001Good evening. We'll call this meeting to order. If you would join us for the flag salute, please All right. Let the minutes reflect that all board members are present. The adoption of the agenda of the agenda, let it be known business agenda item B1 is withdrawn from the agenda tonight. Next is the consent agenda. All of the following items, those items of a routine nature normally approved at board meetings will be approved by one vote unless any board member desires to have a separate vote on any or all of these excuse me items. The consent agenda consists of the discussion, consideration, and action on the following items A through X. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. Nuin, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Dr. McN, >>
002yes. Chair votes yes as well. All right. Information reports USPA. Oh, did I not? Oh, sorry. I apologize. >> I apologize, y'all. Uh, we're going back to the adoption of the agenda with business agenda item B1 being withdrawn from the agenda tonight. >> Approval. >> Second. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Dr. McNail? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Roberman chair votes yes as well. Thank you. Okay. USPA UCTA report miss anybody's going to be using that. President Reyes, Dr. Futterline and members of the board. In recognition of schoolboard appreciation month, we want to extend our sincere thanks to the board of education for your continued support for our educators and students um that we serve. We appreciate your willingness to listen to us, collaborate with us, and support the work
003that's happening in our classroom. So, thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Next, we have schools, grades, and students test scores. Dr. Nelson. >> Good evening, uh, President Reyes, Dr. Federline, and the board. So, when it comes to student learning, we have many things to celebrate and I'm glad to have an opportunity to share one of those highlights with you tonight. And it's particularly about elementary math and increases on state test scores. So, we received our scores last uh well in June and um the uh third through 8th grade math and ELA scores have gone through changes in the scoring standards as you know and so this has led to uncertainty as to how to interpret them. Well, we know the cut scores changed from 2024 to 2025. So, you we can't really make a
004direct comparison. So we're told that a better comparison is to go back to 2023. So when we look at that and we make that comparison, um we we see that most of our district uh average scores uh went up against and in including science uh even though that uh test didn't actually change in the way the scoring standards were. So, we seem to have a lot to celebrate, but we more recently uh were able to see test scores across the state with other districts. And so, this led to the question um we'd like to know if our increases, the increases we're seeing are significant, if they really matter, how did other districts do? So, so we um you'll see on the screen is a range for 17 other districts, large districts in the state. So,
005of the 18th largest, we're we're in about the middle on that list. And you can see that in third grade, the range of increases and decreases, that's what we're talking about, not the actual scores. um you know, one district went down by 10 percentage points, another was up by four and then the others fell in between. And you see the ranges for fourth and for fifth grade as well from the negative uh to the positive. and uh and so in a majority of cases uh the districts experienced decreases in the scores from 2023 to 2025. But at Union it was a different story. So you can see uh it turns out that that we had the highest percentage point increase uh in the large districts across the state. Um, and I might add that we
006also had the greatest increase in fourth grade ELA as well. So, what contributed to the to the increases? Well, they uh they went a uh across our our district. Uh, the large majority of our schools experienced increases. Um, it really is not related to demographics. So, I would I want to clarify that the increases that we're seeing in elementary math are not related to demographics. They're across the our district and across the demographic range of our schools. And so, that's really something uh that we can celebrate as well. So we in looking at the data to determine the practices that most likely led to the widespread improvement across our district is um that we've really been committed over the past uh few years to a systematic approach in guaranteeing learning outcomes. And we're seeing some
007of this take place in elementary math. uh certain systems are taking hold uh in a strong way. One of them is to establish clear learning targets for students and through the professional learning communities process which includes our early release Fridays. There was a focus on essential skills with the common formative assessments that had been in place for elementary math. But last year uh they were used very widely across the district. And after reviewing assessment data, teachers took action to ensure students who didn't master skills would be supported. And this occurred with strong principal leadership and support across the district. Um we also have been developing over over the past few years clear and supported instructional pathways and this guarantees um a curriculum for students that regardless of the school or the classroom that uh the
008instructional process and the content that students uh learn in class meets the the standard and the expectation that we would have for any student across the district. and it aligns uh our instruction to strengthen the learning process from year to year. And finally, providing clear professional learning targets for teachers. uh a lot of training uh went into uh effect with the implementation of the elementary math and uh Melissa Brown, our elementary math specialist, uh helped ensure that phase one training is occurred for all teachers through a thoughtful implementation. She also visited schools to lead um intentional planning sessions everywhere she was uh able to go and invited. and then uh during PD days offered implementation uh intentional planning sessions and support to support a strong implementation. Ultimately, this was accomplished through the outstanding work that
009our teachers did um with students and and that's really the accomplishment that we want to celebrate tonight is the teaching that happens in our classrooms by uh an outstanding group of teachers that serve our students and our students for responding to that uh in the learning process. So, thank you. Any questions, comments? That's incredible. Thank you so much for sharing and going through like a very robust set of data >> in a very succinct way. >> Glad to do that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Nelson. >> All right. Hearings and correspondence. Okay. Business agenda. uh school operations consider and take action to accept the bid for the UMAC elevator replacement project and award the contract to Miller Tiffens Construction in the amount of 1,21,375.71 from bond funds. Dr. Robinson. >> Yeah, Dr. Federal Line
010President Reyes, this is uh a contract to accept the bid for Miller Tipins to remove the old piston uh hydraulic hydraulic uh elevator at the UMAC and replace it with uh a new track elevator. Um track elevators, the systems sit on top of the cab instead of below the cab like this one does. Um it's a threetory, so the old piston goes three stories into the ground as well and that's what's causing problems. There's water down there. Um, we've tried to repair it over and over and over and we're to the point where uh we've had one too many enttrapments, I believe. So, if you're one of the lucky few that has been entrapped in the UMAC elevator, this is a a welcome contract to uh to execute. So, we'll be starting construction with your
011approval uh this summer as soon as the graduation season's over. How long should it take to >> They hope sometime in the fall semester, Novemberish, but we're we don't know. >> More questions. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. Newman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Miss Roman? >> Yes. >> Dr. Bale? >> Yes. >> Sher Boots? Yes. As well. consider and take action to accept a proposal for construction management services from Flintco LLC for the high school HVAC replacement project and to execute the contracts within the guaranteed maximum price GMP of $5,684,756 from bond funds. This includes a construction management fee of 5%. Dr. Robertson. >> Yes. So this is the first phase of replacing the original HVAC system uh at the high school. As you know, it's a very large
012uh campus. This first phase uh impacts areas uh the library, the areas adjacent to the library and all of the areas that are fed by there's a mechanical penthouse above the old science wing. So it will replace all the equipment in that penthouse. It'll replace those five late 70s, early 80s uh era multiszone units on the roof. Uh and anything fed by the multiszone areas. It also includes new ceilings, new lighting, and new uh new ceiling grid in those areas as well. We seek your approval. >> Questions, comments approval. >> Second, >> Mr. M. Rman. >> Yes. Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Dr. McNeil, >> yes. >> Chairbo, yes. As well. Thank you. >> You >> consider and take action on the purchase and installation of the building automation system BAS controls area E and
013penthouse for the high school HVAC replacement project from Harrison Energy Partners in the amount of $449,474 from bond funds. Dr. Robertson. >> Yes. So those new pieces of equipment that you just approved, this is the for lack of a better way of putting it, it's the computer system that controls those units. Uh unlike your kind of residential system with the simple thermostat, these are complex systems that relate to the central plant and movers and outdoor air and all manner of different control points. So a building automation system is required to run them. The building automation system at the high school is also dated and overly complicated. So, as we phase in the new equipment, we also want to phase in the computer systems that control that equipment. That's what this contract is. >> Move for
014approval. >> Mr. Roman, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Dr. McNeil? >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. Chair both? Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Consider and take action to accept a bid for the fire alarm system replacement at 8th grade center project and award the contract to Lighthouse Electric and Integrated Systems in the amount of $325,436 from bond funds. Dr. Roberts. >> Yes. So, this is a complete uh replacement of the eighth grade fire system. It brings it up to uh current code which puts uh strobes and voice evacuation in all classrooms. The system is currently green tag. So it is inspected and has a green tag on it. However, the broken air fire marshall uh thinks that it's time for us to to move towards a
015complete upgrade and bring it up to code. So this will bring it up to their their wishes and modern code. >> I just ask was it just a visit where he came in and just recommended is that >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Get a >> We do what fire marshals say. >> Move for >> second. >> Dr. McNeel. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> And chair votes? Yes. As well. >> Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Consider and take action on the purchase of 1,200 student laptops and accessories from Trfera LLC in the amount of $799,188 from bond funds. Mr. Yes. Um I'm uh Mr. Borland tonight. He's uh a little under the weather, so um sorry if I don't
016have all the answers. If you should ask some questions. Um these are new student laptops. It'll be going to our 10th graders. Um we're buying a lot of these early. We're kind of a little bit out of rotation, but uh if you watch any news, you know that electronics prices are looking to um increase quite a bit. We've been informed by our vendors that we could see anywhere between uh 10 15 20% each month for uh March, April, and May um as far as cost of electronics go. So it it significant increases are coming because supplies are uh extremely limited um with AI and and tariffs and things like that. These uh supply of microchips and things like that are getting uh harder and harder to come by. Um, so we're trying to buy early
017so we can get them in um before all that hits. So this is our student laptops. They're 14-inch laptops. Uh they also come with the set of headphones included with that um uh for replacing our 10th grade laptops. >> Is this something we're looking to replace like right now or is this for when we start school in the fall? >> When we start school in the fall, it we we try we're buying them now so we can get them in time. >> Okay. Um, right now we're looking at a, you know, anywhere between a 90 and 120 day lead time. Um, in three months you could see as long as a 12-month lead time to get any kind of large amounts of electronics in. >> The um, per unit is is a next item. Are
018these the same type of laptops or are they different? Uh for for the most part they're they're the same student laptops that we have normally um purchased. They're probably just an upgraded version. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> The I was just comparing the price point for five and six and it's like a $400 difference. So I was just trying to figure out what's the difference between the two. >> For item six, we're buying 300 laptops for >> Oh, the teacher laptops. >> Yeah. >> Oh, the teacher laptops are a much uh more robust machine. >> Okay. That's what I was wanting to know. Gotcha. >> Yeah. Yeah. I thought you were asking with with the student laptops, what we have and what we're buying. I got >> they're pretty close to the same. Um the
019teacher laptops are always going to be better than our student laptops. >> They just they're they're required to do more. >> Makes sense. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Dr. McNeel? >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Miss Roman? >> Yes. >> Chairs? Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Okay. consider and take action on the purchase of 300 teacher laptops and accessories from Trfera LLC in the amount of $317,700 from bond funds. Mr. Morris. >> Uh yes. So, same thing. Um different verse. We're kind of a little bit ahead on uh buying laptops and replacing laptops for teachers. Um we're trying to make this move ahead of time before things uh get ugly. So, uh, this will include the high school. Bover's, ECE, CC Grove, and, uh, Alted,
020uh, are the teachers that are would receive those replacements. And we're going to try to do it this spring, um, if we get these in in time, uh, to avoid having to find the teachers in the summer and, uh, make the switch over um to their new laptops. >> Move for approval. >> Second, >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Mr. Dr. McNeel. >> Yes. >> Chair, yes. As well. Thank you. All right. Presentation of internet protocol in compliance with the child internet protection act CIPA and consider and consider and take action to authorize the superintendent or designate to sign any subsequent e-ate documents with the exception of any contract with financial obligations. Miss. >> Uh yeah. So SIPA is our um one of our requirements for -ate uh which is
021how we fund a lot of our electronics um our computer side of things internet uh access um where we receive funds that pay for 80 to 90% of the cost and the district only has to come up with 10% of the cost part of that requirement is that we filter our internet um and so um at Union we filter it one of we filter it actually two ways we have what's called Linewise, which filters our student computers locally on the computer. So, they're receiving filtered internet no matter where they go. Even if they're at their home or at McDonald's or wherever they're connecting the internet, the laptop itself still filters what they see. Um, and they can't they can't undo that filter, at least not unless they really work at it. Um, you know, some
022some have been very ingenious on how they've gotten around some of that. Um but we also filter here on site. So we have forinet gateway which allows us to filter the internet that um comes into our bunker and then goes out to all the sites that's filtered as well. Um and so if they bring their own device or if you're on your own device or if we add guests that come in any any type of student device that connects our internet receives a filtered internet um to protect our students from things that that we would consider inappropriate or harmful. And uh so part of this allows us uh on your approval allow the superintendent designate to signate documents that don't require a financial obligation because we will need to do that uh as we move
023forward. >> Move for approval. >> Mr. R. >> Yes. >> Dr. McNeel. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> Chairs. Yes. As well. Thank you. >> All right. consider and take action on the contract renewal with Lightream Networks LLC for district-wide area network services in in the amount of $315,480 from general building funds before applicable discounts. Mr. Morris. >> Yes. So, this kind of plays into the -ate a little bit. This is our wide area network. Um connects all our buildings together. Um allows us to to funnel our internet through the bunker and then out to all our sites. Um, and this was award a contract that was awarded um a few years back, but it was like a three or fiveyear award. Um, this is just the renewal
024of that of that award. It it is for 315,000. Um, but once the discounts are applied, we only pay 10%. But we have to we have to encumber the full amount because we the discounts have not yet been applied. And for how long is this? >> This is I believe this is for one year. >> For one year. >> Um we renew this each uh the initial initial year and it's four subsequent annual rules. So we have to renew it annually each year. Ray requires that >> move for approval. >> Second. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Dr. McNeel? >> Yes. >> Miss Rman Chair. Yes. As well. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Okay. Any new business? Okay. Opportunity for comments from audience and the board members. >>
025As good evening. As Miss Guner mentioned, this is school board appreciation month. And so board members, each of you has a a white box with your name on it in front of you. If you can open that up, we're going to have a little uh photo opportunity. This is a little token of our appreciation from all of us at Union Public Schools for your service on the board of education. Um, we have in talking to other superintendents, I know that I'm biased, but we have an incredible board. Uh, you are involved. Uh, you are invested and you always display the highest degrees of integrity, transparency, uh, and accountability. And for that, we are very grateful. uh make a lot of decisions at this day that affect all of our students, all of our teachers and
026uh we are extremely fortunate to have uh you all on our school board. So, thank you very much. We have a quick photo down here with you guys. I'm ask Mr. P take a quick photo. So take your plaque with you right side up and then you get to >> do you want to finish the meeting? >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. Let's finish the meeting. Then we'll go take a picture. >> You guys don't want to stay for the photo. You want to journ first. >> Thank y'all for that very much. Thank you. That's it. Right. All right. Looks like adjournment is next. We have a motion. >> Second. >> M. McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nuin. >> Yes. Mr. Roman, Dr. McN, >> yes. >> Sher votes, yes as well. Thank
027y'all. >> Okay. One, two, three.