001the uh April 29th school board meeting to order. Uh we will have the pledge led by Miss Wagner and the invocation by Miss Gillyard. Please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Let us pray. Father, in the name of your son Jesus, we have assembled here today, God, to conduct the business of this school district. Father, we thank you for the opportunity to serve most especially our children, our stakeholders, our constituents. God, we pray for divine guidance that you would lead us through this meeting, God, that every decision we make, God, will be uh beneficial to our community and to our students. Amen. God, we thank you for the parents
002that work hard and encourage and motivate their children and see that they're in school and then it pays off like it does on today when those that have done well, have worked, have sacrificed, have come to be rewarded. God, we thank you for the organizations and the community members that honor them for their hard work and their endeavors. Now, God, bless us that we may be a blessing to others and do your will. It's in Jesus's name we pray. Amen. Amen. Okay, welcome. We've got a big crowd, so we'll try to move through this uh quickly as possible. Um we have the presentation, so our retiree recognition. Miss Whitehurst, you're recognized. Good afternoon. Afternoon. It's always a pleasure to be able to um present our hardworking employees our resolution as they've made the decision to
003retire and move into um some great great years. Um so we are going to start out with Miss Stephanie Atkins if she is here. Yes, there she is. Come on up, Miss Miss Atkins. Miss Atkins has been a pair professional with us for 27 years. That's close enough. We're going to call it 27 years. Wow. Awesome. Get some gentlemen to join us. Congratulations. Appreciate all your time. Great job. [Applause] All right. And we have Miss Patricia Sauls. Yeah, there she is. Miss Sals has been our health science teacher at Crescent City Junior Senior High, and she served the district for 20 years. [Applause] Yeah, Miss Tracy had her in timeout out there a while ago. Congratulations. [Applause] And we have one more, Mr. Charles Mike Siner. Not sure if Mr. Siner, Nope, he didn't make
004it here today. We still want to recognize him. Um, he is res, um, retiring. He's only been with the district for about six and a half years, but he has been with the Florida retirement system longer than that. And so, um, we want to just say congratulations to him and, um, just congratulations, Miss Saws and Miss Atkins for all you have done for our district. Okay, we will move to the next presentation, our lamp of learning. And I don't is the ADK here? I guess that's you, Miss Michael. I'm gonna let Miss Bellamy take over that. All right, you're recognized. Good afternoon. Our altruistic sorority, Alpha Delta Kappa, recognizes a graduate every year with a scholarship. And a few years ago, we decided to also include sixth grade students who were were nominated by their
005administrators from each of the elementary schools. And we have lots of families represented in here today. So, I know you're anxious to get up here when you hear your name called. I want you to come up. and Miss Cahan will help guide you around this circular area right here. So, you can stay up here for a group picture and Miss Clayton and Miss Michael will go ahead and give you your certificate. Be very careful with that. There's more than paper in there. Okay. Our first sixth grade student being recognized is from Browning Pierce Elementary, Canon Salsman. [Applause] from James A. Long Elementary. Brantley [Applause] Reigns from Kelly Smith Elementary. Rayan [Applause] Nolles from Melon Learning Center. Kenneth [Applause] Christensen from Melrose Elementary. Brantley [Applause] Broom from Middleton Bernie Elementary. Gabrielle [Applause] Lomale from Aquilla Elementary.
006Erica [Applause] Andrews from Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Elementary. Nova Wthburn [Applause] from William D. Mosley Elementary. Juel [Applause] Rodriguez from Putnham Academy of Arts and Sciences. Jasmine [Applause] Simon and from the Children's Reading Center, Tinsley Evans. [Applause] We want to just say congratulations one more time for the recipients of our lamp of learning. We call these little scholarships, too. but you have the cash in hand already. So, it's at your discretion of how to use it or save it or what to do with your investment that you have right there. Thank you and congratulations again. [Applause] And there may be a reason. I don't know. He never congratulations. Excellent. [Applause] All right. Miss Michael will present the thrive. Um I'm just Michelle I don't remember Kobe ever re getting any award for academics? None. Okay.
007He takes after his dad. No, I can say you. Thank you. Good afternoon. I am so privileged to be able to introduce our Thrive students. For those of you that are not really sure what Thrive is, it's a program that was brought to the district. Um we were lucky enough to um have this program for our students and it was a couple years ago and we've slowly improved to just one uh student for the six-year program and then one for on-ramp which are 10th grade males and then we have gradually increased that number every single year. So, we're going to start off um in 2223, we had one um six-year program recipient and then an on-raight on-ramp Thrive Scholar. And what happens when they're 10th graders, they do have to apply for the six-year program
008as a junior. So, just because they're in the 10th grade program doesn't mean they're automatic. So, they still have to go through all the criteria. And I'm happy to say that most of well every time that uh we've had a student in the 10th grade onramp program that have applied they've soared through it and they've made it through the six-year program. So it's been a huge blessing for our students in our district. And then in 2324 we had uh two on-ramp students and then we moved to three um of our Thrive Scholars. And this year we are very excited to um give you our students. We've never recognized them as they graduate. This is something new this year, but I felt like it was important for everyone to lay eyes on these wonderful students and
009the hard work. They've had to go to an Ivy League school in the summertime for six weeks. They are in intensive college level classes and working very hard and preparing them for their future. So today we have our class of 2025 Thrive Scholars with us. Hopefully all of them were able to attend. But from Palaka High School we have Damonte [Applause] Barnes. And from Crescent City Junior Senior High School we have an Anahi [Applause] Lugo. From Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. We have Aval Wilson. Also from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. We have Rebecca [Applause] Fing. These students uh represent there are four students represent Putnham County School District and they are off to big and exciting things to college. Would you guys be willing to share where you're going to college? I
010know May 13th they have a big Thrive event in Jacksonville and it's to celebrate their uh college and their their choice and they're having this huge celebration in Jacksonville. But we decided to honor them here first. So we'll start with Rebecca. You're going to I'm going to the University of Florida. Yes. Go Gators. University of Florida. Damonte. I'm going to Tolane University. Two-lane University. Good job. All right. Anai Amherst College. Amherst College. Did you do did you do your six week program at Amherst? So that's where she was for six weeks. So you liked it there obviously. Great job. And um Aval, which is not able to be with us. I know she is also attending the University of Florida. So we're super excited. And before you guys sit down and I announce the next
011um our incoming Thrive students, I do want to make a special announcement. I received a notification last night. So, he probably doesn't know that I'm going to do this, but Damonte uh is a recipient of the Gates Scholarship. So, I just learned that yesterday. And for those of you that don't know about the Gate scholarship, it's a highly selective last dollar scholarship for outstanding minority high school seniors. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance that is not already covered by other financial aid as determined by FAFSA. cost of uh cost of attendance included tuition fees, room, board, books, and transportation and may include other personal costs. So, we already have some college
012paid for with a mentorship program through thrive and now it's just I mean even bigger. So he is totally in good hands and that is very difficult for I don't think I don't know that we've had one yet from gate scholarship but that is a very difficult scholarship to receive. So we are super super proud of you Damonte and you represent Putinham very well. So let's give him a round of applause. There's a mother out here that wants to ask a question. Michelle of um the gates. Awesome. Thank you for sharing that recognize her for like her high score on the AC also was one of our students that uh did a subway flight. She's in our in our aviation aviation program. A lot of good things happen. Congratulations in partner. You know it. Super
013super job. [Applause] I'm not sure if they are all here. They were invited to be here, but I know um there are ACE exams and all kinds of exams going on today and trying to get here is kind of difficult. But I do want to at least recognize our students that are now in the Thrive program that were juniors and recognize them and they will be graduating in 2026, but they'll go through this program as well in the summer. They'll spend six weeks at an Ivy League school doing the same thing. And I know I've heard Damonte speak before and how much fun they had. They work hard, but they have a lot of fun as well. And so these are our new students for the the six-year program, the Thrive six-year program. So it's
014Carter Cruz from Palaka Junior Senior High School. Stand right there. We have Andre May or my from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. I hope I pronounced it right. I know it's Andre. Then we have Dakota Wait from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. We have Keelin Williams from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. We have Cameron Cubo from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. And Riley Asbury from Qi Roberts Junior Senior High School. Those are our new students in the six-year program. They'll be going this summer to an Ivy League school. So, what school you go to? Wow. I didn't care for Baltimore, but I like John Hopkins. [Applause] Okay. Very nice. Thank you, Miss Michael, and your team. Great job to all the students and those that couldn't be here. I hope you're
015watching and uh half of the board, we certainly congratulate you. Do we have any public comment, Miss Michael? No public comment. Okay, we'll move into the consent agenda and um we will start with you, Miss Wagner. Do you have anything to pull? I do not have anything to pull. Mard, nothing to pull, sir. Mr. Buckles, I was in. yesterday and today and I'm I'm good. Okay. Took you two days to learn. I have um nothing to pull, but I would like to just make sure that we um recognize Trish Saul's huge beautiful family and um very nice and I honestly I cannot say enough about this that woman. Thank you. Thanks for all all of you have done. Enjoy your retirement. [Applause] Okay. And I only have uh one item to pull and it's just
016mainly for comments and clarification and that is G4. So I'll entertain a motion for the balance of the consent agenda. I'll offer a motion that we Did you mean G4? Yeah. Yeah. On the calendar. No, I'm sorry. G G5. I'm sorry. Excuse me. Okay, M. Pick a motion that we accept the consent agenda minus item G5. I'll second that. All right. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Pass unanimously. Um I just wanted to make some comments. I have had an opportunity to meet with both the superintendent and the CFO on our 2526 um personnel allocations. And you know, we're still waiting for the legislature to um come get their allocations in line and move forward with the budget negotiations. Um, and so one of the
017things that we'll be able to do, even though we're we're adopting these today, if we need to go back and make changes after we receive our allocations, uh, we can do that with with personnel and and I've also talked to the superintendent and the CFO about us looking at consolidating some positions and and possibly streamlining some things, which they've already started looking at and we'll have further discussions on as as we go forward. So, uh, I'll take a motion to, uh, approve this item G5. I'll make a motion we approve G5. Second. I have a motion and second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Pass unanimously. Uh, we will now move down to don't have any emergency items, any unfinished business. Um, new business, board reports. All right. Miss Piggins, we'll start
018with you with your board report, please, ma'am. Okay. Um, I just would um like to just further iterate the the all that Miss Sauls has done for Crescent City Junior, Senior High School, and all the the number of students that have graduated to go on and have a career in the medical field is is astounding. and um she's going to be really missed that she'll be a hard hard one to um fill her shoes. All I um have really is that I went to the spring band concert um their program and it was excellent. The improvement that the band has shown over the last um five, six years is uh really incredible. And the the chorus also and the drum line um was amazing and they had gotten some new symbols and that added so
019much to the drum line. It was it was very entertaining. It was a great program and um that's all I have. Thank you, Mr. Buckles. I'm headed to the softball game tonight with Palatka High. They've moved in district champs and they're trying to work their way on up the ladder. So, I'll be there. And I'm very proud of all of our student athletes and and I look at these academic scholars as well. And it's just when you see all the negative and you hear all the crazy stuff, you have to realize that's all just stuff. We're out here about kids and and making their lives better and doing things that not only help them learn and go and grow and go to college and and whether it's a a test to check the heart like
020the superintendent's son grandson or a traffic commission to try to make our roadways safer for people like Mr. Liry serving on at our on our behalf. Um, it makes you feel good when you see good things because we, if you have been a principal or if you've been a school board member long enough, you have seen the bad. You've seen you've you've had people you lose, people you care about, people that just go by the wayside, and I just can't say enough that how proud I am of everybody. So, with that, I look forward to this softball game. Is it here? It is home. Okay. Okay. Good. You need to go at the high school. in the high school. Yes. Yeah. And you have to go online to get your ticket, right? You got you
021can pay at the gate with a credit card or whatever. Or you get that GoFan. GoFan, whatever. Yeah. But there'll be a big crowd thereard. Oh, okay. Um, just want to uh say hats off to the uh those that pulled together the district career day that was held at CEO. uh if I wasn't already retired, I would have applied for a position because everything was great. Every school was well represented and it it just did our district well, just what they had to show. Uh also just want to say thank you to all of our civic groups uh that uh acknowledge our students and their hard work over the years. Um it's it's just a blessing that we invest in our students and I was sharing with some of them on well starting Thursday night
022we my family will get an opportunity to invest in the lives of some students that are going to do great things because my niece would have been graduating this year had that not happened. And so that's how we want to pay back to invest in somebody else to make a difference in this community. And it it does our heart good to see our retirees when they come up and they have served us well. We appreciate that. And I did add up and I checked it twice on the calculator. Out of those that were given to us, that was 67 years and seven months of service to the students in Putnham County. And we do uh thank them and appreciate what they do because believe it or not, regardless of whatever position that person may hold,
023they connect with some child or several children. Uh Michael Jordan tells the story and he went back to show that custodian that allowed him to get in the gym at the hours after he was cut from the varsity team. Uh Mr. Wilson was his name and he would give Michael the key to go in and practice. And Michael had an opportunity to go back and to uh put ramps in his home to rebuild the roof was caving in, but he he worked hard. Mr. Wilson did uh for kids and and Michael said thank you. So we we don't know who would touch our children and make an impact and so we know that they appreciate it. And so absolutely I'm done. Okay. Well, I wanted to touch on something you had mentioned a couple weeks
024ago about um about uh more law enforcement on the roads in Putnham County. And at on that day, you had asked me if I had seen any more more than normal coming to Melrose. And I said I had not that day, but I just wanted to give that update that ever since then, yes, I'm I'm seeing them actively out. I was two cars behind a state trooper coming into town today. Um I'm happy to see that because um I will say it's the slowest drive I've had from Melrose. Um everybody in front of me I was going what is wrong? They're going the speed limit and um for any reason that we can make people slow down and just take a breath. Um I think that's great. Um and then I also on a related
025note the uh I saw on the agenda about the driver's ed courses kind of goes hand in hand. Um for whatever reason it seems like uh everybody's more uptight and our young drivers see that uh in in older people and they absorb that as well and they um of course don't always know the ramifications of driving too quickly, driving distracted. So, um I was happy to see the driver's ed coming up and then um I was also happy on the Crescent City Jr. OTC coming to Camp Shans in Melrose in June. Um I thought that's a wonderful opportunity and gets them totally on the other side of the county. But um and then I think well I had a great time. I wanted to thank Interlockan Junior Senior High School and Jenkins Elementary. Um, I've
026visited both of them this past week to uh, uh, just have lunch there and and talk to folks and it's just always a pleasure to meet with the teachers and um, there's a lot of very hilarious uh, I met a family member of yours, Mr. buckles actually and I'll just tell you all the things she said about you later. But well, I I will say that I taught the superintendent's wife driver's education a million years ago. But uh taught her how to change taught her taught her how to change a tire, but it was it was still waiting on her to change one. So yeah, it will shorten it will shorten your life to be a driver's ed teacher. I can tell you that. And that's all I've got. Okay. Um, I have two two
027reports or two two issues. Um, the superintendent and I had a conference call with Mr. Jason Palansky uh at Doge and the executive office of the governor today. Uh, very positive, good conversation. Um, he understood um, you know, that we are currently under a um, operational audit that's very intense and time frames and that type of thing. Um so we we we are just going to respond to to to them and his counterparts um basically outlining um you know once we get through this audit and you know we we'll we'll revisit it and and see if that's something that uh the board's interested in doing. We will have to pass a resolution if we decide to go forward. But um they are overwhelmed uh and that's an understatement with the amount of uh budgets and
028and reviews they're doing um with um the counties, the cities, um the uh some of the state agencies. And so um that letter that we got was basically a generic letter. But anyway, at any rate, uh very positive and um look forward to, you know, possibly working with them in the future. We'll just see how all that works out. The second thing is the traffic uh uh highway safety task force is meeting uh on Wednesday at 2 o'clock. Um and I'm thinking they'll probably have to move it to the the county commission meeting room. Um, and it's an opportunity for the public to come forth and talk, speak, give us ideas, um, you know, what their concerns or or possible solutions are. Um, I do know that, um, uh, we're still seeing, um, uh, television
029coverage and news coverage of of, you know, what's happening. And I think all that has shifted the paradigm towards um you know highway safety not just on 100 but you know 19 and 17 which will also be part of what we're looking at um you know highway 17 Crescent city highway 19. Um so I'm excited about the opportunity. It's a an excellent group of uh of both citizens and and then also um Joe Theob um the principal at QI Roberts is on the task force. So um I'm not looking for immediately any earthshattering things to happen, but just the enforcement alone I think will change people's attitude and really help. Um, I understand that that second week that they were patrolling out there that I think the sheriff alone gave uh gave out 90 tickets.
030Now, his were warnings where the highway patrol there is no warning. You you get a ticket. So, uh uh but the good thing about that with the sheriff's office, if they stop you a second time and and they're you're in in the system as having gotten a warning, you get the ticket the next time. So, I I do think that's going to help. And then we'll look at um potentially what projects could be incorporated into the resurfacing that will start next year. I know they're going to be doing some uh um some changes, modifications to the um Bon Road and uh 100 intersection. They're going to be putting in another delane and um and may be able to do some other things. But, uh, I think long term, and I've I've seen it a lot
031on social media, certainly four laning's the the the probably the home run, the silver bullet. Um, but you're looking at $60 million. And, um, that is not it's not in the the DOT's five-year work plan, just like we have a work plan, they have a work plan. And so, um, you know, once the traffic count gets to the point that it's, you know, it meets the criteria, then it'll go into the system and and ultimately be in their five-year work program. And, um, so anyway, um, I'll be reporting back to y'all on um what transpires at that meeting and um, and I look forward to uh, to the discussion. Phil, I'm I want to reiterate something. I'm I'm reluctant to go. I've been asked by several people to to go, but I said that Phil
032was our representative. And Mr. Holmes, wouldn't you agree that if something was said in that meeting that a board member would have to vote on, it would probably be not a good situation? They are public meetings, but you're not noticing them. The school board is not noticing noticing providing notice to the public. So, I would agree that having two of you there speaking would be a problem. I just one if two were there and only one spoke, I don't think it was I just wanted to clarify that. Okay. All right. All right. Is there any Oh, Mr. Superintendent. Lyn, did you go? Yes, you went. Okay. Oh, Don, I'm good. Okay. Um, yeah, I've got a list of things. Today, I had the the distinct honor. I get to do this once a year, make
033positive phone calls, and um so I called about seven people today who were selected to be our um product to put them. You know, that's that time of the year. Mhm. And we actually uh recognize people in seven different categories and these are people who graduated from a Putinham high school. You know, it could be 90 years ago and you know there's no timeline and they are serving in our county now either through an occupation or through their service. So, uh, I made those phone calls and if you'll put on your calendar, we're actually going to recognize them at a breakfast right here in the boardroom on May 16th at 10:00 a.m. And uh, we started that tradition and we get to call them up and recognize them and any family they have. And coincidentally,
034we happen to have one in the audience today, you Jones. And uh, she's recognized for community service and and uh, just want to thank her. And we have the mother of one of ours sitting in the audience, Gail Cahan. And her son is also gonna be recognized. So, um, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Which son? Yes, Larry. Oh, not Uncle Larry. I just had to say that, but I know it's Jeff. What time? He's recognized. What? What time is What time is that, Rick? What time? What time is 10 a.m.? Yeah. 10 a.m. And and by the way, we will have them uh we will recognize them and say a few words at their high their high school's graduation from where they graduated. So always great time. And also um I missed out on
035another we have the wife of one here too. Miss Whitehurst, her husband is a recipient good of introan high school. So didn't mean to leave you out. Just wanted to make sure we caught everybody. Did I miss anybody else in Elis? Uh, a couple other things real quick. Um, we did have, if you hear something or see something on social media, we did have a lockdown today at Melrose Elementary and they had received a phone call, very disturbing phone call from someone from out of the area and um kind of a threatening phone call. So, we immediately went into lockdown. We actually went into a modified lockdown on in the western side of the district just out of abundance of caution. Come to find out, we um whoever this was had made phone calls to
036other school districts. So, it's one of those random people and they do have the number and I'm sure they're investigating, but um just want to thank our parents for their, you know, their cooperation and we we sent out a message to them. If they didn't get the message, we need to make sure that we have the correct information. But the principles, we are all in there together doing that at the same time. We want to keep them up to date. Also, reminder, Anastasia, the musical is starting this weekend. And then I also want to point out two other things. U the Pala High Junior Senior High team actually won the district championship first time in nine years and congratulations to them. And then we also had the uh the district career fair which I think
037was mentioned and that was really I had a chance to go by there and I'll tell you what Tim Adams went above and beyond cuz he dressed up what was he dressed up like I called him sitting bull I don't know who he was he was a chief he was a raider that's what the mascot is well he is a raider and he had on a a raider cap and all that kind I mean had a head thing on and so he went all out so thanks to all the schools and departments who turned out to do that And I think this second second year, Tanya, we've done this. So, it's getting to be a tradition. So, that's all I have, Mr. Chair. All right. Uh, any other business come before the board? All right.
038Without objection, we'll stand adjourned.