaining. But my only observation to the board chair is this is a seven member body and so you know there needs to be you know board the board needs to weigh in on how they determine they wish to proceed. Indeed. So, there has to be a motion made just as it relates to parliamentary procedure and and you can maybe speak to that and address that if you will. Um, Mr. Murphy, but Miss Fields, you're recognized. I had a question for Superintendent Hut. So, Superintendent Hyde, are you saying I'm not understanding that only one job description
238is going to be discussed next week or are we looking at all the job descriptions? That is the only job description that's been brought up and requested to be reviewed if if the board. Now, you just revisited your attorney. So, you only have four employees, right? So, you have myself, you have the auditor, you have the attorney, and you have your executive assistant. Um, if if the board would like to revisit all four, you just did the attorneys, so I don't know that there's much benefit to that. But if the board wants to revisit all three of those, it will take considerably more time, and I'll have to amend the agenda significantly. Well, and keep in mind, we're going to be talking about the superintendent's contract, right, at the April 30th board meeting. Indeed, we're
239going to be presumably working on a contract for the school board attorney. But some, you know, so I don't I'm I'm not certain what the board I mean what the direction of the board is on and I'm asking only just for clarification. Well, the other three job description would be the internal auditor and the executive assistant, right? And then did Executive assistance. Yeah. Those two. Yeah. A total of four. Yeah. So, you're talking about three. Yeah. From my perspective, I mean, I I don't think we'll have enough time to evaluate that many contracts, but um you know, I don't want to carve out time from the superintendent's um retreat on that meeting coming up. That would be my opinion. I would love to bring it forward as a work session item if we want to
240discuss it. Um I again it's the will of the board what you would all want. Um so Miss Fields you have anything else? I'm pondering but not right now. Yeah. Thank you indeed. And just to you know clarify as well you know there there is and this is where my opinion on the role of the new general counsel is to bring us some systems because you know I'm I'm hearing a complaint that we didn't bring the evaluations forward after they were conducted. But I will tell you if we looked at the board manual that we currently have on file this is what it says. It says that the evaluation is for each member to be conducted, collected, um, you know, do the analysis and then the board chair meets with that individual. Then that data
241is sent to the general counsel and the general counsel sends it out to you. The only one person that's mentioned in the board manual that we would discuss uh, in a public session is actually the superintendent's um, evaluation. That's that's what the board manual says. So, I know we're unhappy with the process um that's being noted, but I'm I'm following and trying to f follow something a guide that's loose, but it is there. So, I just want to put that on record as well. Um Miss Fields, anything else? Yes. Okay. Miss Fields, you're recognized. In reference to your comment, practice has been historically practice has been that we have had open discussions on other evaluations and not just a superintendent. And I think that has shifted. Now, should it have shifted? I don't know. Who
242knows? Because I think goes back to what Mr. Murphy says, the majority rules. And uh I'm not saying that the chair is not doing what he or she should be doing based on what's in the book, but I'm just saying that practice-wise that has not been the case always. Yep. And and I agree. But you know I I think um for for the future and to have some sense of guard rails in a sense and a barrier, we have a document that we're following because some like we're going to eventually lose the longevity of the heritage of other board members, right? And those practices sometimes won't carry on unless it's written. And I think that's very important to us moving ahead that we're following some type of a guide. I think that's important. Um and
243and like I said, I mean, if if we're to bring forward the evaluation, and I know we differ on on the instrument itself, whether it's effective, there were five extremely positive surveys and two that were critical. So, I mean, there's there's a lot that can be unraveled. I don't know for us as a board if this is the place and time to continue the conversation. I think um if y'all want to bring it back. I mean, I think we can maybe carve out time, but I I want to um respect the superintendent's time as well as it relates to the upcoming meeting. So I don't I don't know where we want because obviously we have a lot more to say about this particular piece and I don't mind putting it in a work session at
244the beginning of uh May but again we're going to have so many contracts and so forth that we're dealing with even on that day. Um but just trying to just unravel some of these things as far as time. I mean, if we want to call another special meeting because May 6, we've got a lot that we're covering in May 6, but the next meeting that we would have is not going to be till June because of our graduation cycle. But if we feel that we need to have a special meeting on this, um, I'm okay to call a special meeting, but everybody have to be present for that. Miss Miller, you're recognized. Um, this is again two different things. Again, two different things. Um, there is a process. I don't know that in the past
245the attorney has ever led that, given a that's the board's job. Um, and we need that time to discuss what that needs to look like. The attorney can give the input on the legal standing of it, but to create to create some kind of system or systems for us is not not what they have done, nor do I think it's um practice. But if it's we could definitely try it. talking about reviewing the evaluation was changed. It was changed because it was a better tool or but there was no discussion of it being changed. So I think it was unfair to give an evaluation that we weren't able to discuss. If maybe we do need a work session to talk about evaluations that is a separate topic than you had a sitting board member make
246multiple requests to speak about something and it was just ignored. And I think that's where I would go to legal and say okay we need to have these convers we need to have this conversation. Building a process is very important. I don't know that we have time to go to a to a retreat and build that process on top of agenda that's already being conducted. But how we interact um is where I was hoping to get some clarity on if what if everybody is working hard to get things done and represent all their districts and do things because we have board members who who are not as actively involved in the community based on their job or their other um their other things happening because you have fewer people doing that. That doesn't make their
247voices any less valid than others. And you definitely heard, you heard December, you heard January, you heard twice in February that one of your board members or more than one of your board members needed to talk about how we function. And I walked into and it was said in the f in the second retreat and I walked into that third retreat thinking, okay, we're going to have great conversation on how this can be worked out for everyone. And we just moved on with the meeting. And to me, that was offensive. And that's why I sent that email. Um, we have to do better for our our employees and we have to do better to function as a board. Um, yesterday I I have a list and I will send it. I think we got a
248lot accomplished yesterday, but that was just my opinion. So, how fair is it of me to I've now made decisions that all of you guys will have to follow if that's the new way of work out of the board office and that's not how it's designed to work. So, I don't know. I think we need to talk about we need to set strategies and barriers, not look at an attorney and ask us to to do it for us. he is really here just to follow make sure we're following the law. But this is all what we need to be discussing in that retreat. I think you're very on mark. I think we should have a work session on the job descriptions and the evaluations that follow so they can be compared because right now we
249are not evaluating on what the job descriptions look like. And I thank you for those comments, Miss Miller. will put it on record that when I brought forward superintendent's evaluation and discuss the timeline that all job descriptions were there and all evaluation instruments were present as we were going into that cycle. Uh so I just want to put that on record. Um Miss Miller, thank you. And Miss White, you're recognized. Thank you. I want to echo a little bit of what Miss Miller said, but I I think this is a extremely important topic for the upcoming retreat. Um, I think if there are other topics that may be more appropriately addressed in a work session, but this is not one of them. Um, this really is is the in the need for a retreat. Um,
250I think there's been at least three incidents that I can think of over the past week that have come up that, you know, the calendars are an issue, emails are an issue. We've we've got to get some of this resolved. And I do think that there's oftentimes things that that get resolved before anybody else realizes they're an issue because there's several of us that are out there saying, "Hey, I'm going to see you on Tuesday, right?" And then somebody looks at you with three heads because there's nothing really happening on Tuesday. Um, so I think that there's some some issues that we need to get resolved sooner rather than later. I don't think this can wait longer than a couple weeks because it's it's going to implode. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. And superintendent, you're going
251to have to decide if you want to carve out extra time for that. 45 minutes. I we've we've dedicated three retreats to this topic and to no no no progress was made. I dedicated an entire hour and a half in the very first retreat and not a single topic within the job description was addressed. So 30 minutes is not going to be sufficient. Um, so what I have done is I have been tweaking this our agenda because there are other very important topics that need to be addressed and we we are running out of retreat dates and there are things that we had in our first retreat that have to come back and this one was solely to be was to be significantly focused on community engagement and stakeholder feedback and those types of things.
252And so what I've done is I've made revisions to it. I will send it back out to the board. It's strike through and redlinined. So you'll be able to see where the changes are. We can still accomplish everything by 3:00. Um essentially what we would have is from 9:15 in the morning because from 9 to 9:10 is just kind of welcome. Everybody gets processed. Everybody makes sure all your technology is working. We get and we go through the agenda very quickly. 9:15 to 10:45. So, an hour and a half is being dedicated to the remaining topic of goal setting and student success. That was a rollover from the last meeting because we didn't have enough time. And that's a good thing because there was a good conversation. 10:45 to 11, you have a 15-minute break.
25311:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. Part one of community engagement will be discussed. strategies for effective communication with stakeholders, elevating stakeholder evaluating stakeholder engagement, board and superintendent committee structures. We we I have to get some direction on committees. We've been kind of pushing this along. We've got to get authorization for the efficiency committee. We've got to do some things there in order to support a potential board vote on seeking additional revenue. And then from 12 to 12:30, I put it as a working lunch. But then from 12 to 1:30 overlapping I have community engagement part two which is public relations and advocacy goals, community outreach events and surveys. And then what I did was I then carved out 1:30 to 300 p.m. So that will give you an hour and a half. I'm going to go
254back to the very first retreat meeting and pull the language from that about the job descriptions. You have the job descriptions. I don't feel I should have to resend those. Um, you have those job descriptions for all the positions. I will also ask for a copy of the evaluation instrument. I don't believe you have that because if the board would like to modify the evaluation instrument, now's the time while you're doing it simultaneously with with the um job description. That's what I would offer at this time. That's the only way I can see me fitting it into the agenda and giving you enough time to address this. Um, but I'm open to feedback. Um, so open to discussion now. Obviously, the retreat is a shared retreat, but I'm trying to get through the topics that
255we prioritized and agreed we would get to. I know Miss Miss Fields, I particularly made a a commitment to Miss Fields because she wanted to be present especially for the topics about goal setting and for the community engagement. So, I want to make sure because I think this retreat everyone's in attendance at. Um, so I want to make the best use of your time as well. So there's an hour and a half we can play with at the end of the day if you if that's where you would like to see that or or just give me some direction on what your feedback is or what your thoughts are. Um, or if you have none currently, I'm happy to email us to you. You can look at it later, but please get me feedback so
256I can send out an amended agenda no later than this Friday in the Friday update. Please, Mr. Sharpless, you are recognized. Um, you know, I made I made the comment in the retreat about u wanting to move forward and um wasn't my intention to be offensive to anyone. However, I I would like if we're going to bring this topic up, we have staff that's in that room that were there for very specific reasons, right? So, if we were going to bring this topic up, they don't need to be there. We're wasting their time. That was the point I was trying to make at the last retreat. We have it if it either has to be the beginning or the end and then we need to dismiss them or tell them to come late. Either way,
257they don't really need to be part of that conversation because it really has nothing to do with them, you know, and we have all of our cabinet and all of them. They don't really need to be in the room for that. That was my opinion on and the reason I mentioned that. Um, second thing is I I wasn't at the second retreat. I you know I mentioned numerous times through email you know when that date was selected I would not be able to be there. Okay. Um so I don't know the concerns that were addressed during that second retreat. I so I can't really speak to any of them. My point that I tried to make at our third retreat was that I personally do not have any issues with the way the office has
258I haven't had any nothing has has affected me yet. So I don't know it's hard to address things if you don't know and we can't talk about them right I mean as if we're in a public forum. So um I was just really confused on that. Um I wasn't there like I said I wasn't there for the second one. I I I've uh you know I had a debriefing with Superintendent Hyde about that second retreat because um I wanted to know what was being discussed um and there was I was told there was significant discussion on um one job in particular um and so without being able to be in the room I don't know what was said. Um, that's why I was hoping that they would be uh videotaped or something, but they weren't.
259Um, and that's because we had it off site. I'm not there's not that's not a blame of anybody. I'm just saying I don't know what's I just feel it's frustrating that I don't know what was really said. Um, so we're able to address it, but then also the reason I said what I said wasn't it was to it was to move past it because I wanted to make sure we addressed the topics that were on the agenda because it was pretty lengthy. We when we just barely got out of there on time and so I would hope that superintendent to give you feedback either make it at the beginning or the end and then don't have all the staff there. Just have the ones that are affected that and that's one of the reasons I
260specifically structured it. I I planned on dismissing all staff, okay, for the afternoon for that for that end session. There's no reason for them to be present for that discussion. Okay. Thank you, Miss Fields. You're recognized. I think at some point in time, we really need to look at the master board training. I think that's important in order for us to have honest conversation and hopefully being able to form a team that is uh able to to work through, push through and ultimately uh do what we know is best for the students and the staff. And I also think that when we start talking about some of these very sensitive subjects that it should not rest on the superintendent. It should not rest on the board chair. It needs to be someone outside of the
261group that can be um not put in a hot seat if if that's the word to use. Uh and and and again have some serious and honest conversation because I think that that ultimately is what we need. Thank you, Miss Fields. Miss Miller, you're recognized. Thanks. I agree. And I guess I'm caught off guard because a lot of this is just simple functional stuff that we need to discuss. It's not deep than it's not, you know, it's not sensitive. It's how I'm going to get emails and how my mail is going to go out and um and that can be talked about very easily and quickly. Like reviewing job descriptions can be done in a work session. This could be done very si like very simple. How does it work for you? Um how do
262I get information? That's the frustrating thing has not been this issue with office function. The fr frustrating thing is trying to get anything done. Um we've talked about this for months and months. If you look at masterboard training, none of it has to do with my with the needs of office function. It has to do with how you work with each other. I think we work great with each other when we can schedule things and get things done. Um and that's really where I've been. I'm so I'm glad that you have no issues with calendars. I have huge issues with calendars. Now, I have a meet. We're going to We have a solution, though, because we worked together and created solutions for a lot of this. Miss Pasco is going to meet in the board
263office. We're going to sit right next to each other and we're going to figure the calendar out because I can't go another year with double things. I'm doing double duty already. I'm showing up to junior achievement when nobody else is. I'm showing up to schools where they haven't seen anybody in a six, eight months. And so, because my calendar is packed, I think it's it's very much important to get done. The actual thing that needs to be resolved is minor. It's minor if we can just have the 30 45 minutes to do it. But yeah, you're right. The cabinet doesn't need to be there. Um the things are very simple tasks and unfortunately there's seven of us with seven different opinions. So we do need a a set time to discuss what works best. Um
264an outside person to pay somebody to do that. I think the seven professionals can sit in a room hopefully on this next retreat day and figure it out. Um I don't know that. But for trainings of how you know set trainings, I do think yes. But we've been talking about that for also six to eight months. Um, so I look I appreciate the superintendent. I think this is the perfect place to put it because you're talking about community and relations in the community and most of most of my barriers have been set because that's where I'm at. I'm in the community and I need I need an easier process and my staff needs an easier process. So I'm going to send out what was discussed and the barriers and the options we have to resolve
265it and it might work for everyone, it might not. Um but but I can't go another six to eight months or a year with the simple office calendar, etc. things that can be resolved relatively quickly. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Miller. Mr. Keys, you're recognized. I'm not going to spend much time on this comment, but it seems to me like we've had a lot of discussion on something that should be pretty simple to resolve. Um and you know, there was JD's was sent out on 310 to everybody should have it. There was an eval copy of the eval sent out on 124. We have those two com these those two documents, right? If we have a job description, we all need to decide, is that job description good? Do we need to edit it and
266move on past it? Because we have a lot more important issues in the district to discuss than a seemingly simple office task or job and let's let's use our time a little more constructively. But um um just to say I'm a little annoyed that we sat here for almost 30 minutes discussing this and we have other issues to address. Thank you, Mr. Keys. I appreciate that timeline. Uh going back in our agenda as well, uh timeline wise, July 23rd is when we as a board um discussed the evaluation tool for the executive assistant and the job description. So, if you want to go back to that, I mean, we're we're actually coming up on the year of that, but July 23rd, 2024 in that work session is when we last discussed it as a board.
267All right. I don't see any other comments at this point. So this work session will now be adjourned.