Jun 01, 2022 Board Meeting

THAT ARE, UM, THAT RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL FAMILIES FIT, THE TRADITIONAL NORMS IS SOMEHOW A THREAT TO OUR CHILDREN.

I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

PLEASE FORGIVE MY TARDINESS.

UM, JUST GOT OFF OF WORK.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

UM, I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT, BUT I HAVE READ AND I'M SORRY.

IT'S UH, JUSTIN SISSEL, I'M A RESIDENT HERE, UH, JUST UP THE STREET ON FLETCHER STREET.

UM, I'M ALSO A PARENT.

I HAVE A SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.

SHE'S A KINDERGARTNER.

UM, I, UH, I'VE READ RECENTLY AND SPOKEN WITH SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARDS, UH, DISCUSSING, UH, UH, BANNING CERTAIN BOOKS, UM, THAT, UH, I GUESS SOME PEOPLE THINK ARE, UH, INAPPROPRIATE OR DETRIMENTAL.

UM, I'VE HEARD KIND OF A GENERAL, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, WHICH IS TO MY OPINION, LARGELY BASED ON THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, KIND OF A REFLEXIVE FEAR OF, UH, LGBTQ, UH, TOPICS IN SCHOOLS.

AND, UM, I'M SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF A NATIONAL, UH, CONVERSATION.

I SAY THAT IN QUOTATIONS, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE AN HONEST CONVERSATION, BUT A NATIONAL, UH, DISCUSSION OR FOCUS ON, UM, A HYPER, UH, STOKED FEAR THAT, UH, SOMEHOW INCLUDING BOOKS

[00:05:01]

UM, SO I WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT.

I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO GO OVER THREE MINUTES.

UM, I, UH, I'M MOTIVATED TO DO THIS BECAUSE SOMEBODY, I LOVE, UM, SHE'S 12 NOW, BUT I'VE KNOWN HER SINCE SHE WAS BORN.

UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S, SHE'S 12, SO SHE'S STILL FIGURING OUT WHO SHE IS, BUT RIGHT NOW SHE IDENTIFIES AS AN LGBTQ PERSON.

UM, IN HER 12 YEARS OF LIFE, SHE'S FACED, UH, DISCRIMINATION.

SHE'S BEEN CONSISTENTLY AND CONSTANTLY, UH, TOLD THAT SHE'S LESS THAN THAT.

SHE'S A FREAK THAT SHE DOESN'T FIT.

UM, SHE'S BEEN TOLD TO SHUT UP WHEN WANTS TO SHARE ABOUT HOW SHE FEELS OR WHO SHE IS, UM, WHEN SHE WANTS TO JUST TALK AND HAVE SOMEBODY LISTEN, AN ADULT, UM, SHE'S BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, UM, AND NO SURPRISE TO ME ANYWAY, UH, SHE SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE LATEST STATISTICS I COULD FIND SAY THAT THERE'S 10.7 MILLION LGBTQ ADULTS IN THE U S THEY STARTED OUT AS CHILDREN.

THAT'S 4.3% OF OUR POPULATION.

SO 4.3%.

THAT'S ABOUT ONE IN EVERY 22 OF US MIGHT.

WE PROBABLY ARE NO SOMEBODY WHO'S LGBTQ WHO IDENTIFIES THAT WAY, WHO DOESN'T FIT INTO THE NORMATIVE, UH, MR. SIZZLE, I KNOW, I'M SORRY, YOUR NEW GUITAR MEETINGS, BUT THAT, THAT WAS YOUR THREE MINUTES, SO, OH, WOW.

WHAT'S UP ALREADY.

I GUESS I ASKED, SORRY.

CONSENT AGENDA, IS THERE A MOTION I MOVED AT THE CONSENT AGENDA, BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

CAN I JUST ASK THAT, UM, EVERYONE WHO HAS A POWER TO MAKE A DECISION HERE, PLEASE CONSIDER HOW YOU MIGHT FEEL IF IT'S YOUR CHILD AND THINK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT MIGHT BE FOR THERE SIMPLY TO BE A COUPLE OF LIBRARY BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY FOR A CHILD TO SEEK OUT WHEN THEY NEED HELP AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN'T TALK TO, SIR, COULD YOU PRINT YOUR NAME ON THE SIGN IN SHEET THERE? SO WE GET YOUR NAME CORRECT IN THE MINUTES.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING AND YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT? I THINK, UM, MOVING ON TO THE

[3. Consent Agenda]

IS THERE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

[4A. Superintendent]

FIRST UP, WE HAVE DR.

BALLENGER WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, UM, FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR, UH, TOMORROW IS ALSO AN EARLY RELEASE DAY.

SO WE WILL BE RELEASING AT ELEMENTARY AT 1230 TOMORROW, AND OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS WILL BE RELEASING AT ONE 30 TOMORROW.

UM, OF COURSE THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON AT EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS, AS FAR AS ASSEMBLIES FIELD DAYS.

UM, WE HAD OUR GRADUATION LAST SATURDAY.

UM, SO WE ARE, WE ARE FINALIZING ALSO SOME OF OUR, OUR STUDENTS WE'RE FINALIZING THEIR SOL TODAY.

UH, SO WE HAVE JUST WRAPPING UP, UH, TEACHERS' LAST DAY WILL BE ON FRIDAY.

UH, SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS CLOSER TO FINALIZING A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE ARE WAITING, UH, MR. BALLANTINE AND I, UM, I DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONCERNING PROJECTIONS FOR SCHOOLS, BUT REALLY WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL WE RECEIVE OUR COUNT TEMP, OUR CALCULATION TEMPLATE FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

UH, SO WE ARE GOING TO, UH, BE DILIGENTLY LOOKING FOR THAT, UH, WAITING ON THE CALCULATION TEMPLATE TO COME IN, AND THEN WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING AS FAR AS WITH OUR BUDGET AND HOW IT DOES AFFECT US NEXT YEAR.

UM, IT DOES LOOK LIKE THAT THERE'S AN INCREASE, UH, FOR US IN REVENUES, UM, AND SPECIFIC CATEGORIES.

UM, AND SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW MUCH IS IN THERE RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T KNOW, WE KIND OF HAVE A GENERAL IDEA.

SO ONCE THAT CALCULATION TEMPLATE COMES IN, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO DIVE BACK INTO OUR BUDGET TO REALLY FINALIZE THAT FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO THE UNFORTUNATE AND SAD EVENT AT ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS ON THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE'S MIND.

AND I WANTED TO KIND OF TAKE THIS TIME TO

[00:10:01]

DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL WARREN COUNTY, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND STAFF.

UM, I'M GOING TO ASK MS. CINDY BURKE, UH, SERGEANT BURKE TO COME UP, UM, WITH ME, AND WE'RE KIND OF GOING, GONNA HAVE A JOINT PRESENTATION DURING THIS TIME TO KIND OF DISCUSS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE ALSO FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PERSPECTIVE.

UM, AND IF YOU GUYS DIDN'T, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW MS. BURKE, SHE, SHE, UH, IS OUR LEAD FOR THE SERGEANT SERGEANT FOR THE SROS.

UM, SO FOR ALL OF OUR, OUR SRS, SHE IS, SHE DIRECTS THEM.

SO MS. BURKE AND I, WE HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ON VARIOUS TOPICS.

UM, SO WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE AGAIN TODAY, UH, TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT AS SHE WAS OUT DOING AN AUDIT OF ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, AND WE'LL KIND OF GET INTO THAT A LITTLE LATER, BUT, UM, YEAH, EACH YEAR, AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAFETY OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE DO HAVE A CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT IS REVIEWED AND THAT IS REVIEWED.

AND TYPICALLY IT'S HELD AT, UM, DIVERSIFIED MINDS AND WE BRING IN THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

UM, WE KNOW THE FRONT, THE FRONT ROW, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THERE ALSO THE FIRE AND RESCUE.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS THERE, UH, MR. HIRSCH KIND OF GUIDES AND RUNS THAT.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES WE ALSO HAVE HAD IN THE PAST, I BELIEVE, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS CAME IN ALSO ON SOME OF OUR LAST PLANS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ENTITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT CRISIS PLAN, THE NEXT MEETING TO UPDATE OUR CRISIS PLAN FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS JULY 20TH.

SO THAT IS ALREADY ON THE TABLE FOR THAT GROUP TO MEET AND TO KIND OF GO OVER THE PLAN.

WHAT HAS CHANGED, WHAT TRAINING HAS CHANGED, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO NEXT YEAR.

ALSO, UH, EACH SCHOOL HAS A THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM THAT, THAT IS PULLED TOGETHER.

THEY, I, THEY MEET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE SCHOOLS, UM, TO EVALUATE THEIR SCHOOLS.

BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR ANNUAL SAFETY AUDITS AND THEY'RE NOT JUST ANNUAL THERE ALL THE TIME.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SERGEANT BURKE DOES.

UH, SHE GOES AROUND AND JUST KIND OF LOOKS TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW THINGS ARE, ARE PLAYING OUT AT OUR SCHOOLS, UH, WORKING WITH THE SRO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

UH, SO SAFETY AUDITS ARE DONE IN CONJUNCTION, OF COURSE, WITH THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

SOME OF THE TIMES WE, WE MAY HAVE MR. LIVESAY OR HIS TEAM, OR MAYBE EVEN MR. SMITH MAY GO OUT, UM, ON ONE, BUT THEN A LOT OF THEM, UH, SERGEANT BURKE IS JUST CONDUCTING HERSELF OR WITH THE SRO IS AS THEY GO AROUND AND LOOK AT OUR SCHOOLS.

AND SO SERGEANT BURKE, DO YOU MIND TALKING A LITTLE BIT KIND OF WHAT, HOW THE SAFETY AUDIT WORKS AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE OUT THERE FOR A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER? IT TAKES A LOT, NOT A, JUST NOT TO NORMAL WARREN COUNTY.

SHERIFF'S DEPUTY CAN STEP INTO SCHOOL RESOURCE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOVE FOR KIDS.

WHEN WE GO IN THAT SCHOOL, WE'RE GOING IN, LOOKING AT WINDOWS, WE'RE CHECKING DOORS TO BE LOCKED.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEARCHING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO WAY NO ONE CAN GET IN.

UH, WHEN WE'RE CHECKING THE CAMERAS, WE'RE CHECKING OUT DOORS.

WHEN WE GO OUTSIDE, WE'RE STILL CHECKING OUR DOORS BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN THE DOOR, FORGET TO LOCK IT.

SO WE STAY PRETTY BUSY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, CHECKING THE SECURITY OF THE SCHOOLS.

UH, WE ARE ALSO, ALL OF US ARE ISSUED A SCHOOL RADIO AT WHATEVER SCHOOL WE'RE AT.

SO IF THE ADMIN DOES NEED US, THEN WE'RE THERE FOR THEM ALSO.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

IT'S AT PLAY WITH THE BABIES.

AND SO 31 OF HER CHECKS TODAY, UM, YEAH, SHE CALLED ME IN AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UM, THE ENTRANCE AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL IS OF COURSE ARE OUR NEWEST SECONDARY SCHOOL AND, UM, MAYBE OUR NEWEST SCHOOL.

UH, AND SO THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, A SECURE ENTRANCE AND THAT THE WAY THAT ONE IS SET UP IS THAT YOU CAN ENTER THROUGH THE OUTSIDE DOOR AND IT TAKES YOU INTO A WAITING AREA, BUT THEN YOU CAN ONLY BE BUZZED IN FROM THAT WAITING AREA.

SO THAT ENTRANCE IS SET UP TO WHERE IF YOU GO TO RECIPES, IT'S DIFFERENT, YOU HAVE TO BE BUZZED IN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO GET INTO THE WAITING AREA.

SO WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT TODAY WITH, UM, UM, FACILITIES.

AND I TALKED TO MR. HELMERICH, UM, TO SEE ABOUT MOVING THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT, THAT ELECTRONIC KEY TO

[00:15:01]

BEING OUTSIDE TO WHERE THEREFORE THEY HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, COME UP TO THAT OUTSIDE DOOR FIRST.

SO WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY, THAT IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY ON A TIMER FOR THAT DOOR TO BE OPEN AND BE ACCESSIBLE FROM EIGHT TO FOUR O'CLOCK, BUT THAT ONLY GETS YOU IN THAT, THAT VESTIBULE RIGHT THERE WITHOUT YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS INTO THE OTHER SCHOOL OR INTO THE REST OF THE SCHOOL, UNLESS YOU'RE BUZZED IN BY THE OFFICE.

UM, WE WANT TO MOVE THAT COMMUNICATION DEVICE OUTSIDE.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SERGEANT BURKE CALLED ME ABOUT, AND WE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION AND THEN I WENT DOWN AND HAD A DISCUSSION WITH, UM, MAINTENANCE TO SEE HOW WE COULD GET THAT CHANGED.

UH, SO, SO THAT IS ONE OF THE INSTANCES ON HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND WORK TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE, ARE SAFE AND THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ENHANCE THE SECURITY OF OUR SCHOOLS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS ALSO, UH, OVER THE YEARS, THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SECURITY GRANTS.

SO THE RECENT SECURITY GRANT, MR. LIVESAY MENTIONED AT THE LAST, I BELIEVE IT WAS AT THE LAST WORK SESSION WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT THE KEYLESS ENTRIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT TAKES AWAY THE KEY PAD.

THAT'S AN ELECTRONIC CARD THAT IS THROUGH A SECURITY GRANT.

SO THAT MEANS IT'S IT'S, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE CARD, YOU HAD TO BE ISSUED A CARD TO GET IN.

SO WE'RE CHANGING THOSE LOCKS TO WHERE THERE'S NO KEYS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS HE MENTIONED, SOMEBODY COULD LEAVE, THEY KEEP THEIR KEY KEYS ARE FLOATING AROUND.

AND I THINK, UM, MR. RINALDO EVEN MENTIONED THAT HE MIGHT'VE STILL HAVE A KEY FROM ONE OF THE PLACES THAT HE USED TO WORK AT.

UM, BUT, UH, SO, AND I PROBABLY HAVE A FEW AT SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES THAT I'VE USED TO WORK AT TOO.

UM, AND, UM, BUT WITH, WITH THAT SECURITY CARD, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE DEACTIVATED.

AND SO LOOKING AT THAT SECURITY GRANT EACH YEAR AND LOOKING AT OUR NEEDS AND HOW WE NEED TO ENHANCE OUR SECURITY, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN WITH OUR SECURITY GRANTS, UM, ALSO SECURITY CAMERAS AND UPDATED SECURITY SYSTEMS, UM, WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE HAD EDDIE WILSON MORRISON UPDATED THE ENTIRE INTERCOM SYSTEM, INCLUDING OUTDOOR SPEAKERS.

SO AT SOME OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IS GETTING OUTDOOR SPEAKERS TO WHERE, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON THE PLAYGROUND, THAT THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IS HEARD, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IN OUR SAFETY AUDITS.

UM, WHEN THEY WENT TO DO A LOCKDOWN AT ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, UM, THE CLASS, THE TEACHER THAT WAS OUTSIDE WITH HER CLASS, DIDN'T HEAR THE LOCKDOWN AND YOU HAVE A CLASS OUTSIDE PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND.

AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT NEEDING OUTDOOR SPEAKERS.

AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING OUTDOOR SPEAKERS AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO HELP ENSURE THAT THAT EVERYBODY HEARS AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY ALSO AT EAGLESON MORRISON ADDED ADDITIONAL CAMERAS TO INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AREAS.

WE ALSO INCREASED THE LIGHTING, UH, SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE INCREASED AN UPDATED CAMERA COVERAGE, WARREN COUNTY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, UPDATED CAMERA COVERAGE, WARREN COUNTY, HIGH SCHOOL REPLACED NONFUNCTIONAL CAMERAS, BLUE RIDGE TECH REPLACED THE ENTIRE SECURITY SYSTEM, UH, TO INTEGRATE WITH THE DISTRICT WIDE SYSTEM AND THEN BRIGHTER FUTURES, DIVERSIFIED MINES, ADDITIONAL, UM, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CAMERAS.

ALSO, OF COURSE, WITH THE LSK RENOVATION, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW LF K IS ONE OF THE ONLY SCHOOLS, UH, BLUE RIDGE TECH ALSO DOES NOT HAVE THAT SECURITY ENTRANCE, BUT IN THE DESIGN THAT THE SECURITY ENTRANCE WILL BE THERE FOR LF K BECAUSE WE NEED TO CREATE THAT SECURITY ENTRANCE.

NOW WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AT BLUE RIDGE TECH, BECAUSE THAT'S AN OLDER BUILDING.

UM, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK TO DO THERE, OR, OR HOW WE CAN, CAN DO THAT.

SO AS WE LOOK AT THOSE AND WE EVALUATE AND WE PLAN, WE, WE MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE MAKE THOSE PRIORITIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF THOSE BUILDINGS.

ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING AT LSK WITH THE RENOVATION IS OF COURSE YOU HAVE A BIG OPEN POD.

IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS, THIS BIG ROOM WOULD BE ONE, ONE CLASSROOM WITH MAYBE FIVE OR SIX, WELL, WITH FIVE CLASSROOMS IN IT, OR FIVE CLASSES IN IT.

SO WITH THE RENOVATION, WE WILL PUT WALLS TO DIVIDE THIS UP TO WHERE NOW THEY'RE ISOLATED INTO ONE ROOM AND THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST ONE PERSON HAS ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE CLASS OR ALL OF THE CLASSES AT ONE TIME.

SO LOOKING AT THOSE RENOVATIONS THERE WITH THE S WITH THE SECURITY ENTRANCE, WITH THE ADDITION OF CLOSING OFF THOSE PODS, UM, ALSO REROUTING SOME HALLWAYS AT LSK, THAT'S, THAT'S AGAIN, A PART OF THAT SECURITY SO THAT

[00:20:01]

PEOPLE AREN'T COMING BY THOSE DOORS, UH, MOVING OFFICES AROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST DO NOT WALK IN AND HAVE X ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AS WE GO THROUGH, AND THAT WE'VE DONE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS ENHANCING AND INCREASING THE SECURITY OF OUR BUILDINGS, UM, ON A DAILY AND YEARLY BASIS.

ALSO OUR LOCKDOWN DRILLS AS WELL, ARE WE, WE'VE COORDINATED, UM, CANINE WALK-THROUGHS THIRD DONE AT OUR SCHOOLS.

UH, WE DID JUST, UM, UH, UPDATE OUR POLICY, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO SEARCH AND SEIZURES, UH, THE JFG TO, TO SPECIFICALLY MENTION CANINE SEARCHES.

UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE DO HAVE THE, THE, THE DOGS THAT DO WALK THROUGH MORE, WE RUN AROUND IN, IN THE BUILDINGS.

I'M NOT ALONE, THEY, THEY ARE HANDLED.

UH, SO, UH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, VEHICLE CHECKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, OUT IN THE PARKING LOT.

SO, AND, AND SERGEANT BURKE FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN ON ANYTHING.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR AMMO DOG THAT WALKS THROUGH, IF WE DO HAVE A THREAT OF A SHOOTING OR OF A BOMB, WE ALWAYS BRING IN THE ADULT TO WALK THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND WALK AROUND THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER TO BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.

SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOGS THAT WE DO USE.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES BEFORE EVENTS, UM, IF WE'RE HOSTING A STATE TOURNAMENT EVENTS OR SOMETHING ELSE OF THAT NATURE, THERE'S ALSO AN INCREASED, UM, PRESENCE THERE.

THEY WILL GO THROUGH AND DO SOME CHECKS BEFOREHAND DURING AND AFTER.

SO IT'S ALWAYS, UM, CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

UM, WE ARE ADDING A PROCEDURE BETWEEN A HARD LOCKDOWN AND A SOFT LOCKDOWN.

UM, SO WE WILL HAVE A SOFT LOCKDOWN, WHICH MEANS THERE'S STILL ACCESS FREE THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.

A SOFT LOCKDOWN WOULD BE IF THERE'S WERE REPORTED BEAR, UM, ON THE SCHOOL PREMISES, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO STOP CLASS KIDS FROM CHANGING CLASSES, IF THEY NEED TO CHANGE CLASSES VERSUS A HARD LOCKDOWN, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, LOCKED DOWN AND THEY CANNOT LEAVE THAT CLASSROOM.

UM, SO WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED ON THAT THIS YEAR TO, TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A HARD LOCKDOWN AND A SOFT LOCKDOWN.

UM, ALSO SAFETY COUNTS.

THAT'S A PARENT HANDBOOK, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.

UM, I DID BRING A COPY OF IT TONIGHT.

UH, SO IT WAS UPDATED 1121.

SO YOU GET PARENTS CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND THERE'S A HANDBOOK.

UH, MR. HERSCH PUT THIS TOGETHER AS PART OF HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, MAKING SURE PARENTS ARE AWARE OF, OF, OF SAFETY, UH, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

ALSO, WE ARE LOOKING AT NOT JUST WITHIN OUR BUILDINGS, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR BUSES.

UH, SO WE HAVE CAMERAS ON ALL OF OUR BUSES.

WE'VE, WE'VE UPDATED CAMERAS ON OUR BUSES.

OUR GOAL IS TO UPDATE OUR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ON OUR BUSES, TO WHERE THERE'S STRICT COMMUNICATION TO THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.

SO THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ENHANCEMENT WITH, WITH THAT WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY ON OUR BUSES ALSO.

UM, SO THIS LAST WEEK AFTER THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT, UM, IN TEXAS, YEAH, I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH, UM, SHERIFF BUTLER AND MAJOR DREW SCHOOL.

WE SAT DOWN, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY AND, UM, SOME THINGS THAT, THAT WE PLAN ON DOING, UM, I KNEW THAT WE ALSO HAD EVENT COMING UP TO FINISH OUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

UM, I, OUR CALENDAR EVENTS WITH THEM, AND I KNOW OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO, ALL SCHOOLS HAVE HAD CERTAIN TYPES OF EVENTS AND WE'VE HAD A DEPUTY AT EVERY EVENT NOW.

WELL, WHETHER IT BE FIELD DAY FUN, DAY, HOPE FEST, WE'VE HAD THEM IN EVERY MORNING TO SHOW PEASANTS AND ALSO HAD OUR PATROL RIDING THROUGH.

SO THEY WERE GOING TO INCREASE THE PATROLS DURING THOSE EVENTS.

UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, WITH SHERIFF BUTLER, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THOSE OUT ON PATROL, WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO WRITE THE REPORT, GO TO THE SCHOOL AND PARK OUT THERE AND WRITE YOUR REPORT, YOU'RE THERE.

UM, THEN THAT WAY IT INCREASES THE PRESENCE AND THEN OF, OF, AND SECURITY ON, ON OUR SCHOOL PREMISES.

UM, ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO SKIP DOWN HERE A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN I'LL LET SERGEANT BURKE TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THERE.

UM, BEFORE THE INCIDENT, UM, IN TEXAS, WE HAD, WE HAD ALREADY SET SOME TRAINING IN PLACE FOR, UM, ADMINISTRATORS OVER THE SUMMER.

AND SOME OF THAT TRAINING WAS, IS GONNA ENTAIL INCIDENT COMMAND, UH, WHICH IS BASICALLY

[00:25:01]

HOW TO HANDLE AN INCIDENT OR, UM, BEYOND SCENE.

AND BASICALLY WITH INCIDENT COMMAND, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE BROAD ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, OF THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL, THE FIRST RESPONDERS.

UH, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, UH, WANT TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, UH, JUST CREATE THAT COLLABORATION TO WHERE, IF THERE'S AN EVENT THAT, THAT WE, WE KNOW OUR ROLE, WE KNOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WE'RE TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WE'RE ABLE TO BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED.

AND, AND ALSO TO JUST LOOK AT WHAT OUR ROLE WOULD BE AS FROM THE SCHOOL STANDPOINT.

ALSO ON THAT TIME, DURING THAT TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SPECIFIC SRO TRAINING AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOGETHER.

UM, THOSE SORROWS ARE GOING TO SET AT THE SAME TABLE WITH THE PRINCIPAL.

WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL VERSUS THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SRO.

UM, SHERIFF BUTLER, MAJOR DRISCOLL, AND I WILL SHARE OUR VISION, UM, AS, AS FAR AS FOR THE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP, UM, WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT THAT FACILITIES ARE SECURE.

UM, AND A LOT OF THAT FALLS ON WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR HELPING TO GO THROUGH AND DO THOSE AUDITS TO BE THERE ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT ALSO FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SIDE, THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DO.

UM, YES, UH, WE HAVE ACTIVE SHOOTER PROGRAMS TRAINING, AND WE USUALLY USE THE SCHOOLS DURING THE SUMMERTIME OR IN THE EVENINGS.

UH, WE DO THIS TWICE A YEAR TO KEEP OUR TRAINING FRESH BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE READY.

UH, WE ALSO, WE WERE SHORT THIS YEAR WITH SRS, SO THERE WAS A HUGE SHORTAGE, BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE WILL HAVE A FULL HOUSE NEXT YEAR.

SO THERE WILL BE ONE FOR EVERY SCHOOL.

SO YOU SHOULD FEEL MUCH SAFER THAT, AND ALSO FROM THE SHERIFF'S SIDE, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SIDE, MAJOR DRISCOLL MET WITH THE DCG S R J S OFFICIAL REGARDING DIGITAL MAPPING OF SCHOOLS.

UM, THE, I LOVE YOU GUYS ALERT PROGRAM AND STANDARDIZING REPATRIATE STATION, UM, PROCESS FOR STANDARDIZATION, STANDARDIZED REUNIFICATION SHOULD A MAJOR EVENT OCCUR, ALSO MAJOR DRISCOLL AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE SHELTER WALKTHROUGH FOR SENIOR OFFICIALS ON 6, 9 22 AT 2:30 PM.

SO WE WILL HAVE THAT SHELTER WALKTHROUGH, UH, TO DETERMINE VIABILITY FOR USING SCHOOLS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER OPERATIONS, SHERIFF OFFICE WILL SPEAK ON HOW WE WOULD HANDLE REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS AND DOMESTIC PROTECTION ORDER ISSUED AT THE SHELTER OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WE'LL ADD TWO NEW SRS, WHICH MS. SERGEANT BURKE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT.

UM, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, BETWEEN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, IT'S AN ONGOING EVENT.

UM, IT'S, IT'S DAILY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THAT SRO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BETWEEN CENTRAL OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SERGEANT BURKE.

UH, SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND I VALUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND I APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT THEY DO, AND I APPRECIATE THE SROS THAT ARE IN OUR BUILDINGS ON A DAILY BASIS.

DO YOU HAVE MORE TO YOUR REPORT TONIGHT? IS THAT IT FOR YOUR REPORT? YES, MA'AM.

UM, MEMBER COMMENTS, AND WE'LL START WITH MRS. LOWE.

AND WE'LL START WITH SCHOOL BOARD,

[4B. School Board]

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AND, AND, UM, THANK YOU, SERGEANT BURKE, AND TO ALL OF YOUR OFFICERS FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS, UM, FOR MY OWN UPDATE FOR THIS MONTH, UM, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I ATTENDED THE RETIREMENT DINNER, UM, TO HONOR OUR RETIREES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A VERY NICE DINNER FOR ALL OF THEM.

I ALSO WAS ABLE TO VISIT BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER, UM, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND TALK TO MS. BAKER AND GET TO SEE, UM, SO MANY OF THE AMAZING THINGS THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE, THE LABS WHERE THEY'RE DOING EXPERIMENTS, AND THEY WERE BUILDING A CAR AND 3D PRINTING STUFF.

IT WAS A LOT OF REALLY COOL STUFF OVER THERE.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE FOLKS FOR SHARING THAT STUFF WITH ME.

THANK YOU, DR.

FUNK.

MET WITH, UM, MS. KENZIE AS WELL, AND TALKED ABOUT FOOD SERVICE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THAT, UH, THE IMPACT THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, UH, IS GOING TO HAVE IF DIFFERENT THINGS CHANGE AND, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, HOW THE US, EVERYBODY GETS FREE LUNCH NOW, BUT WE HAD SOME VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS.

UM, IT HAS BEEN, UH, ANOTHER BUSY MONTH.

UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MR. LIVESAY AND TALK ABOUT, UM, EVERYTHING IN OUR FACILITIES AND, AND MAINTENANCE AND

[00:30:01]

UM, THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THEIR JOBS IN AND OUT, AND THEY ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS, UM, UH, VISITED HILDA, UH, J BARBER, AND WE HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SOL.

SO I THINK I WAS THERE RIGHT AT THE SOS HAD BEEN PROBABLY GOING ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR SO.

SO WE HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS.

I WAS AT THE RETIREMENT DINNER AS WELL, SO IT WAS GREAT TO, TO SEE ALL THOSE CUMULATIVE YEARS OF SERVICE, UH, THAT HAVE IMPACTED OUR STUDENTS.

AND, UM, I ATTENDED MULTIPLE, UH, EVENTS AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

THE SENIOR EVENTS AND GRADUATION WAS THAT, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT GRADUATION BECAUSE I DO HAVE A SON WHO GRADUATED.

UM, SO IT WAS VERY SPECIAL THIS YEAR.

AND, UH, WE HAVE A VERY BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS JUST VERY GREAT TO SEE AS THIS GROUP OF KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE LAST TWO YEARS OF COVID, I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO END THEIR YEAR WITH SOME NORMALCY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, ENJOY THAT SPECIAL MOMENT THAT THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, EMBARKING UPON.

SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR.

BUNK, MS. SALEN.

UM, YES, BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR GRADUATES.

AND SINCE OUR LAST MEETING HERE, UM, MR. AND ALDI AND I ATTENDED THE BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING AND GOT TO HEAR ALL THE EXCITING UPDATES PLANNED FOR OUR SCHOOLS OVER THE SUMMERTIME.

UM, I TOO ATTENDED THE RETIREMENT DINNER AND WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF.

WHO'VE DEDICATED SO MANY YEARS.

AND THEN, UM, BEFORE I MOVE ON, I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THE GENTLEMAN WHO HAD SPOKEN EARLIER, BECAUSE I COULD FEEL THE PASSION.

IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT FOR, FOR US TO NOT SAY ANYTHING.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT IS AND IS NOT HAPPENING, UM, AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS WITH, WITH BOOKS.

UM, THAT'S NOT BEFORE OUR BOARD, IT'S NOT IN WORK SESSION, IT'S NOT BEING VOTED ON.

UM, ANY PARENTS WHO HAVE AN OBJECTION TO ANY TYPE OF BOOK IN OUR LIBRARY HAS TO START THE PROCESS, FOLLOWING THE POLICY AND FOLLOW, UH, THE FORM, THE SPECIFIC RECONSIDERATION FORM FROM THERE, A COMMUNITY COMMITTEE IS FORMED.

AND SO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS GET TO MAKE THAT TYPE OF A DECISION BEFORE IT WOULD EVER EVEN COME TO US FOR A BOAT.

UM, AND THE FEW MEETINGS BACK WHERE WE DID HAVE PARENTS CONCERNED, IT WAS ACTUALLY A VERY GRAPHICALLY DESCRIBED HETEROSEXUAL SEX ACT.

THAT WAS THE PASSAGE OF CONCERN.

UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, IF THE CHILD YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IS BEING BULLIED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, IF THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, PLEASE DO EMAIL US, OBVIOUSLY NO NAMES HERE IN PUBLIC, COME UP, SPEAK TO ME AFTERWARDS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE TOLERATED.

UM, NOBODY GETS TO BE TREATED UNKINDLY.

AND SO IF THAT IS HAPPENING, PLEASE DO LET US HELP.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS.

THANK YOU, MR. REYNOLDS.

UH, YES, I ATTENDED, UH, WITH MISS SAILINGS, THE BUILDING COMMITTEE, AND THAT WAS, UM, THAT'S ALWAYS VERY EXCITING BECAUSE YOU GET TO SEE THE PLANNING OF SOMETHING.

AND THEN WHEN IT STARTS TO GET CONSTRUCTED, IT'S A, IT'S LIKE DEJA VU.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A COOL PROCESS.

UH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE RETIREMENT DINNER, UM, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS, UH, VERY WELL ATTENDED AND, UH, THE BREWERS TECH, UH, MADE THESE, UM, UM, CUTTING BOARDS THAT HAD, UH, AN ENGRAVING FOR THEIR SCHOOL THAT THEY RETIRED FROM.

IT WAS REALLY NEAT.

UH, SOME GOOD THINGS HAPPENING OVER THERE.

ALSO ATTENDED BOTH GRADUATIONS.

UM, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH OUR STUDENTS.

UM, SOME OF THEM WERE REAL NERVOUS AS THEY CAME THROUGH THE RECEIVING LINE.

AND YOU COULD TELL THAT, UH, SOME OF THEM WERE ELATED AND THEY DID A LITTLE DEMONSTRATION AS THEY WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FROWNED ON, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY KIND OF COOL.

I ENJOYED SEEING THAT.

UM, AND I WOULD SAY MOST OF THE KIDS, MAYBE 90% OF THEM, WHEN WE SAID CONGRATULATIONS, THEY SAID, THANK YOU.

AND THEY LOOKED YOU STRAIGHT IN THE EYE AND GAVE YOU A GOOD HANDSHAKE.

AND THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR, FOR A KID GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I THINK WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE WITH OUR FUTURE, FROM WHAT I COULD OBSERVE,

[00:35:02]

THE WAY THEY ACTED AT THE GRADUATION.

SO I WAS VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU, MR. RENALDI.

UM, I'D LIKE TO THINK SERGEANT BARK, I THINK SHE SLIPPED UP, BUT EVERYTHING THAT ALL THE SROS DO, UM, TO KEEP OUR, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR BUILDINGS SAFE.

UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE RETIREMENT DINNER.

UM, I ENJOYED SEEING SOME OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AND TEACHERS THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS IN WARREN COUNTY.

UM, SO THAT WAS FUN.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO GO BACK TO RUSTY JEFFERY'S FOR COMMUNITY HELPERS DAY.

UH, IT WAS GREAT TO BACK INSIDE THE BUILDING, SEEING THE KINDERGARTNERS, UM, AND SEEING THEM, UM, GO THROUGH EACH OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY HELPER, UM, ROOMS AND DIFFERENT CAREER CHOICES THAT THEY COULD HAVE.

UM, THEY HADN'T HAD US IN THERE SINCE 2019, SO THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

UM, I PARTICIPATED IN A COUPLE OF EARLY ACT MEETINGS AT EAGLESON MORRISON.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE THOSE KIDS OUT THERE DOING THEIR SERVICE PROJECTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, YESTERDAY I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND RESI JEFFREY'S AWARD CEREMONY FOR MY OWN KINDERGARTENER AND, UM, ALL DAY I JUST HEARD ALL THE PARENTS THAT WERE THERE AND THEY WERE JUST SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDING AND JUST SUPPORTING THEIR KINDERGARTENERS AND ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HADN'T BEEN A PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND WHAT FELT LIKE SO LONG.

UM, AND SOME OF US HADN'T BEEN IN THERE, YOU KNOW, ALL YEAR.

AND SO, UM, I KNOW EVERYONE WAS JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDINGS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL JUST SEE MORE AND MORE OF THAT, UM, COMING UP IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, UH, I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND GRADUATION, BUT AGAIN, I SAW TONS AND TONS OF POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT IT, AND I HEARD NOTHING BUT JUST WONDERFUL THING.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR GRADUATES.

UM, AND THEN THE EVENING, UH, RESI JEFFRIES AGAIN, HAD THEIR, UM, THEIR FIFTH GRADE GRADUATION PARADE, WHICH IS A NEAT IDEA THAT ACTUALLY DID COME OUT OF, UM, OF COVID.

AND SO INSTEAD OF HAVING THE INDOOR CEREMONY FOR THEIR FIFTH GRADE GRADUATES, THEY, UM, DO THIS BIG PARADE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT.

AND SO ALL THE CARS WERE JUST DECORATED WITH HUGE BALLOONS AND SIGNS.

AND SO, UM, ALL THE TEACHERS CAME TO TELL THEIR STUDENTS GOODBYE.

AND SO, UM, THAT WAS JUST REALLY, EVERYONE WAS REALLY EXCITED.

SO, UM, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO MORE OF THAT COMING INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

UM, I THINK WE NEED TO BUMP UP MR. GRANT.

MOVING ON TO THE ACTION AGENDA.

[5A. Purchase of New Web Design and Hosting - Mr. Grant]

I THINK HE HAS HIS OWN AWARDS, A CEREMONY TO GO TO, RIGHT.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE PURCHASE OF NEW WEB DESIGN AND HOSTING.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS IN NEED OF A NEW WEBSITE, A WARRANT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, VETTED FIVE WEB VENDORS TO BUILD, MIGRATE AND MAINTAIN A NEW WEBSITE.

UM, WE RATED EACH VENDOR BASED ON COST, EASE OF USE FUNCTIONALITY, SECURITY, ADA COMPLIANCE, AND ABILITY TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS OF A AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.

UM, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND SCHOOL INSIGHTS AS OUR NEW WEBSITE FENDER.

UH, THE COST OF THE PROJECT WILL BE $18,010 FOR THE 20 22 23 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THAT INCLUDES SETUP MIGRATION, TRAINING, HOSTING, MONITORING, AND SUPPORT.

AND THEN EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT, UH, IT'S 12,960 FOR HOSTING MONITORING AND SUPPORT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO SET IT UP EVERY YEAR.

SO, UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONLY AFTER THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR.

YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, I'M EXCITED TO SEE A NEW WEBSITE.

YEAH.

VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROCESS.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION? UH, I MOVED THAT THE CONTRACT AND THE AMOUNT OF $18,010 BE AWARDED TO SCHOOL INSIGHTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW WEBSITE FOR WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IS THERE A SECOND, A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU, MR. GRANT.

[5B. Health Insurance - Mr. Goodwin/Ed White]

UP.

SO MY SCREEN IS SHOWING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE NEXT.

DOES THAT NOT WORK? OKAY.

YES.

LEADERSHIP AND HELPING ME IN MY NEW POSITION AS MY FIRST YEAR IN THIS POSITION COMES TO A CLOSE.

SO NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, HEALTH INSURANCE DISCUSSION AND THAT'S GOING TO BE MR. GOODWIN AND MR. ED WHITE GOOD EVENING TAKING CARE OF EMPLOYEES IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE AND A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE MANY WAYS THAT YOU HELPED ME DO THAT AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT I CAN TAKE AS GOOD A CARE OF THEM AS MR. BOOKSMITH HAS THROUGH THE YEARS.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HIS

[00:40:01]

WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL EMPLOYEES, I TALK ABOUT BENEFITS ALONG WITH THE SALARY.

ONE OF THOSE BENEFITS HAPPENS TO BE VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT BENEFITS.

THESE ARE KIND OF THE THREE MAJOR ONES.

THE SECOND IS TIME AWAY IF YOU'RE ILL OR NEED TO BE OFF.

AND ALSO SOME PERSONAL DAYS.

CAUSE EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, YOU MAY NEED ONE OF THOSE ESPECIALLY RIGHT ABOUT NOW, NOW THIS SCHOOL IS COMING TO AN END AND THE THIRD ONE IS HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTNER WITH MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES THROUGH THE YEARS TO KIND OF HELP US NAVIGATE THE WATERS BECAUSE IT IS TREMENDOUSLY CHALLENGING.

UH, ED, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR PARTNER IN INSURANCE, UH, MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES, ED WHITE IS HERE AND WE ALSO WORK WITH BONNIE AND HIS OFFICE AND SEVERAL OTHER STAFF MEMBERS TO DO A GREAT JOB COMMUNICATING WITH US PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.

NOT ONLY DID THEY HELP US NAVIGATE THE WATERS, BUT THEY HELP EMPLOYEES WHEN WE CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT WHY SOMETHING'S NOT COVERED OR WHY SOMETHING IN OUR PLAN IS NOT WORKING.

WE ACTUALLY CAN CALL THEM.

THEY'RE SUPER HELPFUL.

AND THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED WITH OUR, OUR AETNA SERVICES THAT WE'VE HAD.

WE ARE STILL IN A CONTRACT WITH AETNA, UM, FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS.

WE'RE ABOUT 16 MONTHS INTO A 20 MONTH CONTRACT, I THINK MAYBE TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO.

MS. SALEM'S YOU BROUGHT UP JUST KIND OF, WHERE ARE WE WITH INSURANCE AND ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WHEN WE WERE HERE AND WE'RE WAITING TO KIND OF HEAR WHERE WE CAME BACK WITH AETNA, WHAT WAS THE RENEWAL RATE GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN WE HEARD THAT NUMBER? UH, WE WERE, WE WERE CONCERNED AND WE DECIDED WE WOULD GO OUT FOR AN RFP AND WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF COMPANIES PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

SO ED'S HERE TONIGHT TO TALK WITH YOU KIND OF ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THAT RFP.

AND THEN AS HE CONCLUDES HIS PRESENTATION, UH, WE'LL KIND OF MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE IN PAPER FORM HIS PRESENTATION IN CASE THE SCREENS, THE DISTANCE AWAY FROM YOU.

YOU CAN ALSO TAKE THAT AWAY OF COURSE, AND REFLECT ON IT.

THE OTHER THING YOU HAVE IS SOME RATES.

SO THOSE WILL BE THE RATES THAT WE'LL PUT UP AT THE END THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR, UM, YOU TO ALSO CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT.

SO ED, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COME ON AND TALK TO US.

INSIGNIFICANT AGAIN IN, IN MAKING THAT CHANGE.

THANK YOU, MR. GOODWIN.

AND, UM, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TONIGHT.

UM, I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY LESSON OR NOT THAT FAR BACK IN HISTORY, BUT GO BACK A LITTLE BIT IN TIME, UM, WITH SOME OF OUR SLIDES, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE ON HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY AND WE WERE GRIFF'S ROLE IN THE PROCESS.

SO, UM, I WORK WITH SEVERAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. I MEAN, IT'S A PALLIATE, HE'S IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

UM, AND YOU ALL MAY RECALL BACK IN THE FALL OF 2020 VALLEY HEALTH SYSTEM AND ANTHEM BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD WERE AT ODDS OVER A CONTRACT.

UM, AND IT REALLY LOOKED QUITE DIRE.

IT LOOKED LIKE THE TWO PARTIES WEREN'T GOING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

UM, SO WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER PROBABLY MORE CLOSELY AT THAT POINT WITH MR. SMITH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD A PLAN B LOOK LIKE IF WE'VE GOTTA BE READY FOR VALLEY HEALTH, NOT BEING AN ANTHEM'S NETWORK AND A PLAN B WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE TO BE A COMPANY THAT HAD VALLEY HEALTH IN THEIR NETWORK.

SO WE DID AN RFP.

SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN THE FALL OF 2020, UM, JUST TO HAVE IN OUR BACK POCKET, THE IDEA OR THE LAND TO BE READY TO POSSIBLY LEAVE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.

UM, SILVER LINING OUT OF THAT WAS WE, WE GOT RATES FROM AETNA THAT WORKED QUITE A BIT LOWER THAN, THAN THE CURRENT RATES THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD WITH THE LOCAL CHOICE AND THE LOCAL CHOICES OF PLAN THAT THE STATE HAS PUT TOGETHER MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, THAT MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THE MINUTES PALLET IS PARTICIPATE IN STILL ADMINISTERED BY ANTHEM, BUT IT IS TECHNICALLY THE STATE'S PLAN.

THE STATE HANDLES IT AND MAINTAINS IT AND DOES THE UNDERWRITING FOR IT.

UM, SO WE WERE PREPARED TO LEAVE AND ULTIMATELY WE DECIDED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DECIDED TO LEAVE.

UM, YOU MAY RECALL IN THE 11TH HOUR ANTHEM AND, AND VALLEY HEALTH GOT TOGETHER AND, AND CAME TO AN AGREEMENT, BUT AT THAT POINT WE WERE TOO FAR DOWN THE PATH IN THE SAVINGS WERE, WERE FRANKLY, TREMENDOUS TO GO TO AETNA.

UM, SO FEBRUARY 1ST WE MOVED TO AETNA, UM, WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, AETNA GAVE US A VERY COMPETITIVE CONTRACT.

IN ADDITION TO THE RATES BEING GOOD.

THEY ALSO GUARANTEED THE RACE FOR 20 MONTHS, WHICH IS NEVER HAPPENS IN, IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE WORLD.

12 MONTHS IS AS MOST AS YOU CAN EVER GET.

SO WE KNEW WE WERE SET FOR THE NEXT 20 MONTHS TO GET US BACK TO THE CYCLE THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS, WHICH IS AN OCTOBER RENEWAL DATE.

SO AS MR. GOODWIN MENTIONED FAST FORWARD TO THIS, THIS SPRING, WE HAD BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH AETNA, THE CLAIMS EXPERIENCE WASN'T LOOKING FAVORABLE.

AND, UM, SO WE KIND OF REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY WE BETTER DO AN RFP.

WE BETTER GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN TO BE PREPARED IF, IF TRULY THE RENEWAL COMES OUT TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE TALKING LIKE IT COULD BE, UM, AETNA WAS RESPONDING OBVIOUSLY TO THAT RFP.

UM, AND I'M GETTING WAY AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF WHEN WE DID LEAVE TO GO TO AETNA, IT SAVED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OVER THAT 20 MONTH PERIOD ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.

UM, SO IT WASN'T

[00:45:01]

UM, SO AFTER THE RFP, AS WE EVALUATED THINGS, UM, WE GOT FOUR COMPANIES THAT QUOTED THE HEALTH INSURANCE.

WE HAD SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES THAT QUOTED DENTAL INSURANCE AND A COUPLE OTHERS THAT QUOTED VISION INSURANCE.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS A PACKAGE TODAY WHERE IT'S ALL KIND OF BUNDLED TOGETHER, MEDICAL, DENTAL VISION, UM, IN ONE PACKAGE.

SO, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME OUTSIDE VENDORS THAT QUOTED JUST ONE OR THE OTHER, UM, BUT FROM A HEALTH INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS CERTAINLY THE BIGGEST ANIMAL WE HAD TO KIND OF TACKLE.

UM, WE GOT QUOTES FROM ANTHEM DIRECT FROM CIGNA, FROM UNITED HEALTHCARE, FROM THE LOCAL CHOICE.

AND OF COURSE, AETNA, UM, AS A RENEWAL QUOTE AND THE QUOTES WERE THE BULK OF THE QUOTES WERE ALL QUITE CLOSE TOGETHER.

UM, ANTHEM DIRECT CIGNA UNITED HEALTHCARE, UM, AND AETNA WERE, WE'RE ALL VERY CLOSE AND IN THE UPPER TWENTIES TO 34% AS THE HIGH, UM, WE DID GO BACK TO THE LOCAL CHOICE AND ASK THEM FOR A QUOTE TO CONSIDER GOING BACK TO THAT WAS THE PLAN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD.

UM, WHEN WE LEFT TO GO TO AETNA, THEY PUT A QUOTE ON THE TABLE THAT THAT WAS BY FAR THE MOST COMPETITIVE, FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, UM, IN THIS PROCESS WHERE OUR GOAL WAS TO HOPEFULLY NOT CHANGE BENEFITS OR IF WE HAD TO CHANGE THEM, CHANGE THEM ON A VERY MINOR WAY.

AND REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY IS, UM, THAT LOCAL CHOICE QUOTE IS THE THREE SAME BENEFIT PLANS THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD WHEN THEY LEFT.

WELL, WHAT WILL HAVE BEEN 20 MONTHS AGO? UM, ONE OF THE REMARKABLE THINGS THAT, THAT IN THAT QUOTE AS WELL, THAT WE GOT FROM THE LOCAL CHOICE, THE RATES THAT THEY GAVE US ARE STILL LOWER THAN THE RATES WE HAD WHEN WE LEFT.

SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT GOOD RATES IN, IN THE WORLD THAT WE DEAL WITH.

AND IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE WORLD TO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE 32 MONTHS INTO THIS OVERALL CONTRACT, POTENTIALLY GOING BACK TO THE LOCAL CHOICE, UM, TO HAVE A SAVINGS OF ALMOST 1.7 MILLION, WHICH IT'LL ACCUMULATE TO BE, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT AN INCREASE.

SO THE LOCAL CHOICES QUOTE, OR THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PLANS, THERE ARE THREE PLANS REPRESENTED A 6.2% INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT AETNA RATES.

AGAIN, THAT WAS A 34 LOCAL CHOICE WAS THE MOST COMPETITIVE AT THE 6.2%.

UM, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN'T SEE IT AT THE BOTTOM.

UM, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, THERE'S THE LOCAL CHOICE, WHICH IS THE MOST COMPETITIVE.

THE NEXT CLOSEST COMPETITOR IS ANTHEM DIRECT AND IT'S ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS MORE.

SO, UM, IT MADE A LOT OF THE DECISION IN A LOT OF THE, UM, KIND OF BACK AND FORTH, PRETTY EASY BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD A VERY STRONG COMPETITOR AND AS A COMPANY THAT, UM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM KNOWS WELL AND HAD BEFORE, AGAIN, SMALL SCREEN, BUT, BUT WE'VE, I'VE, I THINK I'VE COVERED THIS, UH, W IT'S IT'S REMARKABLE TO BE ABLE TO SAY 32 MONTHS, IF WE GO WITH A LOCAL CHOICE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, FIRST OF THIS YEAR, BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023, UM, TO SAY THAT YOUR RATES WERE LOWER THAN THEY WERE 32 MONTHS EARLIER IS, IS, IS A RARE THING TO SAY.

AND IT EQUATED TO ABOUT 1.7 MILLION IN OVERALL SAVINGS OVER THAT 32 MONTH PERIOD.

AGAIN, ASSUMING YOU APPROVE TO GO TO THE, TO THE LOCAL CHOICE.

UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT WE HAD THE LOCAL CHOICE.

AGAIN, THE 6.2% DOES REPRESENT ABOUT A $380,000 INCREASE.

I THINK THAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE ADMINISTRATION IS THAT IF, IF POSSIBLE, THAT INCREASE WOULD BE, UM, TAKEN ON BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SO THAT THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD NOT HAVE ANY INCREASE IN THEIR PAYROLL DEDUCTION PIECE, WHICH BRINGS US, I THINK, TO PROBABLY THIS HANDOUT, WHICH IS A SEPARATE HANDOUT YOU HAVE, UM, THIS IS JUST A MOCKED UP WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY GIVE EMPLOYEES AS A BOOKLET.

UM, THIS IS THE, THE COST PAGE.

THERE'S MANY MORE PAGES THAT GO WITH THIS AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE ONE OF THE BENEFIT PAGES ON THE BACKSIDE OF THAT PROPOSED RATES.

SO, UM, THESE, WHAT THESE RATES REPRESENT IS, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL MONTHLY PREMIUM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS THREE PLANS WITH ANTHEM, OR I'M SORRY, WOULD THAT NET TODAY A TWO 50 DEDUCTIBLE, A THOUSAND DOLLARS DEDUCTIBLE AND A $2,800 HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN THAT HAS AN HSA MARRIED TO IT.

UM, THOSE TOTAL RATES ARE ON THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN.

THE INCREASE, IF THE SCHOOL BOARD PICKED UP, THE FULL INCREASE WOULD BE THE MIDDLE COLUMN, AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE'S COST ON THE FAR RIGHT-HAND SIDE UNDER THIS PROPOSED SET OF RATES WOULD NOT CHANGE AT ALL.

THOSE RATES ARE THE, EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE TODAY WITH THAT I MOVED FAST WAS THAT WAS THE LAST, THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE OR WOULD THAT WE WANTED TO ASK IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS FIRST, UM, FOR US, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER MR. WHITE OR MR. GOODWIN, JUST TO CLARIFY THESE DIFFERENT QUOTES THAT YOU GOT WORD FOR THE SAME COVERAGE, RIGHT.

FROM EACH COMPANY IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE'RE GETTING LESS FOR THIS LOWEST RATE? NO, THAT'S CORRECT.

IN THE RFA, WE, WE GAVE THEM THE BOOKLETS BASICALLY THAT WE HAD FROM AETNA AND SAID MIRROR THIS, THE LOCAL CHOICES PLANS WHERE THEY WERE MIRRORED PLANS FOR WHEN WE LEFT AT AN, IN THE MID-LEVEL CHOICE PLANS.

SO IT WAS EASY FOR THEM TO MATCH, BUT YES,

[00:50:01]

THEY WERE, THEY WERE ALL QUOTED IDENTICAL PLANS, DEDUCTIBLES OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS, PRESCRIPTION DRUG CO-PAYS.

AND TO, UH, TO BE CLEAR, I KNOW WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS EARLIER, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF RECOGNIZES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LOCAL PLAN, THEY ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONLY VALLEY HEALTH AS BEING IN NETWORK.

CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

GREAT, GOOD, GOOD QUESTION.

AND ALL THE COMPANIES THAT WE QUOTED, IT'S KIND OF A PREREQUISITE HERE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

WE DON'T NORMALLY GET OPTIONS FROM COMPANIES THAT DON'T HAVE NETWORK.

SO THIS IS ANTHEM BLUE, CROSS BLUE SHIELD PPO NETWORK, WHICH IS PROBABLY IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA 98% OF DOCTORS PARTICIPATE.

THEY WANT TO GO TO JOHNS HOPKINS AND THE MAYO CLINIC, AS LONG AS THEY'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN DOCTORS IN THOSE STATES, WHICH PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS ABOUT 95% OF DOCTORS.

AND ALMOST EVERY HOSPITAL WILL BE IN NETWORK.

SO THE ONLY CHANGE IS THE NAME, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, FROM A COVERAGE STANDPOINT, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE COST THAT'S REPRESENTED HERE, OUR REQUEST TO YOU IS THAT THE SCHOOL DIVISION RECOGNIZED THAT THE EMPLOYEE ER'S CONTRIBUTION WILL COVER THE INCREASE AND THAT THE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE WHAT WE CALL HO HELD HARMLESS FROM AN INCREASE IN THEIR RATES.

RIGHT.

WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENTERS INTO A CONTRACT WITH ANTHEM, THE LOCAL CHOICE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND THIS MAY HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED, BUT DR.

BOUNDARY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHERE THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM, THAT HOLDS THE EMPLOYEES HARMLESS ON THE INCREASE? SO THAT'S FROM THE SAVINGS THAT, THAT MR. WHITE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THAT GOES INTO THE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

AND SO FROM THAT HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT, AS WE'VE SAVED THESE, THE, THE, THE FUNDS BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE MOVE FROM ANTHEM TO AETNA.

AND, UM, SO OVER TIME, OVER THE 20 MONTHS THAT HAS BEEN GROWING, UM, RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S SITTING AT ABOUT 800,000.

AND I THINK WE PROJECT BY, UM, THE END HERE IN OCTOBER THAT WE WOULD BE CLOSE TO THAT MILLION DOLLAR MARK OR SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE SETTING THERE IN THAT ACCOUNT.

UH, SO THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE, UM, COVERING ANY INCREASE WHEN IT COMES TO THE INSURANCE.

THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT AS WHEN WE TRANSFERRED FROM ANTHEM TO AETNA, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A PARTNER TO HELP US MANAGE THAT.

AND AT THE WORK SESSION, WE, WE DO WANT TO DISCUSS, UM, A PARTNERSHIP AND HELPING US TO MANAGE, UM, MOVING OVER FROM AETNA BACK TO ANTHEM AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS A DAUNTING TASK, UH, FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

AND SO, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND WE WILL PRESENT THAT AT THE WORK SESSION AS AN ACTION ITEM AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

SO TO BE CLEAR, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS TO ADOPT, UH, END OUR AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE AT THE END OF THE EXPIRATION TIME, SEPTEMBER 30, OVER THE AETNA AND MOVE TO ANTHEM.

AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LOVE IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER ALSO TO ADD THE ADOPTION OF THESE RATES AS A PART OF ANY MOTION THAT YOU MAY BRING STILL GLAD TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT THAT SHORT.

DO WE HAVE ANY LONG-TERM PLANS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGES LOW? I KNOW WITH PRIVATE BUSINESSES, THEY OFFER, UM, DIFFERENT HEALTH INCENTIVES, UM, DISCOUNTS, IF YOU HAVE A GYM MEMBERSHIP OR HAVE GOOD BLOOD PRESSURE, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I WOULD SAY SOME OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND, AND LOCAL CHOICE HAS SOME COMPONENTS BUILT IN TO ENCOURAGE WELLNESS.

UM, AND, AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY THERE'S NO NOTHING ON THE SHORT-TERM HORIZON TO, UM, LOOK AT AT THOSE THOSE PIECES.

UM, WE'VE GOT GROUPS THAT HAVE ROBUST WELLNESS PROGRAMS WITH INCENTIVES, WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET YOUR BLOOD WORK DONE AND, UM, YOU'RE EXERCISING REGULARLY AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A DISCOUNT OFF YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, UM, HEALTHCARE REFORM REALLY TIGHTENED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GROUPS CAN DO EFFECTIVELY, UM, TO REALLY KIND OF INCENTIVIZE FOLKS, MONETARILY IT'S BECOME VERY DIFFICULT WITH ADA REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHAT YOU CAN REALLY DO FROM A, FROM A WELLNESS PERSPECTIVE, BUT THERE'S, THERE ARE SOME THINGS, AND I WOULD SAY, UM, BUILT INTO THE PLAN.

THERE'S CERTAINLY WELLNESS PROGRAMS. ALL WELLNESS IS COVERED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, REGARDLESS OF THE THREE PLANS THAT, THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT PICK.

UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, PROBABLY MORE IT'S ON THE EMPLOYEES, I GUESS, ROLE TO DO IT.

ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVED THAT EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2020 TO WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TERMINATES ITS AGREEMENT WITH AETNA FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE, AND THAT EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2022

[00:55:02]

I ALSO MOVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT BE AUTHORIZED TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH ANTHEM, THE LOCAL CHOICE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2022, AND A TERM OF 12 MONTHS PROVIDED THE CONTRACT.

REFLATE REFLECT THE RATES TERMS AND CONDITIONS PROVIDED IN THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND ANTHEM.

THE LOCAL CHOICES PROPOSAL.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. GOODWIN.

I WASN'T SURE IF THAT INCLUDED THE RATES, IS THAT MOTION INCLUDE THE RATES OR DO A SECOND MOTION.

IT SAYS ON THERE THAT THE TERM OF 12 MONTHS PROVIDED THE CONTRACT REFLECT THE RATES TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

PERFECT.

UH, YES, I'M HAPPY.

AND MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALSO TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT MARIA BOLTON IS OUR BENEFITS SPECIALIST AS SHE DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB EVERY DAY, TOO.

SO SHE WAS A BIG PART OF THIS.

OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REASSIGN STAFF.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR WORKING ON THIS.

OH, DON'T GO TOO FAR.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE UP NEXT APPROVAL

[5C. Approval of Resolution Authorizing the Superintendent to Reassign Staff - Mr. Goodwin]

THAT'S MR. GOODWIN, THAT'S ME AGAIN.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

UH, FROM TIME TO TIME, IT BECOMES ESSENTIAL TO MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOLS ADJUST THEIR STAFF TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENT BODY AND ALSO LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL AND FROM A CLASSROOM SETTING ALL THE WAY UP TO ADMINISTRATION IN THE PAST, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS SIGNED AN ANNUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REASSIGN STAFF THAT IS PROVIDED BY CODE THROUGH VIRGINIA SECTION 22.1 DASH 2 97, WHICH AUTHORIZES A SCHOOL BOARD TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO PERMIT A SUPERINTENDENT HOURS.

IN THIS CASE TO REASSIGN TEACHERS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DIVISION DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR PROVIDED NO CHANGE OR REASSIGNMENT SHALL AFFECT THE SALARY OF SAID TEACHER ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, OR PRINCIPAL FOR THAT SCHOOL YEAR.

UH, THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS SIGNED LAST YEAR IS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AGAIN TONIGHT, PLEASE, WHICH WOULD GO EFFECT JULY ONE AND CARRY AGAIN TILL JULY, UH, JUNE 30TH, 2023.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GOODWIN? IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS? OH YES.

MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE THAT THE MORN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS TO REASSIGN ANY TEACHER ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OR PRINCIPAL WITHIN THE SCHOOL DIVISION FOR THE 2020 TO 2023 SCHOOL YEAR.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

A WORD CONTRACT FOR FINANCE SOFTWARE SUPPORT.

OPPOSED NOW THANK YOU.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT IS GOING TO BE

[5D. Award Contract for Finance Software Support - Mr. Ballentine]

THAT'S MR. BALLANTINE.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, THIS IS AN ITEM I BRING TO YOU EACH YEAR.

UH, IT IS OUR ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, WHICH IS USED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE HAVE USED THE SAME, UH, FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FROM A COMPANY CALLED RDA NOW KNOWN AS OPEN RDA SINCE THE EARLY 1990S, THE SOFTWARE.

UM, AND I SAY THAT, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME SOFTWARE FROM THAT.

IT'S, UH, BEEN UPGRADED AND EXPANDED, UH, VASTLY OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

UH, BUT THE SOFTWARE WAS ORIGINALLY PROVIDED BY THE STATE AT NO COST TO SCHOOL DIVISIONS WHEN THEY CHANGED THE STATEWIDE, UM, ACCOUNTING, CODING, SIS ACCOUNT CODING SYSTEM, UH, BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES SINCE THEN SUPPORT FOR AND TRAINING ON THE USE OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN PAID FOR BY WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EACH YEAR.

THE RENEWAL COST FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR IS $55,430 AND 59 CENTS.

AND WHILE RDA IS CONSIDERED AN OPEN, SOFT AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE PROVIDER, AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE AT NO COSTS.

THERE'S A CATCH OF COURSE.

UM, AND THAT IS THAT IT'S NECESSARY FOR USERS TO CONTRACT WITH THEM, TO PROVIDE UPDATES, SUPPORT, AND TRAINING ON THE SYSTEM.

AND, UH, I SAY IN HERE EACH YEAR, THERE'S RARELY A WEEK WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE TO CONTACT THEM.

UM, AND IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY MORE, RARELY A DAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CONTACT THEM TO GIVE SOME TYPE OF SUPPORT THERE'S PROBLEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UPDATES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY HELP US WITH, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE AN, UH, THE ONLY VENDOR THAT CAN SUPPORT THE SOFTWARE, THEY WOULD QUALIFY AS A SINGLE SOURCE

[01:00:01]

SUPPLIER.

SO, UH, WOULD ASK IF, UH, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SOFTWARE, IT DOES EVERYTHING FROM EXECUTE, OUR PAYROLL OUR BUDGET, OUR REVENUE TRACKING OUR LEAVE TRACKING, UM, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, OUR PURCHASE ORDERS, UM, AND TIES THEM ALL INTO ONE UNIFIED ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.

UM, BUT IT'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, UH, REGARDING THE RENEWAL OF THAT SOFTWARE.

IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE OPEN RDA BE AWARDED A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,430 AND 59 CENTS FOR SUPPORT OF THE FINANCE SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR THE 20 22 20 23 FISCAL YEAR CONTINGENT UPON APPROPRIATION OF SUFFICIENT FUNDS.

ONCE THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET IS APPROVED.

IS THERE A SECOND? OH YES.

MME. CHARLES SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

TITLE 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR GRANT APPROVAL.

OPPOSED.

NO, THANK YOU, MR. VALENTINE.

OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE

[5E. Title I, II, III, and IV Grant Approval--Ms. Rudacille]

MS. RITA CELL GOOD EVENING.

DRAFT GRANT APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW BY THE BOARD AT THE MAY 18TH, 2022 WORK SESSION.

THEY'VE BEEN POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK, WITH NO ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK RECEIVED.

WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE TITLE 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR APPLICATIONS BE APPROVED BY YOU FOR SUBMISSION TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, YOU MIGHT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. FERGUSON.

I THINK SHE HAD DID A GREAT JOB.

EXPLAIN IT IN DETAIL LAST TIME.

AND THANK YOU TO MRS. BOYCE, WHO KNOWS MOST THINGS.