Nov 27, 2023 Annual Meeting

GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

[I. Call to Order]

[00:00:04]

I HEREBY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

PLEASE, WOULD YOU JOIN US FOR THE RECITAL OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? SEANIECE, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING AN AGENDA FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING ON THE ANNUAL MEETING?

[IV. Approval of Agenda]

AND THAT ITEM IS UNDER CONSENT ACTION ITEMS, ITEM SIX B AS IN BRAVO ON OUR AGENDA TO MOVE THAT AFTER THE ITEM F ON OUR AGENDA ITEM EIGHT ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND OR ACTION.

AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THERE ARE SOME ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN THE HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT THAT RELATE TO THE RESTRUCTURING.

SO IT SEEMS TO BE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GET THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE APPROVED OR ASKED FOR APPROVAL ON THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM.

UNTIL WE HAVE HAD THE RESTRUCTURING DISCUSSION UNDER ITEM F ON OUR AGENDA.

SO IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM B UNDER THE CONSENT ACTION AGREEMENT TO IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITEM F UNDER THE ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND OR ACTION? YES, I WOULD LIKE TO. SO MOVE THAT [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MODIFYING THE AGENDA TO MOVE ITEM B BACK TO THE SECTION OF ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND OR ACTION AFTER ITEM F, THE FY 25 RESTRUCTURING.

FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE DO THAT WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM B UNDER THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM BACK IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITEM F SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? OKAY. SO NOW I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MODIFIED AGENDA AS WE JUST MODIFIED IT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR SUCH. SO MOVE.

SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE MODIFIED AGENDA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND THE AGENDA AS MODIFIED IS APPROVED.

SEANIECE. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ITEM FIVE ON OUR ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZEN INPUT.

DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN INPUT TONIGHT.

NO. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX WHICH IS OUR CONSENT ACTION ITEM.

[VI. Consent Action Item(s)]

SO WE HAVE ITEM A BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.

ITEM C FINANCE REPORT.

ITEM D THE MOU BETWEEN SHIP AND THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

ITEM E RETURNED TO LEARN ITEM F EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS, EXEMPTION, ADOPTION OR APPLICATION 2024-2025.

OFFER AND TEACH GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 PHYSICAL EDUCATION ITEM G, WHICH IS 2024-2025 SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS EDUCATIONAL PLANNING HANDBOOK, ITEM H SOLUTION TREE.

ITEM I PREMIER SPEAKERS BUREAU.

ITEM J CONTRACTS FOR BOARD APPROVAL.

ITEM K FACILITY RENTAL CONTRACTS.

ITEM L, K 12 INSIGHT CONTRACT AMENDMENT AND THE LAST ITEM ITEM M CIC CONSULTING FOR MULTI YEAR ACADEMIC PLAN BOARD MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS EXCLUDING ITEM B WHICH HAS BEEN MOVED? SO MOVED. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION BOARD MEMBERS? SORRY I MISSED FINANCED AND WE PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT THIS THERE.

BUT IS THERE A REASON WHY THE RETURN TO LEARN PLANS HERE AND NOT IN THE DISCUSSION? I MEAN. IT HAS BEEN A BIG THING THE LAST THREE YEARS.

I'M SURE IT'S NOT THIS YEAR, BUT IT IS NOT.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR OF THE RETURN TO LEARN PLAN.

JUST SOME BASIC SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND SAYING THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES.

THOSE THINGS IT'S PRETTY WE A LOT OFN IT'S BEEN STRIPPED OUT.

IT WAS REALLY INTENSE BEFORE.

IT'S ONLY THREE PAGES NOW.

IT'S PRETTY BASIC NOW, BUT IT'S A REQUIREMENT BY THE STATE THAT WE CONTINUE FOR THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.

I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE TO DO IT ANY LONGER.

SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS?

[00:05:02]

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY. MOVING ON TO HEARINGS FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.

[VII. A. School Calendars for 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 – Dr. Jen Gomez]

A NOTICE WAS PROVIDED THAT A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT 6 P.M.

LOCAL TIME AT THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, 627 FOURTH STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA, ON THE 27TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2023 TO RECEIVE INPUT ON THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSED 24-25, 25-26, 26-27.

ANY INTERESTED PARTIES MAY APPEAR AND FILE OBJECTIONS, AND ANY INFORMATION FOR OR AGAINST SAME WILL BE HEARD ON THE ABOVE NAMED SCHOOL CALENDARS.

WITH THE FINAL DECISION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS A MATTER OF RECORD.

BOARD MEMBERS, WE NOW HEREBY OPEN UP THE HEARING AND ASK IF THERE'S ANY ANY ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ON THE HEARING OR ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC.

THERE IS NONE FROM THE PUBLIC BOARD MEMBERS.

ANYTHING ON YOUR YOUR AGENDAS.

ANY COMMENTS? OKAY, WELL, HEARING, NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE HEARING IS HEREBY CLOSED.

AND NOW IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE 2024-25 SCHOOL CALENDAR AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE 25-26, 26-27 SCHOOL CALENDARS.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR SUCH? SO MOVED. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND SEANIECE.

IS THERE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS? NO. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? BOARD MEMBERS AMONGST OURSELVES.

THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY IS, I KNOW SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE CHANGE OF DAYS FOR PD WOULD MAYBE CREATE CHANGES IN PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES IF THEY'VE ALREADY SET UP A WORK SCHEDULE AS SUCH.

AND THAT'S IT'S I MEAN, IT'S I GUESS IT'S SOMETHING THEY'LL HAVE TO WORK OUT AS BEST THEY CAN.

I DON'T I THINK THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN THAT THIS IS A GOOD CALENDAR, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AND SHARE THEIR CONCERN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.

AND THE 24-25 CALENDAR HAS BEEN APPROVED.

AND WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THE 25-26, 26-27 SCHOOL CALENDARS.

OKAY. MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

[VIII.A. Board Authorization to Request Modified Supplemental Amount for ELL Beyond 5 Years - Patty Blankenship]

THIS IS A NORMAL THING THAT WE DO.

AND BASICALLY PATTY, JUST MAKE SURE I SAY IT CORRECTLY.

WE GET SPENDING AUTHORITY FROM THE STATE FOR FUNDING EDUCATION BEYOND FIVE YEARS.

WE DO NOT GET ANY CASH FROM THE STATE, BUT WE ARE ALLOWED SPENDING AUTHORITY FROM THE STATE AND WE'RE GRANTED THAT.

SO IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION.

PATTY, DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT.

TO WHAT? TO THE PREVIOUS.

RIGHT. OKAY. IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZES THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE SCHOOL BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE, DES MOINES, FOR A MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT OF $1,427,363.25 RELATED TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXCEEDED FIVE YEARS OF WAITING THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE FALL 2023 CERTIFIED ENROLLMENT.

SO THAT BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE WILL REQUEST SPENDING AUTHORITY FROM THE STATE.

THIS WAS A SLIGHT MODIFICATION FROM THE EARLIER AGREEMENT.

AS I SAID, THERE'S NO CASH INVOLVED.

IT'S PURELY SPENDING AUTHORITY.

AND THEY'VE GRANTED US THE THE ADDITIONAL SPENDING AUTHORITY.

SO BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE A MOTION FOR SUCH.

SO MOVED. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC KNOW ANYTHING FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? THIS IS JUST A ROUTINE MATTER.

WE DO EVERY YEAR.

SO OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES.

THE NEXT ONE IS A BOARD AUTHORIZATION TO REQUEST MODIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL AMOUNT FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT OUT.

[VIII.B. Board Authorization to Request Modified Supplemental Amount for Open Enrollment Out – Patty Blankenship]

AND PATTY, COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY WALK US THROUGH THAT ONE AGAIN?

[00:10:02]

SO IT HAS TO DO WITH STUDENTS THAT WERE OPEN ENROLLED ARE OPENING ENROLLED OUT IN OCTOBER OF 2023 THAT WERE NOT ON THE LIST IN OCTOBER OF 2022.

SO AND THE STATE CALCULATES THIS NUMBER IN THE FUTURE.

I WON'T BRING THESE FORWARD UNTIL THE VERY LAST MEETING, BECAUSE THEY ARE CLEARLY STILL MAKING CHANGES UP TO THE LAST MINUTE.

I DID JUST CHECK THESE NUMBERS BEFORE I CAME DOWN, AND THEY'RE STILL THESE SAME NUMBERS THAT I'M PRESENTING TODAY.

THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON DECEMBER 1ST, WHICH IS AND YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE THE MINUTES.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS BRINGING THEM FORWARD AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING AND HISTORICALLY THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.

BUT I THINK IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS I'LL WAIT TILL THE LAST BOARD MEETING, EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES IT TIGHT ON TIME.

BUT SO THIS IS JUST AN AMENDMENT TO WHAT WE HAD DONE AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING.

OKAY. AND THIS IS JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, THIS IS NOT FOR THE PSA'S.

THIS IS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF YOU.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO MOVED SECOND A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION AMONGST BOARD MEMBERS? SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION WITH A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND MOTION CARRIES.

PATTY, YOU MIGHT AS WELL STAY UP BECAUSE WE'RE SETTLING THE ITEM C 2023 BOOKS.

[VIII.C. Settlement of FY23 Books - Patty Blankenship]

SO THIS IS THE PERIOD THAT ENDED IN JUNE 30TH OF 23.

WE JUST ENDED THIS PERIOD.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S FULL OF GOOD NEWS.

OKAY. SO THIS IS THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT AS OF JUNE 30TH OF 2023.

THIS IS A SIMILAR FORMAT AS WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING IN PRIOR YEARS.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ASK THEM AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PAGES, I THINK THAT'S EASIEST.

THE FIRST PAGE ON PAGE ONE IS THE BALANCE SHEET AND UNAUDITED BALANCE SHEET.

THIS IS JUST THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS WHICH CONSISTS OF THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEN THERE'S THREE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THE NON FIDUCIARY SCHOLARSHIP FUND, THE STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND AND THE MANAGEMENT FUND.

AND THEN WE HAVE THREE CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS SALES TAX FUND, THE ESSER CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] FUND AND THEN THERE'S THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.

AND THE LAST COLUMN IS ALL OF THOSE FUNDS COMBINED.

WE'LL FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND COLUMN AND I'VE KIND OF WHERE YOU SEE A BLUE HIGHLIGHT.

THAT'S WHERE I WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO.

SO ON THE GENERAL FUND, THE DISTRICT HAD A TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF 73.1 MILLION.

OF THAT AMOUNT, 68.5 IS UNASSIGNED AND 4.6 MILLION IS RESTRICTED, MOSTLY RELATED TO CATEGORICAL FUNDS.

THE NEXT PAGE IS THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES.

STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.

AGAIN, WE'LL FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND.

THE DISTRICT HAD TOTAL REVENUES OF 210.3 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND OF THAT, 135.8 MILLION IS STATE FUNDED OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES WERE 195.1 MILLION.

THE MAIN CATEGORIES.

THIS IS PRESENTED BY FUNCTION.

SO THE INSTRUCTION FUNCTION HAD A 126.4 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.

SUPPORT SERVICES HAD 61 MILLION EXPENDITURES.

SO THE NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE WAS A POSITIVE 10 MILLION.

SO WE INCREASED OUR FUND BALANCE FROM 63.1 MILLION TO 73.1 MILLION.

ONE OF THE THINGS I MIGHT WANT TO POINT OUT TO FOLKS THAT ARE HERE IN THE MEETING AND FOLKS THAT ARE LISTENING ONLINE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES THAT ARE COLLECTED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THAT VERY FIRST LINE ON THAT, IT SAYS LOCAL SOURCES.

THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS PROPERTY TAXES.

WE HAD 39, I THINK $39.8 MILLION OF THAT IS PROPERTY TAXES.

SO FOR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE DISTRICT, THAT IS YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL.

THERE'S AN INCOME TAX SURCHARGE THAT'S UTILIZED FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES LEVY, ISL THAT'S BASED UPON INCOME TAX SURCHARGE.

SO THE COMBINATION BETWEEN PROPERTY TAXES AND THE INCOME TAX SURCHARGE MAKE UP MOST OF THAT $42 MILLION.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY COLLECTING FROM LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND LOCAL TAXPAYERS.

THE REMAINDER OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM FEDERAL AND STATE PURPOSES.

SO IT'S A SUBSTANTIVE PART.

AND WE ARE ASKING THE COMMUNITY FOR A LOT OF THEIR MONEY, $42 MILLION WORTH.

[00:15:05]

SO JUST THOUGHT I'D POINT THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY.

THE MANAGEMENT FUND HAD A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 1.8 MILLION.

IT STARTED THE YEAR WITH 7.9 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE, AND ENDED THE YEAR WITH 6.1 MILLION.

THAT WAS A PLANNED OVER SEVERAL YEARS.

WE WERE BRINGING THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN IN THE MANAGEMENT FUND.

SO THAT WAS A PLANNED REDUCTION OF FUND BALANCE OF THE MANAGEMENT FUND.

I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT SALES TAX FUND INCREASED FUND BALANCE BY 6.5 MILLION.

THE ENDING FUND BALANCE IS ABOUT 25 MILLION.

NOW MOST OF OUR SALES TAX FUNDING IS ENCUMBERED TO PAY OFF OUR SALES TAX REVENUE BONDS IN THE FUTURE.

FOR THE NEW SCHOOLS THAT WE BUILT, THAT SALES TAX FUND USUALLY FUNDS THE 99 PLUS PERCENT OF OUR NEW SCHOOL BUILDS, AND WE'RE FULLY BONDED OUT UNTIL SOMEWHERE AROUND 28-29.

SO WE ALL OF THE FUTURE REVENUES FROM THE PENNY SALES TAX ARE EARMARKED UNTIL 28 AND 29, UNTIL WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS BEING PAID OFF, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO BORROW AGAIN IF WE WANT TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS THEREAFTER.

SO WE'RE TAPPED OUT UNTIL THEN.

BUT 28-29 OPENS UP AND WE'LL HAVE SOME BONDING CAPACITY AT THAT TIME.

OKAY. SO THE NEXT PAGE THREE STATEMENT OF NET POSITION FOR THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.

THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND AND THE SECOND COLUMN IS THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.

WHERE WE RUN THE SELF-INSURED DENTAL PROGRAM RUNS THROUGH THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.

AT THE BOTTOM, THE BLUE HIGHLIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL NET POSITION OR THIS IS LIKE THE EQUITY OF THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND WAS ABOUT WAS 5.9 MILLION AND 1 MILLION FOR THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.

PAGE FOUR SHOWS THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENSES AND THE CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE FOR THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.

THE CHANGE IN NET POSITION.

SO THIS IS AN INCREASE IN NET POSITION FOR THE SCHOOL NUTRITION FUND OF 979,000 ENDED AGAIN WITH THE 5.9 MILLION AND THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND BASIC DECREASE OF 9500.

BUT BASICALLY ABOUT A BREAK EVEN, WHICH IS WHAT WE PLAN FOR IN THAT DENTAL FUND.

PAGE FIVE SHOWS A GENERAL FUND ONLY BUDGET TO ACTUAL.

SO THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGES.

AND THEN THERE'S AN AMENDED BUDGET COLUMN.

AND THEN IT SHOWS THE VARIANCE AND THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE TOTAL REVENUE SIDE, WE WERE REALLY VERY CLOSE, 98.88% TO WHAT OUR AMENDED BUDGET WAS. THE ESPECIALLY LOCAL REVENUES WERE AHEAD 3.2 MILLION.

THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO INVESTMENT INCOME.

AND THEN STATE SOURCES WERE RIGHT ON.

AND THEN FEDERAL SOURCES, WE WERE LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD PLANNED.

BUT THAT 5.5 IS ALMOST ALL DUE TO TIMING OF ESSER EXPENDITURES, BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET THE FEDERAL ESSER DOLLARS UNTIL YOU EXPEND THE DOLLARS.

SO WE PUSHED SOME OF THE MOSTLY CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE PUSHED INTO THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

SO THE FEDERAL REVENUES WERE LOWER AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL EXPENDITURES WERE LOWER.

ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, INSTRUCTION WAS ALMOST 95% ARE ACTUALS, WERE 95% OF OUR BUDGET.

THE SUPPORT SERVICES WERE 97% OF THE BUDGET TOTAL EXPENDITURES, JUST ABOUT 96%.

THE AREAS THAT WE WERE UNDER BUDGET ARE AGAIN ON THOSE ESSER DOLLARS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT KIND OF TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, WHERE YOU SEE THE OTHER FINANCING SOURCES OR USES ON THE TRANSFERS OUT THAT 6.7 MILLION, THOSE WERE ESSER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WERE ARE BEING DONE IN 24.

BUT AND THEN THE OTHER LINE ITEM IS THE INSTRUCTION BUDGET WAS 6.8 MILLION UNDER BUDGET.

AND THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO VACANT POSITIONS.

SO WE HAD PLANNED FOR ABOUT A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF $3 MILLION, AND WE ENDED UP WITH AN INCREASE OF $10 MILLION.

THAT'S ABOUT $13 MILLION DIFFERENCE $3 MILLION OF IT IS INTEREST INCOME.

ABOUT 6.8 IS THOSE VACANT POSITIONS.

AND THEN ANOTHER MILLION IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE ESSER EXPENDITURES.

OKAY IN THIS PAGE IS SHOWS A BUDGETARY COMPARISON SCHEDULE.

SO THIS IS FOR ALL FUNDS.

SO IT HAS ALL OF THE DISTRICT'S FUNDS, THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.

[00:20:05]

SO THE DISTRICT CAN'T EXCEED EXPENDITURES BY THOSE FOUR FUNCTIONS FROM WHAT THE BUDGET WAS CERTIFIED OR AMENDED. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY LAST COLUMN THOSE ARE ALL POSITIVE.

SO WE DID NOT EXCEED THE DISTRICT, DID NOT EXCEED THE BUDGET IN ANY OF THE LEGAL AREAS OF CONTROL FOR FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING ONLINE OR FOR FOLKS WHO CAN'T READ FINE PRINT FROM THE BACK.

JUST TO GIVE A PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I'LL USE ROUNDABOUT NUMBERS.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RUNS ABOUT $250 MILLION.

WE'RE A BIG BUSINESS IN TOWN.

WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.

WE EDUCATE 15,000 STUDENTS, WE EMPLOY OVER 1000 EMPLOYEES, WAY MORE THAN 1000 EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE 1700 TEACHERS AND THEN ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF.

SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A BIG ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OF SPENDING, THAT SORT OF PROVES IT.

I DON'T EXPECT THE BUDGET WILL BE AS BIG NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE WEANING OURSELVES OFF OF ESSER MONEY, THE COVID MONEY.

SO THE BUDGET WILL BE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER NEXT YEAR THAN IT IS THIS YEAR.

WE HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 IF I THINK $38 MILLION IN THE CURRENT BUDGET OR SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO THAT IN THIS 2023 BUDGET. NOT NOT QUITE THAT MUCH.

I DON'T THINK WE SPENT QUITE THAT MUCH, BUT IT WAS CLOSE TO IT AND WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.

WE'LL HAVE SPENDING. BUT GOING INTO THE 24-25 BUDGET, WE'LL HAVE LESS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT COVID MONEY GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT WAS AN AGGREGATE OF $59 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS.

THAT'S GOING AWAY.

THIS IS THE LAST YEAR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY AND WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE.

BUT ALL IN ALL, THE SCHOOL BUDGET IS A BIG ECONOMIC DRIVER OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THOUGHT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.

OKAY. SO THIS IS JUST A VISUAL OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE COMPARATIVE.

THE FIRST COLUMN IS 2023 AND THEN 2022.

AND AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LOCAL STATE AND THE FEDERAL THAT'S NON ESSER IS ALL FAIRLY COMPARABLE.

THE FEDERAL ESSER DOLLARS IN 2023 WERE ALMOST 23 MILLION, AND THEN ABOUT 10.5 MILLION IN 22.

SO IF YOU KNOW THERE'S THAT MEANS THERE'S $22 MILLION OF FEDERAL OF ESSER EXPENDITURES IN THE 23 EXPENDITURES, WHICH, AS MR. GREENWELL WAS SAYING, WE WON'T HAVE NEXT YEAR.

THE NEXT PAGE SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE RATIOS FOR 2023 AND 2022, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE ARE ALL FAIRLY COMPARABLE AS WELL.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE INSTRUCTION, THE RATIO 64.8% OF THE DISTRICT'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS SPENT ON INSTRUCTION.

THIS SHOWS THE GENERAL FUND RESTRICTED OR CATEGORICAL FUND BALANCE.

SO THE DISTRICT HAS 4.6 MILLION OF RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE.

THIS IS FUNDING THAT IS RESTRICTED FOR A CERTAIN PURPOSE.

YOU CAN'T DO WHAT THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE DISCRETION AS TO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.

THEY MOST OF THESE COME FROM THE STATE AND THEY'RE RESTRICTED BY THE STATE.

THAT'S ANOTHER POINT THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH EARLIER.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND YOU SAY, WHY DO YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS? THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES ASSOCIATED WITH DOLLARS THAT WE GET IN BOUND, THAT WE CAN ONLY SPEND THEM ON CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF ACTIVITIES OR ITEMS ON THE OUTBOUND.

SO THE NUTRITION FUND IS FOR THE FOOD PROGRAM.

WE CAN'T SPEND FEDERAL NUTRITION DOLLARS ON BOOKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR ON TEACHER SALARIES.

WE CAN'T DO THAT. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS.

IT'S MANDATED BY LAW.

AND THEN THESE CATEGORICAL FUNDS THAT PATTY IS TALKING ABOUT HERE, THIS $4.6 MILLION IS SIMILARLY THOSE ARE EARMARKED FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. AND WE CAN'T PULL THOSE DOLLARS AND SPEND THEM IN ANOTHER AREA.

SO SOMETIMES YOU SAY, WELL, WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY OVER HERE, BUT WHY DON'T YOU SPEND IT OVER THERE? WE CAN'T. AND SO THAT'S SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU SEE ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS.

AND THEN EVEN THIS ON THE CATEGORICAL FUNDING.

SO THERE ARE LOTS OF RESTRICTIONS AND GOVERNANCE ITEMS THAT WHY WE HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND WHY WE HAVE THESE CATEGORICAL BALANCES OUT HERE.

OKAY, SO PAGE TEN SHOWS THE LAST FIVE YEARS HISTORY OF THE FINANCIAL SOLVENCY RATIO.

[00:25:03]

THIS SHOWS THE PREVIOUS SLIDE IS FUND BALANCE AND OR EQUITY.

AND THIS SLIDE HERE.

PAGE 11 IS THE UNSPENT BALANCE RATIO.

SO THIS IS WHAT THE STATE HOW MANY DOLLARS THE STATE ALLOWS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SPEND.

AND IT'S ALL FORMULA DRIVEN.

BUT OUR UNSPENT BALANCE, IF WE DON'T SPEND IT IN YEAR ONE THEN YOU CAN CARRY SOME OVER TO YEAR TWO.

SO OUR CARRYOVER BALANCE AT JUNE 30TH 2023 IS WELL, THE RATIO OF OUR CARRYOVER BALANCE IS 26.21, WHICH WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

LET ME TAKE ONE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THIS.

THIS IS A RECORD LEVEL.

THE DISTRICT HAS NEVER BEEN AND AS GOOD A FINANCIAL SHAPE AS IT IS AT JUNE 30TH.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RESERVES, WE HAVE $71.2 OF RESERVES.

IN EFFECT, IT'S OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT.

THE QUESTION IS, WELL, WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT? WHY DID YOU LET IT GROW SO MUCH? AND THERE'S ABOUT $15 MILLION OF THAT WAS WE GOT BENEFIT OF THE COVID SPENDING.

WE GOT CREDIT AND SPENDING AUTHORITY.

WE USE COVID FUNDS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE TO USE GENERAL FUND SPENDING.

SO WE BOOSTED THAT BY ABOUT $15 MILLION FROM THE COVID SPENDING.

THE OTHER THING IS THIS IS FOR A RAINY DAY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE FOLLOWING.

IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REDUCED FEDERAL AND STATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE STATE HAS ALWAYS GIVEN US ZERO.

IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER HISTORY, AT SOME POINT, THE STATE HAS GIVEN US ZERO FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY INCREASES.

WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE RAISES.

WE STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE INFLATIONARY COST ADJUSTMENTS FOR ITEMS. THIS IS OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IN THE FUTURE WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED.

THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS GOING TO GROW.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS TRANSFER OUT.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO EMPLOY TEACHERS.

THIS IS IN ORDER THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO FLUCTUATE STAFFING BECAUSE IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAD VERY LITTLE OR NO SAVINGS AT ALL, EVERY TIME WE GET A REVENUE DECREASE OR A STUDENT COUNT ADJUSTMENT UP OR DOWN, WE WOULD HAVE TO LAY OFF TEACHERS, TITLE TEACHERS, OTHER TEACHERS.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS BE IN THAT POSITION, HAVE A STABLE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT, STABLE STAFFING ENVIRONMENT, SO THAT WE HAVE THE SAVINGS AVAILABLE TO WHETHER I CALL IT VACILLATIONS OF FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES AND PUT BURDEN ALL ON THEM.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS SPENDING AUTHORITY BUILDUP HAS BEEN FOR.

THAT'S WHAT WE WILL USE IT FOR.

WE DON'T WANT TO EAT AWAY AT IT, BUT I WILL SAY THE DISTRICT IS IN THE BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE IN ITS ENTIRE HISTORY, AND I WANT TO GIVE A BIG ROUND OF THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR SUPPORTING THOSE ACTIVITIES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

WE'RE ONE OF THE STRONGEST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE FINANCIALLY FOR OUR SIZE COMPARED TO ANY OTHER BIG UN SCHOOLS.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL RESULTS, WE'RE ONE OF THE STRONGEST.

NOW, WE USED TO BE ONE OF THE WEAKEST, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR OUR STAFFING AND FOR OUR STUDENTS.

HAVING A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION SO WE DON'T HAVE TO VACILLATE STAFFING OR PROGRAMS OR THINGS LIKE THAT UP AND DOWN AND GIVE OURSELF A HAND CLAP ON THAT ONE.

IT'S REALLY FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF THAT YOU DON'T VACILLATE AND YOU DON'T START A PROGRAM.

A YEAR LATER, YOU DROP A PROGRAM.

YOU DON'T UP AND DOWN. WE WERE DOING THAT WITH TITLE TEACHERS LIKE CRAZY.

ONE YEAR THEY'RE UP, THE NEXT YEAR THEY'RE DOWN.

WE'RE HIRING. WE'RE LETTING THEM GO, WE'RE HIRING, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS THIS SMOOTHS THE ROUGH SPOTS AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD FOR PATTY? A LOT OF MATERIAL.

WE AT THE BOARD TABLE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.

SO IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY, WE ARE.

BUT WE'VE SEEN IT MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND PATTY, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I MEAN, YOUR STAFF HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB, QUITE FRANKLY, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OF PUTTING US IN A POSITION HELPING US UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE DISTRICT AND SPENDING OUR MONEY WISELY.

QUITE FRANKLY, YOU'VE TIGHTENED UP A LOT OF THINGS.

YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS A AS I SAID TO YOU BEFORE, AND I'LL REPEAT IT AGAIN, I USED TO BE A BIG CRITIC.

NOW I'M YOUR BIGGEST CHAMPION.

THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT FOR FISCAL 23.

[00:30:03]

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY. MOVING ON TO ITEM D WHICH IS THE FY 24 DEPOSITORY RESOLUTION.

[VIII.D. FY24 Depository Resolution - Patty Blankenship]

AND IT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE DESIGNATION OF BANK DEPOSITORIES AS FOLLOWS.

TO COMPLY WITH THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF IOWA CODE SECTION 12C, THE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM RECORDED IN THE MINUTES WILL SATISFY THESE REQUIREMENTS. WE'RE PROPOSING SECURITY NATIONAL BANK OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA, FOR $4 MILLION.

WELLS FARGO BANK IN A SIOUX CITY, IOWA FOR $165 MILLION.

BOARD MEMBERS. IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE RECOMMENDATION? SO MOVED. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

BOARD MEMBERS. ANY DISCUSSION.

I WILL RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS VOTE BECAUSE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

OKAY, SO MAKE THAT NOTED THAT THE DIRECTOR, SCARLETT, IS RECUSING HERSELF FROM THE VOTE DUE TO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? I ASKED THIS LAST TIME WE DID THIS, BUT IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, SO REFRESH MY MEMORY.

DO WE PUT THESE? IS THERE AN RFQ PROCESS WITH THESE OR HOW DOES IT COME TO THESE TWO? YEAH. WELL WE HAVE NOT DONE AN RFP FOR BANKING SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

OKAY. MAYBE TIME, BUT THERE'S ONLY.

YEAH, THERE'S ONLY A FEW THAT CAN HANDLE THAT NUMBER.

WE WON'T GO HIGHER THAN THAT FOR SECURITY NATIONAL BANK AND WELLS FARGO AND US BANK WOULD PROBABLY BE THE LOCAL, WHAT I CALL LOCAL BANKS THAT THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE THIS KIND OF MONEY IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY TWO BANKS IN THE AREA THAT WE WOULD GO TOWARDS.

BUT WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT RFP ING AT, YOU KNOW, IN FUTURE YEARS.

BUT THIS YEAR I THINK WE'VE GOT A RECOMMENDATION.

SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS? NO. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION WITH A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND MOTION CARRIES AND THE DEPOSITORY RESOLUTION IS APPROVED.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ON ITEM E OF OUR AGENDA.

[VIII.E. FY25 PPEL Fund and Sales Tax Fund Budgets and the Five-Year Plan for Capital Projects - Patty Blankenship, Tim Paul, and Chad Fengel]

PATTY, TIM AND CHAD ARE GOING TO COVER THIS.

THIS IS JUST A REVIEW.

WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE BUDGETS TONIGHT.

WE'RE JUST REVIEWING THEM, HAVING SOME DISCUSSION.

IT'S OUR FIRST PASS. THIS IS NORMALLY WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME.

IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACKNOWLEDGES THE FISCAL 25 [INAUDIBLE] FUND SALES TAX FUND BUDGET AND THE FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS FOR THOSE LISTENING ONLINE AND HEARING THE PRESENT, WE HAVE TWO TAXES THAT WE LEVY.

THE PEOPLE FUND AND THE SALES TAX FUND.

THE PEOPLE FUND IS A STANDARD $0.33 PER $1,000 OF VALUATION.

THAT'S THE MAXIMUM WE CAN LEVY TO TAXPAYERS OR PROPERTY TAX OWNERS WITHOUT GOING BEFORE A VOTE TO INCREASE THAT, YOU CAN INCREASE IT SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT WE HAVEN'T PUT A PEBBLE FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT.

THE SECOND THING IS THE PENNY SALES TAX.

SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE TONIGHT IS SHOWING YOU WE GET A LITTLE BIT OVER $1 MILLION IN FROM THE 33 CENT TAX, THE [INAUDIBLE] FUND TAX.

AND THEN WE GET SUBSTANTIALLY MORE 12 MILLION CHANGE OR SOMETHING LIKE FROM THE PENNY SALES TAX.

SO WHAT TONIGHT IS GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE THOSE TAX DOLLARS, BOTH ON THE NEAR TERM ONE YEAR PLAN AND THEN THE LONG TERM FIVE YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.

WE REVIEW IT AGAIN EVERY YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO.

SO TAKE IT AWAY, PATTY.

WELL, THIS IS OUR SECOND FY 25 BUDGET PRESENTATION OF THE YEAR.

SO AND THE REASON THAT WE SHOW [INAUDIBLE] AND SALES TAX FUND IN NOVEMBER IS BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS THEY TAKE PLANNING AND IT SO THAT TIM AND HIS GROUP CAN GET STARTED WITH ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING AND THAT TYPE OF PLANNING IS WHY WE LOOK AT THESE SO EARLY.

SO FIRST WE'LL LOOK AT PEOPLE AND KIND OF THE PROCESS THAT I GO THROUGH ON ALL OF THESE BUDGETS IS I START IN THE FIRST COLUMN BY LOOKING AT WHAT WAS CERTIFIED FOR FY 24.

SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR.

AND THEN I TAKE A LOOK AT BASED ON NEW INFORMATION OR CHANGES.

AND I KIND OF RE ESTIMATE THAT ESTIMATED BUDGET.

AND THEN I COME UP WITH THE FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT I GO THROUGH FOR PEOPLE.

THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE ESTIMATED REVENUES OR IN THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR BETWEEN WHAT WE CERTIFIED AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, AS FAR AS FY 25, THE REVENUES, I'VE ESTIMATED THEM AT 1.1 MILLION 156,000.

[00:35:06]

SO THAT NUMBER WILL WILL FLUCTUATE SOME.

WE WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER.

ON WHAT THE VALUATIONS ARE.

THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR PEOPLE ARE ABOUT 1.3 MILLION.

IT REALLY CONSISTS OF THREE DIFFERENT AREAS.

ONE IN THE INSTRUCTION FUNCTION WILL OUR BUDGETING 600,000 FOR TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND THEN ALSO 75,000 FOR EQUIPMENT FOR STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS.

AND THEN IN THE PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUNCTION? WE'VE BUDGETED 198,000.

THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO REPLACE OWN VEHICLES AND FOOD SERVICE VEHICLES AND THEN ALSO SOME SMALLER TYPE EQUIPMENT.

THE NEXT AREA IS IN STUDENT TRANSPORTATION.

GENERALLY, WE PLAN TO REPLACE THREE BUSSES EVERY YEAR.

AND SO THAT'S THE 472,000.

SO THOSE THREE FUNCTION AREAS BETWEEN INSTRUCTION PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AND TRANSPORTATION ARE THE 1.3 MILLION.

AND THIS WILL ACTUALLY LEAVE A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE.

WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT WE'LL START THE YEAR WITH 745,000 IN FUND BALANCE.

AND WE'LL END AT ABOUT 555,000.

NEXT IS THE SALES TAX FUND.

AND IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.

YOU CAN SEE THE CERTIFIED BUDGET AND THEN THE RE-ESTIMATED.

THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE ON THE REVENUES WAS ABOUT 17.4 MILLION.

I'VE RE ESTIMATED THAT NUMBER TO ABOUT 18.4 MILLION.

IN AUGUST. THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE COMES OUT WITH SALES TAX PROJECTIONS FOR THE YEAR.

SO I UPDATED BASED ON THAT PROJECTION FROM THE STATE.

SO AND THEN THE EXPENDITURES ARE BASICALLY ABOUT THE SAME AS WHAT WE CERTIFIED IN APRIL OF 2023.

SO FOR FY 25, THE PROPOSED REVENUE BUDGET IS $18.3 MILLION, BASICALLY THE SAME AS THE 24.

AND THEN THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE ABOUT 15 MILLION.

AND IF WE GO TURN TO THE NEXT PAGE, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE DETAIL OF WHAT THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE.

AND THESE ARE ALSO KIND OF BROKEN UP INTO THREE AREAS.

THERE'S SPENDING AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE.

AND THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR SPENDING AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE IS JUST OVER $1 MILLION.

THESE ARE ITEMS THAT COULD BE PAID OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

BUT BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH SPENDING AUTHORITY, THEY'RE ALSO ALLOWABLE IN SALES TAX.

SO WE'VE SHIFTED SOME DOLLARS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND PUT THEM INTO SALES TAX SO THAT WE CAN PRESERVE SPENDING AUTHORITY IN THE GENERAL FUND. SO AS FAR AS SPENDING AUTHORITY ASSISTANCE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 830,000 BUDGETED FOR INSTRUCTION IS BROKE DOWN INTO SEVERAL COMPONENTS FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT FOR INSTRUCTION PURPOSE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

WE HAVE A COPIER LEASE AND ALSO ANOTHER 500,000 FOR TECHNOLOGY IN THE PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AREA.

WE PAY FOR THE WHOLE CHUNK LEASE, THE OLSEN STADIUM LEASE, AND ALSO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 100,000 OF O&M REPAIRS THAT WE PUT OVER IN SALES TAX.

AND THEN A PORTION OF THE O&M SALARIES OF THE DIRECTOR IS ALLOCATED TO SALES TAX, BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THESE SALES TAX PROJECTS.

AND THEN UNDER FACILITIES ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE 1.5 MILLION THERE, WHICH IS THE DETAIL OF THE 1.5 MILLION IS ON THE NEXT PAGE.

HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD WE'VE BESIDES HAVING THE BIG MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, MEANING THE BUILDING OF THE NEW SCHOOLS, WE'VE HAD A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN THAT HAS ABOUT 1.5 MILLION IN KIND OF GENERAL UPKEEP TYPE PROJECTS AND THEN THE LARGE NUMBER OF 12.4 MILLION IS TRANSFERS TO DEBT SERVICE FOR PAYMENTS ON THE SALES TAX BONDS.

SO THAT'S THE TOTAL OF THE 15 MILLION OF PROPOSED EXPENDITURES AND SALES TAX.

SO ROUGHLY, IF WE LOOK AT THE PENNY SALES TAX PLUS THE 33 CENT PEBBLE, WE'RE ROUGHLY $20 MILLION OF TAXES THAT WE'RE COLLECTING THROUGH SALES TAX AND OR PROPERTY TAX, THE SMALLER PIECE BEING PROPERTY TAX, THE BIG PIECE BEING THE SALES TAX.

SO IN THIS NEXT PAGE JUST IS BASICALLY SHOWS THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF WHAT THE $1.5 MILLION PROJECTS ARE.

THE FIRST COLUMN IS FY 25.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANNUAL ROOFS, IT'S PAVING PROJECTS, IT'S HVAC PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, MINOR TYPE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SCHOOL FACILITIES.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACKNOWLEDGES THE FY 25 [INAUDIBLE] FUND BUDGET AND SALES TAX FUND BUDGET, AND ALSO THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.

[00:40:07]

TIM, NEAR-TERM, I THINK YOU CAN PREDICT WITH REASONABLE ACCURACY ON THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY ON.

AS WE GET FURTHER OUT ARE SOME OF THESE PLACEHOLDERS PLACEHOLDER AMOUNTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH A NEW ROOF HERE, A NEW ROOF THERE, A NEW PARKING LOT HERE, THINGS LIKE THAT. IS THAT HOW THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN IS PUT TOGETHER? YEAH, THAT'S HOW WE DO IT. OKAY.

ANYTHING NOTABLE ON HERE? WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF.

OR IS IT ROUTINE? ROUTINE ITEMS. IT'S PRETTY WELL ROUTINE.

THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED IN FISCAL YEAR 25 IS A REPLACEMENT OF A PLAYGROUND AT LEEDS ELEMENTARY.

THAT'S DUE TO.

THAT WAS AN ORIGINAL PLAYGROUND FROM ONE OF THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WAS MOVED TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

AND IT WAS BUILT. SO IT'S GOT CONSIDERABLE AGE ON IT AND PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND THEN WE'RE JUST KEEPING UP WITH BOILER REPLACEMENT.

A LOT OF THE BOILERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ARE HITTING THEIR 20 YEAR LIFE SPAN AND STARTING TO FAIL.

SO WE'VE TRIED TO CREEP THOSE IN.

THESE NEW SCHOOLS ARE 20 YEARS OLD.

BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS FOR PATTY OR TIM ON THIS ITEM ON THESE ITEMS? OKAY. SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY.

BOARD MEMBERS, IT WAS JUST A RECOMMENDATION.

THE KNOWLEDGE. THERE'S NO MOTION OR NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN HERE EITHER ON THE [INAUDIBLE] SALES TAX, [INAUDIBLE] FUND OR THE SALES TAX FUND.

SO IT'S JUST A HEADS UP.

WE HAVEN'T APPROVED THIS.

THIS IS NOT AN APPROVAL.

IT'S JUST AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND WE'LL GO THROUGH A FORMAL APPROVAL PROCESS MULTIPLE TIMES AND MULTIPLE VIEWS OF THIS GOING FORWARD.

SO ALL RIGHT THAT TAKES US TO ITEM F ON OUR AGENDA THE FISCAL YEAR 25 RESTRUCTURING AND IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THE BOARD

[VIII.F. FY25 Restructuring - Angela Bemus]

MS. BEMIS, CAN YOU HEAR US? OKAY. MISS BEMIS, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, I CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN BUT JUST A REMINDER.

SPEAK LOUDLY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? CAN YOU HEAR ME? THIS WAY? A LITTLE VOLUME WOULD BE INCREASE.

WOULD HELP. THERE'S A PAUSE BUTTON ON THAT I DON'T KNOW.

THE PEOPLE IN OUR AUDIENCE CAN HEAR YOU.

THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.

TRY AGAIN. GIVE US A TEST.

ONE. TWO. THREE. TEST ONE.

TWO, THREE. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL BE VERY QUIET SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.

I HAVE A PRETTY LOUD VOICE, SO I'M TALKING PRETTY LOUD.

ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS NORMAL TO US.

SO KEEP TALKING LOUDLY, PLEASE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GET STARTED INTO THE PRESENTATION, I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET INTO THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES FACING US IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN GENERAL FOR OUR DISTRICT.

WE RECOGNIZE THE TEACHER SHORTAGE AND THE END OF ESSER FUNDS, AS ARE TWO PRIMARY CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME FOR THE FY 25 SCHOOL YEAR.

ANTICIPATING THESE CHALLENGES, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO BE PROACTIVE IN OUR PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR.

BUT IN ORDER TO DO SO, WE HAD TO ENGAGE TEACHERS, TEACHER LEADERS, AS WELL AS BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS IN THIS WORK.

IT'S BEEN SOME PRETTY TOUGH WORK.

THE WORK BEGAN IN AUGUST, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

WE START PLANNING FOR FY 25 IN AUGUST, BUT TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT OUR PLAN TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES.

WE LED THIS WORK WITH SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH I WILL EXPLAIN IN DETAIL SOON.

ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES IS TO ENSURE TEACHERS ARE IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.

WE COMMITTED TO THIS LAST SPRING FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

AS WE REFLECTED ON LAST SPRING, WE RECOGNIZED WE MADE SOME MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY.

ALTHOUGH WE INVOLUNTARILY TRANSFERRED TEACHERS INTO CLASSROOMS THAT WERE NOT OTHERWISE IN CLASSROOMS. WE DID NOT DO IT ALL BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

AT THE START OF SUMMER, WE TRANSFERRED SOME AND LEFT SOME POSITIONS HANGING OUT THERE HOPING TO GET THEM FILLED FOR THE SUMMER.

WE HAVE LEARNED THAT HOPE CANNOT BE OUR STRATEGY IN THE END.

WE WERE FORCED TO INVOLUNTARILY TRANSFER TEACHERS IN JULY AND AUGUST.

THIS PUT A BURDEN ON SCHEDULING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT DISRUPTED THE LIVES OF TEACHERS WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECTED IT.

SO HENCE WHY WE ARE DOING THIS AND WANTING TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.

WE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE THIS MISTAKE AGAIN.

WE NEED TO HONOR OUR TEACHERS AND ENSURE THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING IN THE FUTURE.

WE NEED TO ENSURE OUR SCHEDULES ARE OUT TO ALL STUDENTS BEFORE THEY LEAVE FOR THE SUMMER.

[00:45:03]

IN ORDER TO MEET OUR GOALS WITH SCHEDULING AND ENSURING STAFF ARE NOT BEING MOVED AT THE LAST MINUTE, WE MUST BEGIN SCHEDULING IN JANUARY.

BECAUSE ALL OF OUR SCHEDULING IS DICTATED BY THE STATE.

WE ARE SHARING THIS WITH YOU NOW TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR WORD TO THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IMPACTED.

ALL THE INFORMATION WE ARE SHARING THIS EVENING HAS ALREADY BEEN COMMUNICATED TO STAFF THAT IT WILL IMPACT.

THIS WAS NOT EASY.

IT WAS PRETTY HARD WORK AND WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM THAT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE HERE IN A MINUTE THAT WORKED ON ALL OF THIS.

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND A GROUP OF OUR PRINCIPALS FROM ALL LEVELS TOOK FEEDBACK FROM OUR TASK FORCE'S SURVEYS AND THEIR OWN BUILDING FEEDBACK. WORKING WORK TO RESTRUCTURE TO ENSURE WE STILL HAVE SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

EVEN THOUGH WE NEED TO GET TEACHERS INTO CLASSROOMS AND THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ESSER FUNDING IS ENDING, WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING IS HOW WE WILL RESTRUCTURE OUR DISTRICT AND BUILDING LEVEL SUPPORTS TO SIMPLY JUST CUT THE POSITIONS THAT ARE FUNDED BY ESSER, AND MOVE ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS BACK INTO CLASSROOMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN THE CLASSROOM, JUST IS NOT POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS IN WAYS WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO IN THE PAST.

WE KNOW WE CANNOT JUST GET RID OF THESE SUPPORTS.

THEREFORE, WE HAD TO LOOK AT THE MONETARY AMOUNT THAT NEEDED TO BE REDUCED TO MAINTAIN A SOLID SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN ACADEMICS AND BEHAVIOR, AND THEN LOOKED AT HOW TO REIMAGINE SOME OF THESE SUPPORTS.

WE CREATED A NEW STRUCTURE IN BOTH ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIOR.

THESE STRUCTURES STILL GIVE A LEVEL OF SUPPORT.

THEY AREN'T GOING TO BE AS STRONG AS BEFORE BECAUSE WE MUST CUT MONETARILY AND WE MUST GET TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ENOUGH SUPPORT TO WHERE WE ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE. WE CAN MAKE THESE BUDGET AND STAFFING TRANSITIONS WITHOUT TOO MUCH DISRUPTION IS OUR HOPE.

IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO RESTRUCTURE.

THE FACT IS, WE ARE IN A TEACHER SHORTAGE AND A PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING SHORTAGE, AND WE HAD TO BE AND WE ARE HAVING TO BE VERY CREATIVE.

AFTER WE PRESENT OUR PLAN TONIGHT, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE THE HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT.

WE MOVE THAT REPORT FOR ACTION SO WE CAN ENSURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING ADDED ARE NOT ADDITIONAL FTES.

THEY ARE REINVENTED JOBS WITH THE NEW TITLE AND NEW JOB DESCRIPTION.

REMEMBER TO RESTRUCTURE WE DETERMINE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF IN ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS.

THESE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS REFLECT THIS.

I'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE AS WELL, PRIMARILY REGARDING THE NEW POSITIONS ADDED TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT. LET'S BEGIN WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] SPECIALIST POSITIONS.

THESE POSITIONS WERE FORMERLY IDENTIFIED AS BEHAVIOR SPECIALISTS OR STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.

IT WAS DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE BUILDING YOU WERE IN, BUT THEY SERVED IN THE SAME CAPACITY.

MS. BEMIS? TO THESE POSITIONS BEFORE PRESENT.

MS. BEMIS? IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE CONTEXT TO UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW WE ARE RESTRUCTURING THESE POSITIONS.

MS. BEMIS? IN THE SUPPORT SPECIALIST POSITIONS ARE STAFFED WITH ANGELA.

TEACHERS. ANGELA.

DO WE WANT TO BE MOVING ON TO DIFFERENT THE NEW REQUIREMENT WILL BE A DEGREE AND OR EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK OR A SIMILAR FIELD.

WE HAVE ALREADY GONE TO THIS MODEL IN THE ELEMENTARY, ALL BUT TWO OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE OTHER TWO WILL CONVERT NEXT YEAR.

THE WORK REQUIRED BY THIS POSITION CAN BE COMPLETED WITHOUT HAVING A TEACHING DEGREE.

THIS WILL ALLOW FOR MORE TEACHERS IN FRONT OF STUDENTS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING WE HAVE THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS THAT NEED IT.

THIS ALSO IS A COST SAVINGS TO THE DISTRICT.

DUE TO THESE POSITIONS NOT BEING TEACHERS, THEY WILL HAVE A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THE TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE.

THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE ALTERNATIVE SUPPORT CLASSROOMS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE TWO CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AS NEEDED.

WE NOW WILL CHANGE THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR JUST ONE OF THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS TO THE SUPPORT SPECIALIST POSITION.

THIS WILL ENSURE WE STILL HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF ADULTS IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ONE WITH A FOCUS ON BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

ALL THE STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM TAKE ALL THEIR CLASSES ONLINE ON THE EDGENUITY PLATFORM.

THE CERTIFIED TEACHER THAT WE HAVE IN THERE IS NOT CERTIFIED IN ALL SUBJECTS.

[00:50:02]

WE HAVE AMAZING INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY WORKING IN THESE POSITIONS.

WE COULD NOT MAKE OUR DECISIONS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL, BUT RATHER ON THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF PUTTING TEACHERS IN FRONT OF KIDS AND REDUCING THE BUDGET.

AS WE GO FURTHER INTO THIS PRESENTATION, YOU WILL SEE THAT THESE CHANGES ARE IMPACTING SOME OF OUR BEST PEOPLE.

TOUGH TIMES, TOUGH DECISIONS.

BUT WE KNOW THE STAFF IMPACT WILL BE GREAT WHEREVER THEY LAND.

WE ARE HOPING THAT SOME OF THEM WILL APPLY FOR SOME OF THESE REDESIGN POSITIONS.

YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT WE'VE ADDED CURRICULUM FACILITATORS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, WHILE ELIMINATING CONSULTING TEACHERS AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.

AGAIN, WE STILL NEED THE SUPPORT.

JUST RIPPING IT ALL AWAY IS NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS.

WE REDESIGNED THE BUILDING LEVEL SUPPORT UNDER THE TIER ONE COORDINATOR POSITIONS TO REPLACE THE PAST SUPPORT OF THE CONSULTING TEACHERS.

I'M GOING TO BEGIN OUR RESTRUCTURING PLAN PRESENTATION HERE NEXT, BUT KEEP IN MIND THE INFORMATION I JUST SHARED WITH YOU AND I WILL STOP AFTER EVERY SLIDE SO YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS.

BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I JUST SHARED? ONLY THE QUESTION OF SHOULD WE BE ROLLING THROUGH THE SLIDES? BUT APPARENTLY NOW WE'RE GOING TO ROLL THROUGH THE SLIDES.

NOW YOU'RE GOING TO ROLL THROUGH THIS.

OKAY. THAT'S I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD BE ROLLING THROUGH THE SLIDES AS YOU WERE GIVING IT.

SO THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

THAT WAS MY I JUST I FELT IT NECESSARY WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS I WAS RECEIVING TO BE VERY CLEAR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COVERING AND INFORMING THE BOARD, THE COMMUNITY, THE STAFF ON THE WHY AND WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW.

I'M SURE WE MIGHT MISS SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'RE DEEP IN THIS WORK, SO WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

OKAY. ARE WE ON SLIDE TWO? WHY RESTRUCTURE, IS THAT THE ONE WE'RE ON? ALRIGHT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.

ALL OF THOSE NAMES LISTED ARE WERE INVOLVED IN CREATING THIS RESTRUCTURE PLAN.

WE HAVE PRINCIPALS FROM ALL LEVELS, DIRECTORS, SOME REALLY GOOD WORK, SOME REALLY HARD WORK AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I DON'T HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] THERE WE GO.

OKAY, SO WHY RESTRUCTURE? WE KNOW THAT IN FY 25, THERE'S NO ESSER FUNDS.

AND WE RECEIVED $59.4 MILLION OF ESSER FUNDING THAT ALL OF THAT $59.4 MILLION IS GONE.

ESSER FUNDS PROVIDED A RECURRING COST OF $7.6 MILLION PER YEAR OF ADDITIONAL STAFFING.

THOSE WERE STAFFING TEACHERS FOR REDUCTION OF CLASS SIZE, ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH STAFF, EQUITY SUPPORT STAFF, TECHNOLOGY RECRUITING AND MARKETING STAFF, SUBSTITUTE STAFF, MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF, COUNSELORS, NURSES AND ADMINISTRATION.

SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE POSITIONS.

THAT IS ABOUT $7.6 MILLION OF REOCCURRING COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ON HOW WE WERE GOING TO CUT THAT REOCCURRING COST, BUT SO STILL PROVIDE THE SUPPORTS.

SO, AMY, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE STARTED WITH SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

SO STAFF IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL STUDENTS.

WE ALTHOUGH THOSE ROLES OF TEACHERS ARE NECESSARY THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS, WE HAD TO LOOK TO SEE HOW MANY CAN WE GET IN FRONT OF STUDENTS AND STILL MAINTAIN THE SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT NEEDS, EQUITY AND RESOURCES.

WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE ELEMENTARY, THEY MAY NOT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT HAS TO BE EQUITABLE.

AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT JUST SIMPLY WASN'T THE CASE.

SO THAT WAS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST.

THE DECISIONS BASED ON STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS, BECAUSE WE THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH THESE POSITIONS.

WE CAN'T LOOK AT IT AS THE INDIVIDUAL.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS WHAT DOES OUR DISTRICT NEED AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? SO WE BASED OUR DECISIONS NOT ON INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE, BUT ON THE STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM THAT WE NEEDED TO PUT IN PLACE.

AND OUR LAST WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM STRUCTURE.

AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE STAFFING THAT ADDED STAFFING AND THAT ADDS SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL COSTS.

[00:55:02]

IT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT WE ARE TAKING THAT INTO THE NINTH GRADE FRESHMAN HOUSE THIS YEAR AND LOOKING AT PUTTING IT IN THE 10TH GRADE IN THE SOPHOMORE HOUSE NEXT YEAR. SO THAT WAS THOSE FOUR ARE OUR FOUR MAIN GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN DOING THIS WORK.

ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

GO AHEAD. AMY. SO STAFFING IS OVER 80% OF THE DISTRICT'S TOTAL BUDGET.

PRESIDENT GREENWELL, YOU JUST HAD SHARED EARLIER WITH THE BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 2000 EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE A $256 MILLION BUDGET.

WE TOUCH EVERY FAMILY IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WITH THAT HUGE BUDGET, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MORE THAN 80% IS SPENT ON PEOPLE THAT 256 MILLION.

SO TO CUT 7.6 MILLION, THERE'S NO WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT LOOKING AT STAFFING.

WE ALSO KNOW THE STATE IS SIGNIFICANTLY OVER BUDGET ON THE EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS UPWARDS AS TO 400% OVER BUDGET, MEANING THAT NEXT YEAR MORE AND MORE FAMILIES WILL QUALIFY FOR THE ESAS.

AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT, WE KNOW EVERYONE.

ANYONE WHO WANTS ONE WILL QUALIFY.

THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR ESA'S COMING FOR FY 25, THE PROSPECTS AND THE OPTIMISM JUST ISN'T THERE THAT WE WILL GET MUCH MORE THAN 2 OR 3%.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS CHANGED THE RESTRICTION ON HOW WE USE OUR TLC DOLLARS.

SO NO LONGER ARE THOSE FUNDS RESTRICTED FOR JUST TEACHER LEADERSHIP ROLES.

SO WE HAD TO CONSIDER THOSE THREE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS OVER THOSE? OKAY, SO THE BUDGET REDUCTIONS OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THESE ARE OUR REDUCTIONS OF STAFF OR THE RESTRUCTURE I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU THE REDUCTIONS.

THEN I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THE RESTRUCTURE.

SO CNAS BUILDING CONSULTING TEACHERS, TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING TEACHERS, VIRTUAL COUNSELOR, A DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR, WHICH IS OUR CURRENT BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST.

SHE IS A DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR, PERMANENT SUBSTITUTES FAMILY SUPPORT COORDINATOR, RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS, SUPPORT SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION CHANGES.

THAT IS IN REFERENCE TO WHAT I HAD JUST SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE THE PRESENTATION ABOUT CHANGING THEM TO SOCIAL WORK CERTIFICATION RATHER THAN TEACHING CERTIFICATION. THAT IS A COST SAVINGS.

AND THEN OUR ALTERNATIVE SUPPORT TEACHERS, THAT IS ALSO THE SAME AS TAKING ONE OF THOSE ALTERNATIVE SUPPORT TEACHERS AND PUTTING IN A SOCIAL WORK OR SIMILAR TYPE OF CERTIFICATION. THAT'S A TOTAL OF 65 PEOPLE.

IT'S OVER $7 MILLION.

RIGHT THERE. THEN WE HAD ANY.

YOU CAN SWITCH SIDES, PLEASE.

THEN WE HAD TO LOOK AT WHAT ELSE COULD WE CUT OR LOOK AT THAT ISN'T STACKED BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO LOOK AT BIG QUANTITIES OF MONEY ON JUST ITEMS THAT ARE RECURRING EXPENSES.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT OUR POOLS IF WE ARE CLOSING TWO OF OUR POOLS.

THAT ALONE IS OVER $100,000 IN JUST MAINTENANCE, YEARLY MAINTENANCE OF THE SAVINGS.

THE HO-CHUNK LEASE.

WE HAVE OUR NEW VIBE SPACE THAT WE, THE BOARD, HAD APPROVED AND HAD COMPLETED LAST YEAR.

THAT SPACE IS NOW.

THAT SPACE IS IN THE CAREER ACADEMY AND IT IS NOW CLASSROOMS. WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD PATHWAYS TO OUR CAREER ACADEMY, SO IT IS ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM SPACE.

THEREFORE, WE NO LONGER NEED THE HO-CHUNK LEASE.

THAT IS OUR SPACE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE SWEETWATER CAFE.

IJAG IS A PROGRAM WE HAVE IN JUST ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

IT SUPPORTS STUDENTS WHO, AFTER GRADUATION, IT.

THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS IT SUPPORTS FOR ONE PERSON IS IS VERY MINIMAL.

THEREFORE, WE DECIDED AND IT'S ONLY AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.

WE DECIDED TO ELIMINATE THAT.

THE EXPANDED CONNECTIVITY.

THOSE ARE OUR HOTSPOTS.

WE OFFERED TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.

WE WILL NO LONGER BE OFFERING HOTSPOTS.

BUT NOW, AFTER COVID, AFTER ALL OF THE LEARNING WE'VE ALL DONE AND THE CHANGES AND CHANGES IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE CITY AND OUR CABLE COMPANIES, OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY, THEY ALL HAVE SYSTEMS INTO WHICH WE CAN SET UP FAMILIES.

[01:00:06]

DISTRICTS. CELL PHONES.

THIS WAS A BIG ONE.

WE BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

WE ARE GOING TO SAVE AN UPWARDS TO $70,000 A YEAR.

WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED CRITERIA FOR WHY SOMEBODY IN THE DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE A CELL PHONE, AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM PROVIDING A PHONE TO JUST GIVING A [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVING A CELL PHONE BY 75% AND OF THOSE THAT REMAINING 25%, NO LONGER WILL THE DISTRICT PROVIDE THE PHONE AND THE COST.

WE WILL JUST ALLOW A STUDY WITH OUR PARTNERS.

THOSE ARE OUR PARTNERS THAT OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY IN TYPICALLY IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH OR BEHAVIOR.

THOSE WERE ALL ESSER FUNDED POSITIONS.

WE'LL NO LONGER HAVE THOSE AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WE WILL BE CHANGING THE WAY WE BUS OUR PAROCHIAL STUDENTS.

SO WE STILL MUST PROVIDE THE MONETARY COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE OUR PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS WITH THEY'RE WE ARE THE FLOW THROUGH FOR THEIR MONEY, BUT CURRENTLY WE ARE SPENDING SOME OF THAT OVER $100,000 IN ADDITION, BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING THE BUSSING.

SO WE WILL STILL PARTNER WITH THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.

THEY WILL HAVE THE DOLLARS, BUT WE WILL NO LONGER BE PROVIDING THE BUSSING.

THAT RIGHT THERE IS ABOUT $750,000 IN REDUCTIONS THAT ARE NOT STAFFED.

THAT IS ABOUT TEN TEACHERS.

SO WE FELT REALLY.

YOU WOULDN'T IMAGINE IT, BUT THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF 8 TO 10 TEACHERS.

SO THERE YOU GO.

SO AMY, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ANGELA, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANGELA. SORRY, QUESTIONS.

HI, THIS IS MONIQUE. I DO HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING IJAG IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ELIMINATING THAT.

AND I KNOW IT'S AT WEST HIGH SCHOOL.

SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE AT RISK STUDENTS? WELL, THEY THEY SUPPORT, THEY TEACH ONE CLASS OF ABOUT 30 STUDENTS, AND THEN THEY HAVE A CASELOAD OF ABOUT ANOTHER 30 STUDENTS.

SO THEIR CASELOAD AND IT MIGHT JIM, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I MIGHT BE A LITTLE HIGH ON THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS SO THAT NOW WILL BE SUPPORTED BY OUR OTHER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN THE BUILDING, JUST AS WE DO AT NORTH HIGH AND AS WE DO IT AT EAST HIGH.

THAT'S A CORRECT STATEMENT.

MS. BEMIS IS THAT SUPPORTS AT NORTH AND EAST WOULD NOW EQUATE TO THE SAME AS AT WEST AND OUR COUNSELORS, PLUS OUR AT RISK STAFFING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.

OUR LIAISONS AND SUCH WILL TAKE ON SOME OF THAT ROLE OF TAKING ON THAT ADDITIONAL CASELOAD.

HOW MANY YEARS HAS IT BEEN SINCE IJAG HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE VERSUS NORTH AND EAST? EAST HAS NEVER HAD IJAG, BUT NORTH HAD IJAG FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND THEN WE DID NOT HAVE IJAG FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE DISTRICT, AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO WEST HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, HAVE WE HAD ANY ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE OF THAT? AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE MOST OF THESE STUDENTS WERE BASED TO GO ON AND BE HIRED AT DIFFERENT COMPANIES.

THAT'S HOW IT'S DESIGNED TO DO.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT THESE STUDENTS AT WEST HIGH GETTING LOST.

WE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT IS A CONCERN.

JUST LIKE THE STUDENTS AT NORTH AND EAST THAT ARE AT RISK, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SERVICES WRAPPED AROUND THOSE STUDENTS, TO PROVIDE THEM ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO GRADUATE, AND THEN TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL WORK BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO THEN LOOKING AT OUR RESTRUCTURING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT.

SO I DIVIDED THIS UP INTO BETWEEN BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL.

BECAUSE WE HAVE COMMITTED LAST YEAR WE COMMITTED TO OUR WORK WITH SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS.

OUR WORK WITH ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, OUR ALTERNATIVE SUPPORTS, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TASK FORCES, OUR ESL, EVERYTHING OUT OF THAT, ALL OF THOSE TASK FORCE AND ALL OF THAT WORK CAME OUT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT BEHAVIOR, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND ACADEMICS TOGETHER, NOT SEPARATE.

SO I HAVE WE HAVE I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU THE RESTRUCTURE, BECAUSE WE ALSO RESTRUCTURED TO COINCIDE AND WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS, THE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE ADDED OR MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM FACILITATORS FOR ALL CORE SUBJECTS.

THINK OF THESE POSITIONS SIMILAR TO HEAD TEACHER POSITIONS.

THESE TEACHERS AND THESE POSITIONS SUPPORT CORE SUBJECTS MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES, ELA, ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS, AND SCIENCE.

[01:05:03]

PRIOR THE SECONDARY, WE JUST HAD FOUR SECONDARY AND THREE ELEMENTARY.

WE COMBINED SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES IN ELEMENTARY.

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO HAVE CONSULTING TEACHERS.

SO THEY CARRIED A LOT OF THAT WORK AS WELL.

THEREFORE WE'RE ADDING A MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

SO WE HAVE HEAD TEACHERS THAT JUST FOCUS ON MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUST FOCUS ON ELEMENTARY AND JUST FOCUS ON HIGH SCHOOL.

WE CALL THEM CURRICULUM FACILITATORS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT MORE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED.

IT'S EVERY SINGLE THING YOU CAN DO WITH CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, ASSESSMENT AND EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE.

FOR THOSE ALL THOSE SUBJECTS, THEN OUR TIER ONE COORDINATORS, THOSE ARE GOING TO HELP OUR TEACHERS SOLELY WITH IMPLEMENTING AND USING THEIR CURRICULUM RESOURCES IN INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES, AS WELL AS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND CLASSROOM ROUTINES.

SO WE WILL HAVE FIVE SUPPORTING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE 13 ELEMENTARY, SO WE WILL.

PRIOR WE HAD A CONSULTING TEACHER.

WE HAD MORE THAN ONE CONSULTING TEACHER AT EVERY BUILDING.

NOW WE WILL HAVE FIVE TIER ONE COORDINATORS TO SUPPORT OUR ELEMENTARY.

WE'LL HAVE THREE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THREE HIGH SCHOOL, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED TO A SCHOOL.

THEY ARE GOING TO BE ASSIGNED A SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEING SUPPORTED IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.

JIM, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL? YEAH. SO FOR INSTANCE, OUR PLC WORK AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, SAFE AND CIVIL WORK, TEACHING IN THE BLOCK AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE IN CHARGE OF INITIATIVES AS OPPOSED TO BEING PLACED AT SCHOOLS.

AND ALSO WITH A BIG LOAD THEY CARRY IS NEW.

OUR NEW TEACHERS AS WELL, SUPPORTING NEW TEACHERS WITH THEIR INSTRUCTION AND JUST HOW TO BE A TEACHER IN SIOUX CITY.

BETWEEN OUR CURRICULUM FACILITATORS AND OUR TIER ONE COORDINATORS, THEY WILL BOTH HAVE A ROLE IN SUPPORTING NEW TEACHERS IN OUR WORK.

TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT TEACHERS.

WE HAVE TO SET THEM UP FOR SUPPORT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THROUGH THIS WORK, WE DETERMINED THAT WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB IN.

SO THAT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL ADDITION, THAT WILL BE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS.

WE THEN WILL HAVE A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM FACILITATOR.

WITH THE EXPANSION OF OUR TRADES BUILDING, AS WELL AS OUR INTENDED EXPANSION OF OUR CAREER ACADEMY, WE KNOW THAT CTE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM FACILITATOR IS IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

THOSE KIDS COME FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

THAT INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE BUILDINGS AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS, AND COORDINATE THE INSTRUCTION AND THE SUPPORT STUDENTS NEED.

SO IN A TOTAL TO HELP YOU GET THIS IN YOUR LIKE, WHAT IS THE WHAT'S THE END ALL YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE GET OUT OF THIS.

SO WE HAVE 50 POSITIONS THAT WERE RESTRUCTURED.

WE'RE TAKING AWAY THESE 17 OF THOSE 50 AS WE REDESIGNATED THEM INTO TEACHER LEADER POSITIONS, WHICH ARE THESE? THAT LEAVES US 33 CERTIFIED TEACHERS REASSIGNED TO CLASSROOM POSITIONS.

SO THROUGH THIS WORK, WITH THE CHANGE OF CERTIFICATION, THE CHANGE OF CURRICULUM FACILITATORS, THE TIER ONE COORDINATORS WITH THOSE CHANGES, THAT PUTS 33 CERTIFIED TEACHERS REASSIGNED BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT THEN OUR LAST SLIDE IS BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS.

SO THE MTSS SUPPORT SPECIALIST WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE TO BE A CERTIFIED TEACHER.

I KNOW I KEEP HARPING ON THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEVER HAD POSITIONS LIKE THIS BEFORE.

ESSER AND THESE SPORTS SPECIALIST POSITIONS, NOT TO THE DEGREE WE HAVE, AND OUR COMMITTEE LISTENED TO THEIR STAFF LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND KNOW THAT WE JUST KNEW THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP.

AND OUR WAY TO KEEP IT IS TO HAVE THIS HAVE THE STUDENT SUPPORTED BY SOMEBODY WITH A SOCIAL WORK DEGREE OR SIMILAR CERTIFICATION.

IT CUTS THE COST DOWN AS WELL AS PUTS MORE TEACHERS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE ARE ADDING A SECONDARY BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SPECIALIST.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A TIER THREE DISTRICT BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SPECIALIST.

THAT POSITION WORKS WITH THE 2 TO 5% OF THE HARDEST KIDS.

[01:10:04]

CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE THAT WORKS AND THEY THEY OVERSEE WHAT WE CALL BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE TO SUPPORT ALL.

WE NOW WILL HAVE TWO TEACHERS.

THOSE ARE CERTIFIED TEACHER POSITIONS WE'LL HAVE INSTEAD OF ONE.

WE'LL HAVE TWO. AND THEY WILL BE PRIMARILY LOOKING.

THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT ONE WILL BE SECONDARY, ONE WILL BE ELEMENTARY AND THEY WILL OVERSEE THE BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS AS WELL.

SO THROUGH ALL OF THAT RESTRUCTURING.

ISN'T WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.

NO WE DON'T.

WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OF TEACHERS NOR THE DOLLARS TO SUPPORT A CONSULTANT TO ONE OR 2 OR 3.

SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS HAD 3 OR 4 CONSULTANT TEACHERS.

WE NO LONGER CAN SUPPORT THAT MONETARILY.

WE ALSO CAN'T SUPPORT IT BECAUSE OF THE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

WE KNOW THAT OUR KIDS ARE NEEDING ALL THESE BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS.

WE ARE TRYING.

WHAT WE DID IS WE WITH THAT, TRYING TO USE THAT MINDSET THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE CHILD AND THIS IS THE WORK OUR COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

QUESTIONS. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE THE TASK THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE UNDERTAKING ALL THIS AND I SUPPORT RESTRUCTURING.

I KNOW WE NEED TO DO THAT. I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE CUTS WITH THE ESSER FUNDS ETCETERA.

MY CONCERN IS WITH REGARDS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SUPPORT CLASSROOM.

AND WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS THAT YOU'RE TAKING ONE OF THE TWO CERTIFIED TEACHERS AWAY, PUTTING IN A NON CERTIFIED TEACHER WITH THAT PERSON. MY CONCERN IS THAT AND I'VE SUBBED IN THIS ROOM SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE.

THERE ARE SOME TIMES I BELIEVE ON THE ROSTER.

I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE IS UP TO 45 TO 50 STUDENTS ON THE ROSTER IN THAT CLASSROOM AT ONE TIME, AND MY CONCERN IS HAVING ONE TEACHER THAT WILL BASICALLY BE IN CHARGE OF THE GRADING, DEALING WITH DISCIPLINE, DEALING WITH THE CREDIT CHECKS, FINISHING UP THE SUBJECTS. AND I KNOW IT'S A SELF TEACHING KIND OF THING IT'S THEY'RE NOT TEACHING NORMALLY UNLESS THERE'S A QUESTION THAT'S ASKED OF THEM.

BUT I JUST I'M CONCERNED HAVING ONE TEACHER IN WITH 45 TO 50 STUDENTS DURING A BLOCK AND SO I GUESS I NEED SOME.

GO AHEAD. VERY REALISTIC QUESTION, BERNIE.

WHAT WE PLAN IS WE PLAN ON HAVING IT LOOK THE SAME.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE SECOND PERSON CERTIFIED.

SO UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE OTHER CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS BEST AS THEY CAN, JUST AS ANY OTHER TEACHER, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.

WE DON'T HAVE SOMEONE CERTIFIED IN EVERY SUBJECT AREA IN THAT CLASSROOM.

SO FOR THE QUESTION ANSWERING FOR THE GRADING, THIS I THINK IT WAS THIS CONSENT AGENDA, OR MAYBE IT WAS LAST MEETING YOU APPROVED SOFTWARE THAT DIRECTLY TAUGHT EDGENUITY DIRECTLY TALKS TO CANVAS.

CANVAS WILL DIRECTLY NOW TALK TO INFINITE CANVAS FOR EDGENUITY CLASSES.

SO THE TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.

IT NOW EDGENUITY WILL SPEAK TO INFINITE CANVAS THROUGH CANVAS FOR THIS NEW SOFTWARE.

EDGENUITY HAS A LOT OF NEW UPGRADES THAT WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND WE HAVE.

WE'RE GETTING THAT WORK IN PLACE FOR THE GRADING.

WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, A DIFFICULT TEACHER HAS 200 STUDENTS RIGHT ON THEIR ROSTERS.

THERE ARE TIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALL DAY.

ARE THERE 45 KIDS IN THERE ALL DAY.

BUT YES, THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THERE MAY BE 40 OR 45 KIDS IN THERE.

BUT WE WILL HAVE TWO ADULTS, INCLUDING A SPECIAL ED TEACHER, IF THEY'RE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING WITH NOW.

IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT WHAT IT DOES DO IS THAT COST SAVINGS GIVES US THE MONEY TO HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL TEACHERS NOT TO HAVE TO ELIMINATE TWO TEACHING POSITIONS.

SO BY THAT COST SAVINGS WE DO WE ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT SECOND PERSON WITH THE SOCIAL WORK DEGREE.

THEY WILL NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL BE SUPPORTING WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS, BUT THEY'LL ALSO BE DOING THE LOGISTICAL WORK AND THE MANAGERIAL WORK AS THE TEACHER IS AS WELL.

WILL THEY BE ABLE TO HANDLE DISCIPLINE AS WELL, OR WILL THAT BECAUSE SOCIAL WORKERS TEND TO BE COUNSELING, WE TEND TO BE MORE LISTENERS AND SUPPORTIVE.

[01:15:04]

IT WILL BE, YES, THERE ARE DISCIPLINE PROTOCOLS.

THAT PERSON WILL BE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH DISCIPLINE FOLLOWING THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN, WHATEVER THAT CLASSROOM PLAN IS.

THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED.

YES. COULD COULD THEY ALSO IF IT ENDS UP, IS THERE ANY WAY TO HAVE A MAXIMUM? I MEAN, AGAIN, I KNOW THAT THERE'S AT LEAST AT LEAST SOME OF THE BLOCKS HAVE 50 STUDENTS REGISTERED.

I'M NOT SAYING THEY ALL SHOW UP BECAUSE THESE KIDS DON'T LIKE I MEAN, SOME OF THEM ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE EDUCATION OR REGULAR EDUCATION OR THEY'RE FAILED CLASSES.

SO IS THERE ANYTHING WHERE WE COULD LOOK AT A MAXIMUM OR IF THEY NEED MORE SUPPORT AFTER THIS GETS GOING, YOU KNOW, HOW FLEXIBLE ARE WE. ABSOLUTELY. SO REMEMBER WE'RE NOT LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.

WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP.

WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE YOU OUR BEST, BUT WE KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT.

LIKE WE JUST KNOW IT'S NOT.

AND CURRENTLY OUR STAFFING SEEMS TO BE ADEQUATE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

BUT JUST LIKE WITH ANYTHING ELSE, WE MIGHT SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO NEED TO ADD, OR WE MAYBE NEED TO GO BACK TO HAVING A CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THAT POSITION.

THAT IS VERY POSSIBLE.

WE DON'T WE ARE OUR YOU KNOW, OUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT IS THAT THIS IS OUR BEST PLAN, BUT WE ARE NOT WITHOUT FAULT AND NOT LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME TWEAKS.

OKAY. I JUST WANT TO CONCUR WITH WHAT DIRECTOR SCOLARO SAYING, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND.

WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO PIVOT IF WE HAVE TO PIVOT.

I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT.

I'M LOOKING AT THE TIER THREE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND YOU HAVE TO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE DISTRICT AND TO ME THAT YOU KNOW WITH THAT BEING A BIG LEGISLATIVE PUSH, MENTAL HEALTH FOR STUDENTS AND STUFF, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE NEED TO ADD SOMETHING THERE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TO DO, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY SO THAT YOU CAN PIVOT.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, ADD TO IF IT'S NOT GOING NOT WORKING.

WELL, I'VE SUBBED IN THE SAME ROOM THAT MR. GUERRERO HAS SUBBED IN AND TO AND I'VE GOT CONCERNS.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO PIVOT IF YOU NEED TO.

RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL NEED.

I MEAN, YOU DEVELOP A PLAN WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS.

YOU DEVELOP A PLAN, YOU PUT THE DETAILS IN WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS AND THEN THE OPERATIONALIZE IT, RIGHT.

YOU PUT IT INTO PLACE AND YOU GET IT MOVING FORWARD.

AND THERE WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTMENTS.

I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT BUT REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU'RE RESTRUCTURING, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ACTION TAKEN TO SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFY THE FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL ASPECTS.

WHEN THE BUSINESS IS FACING FINANCIAL PRESSURES, WE ARE GOING TO BE FACING FINANCIAL PRESSURES.

REMEMBER, THIS IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE FOR THE BOARD.

THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD DIRECTED ME TO GET DONE.

ESSER BUDGET REDUCTION PLAN.

THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE BOARD.

THIS IS WHAT WE DID.

THIS IS WHAT A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY PUT TOGETHER.

THIS IS OUR BEST EFFORT AT THIS TIME AND AGAIN.

WILL THERE NEED TO BE ADJUSTMENTS? THERE WILL BE. WILL WE ADJUST? WILL WE PIVOT? WE WILL.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

SO THANK YOU.

SO I OBSERVED THAT PROGRAM I DO I BELIEVE THAT A CERTIFIED TEACHER AND A SUPPORT PERSON CAN RUN 40 TO 45 KIDS IN THERE.

ABSOLUTELY. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A LOT OF BEHAVIORAL ISSUES IN THERE.

IT'S A SELF-PACED PROGRAM AND I THINK IT CAN BE DONE.

I SAW IT OPERATE PRETTY WELL WITH FEW PEOPLE IN THERE.

[INAUDIBLE] I THINK.

DR. EARLEYWINE, WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IS, WELL, THIS IS OUR APPROACH TODAY.

IF WE SEE THAT SOMETHING ISN'T WORKING, YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO US AND FEEL FREE TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES.

IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

I HAVE ONE MORE. AND WE WE NEED THAT GRACE BECAUSE WE EVEN WITH OUR TASK FORCE CHANGES LAST YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY COME UP WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS. WE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, THIS NEEDS TWEAK.

SO THAT'S WHAT HELPS US MOVE FORWARD IS THAT IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND SAY, OKAY, YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE US THE GRACE TO SAY, OH, WE MAYBE WE'RE TOO SHORT ON THAT AREA.

WE NEED TO ADD A COUPLE STAFF TO THAT, OR WE NEED TO RESTRUCTURE THIS OR THAT.

[01:20:05]

I HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION OR COMMENT.

ANGELA, IF YOU COULD ANSWER THIS OR DR.

EARLEYWINE IN THE RESTRUCTURING PROCESS AND THE BEHAVIOR OUTREACH SPECIALIST, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE SANFORD CENTER BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB? HOW WOULD THIS RESTRUCTURING AFFECT THAT? WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUPPORT FROM THE SANFORD CENTER.

WE HAVE OUR MOU WITH THEM AS THE SUPPORT WORK.

WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT FOR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS TO WORK AT THAT WE ALWAYS WE HAD EVEN PRIOR TO ESSER.

SO RIGHT NOW THE WAY WE USE THE SANFORD CENTER PRIOR WILL STILL HAVE WE USE THEM.

THE BOYS AND GIRLS HOME KEEPS CHANGING SO THEY THEY KEEP CHANGING HOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH US.

WE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS HOME, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THEIR STAFFING AND THEIR STRUCTURE HAS ALREADY CHANGED TWICE THIS YEAR, AND WE JUST HAVE BEEN ADAPTING TO THEIR CHANGES.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MISS BEMIS OR DR.

EARLYWINE? WHEN WE GO BACK AND CHECK.

TO SEE IF SOMETHING'S WORKING OR NOT.

WHAT WOULD BE? OH, SORRY.

WHEN WE ARE, WHEN AS WE GO INTO THIS AND WE SEE THAT SOMETHING MAY OR MAY NOT BE WORKING.

WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMELINE FOR? ARE WE GOING TO CHECK ON THIS EVERY SEMESTER? WOULD WE CHECK ON IT ONCE A YEAR? WE CHECK FREQUENTLY.

SO WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS WE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE.

SO JUST SO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WITH OUR SPECIAL TASK FORCE, OUR TASK FORCE AND OUR ALTERNATIVE SUPPORTS TASK FORCE THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, WE MEET WITH THEM NOW ONCE A MONTH. AND THAT IS HOW WE'RE DOING OUR TWEAKING.

RIGHT. SO WE MEET WITH THOSE TASK GROUP TASK FORCE MEMBERS ONCE A MONTH, AND THEN THEY GIVE US FEEDBACK AND TOGETHER WE CREATE, WE PROBLEM SOLVE. SO SOMETIMES IT'S THAT'S AN EASY CHANGE.

EASY FIX. LET'S DO THAT NOW.

OTHER TIMES IT'S LIKE, WELL LET'S SEE, LET'S WAIT ANOTHER FEW WEEKS AND SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY DOESN'T WORK, IT'S I WOULD HOPE RIGHT AWAY BROUGHT TO ATTENTION.

BUT THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS GROUP WILL MEET ONCE A MONTH FORMALLY TO GO OVER WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT.

AND I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE IS MOSTLY ADMINISTRATORS.

IS THAT MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CHECKING IN WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE TRENCHES, THAT IT'S WORKING? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT LOOK OKAY ON THE OUTSIDE AND YEAH, LET'S GO ALONG.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THEY HEAR THEM.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT ONE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY I MEAN, WE ARE OUR COMMITTEE AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.

WE DON'T WANT PROBLEMS TO BE HIDDEN.

WE HAVE A CULTURE WHERE WE WANT OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO LISTEN TO THEIR TEACHERS AND SAY, THIS ISN'T WORKING.

THIS IS CAUSING PROBLEMS IN MY BUILDING.

AND I CAN TELL YOU IT'S BEEN TAKING A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THERE, BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME REALLY GOOD STRIDES IN THAT AREA, AND WE'VE MADE THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEEN THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE SAYING ARE NOT WORKING.

SO ARE WE ALWAYS RESPONDING AS QUICKLY AS WE SHOULD? WE'RE WORKING, YOU KNOW, WE WORK ON IT.

NOT ALL ISSUES ARE THE SAME IN EVERY BUILDING.

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A SMALL TWEAK.

ONE PLACE, IT'S WORKING FINE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BUT BERNIE, YOU ARE RIGHT.

AND WE IF WE DON'T HEAR THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM.

OKAY, SO IF WHAT I'M HEARING IS I'M SORT OF HEARING A COMMITMENT NOT SORT OF I AM HEARING A COMMITMENT FROM, FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'LL DO AN EVERGREEN REVIEW ON A FREQUENT BASIS.

YES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY. SEANIECE, ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY.

BOARD MEMBERS. THIS WAS, IT WASN'T.

THERE WASN'T A MOTION TO BE MADE.

IT WAS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACKNOWLEDGES THE FISCAL 25 RESTRUCTURING, SO.

PARDON ME. RIGHT.

OH, SORRY. OKAY, SO THAT'S THE RESTRUCTURING.

[01:25:05]

[VI.B. Human Resources Report(s) - Dr. Jen Gomez]

AND IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES ITEM B IN THE H.R.

REPORT. SO HAPPY TO HAPPY TO TAKE A MOTION ON THAT.

SO MOVE. SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND DISCUSSION BOARD MEMBERS.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE MS. BEMIS HAS GONE THROUGH THE RESTRUCTURING PROGRAM.

THERE WERE SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED ADDS AS A RESULT OF THE RESTRUCTURING.

AND THOSE ARE IN THE HR ALONG WITH THE OTHER ITEMS WE TRADITIONALLY SEE.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT H.R.

REPORT? JUST ONE LITTLE INSIGHT.

SO WE'RE TECHNICALLY WE'RE APPROVING THESE POSITIONS OR THESE RESTRUCTURED POSITIONS.

THEY MAY OR MAY NOT USE THOSE, BUT THEY HAVE THOSE TO USE.

CORRECT. YEAH.

THAT'S DR. EARLEYWINE CONFIRMED THAT HE'D DO AN EVERGREEN REVIEW IF THEY'RE NEEDED.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY'LL BE USED IF THEY'RE NOT NEEDED OR THEY SUGGEST A CHANGE BECAUSE SOMETHING MAY OR MAY NOT BE FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED, THEN THEY COME BACK AND SUGGEST A CHANGE TO IT. THIS GIVES THEM THE OPTION TO MAKE THE CHANGES.

BUT IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING, THEY CAN COME BACK.

IT'S NOT A MANDATE, IT'S AN OPTION.

I LOOK AT IT AS AN OPTION.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE HR REPORT? SEANIECE ANYTHING FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE HR REPORT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? AND MOTION CARRIES AND THE HR REPORT IS APPROVED.

OKAY. THAT MOVES US ON TO THE NEXT ITEM IN OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS A REVIEW OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.

[VIII.G. Review of Election Results - Board Secretary Heilman]

WOULD YOU DO THAT? YEP.

SO I HAVE BOTH WOODBURY COUNTY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

SO I'LL START WITH WOODBURY COUNTY.

FOR TREYLA LEE, THERE WERE 3544 VOTES FOR EARL MILLER.

THERE WAS 3094 VOTES FOR TRISHA RIVERS.

THERE WAS 1589 VOTES FOR DUSTIN RHODES.

THERE WAS 1435 VOTES FOR PHILIP HAMMOND.

THERE WAS 2459 VOTES FOR JOHN MEYERS.

THERE WAS 2810 VOTES FOR MARGUERITE MARGO CORTEZ.

THERE WAS 2328 VOTES FOR LANCE EHMCKE.

THERE WAS 2903 VOTES JEBEDIAH HIBBS.

HE RECEIVED 830 VOTES, AND THERE WAS A SCATTERING VOTES OF 67 FOR A TOTAL OF 21,059 VOTES.

FOR WOODBURY COUNTY.

FOR DIRECTOR AT LARGE TO FILL A VACANCY.

DAN GREENWELL RECEIVED 3554 VOTES.

[INAUDIBLE] RECEIVED 2638 VOTES WITH A SCATTERING VOTE OF 38.

FOR A TOTAL OF 6230 VOTES.

WOODBURY COUNTY AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC MEASURE.

THERE WERE 4707 VOTES THAT VOTED YES, AND 1298 VOTES THAT VOTED NO.

MOVING ON TO PLYMOUTH COUNTY, TREYLA LEE RECEIVED 13 VOTES.

EARL MILLER RECEIVED 19 VOTES.

TRICIA RIVERS RECEIVED FOUR VOTES.

DUSTIN RHODES RECEIVED SEVEN VOTES.

PHILIP HAMMOND RECEIVED 14 VOTES.

JOHN MEYERS RECEIVED 17 VOTES.

MARGUERITE MARGO CORTEZ RECEIVED 11 VOTES.

LANCE EHMCKE RECEIVED 14 VOTES.

JEBEDIAH HIBBS RECEIVED TWO VOTES WITH A SCATTERING VOTES THERE WERE NONE FOR SCATTERING, FOR A TOTAL OF 101 VOTES.

FOR THE DIRECTOR AT LARGE TO FILL A VACANCY.

DAN GREENWELL RECEIVED 16 VOTES.

[INAUDIBLE] RECEIVED 14 VOTES WITH ONE SCATTERING VOTE FOR A TOTAL OF 31 VOTES.

FOR PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

FOR THE PUBLIC MEASURE.

THERE WERE 18 VOTES FOR YES AND EIGHT VOTES FOR NO, FOR A TOTAL OF 26 VOTES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THOSE ARE CERTIFIED FROM THE STATE OR FROM THE COUNTY AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT.

CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. AND THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE NEW.

BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE SWORN IN AT THE NEXT MEETING.

THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.

OKAY. SO THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE RECOGNITION OF RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS.

[VIII.H. Recognition of Retiring Board Members - Dr. Rod Earleywine]

[01:30:01]

SOME HAVE BEEN ON FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, SOME JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT YOU ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

JUST YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND SUPPORT.

THE STUDENTS OF THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MEANS A LOT.

IT MEANS A LOT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE LAST ELECTION, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.

PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THEY WANT TO SEE THINGS IMPROVE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ADMINISTRATIVELY WE WANT THE SAME.

SO THANK YOU, MONIQUE, FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE, BERNIE.

THANK YOU.

YOU AS A TEACHER, YOU BROUGHT A GREAT PERSPECTIVE.

AND AS A COUNSELOR TAYLOR, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

YOU SERVED DURING THE TIME WHEN YOUR FAMILY WAS GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS, AND YOU WERE ALWAYS COMMITTED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU PHIL, THANK YOU.

SERVE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 40 YEARS AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND THEN STEPPED IN TO SERVE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

IT IS APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU. LETS MAKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE RETIRING MEMBERS.

[IX. Board Member Reports]

AND, MR. HAMMOND, I'LL START WITH YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED ME TO BE SERVING UP HERE AND SUPPORTED ME DURING THE ELECTION.

I WANT TO JUST LET PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE.

WHEN I GOT ON THIS COMMITTEE, IT ENDED UP BEING A LOT MORE WORK THAN I EVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

AND I MEAN, WITH THE READING OF REPORTS AND THE DATA AND, YOU KNOW, BEING ON COMMITTEES AND PREPARING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.

AND SO THE PEOPLE COMING IN, I GOT TO KNOW YOU TREYLA LEE, LANCE EHMCKE, EARL MILLER AND JOHN MEYERS GOT TO HEAR YOU SPEAK.

GOT TO LISTEN TO YOUR PASSION.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN AND SIT UP HERE AND DO A GREAT JOB.

IT WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE ELECTIONAND I CONGRATULATE YOU.

AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET A SUBSTITUTE TEACHING LICENSE AND GET IN THE CLASSROOM, GET IN THE SCHOOLS, OR AT LEAST STOP IT AND BE VISITING AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TRENCHES.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT.

AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT SUPPORTED ME BEING UP HERE AND IN THE ELECTION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONCLUDE MY REPORT.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GOODWIN.

I SKIPPED A LOT MY FOUR YEARS, SO MAYBE I'LL MAKE UP FOR IT NOW.

I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE UP HERE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, TWO YEARS, MONTHS, MONTHS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF IT THAT HASN'T BEEN BRAGGED ABOUT BY US.

SO SINCE I'M LEAVING, I CAN BRAG ABOUT IT.

WE, OF COURSE, MADE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES, ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL, WHERE WE THINK OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BE IN-PERSON LEARNING.

THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT HERE FOR THE LAST HOUR, AND I AM PROUD THAT I WAS A PART OF THAT.

I LEARNED A LOT.

WE DID THINGS THAT WERE SMALL, SUCH AS BOND REFINANCING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT SAVED US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

FOUR MONTHS INTO MY FIRST YEAR COVID HIT, I WROTE THAT WE GOT THROUGH COVID.

I SCRATCHED IT OUT AND SAID, I THINK WE THRIVED THROUGH COVID.

WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE DID COMPARED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUR SIZE, WE HAD MINIMAL SHUTDOWNS, WE HAD IN-PERSON LEARNING AND I HOPE AND I THINK THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE BETTER FOR IT.

AND. HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WORRY ME MOVING FORWARD THAT I KNOW THE BOARD WILL ADDRESS AND I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW IT'S THEIR JOB, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT ON SSA FROM THE STATE HAS BEEN A DISASTER FOR 15 YEARS.

INFLATION RATES OUTPACE SSA EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS CANNOT SURVIVE WITH THAT.

A TEACHER SHORTAGE.

THIS BOARD HAS DONE TREMENDOUS THINGS IN THE HR WORLD TO HELP WITH THE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

LOOKING IN AREAS THAT WE'VE NEVER LOOKED AT, LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WE HAVE NEVER LOOKED FOR.

I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.

ESA AND THE STATE HAS FOUGHT US.

WELL, THE STATE HAS FOUGHT US IN, INCLUDING ESA.

I THINK THIS BOARD, WE TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO NOT ONLY BE LOUD WHEN WE VOCALLY OPPOSE THEM, BUT OFTENTIMES WE WERE THE ONLY ONES BOARDS STATEWIDE AND WE UNANIMOUSLY WROTE A LETTER SAYING WE ARE WELCOMING TO EVERY STUDENT THAT WANTS TO COME THROUGH OUR DOORS.

WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS CHANGES IN THE BACKGROUND ON ESL, EVEN WHEN IT'S SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WE ARE NOW CORRECTLY COUNTING THE NUMBER OF

[01:35:09]

WE HADN'T BEEN DOING THAT.

THAT WILL LEAD TO MORE EQUITABLE EDUCATION TO OUR KIDS.

ANOTHER POINT THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE UP HERE AND NOT THAT THERE'S BEEN RESISTANCE, IT'S JUST IT ISN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IS THAT A MINORITY STUDENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN OR THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY SPEAK.

AND I THINK THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN GREAT ABOUT BRINGING THAT TO LIGHT.

I THINK WE HAVE BEEN GREAT ABOUT BRINGING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FROM OUR DESK UP HERE.

THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE STATE IS ESA ON ROB SAND.

OUR STATE AUDITOR IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF MY FAVORITE POLITICIANS.

WE GOT SCOLDED BY A STATE REP IN THIS ROOM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SAID UP HERE.

I HOPE HIM OR SOMEONE ELSE CAN COME BACK AND TELL ME HOW THEY'RE FUNDING IT.

WE LEARNED TONIGHT THEY'RE OVER BUDGET 400%.

IF A DEPARTMENT HEAD IN THIS DISTRICT WAS OVER BUDGET 400%, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND ANSWER FOR IT.

THEY SHOULD HAVE TO COME BACK AND ANSWER FOR IT.

THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISTRACTIONS THE FOUR YEARS UP HERE.

THERE'S BEEN DISTRACTIONS IN THE PRESS.

THERE'S BEEN DISTRACTIONS ON HOW WE'VE DEALT WITH THINGS.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYBODY UP HERE CAME TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, CAME TO SUPPORT OUR OUR TEACHERS.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, WE HAVE AGREED THAT WHEN OUR TEACHERS ARE RUNNING THEIR CLASSROOMS IN FRONT OF THEIR STUDENTS, IT HELPS EVERY SINGLE STUDENT AND TEACHER.

BERNIE HAD A GREAT QUOTE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT REFERRAL NUMBERS.

WE SAW THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR REFERRALS ARE ONE TIME, MAYBE TWO TIME OFFENDERS.

AND THEN THEY GET IT.

THEY LEARN THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT.

WE HAVE A SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT COMMITS A MAJORITY OF OUR REFERRALS.

YOU MADE THE COMMENT THAT JUST LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM HERE WE ARE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME DEALING WITH SUCH A FEW SMALL AMOUNT OF STUDENTS.

WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ON HOW WE SAY THAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALL A BEHAVIORAL ISSUE.

IT'S THEY DON'T THRIVE IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTING.

THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT I CANNOT COMPREHEND GOING ON AT THEIR HOUSE.

THEY HAVE TO WORK. THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF KIDS BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE WORKING.

THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY ON THAT NOTE IS I THINK THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NEXT 2 TO 4 YEARS, I HOPE YOU GUYS START TO EXPLORE SOME ALTERNATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.

WE USED TO HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL DOWNTOWN.

IT GOT THE BAD RAP OF BEING.

THAT'S WHERE THE BAD KIDS GO.

THERE ARE SOME BAD KIDS THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS THAT JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO THRIVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM SETTING.

WE'VE DONE A TON OF WORK ON SPED.

I THINK THE NEXT KIND OF HURDLE IS GETTING OVER THE FACT THAT AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING FOR OUR STUDENTS WILL HELP A MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT NEED IT, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT THRIVE IN A CLASSROOM.

THAT IS ONE THING THAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT UP MORE IN MY FOUR YEARS, BUT HINDSIGHT'S 2020.

I THINK THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SETTING, AND I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY LIKE I HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THE BUDGET SHORTAGE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR THE LAST HOUR, BUT I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON.

THAT WILL HELP A LOT.

IT WILL HELP CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, IT WILL HELP CLASSROOM SIZE, AND IT WILL HELP KIDS WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL, WHETHER THAT'S IN A SETTING THAT'S TRADITIONAL OR NOT.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

I THINK I WENT OVER, BUT LIKE I SAID, I USED MY TIME THAT I DIDN'T USE THROUGHOUT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR SCOLARO GOING OVER TO YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, THEY TOOK MY PICTURE DOWN.

SO I'M PUTTING IT UP RIGHT HERE WHILE I TALK.

OKAY? SECOND OF ALL, AS I REFLECT IT, ONLY IT TOOK ME ONLY FIVE ROUNDS TO GET THIS SEAT AND I LASTED SENATE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY, THINK ABOUT THAT.

HE TOOK HIM 12 ROUNDS AND HE'S OUT.

OKAY, I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY MOVING FORWARD.

IT'S BEEN OUR MANTRA ALONG WITH BELIEVE, ACHIEVE, SUCCEED.

SO TODAY IS JUST THAT MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW BOARD MEMBERS, NEW PERSPECTIVES, NEW IDEAS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

FIRST OF ALL, IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH ME, ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS AND EMAILS, TALKS OVER COFFEE, THE

[01:40:04]

WE ONLY ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING BECAUSE WE CAME TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

I ALSO NEED TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION WHOM I HAVE GROWN TO RESPECT FOR YOUR NEED FOR YOUR.

I'M SORRY. I'VE GROWN TO RESPECT FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS DISTRICT.

I NEED TO THANK THE TEACHERS AND THE SIOUX CITY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION WHO FIGHT EVERY DAY FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THE BOARD APPOINTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT I HAVE HAD.

I AM GLAD TO HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD.

DURING A TIME WHEN THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN TO PUSH BACK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION, BERATE PUBLIC EDUCATORS, AND TRY TO OSTRACIZE SOME OF OUR MOST MARGINALIZED STUDENT POPULATIONS, I WILL FOREVER FEEL BLESSED THAT WE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED TWO RESOLUTIONS.

I BROUGHT FORTH ONE OPPOSING MORE STATE FUNDING TO PRIVATE, OPPOSING MORE STATE FUNDING TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND ANOTHER RESOLUTION FULLY SUPPORTING STUDENTS FROM MY COMMUNITY, OUR LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS.

AS THE NEW STATE LEGISLATIVE YEAR BEGINS SHORTLY, I ASK THAT YOU STAY VIGILANT WITH WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED BEFORE LAWS ARE PASSED, BECAUSE THIS GOVERNMENT ISN'T TRYING TO MOVE US FORWARD, BUT BACKWARDS.

I ASK THE NEW BOARD TO CONTINUE FIGHTING TO RECRUIT AND RETRAIN RETAIN QUALITY TEACHERS IN SPITE OF THE CONSTANT BERATING OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AT THE STATE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO STAND UP AGAINST STATE CONTROL AND THE PUSH TO BAN BOOKS, TO WHITEWASH HISTORY, AND TO PUNISH TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS MERELY FOR PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, AND FOR JUST WANTING TO PROTECT THE CIVIL RIGHTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

I ASK THAT YOU STAY ALERT TO ANY NEW LAWS ALLOWING GUNS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERYTHING YOU DO, EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE, IMPACTS THE STUDENTS.

THE REASON WE'RE HERE, WE MUST KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE FROM MASS SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, BUT WE MUST ALSO LET THEM KNOW THEY ARE SAFE TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND TO PURSUE THEIR OWN PATHS AND DREAMS. SO AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, PLEASE CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND PROTECT ALL OUR STAFF AND ALL OUR STUDENTS, EVERY SINGLE ONE.

AND FINALLY, TO QUOTE ANGIE THOMAS IN HER BOOK, THE HATE U GIVE, SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO, YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THINGS STILL GO WRONG. THE KEY IS NEVER STOP DOING RIGHT.

AND WITH THAT I CLOSE MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DR.

SCARLETT THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GREENWELL.

ON NOVEMBER 13TH, I HAD A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY GIVE MY EXIT STATEMENT BECAUSE MY SON WAS IN TOWN AND HE WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THAT AND SO HE WAS HERE.

HOWEVER, I WOULD NOT LEAVE THIS DESK WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING TONIGHT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS CLOSING ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR ME, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.

TONIGHT I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART SOME ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT I WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TRAUMATIC, PERSONAL, TRAUMATIC PHYSICAL ABUSE, EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND SPIRITUAL ABUSE.

A LOT OF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT.

BUT I PRESS THROUGH AND EVERY DAY I CAME AND I ATTENDED MEETINGS AND I ATTENDED COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND I CRIED ON SOME OF MY BOARD MEMBERS SHOULDERS. VERY FEW KNEW, BUT WE KEPT PRESSING BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE HAD WORK TO DO.

ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS ACTUALLY DR.

VANETTA WAS OVER THE HR AT THAT TIME, AND I CHALLENGED THEM TO HIRE A MORE DIVERSE TEACHING STAFF AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE OUR CHILDREN, OUR CHILDREN COULD RELATE TO.

AND I HUGGED DR.

GOMEZ TONIGHT.

JOB WELL DONE AND CONTINUE TO CARRY THAT TORCH, DR.

GOMEZ, AND MAKE SURE THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.

ALSO, I'M VERY PROUD THAT DEI BOARD WORKSHOP SESSION TOOK PLACE, THE VERY FIRST ONE.

DR. YOUNG HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY WITH THAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT BOARD MEMBERS EMBRACED THAT.

AND AS SOMEONE SAID, IT IS MORE THAN A SKIN COLOR GENDER.

DEI IS A BROAD SPECTRUM THAT WE ALL NEED TO RESPECT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT AND EMBRACE IT.

TODAY IS EMOTIONAL, BUT I AM AWARE I DON'T BELIEVE IN HOLDING A POSITION SO LONG.

A GREAT MAN OF GOD TOLD ME AT ONE TIME THAT IF YOU SIT IN A SEAT TOO LONG, IT SMELLS LIKE YOU.

SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

I AM SO GLAD FOR THE NEW BOARD TO COME ON WITH NEW IDEAS, NEW INITIATIVES, AND THERE IS A LOT OF HARD WORK.

[01:45:04]

HUNDREDS OF EMAILS, HUNDREDS OF TEXTS.

HUNDREDS OF VISITS IN HOMES OUTSIDE OF HOMES.

CHILDREN HOLDING ON TO YOU BECAUSE THEY JUST WANT A CHANCE SO MUCH OUT THERE THAT YOU WILL DO.

YOU WILL LOSE YOURSELF IN THIS POSITION.

BUT LET ME SAY THIS THAT IT HAS BEEN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE IN THIS SEAT FOR THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. I MUST I WILL GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY FOR THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE, BECAUSE WITHOUT GOD, I WOULD NOT BE SITTING IN THIS SEAT TODAY.

NOT ONLY HAS HE KEPT MY MIND, BUT HE HAS KEPT MY TEMPER.

HE HAS KEPT MY MOUTH.

AND HE HAS HUMBLED ME IN WAYS THAT I NEVER COULD IMAGINE.

AND THROUGHOUT THESE FOUR YEARS, I STILL STAND STRONG.

I STAND BETTER, I STAND WISER, AND I STAND STRONGER.

BUT THESE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN ABOUT ME.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT OUR TEACHERS.

IT'S BEEN ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATION.

AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT THESE SIX OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER IN A SPIRIT OF UNITY.

SO I DO ALSO CHALLENGE THE NEW BOARD.

STAY DILIGENT BECAUSE YOU WILL.

ALL THESE FOLKS IN THE ROOM WILL NOT BE HERE IN FOUR YEARS.

YOU'LL BE LUCKY TO HAVE ONE AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT STAY TRUE TO THE COURSE.

I JUST SAID RECENTLY THAT WE ALL HAVE CAREERS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A CALLING.

SO AS A BOARD MEMBER, IT IS A SPECIAL CALLING TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.

AND AGAIN, I'LL END WITH MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF IF SERVING IS BENEATH YOU, LEADERSHIP IS BEYOND YOU.

GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU.

I CLOSE MY REPORT. THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR MICHAELSON.

I'VE SPOKEN TO ALL OF THESE GUYS INDIVIDUALLY.

I'M, I THANK THEM AND WARNED THEM.

THE WARNING WAS, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING OFF THE BOARD, YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY OFF THE HOOK.

AND AS WE KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

AND I MADE THE I'VE MADE THE DECISION TONIGHT THAT WHEN I MAKE A DECISION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE UNPOPULAR, MAY BE UNPOPULAR, I INTEND TO BLAME IT ON MONIQUE, BERNIE, TAYLOR OR PHIL BY SAYING, WELL, I CALLED THEM FOR ADVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD DO.

SO. BUT THANKS GUYS, IT'S BEEN GREAT.

APPRECIATE YOU. DIRECTOR GEORGE WOW.

COMING TO AN END HERE.

YEAH BEFORE WE GET INTO MY GOODBYES TO THESE GUYS DOWN AT THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARD, THE CAREER ACADEMY KIDS STOLE THE SHOW DOWN THERE WITH THE FIRE.

FIRE MED, TECHS, COOKS I MEAN, THEY HAD IT ALL THAT BOOTH WAS SURROUNDED, AND THEY HAD SOME CHEF WHO HAD ANOTHER BOOTH COME AND GRAB A BUNCH OF THOSE KIDS TO COOK UP SOME STUFF AT HIS BOOTH AND STUFF.

SO WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

I TELL YOU WHAT, THOSE KIDS, THEY LOVED IT ANYWAY.

WOW. NOW IT IS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS WHO NOT ONLY HAVE BECOME MY FRIENDS, BUT THEY HAVE MADE AN IMPACT IN MY LIFE AND I THINK WE HAVE TO.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR.

IT'S THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF, THE ADMINISTRATION, IT'S FAMILY.

SOME AS YOU WALK THE HALLWAYS.

I LOVE WALKING BACK WHEN I BECAUSE I TAUGHT AT WEST HIGH FOR MANY YEARS, 24 YEARS, 31 YEARS IN THE DISTRICT.

IT'S LIKE WALKING HOME AND COMING TO THESE MEETINGS.

IT WAS LIKE SEEING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND I COME FROM A LARGE FAMILY.

SO I JUST ADOPTED THESE ALL OKAY, I EXPECT CHRISTMAS CARDS.

HOLD YOUR BREATH. BUT I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION.

WORK TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

GAL OVER HERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME TOUGH DISCUSSIONS.

WE DID WE HAD SOME PASSIONATE DISCUSSIONS AND WE DIDN'T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE.

BUT IF I'M GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE HELP MAKE ME A DECISION, THESE ARE THE ONES RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE AGAIN.

[01:50:02]

AND YOU CAN BE A PART OF MINE.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME.

WE'RE GOING TO LAUGH AND WE'RE GOING TO ARGUE JUST LIKE FAMILY.

AND SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO WILL BE ON ON THE BOARD WITH US IN JUST A MERE FEW MINUTES.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN GOODBYE TO THESE FOUR GREAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BECOME PART OF MY FAMILY AND SO WE BET ON FOOTBALL GAMES.

AND I EXPECT A VISIT ABOUT EVERY SO OFTEN WHEN THE SAINTS PLAY.

SO AGAIN, MONIQUE, BERNIE, TAYLOR, PHIL MY HEART TO YOU GUYS AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GEORGE.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'VE REALLY LEARNED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS THE DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER MAKES.

THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN THE MOST REVEALING THING IN MY MIND THAT I'VE LEARNED IS EVERYBODY HAS A SPECIALTY AND A PASSION FOR SOMETHING.

WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA GOING, YOU THINK YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN YOU REALLY GET INTO IT, THAT'S WHEN YOU REALLY LEARN THE PASSION AND THE INTEREST OF A PARTICULAR AREA OR A PARTICULAR SUBJECT OR GROUP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S PROBABLY PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SATISFYING THINGS YOU SEE DEVELOP OVER YEARS.

THE OTHER THING THAT.

REALLY GETS ME IS HOW THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN ON THE UNBURDENED CHALLENGE, THE PHENOMENAL BURDEN, I SHOULD SAY, CHALLENGE OF ASKING TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES, PUT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, REBUILD, PUT IN ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, FIX OUR ELO FIX SPED, FIX A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT UNFIXED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND THIS BOARD STOOD RIGHT UP AND SAID, WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO FIX THINGS THAT ARE BROKEN.

WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO MAKE THINGS BETTER, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT MAYBE WE WEREN'T DOING IT RIGHT BEFORE OR DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF WITH THIS BOARD, AND THIS ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING ON THOSE CHALLENGES AND SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN DO BETTER.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF I'M ALSO VERY PROUD OF A DISCUSSION I HAD EARLIER.

THIS EVENING AND THAT IS WITH MR. BLANKENSHIP. THANK YOU.

THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES ME CHOKE UP IS THE RETIREMENT DINNER.

IT MAKES ME CHOKE UP.

YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE LIKE MR. HAMMOND, MS. SCOLARO, MR. MICHAELSON, MR. GEORGE RETIRE FROM THIS DISTRICT AFTER DECADES OF SERVICE.

DECADES. NOT YEARS.

DECADES. THE COMMITMENT THEY'VE GIVEN TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE ADDED BENEFIT THEY'VE PROVIDED TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW GROWN ADULTS WHO ARE GRANDPARENTS, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES.

SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO AGE YOU, BUT YOU'RE GRANDPARENTS, THE KIDS YOU TAUGHT ARE GRANDPARENTS AND THE IMPROVEMENT THAT IT BRINGS TO THE DISTRICT. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOT ONLY BRINGS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, WHICH I MENTIONED, BUT IT BUILDS THE COMMUNITY.

IT EDUCATES OUR POPULATION.

IT EMPLOYS OUR CITIZENS.

THAT COMES FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE PRECIOUS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO PROTECT.

EVERYBODY SAID THAT UP HERE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF.

IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S INCREDIBLE WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO PEOPLE'S LIVES.

AND YOU MAKE US BETTER.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT.

BOARD MEMBERS.

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE NIGHT.

I DIDN'T THINK IT'D GO THIS LONG, BUT I SAID 7:30.

[01:55:02]

IS THERE A MOTION FOR SUCH? SECOND.

BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.

I'M ASSUMING THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. MOTION CARRIES AND THIS BOARD IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.