Dec 04, 2024 Board Meeting

THIS EVENING WE HAVE ATTENDANCE AWARD PRESENTATIONS.

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

DR.

BELLINGER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE WITH US AND, AND HERE TONIGHT AND THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US ONLINE.

UM, YOU KNOW THAT ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OUR ATTENDANCE FOR THE LAST, WELL FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT, UH, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS, IS ESSENTIAL TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS RESEARCH.

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

UH, UH, WE DO RECOGNIZE AT THE FIRST MEETING OF EACH MONTH, WE DO RECOGNIZE, UH, SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE RATES AT THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVEL.

AND WE ALSO, UH, PROVIDE, UH, A FLY AN ATTENDANCE FLAG FOR THE MOST IMPROVED FROM ONE MONTH TO THE NEXT.

AND SO FOR TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT, UH, AS ROADS WITH THE ELEMENTARY FLAG.

THEY HAD AN ATTENDANCE RATE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER OF 93.95%.

THANK YOU DR.

BALLINGER AND BOARD.

WE ARE EXCITED TO ACCEPT THE ATTENDANCE BANNER AGAIN THIS MONTH.

UM, SO I DO HAVE TWO FRIENDS WITH ME THIS EVENING.

I HAVE EDWIN BEAM AND IAN BEAM, AND THEY ARE HERE TO ACCEPT WITH ME.

THEY BOTH HAVE PERFECT ATTENDANCE SO FAR FOR THE YEAR AND EACH YEAR WHEN I INVITE STUDENTS, I TRY TO INVITE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PAST.

AND I DID ASK THE BOYS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY ATTENDING SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT.

WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I THINK WE SUDDENLY GOT SHY.

UM, BUT EARLIER TODAY I KNOW THAT HE WAS TELLING ME HE REALLY ENJOYED HIS CLASS IN SECOND GRADE, DID A PROJECT IN HIS TEACHERS AND ALSO OUR TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION COACH PAIRED TOGETHER AND THEY CREATED THEIR OWN MACY'S DAY BALLOONS AND HAD A PARADE OF THEM WITH THE SPHERO

[00:05:01]

ROBOTS IN OUR PE BUILDING AND INVITED THEIR FAMILIES TO ATTEND AND CHEER THEM ON.

AND HIS BALLOON WAS ACTUALLY A SHARK.

SO HE REALLY ENJOYED THAT.

AND I BELIEVE HE TOLD ME HIS FAVORITE SUBJECT IS MATH.

AND EDWIN, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? I THINK HE TOLD ME IT WAS IMPORTANT TO COME TO SCHOOL SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN.

WAS THAT IT? YES, I THINK.

ALRIGHT.

THEY'RE USUALLY NOT THIS SHY.

WE WERE VERY CHATTY.

WE WERE VERY CHATTY THIS AFTERNOON.

UM, ALSO WE WANTED TO THANK ALL OF OUR PARENTS THAT CAME OUT FOR THE THANKSGIVING FEAST.

WE HAD ABOUT, UM, 290 VISITORS FOR OUR THANKSGIVING FEAST.

ALSO, MR. SETTLE AND OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, THEY HOSTED A VOLLEYBALL, I THINK I MAY HAVE TOLD YOU THAT WAS UPCOMING.

UM, WHEN I WAS HERE LAST.

SO THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, FAMILIES WERE INVITED TO COME IN AND PLAY VOLLEYBALL WITH THEIR STUDENTS DURING THEIR PE TIME AND K THROUGH TWO.

THEY WERE PRACTICING SOME VOLLEYBALL SKILLS WITH BALLOONS, SO THEY WERE INVITED IN.

AND THIS MONTH WE HAVE OUR WINTER CARNIVAL AND MRS. O WADE TOLD US NOT TO FORGET THE WHEEL OF ATTENDANCE AND THE PRIZES THIS MONTH.

UM, YOU COULD WIN A BICYCLE OR A TV.

SO SOME HUGE PRIZES FOR OUTSTANDING ATTENDANCE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, UM, TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED TO BE AT SCHOOL.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT.

OUR SECONDARY ATTENDANCE AWARD GOES TO WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THEY HAD A, UM, ATTENDANCE RATE OF 93.08% FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER BURR.

THANK YOU, DR.

BALLINGER.

SO, AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE KEEP IT PRETTY SIMPLE.

WE HAVE THE, UH, DAILY ATTENDANCE RATE FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY ON OUR MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS.

AND DR. JOHNSON OR MYSELF ANNOUNCED THAT THAT PERCENTAGE, AND IF IT STARTS TO DIP LOW, WE ADDRESS THAT IMMEDIATELY.

UM, WHEN WE HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGE RATES, WE OFFER FREE ICE CREAM FOR THE KIDS AT LUNCH AS JUST AN EASY, QUICK INCENTIVE FOR, HEY, THANKS FOR COMING TO SCHOOL TODAY.

UM, WE ALSO JUST TRY TO HAVE A GREAT CLIMATE AND CULTURE WHERE THE KIDS WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL, UM, AND WANT TO BE THERE TO LEARN.

SO THANK YOU .

AND OUR MOST IMPROVED FOR THE MONTH IS LFK.

THEY HAD, UH, 93.35%, BUT THEIR INCREASE OF 3.48% FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE BANNER FOR, UM, MOST IMPROVED ATTENDANCE.

WE DEFINITELY WERE STRUGGLING THERE WITH SOME ILLNESSES, BUT THE KIDS HAVE COME BACK.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY TO GO.

UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR DECEMBER.

WE HAVE SOME REALLY FUN ACTIVITIES PLANNED, UM, MOVING FORWARD INTO NEXT WEEK WILL BE OUR SPIRIT DAYS.

UM, LOTS OF FUN STUFF TO KEEP THE KIDS ENGAGED AND ALSO FUN TREATS AND THINGS FOR THE STAFF SO THAT WE MAKE IT TO CHRISTMAS BREAK.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN.

UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE SCHOOL REPORTS, DR.

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

BALLINGER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UH, TONIGHT I HAVE WITH US, UH, HILDA J BARBER.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL MS. TAUBENBERGER UP TO THE PODIUM AND SHE WILL INTRODUCE ALL OF HER FRIENDS THAT SHE BROUGHT TONIGHT TO, UH, GIVE US A PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING.

SO THIS YEAR AT HILDA, WE DECIDED TO START A NEW CLUB.

AND OUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS,

[00:10:01]

UM, HAVE STARTED A STEM CLUB.

AND OUR WONDERFUL, UH, MS. ROSE IS ONE OF OUR FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS.

AND SUSIE SULLIVAN IS ONE OF OUR FIFTH, FOURTH GRADE TEACHER.

SHE'S FIFTH, SHE'S FOURTH.

AND SO THEY HAVE TAKEN THIS UPON THEMSELVES.

THEY HAVE A WHOLE CURRICULUM AND IDEAS PLANNED OUT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THEM TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT SORT OF THINGS THEY'VE BEEN DOING.

I KNOW THE KIDS HAVE BEEN LOVING IT.

SO GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

WE DECIDED LAST YEAR THAT WE WANTED TO DO THIS WITH THE KIDS TO GIVE THEM MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATIVE AND USE WHAT THEY LEARN.

AND WE HAVE PLANNED OUT THE ENTIRE YEAR FOR THEM.

SO WE DID BRING SOME KIDDOS WITH US SO THAT THEY COULD EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

SO IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE WENT WITH THE THEME, IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OTHERS, AND THE KIDS MADE A ROBOTIC HAND.

UM, AND HERE THEY ARE.

WHAT THEY HAD TO DO WAS ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THEIR OWN HAND, FEEL THE BONES, FEEL HOW THEY WERE SEPARATED, THERE'S JOINTS IN THERE, AND THEN USE THAT TO MAP OUT THEIR HAND.

UM, THEY MEASURED TO KNOW HOW, HOW LONG TO MAKE EACH BONE.

AND THEN THEY USED STRING TO SIMULATE THE, UM, LIGAMENTS.

THE GOAL WAS TO TRY TO PICK SOMETHING UP.

UM, WE HAD THOSE FOAM DYE TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO IT.

AND WE DID HAVE, MIA JENKINS WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WAS ABLE TO PICK UP HER.

UM, DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT INDEPENDENTLY AND TOGETHER, TOGETHER THE ALL THE, THAT WE MADE FOR YEAR OF WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE USING.

THEN IN OCTOBER, UM, WE WERE DOING A UNIT, A NATURAL DISASTERS.

SO THE KIDS WERE TASKED WITH MAKING EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT BUILDINGS.

WE, UM, WATCHED SOME VIDEOS ON HOW STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND WHAT THEIR JOBS ARE, AND THE KIDS WERE GIVEN, UM, CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SUPPLIES AND THEY HAD TO STAY WITHIN THOSE PARAMETERS TO MAKE THE BUILDING AS TALL AS IT NEEDED TO BE.

IT HAD TO HAVE A CROW'S NEST THAT WOULD HOLD OUR EGG.

UM, IT HAD TO HAVE A FLAG.

UM, SOME OF THIS WAS REALLY HARD FOR THEM 'CAUSE SOME OF THEM, UM, TRIED TO MAKE IT TALL FIRST WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE SIDES WERE DOWN.

SO IT WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE EGG, BUT NOT VERY LONG.

AND AS YOU SEE IN THE LAST PICTURE, UM, IT WASN'T ABLE TO HOLD THE EGG.

SO OUR EARTHQUAKE TABLE WITH ACTUALLY SHAKES, UM, WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY DID LEARN A LOT FROM IT.

UM, BECAUSE THEY REALIZED, YOU KNOW, THEY GO BACK.

WE ALWAYS HAVE THEM DO A REFLECTION.

WHAT COULD YOU HAVE IMPROVED? HOW COULD YOU HAVE IMPROVED IT SO THEY CAN LEARN FROM WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

BUT MS. ROSE MADE ONE.

SHE NEVER MADE ONE.

SO EARTH TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

IN NOVEMBER WE DID BRIDGE TYPES BECAUSE NOVEMBER WAS SO SHORT BECAUSE WE WERE CUT BACK BY A DAY.

UM, WE ONLY MEET ON TUESDAYS.

THAT EARLY ACT DOESN'T, UM, IT WAS A QUICK ONE DAY THING.

AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE BRIDGES.

UM, WHAT WE DID WAS WE PUT A BASKET ON, ON TOP OF THEIR BRIDGE, IT HAD TO SPAM BETWEEN THE TWO CHAIRS AND WE COULD SEE HOW MUCH WEIGHT IT COULD HOLD.

ONE OF THE BRIDGES ONLY HELD THE BASKET, WHICH WAS 99 GRAMS. THAT BRIDGE ON THE LEFT WAS ABLE TO HOLD ONE WOODEN CUBE AND THE BASKET, WHICH WAS 163 GRAMS. AND THEN WE HAD TWO TEAMS THAT TIED FOR FIRST PLACE WITH 705 GRAMS AND THEY STAYED INTACT.

SO THAT WAS, WHOOPS.

YEP.

FAIR AND FAIR.

AND TERRY, CAN I BORROW WITH YOU? SO THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE GONNA HAVE TO PRINT, JUST, UM, PRETEND TO BE OUR CHAIRS FOR US TONIGHT.

SO, HARRY, TURN THIS WAY FOR ME.

SO, SO THIS WAY? YEP.

HANDS UP.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS, IS WITH THE CHAIRS, IS THAT WE WOULD BALANCE THE BRIDGE IN BETWEEN LIKE THIS AND THEN PUT THE BASKET IN THE MIDDLE.

AND THE GOAL WAS TO SEE, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONE THAT WOULDN'T HOLD THE ENTIRE TIME, BUT OUR GOAL WAS TO SEE HOW MUCH WEIGHT AND WE WOULD ADD

[00:15:01]

IT ONE CUBE AT A TIME.

UM, AND AS MRS. SULLIVAN ALREADY SHOWED, OUR, THE ONE THAT HELD THE MOST WAS 705, WHICH I REMEMBER IS THOSE.

THOSE TWO? YEAH, THOSE TWO.

YEP.

AND THEY HAD, THEY ENDED UP HAVING A SIMILAR DESIGN, WHICH WAS VERY NEAT.

AND THEY DIDN'T COLLABORATE.

SO EACH TEAM WORKED INDEPENDENTLY.

ALRIGHT, SO THIS MONTH WE STARTED THE SANTA SLEIGHS SAFETY SEAT.

SO THE KIDS HAVE TO MAKE A SLEIGH OUT OF CARDBOARD USING ONLY THE CARDBOARD AND THE TAPE.

NOW THEY WERE GIVEN A TEMPLATE THAT THEY COULD CHOOSE TO USE, OR THEY COULD DO THEIRS TOTALLY FROM SCRATCH.

THAT WAS UP TO THEM.

UM, INSIDE THE SLAY, THEY HAVE TO, WE GIVE THEM A LIMIT THIS YEAR, THIS MONTH.

SO THEY HAD $15 TO SPEND ON SUPPLIES.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY SMART IN HOW THEY'RE USING THOSE SUPPLIES BECAUSE EVEN THE TAPE COSTS MONEY.

AND SO THEY CAN ONLY GO BACK FOR SO MUCH TAPE.

UM, THEY MAKE THE SAFETY SEAT AND IT HAS TO HOLD OUR EGGS.

SO ON OUR NEXT MEETING, THEY'RE GONNA TEST THESE AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE THE SLEIGHS FLY FROM ON A LINE FROM THE CEILING DOWN TO THE FLOOR.

AND HOPEFULLY OUR EGG SANTAS WILL NOT CRACK OR BREAK , HOPEFULLY .

ALL RIGHT.

IN JANUARY, WE'RE GONNA DO BOAT BOATS AND BUOYANCY.

UM, THE KIDS ARE GONNA GET PLAY-DOH TO MAKE BOATS AND WE'RE GONNA PUT 'EM IN A TANK OF WATER AND SEE HOW MANY PENNIES THEY CAN HOLD.

THEN FEBRUARY, WE HAVE SPIES IN DISGUISE.

THEY HAVE ALL SORTS OF SPY GADGETS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE.

IN MARCH.

WE'RE GONNA DO MYTH MADNESS.

UM, THE KIDS ARE GOING TO WORK IN TEAMS TO CREATE SOME, SOME TYPE OF TRAP OR SOME WAY TO IDENTIFY IF THEY'RE UNDERWATER, HOW CAN THEY SEE THE LOCHNESS MONSTER OR THE MERMAID AND SOME KIND OF TRAP.

IN ORDER TO GET THOSE, WE WANNA A, WE WANT THEM TO GET CURIOUS ABOUT IT AND WHY UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE STILL THINK THAT THEY SEE THESE CREATURES OUT, LIKE THE YETI AND THE BIGFOOT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN IN APRIL IS OUR SO LONG FAREWELL TO SAYING GOODNIGHT.

I HATE TO GO AND LEAVE THIS PRETTY SIDE SO LONG.

AND WELL, I TO SAY YOU ARE YOU, ARE YOU TO YOU AND YOU AND YOU.

THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU GUYS.

DID WE HAVE ANY OTHER STUDENTS THAT WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT? STAND UP.

OKAY, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

GO AHEAD.

HI, MY NAME IS ZOE.

I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.

BAILEY, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT STEM CLUB? I LIKE STEM CLUB BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU LEARN MORE, MORE IN SCHOOL AND IT COULD HELP YOU FOR LIKE, IF YOU WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT SO FAR? UM, SO WE, THE BRIDGES, THE ROBOTIC CAM.

WORKING ON SEEING THE LEIGH ARE YOUR FAVORITE.

SO THE BRIDGES.

WHICH ONE? THE EARTHQUAKE.

YOU LIKE IT? OKAY.

SO YOUR FAVORITE PART? MY FAVORITE PART WAS THE EARTHQUAKE.

THIS YOU GOOD? THANK YOU.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS BAILEY.

WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN? UH, I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.

TENDS TO BE A VERY REAL, OKAY.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT SPINAL GYM CLUB? UM, ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT YOU COULD SEE ME, MRS. SULLIVAN , YOU CAN YES.

THE SNACK .

SO WE, SO WE TOO, UM, I WAS, UM, MRS. TOTENBERG HAD THE IDEA AND ASHLEY PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH OTHER FOLKS IN THE COUNTY THAT PROVIDED, UM, AN AFTERSCHOOL SNACK FOR THE STUDENTS.

SO WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO OFFER THAT TO THEM, WHICH AS BAILEY SAYS, IS HER FAVORITE PART.

, AND I'M SURE A LOT OF THE OTHER STUDENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED WOULD SAY THE SAME THING.

SO DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PROJECT? BAILEY? OF ALL OF 'EM THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, THE EARTHQUAKE ONE.

THAT

[00:20:01]

OKAY, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

UH, I FEEL LIKE I'M TOO SHORT.

, THERE WE GO.

IS THAT OKAY? , I YOURSELF? I'M TYLEE AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE, AND MS. SULLIVAN IS MY TEACHER.

AND I LIKE STEM CLUB BECAUSE YOU GET TO MAKE THINGS AND DO THINGS.

MY FAVORITE THING SO FAR IS THE, UM, .

I'VE GOT .

WHICH ONE? THE HANDS.

THE HANDS.

THAT WAS MY FAVORITE.

I REALLY LIKED THAT PART BECAUSE IT JUST, IT JUST WAS SO FUN.

THANK YOU GUYS.

AND IF ANY KIDS WANT TO LEAVE AT THIS POINT, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.

I KNOW.

IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT.

, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

UP THIS EVENING WE HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH PRESENTATION BY DR. CATHERINE MCKNIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

CHAIR, CHAIR.

THANK YOU, DEAR.

OKAY, NEXT

[2.E. Middle School English Presentation by Dr. Katherine McKnight - Ms. Bragg]

MS. BRAGG, GOOD EVENING.

TONIGHT I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE DR. CATHERINE MCKNIGHT.

KATIE IS A CHICAGO BASED AUTHOR, SPEAKER, CONSULTANT, PROFESSOR, AND A PASSIONATE, PASSIONATE LITERACY ADVOCATE.

MOST OF ALL, SHE'S A TEACHER AND A PARENT AS A LITERACY EXPERT WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM, KATIE NOW TRAVELS WORLDWIDE AS AN ADOLESCENT LITERACY CONSULTANT, KATIE IS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, UH, ENGLISH AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS TO STRENGTHEN OUR LITERACY INSTRUCTION AND IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

THIS WORK IS ALIGNED WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS THAT ARE PART OF, UM, THE IDENTIFICATION.

UNDER, UNDER ESSA, KATIE IS SOUGHT AFTER EXPERT IN ADOLESCENT ADOLESCENT EDUCATION AND LITERACY.

BECAUSE KATIE'S WORK TAKES HER INTO ALL KINDS OF SCHOOLS, PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND PAROCHIAL, RURAL, RURAL, URBAN, AND SUBURBAN.

SHE CAN COMPLIMENT HER VAST EXPERTISE WITH RELEVANT CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE, CLASSROOM EXPERIENCES THAT ARE MUCH LIKE WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSROOMS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, KATIE'S A DEDICATED AND CONCERNED PARENT, AND HER LIFELONG CAREER IN EDUCATION HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY INSPIRED AND DRIVEN BY HER DAY-TO-DAY COMMITMENT TO HER OWN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

KATIE HAS WRITTEN OVER 25 BOOKS IN ADOLESCENT LITERACY AND EDUCATION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HER WORK, UH, AND THE, UH, RESOURCES SHE HAS CREATED FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS.

YOU CAN VISIT WWW.ENGAGINGLEARNERS.COM OR CATCH HER CO-HOSTED PODCAST, THE SCIENCE OF READING FOR GRADES FOUR THROUGH 12.

SO, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. MCKNIGHT FOR A PRESENTATION ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL LITERACY.

YEAH, IN 10 MINUTES, .

SO, UM, UH, SO THIS IS THE ADVANCED CLASS, SO WE JUST HAVE 10 MINUTES.

I HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE SHORT GIRL SETTING.

CAME OUT ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS, UH, IN WARREN COUNTY.

SO, I, I LOVE BEING HERE.

I ACTUALLY STARTED MY TEACHING CAREER IN FAIRFAX COUNTY AND, AND MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

AND, UH, DID MY STUDENT TEACHING THERE AND THEN MOVED BACK HOME TO CHICAGO.

SO I'VE WRITTEN A BUNCH OF STUFF, UM, AND, AND THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED.

BUT I WANNA, UH, LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT I'M REALLY GOING TO LOOK AT IS THE TRAJECTORY OF WHAT'S THE SITUATION, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? AND, AND SO OUR GREAT CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS THAT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR, UM, OUR STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL GOT SHELLACKED DURING COVID.

UM, IT IS THE, THE, THE AGE GROUP, THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT GOT HIT THE HARDEST, UM, DURING THE DISRUPTION OF SCHOOL.

AND SO OUR CURRENT CHALLENGE IS THIS, THIS IS NAP DATA.

IT'S A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR EDUCATIONAL, UH, PROGRESS.

IT'S ONE OF OUR BEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE, UH, DIAGNOSTICS OR MEASURES TO SEE HOW KIDS ARE DOING IN THE UNITED STATES AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT.

AND SO IT'S A RANDOM SAMPLING.

AND THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND.

THIS DATA JUST

[00:25:01]

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN I SAW IT AS AN EDUCATOR DEDICATED TO OUR ADOLESCENT, UM, UH, ADOLESCENT STUDENTS, I, I LOST SLEEP OVER IT.

UH, IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SHOOK ME TO MY CORE.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE DATA SHOWED.

THESE SHOULD ALL BE POSITIVE NUMBERS.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE IN SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH GRADE, NEGATIVE 19, NEGATIVE 16, NEGATIVE 18, THIS IS A NATIONAL AGGREGATE MEASURE.

AND, AND THE DATA THAT WE SEE AT THE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS IS SIMILAR TO THIS.

SO THIS IS NOT JUST A WARREN COUNTY PROBLEM, IT IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM.

AND SO WE DID HAVE ISSUES WITHOUT A DOUBT, UM, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT'S EXACERBATED AND, AND IT'S GOTTEN MUCH HARDER.

SO I'M ALWAYS ABOUT SOLUTIONS.

AND HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE.

IT'S ALWAYS THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.

THAT'S THE HARD PART, RIGHT? AND, AND BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT HABITS.

SO I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS VERY BRIEFLY AND, AND WHEN I'M ADDRESSING THIS AND WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT IT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT KIDS WHO HAVE READING DISABILITIES OR PERHAPS ARE NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS OR KIDS WHO MAY HAVE, UM, FOUNDATIONAL SKILL DEFICITS LIKE PHONICS AND PHONEMIC AWARENESS.

I'M TALKING ABOUT KIDS WHO CAN PRETTY MUCH DECODE.

THEY HAVE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS.

THEY MIGHT NEED SOME SUPPORT AND SOME HELP WITH IT, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT THAT COMPREHENSION PART THAT IS REALLY THE CORE ISSUE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY'LL GO ACROSS THE PAGE AND YOU'LL SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TEXT? AND THEY GO, OH, BUT THEY CAN DECODE IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING IT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LITERAL INFERENTIAL AND EVALUATIVE AND A LOT OF OTHER READING, UM, UH, FOLKS IN MY FIELD WILL SAY THERE'S FIVE LEVELS OF COMPREHENSION, MAYBE EVEN SIX.

I'M A SIMPLIFICATION GIRL, THREE .

THERE'S REALLY THREE.

SO LITERAL, THOSE ARE RIGHT THERE.

KINDS OF QUESTIONS, THINGS THAT YOU'RE ANSWERING, WHO, WHAT, WHERE YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO READ THE TEXT IN ORDER TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OR FIND THE INFORMATION.

WE SKIM IT AND WE DO IT ALL THE TIME AS ADULTS.

WHEN WE'RE ON WEBSITES, WHEN WE'RE TEXTING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

INFERENTIAL IS BETWEEN THE LINES.

UM, THAT'S WHERE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND VOCABULARY.

IF KIDS DON'T HAVE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND VOCABULARY, IT CAN REALLY, UM, UH, IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY TO COMPREHEND A TEXT.

AND THEN A EVALUATIVE IS WHEN WE GET INTO BIG QUESTIONS, RHETORICAL QUESTIONS, AND WE HAVE TO USE THAT TEXT IN ORDER TO INFORM THAT QUESTION TO CREATE NEW MEANINGS.

SO IF I ASKED AS A TEACHER, UM, HOW CAN AN UNEXPECTED EVENT LEAVE TO LONG LASTING CONSEQUENCES? AND I'M IN A SCIENCE CLASS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT VOLCANOES AND THE ERUPTION OF MOUNT ST.

HOLLANDS, I CAN USE THAT ARTICLE AND USE INFORMATION LIKE THAT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

UM, SO WHAT MOVES THE NEEDLE FOR READING COMPREHENSION IS THAT INFERENTIAL AND EVALUATIVE.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR TEXTS, QUESTIONS THAT ARE AT THAT LEVEL, NOT THE SIMPLE QUESTION OF WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT OUR INSTRUCTIONAL MUSCLE NEEDS TO BE AT THE INFERENTIAL AND EVALUATIVE LEVEL.

THAT'S HOW WE MOVE THE NEEDLE.

THAT'S HOW WE IMPROVE TEENAGERS WITH THEIR READING COMPREHENSION.

SO, UH, AND THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT OF COURSE WE'RE DELIVERING, UH, TO OUR TEACHERS AND ALSO TO OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.

SO IT'S STRATEGIES, STRATEGIES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE STRATEGIES.

UM, THERE ARE WOO, THAT GOT, I, I USE A MAC, SO THAT'S A MAC THING.

I DO KNOW THAT THE AS GOES THERE.

ALL RIGHT? AND THEN STRATEGIES DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT WE NEED.

UM, AND REALLY AT THIS LEVEL, IT'S THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING AND THAT MONITORING COMPREHENSION THAT THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THE TEXT GETS HARD.

'CAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA ENCOUNTER CHALLENGING, DIFFICULT TEXTS THEIR WHOLE LIFE, WHETHER THEY GO TO COLLEGE OR THEY'RE IN CAREER.

ACTUALLY, THE MOST COMPLEX TEXTS THAT I ENCOUNTER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ARE THE CAREER AND VOCATIONAL.

IT'S THE WELDING TEXTBOOK, THE AUTO MECHANICS TEXTBOOK, THE MARINE MECHANICS.

THOSE ARE USUALLY THE HARDEST.

IT'S NOT SHAKESPEARE, IT'S USUALLY THOSE.

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE VOCABULARY AND ALL THE TECHNICAL LANGUAGE.

SO, AND THEN WE WANT THEM TO HAVE THE STAMINA THAT WHEN THEY GET LONGER TEXTS, THEY KNOW HOW TO BE TENACIOUS.

THEY KNOW HOW TO STICK THROUGH IT AND WORK THOSE TEXTS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.

SO THE OTHER MESSAGE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING WITH THE TEACHERS AND HEATHER AND EILEEN AND THE BUILDING, UH, ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, AND DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATION IS REALLY HELPFUL IN THAT, OF JUST, WE KEEP DRIVING THAT SAME MESSAGE OVER AND OVER.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MOVES THE NEEDLE.

AND IT'S HIGH LEVEL ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, GOOD JUICY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT EASY TO ANSWER, THAT THEY'RE KIND OF, OF SQUIRMING.

SO THE, THE KIDS WHO WERE UP THERE WITH THE STEM QUESTIONS, THAT, THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY WERE ANSWERING WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THE ROBOTIC ARMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GETTING AT.

LIKE, HOW DO I DO THAT? AND, AND THEY'RE NOT GIVEN THE ANSWER NECESSARILY, GRADE LEVEL AND ABOVE, ABOVE TEXTS FOR INSTRUCTION, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN INDEPENDENT.

[00:30:01]

SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION.

BUT OUR TEXTS SHOULD BE AT GRADE LEVEL AND ABOVE.

AND A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I ENCOUNTER IS THAT FOLKS THINK THAT IT IS GRADE LEVEL.

AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT LIKE, HMM, NO, IT'S NOT.

AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT AND, AND KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ANNOTATION.

THAT'S ABOUT DEVELOPING THE VOICE IN A TEENAGER, AN ADOLESCENT READER'S HEAD WHEN THEY'RE READING.

UM, WE ACTUALLY WANT ADOLESCENTS TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE IN THEIR HEAD WHEN THEY'RE READING .

SO, AND THAT'S ALWAYS, I ALWAYS SAY THE OTHER TIMES, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN THEIR HEAD.

AND ANNOTATION BUILDS THAT SKILL.

UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE SCAFFOLDS, SUMMARIZATION, SUMMARIZATION, SUMMARIZATION.

IF YOU TALK TO TEACHERS, THEY'LL SAY, OH YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S REALLY HARD.

'CAUSE IT'S A HIGHER LEVEL READING COMPREHENSION.

IT'S INFERENTIAL AND A EVALUATIVE, THEN INTENTIONAL VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION.

SO THE MESSAGE THAT I'VE BEEN DELIVERING TO THE TEACHERS, THE GOAL FOR VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION IS NOT FOR A FRIDAY QUIZ.

THE GOAL IS LET'S UP THE ANTE IN OUR VOCABULARY THAT WE'RE USING IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND WHAT THE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO AND JUST WORDS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND THEN EVIDENCE-BASED WRITING, I'M SURE THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED MULTIPLE TIMES, , ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED WRITING.

AND WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IT DEVELOPS THAT CRITICAL ANALYSIS THAT'S FOR HIGHER LEVEL COMPREHENSION.

SO THAT'S THE SOLUTION.

OKAY? AND I SAID THE IMPLEMENTATION'S THE HARD PART, AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE ALIGNMENT.

AND SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU TONIGHT AND BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OFTENTIMES I DON'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO SCHOOL BOARDS AND, UM, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THAT ALIGNMENT IS, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW CRITICAL THAT IS.

SO WE HAVE THE SOLUTION, AND WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT AND, AND IT'S SOMEWHERE ALONG THE CHAIN THAT IT'S NOT WORKING.

NOW HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT WE HAVE ALIGNMENT , WE HAVE ALIGNMENT.

OBVIOUSLY I'M SPEAKING TO YOU NOW, UM, ADMINISTRATION, ALL LEVELS, UH, THAT IS COMPLETELY INTACT.

AND WE HAVE THAT FROM INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES DELIVERING THE MESSAGE TO THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS, THE BUILDING LEVEL.

AND THEN OF COURSE, AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT LEVEL, WE HAVE THAT.

AND IN A LOT OF PLACES THAT, THAT I WORK IN AND CONSULTANT, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

AND, AND WE HAVE DISCONNECTS, AND THEN THAT CREATES ISSUES.

AND THEN TEACHERS AND FACULTY, OBVIOUSLY THEIR INVESTMENT IN IT, AND THEN OF COURSE THE STUDENTS.

AND WE'RE CHANGING HABITS AND WAYS OF THINKING.

SO THAT TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES PERSISTENCE, PERSISTENCE AND TENACITY.

SO, UM, THE KIDS ARE ABSOLUTELY CAPABLE OF DOING IT.

UM, I SEE IT.

AND, UH, THEY'RE ALSO USING, UH, THEY'RE LEVERAGING THE RESOURCE THAT THE DISTRICT ADOPTED INTO LIT, WHICH ACTUALLY I'M PROGRAM AGNOSTIC.

SO, BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE BETTER ONES OUT THERE.

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONES THAT IF YOU ASK ME TO RECOMMEND IT, THAT WOULD BE THE ONE I WOULD RECOMMEND.

SO THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

THEY HAVE THE PANTRY, IT'S FULLY STOCKED, AND, AND THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO USE THOSE DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS TO GET TO THOSE HIGHER LEVELS OF COMPREHENSION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS? SO LET ME TELL YOU THE GOOD NEWS.

SO WE'RE JUST BEGINNING, UM, GENERALLY IF WE DO THAT, WE HAVE THAT ALIGNMENT AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON THOSE FIVE THINGS, AND WE'RE USING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S INLET OR WHATEVER THAT WE'RE USING, BUT THERE'S THE CONSISTENCY WHICH CREATES THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN GRADE LEVELS.

THEN WHAT WE START SEEING IS MASSIVE MOVEMENT.

AND, AND SO ONE OF MY SCHOOLS IN WISCONSIN, YOU CAN HEAR THAT MIDWESTERN ACCENT, WISCONSIN.

UM, I WORKED WITH THEM FOR TWO YEARS.

AND, UH, BASICALLY WE FOCUSED ON THOSE FIVE THINGS.

WE HAD THE FIDELITY, WE HAD THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN DISTRICT AND BUILDING AND TEACHERS, VERY HARDWORKING TEACHERS.

UH, THEY JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION A MONTH AGO THAT THEY WERE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN FOR GROWTH LAST YEAR.

SO IT'S LIKE, WOW.

SO NEXT YEAR OR IN TWO YEARS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT WHERE WARREN COUNTY IS RECOGNIZED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AS HAVING ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY DOABLE.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY WITHIN OUR REACH.

AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HERE AND WORKING ON, ON THAT REALLY SACRED WORK.

SO YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ME ON MY WEBSITE.

UM, I'M, I GOT A PODCAST JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES NOW.

UM, AND, AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF 10 MINUTES THAT WE HAVE.

SO, SO THANK YOU AGAIN.

THANKS.

ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO FILTER 'EM THROUGH ME AND I CAN PASS 'EM ALONG TO KATIE.

SHE WAS, UM, AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR A FULL DAY YESTERDAY AND AT SKYLINE MIDDLE TODAY.

AND THEN SHE'S BACK FOR, UM, ABOUT A WEEK WITH US IN FEBRUARY AND IN MARCH.

AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMING IN TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, JUST LET ME KNOW AND I'M HAPPY TO SET IT UP.

EVENING? WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, UHHUH.

NEXT UP THIS EVENING, WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK

[00:35:05]

NEXT UP THIS

[3. Consent Agenda]

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE CONSENT, CONSENT AGENDA.

ITEM SPEED IS C INCLUSIVE TO BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

[4.A. Superintendent]

HAVE REPORTS, DR.

BELLINGER.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

CHAIR.

SO AS WE ROLL INTO DECEMBER, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, AS WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THE, THE MEETING STARTED TONIGHT, UH, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THERE COULD BE SOME ISSUES TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE UP IN THE MORNING, UH, CHECKING THE ROADS.

UM, YOU KNOW, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS NOT AS MUCH, UH, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY SNOW.

WE, THERE, THERE IS A CHANCE OF THAT.

OUR CONCERN IS GOING TO BE THE WIND AND, UM, SOME OF THE TREES THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE IN, IN THIS, IN THIS AREA KIND OF SEEM TO FALL DOWN WHEN, WHEN THE WIND BLOWS HARD.

UM, AND, UH, SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE OUR CONCERN.

BUT ALSO AS WE FINISH, UH, AS WE ENTER INTO DECEMBER, WE'RE FINISHING OUR FIRST SEMESTER.

THAT WILL END ON DECEMBER 20TH.

UH, WE ALSO WILL HAVE SOME SOL ASSESSMENTS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WE, UH, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.

WINTER SPORTS ARE UNDERWAY.

SO I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT THE SECONDARY SCHEDULES, UH, WHETHER IT'S AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, YOU CAN GO AND, AND SUPPORT OUR TEAMS, UH, WHETHER IT'S WARREN COUNTY OR SKYLINE, UH, THAT THAT IS OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE.

AND SO WINTER SPORTS ARE, ARE ACTIVELY GOING.

AS ALWAYS, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK THEIR CHILD'S, UH, WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, UH, CONCERNING ANY PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES.

AND THEN JUST TO LET EVERY, JUST A REMINDER THAT WINTER BREAK WILL START DECEMBER 23RD AND IT RUNS THROUGH JANUARY THE FIRST.

UH, WE WILL COME BACK ON THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY, AND THEN STUDENTS WILL REPORT BACK TO SCHOOL ON JANUARY THE SIXTH.

AND THAT IS MY REPORT.

HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER REPORTS, MS. SALEMS, UM, MR. MCFADDEN AND I, WE'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

NEXT UP, WE

[4.B. School Board]

WE HAD OUR LIAISON MEETING, WHICH INVOLVED THE, THE BUILDING COMMITTEE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE, UM, TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY AND THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TOWN AS WELL AS, UM, TOWN PLANNING STAFF.

UM, THAT WAS A, A REALLY GREAT COLLABORATION THAT WE GOT TO HAVE.

UM, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE UPCOMING APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKELY GOING TO BE BUILT, UM, BEHIND THE LIBRARY AND HOW HAVING THE, THE LIBRARY SIT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, HOW WE CAN BEST PROTECT, UM, THE ENTRANCE WAY THERE, MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTRANCE TIES IN AND IT, AND IT'S DONE IN A SAFE MANNER AND DOESN'T ENCROACH ON LIBRARY SPACE.

MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR PARENTS WHO ARE WAITING TO PICK UP AT RESI.

UM, IT WAS JUST REALLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL THE BOARDS COLLABORATE AND, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD THE DEVELOPER JOIN US FOR ONE OF THE MEETINGS SO THAT THEY WOULD HEAR OUR CONCERNS UPFRONT AND HOPEFULLY CAN, UM, PLAN IN A WAY THAT THAT WORKS FOR, FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU, MR. MCFADDEN.

THE MEETING WAS, WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD COLLABORATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAPPENED BEFORE, BUT IT WAS GOOD THAT IT HAPPENED THERE.

UM, THE GOOD PART WITH THE DEVELOPER WAS THEY'RE VERY KIND OF CHILL AND SORT OF LIKE LISTENING TO WHAT WE WERE SAYING, THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE AN AGENDA TRYING TO SAY, NO, WE'RE DOING THIS.

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PEOPLE SAY, THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE PRETTY OPEN TO LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS.

THEY, THEY DON'T WANNA COME INTO A ENVIRONMENT THAT SOME HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT IS GONNA, FOR, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED, IT, IT IS GONNA BE A 90 OR SO UNIT, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH ONE ENTRANCE AND EXIT RIGHT? GOING ONTO EAST ER ROAD, SOMEPLACE BETWEEN THE, THE LIBRARY AND THE PARK.

SO IT'S ONE WAY OR THE OTHER GONNA CAUSE MORE, MORE, UH, MORE TRAFFIC ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THERE IS A, A, A HEARING ABOUT IT, THE TOWN COUNCIL'S PUT ON A HEARING FOR NEXT MONDAY, DECEMBER 9TH AT SEVEN O'CLOCK HERE IN THIS BUILDING, UM, FOR PEOPLE, PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN VOICING THEIR OPINION ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IT.

SO THAT IS AVAILABLE TOO.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE OF THESE JOINT MEETINGS, BUT IT, IT WAS, IT WAS A VERY GOOD THING TO HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STAKE TO PLAY IN, IN THE, IN THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.

UH, OTHERWISE, THE NEXT DAY WE, UH, I ATTENDED WITH DR.

FUNK.

WE WENT TO A PRELIMINARY BUDGET MEETING FOR THIS,

[00:40:01]

FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR.

UM, BUT WITH DR.

BALLINGER AND, AND, UH, MR. BALLANTINE AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAD BEEN INVITED TO COME AS WELL, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.

BUT, UM, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING MEETING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT COST CENTERS HAVE PUT IN THEIR, THEIR BIDS, THEIR WISHLIST FOR WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN, IN THE UPCOMING YEAR.

AND, AND WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.

I, I'M NOT OFFICIALLY ON THE, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE YET, BUT I THINK I'M GONNA BE MOVED ON TO IT IN JANUARY.

SO THIS WAS THE FIRST MEETING BEFORE THAT.

IT WAS GOOD TO GET A, I'M NEW AT IT, BUT I, I LOVE, I LOVE NUMBERS AND LOVE BUDGET.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TEAM ON THAT.

OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO SEE THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE, WE ARE, UH, FLAT FUNDED FROM THE COUNTY.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE COUNTY'S THINKING RIGHT NOW.

THEY DID HAVE A MEETING LAST NIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF FINANCIAL SITUATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY GOING ON IN THE CITY, IN THE COUNTY.

BUT WE HAVE TO, WE'RE KIND OF AT THE, WE HAVE OUR GOAL TO FOCUS ON OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT WE NEED BEST AND TO, TO PETITION FOR THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO ASK DADDY FOR MONEY, SO TO SPEAK.

AND THE, AND THE, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.

SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

BUT, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR, FOR REPORTS.

THANK YOU, MS. LOW.

UM, OVER THIS PAST MONTH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL COUNSELING ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR SC JEFFRIES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

UM, SO THAT WAS GREAT.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE WHAT MS. FRANKLIN AND MS. CHARLES ARE WORKING ON.

THEY'RE, UM, VERY PROFESSIONAL OVER THERE.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND MEASURING, UM, THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON ATTENDANCE AS ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OVER THERE.

UM, SO THAT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THAT.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE THANKSGIVING MEAL AT RUSSI WITH MY DAUGHTER, AND ACTUALLY MS. HELMICK SERVED ME PART OF MY MEAL , AND I WAS ASKING MY DAUGHTER, IS SHE NORMALLY ON THE LUNCH LINE? SHE'S LIKE, NO, , JUST TODAY, IT'S A SPECIAL OCCASION.

UM, SO THAT WAS VERY NICE AND THEY HAD A REALLY NICE SETUP IN THE GYM FOR PARENTS, UM, AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE THERE, UM, WHERE WE GOT TO EAT THE MEAL AND EVERYTHING AND NOT BE IN THE VERY LOUDEST PART OF THE CAFETERIA.

SO I APPRECIATED THAT.

UM, AND THEN JUST LAST NIGHT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE, UM, HAWK FLOCK PARENT MEETING AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE AND HEAR FROM MR. BURKE SOME UPDATES ON THEIR SCHOOL.

SO I APPRECIATED THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU, DR.

FUNK.

UM, THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO ROUND OUT THAT YEAR.

UM, SO YES, I WAS BY THE, BY FIRST, UM, FACES WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT THE FIRST TIME.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO STAY FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, BUT, UH, JUST TO, WAS ABLE TO, TO SEE, UM, I THINK OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM WAS THERE AND PRESENTING TO THEM THAT EVENING PART OF THAT.

AND THEN, UH, MR. MCFADDEN ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET MEETING THAT WE, UM, PARTICIPATED IN AND WHERE, UM, BASICALLY WE LOOKED AT THE VER YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT STATE TEMPLATE LOOKS LIKE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A VERY STRICT, UH, STATE TEMPLATE THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. VALENTINE HAS TO PLUG IN THE NUMBERS, UM, TOO.

SO WE, WE DID LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THOSE NON-LABOR COST CENTER BUDGETS.

UM, BUT I THINK HE, HE KIND OF SUMMED IT UP EVERY, YOU KNOW, PRETTY WELL IS, UM, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

WE DO HAVE AN UPCOMING, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING JUST OUR SIDE ON DECEMBER 17TH.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA, UM, DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO WHAT IS THAT PLAN GONNA LOOK LIKE, UM, FOR THIS COMING BUDGET SEASON.

YOU KNOW, UM, UM, AS HE MENTIONED, UH, DR.

BALLINGER ALREADY MEETS WITH HIS COST CENTERS STARTING IN NOVEMBER.

THEY TALK ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT SAME PROCESS, BUT WE'RE GONNA, UH, PUT THAT INTO OUR YEAR LONG CALENDAR.

WE, WE HAD A YEAR LONG CALENDAR THIS YEAR, SO, YOU KNOW, DECEMBER 17TH, WE'LL WRAP UP THIS YEAR'S DATES.

UM, AND THEN WE'LL CREATE ONE FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO HAVE ON THE 19TH, UH, DECEMBER 19TH, WE ALSO HAVE A JOINT, UM, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, UH, MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT WE'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN.

WE, WE'VE, I THINK WE DO THAT TWICE.

WE'VE DONE THAT LIKE MAYBE TWICE A YEAR, UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN, UM, VICE CHAIR THIS YEAR.

SO WE WILL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL END THE YEAR ON THAT.

UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT EVERYTHING.

I CERTAINLY, UM, DO WANNA TO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF, UM, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THIS SEMESTER OF SCHOOL.

UM, AND, UM, HOPE, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T SEE YOU UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

IT'S KIND OF ODD SAYING THAT , BUT I HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF HAVE A, A VERY SAFE AND AND HEALTHY, UH, HOLIDAY SEASON OVER,

[00:45:01]

AND, UM, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

, WE'RE TALKING.

TO THE ACTION AGENDA, WHICH THE VERY FIRST THING IS GONNA BE THE SETTING OF THE DATE AND TIME FOR OUR 2025 ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, OUR FACILITIES COMMITTEE FOR, UM, UPDATING US ON THOSE MEETINGS THAT YOU HAD WITH THE TOWN AND COUNTY AND OUR BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE STARTING TO HAVE.

AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, JUST ONCE AGAIN, UNDERLYING THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND SORT OF PUTTING THE INFORMATION OUT EARLY THAT OUR ASKS WILL, WILL PROBABLY BE INCREASED.

UM, AND SO HOPEFULLY OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISOR, MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND AND JUST KNOW MOVING FORWARD AS YOU GUYS ARE MEETING WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS IS, AND WHAT THE ASKS ARE GONNA BE AND WHY WE'RE MAKING THOSE ASKS BECAUSE THEIR NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

UM, I ATTENDED THE COUNSELING, UM, ADVISORY COUNCIL WITH MS. LOWE AS WELL, AND I CAN ONLY JUST SECOND EVERYTHING SHE SAID ABOUT THE WORK THAT MS. FRANKEL AND MS. CHARLES DO AT RESI.

UM, WE DID NOT MEET FOR MOUNTAIN VISTA GOVERNOR SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD LAST MONTH, BUT WE'LL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK FOR OUR KIND OF END OF THE YEAR WRAP UP, UM, WITH THEM ON THURSDAY.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS, FOR THIS MONTH.

SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON

[5.A. Set Date and Time for 2025 Organizational Meeting - Dr. Ballenger]

DR.

BALLINGER.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD POLICY BCA SCHOOL BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING REQUIRES THAT THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING BE HELD IN JANUARY OF EACH YEAR.

ONE OF THE ACTIONS TO BE TAKING TAKEN AT THE MEETING IS TO ESTABLISH THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR FOLLOWING CURRENT PRACTICE AND POLICY.

THIS MEETING WOULD BE HELD ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY SINCE THIS YEAR, THE FIRST WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY.

UH, FIRST WEDNESDAY IS JANUARY 1ST A HOLIDAY.

IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT THE MEETING BE HELD AT, UH, THE MEETING ROOM AT DIVERSIFIED MINES.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? IS PLANNING COMMISSION IN HERE THAT WEDNESDAY? IS THAT WHY WE CAN'T DO IT HERE? WHERE WE CAN LIVESTREAM? I'M NOT SURE.

I'D DEFER TO DOC, UH, MR. VALENTINE.

YES, I, UM, I, I CAN'T RECALL WHETHER IT'S THE, UH, TOWN OR COUNTY, BUT ONE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY, THE OTHER ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ONLY HAVE OUR MEETING THE FIRST OF THE MONTH HERE AND THE THIRD WEDNESDAY WE'RE UP AT DIVERSIFIED MINES.

BACKFILLED THURSDAY SINCE WE HAVE VACATED IT PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS AGO OR SO.

DO THOSE, WHEN THOSE PLANNING COMMISSIONS, EITHER OF 'EM MEET, DO THEY DO LIVE STREAM? UM, I, I THINK THEY DO, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

I THINK THEY DO, MAYBE BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S IMP I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE NOT .

I DON'T, I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN RECOLLECTION SEEING LIVE STREAMING.

I MEAN, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY BENEFICIAL, THIS ROOM FOR THAT PURPOSE OF YES.

LIVE STREAMING FOR THE FOLKS TO SEE AT HOME.

IF SOMEONE WAS HAVING A MEETING AND THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE LIVE STREAMED, THEY CAN BORROW OUR DIVERSIFIED MINDS IF THEY WANTED TO.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF WHO, WHO WE HAVE TO DUKE IT OUT WITH OR THAT .

IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING.

I MEAN, EVEN GOING OVER THERE FOR THE, FOR THE OTHER PLACE TO HAVE IT RECORDED, IT COMES UP A COUPLE DAYS LATER.

BUT IF, IF IT'S A MATTER OF JUST THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHO WE HAVE TO TALK TO ABOUT IT.

WELL, I, I CAN CHECK IN THE MORNING WITH COUNTY ADMIN TO SEE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SCHEDULED THE, THE BUILDING.

UH, THERE IS A LITTLE HISTORY TO WHY WE'RE ON WEDNESDAY AND ONLY HAVE ONE NIGHT.

BUT, UM, IT USED TO BE THE SCHOOL BOARD MET ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT OF THE MONTH WE HAD THIS BUILDING.

I THINK TOWN COUNCIL HAS IT ON MONDAYS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, IT WAS THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.

THURSDAY WAS SCHOOL BOARD.

UM, WE HAD TO MOVE BECAUSE OF A MEMBER'S SCHEDULE SOME YEARS AGO TO WEDNESDAY.

AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE TOLD THE ONLY WEDNESDAY THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT IS THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.

IT'S A NEW YEAR.

MAYBE WE RENEGOTIATE ALL THAT STUFF.

YEAH, WELL, OR IF THIS BOARD IS WANTING TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT DAY TO HOLD THE MEETINGS AND YOU KNOW, IF WEDNESDAYS, YOU KNOW, OR A THURSDAY OR SOME OTHER DAY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST WHATEVER FITS THE BOARD'S SCHEDULE.

UM, IF WEDNESDAYS WORK, WE NEED TO STAY ON WEDNESDAYS AND WE CAN DO THAT.

BUT IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER A DIFFERENT DAY TO MEET ON, UM, THEN AS WE MAKE THAT CALENDAR, THEN WE CAN DO THAT AND WE COULD TALK TO THE COUNTY.

SO JUST GIVE, THAT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WEDNESDAY IS NOT SET IN STONE, SO THE DIFFERENT DAY THOUGH WOULD HAVE TO BE, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE MONDAY OR TUESDAY.

'CAUSE I KNOW THOSE NIGHTS ARE TAKEN BY THE OTHER GOVERNING BODIES.

SO, AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY'S

[00:50:01]

WELL, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD JUST FIND OUT FOR US SO THAT WE HAVE ALL OPTIONS TAKE I'M GLAD YEAH.

CAN CHECK WITH COUNTY ADMIN IN THE MORNING AND YEAH, AND, AND THEY'LL KNOW, THEY KEEP A RECORD OF ALL THE TAKE OUT.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD JUST TO HAVE ALL THE OPTIONS SCHEDULING AND WE'LL SET THAT CALENDAR AT OUR FIRST JANUARY MEETING.

SO FOR TONIGHT, IF WE COULD JUST AT LEAST APPROVE THIS JANUARY 8TH MEETING AT FIVE 30.

AND WE COULD EVEN SAY JUST TO BE DETERMINED ON LOCATION AND MAYBE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER SWITCHING TO THURSDAY, NOT SPEAKING FOR THEM, BUT MIGHT BE A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RUN INTO IS WHEN THE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION IS MEETING AND WE HAVE OUR MEETINGS, I CAN'T ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS AS A, AS A CITIZEN.

AND I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE HAVING THEIR, THEIR PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE COMP PLAN AGAIN SOON.

AND I'M HOPING THAT DOESN'T CONFLICT.

BUT, UM, AND I THINK WE HAD EXPLORED AT ONE POINT DOING OUR, DOING A MEETING IF NEED BE AT, UM, TOWN HALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE LIVESTREAM ABILITIES THERE AS WELL.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE WERE, DR.

CROSSER, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE, THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY NICE LOCATION.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A AND SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

OH NO, I WAS FINISHED.

BUT YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIVE STREAM, BUT OF COURSE WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS AT DIVERSIFIED MINDS.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT, THAT WE CAN UTILIZE CAFETERIAS, WE CAN UTILIZE AUDITORIUMS. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A BOARD WE CAN MEET.

SO I THINK IT'S, I MEAN MR. HELMICK JUST GOT US SOME NICE CHAIRS OUT THERE FOR THE LAST TIME, RIGHT.

WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY OVER THERE NOW, BUT I, I THINK IT'S MORE WITH THE LIVE STREAMING IT'S MORE IMPORTANT I THINK FOR THE, FOR THE POPULATION CITIZENS TO SEE WOULD BE A GOAL IN MY OPINION.

BUT TO THAT END, I MOVE THAT THE 2025 ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8TH, 2025 AT 5:30 PM IN A PLACE TO BE DETERMINED.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

WE HAVE MISCELLANEOUS SALARY SCALE APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL POSITION.

[5.B. Miscellaneous Salary Scale - Approval of Additional Position - Mrs. Drake]

THIS IS DRAKE.

UM, SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD MORE ROOM.

UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD A SPANISH SUBSTITUTE, OR EXCUSE ME, A SPANISH LINE SUBSTITUTE.

HAPPY TO CHANGE THE NAME.

IT'S JUST WHAT WE ACTUALLY CALL OUR SPANISH LINE.

UM, SO WE HAVE ONE DESIGNATED SECRETARY, UM, THAT ANSWERS OUR SPANISH LINE, DIRECTS THE CALLS, CALLS THE SCHOOLS, RELAYS THE INFORMATION.

UM, AND IF THEY ARE OUT FOR MORE THAN WELL EVEN A DAY, UM, THEY JUST SIT THERE UNTIL THEY'RE BACK THE NEXT DAY TO THEN MAKE, YOU KNOW, DISPERSE THE CALLS ON HOW THEY CAME IN.

UM, WITH THE CURRENT PRIMARY BEING OUT OF THE OFFICE FOR KIND OF A EXTENDED, EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY BACK FILLING THAT DE LIKE DEDICATED TO THEM.

UM, SO WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW OPTIONS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEM, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO AN ANSWER THE SPANISH LINE.

BUT THAT DOES TAKE ON ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

UM, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR EACH DAY THAT THEY FILL IN AS THE SUBSTITUTE THAT THEY WOULD BE COMPENSATED $25 PER DAY.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. STRIKE? ARE THE FOLKS WHO WOULD FILL IN, ARE THEY ALREADY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OR THEY ARE? YES.

AND WE CAN HAVE THE LINE DIRECTED TO THEM AT THEIR DESK.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT APPROVAL WILL BE GIVEN TO ADD THE SPANISH LINE SUBSTITUTE TO THE MISCELLANEOUS SALARY SCALE IN DL DASH E TWO EMPLOYEE TIME SHEET AT $25 PER DAY EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024.

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

AYE.

OPPOSED? NO.

UP, ANOTHER SALARY SCALE APPROVAL TO RECLASSIFY GRADE 35 AND 42 TO NON-EXEMPT POSITIONS.

[5.C. Salary Scale - Approval to Reclassify Grade 35 & 42 to Non-Exempt Positions - Mrs. Drake]

MS. DRAKE? YES.

AND SO THEY PUT A HALT TO IT.

SO, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKSTORY ON THE WHY THIS CAME ABOUT.

UM, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A DECISION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD MAKE.

HOWEVER, UH, PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18TH, UH, THE FAIR LABOR STANDARD ACT CHANGED FOR THE MINIMUM SALARY THRESHOLD.

UM, HOWEVER, ON NOVEMBER 18TH, UM, A JUDGE IN TE, A FEDERAL JUDGE IN TEXAS APPEALED THIS.

[00:55:01]

UM, SO A LOT OF COMPANIES, THE COMPANY I CAME FROM, I CAN SPEAK TO, WE WERE MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES.

DO WE CHANGE SALARIES TO MEET THAT MINIMUM THRESHOLD OR DO WE GO TO NON-EXEMPT? AND THEN WHAT DOES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF BACK AND FORTH ON THE BEST OPTION.

AND SO WHEN THIS WAS WRITTEN AND PUT ON OUR BOARD DOCS, THIS WAS THE BEST OPTION FOR US WAS TO MOVE THE TWO PAY GRADES THAT WOULD NOT MEET THE MINIMUM SALARY THRESHOLD TO NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.

UM, ONE OF THE, THE BIGGEST CHANGES FOR THEM IS THAT THEY ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME FOR ANYTHING OVER 40 HOURS IN OUR DESIGNATED WORK WEEK, UM, WHICH WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WILL APPEAL THIS AND IT WILL MOVE FORWARD, OR IF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING INTO OFFICE WILL, I, I HAVE NO IDEA.

I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.

UM, BUT I DO THINK BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SO LONG, FAIRLY FOR STANDARD ACT, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, I DO FEEL THAT A CHANGE WILL HAPPEN, UM, FROM THE SHRM ARTICLES I'VE READ.

SOUNDS LIKE IT, BUT I I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS TO THAT.

SO, UM, THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW.

UM, BUT NOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN HALTED, IT'S KIND OF UP FOR PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OR JUST STOPPING OURSELVES BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

BUT, UH, THERE'S NO IMPACT TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

THEY'RE SALARY NON-EXEMPT.

THEIR PAY WILL NOT CHANGE.

THE ONLY THING WOULD BE THEY WOULD BE FILLING OUT THEIR TIME SHEET.

IF THEY WORKED OVER 40 HOURS, THEY WOULD GET THAT OVER TIME.

SO I STILL PROPOSE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD JUST IN PREPARATION OF, UH, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE, THE BIGGEST IMPACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. DRAKE? THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO THIS WOULD AFFECT OR THE RN AND STUDENT SUPPORT FOLKS WOULD, DO YOU EXPECT THERE TO BE OVERTIME? SO RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO WORK 35 HOURS PER WEEK.

UM, SO I'M NOT SAYING, I KNOW OUR NURSES, THEY DO A LOT OF CHARTING.

UM, I COULD SEE THEM POTENTIALLY HAVING SOME OVERTIME JUST, BUT DEPENDING ON THEIR WORKLOAD, UM, THAT DAY.

UM, AS FAR AS OUR STUDENT SUPPORT, I, I WOULD SAY NO.

UM, BUT THIS WOULD ALSO, I MEAN THIS IS FOR ANY NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEE, SO IF THEY'RE WORKING FOR US AND THEN THEY GO OVER THE 40 HOURS, THEN THEY'RE DOING A SECONDARY JOB, LIKE THEY COULD STILL GET IT AS WELL.

UM, SO I, I THINK IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE, BUT I THINK OUR NURSES POTENTIALLY COULD JUST BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WITH THE STUDENTS ALL DAY AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CHART.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A SALARY SCALE ADJUSTMENT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE SALARY SCALE ITSELF IS NOT CHANGING, IT'S JUST THAT IF THIS WERE TO PASS THESE POSITIONS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME IF THEY WORKED OVER 40 HOURS? CORRECT.

IF WE MOVE THEM TO NON-EXEMPT AND RIGHT NOW IF THEY WORK OVER 40 HOURS, THEY JUST, NOTHING HAPPENS.

THEY'RE SALARIED, NON-EXEMPT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

YEAH, THEY'RE EXEMPT.

UM, SO THERE WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE EMPLOYEES IF, YOU KNOW, AND BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEM, BUT THEN ALSO TRYING TO CREATE MORE OF A WORK-LIFE BALANCE.

UM, I HAD A CALL WITH ALL OF OUR NURSES TODAY JUST TO ANSWER SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM IS THAT THEY DO A LOT OF CHARTING.

THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THEY WERE STILL LOOKED AT AS, AS PROFESSIONALS.

UM, WHICH THEY ARE, AND THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY ASK, THIS AGAIN, WAS FOR FEDERAL COMPLIANCE, BUT YEAH, SALARIES DON'T CHANGE.

THEY STILL, IF THEY ONLY WORK 35 HOURS, THEY'RE STILL GETTING PAID THE WHOLE WEEK.

IF THEY WORK 39, THEY'RE STILL GETTING PAID THE WHOLE WEEK.

BUT ONCE THEY HIT 41 OR 40 POINT ANYTHING, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE.

WOULD THERE BE, UM, SOME KIND OF LIKE COUNTY EXPECTATION SO THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL THEIR JOBS? SO I, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS MIGHT HAPPEN WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT UM, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNT, LIKE WOULD THEY JUST, DO THEY HAVE TO GET IT APPROVED FIRST OR LET THEIR ADMINISTRATOR KNOW AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A CRAZY WEEK.

THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND BEFORE THEY JUST GO AHEAD AND WORK, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA WORK 20 EXTRA HOURS RIGHT TODAY.

AND THERE WOULD BE, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I KNOW THAT KIND OF SOUNDS TERRIBLE NO.

TO SAY THAT, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THAT EXPECTATION LOOK LIKE, UM, BEFORE YEAH, THAT HAPPENED.

AND SO, UM, SINCE COMING ABOARD, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS.

ONE OF THEM IS OUR TIMEKEEPING SYSTEM.

RIGHT NOW THEY ARE PAPER TIME SHEETS.

AND SO WE ARE, UM, THE CURRENT PROVIDER THAT WE HAVE HAS IT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT WHERE I COULD RUN A REPORT AND SAY, HEY, ON WEDNESDAY YOU'RE AT, YOU KNOW, SO MANY HOURS.

AND WE COULD THEN TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE BUILDING TO SAY LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT COULD BE GETTING SOME OVERTIME.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THEIR SCHEDULE? RIGHT? IS IT BETTER TO GET IN A SUB FOR THE DAY OR IS IT BETTER TO JUST APPROVE THE HOURS? UM, BUT YES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET IT APPROVED.

THE BIGGEST THING I WILL STRESS, AGAIN, IT'S JUST MORE FOR FEDERAL COMPLIANCE IS EVEN IF THEY DON'T GET IT APPROVED, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEM BECAUSE OF HOURS WORKED.

UM, BUT WE COULD DO DISCIPLINARY AFTER THAT.

AND THAT'S NOT THE GOAL.

AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE MESSAGE.

BUT YES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO JUSTIFY THEIR TIME, AND THE ADMINISTRATOR WOULD

[01:00:01]

HAVE TO APPROVE IT.

UM, AND IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT APPROVAL THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS AFTER THAT.

BUT I WANT OUR STAFFS TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR TIME AND NOT WORK MORE THAN 40 AND GO HOME.

WELL, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS COMPENSATED APPROPRIATELY CORRECT FOR THE JOBS THAT THEY DO.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'VE COVERED OBVIOUSLY ALL ASPECTS OF IT.

SO, YEAH, NO, I AGREE.

AND I THINK IF, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR FAIR LABOR STANDARD ACT DOES CHANGE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT COULD BE A BUDGETING CONVERSATION FOR NEXT YEAR TO INCREASE THE SALARIES TO THAT THRESHOLD, BUT THAT WOULD CHANGE OUR SCALES AND THAT WOULD HAVE A MUCH GREATER IMPACT TO BE HONEST.

SO, UM, FOR, FOR NOW PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 18TH AND IT BEING HALTED, THIS WAS THE BEST OPTION.

SO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IS THERE MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE RN GRADE 35 AND STUDENT SUPPORT GRADE 42 POSITIONS BE RECLASSIFIED AS NON-EXEMPT UNDER THE FLSA EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025 TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE UPDATED SALARY REQUIREMENTS.

IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL IS IN FAVOR, AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU.

APPROVAL OF ONE SPED TEACHER AND ONE SPED INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT RUSSIE JEFFRIES.

MRS. DRAKE? YES.

UH, YES.

SO WE ARE REQUESTING TO ADD ONE SPED TEACHER AND ONE SPED IA.

UM, OUR, WE HAVE A VERY CRITICAL NEED, UM, AT RUSSY JEFFERS WITH STUDENTS THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DEMAND, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MEET.

AND SO BY ADDING THESE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE, UM, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FROM POSITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD OPEN.

UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE SOME TEACHING POSITIONS THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIS UM, DISPERSED BETWEEN OTHER TEACHERS FOR THE CLASSROOM THAT WE COULD TAKE THAT SALARY TO HELP PAY FOR THIS.

SO, UH, NO FINANCIAL IMPACT OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUDGETED, BUT IT WOULD HELP RUSSIE SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE DEMANDS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEET FOR THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. DRAKE? I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR IT, AND THE QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST OBVIOUSLY IF YOU, IF YOU BUILD THIS IN FOR THIS YEAR, WHICH WE HAVE THE MONEY THIS YEAR FOR, BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T FILLED THESE POSITIONS.

CORRECT.

I'M SURE WE WANNA FILL THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T FILLED THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE THESE JOBS TOO.

UM, IN INITIAL BUDGETARY MEETING WE HAD WAS A WHOLE LISTING OF, YOU KNOW, 60 NEW EMPLOYEES THAT, THAT THE FOLKS WANT.

AND I'M SURE THEY'RE ALL VALUABLE AND NEEDED, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS OF, IF WE, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE DOING THIS NOW, KIND OF JUMPING THE GUN BEFORE THE BUDGET SEASON GOES AND SAYING IF WE'RE BOOKING THEM FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE ASSUMING WE'RE THEY'RE GONNA BE IN EXISTENCE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

NO.

SO MY REQUEST IS ONLY FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR.

SO THERE'S NO INTENTION OF BRINGING IT UP.

SO, BUT THERE WELL, I'M SURE WILL BE.

WELL, I'M SURE TO IT BROUGHT UP, BUT THERE, THERE WILL BE A NEED.

THE NEED IS GONNA BE THERE AND FROM, FROM SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW AND SOME OF THE ENROLLMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING, THE DEMAND IS JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW.

SO, SO TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, BY PUTTING IT IN NOW, THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE YES TO PUT THAT FORWARD BECAUSE THE NEED IS GOING TO BE THERE.

BUT FOR WHOEVER IT IS THAT WE HIRE FOR THESE POSITIONS, THEY WILL BE TOLD THIS IS JUST FOR THIS YEAR RIGHT NOW, WHAT IT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT FOR THIS YEAR.

CORRECT.

THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I UNDER, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S, THAT'S WHY I WAS LIKE, WELL, YEAH, I'M SURE IT'LL BE REQUESTED, BUT FOR WHAT I'M ASKING FOR NOW WITH THE CURRENT SALARIES FOR THE IMPACT, THEN NO, JUST FOR THIS YEAR.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR.

AND ESPECIALLY FOR WHOEVER IT'S GETS HIRED, KNOWS IT'S JUST A, THIS YEAR GIG FOR THE TIME BEING ANYWAY.

AGREED.

I THINK THE PART THAT THAT CONCERNED ME WAS JUST LOOKING AT THAT WE ARE TAKING MONEY THAT WAS ALLOTTED FOR SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER, THE TWO MATH TEACHERS AT WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AND THE READING SPECIALIST POSITION.

I, THOSE ARE VERY CORE SUBJECTS AND YES, OF COURSE, I I HEAR THE NEED.

UM, AND THIS WAS JUST EXAMPLES OF THE CURRENT VACANCIES.

WE WOULD NOT BE CLOSING.

THAT WAS THE YEAH, SO NO, IT WAS JUST LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BUDGET FOR THE TWO POSITIONS, BUT WE'RE NOT LIKE CLOSING THEM.

SO YOU'LL ACTIVELY STILL BE SEEKING OUT THE MATH TEACHERS.

THAT, THAT WAS MY CONCERN.

THIS IS JUST THE SAVINGS FROM AUGUST UNTIL NOW.

BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT FILLED.

SO WE TOOK OUT ANY, IF WE'VE HAD LONG TERM SUBS, WHAT MS. DRAKE HAS DONE IS SHE TOOK OUT HOW MUCH WE'VE BEEN PAYING THE LONG TERM SUBS, AND IF WE DID, IF WE HAD TEACHERS EXTRA BLOCKS, WE TOOK THAT OUT WHERE TEACHERS PICKED UP EXTRA BLOCKS, SHE TOOK THAT OUT.

AND SO THIS WOULD JUST BE THE SAVINGS FROM AUGUST TO NOW.

END OF MAY TO, TO TRY TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.

THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY FORWARD.

SO YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE REST OF THE YEAR FROM DECEMBER TO, TO

[01:05:01]

THAT MONEY IS STILL AVAILABLE.

NEXT UP WE HAVE 2024 SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT GRANT.

SO LONG AS WE'RE SNATCHING UP ANY MATH TEACHERS THAT GO ALONG AND I WAS, I WAS GONNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ANYBODY THAT IS LISTENING AND WATCHING RIGHT NOW, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A POSITION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT .

SO STILL, YES.

ACTIVELY LOOKING.

THEY COULD BE CAREER SWITCHERS IF WHO MAY HAVE A BACKGROUND IN A NON-TEACHING FIELD.

IF, IF YOU'RE GOOD WITH NUMBERS, COME TALK TO US.

AGREED, YES, PLEASE.

IS THERE EMOTION ON THESE POSITIONS? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE ADDITION OF ONE SPED TEACHER AND ONE SPED INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT RESI JEFFRIES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR WITH FUNDING SOURCED FROM SAVINGS GENERATED BY UNFILLED VACANCIES WITHIN THE DIVISION.

BUT THERE SECOND.

I SECOND IT.

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

A AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MS. DRAKE.

[5.D. 2024 School Security Equipment Grant - Mr. Stefnoski]

MR. STEFANSKI, GOOD EVENING.

TONIGHT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE 2024 SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT GRANT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE APPLIED FOR EVERY YEAR, UH, ANNUALLY.

I GUESS THAT'S THE SAME THING, BUT, UH, TRADITIONALLY WE USE THIS, UH, FUNDING FOR UPGRADING OUR SECURITY CAMERAS.

LAST YEAR, IF YOU RECALL, WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AT HILDA J UM, THIS YEAR.

UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT NEEDS.

UH, MS. ZA PUT PUT TOGETHER A SCHOOL SECURITY TEAM AND ALL THE SCHOOLS HAVE A CHANCE TO KIND OF LIST OUT WHAT THEIR DIFFERENT SECURITY NEEDS ARE.

SO USING THAT LIST OF, UH, THE NEEDS THAT THEY LISTED AND, UH, UNDER DR.

BOWER'S DIRECTION, WE, UH, APPLIED FOR E-CARD READERS FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT HAD LISTED THOSE AS NEEDS AND PUT THE NUMBERS IN THERE.

THIS GRANT IS ALWAYS A LITTLE TRICKY.

THEY HAVE A VERY, UH, STRINGENT RUBRIC ON HOW THEY DETERMINE WHO GETS FUNDED.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE APPLIED FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE LISTED, UH, THEY APPROVED FUNDING FOR THREE OF THE SCHOOLS OUT OF THAT LIST.

UH, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT THEY AWARDED US $31,611, UH, OF WHICH WE WILL BE SEEKING, UH, YOUR APPROVAL THAT DR.

BALLER COULD ASK FOR AN APPROPRIATION FOR THAT FUNDING.

AND THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS THE, UH, MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS BUDGET.

AND THEN, UH, MR. MICK'S GONNA GO AHEAD AND COVER OUR LOCAL MATCH OF $7,902 AND 75 CENTS.

SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE THAT.

QUESTIONS FOR MR. KY.

UM, I SOMEHOW CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS RIGHT BEFORE THE AGENDA CAME OUT.

SURE.

READING ABOUT ALL THE LISTED, ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS, ALL THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY GET AND SOME ARE GETTING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

IS THERE SOME, ANY KIND OF MAGIC WE CAN DO TO SHAKE 'EM DOWN FOR SOME MORE MONEY? , I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU WANT IT, BUT I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? BECAUSE SOME SMALLER DISTRICTS, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S BASED ON SIZE.

YEAH, SO I MEAN, UH, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AT SOME POINT, I COULD SHOW YOU THE CRITERIA THAT THEY USE FOR JUDGING.

LIKE, LIKE I SAID, THIS PARTICULAR ONE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME VERY PARTICULAR THINGS.

THEY LOOK AT THE AGE OF THE BUILDINGS, THEY LOOK AT, UM, WHEN THOSE BUILDINGS WERE LAST AWARDED FUNDS THROUGH THIS GRANT.

SO I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THEY FUNDED, UH, HJB AGAIN AS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY SELECTED ON THAT.

SO SOMETIMES I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW, HOW THAT, HOW THEY'RE DOING IT.

UH, THEY ALSO LIKE, PRIORITIZE CERTAIN, CERTAIN LEVELS.

I BELIEVE THEY PRIORITIZE ELEMENTARY.

I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT VERSUS LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER LEVELS.

SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE MAGIC ANSWER ON THAT, BUT, UH, I WOULD LOVE IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO SHAKE OUT SOME MORE, I'M NOT SHAKING 'EM DOWN, BUT MAYBE WE COULD SHAKE THE TREE A LITTLE BIT.

AND I THINK MR. STEFANSKI, WE HAVE RECEIVED MORE FUNDS THAN IN FROM THIS GRANT IN THE PAST, CORRECT.

THAN YES.

SO IN, IN SOME, SOME CASES, LIKE IF WE WERE TO TRY TO REPLACE THE CAMERA SYSTEM IN ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT WOULD BE A MUCH LARGER COST TO DO THAT OVERALL.

SO WE WOULD BE APPLYING FOR A LARGER CHUNK IN THAT PARTICULAR TIMEFRAME.

SO I DO KNOW THERE WAS ONE, OUR LAST MEETING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT SECURITY TYPE IDEAS THAT SEEM TO BE A LOT OF MONEY.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IF, IF IT'S A, IF WE ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS MUCH, MAYBE WE'LL GET THIS MUCH AND YEAH.

IN THIS CASE HERE, LIKE I SAID, WE DID IT, WE DID ASK FOR, OVERALL THE INITIAL ASK WAS FOR $133,000.

UM, FOR, FOR THE PROJECTS.

AND UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY, THEY AWARDED US 31 AND SOME CHANGE ON THAT, SO.

GREAT.

TO REQUEST THAT THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROPRIATE $31,611 TO CATEGORY 64,000? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE THAT APPROVAL BE GIVEN TO ACCEPT THE 2024 SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT GRANT FUNDING AND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT BE AUTHORIZED

[01:10:01]

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

A AYE.

OPPOSED? NO, AS ALWAYS.

NEXT UP WE HAVE SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM LIGHTING SYSTEM.

[5.E. SHS Auditorium Lighting System - Dr. Costner]

DR.

COSTNER, MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY COMING FOR YOU TONIGHT.

UM, WE ARE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR, UM, SOME FUNDING FOR THE, UM, SKYLINE AUDITORIUM, THE LIGHTING, AND IT'S WITH THE HOUSE LIGHTING AND IT'S ALSO WITH THE THEATRICAL LIGHTING.

UM, BASICALLY THE, THE DIMMERS SYSTEM, HOW TO SET IT UP TO GET IT SET UP TO WHERE IT IS WORKING APPROPRIATELY SO THAT WE CAN UTILIZE THE AUDITORIUM SO OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, GO IN THERE AND, UM, DO HAVE SOME GREAT THEATRICAL WORK.

UM, BUT, UM, FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE DO NEED TO REPLACE IT.

UM, THERE'S, WE'VE TRIED TO SEE IF WE CAN PIECEMEAL IT TO GET IT PUT BACK TOGETHER, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE ARE ASKING TO COME OUT OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, $74,207 AND 20 CENTS.

UM, THIS WAS THE BID FROM ARTISTIC CONCEPTS GROUP AND WE ARE ASKING FOR US TO BE ALLOWED TO AWARD THAT TO THEM.

THEY WERE THE LOWEST BID.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR.

KOSNER? UM, I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED AT ONE POINT THAT WE, WHAT WE STARTED OFF WITH THE LFK STAYING UNDER BUDGET, THE RENOVATION, AND THEN GOING ON TO THE E WILSON MORRISON GYMATORIUM RENOVATION, STAYING UNDER BUDGET.

WAS THERE ENOUGH LEFTOVER WITH WHAT WE HAD SAVED THAT, THAT THIS IS WHERE THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM.

DID WE EVER GET THE FINAL NUMBERS? WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FINAL NUMBERS YET.

AND FOR, WITH THAT, WITH THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO THEN GO BACK AND ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR THOSE FUNDS TO BE REALLOCATED TOWARDS THAT.

SO THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER STEPS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH.

SO HOPEFULLY IN TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT FOR OTHER PROJECTS.

UPCOMING.

UM, BUT AT, AT THIS TIME, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR IT TO COME OUT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.

WHICH, OH, GO AHEAD.

WHICH, JUST TO INTERJECT THAT, THAT IS OUR 66,000, SO THAT'S FACILITIES.

AND SO THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE FUNDED, UH, ONE POINT, ROB CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK IT'S 1.316 AND THAT WAS THE 1.3.

1.3 TO FINISH OUT LFKE WILSON.

AND I KNOW WE GOT SOME BIG TICKETS, UH, TO FINISH OUT THOSE PROJECTS.

THERE'S APPROXIMATELY, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT 300,000 IN THERE RIGHT NOW.

WE WILL BE TAKING THIS OUT OF THE, THE FACILITIES 66,000.

SO IN KIND OF ESSENCE IT'S, IT'S STILL THAT SAME, SAME POT.

UM, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME MONEY THAT WE WERE NOT ALLOCATED THAT THAT IS STILL SOME, SOME SAVINGS FROM THOSE PROJECTS.

OH, GOOD.

THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK IN, IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO, SO THAT WOULD BE THE GOAL TO GET THAT NUMBER, WHAT WE HAVE FROM WHAT'S IN 66 THIS YEAR, PLUS WHAT WE STILL HAVE FROM THE TOTAL PROJECT OF SAVINGS.

THEN ASK FOR THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET INTO THE FACILITY.

66,000.

SO THAT'S ALL GREAT NEWS, HUH? THAT'S ALL GREAT NEWS.

THAT'S ALL GOOD.

GOOD THINGS.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE TO ALLOW WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO ARTISTIC CONCEPTS GROUP IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,207 AND 20 CENTS TO REPLACE THE LIGHTING SYSTEM IN, UH, SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM? IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

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

[5.F. Hilda J. Barbour Elementary Cooling Tower - Dr. Costner]

NEXT UP IS THE LONG AWAITED HILDA J BARBER ELEMENTARY COOLING TOWER.

THAT WE COULD FIND THAT WOULD COME IN AND REFURBISH IT.

UM, YES, MADAM CHAIR, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF KEEPING THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT RUNNING AND COOLING TO THE BEST OF ITS ABILITY.

UM, THEY'VE COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE UNIQUE WAYS SO THAT WE COULD, UM, TRY TO COOL OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP THE COOL, THE SCHOOL TO HELP OUR CHILDREN REMAIN TO GET THEIR EDUCATION.

BUT IT IS TIME.

IT, IT IS TIME.

AND WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT WE CAN GET IT REFURBISHED.

UM, AND BY ABLE TO GET IT REFURBISHED WE'RE WE ARE SAVING A LOT OF MONEY INSTEAD OF TRYING TO REPLACE IT.

UM, WE ARE ASKING AT THIS TIME FOR $37,668 TO REFURBISH AND RENOVATE THE, UM, COOLING TOWER AT HILL TO J BARBER.

UM, THE GOOD TOWER SERVICES, UM, WAS THE ONLY, UM, ORGANIZATION

[01:15:01]

UH, A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES WE REACHED OUT TO WOULD BE GLAD TO REPLACE AND DO THOSE THINGS, BUT THAT WAS, WE'RE TRYING TO BE ECONOMICAL AS MOST ECONOMICAL AS WE CAN BE.

I'M NOT EVEN GONNA ASK FOR QUESTIONS 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS COOLING TOWER SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD IN JANUARY OF 2020.

SO, BECAUSE THERE, I FEEL LIKE THAT, THAT THAT WAS THE STATEMENT.

LIKE I THINK WE, WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS FOREVER, SO, SO YEAH.

WELL, I, I THINK IT'S NOT A QUESTION, BUT, UM, AND I KNOW MR. HELMICK ISN'T HERE TONIGHT, BUT WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO WITH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS HIS PROFESSION AND KNOWING THAT WE COULD DO IT AS BEING REFURBISHED INSTEAD OF REPLACED.

HE SINGLE-HANDED, WELL, NOT SINGLE-HANDEDLY, BUT HE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN SAVING OUR DIVISION.

I BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSE TO $300,000 WITH THIS IDEA.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE HAD CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, THAT THIS WAS A FANTASTIC IDEA.

AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THIS COME TO FRUITION.

THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

YES, MA'AM.

I ALSO THINK THE MATERIALS THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED HERE AND THE BOARD DOCS ARE REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I WAS LIKE, HOW DO YOU EVEN REFURBISH SOMETHING? AND IT'S LIKE, OH LOOK, HERE'S 15 PAGES WITH PHOTOS.

NOW I KNOW .

YES MA'AM.

SO APPRECIATE THAT.

IS THERE A MOTION I MOVE TO ALLOW WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO GOOD TOWER SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $37,668 TO REFURBISH AND RENOVATE THE COOLING TOWER AT HILDA J BARBER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

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

[5.G. Approval of Updated Division Literacy Plan for 2024-2025 - Ms. Bragg]

WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE UPDATED DIVISION LITERACY PLAN FOR 2024.

2025.

MS. BRAGG.

HELLO.

UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD FIRST APPROVED OUR, UH, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S DIVISION LITERACY PLAN FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, UH, BACK IN JUNE ON THE 26TH.

THIS UPDATE, UH, INCLUDES THE K FIVE INTERVENTION MATERIALS SELECTED BY WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

UH, THIS FALL AS REQUIRED BY THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT TRAINING FOR THE TEACHERS, THE READING SPECIALISTS, AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS ON THE NEW INTERVENTION MATERIALS IS BEING PROVIDED THIS FALL AND WINTER.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE UPDATED PLAN, WHICH WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE VDOE UPON APPROVAL BY THE BOARD.

SO SPECIFICALLY, UM, IT IS, THE UPDATES ARE ON PAGE THREE WHERE IT SAYS INTERVENTION K FIVE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN TO BE DETERMINED.

UM, WE SELECTED SPIRE K FIVE, UH, THAT IS FOR THE PHONICS AND PHONEMIC AWARENESS PIECES, 95% COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY SURGE FOR THE COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY PIECES.

WE HAVE HAD CORE FIVE LEXIA FOR K FIVE IN PLACE, UM, AS AN OPTION FOR INTERVENTION UP UNTIL THE PURCHASE OF THESE MATERIALS, LEXIA HAS BEEN, UH, BASICALLY GRANTED TO US FOR THROUGH A STATE PURCHASE.

SO THE DIVISION DID NOT PAY FOR ALEXIA LICENSES THIS YEAR.

THE SPIRE 95% COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY SURGE WERE, UH, PURCHASED FROM ALL IN FUNDING THAT THE STATE, UM, HAS, UH, ALLOTTED TO MEET THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT.

UM, OTHER QUICK CHANGES, THERE WAS A BULLET ADDED ON PAGE FOUR, THE SECOND BULLET TO ADDRESS THE IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR THOSE THREE NEW PROGRAMS. AND THEN ALSO ON PAGE FOUR, UH, IN THE CHART UNDER SECTION FOUR, THE SPIRE 95% COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY SURGE WERE ADDED, UH, TO OUR MONITORING PROCESS.

SO FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT, UH, DID NOT MEET BENCHMARK ON THE NEW VOWS TESTING AND HAVE TO HAVE READING PLANS, THESE ARE SOME OF THOSE INTERVENTION MATERIALS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE AS APPROVED BY THE VDOE, UM, TO MEET, UH, TO FILL THOSE GAPS.

SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY WHERE THE CHANGES ARE.

IT'S REALLY NOT CHANGES SINCE ADDITIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. BRAGG ON THIS? WAS, UH, DR. MCKNIGHT INVOLVED IN IN ANY OF THIS? IS, IS THIS PER HER STUFF? SHE WAS, SHE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION OF THESE MATERIALS.

UM, ALTHOUGH KATIE'S EXPERTISE DOES RANGE FROM, YOU KNOW, FOUR THROUGH 12, PRIMARILY AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THIS YEAR'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LITERACY PLAN, IT'S PRIMARILY K THREE FOCUS.

BUT THESE INTERVENTION MATERIALS, WHEN WE MOVE TO FOUR THROUGH EIGHT NEXT YEAR, WILL BE USED IN GRADES FOUR

[01:20:01]

AND FIVE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, DEFICITS IN THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL.

UM, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES, THE, THE ONBOARDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VLA HAS BEEN A VERY BIG LIFT FOR THE DIVISION AND FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS.

AND YES, LEARNING THREE MORE PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ANOTHER LIFT IN THE MIDDLE OF COMPLETING THE MODULES THAT THE STATE IS REQUIRING TEACHERS TO COMPLETE.

SO I'M SURE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH TRAINING.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAYBE CIRCLE BACK AND HAVE SOME MORE TRAINING AND THAT SORT OF THING BECAUSE WE ARE ONBOARDING A LOT.

AND I THINK THAT IN ALL THE PLACES THAT THE VLA ALLOWS US TO USE A A PROGRAM TO MEET A NEED FOR AS MANY GRADE LEVELS AS POSSIBLE, WE NEED TO STICK WITH IT.

SO WE'RE NOT ONBOARDING 17 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS 'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY ONBOARDING A LOT .

SO THEY WILL BE USED WITH THOSE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DO AT FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.

UM, THE STATE HAS HA IS IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING THE LIST FOR OUR, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL SIX, SORRY, NOT FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.

SIX THROUGH EIGHT MATERIALS.

GOT IT.

IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS? I MOVE THAT THE UPDATED WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS' DIVISION LITERACY PLAN FOR THE 20 24, 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

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

AYE.

NO, THANK YOU MS. BRAGG.

NEXT WE HAVE

[6.A. Board Member Requests]

BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS.

WE DON'T MEET AGAIN UNTIL JANUARY 8TH, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN BE WORKING ON, UM, MS. LOW? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THIS EVENING, DR. FOX.

I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING.

MR. MCFADDEN.

I HAVE LOADS OF STUFF.

AWESOME.

I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING IN A WHILE, SO I, I I FELT LIKE I WAS, WASN'T, WASN'T SHOWING DOING MY WORK.

SO A COUPLE OF THESE, A LOT OF THESE ARE ARE WEB, I WAS PUTZING AROUND ON THE WEBSITE, UH, THE OTHER DAY.

AND ANYWAY, WE HAVE A WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD POLICY POLICY, UH, I I A INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ESTABLISHES CLEAR PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT AND A NUMBER OF THINGS ABOUT THAT.

AND SO ONE OF THE KEYS IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVERY SCHOOL SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS ON THEIR WEBSITE WHERE EACH YEAR IT GETS UPDATED AND SAYS, HERE'S ALL THE BOOKS AND, AND LEARNING MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT A PARENT COULD LOOK AT AND SAY, OH, I, I DON'T, I WANNA OPT OUTTA THAT IF I WANT TO.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S QUITE HAPPENING.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

IT, OBVIOUSLY IT JUST TAKES SOME, SOME EFFORT TO UPLOADING IT.

BUT I LOOKED AT ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL'S THING.

SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL WAS AWESOME.

THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE COMPLETELY UP TO DATE.

SO THANK YOU.

WHOEVER, WHOEVER MANAGED THAT, THAT WAS GREAT.

BUT ALL THE REST ARE EITHER DATED FROM 2023 OR THE YEAR 20 22, 23.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF, OF, UH, STICKING WITH THE POLICY.

AND IT WAS JUST, UH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THAT UPDATED ON A YEARLY BASIS.

UH, ALSO ON THE INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES.

I THINK THIS WAS BROUGHT UP ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES I WAS ON THE, ON THE BOARD ABOUT THE LIBRARY WEBSITES.

EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE A LIBRARY WEBSITE, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT SOME OF THE LINKS DON'T GO TO WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO.

SO IF YOU GO TO SOME OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND YOU CLICK ON IT, IT GOES TO WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO IT'S, THEY, THEY ALL EXIST.

I FOUND THEM ALL.

THERE'S ONE REPOSITORY OF ALL THE WEBSITES FOR THE LIBRARIES.

IT'S JUST THEY'RE GOING TO THE WRONG PLACES.

SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING.

IT'S PROBABLY JUST A URL ADDRESS.

AND THEN, UM, I'VE ASKED IN THE PAST, AGAIN ABOUT HAVING CURRICULUM UP ON THE WEBSITE.

I'VE, SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES HAVE THE ACTUAL, WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING IN FIFTH GRADE AND SIXTH GRADE AND ENGLISH AND WHICH BOOKS YOU'RE USING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW HARD IT WOULD BE TO UPDATE IT, BUT IT JUST SEEMED FOR MY OWN INTEREST FOR LOOKING AT IT AS A CITIZEN, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT ON THE WEBSITE.

IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT UPDATED.

UM, AND THOSE ARE MY BUSY BODY WEBSITE SUGGESTIONS.

A MOTION ON OUR PERSONNEL REPORT AND PERSONNEL REPORT ADDENDUM THIS EVENING? I MOVE THAT THE PERSONNEL REPORT AND THE PERSONNEL REPORT ADDENDUM BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

THANK YOU, MS. LINS.

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EITHER.

IS THERE

[7. Approval of Closed Meeting Item(s)]

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.