Jan 03, 2024 Board Meeting

SO TONIGHT IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING, AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE ELECTION OF THE CHAIR OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, UH, FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, FOR THE YEAR 2024.

[2.A. Election of Chair of the Warren County School Board]

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHAIR OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

EXCEPT THIS EVENING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR DR.

PENCE.

IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.

AND A SECOND.

ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT.

UM, MR. VALENTINE, WOULD YOU MIND DOING A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? I, MRS. SALE? AYE.

[2.B. Election of Vice Chair of the Warren County School Board]

I'LL NOW BE ASKING FOR NOMINATIONS.

IS THERE A SECOND? ALL SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS THIS EVENING? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.

THIS IS SALANS AND MADAM CHAIR.

AND WE CAN ALL COME UP HERE TO GET LOGGED IN.

CONNECTION AWAY.

DOUG? HERE IS DOUG HERE FROM A CONNECTION ISSUE UP HERE.

OH, YEAH, I SEE YOU HERE.

WE CAN SHARE MINE IN MEANTIME.

[3.A. Appointment of School Board Representative on the Mountain Vista Governor's School Board]

IS, UM, A FIVE COUNTY BOARD, AND SO EACH OF THE SCHOOLS ARE REPRESENTED BY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND THE SUPERINTENDENT FROM EACH OF THOSE DIVISIONS.

SO FIRST WE'RE GONNA DO APPOINTMENTS THIS EVENING.

UM, THE FIRST APPOINTMENT IS GONNA BE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL GOVERNING SCHOOL BOARD.

UM, THIS

[00:05:01]

IS THERE A NOMINATION FOR THE MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL BOARD? I NOMINATE DR.

PENCE FOR THE MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL BOARD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF, UM, THE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE.

[3.B. Appointment of Two Budget Committee Members - School Board]

THIS SUBCOMMITTEE WAS FORMED, I THINK TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE HAVE TWO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEN THEY SIT JOINTLY WITH TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO GO OVER OUR PLANS FOR WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUDGET.

AS WE ENTER THE BUDGET SEASON, WHICH IS REALLY A YEAR LONG SITUATION, IS THERE A NOMINATION FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE, UM, TOM MCFADDEN JR.

AND ANDREA LOWE FOR THIS COMMITTEE.

AND I'D LIKE TO DO SO BECAUSE, UM, MR. MCFADDEN JR.

HIS, HIS BACKGROUND IS EXTENSIVE IN FINANCE AND BUSINESS.

I'LL QUESTION ON IT DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS.

I THINK SO.

GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

UM, IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT? I'LL SECOND IT.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? YES, MA'AM.

CHAIR.

UM, I THINK THAT AS A BOARD, AS WE COME TOGETHER EVERY NEW BOARD SEASON, WE'RE FORMING A TEAM AND WE NEED TO PLAY TO EVERYBODY'S STRENGTHS.

AND MR. MCFADDEN JR.

HAS, AS I WAS SAYING, AN EXTENSIVE RESUME WITH FINANCE.

AND, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, MS. LOWE HAS BEEN ON THE, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE THUS FAR AND, AND HAS ALSO TAKEN THE STEPS TO DO THE, THE CH THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY FINANCE COURSE.

UM, AND I THINK GOING INTO THIS SEASON, OUR, OUR PAST SEASONS OF THE BUDGET HAVE BEEN QUITE CONTENTION CONTENTIOUS.

AND I KNOW MR. MCFADDEN HAS THE, THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO, TO MAKE A VERY SMOOTH BUDGET SEASON.

SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS THIS EVENING? I'D LIKE TO COMMENT THAT I FEEL LIKE, UH, MYSELF AND ANTOINETTE HAVE BEEN WORKING WELL AS A TEAM ON THIS COMMITTEE.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WORK MOVE FORWARD.

I FEEL THAT SHE ALSO HAS EXTENSIVE, UM, EXPERIENCE WITH FINANCE, WITH HER, UH, TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING, UM, AS WELL AS THE YEARS THAT SHE'S SPENT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ON THE COMMITTEE.

UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT SHE AND I SERVE, CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND WHILE I CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE IN DOING THAT, MY CONCERN IS I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO AVOID GIVING CONCERNS AND HOPE THAT, UM, WE CAN JUST RECOGNIZE THAT AT TIMES THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, SOMETIMES WE NEED TO JUST STEP ASIDE FROM DOING WHEN THERE'S SOMEBODY MAYBE COMING TO THE TABLE THAT HAS 30 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY IN BUSINESS AND IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, HAS ALSO SERVED AS A HEADMASTER AND RUNS COLLEGE AND HAS TURNED THINGS AROUND.

I THINK WE SHOULD JUST TRY SOMETHING, SOMETHING NEW AND HOPEFULLY I CAN AVOID ADDRESSING ANY CONCERNS FURTHER THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING ALL OF THAT.

UM, I DO CONCUR WITH, UM, MS. LOWE.

I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS A TEAM.

UM, ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS THAT AS A BOARD WE ARE TASKED, TASKED WITH AS A BOARD, IS TO ADVOCATE AS A BOARD, REGARDLESS OF WHAT COMMITTEE WE'RE ON, REGARDLESS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO BE AT ALL THE COMMITTEES.

UM, 'CAUSE WE ALL BRING A, YOU KNOW, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE TO THE TABLE WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

UM, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS WE ALL ARE TASKED AND WE TAKE AN OATH TO ADVOCATE AS A COLLECTIVE BOARD FOR ANY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN BEING PROACTIVE.

UM, I WILL FURTHER JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF MY EXPERIENCE.

UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY AS SHE STATED, I HAVE 25 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR, 18 AS A CENTRAL OFFICE AND SCHOOL BOARD ADMINISTRATOR, WHERE EVERY YEAR I

[00:10:01]

CURRENTLY IN MY CURRENT POSITION, I OVERSEE A BUDGET OF $6.6 MILLION IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

I'VE WORKED WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS, THE LAWS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL, UM, FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.

SO IT CERTAINLY IS IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM TO DISMISS WHAT, UH, MR. MCFADDEN BRINGS TO THE TABLE.

I PERSONALLY WAS VERY INTERESTED.

UM, HE DID SHARE, I HOPE IT'S OKAY TO SAY HE SHARED HIS RESUME WITH US.

ONE OF HIS HIGHLIGHTS AND STRENGTHS.

IT'S ALSO THAT HE IS A, UM, PRIVATE, UM, UH, LANDLORD.

AND SO HE DOES HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AS BEING A LANDLORD, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS TO US AS WELL.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE OFFERED HERE, UM, IN, AT THE BOARD, BECAUSE HE HAS THAT I'VE, THAT IS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED.

UM, NOR DO I WANT TO CHOOSE AS FAR AS BEING A LANDLORD.

I'M SURE MY SISTER IS ONE.

AND I KNOW THAT WHAT SHE HAS EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST, UM, 30 YEARS OF BEING A LANDLORD.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT BRINGS A, A VERY, UH, NICE EYE TO OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE, WHICH, UM, I THINK HE WOULD DO WELL TO BE A PARTICIPANT ON, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH OUR BOARD.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I DO FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES ON WITH OUR, COMES TO OUR BUDGET.

I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT OUR TEACHERS EXPERIENCE, WHAT OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE, WHAT THEY NEED.

WHAT OF THE THINGS I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THAT WE HAVE AN ART TEACHER FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR 15 YEARS IN THIS COUNTY, 15 YEARS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE IT TO FRUITION.

AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE A FULL-TIME ART TEACHER.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES THAT IS HOW WE REACH OUR KIDS IS THROUGH MUSIC AND ARTS.

UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE PROACTIVE TO KEEP OUR STUDENT COACHES RIGHT NOW, WHICH ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE SEEN, UM, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR STUDENTS.

UM, WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO KEEP THAT, UH, BALANCE OF TEACHER STUDENT RATIO LOW.

UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.

UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT COME, YOU KNOW, SEE THAT THROUGH.

UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD AS HOW WE CHOOSE TONIGHT.

AND I CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AS A BOARD WORKING TOGETHER.

SO.

WELL, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I, AS A BOARD MEMBER SINCE YOU DID SO KINDLY BRING UP ABOUT HOW WE DO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A BOARD.

UM, AND, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MR. MCFADDEN ON THE BUILDING COMMITTEE AS WELL.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THEM.

UM, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AS A BOARD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO SEE HAPPEN THAT I WOULD HOPE TO SEE HAPPEN IS THAT THE MEETINGS FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE BE LEGALLY ADVERTISED THAT THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR BEING INCLUDED IN THEM, AND THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SITTING UP HERE ARE MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THOSE MEETINGS SO THAT WE COULD SEE AN AGENDA AND NOT HEAR THE BUDGET FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WITH THE PUBLIC.

WHEN, AND THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA FOR TONIGHT, IS TO VOTE ON ADVERTISING FOR PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE BUDGET.

I HAVE SAID THIS FROM THE GET GO, FROM MY VERY FIRST YEAR ON THIS BOARD.

IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AS A BOARD MEMBER TO SEE THAT BUDGET FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION.

WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER AS A BOARD TO BUILD THAT BUDGET.

AND MAYBE WE COULD ALL AGREE THAT WE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS GOING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, I'M SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE OUR BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THEY ARE POSTED PUBLICLY.

WE HAVE HAD MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTEND THEM.

UM, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, I I BELIEVE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE ATTENDED ALSO AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

UM, AND CERTAINLY ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS COULD ATTEND ANY OF THEM, WHETHER THEY WERE ON THE COMMITTEE OR NOT.

UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE SENT OUT, UM, NOTIFICATIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THOSE MEETINGS.

I'VE SENT SUMMARIES TO YOU ALL OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THOSE MEETINGS.

AND WE ACCEPT FEEDBACK.

ULTIMATELY, OUR BUDGET IS THE RESULT OF ALL FIVE OF US WORKING TOGETHER.

UM, WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE COMMITTEE OR NOT, THE SUBCOMMITTEE OR NOT, YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT.

AND ALL OF US ARE GONNA BE VOTING ON THE BUDGET AND ALL OF US HAVE INPUT ON THE BUDGET.

ARE THE MEETINGS THAT THE THREE OF YOU HAVE BEEN HAVING, DR.

BALLINGER AND THE TWO OF YOU, ARE THOSE NOT CONSIDERED BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETINGS? ARE THEY JUST INFORMAL MEETINGS? IS THAT WHERE MAYBE I'M JUST CONFUSED.

I BELIEVE THOSE HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY POSTED.

WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR ALL OF US.

IS THAT, IF I'M INCORRECT, I APOLOGIZE.

AND I DO THINK THEY SHOULD BE PUBLICLY POSTED.

SO YOU HERE ON THIS, WELL, I SAID THIS QUESTION, THESE QUESTIONS IN AN EMAIL OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, BUT I, I DID NOT RECEIVE RESPONSES FROM EITHER OF YOU.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A RESPONSE.

BUT I KNOW THAT, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS WHERE YOU COME IN AND YOU GUYS SAY THAT YOU'VE HAD THESE MEETINGS WITH EACH OTHER.

BUT I CERTAINLY WAS NEVER GIVEN AN AGENDA.

YES, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HAD THAT ARE JOINT MEETINGS

[00:15:01]

BUT AS FAR AS THE, THE MEETINGS WITH JUST THE THREE OF YOU, I, I'VE NEVER RECEIVED AN AGENDA OR SEEN THOSE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED, NOR DID I GET AN EMAIL RESPONSE TO THAT WHEN I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT IT.

AND I GUESS THAT'S MY ISSUE IS IF WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AS A BOARD, THERE HAS TO BE A LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION.

AND I ANSWER EMAILS, I ANSWER PHONE CALLS, AND I TRY TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.

AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT THE SAME COURTESY HAS BEEN EXTENDED IN RETURN.

SO MAYBE WE NEED TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.

SO I KNOW THAT THAT EMAIL WAS ANSWERED.

MR. UH, VALENTINE DID ANSWER THAT.

YES, THEY ARE ALL POSTED.

HE SAID THEY ALL SHOULD BE POSTED.

HI.

HIS, HIS VERBIAGE WAS VERY CLEAR.

HE SAID THEY ALL LEGALLY SHOULD BE POSTED.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

NOT THAT THEY HAD BEEN, THAT THEY SHOULD BE.

YEAH, WELL, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

BUT YOU DID NOT ANSWER MS. MON, MS. FUNK AND MS. LOW.

YOU DID NOT ANSWER THAT EMAIL DR.

PENCE ANSWER.

RIGHT.

BUT THAT IS, AND THAT HAS BECOME THE NORM.

THEY SHOULD BE.

AND THAT'S BECOME THE NORM, IS THAT I SENT EMAILS WITH, WITH DIRECT QUESTIONS AND I HAVE COMPLETE RADIO SILENCE.

AND THAT IS MY FRUSTRATION THERE WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

WELL, I I APPRECIATE THAT WHEN THERE'S USUALLY AN ANSWER, I DON'T ANSWER BACK THE SAME RESPONSE THAT YES, IT SHOULD BE.

WE WERE, I WAS ASKING OF EACH COMMITTEE.

I ASKED, I I SAID WHAT THE BUILDING COMMITTEE DOES.

I ASKED ABOUT MOUNTAIN VISTA AND I ASKED ABOUT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, MOUNTAIN VISTA.

I GOT A RESPONSE.

IT WAS RADIO SILENCE FROM THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.

BALLINGER SAID, WE NEED TO ASK ROB THIS QUESTION.

SO THEN ROB WAS LOOPED IN AND MR. BALLANTINE THEN RESPONDED THAT THEY SHOULD BE ADVERTISED.

RIGHT.

SO I'M, I'M GONNA AGAIN ASSERT THAT YOUR QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.

IT WAS NOT ANSWERED BY ME BECAUSE IT WAS ANSWERED AND I FELT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, FINE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHO WE'RE GONNA HAVE ON THIS COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD, BUT WE'VE SORT OF VEERED OFF COURSE WITH OUR DISCUSSION ON HOW TO PRESENT THIS BUDGET COMMITTEE IN THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK ONE THING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IS MAKING SURE THAT THEIR PUBLIC NOTICES ARE PUT OUT.

UM, MR. MCFADDEN AND I SPOKE JUST REALLY BRIEFLY BEFORE THIS MEETING ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT MS. LOWE JUST SAID, BUT REALLY HOW EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD SHOULD BE GOING AND SITTING JUST AS A PUBLIC ATTENDEE TO SEE SORT OF WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE BETWEEN OUR BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEES BETWEEN US AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

AND THEN HAVING THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS.

WITH OUR INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISOR, WHETHER WE'RE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE OR NOT.

UM, THAT'S HOW THAT COMMUNICATION IS GONNA BE KEPT UP.

AND HOPEFULLY HOW THE SUPERVISORS ARE GONNA KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT WE'RE THINKING GOING INTO THE BUDGET SEASON.

IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO RELAY THAT INFORMATION.

I DO MEET WITH MY NORTH RIVER DISTRICT SUPERVISOR WEEKLY AND ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL.

BUT IT'S VERY HARD TO RELAY INFORMATION THAT I DON'T HAVE.

THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WORK TOGETHER TO DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD THIS, THIS YEAR.

'CAUSE IT'S A NEW YEAR, SO WE YES, I KNOW.

I WAS TALKING NEW YEAR, NEW YEAR, NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS, NEW TRANSITIONS.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO BUILDING COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES.

MAY I MAKE A COMMENT? PLEASE DO.

SO, I, UM, MATH, FINANCES, BUDGETING.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S BEEN MY FAVORITE SUBJECT MY WHOLE LIFE.

UM, AT MY COLLEGE WHERE I'VE BEEN 30 YEARS DOING IT.

UH, I'M THE ONE, ONE YEAR DURING BUDGET SEASON, I'M THE ONE GUY THAT THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO AND ASK ME TO CUT SOMETHING FOR MY BUDGET.

'CAUSE MY BUDGET'S ALWAYS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

UM, YOU KNOW, DO I KNOW STUFF ABOUT HOUSING? YEAH, I KNOW STUFF ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.

UH, BUT I THINK AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES, THAT'S SORT OF MY FORTE OF, OF NUMBERS AND THAT WHOLE THING.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A NOMINATION JUST DISCUSSION SECTION.

I I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST.

I JUST KNOW WHAT I LIKE TO DO AND, AND WHAT I, WHAT I SORT OF, MY, MY GOD-GIVEN TALENTS TO DO BETTER.

SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S MY PLUG FOR ME.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? MR. VALENTINE? COULD YOU DO ROLL CALL, PLEASE? YES.

IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION I MOVE? I MOVE THAT ANTOINETTE FUNK AND MYSELF, ANDREA LOWE BE APPOINTED AS THE 2024 WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I'LL REASSERT MY SAME OBJECTIONS.

ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THIS? MR. VALENTINE? COULD YOU DO ROLL CALL PLEASE? YES.

[00:20:01]

[3.C. Appointment of Two Building Committee Representatives - School Board]

THIS IS THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE.

UM, AND BASICALLY THEY'LL BE, WELL, MS. SALEM CAN EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT THEY'LL BE GOING OVER WHAT ALL OF OUR A AND E IS GONNA BE FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS.

AND SHE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB KEEPING US UPDATED ON THE LFK RENOVATION, WHICH OF COURSE IS OUR BIGGEST PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

BUT I THINK SHE'LL PROBABLY BE, WELL, WHOEVER IS ON THE BUILDING COMMITTEE WILL BE, UM, KEEPING US UPDATED ON SOME E WILSON MORRISON PLANS AS WELL.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT MELANIE SALANS AND TOM MCFADDEN BE APPOINTED AS THE 2024 WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BUILDING COMMITTEE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

[3.D. Appointment of Clerk of the Warren County School Board - Dr. Ballenger]

BALLINGER, DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? UH, YES.

MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT MR. ROB BALLANTINE BE THE CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR FISCAL YEAR OR FOR THIS YEAR, 2024.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THAT? MADAM CHAIR? I MOVE THAT MR. VALENTINE, WE CLERK FOR THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? I JUST WANNA SAY HE DOES A FABULOUS JOB AND THANK YOU HE DOES FOR ALL THE, ALL THAT HE DOES FOR US.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

A AYE.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE DEPUTY CLERK OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, DR.

AND THANK YOU MR. VALENTINE.

[3.E. Appointment of Deputy Clerk of the Warren County School Board - Dr. Ballenger]

BELLINGER.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT MR. DOUG STEFANSKI BE THE DEPUTY CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT DOUG STEFANSKI BE APPOINTED AS DEPUTY CLERK OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR A TERM BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.

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

NEXT UP WE HAVE APPOINTMENT OF DESIGNEE TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE ABSENCE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT.

AND THANK YOU MR. STOLSKI.

[3.F. Appointment of Designee to Attend Meetings of the School Board in the Absence of the Division Superintendent - Dr. Ballenger]

BALLINGER, DO YOU HAVE A UH, YES.

RECOMMENDATION? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UM, MR. GEORGE R. BUCK SMITH JR.

BE APPOINTED AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE ABSENCE OR INABILITY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND FOR THE PERIOD OF JAN COMMENCING JANUARY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT GEORGE R. BUCK SMITH JR.

BE APPOINTED AT AS THE DESIGNEE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE ABSENCE OR INABILITY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1ST, 2024 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024? IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSE? NO.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT OR MODIFY THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.

[4.A. Accept or Modify Agenda - School Board]

I MOVE THAT THE AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

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

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[5. Consent Agenda]

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AB SINCE WASN'T HERE.

UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

SORRY, .

[6.A. Attendance Award Presentation - Dr. Ballenger]

SO FIRST WE'RE GONNA DO ATTENDANCE AWARD PRESENTATION FROM DR.

BALLINGER.

TO RECOGNIZE, AND THIS IS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, UM, AS ROADS AS OUR ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE AWARD WINNER.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MISSING AS LITTLE AS TWO DAYS EVERY MONTH OR 10% OF THE SCHOOL YEAR CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS AT THEIR REGULAR AT AT EACH REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.

UM, WE RECOGNIZE THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE RATES, UH, FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH FOR BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY.

AND THEN WE ALSO, UH, GIVE A NOTICE TO THE SCHOOL THAT HAD THE GREATEST, UM, IMPROVEMENT FROM ONE MONTH TO THE NEXT.

UH, FOR THIS MONTH, I WOULD LIKE

[00:25:01]

UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT, I THINK I TOLD YOU THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, OBVIOUSLY DECEMBER'S A SHORT MONTH.

WE ALSO SUFFERED ILLNESSES AS ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS DID.

BUT I AM PROUD TO SAY WE DID HAVE 80 STUDENTS WITH PERFECT ATTENDANCE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

AGAIN, IT'S A VERY SHORT MONTH, BUT WITH THE HOLIDAY BREAK COMING UP, IT IS, UM, A BUSY SEASON FOR FAMILIES.

SO SOMETIMES THEY NEED TO LEAVE TOWN A LITTLE BIT EARLY OR HAVE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON FAMILY-WISE.

SO WE APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS WERE AT SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

UM, OUR PTO DID A FABULOUS JOB WITH THEIR WINTER CARNIVAL.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE AFTERSCHOOL EVENTS, UM, YOU USUALLY HAVE REALLY GOOD, UM, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE THAT DAY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO COME TO THE AFTERSCHOOL EVENTS.

SO THAT'S A GOOD INCENTIVE TO HAVE IN DECEMBER.

UM, A LOT OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR DONATIONS.

UM, I BELIEVE IN THE RAFFLE ROOM ALONE, THEY RAISED ABOUT $2,000.

SO, AND THOSE WERE BASED ON LOCAL BUSINESS DONATIONS.

UM, SKYLINE RANCH GAVE QUITE A FEW DONATIONS OF STAYS, UM, FOR THE RESORT.

SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT SUPPORT, UM, AND WE APPRECIATE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR TEACHERS AS ALWAYS, FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND THE STUDENTS FOR BEING AT SCHOOL EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU, MS. LEMAN.

AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL AS OUR WINNER FOR THE SECONDARY ATTENDANCE AWARD.

OKAY, NEXT UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE SCHOOL REPORTS, DR.

I AM EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THE AWARD FOR WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

MY NAME IS HOLLY DIENER.

I'M THE DEAN OF STUDENTS.

UM, I THINK LIKE ALL OF US, WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THAT BEING IN SCHOOL IS THE BEST WAY FOR THE KIDS TO LEARN.

AND WE'RE ALL STRIVING TO DO DIFFERENT, UM, CHALLENGES AND EVENTS TO TRY TO BUILD UP THAT MORALE AND, AND GET THESE KIDS PARTICIPATING.

UM, FOR WARREN COUNTY, WHAT WE GOT TO DO WAS WE CHOSE LAST DAY AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S THE DAY THAT KIDS LIKE TO KIND OF LEAVE A LITTLE BIT EARLY.

SO WE CREATE AN EVENT, UM, FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT ATTENDANCE WHERE THE KIDS COULD COME IN AND, UM, FOR PART OF THE DAY WE HAD LIKE A SHORT MOVIE AND POPCORN MOST OF, FOR SECONDARY, THEIR BIGGEST.

WHAT THEY REALLY WANT IS DO THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SOCIALIZE? YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THAT LITTLE SMALL MOMENT TO SOCIALIZE WITH EACH OTHER.

SO WE GAVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT SEEMED TO HELP US THIS YEAR.

BUT WE, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE COMMUNITY DOES TO HELP SUPPORT US IN THOSE ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES.

AND THEN FOR OUR MOST IMPROVED FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE RUSSIE JEFFREY'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

GOOD EVENING, AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE NEW 2024 SCHOOL BOARD.

UM, MS. BRADLEY AND I, WE, WE, UH, WE ARE A SMALL PART OF THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AT RESCUE JEFFRIES.

UM, WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO GET IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME, UH, STATS FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER.

WE HAVE 657 STUDENTS TOTAL, NOT INCLUDING PRESCHOOL STUDENTS AT RESI.

UH, WE HAD, WE STILL HAVE, UM, WELL AS OF TODAY WE HAVE 541 STUDENTS IN OUR CHALLENGE 10 STILL.

UM, I WOULD LOVE TO READ YOU ALL THEIR NAMES, BUT IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE AND I'D PROBABLY MISPRONOUNCE LOTS OF THEM.

UH, AND AT THIS TIME FOR OUR FIRST SEMESTER, WE STILL HAVE 70 STUDENTS WITH PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

SO WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS AND WE WORK VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO MAKE SCHOOL ENGAGING IN FUN FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE HAVE GOOD

[00:30:01]

ATTENDANCE.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU GUYS.

[6.B. School Reports - Dr. Ballenger]

BALLINGER.

I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MS. SPURLING AND SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

THANKS FOR ALLOWING US THE TIME TO PRESENT.

UM, SOME, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SCHOOL TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING.

UM, THERE ARE MANY THINGS ABOUT WHICH I AM PROUD AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, I AM PROUD TO HAVE THIS VERY FINE LOOKING GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS BEHIND ME.

UM, AT LAST MONTH'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, I TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT YOU, SOME OF THE UPDATES OF THINGS GOING ON.

UM, OUR AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS EXTRAORDINARILY ACTIVE.

UM, AND THEY, UH, THEY'RE AMONG THE, UM, MOST FUN GROUP IN THE SCHOOL.

I THINK WE CAN SAY FOR SURE.

UM, SOME REALLY GREAT INDIVIDUALS.

AND AS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF DAIRY FARMERS, IT'S A GROUP THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

UM, SO AT THIS TIME I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR AGRICULTURE TEACHER, GRACE BUCKLIN, AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE SOME OF THESE FINE INDIVIDUALS TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROGRAM.

I'M GRACE BUCKLAND, THE AGRICULTURE TEACHER AND FFA ADVISOR AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IS DERIVED, UM, THROUGH THREE A THREE CIRCLE MODEL, UM, AND IS COMPRISED OF A, UM, CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE, OR SAES, UM, AND FFA, OUR INTER CURRICULAR STUDENT ORGANIZATION.

I CURRENTLY TEACH SIX DIFFERENT CURRICULUMS OVER EIGHT CLASS PERIODS, SERVING A TOTAL OF 160 STUDENTS PER SCHOOL YEAR.

AGRICULTURE STUDENTS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A PLETHORA OF HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES TO REINFORCE THE CLASS, UH, CURRICULUM LEARNED IN THE CLASSROOM.

IN THE LAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS, STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED A LANDSCAPING PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH THANKS TO DR. REEVES AND WILL HAVE ANOTHER START TO FINISH LANDSCAPING PROJECT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THANKS TO MS. PUMPHREY, UH, VETERINARY SCIENCE STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHADOW VETERINARIANS AND STAFF AT WARREN COUNTY VETERINARY CLINIC.

THANKS TO DR.

PENCE, UH, THE PLANT SYSTEMS AND HORTICULTURE CLASSES HAVE A FLORAL SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS AND HELPED PUT ON OUR ANNUAL WINTER AND SPRING PLANT SALES ALONG WITH SO MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

OUR FUTURE GOALS FOR THE PROGRAM INCLUDE ADDING WHAT IS KNOWN AS A LAND LAB FOR OUR LIVESTOCK STUDENTS TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OUR LARGER ANIMALS AND BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

STUDENTS ARE PARTAKING IN AGRICULTURAL WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THAT'S A PLACEMENT SAE AT AN ESTABLISHED AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS OR AN ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVOR.

SKYLINE, FFA MEMBERS AND AG STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN BOTH.

AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR STUDENTS HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THEIR SAES AND THEIR TIME IN FFA.

I'M BOB FORD.

SORRY.

I'M BOBBY FORD, A FRESHMAN MEMBER OF THE SKYLINE FFA CHAPTER.

THOUGH IT IS MY ONLY, MY FIRST YEAR, I'M EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN OUR FFA CHAPTER.

MY FAVORITE ACTIVITY THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS COMPETING AT THE STATE FAIR, WHERE I REPRESENTED OUR FFA CHAPTER IN THE SWINE SKIATHON.

I WAS ABLE TO SPEND TIME WITH OTHER MEMBERS AND I PLACED SEVENTH OVERALL IN THE COMPETITION.

I HAVE AN ENTREPRENEUR SHIP, SAE, WHERE I'VE BRED RABBITS FOR SHINE AT THE WARREN COUNTY FAIR, AND IN PLANNING TO START A SMALL SWINE BREEDING OPERATION IN THE COMING YEARS.

I ENJOY THE AGRICULTURAL CLASSES OFFERED AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SKILLS LIKE FLORAL DESIGN, WOODWORKING, VETERINARY SCIENCE, AND LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT.

I ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, TO WORK THE CHAPTERS PLANT SALES, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO CONNECT OUR CHAPTER WITH OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH CREATES A POSITIVE BOND.

I'M TYLER LEE.

TYLER LEE.

I'M THE REPORTER FOR THE SKYLINE FFA CHAPTER THIS YEAR.

MY FAVORITE ACTIVITY THAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR HAS BEEN OUR APPLE GLEANING SERVICE ACTIVITY.

THIS IS WHERE WE PICK APPLES AT THE END OF THE HARVEST SEASON AND DONATE TO A LOCAL FOOD BANK.

THIS SERVED AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO GET TO KNOW EACH OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR CHAPTER.

I CURRENTLY HAVE A ENTREPRENEURSHIP SAE, WITH MY OWN LAWN MOWING BUSINESS COMPANY BUSINESS.

THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME RESPONSIBILITY AND RECORD KEEPING SKILLS.

[00:35:06]

I'M MACKENZIE LENNON.

I'M CURRENTLY THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SKYLINE FFA CHAPTER.

I'VE BEEN TAKING AGRICULTURAL CLASSES SINCE SIXTH GRADE AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THESE ELECTIVE CLASSES HAVE TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE FIELD THAT I INTEND TO PURSUE BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL HORTICULTURE.

BECAUSE OF MY AGRICULTURE CLASSES, I HAVE GROWN TO ENJOY WORKING WITH PLANTS IN ALL CAPACITIES, WHETHER IT BE IN THE GREENHOUSE, THE FLORAL LAB, OR EVEN COMPETING AND FLORA CULTURE AT STATE CONVENTION.

UH, MY NAME IS HANNAH ANDERSON.

I'M A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE SKYLINE FFA CHAPTER, AND I'M CURRENTLY THIS YEAR'S PRESIDENT.

UM, I HAVE A PLACEMENT, SAE, WORKING AS A KENNEL ASSISTANT AT ROYAL DENTAL CLINIC.

UM, HAVING THIS SAE HAS TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF HARD WORK AND THE TEAM ASPECT INVOLVED IN WITHIN THE WORKFORCE, WHICH HAS IMMENSELY PREPARED ME FOR MY FUTURE CAREER AS A VET TECH.

UM, I ENJOY BEING A STUDENT IN THE AGRICULTURE CLASSES AT SKYLINE BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY TEACH ME SKILLS NEEDED FOR MY FUTURE CAREER, BUT THEY ALSO PROVIDE LIFELONG LESSONS I'LL TAKE INTO ADULTHOOD, SUCH AS THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY, DEPENDABILITY, AND THE SKILL OF LISTENING TO OTHERS WITH AN OPEN MIND.

UM, THE AGRICULTURE AND FFA PROGRAM AT SKYLINE HAS BETRAYED MY MINDSET EXPONENTIALLY IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR.

THIS YEAR, WE INVOLVED OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY BY PUTTING TOGETHER AN ALUMNI AND SUPPORTERS GROUP, MOST OF WHICH ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT.

UM, AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO A BOOSTER CLUB THAT SUPPORTS OUR EFFORTS BOTH PHY PHYSICALLY AND MONETARILY.

UH, THIS GROUP TOOK ON SO MUCH THIS YEAR AND HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN THE ONLY THE FOUR MONTHS THAT, UH, WE'VE MET THUS FAR.

UH, THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAM WOULD ALSO NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE AMAZING SUPPORT OF OUR SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL ADMIN TEAM, UH, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.

DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SCHOOL THIS EVENING, OR, OKAY.

NO, MA'AM.

WELL, I KNOW THIS IS YOUR LAST DAY OF CHRISTMAS BREAK, SO IF YOU GUYS WANNA LEAVE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.

THANK YOU FOR COMING, .

[6.C. Community Participation]

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT UP WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

I'M JUST GONNA READ THIS WHILE EVERYBODY'S LEAVING.

IT IS THE DUTY OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND TO LIMIT DISCUSSION TO TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.

PERSONS ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE ADVISED TO LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT TO THE PENDING ITEMS. NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD AFTER AUDIBLY STATING THEIR NAME AND WHOM THEY REPRESENT.

IF APPLICABLE, NO PERSON SHALL BRING INTO THE BOARDROOM ANY SIGN, BANNER, OR OTHER SUCH ITEM WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN SEEING, HEARING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING.

PROVIDED THAT MODELS, PHOTOS, MAPS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, AND OTHER SUCH DEMONSTRATIVE MATERIALS INTENDED FOR USE IN THE PRESENTATION BY A SPECIFIC PERSON SHALL BE PERMITTED UPON RECOGNITION BY THE CHAIR OR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD.

THE SPEAKER SHALL ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR CONFINED THEIR COMMENTS TO ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONCERN RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REFRAIN FROM WORDS OR STATEMENTS, WHICH FROM THEIR USUAL CONSTRUCTION AND COMMON ACCEPTANCE ARE DEFAMATORY TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS OR TEND TO VIOLENCE OR BREACH OF THE PIECE.

REFRAIN FROM OBSCENITY AND VULGARITY.

STAY WITHIN ALLOTTED TIME.

STOP SPEAKING.

WHEN DIRECTED BY THE CHAIRPERSON GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO OR DISTURBING, THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL BE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ONCE ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

AND THE CHAIRPERSON WILL ASK THE COUNTY SHERIFF TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL GROUP OR CLEAR THE BOARDROOM SO THAT THE BOARD CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION WHEN RECOGNIZED.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, WHETHER YOU'RE A COUNTY RESIDENT, PARENT OF A WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.

AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.

MR. VALENTINE, DID ANYONE SIGN UP THIS EVENING? YES, WE HAVE UH, TWO SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.

ON AND TAUGHT A FDA IN GEOMETRY.

THE FIRST IS IAN BARRY.

HOPE EVERYONE'S DOING WELL TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS IAN BARRY.

I'M A WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.

I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY.

UM, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS FULL OF CAREER SWITCHERS WITH PROVISIONAL LICENSES.

I'M ONE OF THEM.

WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL ALSO DOESN'T REALLY PUT MUCH EFFORT OR RESOURCES INTO TRAINING AND RETAINING STAFF, OFTEN RESORTING TO A CHILD BY FIRE TRAINING METHOD.

MY FIRST YEAR WAS 2021 WHEN I SIGNED

[00:40:01]

AMY FLORA PROVIDED ME WITH MATERIALS ADVICE AND TEACHING STRATEGIES.

SHE DIDN'T GET COMPENSATED FOR THIS.

SHE'S JUST DEDICATED TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS AND WANTED TO ENSURE THAT I WAS EQUIPPED AND PREPARED FOR MY NEW ROLE.

NOW, TWO YEARS LATER, I HEARD OF IN SAW FIRST HAND THE MISTREATMENT HER DAUGHTER RECEIVED AT THE HANDS OF WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF CENTRAL OFFICE.

I ALSO WITNESSED THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS IT HAD ON HER DAUGHTER'S MENTAL HEALTH.

I CANNOT STAND IDLE AND SEE A 17-YEAR-OLD MISTREATED BY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES TARGETED FOR PERSONAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HER MOTHER AND OTHER MEMBERS OF SCHOOL STAFF AND NOT COME TO HER DEFENSE PUNISHING A 17-YEAR-OLD STUDENT AND THEN ADMINISTRATIVELY PUNISHING HER MOTHER FOR DEFENDING HER IS ABHORRENT AND REPREHENSIBLE AND I CANNOT ABIDE BY IT.

THE PROCESS USED IN HRS DECISION WAS NOT THOROUGH.

NO ATTEMPT TO MEDIATE THE SITUATION WAS MADE, AND NO CHARACTER WITNESSES OR STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN FOR AMY.

FOR SIDE.

I BECAME A TEACHER BECAUSE I RESPECT OUR COMMUNITY STUDENTS AND I WANTED TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG FOLKS.

APPARENTLY THE SENTIMENT IS NOT HOMOGENOUS ACROSS THE, UH, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM FUNDED BY OUR COMMUNITY'S DEARLY PAID TAXES.

WITH THAT SAID, I WILL NOT BE SEEKING TO RENEW MY CONTRACT FOR NEXT YEAR, AS I CANNOT RESPECT NOR ENDORSE A SYSTEM COMPLICIT IN THE MISTREATMENT OF THEIR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

I HUMBLY IMPLORE THE BOARD MEMBERS OF TWO THINGS.

FIRST ONE, RESTORE AMY FLORES POSITION AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SO SHE CAN CONTINUE TO DEDICATE HERSELF TO HER STUDENTS.

THE SECOND ONE IS TO RECONSIDER THE POSITIONS OF ANYONE PARTY TO OR WHO SOUGHT TO CONCEAL THE MISTREATMENT DIRECTED TOWARDS HER DAUGHTER AND THOSE WHO SOUGHT RETRIBUTION AGAINST HER MOTHER FOR ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF HER DAUGHTER.

THAT'S ALL FROM ME.

THANK YOU, MR. BERRY.

I AM THE PRESIDENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AND TREASURER FOR THE WARREN COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

I'M A TEACHER IN WARREN COUNTY.

I'M A PARENT OF PAST AND PRESENT WARREN COUNTY STUDENTS.

I'M A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY.

I'M MANY THINGS, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS TONIGHT IS I AM SAD, IS I AM ANGRY.

EARLIER TODAY, I FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST CERTAIN ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER.

I WILL NOT DISCUSS THE DETAILS AS THIS IS NOT THE TIME OR PLACE.

HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JUST HOURS BEFORE THE HOLIDAY BREAK, A SPITEFUL RESPONSE TO FALSE CLAIMS LED TO A NOTIFICATION THAT I WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.

UPON RETURN A DAY THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH JOY AND CELEBRATION FOR THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS TURNED INTO A ROOM OF CRYING STUDENTS AND TEAR FILLED COWORKERS, SOME IN DISBELIEF, SOME SO ANGRY.

THEY LITERALLY PACED THE HALLS THREATENING TO QUIT THIS DECISION.

CALLOUSLY AND CARELESSLY RIPPED APART BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AND NURTURED IN THE CASE IN SOME CASES OVER MANY YEARS.

IT ALSO INFLICTS MORE PAIN UPON MY CHILD AS IT EITHER LEAVES HER ISOLATED TO MANAGE THE FALLOUT WITHOUT MY SUPPORT OR FORCES HER TO MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL SETTING FOR THE FEW REMAINING MONTHS BEFORE HER GRADUATION.

I MENTIONED THIS ONLY TO CORRECT ANY MISCONCEPTION THAT THIS LAWSUIT IS RETALIATION FOR THAT EVENT.

IT IS NOT.

AND A DOCUMENTED TIMELINE WOULD SHOW THAT THE CURRENT LEGAL MOTION WAS BEING PREPARED WEEKS BEFORE ANY CLAIMS OR ACTIONS AGAINST ME.

BUT YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT, DIDN'T YOU? THAT WAS THE POINT AT THIS TIME.

AND EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, I'M OFFICIALLY STEPPING DOWN FROM THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE POSITION OF TREASURER FOR THE WCEA.

I CANNOT SEE HOW I COULD EVER AGAIN ENCOURAGE MEMBERS TO BELIEVE THE WORDS SPOKEN HERE OR HAVE FAITH IN THE ACTIONS THAT ARE PUT FORTH.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM PUTS ITS STUDENTS' BEST INTERESTS.

FIRST, BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS NOT JUST ONE, SHE'S JUST ONE MORE THAT THIS COUNTY HAS FAILED.

AS FOR ME, IN MORE THAN A DECADE WITH WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I HAVE DEDICATED COUNTLESS UNCOMPENSATED HOURS SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM AND WORKING ON VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEES IN THE CLASSROOM.

I HAVE AN EXCELLENT RECORD OF ENSURING MY STUDENTS PASS THEIR SOL AND RECEIVE THE VERIFIED CREDIT NECESSARY TO GRADUATE.

BUT IT WAS ALWAYS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME THAT THEY KNEW HOW MUCH I GENUINELY CARED ABOUT THEM AS INDIVIDUALS.

AND I DID CARE.

[00:45:01]

I DO CARE AND I ALWAYS WILL.

BUT THE CRUELTY OF THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 21ST HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN ME.

NOW I AM NOT JUST ANOTHER TEACHER, I AM JUST ANOTHER TEACHER WHO HAS DECIDED NOT TO RETURN NEXT YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE STOOD HERE AND PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, DEFENDED THIS SUPERINTENDENT AND SANG THE PRAISES OF MY PRINCIPAL IN THIS ADMINISTRATION AS A WHOLE.

BUT TONIGHT I AM SAD AND ANGRY BECAUSE NOW I'M GONNA PROVE HOW WRONG I WAS.

THANK YOU MS. FLORA.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? .

[7.A. Superintendent's Report]

OKAY, NEXT UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

UM, I DO NOT HAVE A LOT TO REPORT TONIGHT.

WE, UM, HAVE HAD OUR TEACHERS BACK FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.

UM, SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW FOR STUDENTS.

UM, WE, UH, DO HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF SOME WINTER WEATHER COMING OUR WAY OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, AND WE WILL SEE HOW THAT TURNS OUT.

BUT, UM, UH, I WAS VISITING WITH MR. MITCHELL EARLIER TODAY AND I KNOW THAT NEXT WEEK, UH, THERE IS A CHANCE OF, OF SOME SNOW.

SO WE'LL JUST, UH, THAT'LL BE SOME EARLY MORNINGS FOR OUR CREWS THAT GO OUT AND CHECK THE ROADS AND, AND TO SEE IF IT'S SAFE TO, TO GET THE BUSES AND STUDENTS AND STAFF OUT ON THE ROAD.

SO, THANK YOU.

NEXT UP WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.

SURE.

CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION? WHEN YOU ALL MAKE YOUR DETERMINATION TO, UM, JUST TO REFRESH OUR MEMORY AND TO LET OUR AUDIENCE AND PEOPLE WATCHING KNOW WHEN YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS ABOUT CLOSURES AND SOMETIMES NOT HARD DECISIONS.

'CAUSE IT'S AN EASY LOOK OUT THERE AND SAY, DO YOU HAVE A TIMEFRAME THAT YOU, SO PARENTS WILL KNOW, LIKE, UM, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A TIMEFRAME BEFORE FOR DELAY? YES, MA'AM.

CLOSURES, CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH US IF I, I WISH I HAD THAT PULLED UP RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I RECEIVE A PHONE CALL ABOUT FIVE 30 IN THE MORNING, UH, FROM MR. MITCHELL.

WE TRY TO GET THAT CALL.

'CAUSE USUALLY BUSES ARE GOING OUT, UH, FAIRLY EARLY, SO WE NEED TO YES, MA'AM.

AND THEN IF IT'S A A A TWO HOUR DELAY OR ONE HOUR DELAY, THEN IT MOVES BACK TO 6 30, 7 30, UH, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WANNA KEEP WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME OF LETTING PARENTS KNOW.

THE GOAL IS, IS THAT IF WE CAN LET LET FAMILIES KNOW THE DAY BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT ALSO, UH, THE STATE IS GIVING, UH, LEEWAY TO WHERE IF WE DO KNOW IN ADVANCE, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY SEND LUNCHES HOME.

UH, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

THEN THEY KIND OF TOOK THAT AWAY AND THEN WE GOT NOTICE FROM NICOLE, UH, KENZIE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT AGAIN.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE CAN LET THEM KNOW BEFORE I THINK IT'S 1231 O'CLOCK, THEN THEY COULD ACTUALLY GET, UM, FOOD TO THE STUDENTS AS THEY, UM, GET OUT THE DOOR AND ONTO THE BUSES.

[7.B. Board Member Reports]

MS. SALEMS, YOU WANNA GO FIRST? HAPPY NEW YEAR.

UM, I WAS GOING TO START OFF MY REPORT WITH, UM, NEW YEAR'S GOALS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, FOR THIS FOLLOWING YEAR, SHOW BETTER SUPPORT TO PARENTS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BOARD CREATE A PARENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS, INCLUDING A STREAMLINED GRIEVANCE PROCESS TO GET PARENTAL CONCERNS ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND EASILY.

I ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS INSIDE THE SCHOOLS.

I WANT TO BETTER SUPPORT TEACHERS.

I WANT TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY FEEL HEARD AND APPRECIATED.

ALSO, PROVIDING THEM WITH A STREAM STREAMLINED GRIEVANCE PROCESS TO GET STAFF CONCERNS ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND EASILY SO THAT THEY CAN BE DEALT WITH EARLY ON BEFORE THEY HAVE SPIRALED INTO SOMETHING LARGER THAN IT NEEDED TO BE.

UM, I AM HOPING THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH A, UM, COMMITTEE OF ROTATING BOARD MEMBERS TO SERVE ON A HIRING COMMITTEE WHEN HIRING HIRE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AS BOARD MEMBER WOULD SIT IN ON THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH AREA SURROUNDING DISTRICTS AND, AND FOUND OUT THAT OUR BOARD REALLY DOES NOT HAVE MANY COMMITTEES.

THE OUR BOARD IS, UM, I KNOW EVERYBODY IS BUSY.

I'M NOT TRYING TO DUMP MORE ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S PLATE, BUT, UM, OUR BOARD HAS, HAS SOME OF THE FEWEST COMMITTEES THAT, THAT OF ANY NEIGHBORING, UH, SCHOOL BOARD.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US GET MORE INVOLVED WITH THAT.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CREATE A PUPIL'S PARENTS AND PERSONNEL GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE.

SO THAT WAY WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO CAN TRY TO GET INVOLVED EARLY ON TO TRY TO RES TO ACHIEVE RESOLUTIONS TO

[00:50:01]

ISSUES BEFORE THEY SNOWBALL OUT OF CONTROL.

THIS WOULD HOPEFULLY ALSO HELP WITH STAFF RETENTION.

TYPICALLY, WE DON'T END UP HEARING ABOUT ISSUES UNTIL THE, THE MEETING ONCE A MONTH WHERE SOMEBODY'S AT THE, THE PODIUM AND, AND THE ACTIONS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE OR UNTIL WE GET AN EMAIL OR A PHONE CALL THAT THE, THE SHIP HAS ALREADY SAILED AT THAT POINT.

UM, TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY THE PERFECT EXAMPLE BECAUSE I, I WASN'T AWARE OF MS. FLORA BEING MOVED.

SHE'S NOT ON THE PERSONNEL REPORT FOR TONIGHT TO BE MOVED.

SO I, I I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S HAPPENING.

UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE OUR BOARD FORM A DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE LIKE MANY OTHER BOARDS HAVE, SO THAT OUR BOARD CAN TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN ADDRESSING THE DISCIPLINE ISSUES IN OUR COUNTY.

I THINK 2024, IT'S GONNA BE THE YEAR WE'RE GONNA GET THESE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FESTERING FOR YEARS NOW UNDER CONTROL.

I HOPE YOU'LL ALL GET ON BOARD WITH ME WITH THIS.

THANK YOU, MR. MCFADDEN.

WELL, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING, UM, BUT IN DECEMBER, I WENT AROUND AND MET MOST OF THE PRINCIPALS AND, AND VARIOUS OTHER PERSONNEL AT THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR MEETING WITH ME.

I MET EVERYONE BUT TWO, SO I STILL GOTTA GET AROUND AND DO TWO MORE.

UM, BUT I'VE LEARNED A LOT, UH, FROM, FROM THE VARIOUS PEOPLE IN THEIR POSITIONS AND, AND SEEING THE TOURS OF THE SCHOOL.

AND SO I'M, I'M JUST VERY EAGER TO, TO GET GOING ON THIS.

A LOT OF WHAT MELANIE IS SAYING, I, I I THINK THOSE WOULD BE GOOD IDEAS TOO.

I'M LOOKING VERY OPEN-MINDED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE, MAKE THE PLACE BETTER.

I DO HAVE, COMING FROM AN OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW, UH, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, NOT OF SKIN IN THE GAME, AS THEY SAY FOR, FOR THE HERE, BUT I, I DO NOW.

AND AS A RESULT, I, I HOPE TO ADD SOME INNOVATION TO SOME IDEAS, TRY TO GET ALONG, HELP, HELP WITH THAT.

I DON'T BRING A LOT OF DRAMA TO, TO WHAT I DO.

I TRY TO LISTEN PLY AND THINK ABOUT IT.

UM, SO I'M, I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY ON HERE.

I'VE BEEN COMING TO THE MEETINGS FOR THE PAST SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS, SO IT'S KIND OF COOL TO BE UP HERE WITH THE CELEBRITIES I'VE SEEN ALL THIS TIME AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TALK WITH THEM AND WORK WITH THEM.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

AND IF ANY, I KNOW LAST TIME I WAS HERE IN DECEMBER, I, I KINDA GAVE A TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

I, THE ONE THING I FORGOT TO LEAVE, I, I LEFT OUT BY ACCIDENT IS, OF COURSE, THE PARENTS, ANY OF THE PARENTS HAVE AN INTEREST IN COMMUNICATING TO ME.

I'M, I'M, I'M ONE OF THE FASTEST COMMUNICATORS YOU'LL EVER RUN INTO AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE.

AND I, AND I LOVE TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE PARENTS, YOUR KIDS.

SO IF I'VE, IF YOU'VE EVER A QUESTION FOR ME, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S THE LINE OF COMMAND OF HOW IT WORKS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE AT THE SCHOOL, START WITH THE SCHOOL.

IF, IF SOMEHOW YOU'RE HITTING ROADBLOCKS WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD I THINK IS A GOOD PLACE TO GO AS WELL.

BUT, UM, IF, IF THERE'S EVER ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE.

CONTACT ME.

I WON'T ALWAYS SAY RIGHT AWAY, I CAN FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT I'LL SAY, I'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT AND I PROMISE YOU I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. LOWE.

UM, I DON'T HAVE A, A MUCH TO REPORT EITHER EXCEPT TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M VERY EXCITED FOR SCHOOL TO START TOMORROW AND MY CHILDREN ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO A WINTER STORM THIS WEEKEND, .

THANK YOU, DR.

FUNK.

UM, AGAIN, I THINK WITH EVERYBODY, NOT, NOT A WHOLE LOT, IT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS EVERYBODY GOT TO SPEND SOME QUALITY TIME AT, WITH THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

AND I HOPE, UM, EVERYBODY DID THAT AND HAS A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

UM, WELCOME TO OUR BOARD OFFICIALLY, IF I, I THINK I'VE SAID THAT EARLIER TOO, BUT WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE, WE DO THAT.

UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, I DID, WAS ABLE TO ATTEND BACK IN DECEMBER, THE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, UH, I THINK THEY CALL IT THEIR WINTER BAZAR.

IT'S, IT'S ON A WEEKEND.

IT'S A GREAT LITTLE PLACE TO, UM, TO FOR, UM, CRAFTERS AND TO FIND SOME LIKE UNIQUE GIFTS.

UM, SO I WAS ABLE TO, UM, ATTEND THAT AND, AND SEE ALL THE GOOD STUFF AND, UM, WON A DO PRIZE.

SO I WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

'CAUSE I DON'T EVER WIN ANYTHING.

I, I THINK COMING UP IN JANUARY, I'M GONNA BE A, UM, IT'S MY TURN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1 0 1 CLASS.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT.

I BELIEVE IT'S NEXT WEEK.

UM, I ALSO HAVE, UM, SOME, SOME PEOPLE AT HOME WATCHING THE SNOW FOR THE WEATHER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS EDUCATORS WE ALWAYS DO THAT.

UM, BUT I HAVE LEARNED TO, I DON'T, UH, BELIEVE IT UNTIL I SEE IT.

UM, WE'LL SEE.

'CAUSE, UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

BUT, UM, THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UM, AND THEN I, UM, I KNOW YOU HAD BROUGHT UP THE COMMITTEE FORMATIONS, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE LAST SEMESTER, AND I ACTUALLY ALREADY REACHED OUT TO DR.

UM, I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL TOMORROW.

WELCOME TO THE BOARD, MR. MCFADDEN.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

UM, MS. SALEM'S, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING WITH THE GOALS.

I THINK AS WE SLOWLY MAYBE FINALLY START WORKING THROUGH OUR POLICY UPDATES, THAT'S GONNA BE HOPEFULLY THE PERFECT TIME TO GET SOME OF THAT STUFF STREAMLINED SO IT'S NOT BURIED WITHIN SO MANY DOCUMENTS.

[00:55:01]

BALLINGER ABOUT BRINGING THAT CONVERSATION UP AT OUR WORK SESSION NEXT, UM, WELL THIS MONTH IN TWO WEEKS.

SO THAT HOPEFULLY, UM, WE CAN, AS A BOARD SEE WHAT OTHER POTENTIAL COMMITTEES WE'D BE INTERESTED IN FORMING AND THEN GET THAT SORT OF MOVING FORWARD AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GREAT IDEAS AND I JUST HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A REALLY GREAT SEMESTER COMING UP.

[8.A. Approval of 2024 School Board Meeting Calendar - Dr. Ballenger]

AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE ACTION AGENDA.

THE FIRST ITEM THIS EVENING IS GONNA BE THE APPROVAL OF THE 2024 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALENDAR, DR.

BALLINGER.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

UM, IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE, UH, THE CALENDAR, UH, MR. BALLANTINE WORKED ON THIS.

UH, WE STILL HAVE OUR, UH, SCHEDULE TO WHERE EVERYTHING WOULD STILL START AT FIVE 30.

UM, THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS WOULD START AT FIVE 30 WITH THE, UM, THAT WOULD BE WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

IT'S JUST TONIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.

WE DID NOT GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT FIRST.

WE WILL GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOLLOWING.

UM, BUT THAT WAY IT'S ALWAYS A FIVE 30 START.

UM, THEN ON OUR WORK SESSIONS, IT'S A FIVE 30 START WITH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION IF THERE'S A NEED FOR ONE, UH, FOLLOWING THE MEETING, UM, A COUPLE OF DATES THAT WE DID LOOK AT THE APRIL THE 10TH, THAT IS NOT THE FIRST WEDNESDAY, BUT THE REASON WE'RE MOVING THAT IS BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO THE WEEK OF SPRING BREAK.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF LAST YEAR WE MOVED IT TO THE WEEK, THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE SPRING BREAK, THIS TIME WE'RE MOVING IT TO THE WEDNESDAY AFTER SPRING BREAK.

AND THEN, AND MR. VALENTINE, PLEASE CORRECT ME ON ANY OF THEM.

IF I MISSED ONE.

IT WAS THE ONE IN JUNE.

JUNE, JUNE THE 19TH? YES.

YES.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OR IS THE THIRD WEDNESDAY? YES.

JUNETEENTH IS IS THE THIRD WEDNESDAY.

SO WE MOVE THAT TO JUNE 26TH, WHICH IS PROBABLY ALSO ADVANTAGEOUS.

UM, IF THERE'S ANY LATE MINUTE BUDGET CHANGES OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE YEARS TO WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S THE LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS OF THE MONTH WHEN WE'RE GETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS APPROVED.

SO THAT WOULD WORK, COULD WORK OUT IN OUR FAVOR TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS ANY CHANGES THEN YOU, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING.

SO, UH, WE PUT THAT ONE THERE AGAIN IN JULY.

WE STILL ONLY HAVE THE ONE MEETING, AND THEN IN DECEMBER WE, WE ONLY HAVE THE ONE MEETING.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.

BALLINGER ON THIS CALENDAR? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE PRO PROPOSED 2024 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING CALENDAR BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE, UM, FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[8.B. Authorization to Advertise Public Hearing for FY2025 Budget - Dr. Ballenger]

BE GIVEN TO ADVERTISE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FY 2025 BUDGET AT THE FEBRUARY 7TH, 2024 MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THIS MEETING MUST BE CANCELED, THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2024 AT 5:30 PM IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.

CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIRES SCHOOL BOARDS TO HOLD ONE OR MORE HEARINGS AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO ADOPTING A BUDGET.

NOTICE OF SUCH PUBLIC HEARING SHALL BE GIVEN AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE SET FOR THE HEARING AND SHALL BE ADVERTISED IN A NEWSPAPER HAVING GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE LOCALITY.

UH, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FY 25 BUDGET BE HELD DURING THE FEBRUARY 7TH, 2024 MEETING.

IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT IN CASE THAT MEETING IS CANCELED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING BE HELD THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON FEBRUARY 14TH, UH, 2021.

2024.

SORRY.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT ADVERTISEMENT? I HAVE ONE, ONE QUESTION ON THE, UM, ON THE, UH, YOU MENTIONED FEBRUARY 14TH ON THE, AT LEAST THE PROPOSED MOTIONS SAYS FEBRUARY 22ND, 21ST ON THE, THE 21ST IS CORRECT.

THAT WAS CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

THERE'S A TYPO IN THE TYPO IN THERE IN THE, IN THE, UH, THING THAT I READ THERE.

SO IT IS CORRECT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE, UM, A MEETING ON FEBRUARY 14TH.

SO IT'S THE 21ST.

I WAS THINKING YOU HAD ONE ON MY BIRTHDAY ON MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY.

I THOUGHT VALENTINE'S DAY WAS GONNA BE A TRIFECTA .

ANYWAY, WHATEVER.

I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT.

IT'S OKAY.

HAPPY.

GOOD.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT AUTHORIZATION

[01:00:01]

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? WILL THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT BE AT FIVE 30 THOUGH? BECAUSE OF GOING INTO CLOSED, I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AN HOUR EARLY, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

WELL, IF IT'S ON THE SEVENTH, IT'LL BE AT OUR REGULAR SIX 30.

IT'LL BE AT THE REGULAR SIX 30, BUT IT SAYS FIVE 30 BECAUSE OUR WORK SESSION STARTS AT FIVE 30.

WELL, IS HOW I READ THAT? THE ADVER WILL THE ADVERTISEMENT CLARIFY THAT SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE PEOPLE SHOWING UP EARLY OR LATE.

OKAY, GREAT.

OKAY, THANKS FOR ASKING.

UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE CONTRACTS.

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU.

[8.C. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Superintendent to Issue Contracts--Dr. Ballenger]

BALLINGER, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE CONTINUED TO DO THIS.

THIS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRESENTED THIS TIME EACH YEAR.

UM, THIS ALLOWS IN CASE THAT, UM, THERE'S A NEED TO HIRE SOMEBODY BEFORE OR IN BETWEEN BOARD MEETINGS, UM, THAT I NOTIFY THE BOARD CHAIR AND THEN I BELIEVE THE BOARD CHAIR HAS BEEN NOTIFYING THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THEN THE BOARD CHAIR GETS BACK TO ME AND THEN I GO AHEAD AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THAT PERSON ON BOARD.

AND, AND THAT HELPS US, UM, IN SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S AN EMERGENCY TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS, UH, TO TAKE ACTION, UH, TO GET SOMEBODY IN.

IT MAY BE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, A TEACHER SHOW UP THAT JUST MOVED INTO THE AREA, THEY'RE APPLYING FOR A VACANCY.

UM, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF VACANCIES AROUND.

UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO GRAB THAT PERSON BEFORE THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, GO APPLY SOMEPLACE ELSE.

UH, SO, SO THIS ALLOWS US TO DO THAT.

AND I WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WITH BASICALLY DOING A CALL AROUND OF, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, YOU DO A GREAT JOB OF IT.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS? I MOVE THAT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS BE ADOPTED AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

A A OPPOSED? NO.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE SECOND READING OF THE 24 25 SCHOOL CALENDAR.

[8.D. Second Reading of 2024 - 2025 School Calendar - Mr. Smith]

MR. SMITH, THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.

UH, THE ATTACHED CALENDAR IS BEING PRESENTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR.

UH, KEY INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED CALENDAR, UH, WOULD BE AUGUST 13TH, WOULD BE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, UM, SEPTEMBER THE 12TH AND 13TH.

AND I'M GONNA COME BACK TO, TO THIS, BUT CURRENTLY ON THIS PROPOSED CALENDAR, UH, THE 12TH WOULD BE AN EARLY RELEASE DAY, UH, FOR STUDENTS AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES IN THE EVENING FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM AND THEN THE NEXT DAY WE WOULD HAVE NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS AND WE WOULD RUN A MORNING, UM, PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE FROM NINE TO 12.

UM, PERHAPS THERE ARE FOLKS WHO, UH, FOUR TO SEVEN DOES NOT WORK FOR THEM.

IT GIVES THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

AND THEN THE REST OF THE, ONCE THE, UH, NOONTIME IS OVER WITH, AND STAFF WOULD BE FREE TO, TO LEAVE.

UM, OCTOBER 15TH WOULD BE THE END OF THE FIRST ADVISORY.

NOVEMBER 25TH THROUGH THE 29TH WOULD BE OUR, OUR FALL BREAK.

UH, DECEMBER 20TH WOULD BE THE END OF THE SECOND ADVISORY FOR FIRST, UM, FIRST SEMESTER, UH, FOR THOSE ON BLOCK SCHEDULING.

UH, DECEMBER 23RD THROUGH JANUARY 4TH WOULD BE WINTER BREAK FOR STUDENTS.

JANUARY 23RD THROUGH JANUARY 1ST WOULD BE WINTER BREAK FOR STAFF.

FEBRUARY 6TH AND SEVENTH WOULD BE, WOULD MIRROR THE SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE.

AND I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THAT ONE AT THE END AS WELL.

THOSE PARTICULAR DATES, MARCH THE 11TH WOULD BE THE END OF THE THIRD ADVISORY.

APRIL 14TH THROUGH THE 21ST WOULD BE SPRING BREAK ON OUR ORIGINAL CALENDAR.

I BELIEVE I HAD THAT, UM, A WEEK LATER.

BUT, BUT OUR COMMITTEE, WE CHANGED THAT TO, UH, BE A WEEK SOONER FOR THE SPRING BREAK SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME MORE CONSISTENCY AT THE END OF THE YEAR FOR SOL TESTING.

UM, MAY 22ND WILL BE THE LAST DAY FOR SCHOOLS, UH, FOR STUDENTS.

UH, THE CALENDAR REFLECTS, UH, 1038 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS.

[01:05:01]

UH, NINE 90 IS REQUIRED FOR THE NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS, HOURS, SO THIS CALENDAR WOULD PROVIDE 48 BANKED HOURS, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER CANCELLATIONS.

IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE 11 PROFESSIONAL, UH, DAYS IN THE CALENDAR.

NOW, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK AND JUST, UH, FROM SOME OF A RECOMMENDATION FROM SOME OF OUR, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND SOME THINGS THAT I, UM, I PROPOSE I WOULD LIKE TO START BY LOOKING AT THE SEPTEMBER 12TH 13TH DATE AS OUR FIRST PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN THERE BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE INTERIMS. UM, SO THAT WOULD GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT GO SO FAR INTO THE SEMESTER OR INTO BEFORE PARENTS COULD BE NOTIFIED IF THERE WAS ISSUES AND, AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

BUT TO SOME DEGREE FOR, UH, SOME OF OUR, UM, CLASSES, IT'S HARD TO GET, BUT SO MUCH DATA BETWEEN THE TIME IT STARTS TO THEN.

SO I WOULD LOOK AT AND FROM SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATION FROM SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE TO POSSIBLY PUSH THAT FROM SEPTEMBER 12TH, 13TH DOWN INTO THE SEPTEMBER 26TH, 27TH, OR AT LEAST IT'D BE A LITTLE BIT LATER.

MY FEAR ORIGINALLY AND STILL IS SOMEWHAT OF A, A CONCERN IS, UM, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR DEEP INTO THAT ADVISOR BEFORE WE FIND OUT THAT THINGS ARE NOT GOING WELL.

WELL, FROM SPEAKING WITH, UH, UM, MANY OF OUR PRINCIPALS, UM, M MOST OF THE TEACHERS WOULD START TO CONTACT THOSE STUDENTS PARENTS IF THEY STARTED TO SEE THEM FALL OFF SOONER AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

SO THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THE FIRST PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE DOWN TOWARD THE 26 27 TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME JUST FOR, UM, UH, SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES WE GET OFF TO A SLOW START, A BAD START ON A QUIZ OR A TEST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, AND THEN WE CAN, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT UP.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH TIME BEFORE THE OCTOBER 15TH DATE, WHICH WOULD BE THE END OF THE, UH, UH, FIRST ADVISORY, UH, THAT WOULD GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR A, A FEW WEEKS AT LEAST FOR, UM, FOLKS TO, TO WORK ON GETTING THE GRADES UP OR, OR MAINTAINING WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW.

FEBRUARY, UM, THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE IN FEBRUARY 5TH, I'M SORRY, SIXTH AND SEVENTH.

I, I WAS LOOKING AT POSSIBLY MOVING THAT DOWN TO THE 13TH AND THE 14TH, BECAUSE THERE WE HAVE ON MONDAY THE 17TH, IF YOU GET TWO, AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME FORMAT.

THE 13TH WOULD BE AN EARLY RELEASE, AND THE 14TH, UH, WOULD BE THE, UH, NO SCHOOL, NO STUDENTS THAT DAY IN THE, IN THE MORNING PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE.

IT WOULD GIVE A BREAK THERE FOR SOME STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, UM, OF A, OF A LONG WEEKEND, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A HOLIDAY THERE ON THE 17TH.

SOMETIMES WHEN YOU START TO, UM, PUT DAYS OFF LIKE A HOLIDAY AND THEN SOME DAYS BACK ON IN SCHOOL AND THEN DAYS OFF AGAIN, IT STARTS TO REALLY HURT THE ATTENDANCE.

SO SOMETIMES IF YOU CAN JUST PUT A GAP IN THERE OF A FEW DAYS, PEOPLE CAN GET THE EXCITEMENT OUT OF BEING OFF AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS AND THEN COME BACK FRESH AND IT, IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT AS WELL FOR TEACHING AND CONSISTENT AS WELL FOR, UM, TESTING.

SO THOSE ARE THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, FROM THE FIRST CALENDAR THAT I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO, TO THIS COMMITTEE.

AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO, AND WE'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THIS IS THE SECOND READING.

NORMALLY WE DO THREE READINGS OF THE CALENDAR, AND THAT, THAT NORMALLY IS, IS THE FINAL CALENDAR FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

HAS ANYONE ELSE RECEIVED COMMENTS? THE ONLY CONVERSATION I'VE HAD IS THAT CONCERN WITH THE, UM, SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH BEING SO EARLY IN THE START OF SCHOOL THAT YES, IF THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING, THERE'D BE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS, NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION YET.

BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE ELSE.

SO THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN, I'LL START WITH ON THAT TOPIC.

UM, THE FEEDBACK I'VE BEEN GETTING ACTUALLY FROM A LOT OF PARENTS IS THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING NOTIFIED BY TEACHERS BEFORE, UM, THEIR CHILD IS FAILING.

UM, WITH THE REPORT, THE REPORT CARDS COME OUT, THEY'VE GOT THE F AND THE PARENT IS, IS SHOCKED.

THE, AND THESE ARE PARENTS WHO SAY THAT THEY ARE ON,

[01:10:01]

THEY ARE ON THE APP, THEY'RE ONLINE, THEY'RE LOOKING, THEY'RE SEEING THE GRADES, THEY'RE SEEING THE GRADES.

AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE GRADES COME OUT, BOOM, THE GRADE IS LOWER THAN WHAT THEY HAD EXPECTED.

UM, SO I LIKED SEEING THE EARLIER PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY, AT THAT POINT, THEY'RE STARTING SO EARLY, THEY'RE ALREADY IN SCHOOL FOR A FULL MONTH AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

SO PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES ARE NOT NECESSARILY JUST ABOUT GRADES EITHER.

IT'S IT'S BEHAVIORS AND, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO I FEEL LIKE A MONTH IS, IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET UP AND, AND ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR CHILD IS NOT PARTICIPATING.

YOUR CHILD ISN'T THIS TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE, THE FINAL GRADE COMES OUT.

IT'S, IT'S, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IN THOSE LAST TWO WEEKS? SHIP ALREADY SAILED.

UM, SO I HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK ON THAT WITH PARENTS, WITH THE CONCERNS WITH THE GRADES.

THERE'S LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS ABOUT THE EARLY START DATE.

IT'S NOT LIKED.

UM, WHO, WHEN YOU REFER TO WHEN YOU WENT TO THE COMMITTEE, WHO'S ON THIS COMMITTEE? NORMALLY I HAVE REPS FROM EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.

NORMALLY IT'S EITHER ONE OR TWO REPS.

UH, SOMETIMES IT'S, UH, ONE, UH, COULD BE A TEACHER AND AN ADMINISTRATOR COULD BE TWO TEACHERS.

UM, OKAY.

AND IT'S OUR CALENDAR COMMITTEE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR, FOR SOME TIME NOW.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DAUNTING TASK.

NOT TRYING TO MINIMIZE THAT, NOT TRYING TO ROCK THE VOTE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

UM, BUT GOING FORWARD, MAYBE NEXT YEAR FOR THE CALENDAR, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE PARENTS IN THAT COMMITTEE? SURE.

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDES THE PARENTS THE SERVICE.

AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, I MEAN, ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN ON ANY OF THE WHAT'S UP FACEBOOK BOARDS, WE'LL SEE JUST HOW MUCH THE EARLY START DATE IS DISLIKED.

UM, SO THAT, THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE THE THINGS THAT I FELT THE NEED TO ADDRESS.

WHAT, UM, WHAT ARE THE SURROUNDING COUNTY START DATES? BECAUSE I WANNA SAY MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL IS STARTING ON THE SEVENTH, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER.

SO I KNOW SOME OF IT TRIES TO LINE UP WITH THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND THOSE STUDENTS COMING BACK EARLY.

ABOUT THOSE DAYS, BUT, UM, BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRST SEMESTER AND SECOND SEMESTER.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE ALWAYS, I I I'M NOT, I MEAN, I, I HAVEN'T REALLY RESEARCHED WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE, ARE DOING.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS OF WHERE, UM, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT PROBABLY IS SIMILAR.

UM, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A TREND NOW MORE THAT A LOT OF SCHOOLS ARE PUSHING EARLIER AND EARLIER TO GET THAT FIRST SEMESTER DONE BY DECEMBER.

'CAUSE IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD WHEN YOU HAVE TO BREAK UP A SEMESTER.

UM, AND THEN THE FLIP SIDE TOO IS OBVIOUSLY THE SECOND SEMESTER ENDS, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S OUT AT THE END OF MAY .

SURE.

BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S KIND OF BEEN A RECENT TREND OF THE LAST, LIKE 10 YEARS, IS PUSHING BACK FROM THE AFTER LABOR DAY TO THE, IT HAS REALLY BEEN THAT TRANSITION TIME DURING THE WINTER BREAK TO END THAT FIRST SEMESTER.

WE HAVE IN THE YEARS AGO, WE, WE HAVE STARTED LATER AND SOMETIMES MUCH LATER ACTUALLY IN OUR CALENDAR.

AND THAT WE WOULD'VE HAD FIRST SEMESTER IN SOMETIME AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY.

PERHAPS THE CHALLENGE OF THAT IS COMING BACK FROM THE WINTER BREAK, REESTABLISHING WHAT YOU LEFT OFF AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS IN THE, IN THE CLASSROOM PRIOR TO THAT.

UM, THAT IS, AND THEN BY GOING WITH THE BLOCK SCHEDULING, UM, IT ALLOWED ITSELF TO HAVE AN EASY OR A SMOOTH TRANSITION THERE AT THE WINTER BREAK.

SO YOU ARE CORRECT.

AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO START SOONER IN ORDER TO GET THOSE DAYS IN OR THE HOURS IN.

SO IT'S A CHA IT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT HISTORICALLY, WE, UH, RECENT HISTORY, WE HAVE STARTED THIS, UH, EARLIER DATE AND THEN MANY YEARS AGO WE DID START AT A MUCH LATER DATE.

IT PUT US OUT, OBVIOUSLY LATER INTO THE, UH, SUMMERTIME AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

BUT IT WAS MORE OF A CHALLENGE AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL OF THE TRANSITION THROUGH THE WINTER BREAK, COMING BACK IN JANUARY AND TRYING TO FINISH A COURSE AFTER YOU'VE BEEN OUT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS.

ARE THERE THE SAME EQUAL NUMBER OF, I MEAN, NOT LOOKING AT THE FULL DAYS OF THE CALENDAR, EQUAL NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS AND DAYS, BOTH IN THE SORT OF BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK AND AFTER FIRST SEMESTER? IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, FIRST SEMESTER HAS LESS INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS THAN SECOND SEMESTER.

IF YOU LOOK DOWN ON THE CALENDAR, JUST START UP AT THE DECEMBER AND RUN STRAIGHT DOWN, AND THERE'S VERY, AT THE VERY BOTTOM, IT'LL HAVE A LITTLE GREEN BOX THAT WILL SAY SEP, UH, SEMESTER ONE.

AND THAT WILL IDENTIFY THAT SEMESTER ONE HAS 85 DAYS IN IT.

AND THEN SEMESTER TWO WAS ABLE TO HAVE 89 DAYS IN IT.

NOW, I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, UM, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE

[01:15:01]

WELL, AND I WILL, AND I WILL SAY TOO, I KNOW MY THEORY ORIGINALLY WAS IF WE'RE STARTING EARLIER, MAYBE THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE ABSENTEEISM PROBLEM BECAUSE SOME FAMILIES TAKE THEIR VACATIONS LATER.

BUT AS DR.

BALLINGER HAS PROVIDED US WITH ALL THAT DATA THAT, THAT I HAD REQUESTED, THAT IS NOT PROVING TO BE TRUE, IT'S THOSE DAYS THAT ARE BEING MISSED ARE NOT VACATIONS, AT LEAST ARE NOT BEING MISSED IN THAT AUGUST TO TIMEFRAME LABOR DAY TIMEFRAME.

IT, IT ACTUALLY TENDS TO BE LATER.

VACATIONS GET CHEAPER LATER INTO THE YEAR.

AS WELL.

UM, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE THE 1ST OF AUGUST.

I THINK ALSO WITH THE SOL TESTING AND AP TESTING, BOTH BEING IN MAY, UM, IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS TO NOT HAVE OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL TOO MUCH LONGER AFTER MAY.

UM, WHERE THEY COULD STILL BE LEARNING, BUT THEN THEY'RE GONNA FORGET IT OVER THE SUMMER.

UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT IN, IN, IN THE ONE SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK IS HELPFUL.

AND ALSO MAYBE WHY SEMESTER TWO HAS A FEW MORE DAYS BECAUSE WE, WE ALL DO LOSE DAYS TO SOL TESTING AND AP TESTING IN MAY.

AND SNOW AND I AND SNOW.

AND I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT MS. SALINE, UM, HAD SAID THAT I'VE HEARD THAT TOO, THAT A PARENT, YOU KNOW, GETS A REPORT CARD AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.

UM, WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT OBVIOUSLY WE, WE NEED THE PARENT TO, UM, BE CHECKING AND BE CONNECTED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I, I HOPE, AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF MAKE A STATEMENT THAT I WANT OUR TEACHERS TO BE, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL OF OUR PARENTS MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO AN APP, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTACTING THEM IN THE FORM THAT WE CAN CONTACT THEM, BECAUSE, UM, I NEVER WANT THAT REPORT CARD, YOU KNOW, TO BE SHOCKED.

UM, WITH, AND, AND I, I HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE, AND I SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE, THAT, THAT SEPTEMBER, UM, I DON'T KNOW, IS INSTEAD OF MOVING IT TO THE 26TH AND 27TH IS MOVING IT ONE WEEK BACK.

LIKE, THAT'S FINE.

IS THAT MAYBE A COMPROMISE? UM, BECAUSE I CAN ALSO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, WE'RE ESTABLISHING ROUTINES.

WE ARE, UH, CONTINUALLY ESTABLISHING, ESTABLISHING, ESTABLISHING ROUTINES, DOING SOME PRELIMINARY TESTING ASSESSMENTS TO SEE WHERE OUR KIDS ARE COMING INTO US THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL.

WE REALLY START TO GET INTO THAT BY THE THIRD AND FOURTH WEEK.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY GETTING IT.

BUT THEN YOU'VE ONLY HAD LIKE TWO, TWO WEEKS.

SOME OF THEM YOU'RE GONNA SEE RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SO I SEE BOTH, BOTH SIDES.

BUT I DON'T KNOW AS A, MAYBE MOVING IT TO THE MIDDLE ONE, A GOOD COMPROMISE TO, YEAH, I WOULD ASK FROM THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE CONVERSATION FROM MS SALE, IF, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE THERE, UM, OF WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT.

UH, IF THE 19TH AND 20TH, UH, IT WOULD BE A WEEK LATER, OBVIOUSLY, UM, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE TWO WEEKS LATER.

SO IT COULD ERASE SOME OF THE, THE FEAR THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT WE WOULD GO TOO FAR INTO THE SEMESTER OR TOO FAR INTO THE ADVISORY BEFORE OUR PARENTS ARE, ARE CALLED IN.

UM, IT WAS MORE A CONVERSATION OF LIKE, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU GET DOWN TO A CALENDAR, YOU, YOU START PICKING IT APART AS A COMMITTEE OR AS A GROUP AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

SO THAT'S SORT OF, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE, WHICH IS GOOD, WHICH MEANS WE'RE TOWARD THE END OF PUTTING THE CALENDAR TOGETHER.

UM, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE 12TH, 13TH, WE CAN GO WITH THAT IF THE 19TH OR 20TH, IF YOU FEEL COMPELLED TO THAT.

UM, DID YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU HAD YOUR COMMITTEE MEETING, DID THERE, WAS, WAS THERE A FULL CONSENSUS ON THE 12TH, 13TH, OR WAS IT A NON-ISSUE? NO, A LOT OF THESE TRYING TO GET SOME OF THESE FOLKS TOGETHER ON SOME OF THESE, THE RECENT CALENDARS, I HAVE SENT OUT STUFF TO OUR CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND THEY HAVE CON THEY WORKED WITH THEIR SCHOOLS AND SENT TO ME BACK.

UM, I THINK AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THEY WERE, ESPECIALLY AT THE LOWER GRADES AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THEY WERE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY HAVING IT AT A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN THE 12TH OR 13TH.

UM, BECAUSE AT SOME OF THOSE LEVELS YOU ARE ESTABLISHING ROUTINES, RELATIONSHIPS, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

AND, UM, SO IT, IT'S, IT'S FLEXIBLE.

IN OTHER WORDS, I MEAN, WHEREVER IT MAY GO IS THERE'S NOT LIKE A GUAR, THERE'S NOT A, THE SPOT IS WHERE THE SPOT IS.

SO, UM, IF A 19TH AND 20TH, UH, THAT WOULD BUY A LITTLE EXTRA TIME FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE THOSE CONCERNS, BUT YET IT WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE SHIP SAILED PER SE.

AND, UM, AND THEN THE, YOU, YOU MISSED THE SEMESTER.

I, I LIKE THAT IDEA OF THE COMPROMISE.

THE 19TH AND 20TH MM-HMM.

, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THESE CALENDARS ON HERE ARE WRITTEN IN A WEIRD WAY.

SO I'M LOOKING AT MY CALENDAR, UM, AND IT'S, SO WE'VE GOT THE WEEK OF THE SECOND THROUGH THE SIXTH, WHICH IS LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

SO THAT'S ALREADY A SHORT WEEK.

[01:20:01]

SO THEN THE NEXT WEEK WE WOULD THEN END UP HAVING TWO SHORT WEEKS IN A ROW.

SO MAYBE HAVE A FULL WEEK BACK AFTER LABOR DAY.

AND THEN DO THE CONFERENCES ON THE 19TH AND 20TH.

IS THAT, YEAH, LET'S LOOK AT FEBRUARY.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

LET'S LOOK AT FEBRUARY BY MOVING IT TO THE 13TH AND 14TH.

UM, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH IT? DO WE LIKE FOR IT TO BE AT THE SIXTH, SEVENTH, OR 13TH? 14TH AND, WELL, I THINK YOUR REASONING IS GOOD.

TYING IT TO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

AND MAKING IT JUST LONGER FOR THE KIDS.

PERSONALLY, ONCE YOU START CHANGING ROUTINES, THEN YOU START CHANGING BEHAVIORS AS WELL.

IN OTHER WORDS, ATTENDANCE AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

IF I GET A DAY OR TWO OFF HERE, I HAVE A TENDENCY TO MAYBE WANNA TAKE ONE MORE DAY OFF WITH THAT.

, UM, MM-HMM.

I'LL BE FINE WITH THOSE.

WOULD THE 14TH BE THE MORNING? YES.

CONFERENCES? YES.

'CAUSE IT'S EARLY RELEASE ON THE 13TH, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

THEY'D BE IN SCHOOL UNTIL 1230 AND ONE 30, IS THAT YEAH.

TWO HOURS PREVIOUS.

IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE 30 AND 1230 MM-HMM.

AND THEN MOM AND DAD CAN STILL HAVE DATE NIGHT ON VALENTINE'S .

THERE YOU GO.

YOU GET THAT DAY BACK NEXT YEAR, SIT ON THE CALENDAR.

THAT'S, THAT'S DIFFERENT.

AND, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE DONE THE TWO DAYS BACK TO BACK CONFERENCES, RIGHT? YES.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST, BECAUSE, UM, I LIKE THAT IDEA.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, YOU HAVE TWO HOURS AND YOU NEVER CAN MEET WITH ALL YOUR PARENTS.

UM, BUT THAT GIVES A TOTAL OF FIVE HOURS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF A FACE-TO-FACE AND ACCOMMODATING, YOU KNOW, PARENTS THAT WORK IN THE EVENING VERSUS ARE OFF IN THE MORNINGS.

SO I LIKE THAT CREATIVITY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS PUT INTO THAT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND INITIALLY ON THAT, UH, I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE OF WHEN I TAUGHT THAT WE, THIS IS HOW WE, WE DID IT.

WE DID A AFR WE DID AN EVENING, AND THEN WE DID A MORNING.

UM, THE LOCATION OF WHICH I, I PREVIOUSLY WORKED MANY YEARS AGO, A LOT.

WE HAD A LOT OF FACTORIES AND A LOT OF MANUFACTURING AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

SO THOSE PARENTS WERE ON, MANY OF 'EM WERE ON THE EVENING SHIFTS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.

SO.

WELL, AND THE OTHER THING, I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE LIKE 12 TO SEVEN, I THINK CURRENTLY.

, THAT'S A LONG DAY FOR OUR EDUCATORS.

AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR EDUCATORS HAVE THAT ENERGY AT 12 O'CLOCK AS THEY DO AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

AND THAT'S A LONG DAY TO MEET AND TALK.

SO THIS KIND OF BREAKS IT UP FOR OUR STAFF, I THINK, TOO, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA GIVE EVERY PARENT THAT FULL OPPORTUNITY AND IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT THE 15TH PARENT OR THE 20TH PARENT I'VE TALKED TO TONIGHT AND MAKES IT EVERYBODY HAVE THAT EQUAL, UH, PLAYING FIELD PER SE.

IT DOES.

AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM TEACHERS ABOUT THE LONG NIGHTS HAVING TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.

UM, YOU KNOW, NOT GETTING HOME TILL EIGHT O'CLOCK, UM, COMING BACK TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING AT SEVEN 30.

SO, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE LISTENING TO HIM, AND THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS, AS MR. SMITH SAID, YOU KNOW, I HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, UM, IN, IN PREVIOUS, UH, SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO WHERE IT, IT ACTUALLY ALLOWS THOSE TEACHERS, IT GIVES THEM THAT HALF DAY OFF ON FRIDAY.

'CAUSE THEY'VE WORKED THE HOURS THE NIGHT BEFORE.

SO IT BALANCES EVERYTHING OUT FOR THEM AND GIVES THEM KIND OF AN EXTRA HALF DAY AS A THANK YOU.

AND, AND THEN THE, THE MAIN POINT IS FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT CAN COME IN THE MORNING AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY HAVE, NOW YOU HAVE A TIME SLOT FOR 'EM.

UM, FOR THOSE THAT CAN ONLY DO EVENING, YOU HAVE THE TIME SLOT FOR 'EM.

SO YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT BEST SUITS, UM, THE PARENTS' NEEDS.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

NEXT UP WE HAVE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND IN MONTHS WITH ONLY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, MR. VALENTINE.

[8.E. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Payment of Bills in Emergency Situations and in Months with Only One School Board Meeting - Mr. Ballentine]

UH, RESOLUTION SO THAT, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN LOOK AT THESE AND APPROVE THEM.

THIS IS SOMETHING I BRING TO YOU EACH YEAR AND AT YOUR, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING AND ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO DO THIS.

AND, UM, THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY BOTH PROVIDE FOR THE DRAWING OF SPECIAL WARRANTS PRIOR TO SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL.

IF THE SCHOOL BOARD BY RESOLUTION HAS AUTHORIZED SUCH A PROCEDURE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IT IS ADVISABLE, IF NOT NECESSARY, TO ISSUE A PAYMENT PRIOR TO THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

UM, THESE TYPES CIRCUMSTANCES MAY INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS THE PAYMENT OF UTILITY BILLS, DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, INSURANCE BILLS, CONTRACTOR PAYMENTS, CREDIT CARD BILLS, EMERGENCY PARTS AND SUPPLIES.

UM, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT MAY HAVE TO BE PAID FOR, UM, AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY OR EVEN IN AT THE TIME OF SHIPMENT.

UM, IN THESE CASES, A DELAY IN PAYMENT MAY INCUR ADDITIONAL COSTS OR AFFECT THE NORMAL OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION.

SO WE WOULD ASK, UH, AND HAVE EACH YEAR, UH, YOUR APPROVAL TO PASS THAT, UM, UM, UM, THE,

[01:25:01]

THE THING IS, WE'LL BRING THEM TO YOU AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

NOW, OF COURSE THAT IS AFTER THE FACT, BUT AT LEAST YOU DO GET TO SEE WHAT WAS DONE.

AND CERTAINLY IF YOU'D HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR GUIDANCE IN THE FUTURE, UM, WITH ANY CONCERNS YOU'D HAVE ABOUT IT, UH, YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SO WOULD, UH, GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THE, UH, RESOLUTION.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. VALENTINE ON THIS? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND IN MONTHS WITH ONLY ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BE ADOPTED AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL IS IN FAVOR.

NEXT UP WE HAVE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BROKER SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MCGRIFF.

[8.F. Employee Benefits Broker Service Agreement between WCPS and McGriff - Mr. Lee]

MR. LEE.

UH, MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES HAS PROVIDED WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS INSIDE THE CONTRACTS WE WE'VE HELD WITH OUR SELECTED INSURANCE COMPANIES.

UH, THIS AGREEMENT WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUR EMPLOYEES THE EXCELLENT BENEFIT SERVICES THEY NEED AND DESERVE THROUGH A CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP WITH MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LEY? THIS IS ON TOPIC.

WE'RE KIND OF OFF TOPIC AS WELL.

UM, I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS, I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, WHICH ARE NEW.

SO I'M GONNA ASK, I'M GONNA ASK YOU AS WELL, UM, CAN WE AT ANY POINT HAVE THEM LOOK INTO CONSOLIDATING THE HEALTH INSURANCE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOLS? BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO WORKS IN INSURANCE KNOWS THE LARGER THE POOL, THE LOWER THE RATE.

SO YEAH.

UM, I'VE, I'VE ASKED THE THE EXACT QUESTION.

UM, I I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE WITH MAKING THAT JOINT EFFORT.

SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU GUYS COULD MAYBE PUSH THAT ISSUE AND HELP US IN THAT, IN THAT, UM, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT.

YES.

I, I REMEMBER, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DETAILS, BUT WE'VE HAD, 'CAUSE WE ASKED THAT SAME THING.

BECAUSE THAT TO ME MAKES MM-HMM.

IS A, IS A, THERE'S OTHER, UM, LOCALITIES THAT DO THAT AND IT MAKES SENSE.

, THERE WAS A, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE REASON WHY CURRENTLY I DO.

IT WASN'T AN OPTION.

WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO SAY IT? SURE.

I REMEMBER WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.

YEAH, BECAUSE THAT MAKES SENSE TOO.

I KNOW.

LIKE, WOULDN'T YOU THINK A LARGER POOL IS GONNA BE BETTER FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND HAVE A LOWER RATE? AND I CAN'T, IT WAS LIKE WHEN I FIRST CAME ON, 'CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF MY THINGS.

I REALLY WAS WANTING, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER.

SO I'M SORRY.

I, SO TYPICALLY, WHAT WAS IT? THE REASON WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN WHO WORK AS TEACHERS AND THE COUNTY WORRIES THAT IF THEY WERE TO INCLUDE US, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT IT MIGHT MAKE THEIR RATES GO UP.

SO IT IS A FEMALE DISCRIMINATION ISSUE.

I'M SORRY THAT I SAID IT AND I, I AM GONNA SAY, I THINK I FAINTLY REMEMBER 'CAUSE I THINK WE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN BUDGET, BUT THERE WAS A THING ABOUT LIKE THEIR RATES MIGHT HAVE TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF OUR IT WAS A RATE.

JUST, YEAH, IT WAS A RATE.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT REMEMBERING THE DETAILS, BUT I YOU YEAH, YOU ARE CORRECT.

IT WAS A, A RATE ISSUE, BUT I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE MUTUAL.

I MEAN, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF US.

TALKED ABOUT IT EVERY YEAR.

I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD.

WE TALK ABOUT IT LIKE ALL THE TIME, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE'RE THE LARGEST, LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY, IN THE WHOLE COUNTY.

IN THE ABSOLUTE WHOLE COUNTY.

YES.

SO IT MAKES SO, WELL, YES, IT MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT A FEW BY A TINY DOLLAR AMOUNT.

IT WOULD POSITIVELY AFFECT SO MANY, THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, THE TAXPAYERS, THEREFORE, ET CETERA.

SO THANK YOU MR. LEE.

YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD TALK TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR SOMETHING? IT'S, IT'S NOT A, IT'S ABOVE YOUR GRADE.

COUNTY DOES THAT AS WELL.

IT'S OUTTA CONTROL.

GOT IT.

I'M SORRY FOR PUTTING YOU ON THAT HOT SEAT.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY THAT MCGRIFF, UM, UH, MARIA BOLTON IS OUR BENEFIT SPECIALIST AND, AND SHE IS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH MCGRIFF, UM, WHO HAS ALSO BEEN INSTRUMENTAL WITH OTHER COUNTIES IN PROVIDING A FREE CLINIC FOR THEIR, THEIR, THEIR STAFF.

UM, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING OVER TO FREDERICK COUNTY AND WINCHESTER CITY ON THE 19TH.

IF, IF ANY OF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UM, TO LOOK AT THAT MODEL, TO SEE WHAT THAT CLINIC LOOK LIKE, LOOKS LIKE, SO WE CAN HOPEFULLY BRING THAT TO OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK FKI

[01:30:01]

AND THEN THEY GET THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT UTILIZE THAT FOR PREVENTATIVE CARE GET EVEN FURTHER REDUCED RATES.

AT LEAST THE FOCKER COUNTY MODEL DID.

NEXT UP WE HAVE THE 2023 SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT GRANT.

SO, WONDERFUL.

IT'S EXCITING.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS? I MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RENEW ITS ANNUAL AGREEMENT WITH MCGRIFF INSURANCE SERVICES FOR THE EMPLOYEE, FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND INSURANCE SERVICES.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON IT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

[8.G. 2023 School Security Equipment Grant - Mr. Stefnosk]

THIS IS MR. STEPH MUSKIE.

TONIGHT I COME SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE PURCHASE OF SECURITY CAMERAS FOR HILDA J BARBER IN THE AMOUNT OF $29,738 20 CENTS.

UH, FUNDING FOR THIS COMES IN PART THROUGH, UH, THE VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL AUTHORITY.

THEY AWARDED US $24,000 AND THEN WE HAVE TO PROVIDE A LOCAL MATCH OF 25%.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. STEFANSKI ON THIS? WHERE, WHERE ARE THESE CAMERAS BEING PLACED? THESE ONES WERE, THANK YOU.

SO HOW MANY, YEAH, HOW MANY NEW ARE THERE, ARE THERE SYMBOLS ON YOU THAT TELL US WHICH ONES ARE THE NEW ONES? NO, THEY WILL ALL BE NEW.

SO THESE WILL REPLACE ALL THE EXISTING CAMERAS.

SORRY, MEANT NEW PLACEMENTS.

OH, NEW PLACEMENTS.

UM, I APOLOGIZE.

I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE NEW PLACEMENTS ARE COMPARED TO WHAT THE PREVIOUS ONES WERE.

OTHER THAN I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD, BECAUSE WE HAD APPROVED THAT THERE'D BE POSSIBLE SOME CLASSROOMS WOULD'VE.

CAMERAS? YES.

THESE, THESE ARE NOT CLASSROOM CAMERAS.

THESE WERE HALLWAYS AND OUT, UH, THE OUTSIDE CAMERAS.

GOT IT.

SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL ONES WOULD BE TO COVER SOME OF THE AREAS AROUND LIKE THE PLAYGROUND AREA THAT THEY COULDN'T SEE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE.

SO, OKAY.

SO IMPROVED COVERAGE WITH THE NEW ONES AND THEN JUST REPLACEMENT OF ONES THAT ARE, AND THIS HELPS US MOVE OVERALL.

WE, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CAMERA SYSTEMS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, SO THIS HELPS US MOVE ANOTHER SCHOOL COMPLETELY TO OUR NEWER SYSTEM.

SO EVENTUALLY IT'D BE NICE IF WE CAN GET EVERYBODY, EV ALL OF THEM IN, IN A CONSISTENT SYSTEM.

HOW MANY OTHER SCHOOLS ARE NOT, ARE YOU HOPING TO MOVE TO, UM, OVER OVERALL? I THINK RIGHT NOW THE, THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE ON THE NEW SYSTEM AND I BELIEVE E WILSON, UH, THIS WILL BE THE NEXT ADDITIONAL ONE.

SO, UM, IS THERE, AND THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY PERTAIN TO THAT HILDA, BUT MORE GENERALIZED FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS.

UM, WE HAD A PARENT RAISE A SUGGESTION THAT MAYBE WE COULD HAVE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT COME IN AND HELP WITH, UM, PLACEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON VIEWS AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

UM, JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MOST COVERAGE, MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK, THE MOST COVERAGE OF BLIND AREAS AND IMPORTANT AREAS.

YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

UM, I, I'M, I'M ALL ABOARD, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST PLACEMENTS THAT WE CAN HAVE.

I KNOW THAT, UH, CHRIS GERMAN, OUR, OUR CAMERA EXPERT, HE WAS IN, IN TODAY WITH, UH, WITH MR. BUDD.

THEY WERE MOVING AROUND SOME OF THE, UM, LIKE THE EXIT SIGNS AND THAT, AND SOME OF THE SCHOOLS TO TRY TO REDUCE SOME OF THE BLOCKAGES WE MIGHT HAVE.

ON THIS? DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE COUNTY OR DO ANYTHING WITH THAT OF BRINGING THE MONEY IN? I DON'T SEE THAT ON THERE.

AND BECAUSE OUR SROS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO CHECK THOSE AND MONITOR THOSE.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY WILL PUT A WORK IN WORK ORDER IN TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO ADD ONE, OR WE NEED TO MOVE THIS, OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, YOU KNOW, MONITORING THAT SYSTEM AND, AND HELPING US TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST PLACEMENT.

UM, SOMETIMES ON A DAILY BASIS WHEN THEY GET THOSE DOM HAVE CONTINUOUS ACCESS TO THE CAMERAS.

NOW I THOUGHT WE HAD TO INVITE THEM TO VIEW THE VIDEO.

SO, SO THEY, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW SOME THINGS, LIKE IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO VIEW IT OR THEY CAN ACTUALLY, THEY DO HAVE ACCESS TO 'EM, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE THERE TO PROTECT THE SCHOOL.

AND SO THE, SINCE THIS IS NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN A CLASSROOM, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT MONITORING THAT OR ANYTHING OF THAT.

IT'S, THIS IS ALL HALLWAY EXTERIOR.

UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE TO SECURE THE BUILDING AND, AND THAT WAY THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS? I MOVE THAT APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO PURCHASE SECURITY CAMERAS FOR A HILDA J BARBER FROM A PLUS IN THE AMOUNT OF $29,738 AND 20 CENTS.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION

[01:35:01]

WE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO ADD THAT APPRO IF THAT WAS NOT ADDED INTO THE BUDGET.

BECAUSE THIS IS A GRANT WE MAY NEED TO ADD, UH, INCREASE THE APPROPRIATIONS THIS, BUT I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO MR. BALLANTINE ON THAT.

IF THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL GRANT, YES, WE WILL NEED TO ASK FOR IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T INITIALLY ASKED FOR.

SO SHOULD WE, SO IF YOU WANT TO ADD THAT MOTION TO THEN ASK FOR THAT ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS OF 24,000, UM, WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE THE ADDITIONAL 24,000, IT'D BE THE ADDITIONAL 20,000 BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE, THE OTHER, THE GRANT WAS ONLY FOR 20,000.

IT SAYS 24.

IT SAYS 24 0 29.

YEAH, I WAS READING THAT WRONG.

24,000 INCREASE APPROPRIATION REQUESTS FROM THE, FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

UM, COULD WE GET AN AMENDED MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO PURCHASE SECURITY CAMERAS FOR HJB FROM E PLUS IN THE AMOUNT OF $29,738 AND 20 CENTS.

AND THAT WE BE AUTHORIZED TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR $24,000 TO COVER THE COST OF THIS GRANT.

IS THERE A SECOND ON THE AMENDED MOTION? I'LL SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

[8.H. Update to Policy - JO - Mr. Smith]

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT UP WE HAVE UPDATE TO POLICY.

JO, MR. SMITH.

I'VE ASKED MRS. LEE, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL SERVICES TO COME UP AS WELL.

UM, THERE IS A POLICY, A FIRST READING OF A POLICY UPDATE, UM, THAT DEALS WITH, UH, UH, RECORD KEEPING.

UM, THE CURRENT POLICY OF JO HAS THE CONFIDENTIAL SPED FILE LOCATED AT THE SPECIAL SERVICE, SPECIAL SERVICES OFFICE AND AS THE DEPUTY OF SPECIAL SERVICES AS THE CUSTODIAN.

UM, THE, A COPY OF THIS IS KEPT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

UH, SPECIAL SERVICES IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORIGINAL FILE OR THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS STAY AT THE SCHOOL AS PART OF THE CHILD'S RECORDS.

AND THEN THE, UH, ELECTRONIC FILE OR A COPY OF THAT, THE COPY WOULD BE KEPT AT SPECIAL SERVICES OFFICE.

UM, THE CURRENT POLICY, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S IN AND I, I SEE THAT THAT WAS THE OVERALL LARGER POLICY WAS NOT, UH, ATTACHED.

ONLY THE CHART WHICH IDENTIFIES THIS.

I'LL MAKE SURE DURING THE SECOND READING THAT THAT'S PROVIDED, THE CURRENT POLICY SAYS THAT, UM, IT IS LISTED BY SCHOOLS IN THE LOCATION.

THE CURRENT POLICY IDENTIFIES EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS.

HOWEVER IT LEAVES OUT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS NOT LISTED ON THAT.

SO THEY HAVE JUST HAD PUT IN THERE THAT IT'S KEPT WITH THE SCHOOL AT THE, UH, AT THE SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND THAT THE CUSTODIAN OF THOSE FILES WOULD BE THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST READING? YES.

AND WE'LL SEE IT TWO MORE TIMES, CORRECT? YES.

THIS IS JUST THE FIRST READING.

I'M SURE THAT MS. LEE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO THIS IS SPED EXPERT.

UM, TO THAT, UM, OUR CURRENT PRACTICE, UM, LEAVES US KIND OF VULNERABLE FOR SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, MISPLACEMENT OF DOCUMENTATION.

SO THAT IEP IS OBVIOUSLY A CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL DOCUMENT.

UM, BY KEEPING IT AT HOUSED AT THE SCHOOL WITH THE REST OF THEIR, UM, CUMULATIVE SCHOLASTIC FILE, IT ALLEVIATES THAT NEED TO HAVE THAT DOCUMENT POED TO OUR OFFICE.

UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S OUR CURRENT PRACTICE.

SO AT THE SCHOOL, THEY'RE BEING PLACED, UM, IN A PONY MAIL AND BEING SENT OVER TO US AND THEN WE'RE THE CUSTODIAN OF THAT CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL DOCUMENT.

UM, SO BY HAVING THEM HOUSED AT THE SCHOOL, IT KIND OF ALLEVIATES THAT PROCESS OF HAVING THAT DOCUMENT, SWITCHING THE LOCATIONS.

UM, THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT, UM, WE RUN OUTTA SPACE.

SO WE CURRENTLY, UM, HAVE A, A HUGE AMOUNT OF, UH, FILES THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION CUMULATIVE ORIGINAL FILE.

IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION THAT'S ALREADY LOCATED AT THE SCHOOLS.

IT'S JUST LEAVING THE ORIGINAL AT THE SCHOOL.

SO CURRENTLY THERE'S TWO FILES.

THERE'S ONE AT THE SCHOOL AND THEN ONE AT THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL ED.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND, UM, YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THAT OR YOU'RE GONNA JUST TAKE THE SECOND COPY AWAY? WE'RE GONNA HAVE JUST THE ORIGINAL AT THE SCHOOL.

CURRENT IEP AT OUR OFFICE.

WITH A COURTESY COPY OF JUST THE

[01:40:01]

SO WE WOULDN'T BE HOUSING THE ENTIRE, UM, FILE.

GOTCHA, GOTCHA.

SO THE FILES WOULD ESSENTIALLY, FOR A STUDENT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU WOULD JUST HAVE THE IEP AT THE OFFICES, CORRECT.

YOUR OFFICE, CORRECT.

NOT THE WHOLE ELIGIBILITY.

SO WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, THE UPDATE THAT'S IN OUR NOTES, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE THERE'S THE CHART THERE AND IT HAS FOUR LINES.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ORIGINAL POLICY, THERE'S A CHART WITH TWO LINES AND THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT.

IT'S LIKE SIX DIFFERENT LINES.

SO ARE THOSE OTHER THINGS ALSO NEW? THE THINGS ABOUT CUMULATIVE HEALTH INFORMATION, INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DISCIPLINE INFORMATION? I'M JUST HAVING TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT, WHERE THIS CAME FROM HERE.

SO I, I BELIEVE THE INFORMATION SECTION WAS, WAS, UH, REMOVED AND THE INFORMATION WAS PLACED INTO THE TYPE, SO THERE'LL BE THREE COLUMNS.

UM, I'M, IT DOESN'T LINE UP SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE CONFIDENTIAL, THE REFERRALS, UH, CHILD STUDY MINUTES, PERMISSION TO TEST ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, UM, IS ENCOMPASSED WITHIN THEIR SCHOLASTIC OR CUMULATIVE FILE.

UM, UNDER THE TYPE, I BELIEVE, SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST READING THAT WE CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS, THERE'S A ACADEMIC HISTORY SLASH UM, TEST SCORE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT TYPE WILL BE THE SCHOLASTIC CUMULATIVE FILE THAT WILL ENCOMPASS ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.

SO THIS CHART THAT'S IN OUR PACKET FOR TONIGHT IS REFERRING ONLY TO SPECIAL EDUCATION FILES.

IT IS NOT, NO.

THIS IS A GOOD THING.

NO.

MAYBE IT'LL JUST BE CLEAR WHEN WE HAVE THE WHOLE POLICY TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT READING.

LIKE A RED LINE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

, I DON'T, I DON'T OBJECT TO ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING.

I JUST, HOPEFULLY WE CAN LAY IT OUT MORE CLEARLY.

, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MS. LEE OR MR. SMITH ON THIS? RIGHT? I KNOW.

WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IT NEXT IN TWO WEEKS.