Oct 02, 2024 Board Meeting

HAVE THE ATTENDANCE AWARD PRESENTATIONS.

FIRST UP THIS EVENING WE

[2.C. Attendance Award Presentation - Dr. Ballenger ]

BALLINGER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR A YEAR OR TWO, NOW THAT WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE IS, UH, TO THE OVERALL, UM, EDUCATIONAL, UM, ATTAINMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WE, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SCHOOLS EACH MONTH AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY.

AND IT, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING SCHOOL.

AND I CAN TELL YOU IN LOOKING AT OUR NEW ACCREDITATION, WE DID SEE AN INCREASE, UM, IN HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE, WERE COMING TO SCHOOL.

SO OUR CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS DID DROP.

AND SO THAT, THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE JOB THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE TEACHERS, THE PARENTS, AND EVERYBODY MAKING THAT, UH, AN IMPORTANT ISSUE OF MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL.

SO IT IS VALUABLE AND, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, TO RECOGNIZE, UM, THE EFFORTS OF OUR STAFF AND, AND STUDENTS AND ATTENDING SCHOOL ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO FOR THIS MONTH, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE ELEMENTARY WINNER WITH 94% IS AS RHODES.

THANK YOU, DR.

ALLINGER AND BOARD.

UM, SO I KNOW EACH YEAR WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, BRING SOME STUDENTS UP SOMETIMES AND SHARE WITH YOU AND JUST SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE ARE DOING PROACTIVELY TO TRY TO HELP, UM, MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO BE AT SCHOOL DAILY.

SO WE DO HAVE AN ATTENDANCE COMMITTEE THIS YEAR, AND THAT'S NEW TO US.

WE, UM, TYPICALLY MRS. O WADE, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR, JUST KIND OF WATCHED THE ATTENDANCE AND WE, SHE KIND OF RAN THE INCENTIVE.

SO WE DECIDED TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO GIVE HER A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA HELP THIS YEAR.

SO WE ARE STILL DOING OUR WHEEL OF ATTENDANCE, SO ANY OF THE CLASSES WITH 95% ARE HIGHER FOR THE MONTH ARE ENTERED FOR AN ATTENDANCE PRIZE.

SO LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE DOING ATTENDANCE WHEEL, WE WOULD RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS.

SO WE SHIFTED IT THIS YEAR TO BE A CLASS, UM,

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INCENTIVE.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL HELP.

AND SOME OF THOSE PRIZES ARE BOOKS, FIDGETS FREE DONUTS, UM, FROM DUNKING.

THEY GAVE US SOME COUPONS FOR THOSE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, KEY CHAINS.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

UM, AND THE STUDENTS ARE LIKING THAT SO FAR.

UM, FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, OUR ATTENDANCE INCREASED EACH WEEK.

WE DID SEE A LOT OF ILLNESS IN AUGUST, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK TOGETHER WITH SCHOOL.

AND WE HAD A LOT OF THAT JUST BACK TO SCHOOL GERMS THAT WE WERE ALL SHARING.

UM, FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, WE ONLY HAD ONE CLASS WITH 95% OR HIGHER ATTENDANCE.

AND BY THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, NINE OUT OF OUR 12 CLASSES HAD 95% OR HIGHER ATTENDANCE.

SO, UM, I DO THINK THE CLASS INCENTIVE IS DEFINITELY HELPING TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO BE THERE.

AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE 95% OF OUR STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE AN ATTENDANCE CONCERN, WHAT WE WOULD NOTE AS 10% OR MORE.

SO WE HAVE 247 STUDENTS THAT ARE ON TRACK WITH THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THIS TIME.

SO WE HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.

IT TAKES EVERYONE, AS DR.

BALLINGER SAID, STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, EVERYONE IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY THAT WELCOMES STUDENTS EVERY DAY AND TRIES.

WE TRY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE STUDENTS AND LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE MISSED WHEN THEY'RE NOT AT SCHOOL.

SO, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR SECONDARY WINNER FOR THE ATTENDANCE AWARD THIS MONTH IS, UM, WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE HERE.

UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, AGAIN, ALL OF OUR, UH, PARENTS, STUDENTS, UM, TEACHERS FOR MAKING IT A WELCOMING PLACE FOR KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL.

I DID NOTICE HERE IN THOSE LAST PROBABLY WEEK AND A HALF SINCE WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SUN OUTSIDE, MORE KIDS ARE COMING TO SCHOOL 'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO DO OUTSIDE .

SO THAT HAS BEEN FUN.

OUR DINNER HAS BEEN UP, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND OUR MOST IMPROVED FOR THIS MONTH IS HILDA J BARBER ELEMENTARY.

WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT WE'RE HERE NOW.

SO, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT THE PREVIOUS TWO SAID, IF IT'S NOT FOR THE PARENTS TO HELP US OUT FOR THE STAFF, UM, WE'RE WORKING HARD AT TRYING TO MAKE OUR LESSONS AND OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES MORE ENGAGING SO THE KIDS WANNA BE THERE AND MAYBE THEY'LL JUST PESTER THEIR PARENTS ENOUGH TO MAKE 'EM GET THERE.

UM, WE'RE DOING, UM, INCENTIVES JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

UH, WE JUST DELIVERED TROPHIES OUT TODAY FOR, UM, TO CLASSROOMS FOR THEIR PERFECT ATTENDANCE.

AND WE ARE STARTING SOME GRADE LEVEL, UM, UH, INCENTIVES FOR THE END OF THE QUARTER.

SO, UM, HOPING THAT THAT HELPS AS WELL.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND MAYBE BE HERE AGAIN.

NEXT UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE SCHOOL REPORTS.

[2.D. School Reports - Dr. Ballenger ]

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UM, WE DO HAVE SCHOOL TWO SCHOOLS HERE TONIGHT.

I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL THAT GOOD EVENING.

THIS IS A LITTLE CHANGE UP FOR ME, WE USUALLY DO TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO I'M GONNA KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LAST YEAR AND SOME THINGS THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED AND THEN SOME THEMES FOR THIS YEAR AND GOALS FOR THIS YEAR.

SO I'M SUPPOSED TO AIM AT THE BOTTLE.

SO, HEY JESSE, I'M AIMING FOR, UH OH.

THERE WE GO.

ALRIGHT.

SO, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 776 STUDENTS ENROLLED AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

OUR LARGEST

[00:10:01]

GROUP IS OUR SENIORS.

THEY'RE AT 204.

WE HAVE 191 FRESHMEN.

I'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE TRANSITION THAT THEY'VE MADE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE LAST YEAR'S SENIOR CLASS WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT THAN USUAL.

AND THE, UH, FRESHMEN ARE, UM, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY'VE ADAPTED.

I THINK WE'VE TRANSITIONED OUT OF THAT COVID SORT OF, WE HAD KIDS WHO NEVER EXPERIENCED MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND SO WE HAD LOTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

SO I THINK WE FINALLY TRANSITIONED OUT OF THAT.

AND THAT GROUP IS DOING EXCELLENT.

UM, WE'RE ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT FULLY STAFFED.

UH, I THINK WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES LEFT, SO WE'VE TRIED REALLY HARD.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A TEACHER WHO STARTS TOMORROW, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO INVITE THEM ON BOARD.

UH, THIS YEAR, OUR GOAL, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT GOALS.

WE HAVE OUR GOAL OF REALLY FOCUSING ON EXPLICIT CONTENT, VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION IN OUR SCIENCE CLASSES, AND OF COURSE ATTENDANCE.

SO IF YOU SAW THE BOARD REPORT ABOUT THE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON, THOSE ARE DEFINITELY TWO AREAS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON.

WE CHOSE EXPLICIT CONTENT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION IN OUR SCIENCE CLASSES BECAUSE WE KNOW OFTENTIMES IN LIKE A BIOLOGY CLASS, MITOSIS, MIOSIS, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE ARE.

UM, AND SO WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKE WORD WALLS FOR PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN OUR SCIENCE CLASSES.

AND REALLY DRILLING DOWN INTO HOW DO WE TEACH CONTENT VOCABULARY.

SO SPECIFIC TO THE SCIENCE.

ALRIGHT, OUR THEME OVERALL THIS YEAR IS LEVEL UP.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING IS ASKING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO FIND WAYS TO LEVEL UP IN THE HALLWAYS IN THE CLASSROOMS. AND YOU'LL SEE OUR FIRST EXAMPLE.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, STAFF CAN NOMINATE STUDENTS OR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHEN THEY SEE THEM LEVELING UP.

AND WE'VE BEEN GIVING OUT GIFT CARDS, UH, T-SHIRTS.

UH, WE GAVE AWAY FREE TICKETS TO HOMECOMING, WHICH IS COMING UP.

UH, AND LATER ON WE'LL BE GETTING FREE TICKETS TO PROM.

WE'LL BE DOING A PROM PACKAGE WHERE WE'LL DINNER, THE LIMO AND THE DANCE.

AND WE'LL BE RAFFLING OFF SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

AND THEN THOSE FOLKS WHO, UH, THOSE STUDENTS WHO LEVEL UP, UH, WITH TEACHERS, WE'VE BEEN TELLING THEM, WE'LL GO IN.

UH, THEY CAN HAVE AN EXTRA PERIOD THAT DAY IF THEY NEED IT, AND MR. K WILL GO INTO YOUR CLASSROOM TO TEACH.

THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN ME UP ON THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHY.

UM, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S, UH, SORT OF HOW YOU CAN LEVEL UP.

UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP SOME RECOGNITIONS FROM OUR AUGUST LEVEL UP.

WE HAD TWO STUDENTS.

WE HAD A, UM, A BUS DRIVER WHO HAD THEIR GRANDCHILD ON A BUS.

UM, THE GRANDCHILD GOT UP WHILE THE BUS WAS MOVING.

UH, TWO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAME TO HER AID.

ONE WENT AND GOT, UM, PAPER TOWELS AND HELPED HER.

SHE WAS SCREAMING FOR HER MOTHER LIKE CRAZY.

AND THE OTHER, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COMFORTED THE CHILD, UM, AND ENDED UP, UH, GETTING HOME AND HELPING WITH THAT SITUATION.

SO WE RECOGNIZED THOSE TWO STUDENTS.

UM, AND THEN WE'VE HAD SEVERAL TEACHERS AND DEPARTMENTS RECOGNIZED FOR HELPING US TO COVER CLASSES AND DUTIES FOR OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SUB BUDGETS FOR EACH SCHOOL.

SO ONE OF OUR FOCUSES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS HELPING EACH OTHER WHEN WE NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER AND STEPPING IN AND HELPING.

AND OUR STAFF HAS JUMPED ON THAT.

OUR NUMBERS AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON SUBSTITUTES AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IS LOW.

AND THAT'S A TRIBUTE TO THAT STAFF AND HELPING EACH OTHER.

AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT WE'RE A SPECIAL PLACE AND IT'S SPECIAL BECAUSE OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.

ALRIGHT, SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE ALREADY.

WE'VE DONE SENIOR SUNRISE.

SO THIS STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR PARENT CAT PACK.

COURSE THEY HAVE TO DRAW IT OUT.

FUNK WAS A PART OF THAT INITIAL, UM, CAT PACK, UH, PARENT GROUP.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DECIDED TO DO WAS WE DO A SENIOR SUNRISE AND A SENIOR SUNSET.

SO SENIOR CELEBRATE THE SUNRISE OF THEIR SENIOR YEAR, AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE DO A SUNSET WHERE THEY, UH, SAY GOODBYE TO THEIR SENIOR YEAR.

SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK IHOP APPLE HOUSE, CRACKER BARREL.

THEY ALL DONATED FOOD, UH, PARENTS WHO HELPED, WHO DONATED FOOD.

UM, AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE VERY SPECIAL MOMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT WE'VE STARTED HERE RECENTLY.

UM, THE KIDS HAD A GREAT TIME.

YOU CAN TELL.

UM, WE GAVE OUT PRIZES THERE.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO WAS A SENIOR PARKING SPOT PAINTING.

UM, AND SO THE STUDENTS, IT'S A FUNDRAISER.

UH, THEY PAY $25 AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PAINT THEIR SPOT, OF

[00:15:01]

I HAVE TO APPROVE IT, .

UM, AND THEY, THEY BRING ALL THEIR OWN SUPPLIES AND EVERYTHING, AND THEN THAT IS THEIR SPOT FOR THE YEAR.

THAT IS A RESERVED SPOT FOR THEM.

WE, UH, WE DON'T ERASE ANY OF THE OLD SPOTS.

I THINK IT'S AWESOME TO WALK THROUGH.

AND I REMEMBER THOSE KIDS FROM 2022 TO NOW.

SO, UH, IT'S REALLY, UH, A SPECIAL THING THAT WE DO.

SO IF YOU'RE EVER IN, UM, THE PARKING LOT OUT FRONT, IT'S THE SECOND LOT DOWN IS THE SENIOR LOT.

JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AND, AND JUST SEE.

I TOOK A FEW PICTURES OF EACH SIDE.

WE HAVE ABOUT 50 SPOTS PAINTED.

THERE'S SOME ATHLETES THAT PARK DOWN BY THE GYM, SO THEY'VE PAINTED THEIR SPOTS AS WELL.

BUT THAT WAS TOO FAR TO WALK THIS MORNING.

UM, CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

WHO'S GIVEN YOU AN UPDATE ON THOSE? WE HAVE OVER 25 STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS.

YOU DECAS BEEN HERE.

UH, WE'RE GONNA GO ON THE, ON, UH, THE TOWN TALK HERE SOON TO UPDATE EVERYONE ON, ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR DECA PROGRAM.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, F-C-C-L-A-F-F-A, UH, VERY ACTIVE DRAMA CLUB.

KEY CLUB.

WE HAVE AN ENVI HON CLUB YOUNG LIFE.

AND, UH, OUR MOST ACTIVE CLUB WITH THE MOST PARTICIPANTS IS OUR VIDEO GAME CLUB.

THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO TO SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY, UM, AND GO THERE AND COMPETE AGAINST OTHER SCHOOLS.

AND IN NON SANCTIONED EVENT, I KNOW VHSL IS REALLY PUSHING US FOR ESPORTS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST.

BUT IN LIEU OF THAT, THE VIDEO GAME CLUB IS A HOP IN PLACE, LET ME TELL YOU.

UM, AND THEN EVERY FIRST, THIRD, FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY.

SO LIKE TODAY, AND THEN THE 16TH, I THINK IS THE NEXT ONE.

WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED OUR CLUB DAY.

WE SHORTEN OUR CLASSES BY 10 MINUTES SO THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A CLUB OR ORGANIZATION WHILE AT SCHOOL.

WE FOUND THAT IF WE MEET BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL, IT PUTS PRESSURE ON THE PARENTS TO GIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE, THOSE EVENTS.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS AGREE WITH SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND BLUE RIDGE TECH CENTER.

THANK YOU MR. GREG.

'CAUSE I KNOW THAT SHORTENS HIS ALREADY CRAZY SCHEDULE.

BUT WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS MEET WITH OUR KIDS IN A CLUB.

SO OUR CLUB, UM, NUMBERS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE, UM, AND EXPERIENCE THAT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.

SO WELL WORTH IT.

UH, WE HAD OUR ANNUAL COLLEGE FAIR OVER AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 25TH.

SEVERAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WERE THERE.

I ALWAYS CHALLENGE MY KIDS, YOU GET ON THE BUS, I NEED TO SEE FIVE PAMPHLETS, NOT FIVE PENCILS, NOT FIVE.

I WANT YOU, I WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU TALKED TO FIVE SCHOOLS WHILE YOU WERE THERE AND YOU WEREN'T THERE JUST TO HANG OUT.

SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT I GIVE TO ALL OF THEM.

AND THEN THAT EVENING, THEY USUALLY SET UP AT APPLE BLOSSOM MALL, SO THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THERE AS WELL.

BUT I APPRECIATE THAT.

OUR BUILDING BLOCK PARTNERS, ONE OF THE GOALS OF OUR CAT PACK, INITIALLY WHEN WE HAD A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH WAS MAKE IT FREE FOR OUR KIDS TO GO TO ATHLETIC EVENTS.

DONE O UH, OVER 3000 TIMES KIDS CAME TO AN EVENT AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR FREE.

OUR KIDS COME TO EVERY SPORTING EVENT, SIGN IN, AND THEY GET, IN ANY EVENT, ANY SPORTING EVENT FOR FREE.

AND THAT IS A ALL ABOUT THE BUILDING BLOCK PARTNERS.

UM, AND THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S COST $7 FOR A TICKET FOR A KID TO GET IN.

SO $7 TIMES 3,200, THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY WE LOST BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S, IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR KIDS.

SO THOSE BUILDING BLOCK PARTNERS HELP OFFSET THAT COST BY SPONSORING OUR KIDS TO GET INTO GAMES FOR FREE.

SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO BE A BUILDING BLOCK PARTNER, HAVE THEM CONTACT COACH HALL.

HE'S OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT, PUT IT UP THERE ALREADY THIS YEAR, AND WE'VE JU WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FALL SEASON, 875 TIMES OUR KIDS HAVE USED, UM, THIS PROGRAM TO GET INTO A SPORTING EVENT FOR FREE.

SO, UM, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, IN OUR INITIAL PARENT CAP PACK MEETING WAS, HOW DO WE GET MORE KIDS TO GAMES AND HOW DO WE PAY FOR IT? AND SO WE'VE DEVELOPED THAT AND IT'S ONE OF THE FEW IN THE AREA WHERE ALL OF OUR KIDS GET IN FOR FREE.

ALRIGHT, SO WE TALKED ABOUT OUR PARENT CAP PACK.

UH, THAT'S OUR PARENT GROUP.

THAT'S LIKE OUR PTO, BUT WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.

UM, WE WORK TOGETHER AND, UH, I'M, I'M A JUST A PERSON IN THE ROOM AND THEY GET TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF EVERYONE.

AND SOMETIMES I'M CRAZY ENOUGH TO DO THEM.

SOMETIMES I TELL THEM, NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

UM, BUT ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S WHERE THINGS LIKE SENIOR SUNRISE AND SENIOR SUNSET CAME FROM IS THIS GROUP.

THE HOLIDAY BAZAAR

[00:20:01]

IS EACH DECEMBER, AND THAT'S KIND OF OUR FUNDRAISER.

WE CHARGE FOLKS TO SET UP.

AND THEN WE USE THAT MONEY, UH, FOR THINGS LIKE THE SENIOR SUNRISE AND SUNSET.

UH, WE PURCHASE THE PIZZAS FOR TAILGATING BEFORE THE GAMES.

SO OUR KIDS COME AND THEY CAN HANG OUT, UH, BEFORE GAME IN A SAFE PLACE IN OUR PARKING LOT.

AND, UH, WE PROVIDE, UH, PIZZA FOR THEM.

UH, WE'VE ALSO HELPED, UH, FAMILIES IN NEED.

AND OF COURSE, OUR PARENT CAT PACK ALSO SUPPORTS OUR TEACHERS.

UH, THIS WEEK, I BELIEVE MONDAY WAS NATIONAL CHEWING GUM DAY.

SO EVERY TEACHER HAD A PACK OF CHEWING GUM IN THEIR MAILBOX.

SO, UM, ANYBODY, ANY PARENT IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.

IT IS NOT A FORMAL THING.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL OR HANGING OUT WITH SOME OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS.

UH, IT'S VERY LAID BACK AND WE JUST COME UP WITH IDEAS AND GENERATE IDEAS.

IT'S A VERY POSITIVE THING.

SO CALL THE SCHOOL SIX THREE FIVE FOUR ONE FOUR FOUR, UM, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE NEXT CAP PACK MEETING.

UH, WE HOSTED THE COMMUNITY FUND DAY, AND WE WANTED TO JUST, I, I WANTED TO PUBLICLY AGAIN RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE SPONSORS.

UH, BLAKE AND COMPANY CUT OVER 70, UH, DID OVER 70 HAIRCUTS THAT DAY.

THEY WERE THERE UNTIL FOUR O'CLOCK.

AND THE EVENT ENDED AT TWO.

THEY, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

AND THEN WE HAD SPONSORS FOR SOME OF THE EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE HAD TO PAY FOR OR RENT, LIKE THE DUNK TANK THAT DR.

BALLINGER BROKE.

UM, UH, JENNIFER AVERY, JOANNE RECO FORMER, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SPONSORED THE, UM, PETTING ZOO.

ESS WAS THERE, THEY SPONSORED THE BOUNCY HOUSES.

AND JENNIFER AVERY SPONSORED THE DUNK TANK.

UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE THERE AND ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED.

THANK YOU, DR.

BALLINGER, UH, FOR KEEPING ME DRY.

I WAS SCHEDULED TO DO THE DUNK TANK AFTER DR.

BALLINGER, BUT HE BROKE IT.

BUT THE FUNNY THING IS, I GOTTA TELL THIS STORY.

SORRY.

UH, I SAID, OKAY, I'LL FIX, I'LL, I THINK I GOT IT.

THIS, IT'S THIS BOLT, DR.

BALLINGER, GO AHEAD, SIT BACK ON THE CHAIR.

I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

HE SAT ON THE CHAIR AND FELL BACK IN.

SO I SAID, OKAY, I THINK I GOT IT THIS TIME.

IT'S THE LATCH.

I THINK I IF I JUST DO THIS.

AND I WAS JUST GOING LIKE THIS.

I SAID, GO AHEAD, SIT ON THE CHAIR.

SO HE SAT IN THE CHAIR AND FELL IN AGAIN.

AND I SAID, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE IT'S THIS BOLT.

AND HE GOES, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BOLT.

I THINK IT'S YOU.

AND I SAID, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

HE'S IT'S ME.

SO I AT LEAST GOT 'EM TWO OR THREE TIMES.

SO IT WAS WORTH IT.

SO AGAIN, IT'S AN EVERY YEAR THING.

SO, UH, WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

UM, DR.

BALLINGER WAS THERE.

THAT'S A PICTURE OF HIM TALKING.

UH, ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, WE HOSTED THE FIRESIDE CHAT WITH THE FIRST LADY OF VIRGINIA AND DR.

JONATHAN HET.

UM, IT WAS A GREAT, VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, EVENT.

I THINK THEY'VE POSTED A LINK NOW, UM, TO THE FIRESIDE CHAT.

THERE WAS SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ON THEIR END, UM, BUT, UH, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND IT LED TO A GREAT CONVERSATION AFTERWARDS.

AND I FELT LIKE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO DR.

BALLINGER AS A PARENT ABOUT THE POLICY RIGHT THERE, UH, I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THAT.

UH, I DID WANNA SHOUT OUT, OF COURSE, UH, MY STAFF, UM, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB EVERY DAY.

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THE LOWEST SUB RATE AMONG SCHOOLS.

OUR SIZE REFERRAL NUMBERS ARE DOWN TO START THE YEAR.

UM, MY TEACHERS ARE AWESOME.

I I LOVE WORKING WITH THEM.

UH, COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEM.

WE COULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE WITHOUT THEM.

SO I WANTED TO JUST SHOUT OUT, UM, THE TEACHERS THERE.

UM, SAY THANK YOU TO THEM.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE.

THEY TOLD ME FIF, OH, SORRY, UH, PSATS HOMECOMING VARSITY GAME IS ON THE 18TH VERSUS HANLEY AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

FEEL FREE TO COME AND JOIN US.

UM, THE HOMECOMING DANCE, YOU CAN STAY HOME FOR THAT.

THAT'S FROM SEVEN TO 10, UH, ON SATURDAY.

AND THEN, UM, OUR THEATER PROGRAM IS DOING, UH, SHAKESPEARE, UH, AS YOU LIKE IT.

UM, THEY'RE DOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT SPIN ON THAT.

THAT'LL BE COMING IN NOVEMBER.

UH, SO THAT PERFORMANCE.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE START GETTING INTO THE SEASON OF CHO CONCERTS IN BAND CONCERTS.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME BY ANY DAY, THOUGH.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FOR, FOR ANY OF THOSE EVENTS.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THOSE EVENTS, BUT PLEASE STOP BY.

UM, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT, UM, YOU CAN COME.

LIKE I WOULD SAY WE HAVE WONDERFUL CAFETERIA FOOD.

YOU CAN COME AND EAT LUNCH WITH THE KIDS.

SO, UH, AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY, AND EVERY CHANCE AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

UM, SO THANK YOU ALL.

AND, AND OUR NEXT PRESENTER.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU MR. KH.

[00:25:03]

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP MR. VINCE GREG WITH BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER.

CAN'T GRAB A COOKIE WAY OUT.

THANKS VINCE.

I ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

A COOKIE A DAY, MAN.

HEY EVERYBODY.

HOW'S IT GOING? UM, SO I FIGURED, UH, WE WOULD JUST GIVE YOU KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF A FEW OF OUR PROGRAMS AND SOME OF THE COOL STUFF THAT THEY'RE DOING.

UH, MR. KSH IS A THEATER TEACHER.

PLEASE DON'T HOLD, BUT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE AGAINST ME.

UM, OUR CARPENTRY KIDS DID A LITTLE SKIT.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.

BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, UH, RATHER THAN MY USUAL DAD JOKES, I'M GONNA OPEN WITH A GUARANTEED HOME RUN.

I'VE GOT AMANDA AND NOAH HERE.

THERE ARE SOME OF OUR YEAR TWO CARPENTRY KIDS.

UM, AND THEY WERE BAKING ALL MORNING.

THEY MADE SOME COOKIES.

NOW, LAST YEAR WE SHOWED UP WITH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

MM-HMM, THIS YEAR WE HAVE CHOCOLATE CHIP SNICKERDOODLE, CULINARY, CARPENTRY, CULINARY.

OH, WE DIDN'T MAKE THE COOKIES IN THE CARPENTRY CLASS.

YEAH, I'M SORRY, .

I KNOW CROSS CURRICULAR'S A BIG THING, BUT WE DIDN'T DO THAT.

I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU NOAH.

SO WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT CHOCOLATE CHIP MADE IN THE CULINARY CLASS.

OATMEAL RAISIN, MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, SNICKER DOODLE AND PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES.

SO THEY'RE GONNA COME AROUND AND SERVE EVERYBODY.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE TO PLAN FOR, SO WE BROUGHT A LOT OF COOKIES.

SO PLEASE TAKE LIKE TWO OF EACH, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T NEED TO TAKE THEM ALL HOME.

I'M A BAD MIDNIGHT SNACKER.

AND THAT, THAT DOESN'T END WELL.

SO THEY'RE GONNA WALK AROUND AND SERVE EVERYBODY.

UH, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THOSE.

AND AGAIN, THEY'RE MADE BY OUR CULINARY STUDENTS, NOT OUR CARPENTRY KIDS.

I'M SURE THE CARPENTRY KIDS ARE GREAT AT BAKING, BUT YEAH, JUST NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR THE SAW DUST, HUH? THAT'S RIGHT.

A LITTLE SAW DUST FILLER.

WE DON'T WANT THAT.

SOMETHING REALLY NEAT WITH THE CONNECTING THE TWO.

I'M LIKE CARPENTRY MADE COOKIES.

MAYBE NEXT YEAR.

WE'LL, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.

UM, SO SOME OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR CULINARY PROGRAM.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEKING ACCREDITATION FROM THE AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION.

UH, THEY'RE SENDING SOME EVALUATORS UP IN NOVEMBER.

UH, AND REALLY WHAT THAT AMOUNTS TO IS IT'S A, IT'S A SEAL OF APPROVAL FOR OUR TEACHER, DEVIN SMITH, WHO'S A WONDERFUL GUY.

IF THERE WERE LIKE 500 MORE OF HIM, THE WORLD WOULD BE SUCH A BETTER PLACE.

UM, AND IT'S ALSO A SEAL THAT OUR KIDS CAN PUT ON A RESUME.

UH, IF THEY'RE APPLYING TO CULINARY SCHOOL AFTER THEY GRADUATE, THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, MENTION THAT THEY WENT THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT WAS CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT GOES WELL.

UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN SOME TALKS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF AMANDA AND NOAH KNOW THIS, BUT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ADDING A BRICK OVEN PIZZA TO OUR ARSENAL AND MAYBE DOING LIKE AN OUTDOOR SETUP WITH THAT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CO, THE CARPENTRY KIDS MIGHT ACTUALLY GET INVOLVED IN.

UH, MAYBE OUR ELECTRICAL STUDENTS AS WELL WITH SETTING THAT UP OUTSIDE.

UM, AND THEN REALLY THE BIG THING IS, IS THE COOKIES.

SO AGAIN, PLEASE ENJOY THOSE.

ALSO, IF YOU GUYS ARE EVER IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS ON A FRIDAY, WE, EVERY OTHER FRIDAY FROM 10 TO 11, THESE SAME STUDENTS, UH, RUN THE ONE LOVE CAFE.

THEY ARE AWESOME.

FOR ABOUT FIVE BUCKS, YOU CAN GET THE BEST MEAL IN TOWN.

UH, I WAS ABLE TO PULL SOME, PULL SOME STRINGS AS THE PRINCIPAL AND GET MY FAVORITE MEAL.

THE ORANGE CHICKEN PUT AS LIKE A REGULAR EVERY OTHER WEEK.

SO IF YOU'RE EVER IN OUR NECK, THAT WOULD STOP BY.

UM, AND I PROMISE YOU WON'T GO HOME HUNGRY.

SO THANK YOU GUYS.

NOAH, DID I FORGET ANYTHING? YOU GUYS GOT ANYTHING TO ADD OR LET THE FOOD DO THE TALKING? THAT'S OKAY.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

SO AGAIN, PLEASE TAKE A BUNCH OF COOKIES.

I DON'T NEED TO TAKE THEM HOME WITH ME.

UM, SO NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT OUR CARPENTRY PROGRAM AND THEY'RE NOT BAKING.

UH, WHAT WE DO HAVE HERE IS A LITTLE SKIT.

THE GUYS WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON, WHICH IS OUR MODULAR HOUSE, UM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY FOR SALE.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.

UM, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANNA JUST GIVE YOU LIKE A WALKTHROUGH TOUR.

THEY KIND OF CAME UP WITH A LITTLE SCRIPT HERE.

AND AGAIN, MR. KH, I'M NOT A THEATER GUY, SO, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE HERE.

JESSE, DO I NEED TO PUSH PLAY SOMEWHERE OR, ALRIGHT, GREAT.

HE'S GOT IT.

WELCOME TO THE BLUERIDGE TECH OF THE SEC.

WE BUILT OUR MODULAR HOME RIGHT HERE LAST YEAR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS HOUSE IS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF OUR HARD WORK AND LEARNING.

THE FRAMING IS DONE AND WE JUST PASSED INSPECTION FOR THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS. COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FRAMING? ABSOLUTELY.

THE EXTERIOR WILL ALSO DONE WITH THE TWO BY SIX.

INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL TWO BY FOUR, THIS WILL REDUCE THE THERMAL BRIDGING IN THE HOUSE.

THERMAL BRIDGING.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GREAT QUESTION.

GLAD YOU ASKED.

WE'VE USED TWO BY SIXES TO INCREASE THE OVERALL INSTALLATION CAPACITY IN THE WALLS, WHICH HELPS REDUCE HEAT LOSS IN THE WINTER AND KEEPS THE HOUSE COOLER IN THE SUMMER.

THIS ENHANCES OVERALL ENERGY SAVINGS.

WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS? WE WILL BE DOING INSULATION AND DRYWALL.

THIS IS CRUCIAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND COMFORT OF LIVING.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE INSULATION? WE'VE OPTED FOR A HIGH

[00:30:01]

QUALITY FIBERGLASS INSULATION.

IT'S BOTH EFFICIENT AND PROVIDES A GOOD NOISE BARRIER TOO.

PLUS WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL THE CODE REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S UP TO MODERN STANDARDS.

THIS IS ALL SO FASCINATING.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE INSPECTION PROCESS? US, AFTER WE INSTALL THE IN INSTALLATION, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER INSPECTION TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS UP AND CODE BEFORE WE PUT UP SAFETY AND QUALITY IS WHAT WE DO.

AND DON'T FORGET, ONCE ALL THE DRYWALL IS UP, WE'LL BE FINISHING THE HOUSE WITH PAINT AND FIXTURES TO COMPLETE THE HOUSE.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA MOVE THE MODULAR HOLE A LITTLE? THE HOUSE IS BIT BUILT IN TWO PIECES, WHICH WILL MAKE IT FOR EASY TRANSPORT.

AND THE ROOF IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT COLLAPSES IN ON ITSELF FOR HIGH CLEARANCES.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS CORE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE AND HOW MUCH HARD WORK WE'VE PUT INTO THIS HOUSE.

FEEL FREE FOR JOINING.

I WAS GONNA SAY, FEEL FREE TO ASK US ANY MORE QUESTION AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL BACK HERE ONCE IT'S DONE.

SO I DON'T KNOW, I HOPE YOU GUYS COULD HEAR THAT.

BUT MY FAVORITE PART IS WHEN MY MAN BRODY GOES, THIS IS ALSO FASCINATING .

WE, WE TRIED.

SO, UM, THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED THOUGH THAT THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW.

UM, WE STARTED, UH, THE PROCESS OF BIDDING ON IT AND TRYING TO SELL IT AT AUCTION OVER THE SUMMER, UH, WITH AN IN-PERSON AUCTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SECURE A A SALE, SO WE THEN TRIED AN ONLINE AUCTION THROUGH NEWTOWN, UM, AUCTION IN STEVEN CITY, HOPING THAT THAT MIGHT DRUM UP A LITTLE BIT MORE BUSINESS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T HAD A SALE FROM THAT EITHER.

THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE IS THAT THE MONEY WE EARN FROM SELLING THE HOUSE THIS YEAR FUNDS NEXT YEAR'S HOUSE.

UH, WE, WE HAVE A SEPARATE JUST HOUSE FUND, UM, AND ALL WE USE THAT MONEY FOR IS PURCHASING THE MATERIALS TO BUY THE NEXT HOUSE.

UM, SO ONE THING THAT I WOULD ASK IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO JUST AT SOME POINT REVIEW POLICY, UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A PROHIBITION AGAINST SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEE FAMILY MEMBERS FROM MAKING A BID, WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE IN THERE.

BUT PERHAPS AFTER A SET NUMBER OF AUCTIONS FAILS TO, UM, SECURE A PURCHASE, COULD WE LOOK AT MAYBE OPENING THAT UP WITHOUT THE PROHIBITION IN PLACE? WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BEING SUCH A LARGE EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY, I JUST WORRY THAT WE'RE MISSING SOME INTERESTED PURCHASERS.

AND AGAIN, IT'S, WE NEED TO MAKE THAT SALE TO BE ABLE TO FUND NEXT YEAR'S HOUSE.

SO JUST SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING, I THINK, UH, FOR THE BOARD.

UM, RIGHT NOW WHAT OUR PLAN IS, IS TO JUST CONTINUE FINISHING IT, WHICH IS A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS AS WELL.

THEY'RE GONNA WORK ON HANGING DRYWALL.

UH, THEY'LL, IF WE GET FAR ENOUGH INTO IT WITHOUT A PURCHASE, UM, THEY'LL WORK ON INSTALLING SOME CABINETS.

UH, WE'VE DONE SOME PLUMBING WITH IT, SO THEY'LL JUST KEEP TAKING IT AS FAR AS THEY CAN GET IT THROUGHOUT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN WE'LL TRY ANOTHER AUCTION.

IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED, UH, WHO'S WATCHING OUT IN TV LAND AND, AND STOPPING BY AND CHECKING IT OUT, IF THEY'RE AN INTERESTED BUYER PERSPECTIVELY, UH, JUST GIMME A CALL AT THE TECH CENTER.

I'D BE HAPPY TO SET UP A TIME FOR THEM TO COME OVER BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE COME DO THAT.

UM, BUT AGAIN, WE REALLY NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE A SALE ON THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT FUNDS WHAT THE KIDS ARE GONNA DO NEXT YEAR.

UM, SO THAT'S OUR CARPENTRY PROGRAM RIGHT NOW.

AND AGAIN, JUST CONTACT VINCE.

GREG IF YOU'RE INTERESTED WHILE I'VE GOT THE MIC BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MR. WOLF AND OUR, UM, NOT CARPENTRY STUDENTS, BUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE STUDENTS.

UH, JUST SOME OTHER HAPPENINGS, UH, IN THE CTE WORLD IN THE COUNTY.

NEXT FRIDAY, EIGHTH GRADERS AT BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLDS OF WORK EXPO.

IT'S A HUGE CAREER FAIR THAT TAKES PLACE AT SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY.

UM, SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE REGION WILL BE SENDING EIGHTH GRADERS TO IT.

SO IT'S A REALLY BIG FULL DAY OF, UH, KIDS GETTING A LOT OF EXPOSURE.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE WALKTHROUGH AND GET PAMPHLETS.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF HANDS-ON REALLY ENGAGING, UH, DEMONSTRATIONS THAT THE KIDS CAN PARTICIPATE IN.

AND THE GOAL IS JUST TO GET OUR RISING FRESHMEN JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT INTEREST THEM, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD INFLUENCE THE ELECTIVES THEY TAKE AND CERTAINLY THEIR POST HIGH SCHOOL PLANNING.

SO THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

ALSO, A BIG WIN FOR US AT THE TECH CENTER THIS YEAR.

UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A $42,000 GRANT THROUGH THE CLAUDE MORE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.

UM, THAT'S A, A, A FOUNDATION THAT DONATES MONEY TO PROGRAMS THAT FUNNEL STUDENTS INTO THE MEDICAL FIELD.

UM, SO WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL, UH, TO GET THAT GRANT THAT PURCHASED TWO NEW CLASSROOM SETS OF COMPUTERS FOR US.

A PROBLEM WE WERE HAVING IN OUR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, UM, BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM.

IT'S A REALLY HANDS-ON LAB DRIVEN CURRICULUM INQUIRY BASED.

UM, IT'S ABOUT THE MOST LIKE RIGOROUS SCIENCE WORK YOU COULD DO WITH A GROUP OF KIDS.

UM, BUT OUR COMPUTER HARDWARE JUST COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE SOFTWARE THAT THE CURRICULUM REQUIRED US TO USE.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF 3D MODELING AND SOME REALLY COOL STUFF THAT THE KIDS DO, BUT OUR OLD COMPUTERS JUST COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH IT.

SO THIS GRANT HAS REALLY BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR US.

UM, I WANNA THANK JESSE AND HIS GUYS FOR HELPING US GET THE COMPUTERS SET UP.

THEY'RE IN THE STUDENT'S HANDS RIGHT NOW AND THE TEACHERS LOVE IT AND THE KIDS HAVE REALLY BEEN, YOU KNOW, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AS WELL.

SO VERY HAPPY FOR

[00:35:01]

THAT.

WHILE I DO HAVE THE MICROPHONE I'D ALSO MENTION THAT ONLY SOLVES ABOUT HALF OF OUR COMPUTER NEEDS AT THE TECH CENTER, WE'RE FACING SIMILAR, UM, CHALLENGES IN OUR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING COURSES, UM, AS WELL AS OUR COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CLASSES WHERE THE HARDWARE, BECAUSE OF ITS AGE, IT JUST CAN'T DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.

UM, SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEAS ON GRANTS OR FUNDING, UH, YOU KNOW, SOURCES THAT I COULD CHASE DOWN, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

JUST LET ME KNOW.

UM, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE HERE.

A COUPLE MORE EVENTS JUST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE DO.

WE DID HIRE A NEW WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR THIS YEAR.

MS. ANNA HADLEY.

SHE'D ACTUALLY BEEN AT THE TECH CENTER FOR A COUPLE YEARS AS A SUB, WAS ALREADY A, A GREAT FIT ON OUR TEAM.

SO SHE'S REALLY STEPPED INTO IT AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

AND FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE LISTENING TONIGHT, UH, THE HELP THAT WE COULD REALLY USE IS WE NEED COMMUNITY EMPLOYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN AVAILING THEMSELVES TO SOME INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

UM, WHY THAT'S A WIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY EMPLOYERS IS OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE POSITIONING YOURSELF TO RECEIVE EMPLOYERS IN THE FUTURE THAT, OR EMPLOYEES IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU MIGHT NEED WHEN THEY GRADUATE.

OR DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN WORK WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS EVEN BETTER.

UM, AND IT'S A WIN FOR OUR STUDENTS TOO BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IN THE WORKPLACE.

THEY'RE GETTING THAT CONFIDENCE BOOST THAT A LOT OF KIDS HAVE NEVER HAD.

YOU KNOW, I CAN HAVE A JOB, I CAN MAKE MONEY AND YOU KNOW, THAT FEELS GOOD TO BE PRODUCTIVE.

UM, AND IT ALSO CHECKS SOME BOXES FOR THEM TOWARDS GRADUATION.

UH, SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR OUR STUDENTS.

IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO IF ANYBODY OUT THERE'S INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE JUST YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT ENTAILS, DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.

OUR GOAL IS TO JUST HAVE THIS BIG DEEP BENCH OF EMPLOYERS THAT WE CAN FUNNEL STUDENTS INTO DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.

LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 123 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS FORMS OF WORK-BASED LEARNING.

MOST OF THOSE, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WERE INTERNSHIPS, MOST OF WHICH WERE PAID.

UM, HERE IN THE AREA THAT WE LIVE AND WORK IN.

UM, THE REMAINING OF THOSE WERE SCHOOL-BASED BUSINESSES LIKE, UH, THE DECK OF TAILGATERS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT FALLS UNDER THAT UMBRELLA AS WELL.

BUT REGARDLESS OF THE FORMAT, I JUST THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS.

SO ANYBODY INTERESTED IN THAT, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.

ALSO, IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU'D LIKE TO HELP US OUT WITH MOCK INTERVIEWS, UM, THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK IN NOVEMBER, WE TRY TO BRING IN, UM, EMPLOYERS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT ALIGN TO OUR PROGRAM AREAS AND WE RUN OUR STUDENTS AT THE TECH CENTER THROUGH MOCK INTERVIEWS.

IT'S FUNNY, I GET NERVOUS AT A JOB INTERVIEW.

UM, I THINK THAT'S NATURAL AT, I'M 41 YEARS OLD, SO IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THE KIDS KIND OF WALKING ON EGGSHELLS THAT MORNING LAST YEAR.

AND THEN WHEN THEY COME OUTTA THAT THEY KIND OF HAVE THE SIGH OF RELIEF.

THE SAME SI I HAVE WHEN MY PRESENTATION'S OVER TONIGHT.

UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MORE YOU DO THAT, THE BETTER YOU GET AT IT.

SO THAT'S REALLY COOL.

IF THERE'S ANY, UH, COMMUNITY AGENCIES OR, OR EMPLOYERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH THAT, JUST GIMME A CALL.

AND THEN ALSO I WANNA THANK MR. KSH.

UM, HE LETS US USE THE AUXILIARY GYM AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SPRING FOR OUR HIRING EVENT.

UM, SO YOU COULD THINK OF IT AS A, AS A JOB FAIR, BUT IT'S NOT SO MUCH GEARED TOWARDS INFORMATION ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AS IT IS ABOUT GIVING OUR SENIORS WHO ARE ON THE VERGE OF GRADUATING, UH, AN ACTUAL SHOT AT A JOB INTERVIEW AND THEN LEAVING THAT EVENT WITH A JOB IN HAND.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL ON APRIL 29TH FROM 10 TO NOON THIS SPRING.

AGAIN, THANKS TO MR. KSH FOR LETTING US USE THE SPACE.

UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 45 EMPLOYERS COME AND PARTICIPATE.

UM, WE TARGET OUR SENIORS, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING INFORMATION OR JUST A JOB OR IN INSPIRATION, WHATEVER THEY MAY TAKE FROM IT, I THINK IT'S WORTH IT.

UM, AND WE HAVE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT HAD STUDENTS WHO'VE WALKED OUT WITH JOBS IN HAND, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY NEAT TO HEAR A KID WALK OUTTA THAT SAYING, OH, I'M GONNA BE STARTING THIS AND I'M MAKING THIS MUCH MONEY.

AND IT JUST KIND OF FLICKS A SWITCH IN THEIR HEADS THAT MAYBE HADN'T BEEN FLICKED BEFORE.

SO AGAIN, ANYBODY INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN ANY OF THAT? JUST CALL VINCE GREG OR ANNA HADLEY AT THE BLUE RIDGE TECH CENTER.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE, UM, EMPLOYER IN THE AREA THAT'S BEEN WILLING TO GIVE US THEIR TIME AND OPEN THEMSELVES UP AS A RESOURCE TO OUR STUDENTS.

ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE FED YOU AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU SOME INFORMATION UP NEXT.

CERTAINLY NOT.

LAST IS MR. TIM WOLF.

UH, HE RUNS OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM, DOES A GREAT JOB.

UM, AND HE'S GOT JUST A LITTLE UPDATE.

THEY HAD A BIG DAY THIS WEEK COMPETING DOWN AT SKILLS USA.

UM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. WOLF.

HI EVERYBODY.

SO THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR, UH, GOING DOWN TO THE STATE FAIR AND PARTICIPATING, UH, IN SKILLS USA FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

UH, AND YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST YEAR THERE.

WE CAME IN THIRD PLACE.

THAT WAS GREAT.

SO THIS YEAR WE HAD ALL THE STUDENTS AND I'M JUST NOT ANYTHING ABOUT TIM WOLF, THIS IS ABOUT THE STUDENTS.

'CAUSE YOU JUST DON'T FIND ANY BETTER THAN WE HAVE HERE.

UH, SO WE PRACTICED THANK TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THEY SENT PEOPLE DOWN TO HELP US PREPARE FOR THIS, UH, FRIDAY THEY LEFT AT ONE O'CLOCK.

WE WERE GONNA LEAVE AT SEVEN O'CLOCK MONDAY MORNING.

AND I GOT A CALL AT ONE O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND SAID, YEAH, I REMEMBER WHAT WE TOLD YOU ABOUT.

WE'RE

[00:40:01]

NOT GRADING YOU ON THAT, WE'RE GONNA DO IT ON SOMETHING ELSE.

SO ON THE WAY DOWN THERE WE STARTED TALKING AND THIS IS WHERE YOU FIND OUT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.

SO THE EDUCATION THAT THESE KIDS ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TAKE A TEST AND THEY'LL PASS THE TEST.

BUT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MONTHS OF TRAINING FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

ONE UP THROUGH THIS.

YOU GET DOWN THERE, YOU GET YOUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

WE GOT 10 SCHOOLS, 20 TEAMS THAT WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST.

AND YOU GOT POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE GRADING YOU.

UH, AND OUR STUDENTS CAME OUT FIFTH AND SECOND OUT OF EVERYBODY.

AND THAT'S TO, YOU GUYS DESERVE A A ROUND.

SO THE TWO LADIES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS COME ON UP HERE WITH ME.

THIS IS MADISON WILLIAMS AND ANGEL BAKER.

YES.

YEAH.

YES.

THIS IS THE SECOND PLACE TEAM.

THE OTHER TEAM COULDN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT.

SO YOU DID GET RIBBONS THOUGH, RIGHT? DID YOU ? YEAH.

SO THEY GOT RIBBONS, WHICH IS THEIRS, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW DONE.

THEY WERE GIVEN A PLAQUE TO PUT IN HIS SCHOOL FIRST TIME FOR BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER TO GET THIS PLAQUE SECOND PLACE.

AND THE GIRLS WANTED TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU.

YOU SO GOOD.

MM-HMM, .

BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU FOLKS, I LOVE IT OVER THERE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU FOR ALL THE TEACHERS WHO ARE THERE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND ANYBODY.

THE TEACHERS IN OTHER SCHOOLS.

I LOVE TO, BUT, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS EVERYBODY OVER THERE POURS OUR HEART INTO THESE STUDENTS AND THIS IS FOR THEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU WANT ANYTHING FROM ME? IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? YEAH, GO AHEAD.

UM, WE ARE IN OUR SECOND YEAR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WITH MR. WOLF.

AND MR. WOLF HAS TAUGHT US A LOT OF STUFF.

NOT JUST LIKE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE, BUT JUST LIKE A LOT OF LIFE LESSONS AND UH, SKILLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE'LL USE AS WE GET OLDER.

AND UM, I THINK HE'S A GREAT TEACHER AND HE'S TAUGHT ME MORE THAN PROBABLY LIKE 90% OF MY OTHER TEACHERS HAVE THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.

YEAH.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF STUFF NOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE ABOUT, UM, LAW AND JUST ABOUT LIKE, REGULAR LIFE STUFF THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO LEARN EVENTUALLY HE JUST, MR. WOLF'S JUST A GREAT TEACHER BECAUSE HE ENGAGES WITH US AND HE IS LIKE, UNDERSTANDABLE.

LIKE IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING AND WE ASK HIM, HE'LL LIKE MAKE IT TO WHERE WE CAN UNDERSTAND.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE HE'S JUST, HE PROVIDES US WITH LIKE WATER IN HIS FRIDGE AND STUFF.

AND SOME, WE HAVE A VENDING MACHINE OVER AT BLUE EARTH TECH AND SOME OF US DON'T HAVE A DOLLARS THAT WE'RE LIKE, MR. WOLF, DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY? , HE WILL GIVE US SOME QUARTERS AND WE'LL GO OVER THERE AND GET A SNACK.

BUT I ALSO WANNA THANK THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT FOR COMING DOWN AND HAVE US PRACTICE WITH THEM BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM I WOULD LIKE NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THAT COMPETITION.

SO I REALLY WANNA THANK THEM.

ME TOO.

I WANNA THANK THEM AS WELL.

UM, ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE, THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND UH, JUST THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT MR. WOLF HAS PUT IN FOR US REALLY SHOWS AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE LIKE HE SAID, THEY HAD CHANGED THE WHOLE SCHEDULE ON FRIDAY BEFORE WE WERE GONNA LEARN ON MONDAY.

AND JUST LIKE HAVING, I THINK JUST HAVING HIM THERE AND HIM LIKE HELPING US AND TALK, TALK US THROUGH IT, LIKE WITH NO STRESS, IT REALLY DID HELP.

UM, YEAH, I DUNNO.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

YEAH, HE'S LIKE OUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER.

I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO PAY.

WELL, WE DID HEAR ABOUT THE CHANGE AT THE VENDING MACHINE, MR. WOLF, SO THAT'S OKAY.

NO, BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING AND THAT WAS AWESOME.

AND YEAH, ANYTIME YOU'RE DRIVING BY THE TECH CENTER, YOU MIGHT SEE SOME POLICE CARS.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG THERE.

THEY'RE OUTSIDE PRACTICING TRAFFIC STOPS OR THEY, THEY DO SOME REALLY COOL STUFF.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE 'EM HERE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

UM, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE COOKIES AGAIN, DON'T BE SHY.

IF YOU NEED ANY MORE, PLEASE GRAB A BUNCH.

UM, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING.

IF NOT, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

[00:45:01]

IS THERE ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING? NEXT

[3. Consent Agenda ]

UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT AGENDA BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

A A AYE.

NEXT UP

[4.A. Superintendent ]

WE HAVE REPORTS.

UP WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.

BALLINGER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY THAT IS JOINING US HERE TONIGHT AND THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US ONLINE.

UM, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, OUR TWO PRINCIPALS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY REPRESENT AND THE STAFF AND STUDENTS, UH, THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

UH, MR. ESH AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND MR. GREG OVER AT BLUE RIDGE TECH.

SO I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO BOTH OF THEM AS WELL.

UH, THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT BY PROMOTING KINDNESS, INCLUSIVITY, AND RESPECT, WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CREATING A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE FEELS VALUED AND RESPECTED TOGETHER WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE BULLYING A THING OF THE PAST AND BUILD A BETTER AND MORE COMPASSIONATE WORLD.

I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION MONTH AND PRINCIPALS ARE AMONG THE HARDEST WORKING YET, OFTEN LEAST RECOGNIZED INDIVIDUALS IN EDUCATION.

PRINCIPALS SET THE ACADEMIC TONE FOR THEIR SCHOOLS AND IT'S THEIR VISION, DEDICATION, AND DETERMINATION THAT PROVIDE THE MOBILIZING FORCE FOR ACHIEVING STUDENT SUCCESS.

I ASK THAT OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENT IN EDUCATION AND PROVIDING A WELCOMING AND SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ON A DAILY BASIS TO ALL OF OUR CHILDREN WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL HERE WITH US, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE JOB THAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

UM, YOU ARE APPRECIATED.

SO THANK YOU.

ALSO, I WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT, UH, WE DID SEND OUT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CELL PHONE OR CELL PHONE POLICY.

IT'S ALSO CALLED THE, UH, ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY OR POLICY I-I-B-E-A DASH R THREE GAB DASH R THREE.

IT'S A LOT OF LETTERS FOR JUST ONE POLICY.

SO WE JUST CALL IT THE CELL PHONE POLICY.

UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS SENT TO PARENTS LAST NIGHT.

WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT EMAIL THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE, UH, VDOE DOCUMENT, ALSO THE POLICY.

UM, AND THEN THERE WAS A LETTER THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT, UH, TO, TO FAMILIES.

IT ALSO PROVIDED AN OUTLINE, WHICH WE DO HAVE THAT I I WAS GONNA GO OVER IT THEN.

I REMEMBER WE HAD IT AS AN ACTION ITEM.

SO WE'LL, WE'LL GO OVER THAT A LITTLE LATER.

DON'T WANNA TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM DR.

COSTNER AS HE'S PREPARED TO, TO, TO DISCUSS THAT TONIGHT.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE, WE DO HAVE THAT IN PLACE.

WE DID PUSH THAT OUT ALSO WCPS 1 0 1.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 11 APPLICANTS.

OUR FIRST MEETING IS NEXT WEDNESDAY.

UH, WE WILL BE OVER AT MS. TOBEN BERGER'S, UH, SCHOOL.

WE'LL BE AT HILL TO J BARBER, UH, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, FOR OUR FIRST WORK, UH, FOR OUR FIRST SESSION, UH, NEXT WEEK.

AND, UH, THEN OCTOBER 15TH WILL BE THE END OF THE FIRST NINE WEEKS.

ALSO, ACCREDITATION INFORMATION WAS RELEASED AND PROJECTIONS FROM THE DISCUSSION AT THE WORK SESSION, UH, I BELIEVE IS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT MS. BRAGG AND, AND MS. WALTON PRESENTED, UH, THEIR, THEIR PROJECTIONS WERE CORRECT.

UM, MS. BRAGG WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE RURAL EXAMINER TO DISCUSS ACCREDITATION AND WHAT WE AS, AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM ARE DOING, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE AREAS OF CONCERN THAT WE HAVE.

UH, ALSO I WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON CURRENT VACANCIES.

CURRENTLY THERE'S NINE TEACHING VACANCIES WITH TWO OF THOSE NINE BEING FILLED TONIGHT.

ALSO, THERE ARE THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS VACANCIES.

ONE OF THOSE IS BEING FILLED.

BUT WE'RE ALSO ASKING YOU TO CREATE THREE MORE VACANCIES.

SO THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF FIVE VACANCIES.

UH, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP TALLY THERE.

WE ALSO HAVE TWO DEANS, FOUR BUS DRIVERS, AND ONE, UH, TRANSPORTATION ROUTE ASSISTANT.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU DR.

BALLINGER.

[4.B. School Board ]

MR. MCFADDEN, I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT.

THANK YOU MS. SALANS.

I ALSO HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT MS. LOWE.

WELL, I GUESS I WILL ALSO HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT DR.

FUNK.

I DON'T WANNA BREAK THE CHAIN HERE.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

UM, JUST REGARDING SOME OF THE, THE THINGS THAT OUR TWO SCHOOLS SHARED WITH US TODAY.

UM, THE, THE CAT PACK THAT WAS STARTED AT, AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE WITH ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GROUP OF PARENTS TO DO THAT.

SO I'M, IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT IT'S STILL GOING ON.

UM, IT, IT WAS EXACTLY LIKE HE SAID, AND I HAVEN'T

[00:50:01]

BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, IN A WHILE.

BUT, UM, IT WAS JUST A VERY INFORMAL, IT WASN'T LIKE THE PTO TYPE OF THING.

THEY CAME UP WITH SOME GREAT IDEAS AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED THAT, IT WAS HOW DO WE GET OUR KIDS BACK ENGAGED BECAUSE WE WERE COMING OFF OF, OF COVID AND, UM, WE DID SOME REALLY, YOU KNOW, FABULOUS THINGS FOR OUR KIDS.

SO IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT THE KIDS ARE STILL DOING THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIDDOS ARE, ARE MAKING THOSE MEMORIES, THOSE SE IT'S EARLY, THOSE SENIOR SUNRISES, UM, AND SENIOR SUN AND THE SUNSETS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THEY DO IN BETWEEN.

UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT STILL HAPPENING.

AND, UM, UH, AND THEN WHEN WE WERE HEARING FROM, FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, BLUE RIDGE TECH, YOU KNOW, UM, JUST AS WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FABULOUS THINGS.

I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHEN THEY'VE BEEN HERE, UM, DOING, UH, PRESENTATIONS AND, UM, SO IT'S, IT'S GREAT THAT TO SEE ALL THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TOO IS YOU CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, I KNOW NOTHING IS EVER PERFECT IN A PERFECT WORLD, BUT IT'S ALWAYS, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU CAN FEEL THE LOVE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE, FOR THOSE STAFF, FOR THOSE KIDS.

UM, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK PROBABLY GETS THEM THROUGH THOSE HARD DAYS.

'CAUSE WE KNOW NOT EVERY DAY IS GREAT.

SO IT'S JUST GOOD TO SEE.

UM, I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE THAT AND, UM, MAYBE EMBRACE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE.

I HEARD A LOT OF, I FELT LIKE I HEARD A LOT OF SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND, AND IT WAS JUST GOOD TO HEAR.

SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE, SHARING ALL THAT WITH US, SHARING THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S IT.

AND NOW WE'RE ONTO OUR ACTION AGENDA, WHICH THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE THAT REALLY LONG CELL PHONE POLICY.

UM, THIS PAST MONTH I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

UM, SAW SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE PARENT VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING THERE, THE, UM, HAWK FLOCK IS DOING.

GOT TO SEE THEIR DIGNITY CLOSET ORGANIZATION AND BASICALLY JUST ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DONATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THERE THIS SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE STUDENTS.

SAW SOME STUDENTS COMING IN WHILE I WAS THERE, NEEDING SOME ITEMS FROM THAT AREA.

AND THEY WERE ALL JUST VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

UM, SO REALLY A A THANK YOU, NOT JUST TO THE PARENTS THAT ARE RUNNING THAT AND HELPING THE SCHOOL THERE, BUT ALSO TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REALLY CONTINUOUSLY ARE STEPPING UP AND MAKING THOSE DONATIONS TO KEEP THAT SUCCESSFUL THERE FOR THEM.

UM, HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS, UM, WALKING AROUND, UM, THERE WITH MR. BURKE THAT DAY AS WELL.

SO THAT WAS GOOD.

UM, WE HAD A MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD MEETING.

NOTHING REALLY TO REPORT FROM THERE EXCEPT THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD SCHOOL YEAR.

UM, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UM, THE SKYLINE LADY HAWKS BASKETBALL TEAM.

UM, HAS BEEN STEPPING UP A COUPLE OF TIMES, LIKE IN OUR AREA WITH JUST SOME VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

THEY CAME AND HELPED OUR ROTARY CLUB SET UP OUR FUNDRAISING EVENT.

WE WERE RAISING MONEY FOR BLUE RIDGE OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE WERE SOME HEAVY TABLES THAT NEEDED TO BE MOVED.

THEY CAME AND JOINED IN THE COMMUNITY.

I ALSO SAW THEM AND SEVERAL OTHER SPORTS TEAMS FROM WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL AS SKYLINE OUT AT CELEBRATE KIDS' DAY ON SUNDAY.

SO IT'S REALLY GREAT TO NOT JUST SEE OUR KIDS DOING THEIR OWN SERVICE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO GETTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO, UM, THAT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE OVER THE PAST MONTH AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN SORT OF HAVE SOME MORE OF THOSE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS EVENING.

AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING AS WELL.

[5.A. Approval of updated regulation Policy IIBEA-R3/GAB-R3 Use of Personally-Owned, Electronic Devices - Dr. Costner ]

THAT, UM, HE, THAT THE GENTLEMAN DID SHARE.

COSTNER, MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.

YEAH.

AND YES, IT THE, UM, I DO BRING FOR YOU TONIGHT THE, UM, WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL OF THE REGULATION FOR POLICY IIBA DASH R THREE SLASH GAAB DASH R THREE USE OF PERSONALLY OWNED ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

BUT BEFORE I ASK FOR, UM, APPROVAL OF THAT, I DO WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TIMELINE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT.

AND I KNOW YOU DID RECEIVE SOME INFORMATION CONCERNING IT, BUT AS, AS DR.

BALLINGER STATED ON OCTOBER ONE, WE'VE ALREADY BEGAN THE PUSH OUT OF THE INFORMATION NOTIFYING PARENTS FOR THE, UM, THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE OF THIS POLICY.

WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED THEM THE INFORMATION FROM THE, UM, FROM THE GOVERNOR AND, UM, JUST WRITTEN A LETTER TO THEM TO JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THIS IS A THING AND TRUTHFULLY, IT'S FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND, UM, AND, AND AS, UM, MR. KISH ALLUDED TO, THE FIRESIDE CHAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

IT DID PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, PARTICULARLY HOW THE TRENDS ARE BASED ON WHEN CELL PHONES WERE IMPLEMENTED.

SO IF YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND VIEW THAT IT, IT IS SOME AMAZING AND, AND ACTUALLY STARTLING STATISTICS

[00:55:01]

SO, UM, BUT THAT IS IMPORTANT.

BUT OUR PUSHOUT STARTED ON OCTOBER ONE.

NOW, AND AGAIN, WITH OUR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, IT'S NOT REALLY THAT MUCH OF A DRASTIC CHANGE BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY DO HAVE A POLICY WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PUT UP OUT OF SIGHT.

UM, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ARE SUPPOSED TO PUT 'EM IN THEIR LOCKERS AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE STANDARD PROCEDURES AND THAT WILL CONTINUE, THEY'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THAT.

NOW, WHEN WE DO DISCUSS WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, UM, WE ARE SLOWLY IMPLEMENTING IT.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON OCTOBER THE 14TH.

IT'S WHEN WE'LL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING CLASS CHANGES.

UM, 'CAUSE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE 'EM DURING CLASS CHANGES, BUT NOT DURING CLASS.

SO THAT'LL BE A START.

BUT NOW AGAIN, IT'S WITH VERBAL WARNINGS AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THE STUDENTS.

AND PRIOR TO, YOU KNOW, OCTOBER THE 14TH, THEY WILL BE MAKING THEIR MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS OR AFTERNOON ANNOUNCEMENTS.

HOW IT JUST, JUST TO REMIND THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS WILL BE REMINDING THE STUDENTS, UM, THE, UM, PRINCIPALS WILL BE, HAVE HOLDING FACULTY MEETINGS PRIOR TO THIS JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER HOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.

SO WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? AND, UM, JUST SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

THEN AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON NOVEMBER THE 12TH IS WHEN WE'LL START IMPLEMENTING THE, UM, NO USING OF THE CELL PHONES DURING LUNCH AND CLASS CHANGES.

SO JUST TO LET 'EM KNOW THIS IS, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE.

AND SO THEN ONCE IT, THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION DOES START IN JANUARY 6TH WHEN WE RETURN, UM, FROM OUR BREAK.

BUT, UM, THIS GIVES THE STUDENTS TIME TO, TO GET USED TO IT, TEACHERS TO GET USED TO IT, THE ADMINISTRATORS GET USED TO IT, TO GET 'EM ACCLIMATED TO WHAT, WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS.

SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

AND THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER, NOT JUST GRABBING IT OUTTA THE AIR.

UM, DR.

BALLINGER WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS PUT TOGETHER IN A LOGICAL SEQUENCE SO THAT IT COULD HELP THEM AND, AND HELP TO UNDER THEY UNDERSTAND THE STUDENTS.

'CAUSE A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE TRULY, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD USE THE WORD ADDICTED TO THEIR PHONES, BUT THEY ARE, IT, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A THING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS TO HELP THEM.

SO THAT, THAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE? SO DURING THE, THE, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY 6TH, IT'S, IT'S SIMPLY WARNINGS, VERBAL CONVERSATIONS.

THERE'S NO, LIKE, I MEAN, ACCORDING TO THE DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES IN THE POLICY, THAT'S NOT BEING FOLLOWED CURRENTLY.

CORRECT.

OKAY.

BUT THEN STARTING JANUARY 6TH, WHATEVER, C AND D DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES WOULD, WOULD, WOULD HAPPEN.

CORRECT? CORRECT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

NOW, THAT'S DURING CLASS CHANGES AND DURING LUNCH IN CLASSROOM, THERE'S STILL SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

CORRECT.

SO, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, YES.

YES, SIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR DR. KAUFMAN? AND I THINK DR.

ER, YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA GO DO A TOWN TALK ABOUT THIS AS WELL? YES, MA'AM.

I'M GOING TO, UH, TOUCH BASE WITH THE RURAL EXAMINER, AND THAT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE OF MY GOALS EACH MONTH IS TO HAVE A, A TOWN TALK.

AND SO THIS MONTH, THIS WAS GONNA BE MY TOPIC.

OKAY.

A GREAT POLICY TO HAVE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO BE INTO IT, BUT IF, IF PEOPLE AREN'T ENFORCING IT UNIVERSALLY ACROSS THE BOARD, IT'S GONNA BE A FIASCO.

UM, SO ON PAGE FOUR, SECTION D, THERE WAS A WORD CHANGE THAT I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER.

SO IT TALKS ABOUT THE, THE FIRST ACTION, AND, AND I ASSUME THAT THIS WILL BE ONCE, ONCE WE HAVE IT IN FULL SWING IN, IN JANUARY.

UM, FIRST ACTION, VERBAL WARNING REMINDER, SECOND ACTION TEACHER CALLS HOME TO THE PARENT.

AND THEN THE THIRD ACTION, WHEN THE STUDENT RECEIVES A REFERRAL TO ADMINISTRATION, A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR MAY TAKE TEMPORARY POSSESSION OF THE PERSONALLY OWNED ELECTRONIC DEVICE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT MAY CHANGED TO A WILL OR A SHALL, BECAUSE ONCE THE CHILD HAS BEEN ASKED TO PUT IT AWAY, ONCE THE TEACHER'S ALREADY HAD TO CALL HOME, IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION THAT THE THIRD STRIKE CAN NOT RESULT IN THE PHONE BEING TAKEN AND THE THE PARENT HAVING TO COME PICK IT UP AT THE SCHOOL'S CONVENIENCE, THEN THERE'S A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM THERE, WHICH I KNOW WITH, WITH MY CHILDREN, IF I TELL 'EM, OH, I MIGHT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU, WELL, THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA TALK BACK.

THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO FINAGLE THEIR WAY OUT OF IT.

IT'S JUST GONNA CREATE MORE HASSLE FOR OUR, FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS, WHEN IT IS A GRAY AREA, IF IT'S BEEN THREE REQUESTS TO NOT BE BREAKING THIS POLICY, THE PHONE HAS TO JUST, IT HAS TO JUST BE TAKEN, PERIOD.

UM, THAT'S MY FEELING ON IT.

OTHERWISE, IT REALLY WATERS DOWN THE POLICY.

IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A MAYBE, WELL, WE MIGHT TAKE IT.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT TOO.

I MEAN, I, AGAIN, AT SOME POINT WE'VE HAD HOW MANY, HOW MANY WARNINGS, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO THE FIRST THING SAYING THAT THIS, THIS IS THE NEXT RESULT.

WE TAKE IT FROM YOU.

IT'S, IT'S, I DON'T, I I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE MAY, I STATED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS

[01:00:01]

AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO MAKE IT A FIASCO IS TO PUT THE WORD MAY RATHER THAN SHALL OR MUST, BECAUSE THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE, WELL, THE POLICY I COULD HAVE OR COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN IT.

WHEREAS IF IT'S LIKE, NO, EVERY TEACHER DID IT ON THIS THIRD STRIKE OR WHATEVER THE, WHATEVER STRIKE IT IS, EVERYONE DID THE SAME ACTION WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL, PARTICULARLY IN A, IN A, IN A ROLLOUT WOULD BE MY OPINION AS WELL.

AND THEN IF SO, IF WE CHANGE IT THERE, THEN AT THE LAST SENTENCE WILL BE RETRIEVED BY THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN THAT MAY WOULD MM-HMM.

ALSO BE CHANGED IN KEEPING THAT MM-HMM.

AND I THINK TOO, LIKE WE, WE HEARD TONIGHT WITH ALL THE PRESENTATIONS OF THE SCHOOLS LEADING UP TO THIS, JUST THIS SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

AND I THINK, UM, SEEING THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH SOME, SOME PARENTS AND, AND OTHER COUNTIES PUSHING BACK SAYING, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA FOLLOW THAT.

I THINK WHAT IS CRITICAL HERE IS THE PARENTAL BUY-IN.

AND I KNOW AT THE START OF THE WHOLE CELL PHONE DISCUSSION, I DID NOT KNOW THE, UM, THE ACTUAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF WHAT THESE PHONES ARE DOING TO, TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE BRAINS OF CHILDREN.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THAT YET EITHER.

SO THE BEST WAY TO GET PARENTAL BUY-IN IS WHEN WE START HAVING PARENTS INCONVENIENCED BY HAVING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DRIVE TO THE SCHOOL DURING NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS TO RETRIEVE THEIR CHILD'S CELL PHONE.

AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THOSE PARENTS ARE GOING TO THEN HAVE A LITTLE MORE HARSHLY HARSH REACTION WITH THEIR OWN CHILD AND STOP TAKING YOUR PHONE OUT AT SCHOOL OR, OR THE PARENT WILL JUST TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE CHILD ALTOGETHER, WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD HOPE WOULD BE THE OUTCOME.

BUT I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER ON THE TEACHING STAFF IF, IF THIS WAS, WAS PHRASED A A BIT MORE AS A SHALL AND NOT AS, AS A MAY.

OTHER THOUGHTS? UM, NO, I, I AGREE WITH THAT.

UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY, AND, UM, I'M KIND OF SURPRISED, MR. MCFADDEN, YOU DIDN'T PICK UP ON THIS.

OH, COME ON.

THE, UM, HAVE A COMMA MISSING, AND MAYBE I'M WRONG , BUT, UM, WHEN YOU, YOU HAVE FIRST ACTION COLON VERBAL REMINDER SLASH WARNING SEMICOLON, SECOND ACTION COLON, DA DA DA DA, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT SAME, YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, COLON THIRD ACTION.

JUST IF YOU LOOK AT IT THERE, YOU CAN, I THINK YOU CAN SEMICOLON INSTEAD OF SEMICOLON OR YOU TO SEMICOLON.

I WANTED OTHER PEOPLE TO PLAY AT HOME.

OKAY.

WELL THAT'S, WELL, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT BECAUSE I ALSO AM, YOU KNOW, I, I WANNA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S, IT'S CORRECT.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN JUST FIX THAT THERE, UM, IN THAT SENTENCE, BUT I, I, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T DISAGREE.

AND JUST TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS SO MUCH RESEARCH NOW THAT WE ARE FINDING ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF SCREEN TIME AND, UM, TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THEY USED TO ALWAYS SAY THAT THE BRAIN IS FULLY DEVELOPED BY 25.

THE NEWEST RESEARCH NOW SAYS THE BRAIN IS NOT FULLY DEVELOPED UNTIL 28 BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE IMPACTS THAT SCREEN TIME.

UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, ELECTRONICS HAS ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

SO, UM, I THINK WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

YOU KNOW, IT'LL HOPEFULLY ALLOW EVERYONE TO GET BACK TO BASICS NOT ONLY DURING CLASS TIME, BUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY AND COMMUNICATE USING WORDS INSTEAD OF THUMBS.

SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MS. LOWE? ANYBODY ELSE? IS THERE A MOTION WITH THAT, UM, AMENDMENT? I MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE UPDATED REGULATION POLICY I-I-B-E-A DASH R THREE SLASH GAB DASH R THREE USE OF PERSONALLY OWNED ELECTRONIC DEVICES AS AMENDED WITH THE CHANGES TO SECTION FOUR D AND ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE PRESENTED TONIGHT, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

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

NEXT UP WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY

[5.B. Technology Purchases - Mr. Stefnoski ]

PURCHASES, MR. STEFANSKI.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, TONIGHT I'M HERE REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR THE PURCHASE OF 331 PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND 150 VGA ADAPTERS FOR THOSE COMPUTERS.

UH, AND THE AMOUNT OF 200 E $4,650.

THESE WILL BE USED TO REFRESH THE COMPUTERS AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, SEVERAL COMPUTERS AT SOME OF THE COMPUTER LABS THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUILDING FOR SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND AT LEAST

[01:05:01]

ONE OF THE LABS AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, AND THAT'LL LEAVE US, UH, SOME EXTRAS THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT OF WHICH BUILDINGS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THOSE.

AND WE STILL HAVE PLENTY TO REFRESH.

SO THIS IS JUST OUR FIRST WAVE THIS YEAR, KIND OF TRYING TO GET US AHEAD OF SOME OF THAT STUFF THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH OUR PC NEEDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. STEFANSKI? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THAT APPROVAL WILL BE GIVEN TO PURCHASE THE PCS AND THE ADAPTERS FROM CDWG IN THE AMOUNT OF $284,650? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

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

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE APPROVAL OF TUTOR SALARY SCALE.

NEXT UP

[5.C. Approval of Tutor Salary Scale - Mrs. Drake ]

MRS. DRAKE.

GOOD EVENING.

EXCUSE ME.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, SO I AM HERE TO ASK YOU TO INCREASE OUR TUTOR SALARY PAY FROM $12 PER HOUR TO $15 PER HOUR.

UM, WE DID GET TITLE ONE GRANT FUNDING THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE FOR OUR, OUR TUTOR TUTORS AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY WILL MAKE ON OUR STUDENTS.

THAT'S IS THIS, AND THIS IS FOR ALL GRADE LEVELS, ANY TUTOR? THAT'S CORRECT.

SO I DO WANT TO, TO CLARIFY, UM, THE TITLE ONE FUNDING WILL BE USED AT SCHOOLS WITH TITLE ONE WHEN THEY USE TUTORS AT THOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO, BUT IF THEY'RE BEING USED AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT TITLE I, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN IN OUR BUDGET.

CORRECT.

DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH TOTAL? THERE'S NOT A LOT.

TYPICALLY, RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY TUTORS WE'RE PLANNING ON THAT I KNOW WE HAVE WOULD BE, UH, AT THOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO, UH, LATER ON WE MAY DO SOME SOL REMEDIATION AND THAT'S WHEN WE DO PAY.

BUT THAT'S A, THAT MAY.

NO, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S 25.

UM, AND THAT'S FOR TEACHERS AND WE DO HAVE DESIGNATED POT FOR THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OVERALL, SO IF, IF ANOTHER SCHOOL DID BRING IN A TUTOR, THEN THEY WOULD STILL GET THAT $15 RATE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE TITLE ONE IF THEY'RE NOT A TITLE ONE SCHOOL.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE IDENTIFYING THE NEED TO BRING IN TUTORS THAT WILL USE THEIR TITLE ONE FUND TO PAY FOR THOSE.

SO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MS. DRAKE? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO INCREASE TUTOR PAY FROM $12 AN HOUR TO $15 AN HOUR? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

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

THANK YOU MS. DRAKE.

AND STILL, AGAIN, APPROVAL OF THREE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT POSITIONS.

HELLO AGAIN.

UM, SO WE DID GET, NOW THIS IS SPECIFIC TO, UM, TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

TITLE ONE, UM, SPECIFICALLY ONLY TO THEM TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE.

UM, THE TITLE GRANT IS ONLY FOR THE YEAR.

UM, SO ONCE THAT IS DONE, THEN THEY WOULD THEN NO LONGER, UH, BE ABLE TO USE THAT UNLESS WE WERE GRANTED IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR AND SO ON SO FORTH.

SO I'M ONLY ASKING FOR THIS YEAR.

UM, AND FOR TWO OF THE IAS TO GO TO LESLIE, UH, FOX, KAISER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND ONE AT HILDA J BARBARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MRS. DRAKE? CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT THESE NEW STAFF WOULD BE DOING IN THOSE SCHOOLS? THEY WOULD BE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS.

SO THE SAME THING, UM, THAT OUR CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS ARE DOING.

SO IT'S, AND, AND MS. LOWE REALLY TO HELP, UM, WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VLA, UM, REMEDIATION, UM, JUST SUPPORTS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED.

SO, UM, THIS, WHEN, WHEN LOOKING AT IT THERE, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO SCHOOLS HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO WHERE THEY COULD HIRE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF.

UM, AND BOTH SCHOOLS NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF TO HELP WITH SUPPORTING, UH, THE NEEDS OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH VLA AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT REMEDIATION TO THOSE STUDENTS.

UM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE QUITE A FEW STUDENTS ON A PLAN AND SO HAVING THAT SUPPORT THERE IS GONNA BE BENEFICIAL.

SO READING FOCUSED.

SO IT'S, YEAH, IT'LL BE READING FOCUSED IS WHERE, WHERE IT'LL REALLY BE TI YEAH, BECAUSE YOU'RE TITLE ONE AND IT HAS, TITLE ONE HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON READING OR MATH.

SO, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IS THERE MOTION I MOVE THAT APPROVAL WILL BE GIVEN TO ADD THREE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE, TWO AT LFK AND ONE AT HJB.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN

[01:10:01]

FAVOR? AYE.

UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS AND WE WILL START WITH DR.

THANK YOU MRS. DRAKE, NEXT

[6.A. Board Member Requests ]

FUNK.

I HAVE NO CURRENT REQUEST.

THANK YOU, MS. LOWE.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TONIGHT.

THANK YOU MS. SALAN.

SORRY TO BREAK THE STREAK .

UM, I, I HAVE FOUR ITEMS. UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS IF WE COULD START, UM, MAYBE FROM THE WORK SESSION, THE REQUEST TO CHANGE THE POLICY FOR AUCTIONING ITEMS. I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A BIT OFF AND ON FOR A WHILE NOW.

IT, IT DID COME UP AT OUR LAST OR SECOND SUMMERTIME BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING.

UM, I BELIEVE WE STILL ACTUALLY HAVE SOME VEHICLES LEFT OVER THAT WE HAD VOTED TO AUCTION OFF, BUT THEN THERE WAS NO INTEREST.

BUT THERE, THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE INTEREST OF, OF EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO, UM, IT'S NOW COME UP AGAIN TONIGHT, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GET ON.

'CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF PREVENTING OUR, OUR OWN SALE OF ITEMS AT THIS POINT.

UM, THE SECOND ITEM WAS, UM, SOMETHING I HAD KIND OF TOUCHED ON IN, UH, IN AN EMAIL WAS TO SEE IF WE COULD START DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT, UM, A GRANT WRITER THAT COULD REALLY, THE JOB SHOULD END UP PAYING FOR ITSELF.

AND IF WE WERE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY, I THINK THAT COULD REALLY OPEN US UP FOR, UM, FOR MORE MONEY TO, TO COME IN AND HELP IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT WE NEEDED.

UM, THE THIRD ITEM, UM, I JUST THOUGHT OF AS DR.

BALLINGER WAS, WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE ONLY HAD 11 PEOPLE APPLY FOR WCPS 1 0 1.

UM, THAT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT I'M SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DON'T HAVE MORE PARENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED.

BUT SINCE WE ARE STILL GOING FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM, I WOULD ASK THAT SINCE IT DOES START NEXT WEEK, COULD WE CONSIDER OPENING IT UP TO ALLOW, UM, NOT JUST MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS HOMESCHOOLERS, BUT HONESTLY JUST OPEN IT UP TO ALL TAXPAYERS, UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM LEARNING HOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORKS AND MAYBE WOULD THEN BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF WHY THEY'RE PAYING TAXES AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING THEM FOR.

UM, EDUCATION BEING KEY EDUCATION ABOUT THE WAY OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS RUN, UM, MIGHT RESULT IN MORE SUPPORT.

UM, AND THEN THE FINAL ONE WAS IF WE COULD DISCUSS AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION HOW THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT CONSIDERING THE PROCESS TO HAVE A, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT A SECURITY AUDIT DONE TO LOOK INTO HOW, FIRST OF ALL, FINDING OUT WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WEAPONS DETECTORS AT THE SCHOOLS.

I FEEL LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO START WOULD BE TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL COME IN AND TELL US HOW MANY WEAPONS DETECTORS WOULD WE NEED? WOULD WE NEED WEAPONS DETECTORS VERSUS METAL DETECTORS? WOULD WE NEED, WHAT, WHAT WOULD WE NEED? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD THE PRICING ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE COULD THEN START THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT THOSE MEASURES OR DECIDE NOT TO OR, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

BUT TO AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD AND WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR OUR PARTICULAR COUNTY.

THANK YOU MR. MCFADDEN.

NO REQUESTS.