[00:00:03] >> GOOD EVENING. IT'S MAY 12, 1205 AT 6:01. [I. Call to Order] I NOW CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER. PLEASE JOIN WITH ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> >> SHANICE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> MR. EHMCKE? >> PRESENT. >> MR. GEORGE? >> HERE. >> MR. GREENWELL? >> HERE. >> MISS LEE? >> PRESENT. >> MR. MEYERS? >> HERE. >> MR. MICHAELSON? >> HERE. >> MR. MILLER? >> HERE. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? [IV. Approval of Agenda] >> SECOND, MR. PRESIDENT, COULD WE REQUEST TO HAVE CONSENT ACTION ITEM D CORRECTION TO ACCEPTANCE OF TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCEA AND THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. COULD WE HAVE THAT AS A SEPARATE ITEM RIGHT AFTER THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THAT POSSIBLE? >> YES, IT WILL BECOME ITEM E. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA? >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT. >> WE'RE DOING ABC. >> AND THAT'S IT ON THIS VOTE? >> YOU'RE RIGHT. IT WOULDN'T BE ITEM E, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON ITEM D SEPARATELY. WE'LL FLOW RIGHT INTO IT, SO I'LL GO RIGHT THERE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS INVITES [V. Citizen Input] INDIVIDUALS OR DELEGATIONS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON ANY ISSUE RELATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED ON TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA. CITIZEN INPUT ON ACTION DISCUSSION ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE TIME OF THE DISCUSSION OF EACH AGENDA ITEM. SHANICE, SAYS WE [INAUDIBLE] INPUT? >> YES. TERRY GARDNER. >> JUST CURIOSITY, IS HE THE ONLY? >> JUST ONE MORE AFTER HIM. >> WE'LL DO FIVE MINUTES. I NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, SIR. >> TERRY GARDNER, 3311 JACKSON STREET. HI. I'M HERE JUST REALLY QUICKLY TO JUST GIVE SOME GRATITUDE TO A FEW PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. MAY IS A HARD MONTH FOR ANYBODY WHO IS IN EDUCATION. I THINK IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN EDUCATION, MAN, WE'RE STRUGGLING, WE'RE PUSHING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE, WE'RE GETTING PROJECTS PUT TOGETHER, SO ON AND SO FORTH. JUST TO REMIND YOU, MAY IS LONG AND IT'S HARD, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BATTLE THROUGH. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING BOARD MEETINGS FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS OR SO, FOUR YEARS NOW, AND EVERYBODY COMES UP HERE AND ADVOCATES FOR THEMSELVES, FOR THEIR GROUP, FOR WHATEVER, AND IT'S FANTASTIC. THAT'S WHAT WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS, HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM OR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC. FOR ME TONIGHT, I WANT TO JUST GIVE SOME PRAISE AND SAY THANK YOU TO A FEW PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THIS IS VENUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO DO THE MONTHLY BLUES LETTER, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. I TRULY MISS THAT. I TRULY THINK IT WAS TAKING TOP ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM AND SAYING WERE ONE TEAM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT BACK AT SOME POINT IN TIME, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. DR. EARLEYWINE. FIRST OFF, SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS ME. KNOWS WHERE I WORK AND SUPPORTS US. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. I HEAR YOU'RE RETIRING, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR IF IT'S JUST ANOTHER CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE. BUT I SERIOUSLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I LOVE SEEING YOU COME IN TO HAWKINS AND SEEING US WITH STUDENTS AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND SUPPORTING US. I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK FROM HERE ON. TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE PAID VERY WELL DOING THIS JOB. I HEAR IT'S VOLUNTEER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE. BUT THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW. HOPEFULLY, SOMEDAY, I WILL GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AS I SAID, I WATCH THESE THINGS, I WATCH BOARDS, I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT PLEASE I'M INVITING YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN TO HARRY HAWKINS, WHEN I'M NERVOUS, I DO A LITTLE HUMOR, I'M THE BUILDING PAST THE CONSTRUCTION BUILDING. [00:05:01] [LAUGHTER] I'M LIKE TWO DOORS DOWN. THEY'RE DOING FANTASTIC THERE. WE HAVE TWO GREAT HOUSES THERE, BUT JUST BOUNCE DOWN A COUPLE MORE DOORS. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE FANTASTIC PROJECTS AND CREATIVE THINKING AND THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING IN WELDING AUTOBODY AND AUTOMOTIVES. I WELCOME YOU TO COME ANYTIME, PREFERABLY WITH STUDENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. WE'RE PACKING IN 70-80 STUDENTS EVERY DAY OR EVERY MORNING AND EVERY AFTERNOON THERE. I WELCOME YOU TO COME VISIT. TO THE OLD BOARD MEMBERS. >> THAT BE YOU, DAN. >> JAN, DAN, BOB. WOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW. IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A BASKETBALL GAME OR SOMETHING, YOU SEE THE ROLLERCOASTER RIDE WHERE THEY STAND OUT IN FRONT AND THEY DO THIS CHAIR OF ROLLERCOASTER RIDE. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU GET IT. I FEEL THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO. YOU BUCKLE LENNON AND YOU PULLED THIS WAY, YOU'RE PULLED THAT WAY, AND YOU'RE ON A HIGH, AND YOU'RE ON A LOW. THAT'S THE BEST ANALOGY THAT I CAN GIVE, BUT JUST FOR ME AND ADVOCATING FOR MYSELF AND SPEAKING FOR MYSELF HERE. MAN, CULTURE AND CLIMATE HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. IS IT GREAT? NO, WE'RE NOT TO THE TOP YET, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE DOING WELL. WE CAN SEE CHANGES. WE CAN SEE BETTER. WE CAN HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM. I HAVE HAD COMMUNICATIONS WITH ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. THAT COMES FROM YOU GUYS. KEEP BATTLING, KEEP FIGHTING. IS EVERYTHING GOING TO BE PERFECT? IS EVERYTHING GOING TO BE GREAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT THANK YOU, GUYS FOR BEING THERE. THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING. THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR DOING A JOB THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO, AND I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SHANICE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET THANKED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW YOU ACTUALLY RUN THIS ROOM. [LAUGHTER] SECRETARY OF A BUILDING, AND THEY RUN OUR BUILDINGS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> EXCUSE ME. >> FOLLOW UP. YOU GOT TO GET UP HERE AND TALK MORE. >> I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS AND SENTIMENT. BUT MAY IS A GREAT MONTH. IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH. OUTSIDE OF THAT, THOUGH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND THANK INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING THAT PERSON THAT HELPS US TURN THE PAGE FOR SUMMER AND GET READY FOR FALL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I HAVEN'T BEEN PAST THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT THIS NEXT SEMESTER. >> PLEASE DO. >> I WILL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU AGAIN. APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE SAID. I KNOW THE BOARD APPRECIATES IT, AND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET AND STAFF AND THE TEACHERS APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> SHANICE, WHO'S OUR NEXT SPEAKER? >> TINA MOVETHEHILL. >> I HOPE YOU SAID RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] >> OF COURSE, YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS. YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR TEACHING VOICE. >> WELL, THEN I WOULDN'T NEED THE MICROPHONE. PARENTS ALWAYS SAID I TALKED TOO LOUD IN RESTAURANTS. MY NAME IS TINA MOVETHEHILL, I LIVE AT 4504 CHERRY WOOD LANE HERE IN SIOUX CITY IN MORNING TIME. I HAVE HAD 33 WONDERFUL YEARS HERE IN THE SIOUX CITY DISTRICT. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU I HAVE OVER 100 SICK DAYS THAT I'M NOT GOING TO USE BECAUSE I AM RETIRING THIS YEAR. I KNOW THAT THE BOARD HAS ASKED IN THE PAST WHY SO MANY TEACHERS ARE LEAVING THE DISTRICT AND THAT YOU VALUE US AND REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE REASON BEHIND OUR DECISION. FIRST OF ALL, I DO. I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE MY KIDS, I LOVE PEOPLE I WORK WITH. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT NOW THAN IT WAS 33 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED IN THIS DISTRICT. BUT I'M NOT FEELING THE YOU VALUE US AS MUCH. IF I'M GOING BACK ON THAT IS WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY IPERS, IPERS WOULD SEND US A STATEMENT EVERY YEAR. THEY TOLD ME I WOULD RECEIVE ABOUT 5,200 A MONTH WHEN I RETIRED. WHEN I PUT IN MY FINAL PAPERWORK, HOWEVER, IT DROPPED TO 4,500. OF COURSE, I HAD TO FIND OUT WHY, AND WHEN I CALLED, THEY SAID, WHEN THEY SEND ME THE ESTIMATES, THEY ASSUME WE GET A 3% RAISE. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. WHEN I MADE A REQUEST AT THE END OF THIS YEAR TO FIND OUT, THEY SAID RIGHT, WE'LL DO A 2% RAISE AND I WOULD ONLY MAKE ABOUT $100 EXTRA PER MONTH. [00:10:05] WE DIDN'T GET A 2% RAISE. THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I DECIDED TO RETIRE THIS YEAR SINCE I DO HIT THE RULE OF 88 IN JUNE. IT REALLY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FINANCIALLY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TO STAY IN THE DISTRICT. WHO IS MY IPERS. THEN I'M LOOKING AT THE DEDUCTS IN JUNE. JUNE 2ND, 3RD, 4TH, AND 5TH, I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF ABOUT ALL THE RETIREES, BUT I WILL LOSE $1,848 AND 96 CENTS. ON JUNE 6, WHICH IS A WORK DAY. NO SUB IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME IN. I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT AT SUB PAY AND SUB PAY FOR THE LOWEST IS 165. MY TOTAL DEDUCT WOULD BE $2,013 AND 96 CENTS. SUBS ON THOSE DAYS FOR THE 2ND, 3RD, 4TH, AND 5TH, WILL BE AT A MAX OF $960. THAT MEANS THAT THE DISTRICT PROFITS $1,053 AND 96 CENTS JUST FROM ME TIMES ALL THE RETIREES THAT HAVE TO TAKE THOSE DEBUTS. I KNOW A LOT OF US RETIREES ARE LEAVING A LOT OF SICK DAYS ON THE TABLE. WE DON'T LIKE MISSING WORK. THAT'S WHY I HAVE OVER 100 SICK DAYS. MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW WE GET ONE DEDUCT OF SUB PAY PER YEAR. I HAVE NEVER TAKEN ONE IN THE 33 YEARS. I'M JUST WONDERING, DO I HAVE 33 THEN THAT I COULD USE FOR THOSE DEDUCTS OR I'M GUESSING I PROBABLY CAN'T. BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THE REASON THAT I'M LEAVING, FINANCIALLY, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR ME TO STAY. BUT I HATE DOING THAT. I PROBABLY WILL COME BACK AND SUB. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> DIRECTOR GEORGE. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR MILLER. >> TINA. >> TINA. FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE NEWER, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE TO TAKE DEDUCT FOR THOSE JUNE DAYS AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS? >> IT'S WITH IPERS, AND I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE BEHIND IT. >> I CAN SPEAK TO IT. IF THEY END THEIR SERVICE AT THE END OF JUNE, SO THEN THEY CAN RECEIVE THEIR IPERS IN JUNE. >> WHY JUNE? >> I'M SORRY, IF THEY END THEIR TEACHING DAYS IN MAY, THEY CAN GET THEIR IPERS STARTED IN JUNE. IF THEY TEACH ANY DAYS IN JUNE, THEIR IPERS DOESN'T START FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH. IF WE WOULD NOT HAVE MISSED ANY SCHOOL DAYS BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, IT JUST EXTENDED IT, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN MAY. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE AND HAD THEIR IPERS STARTED IN JUNE. WE DON'T CONTROL THAT. THAT'S IPERS, THAT'S IOWA CODE. >> THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OUR DISTRICT WAS NOT IN SCHOOL WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND US WAS IN SCHOOL? THOSE COLD DAYS. >> IT WAS INTERESTING. >> I'M JUST SAYING AND THE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE NEVER HAD IT WHERE WE WERE NOT IN SCHOOL, BUT YET WESTWOOD WAS IN SCHOOL OR [INAUDIBLE] WENT TO SCHOOL. >> I GUESS, THAT'S MY CALL, AND I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF STUDENTS AND SAFETY. >> THAT WAS WEIRD THIS YEAR. >> IT WAS A WEIRD YEAR. I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. >> AGAIN, THIS IS AN IPERS'S THING. WE DON'T HAVE ANY INPUT CONTROL INFLUENCE. >> NO, WE DON'T. >> TINA COULD LIKE TO GO INTO JUNE, BUT SHE WOULDN'T GET HER CHECK UNTIL JULY. WHICH TO ME IS ABOUT COMING BACK TO SUB IN THE DISTRICT WOULD BE FEBRUARY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THAT'S AN INSURANCE DEAL, IF I UNDERSTAND. >> I CAN'T SUB FOR MYSELF IN JUNE. >> TINA, I THINK, TOO. >> JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE PASSED A BOARD POLICY THIS YEAR THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DAYS LEFT OVER. THERE WILL BE $1 AMOUNT FOR YOU IN YOUR FIRST YEAR OUT, I BELIEVE, FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? >> I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE 62 AND A HALF. >> YEAH, YOU DO. >> I LOSE MY HUNDRED DAYS. [LAUGHTER] >> I HAD THAT OPTION TOO. I LOST MINE AS WELL. I HAD 135. >> IT'S HARD TO BE GONE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THANK YOU FOR THE EDUCATION. >> TINA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE, TOO. IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED. >> MINUS INTEREST. >> I APPRECIATE THAT, AND THE EDUCATION. DIRECTOR MILLER, THANKS FOR ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU. [00:15:06] >> SHANICE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER? >> NO. >> WE'RE AT ITEM 6, [VI. Special Recognition - Dr. Rod Earleywine] SPECIAL RECOGNITION. DR. ROD EARLEYWINE. >> YES. HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE? OH, THERE IT IS. NOW IT'S ON. SHE IS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. SHE'S BEEN IN THE AUDIENCE, I BELIEVE, FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, AND SHE SERVES AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EAST HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S ARIEL FLINT. ARIEL. [APPLAUSE] I DO HAVE JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO ADD, AND I DID GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT ARIEL. SHE'S ONE OF EAST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. SHE HOLDS THE POSITION OF SCHOOL BOARD LAISON. THAT IS WHY SHE SHOWS UP AT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS. WHATEVER GOES ON HERE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, SHE SHARES THIS WITH HER FELLOW MEMBERS STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS AT EAST HIGH. SHE'S KEY TO KEEPING OUR COUNCIL INFORMED OF ALL THAT IS HAPPENING AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SHE IS PLANNING TO ATTEND ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TO MAJOR IN MUSEUM STUDIES. ARIEL'S FAVORITE SCHOOL MEMORY HAS BEEN MOVIE NIGHTS WITH HER FRIENDS. ARIEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE EACH AND EVERY MONTH, TWICE A MONTH, MOST MONTHS, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ARIEL, I DO HAVE CERTIFICATE FOR YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH A POSITIVE PART OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. >> WE DO NEED ALL THE BOARD TOO. THAT WE PASS [INAUDIBLE]. >> SURE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THANKS, ALL. >> ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? >> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. [LAUGHTER] >> WELL, A QUESTION I HAVE. I'M GOING TO ASK ARIEL. WHO'S GOING TO BE YOUR REPLACEMENT? >> MICHELLE FABULA, SOPHOMORE YEAR, JUNIOR. >> LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING HER AS WELL. CONSENT ACTION ITEM. [VII. Consent Action Item(s)] WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THAT. ITEMS A-C. THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS ARE THE FOLLOWING: BOARD MINUTES FROM APRIL 28TH, 2025, DR. ROD EARLEYWINE, ITEM B, FINANCE REPORT, PATTY BLANKENSHIP, ITEM C, CREW AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE, JIM VANDERLOO. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS A, B, AND C? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A DISCUSSION? SHANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS A, B, AND C SAY AYE. AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS ARE APPROVED. WE ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE ON ACTION ITEM D, [VII.D. Correction to Acceptance of Tentative Agreement Between SCEA and the SCCSD – Barb Caskey] CORRECTION TO ACCEPT TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SCEA AND THE SCCSD. BARB CASKEY IS HERE, IF SHE WISHES TO SPEAK. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM D OF THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> DOES ANYONE WISH TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS MEASURE? I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS MEASURE AS THERE'S A PERCEPTION OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I UNDERSTAND NO ONE CAN PREVENT ME FROM VOTING IF I CHOOSE. AT THIS TIME, I'M CHOOSING TO ABSTAIN. >> I'LL ABSTAIN FOR THE SAME REASONS. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM D SAY AYE. [00:20:03] >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM D IS APPROVED 5-0. ITEM 8, FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENT, PATTY BLANKENSHIP. [VIII.A. FY25 Proposed Budget Amendment – Patty Blankenship] NOTICE WAS PROVIDED THAT A HEARING WOULD BE HELD AT 6:00 PM LOCAL TIME AT THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER, 627 4TH STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA, ON THE 12TH DAY OF MAY 2025 TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DISTRICT FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENT. ANY INTERESTED PARTY MAY APPEAR AND FILE OBJECTION, AND ANY INFORMATION FOR OR AGAINST THE SAME WILL BE HEARD ON THE FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENT WITH THE FINAL DECISION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS A MATTER OF RECORD. SHANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT FOR THIS HEARING? >> NO. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE FISCAL YEAR '25 PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENT. FUTURE MEETINGS. ANNUAL DISTRICT RETIREMENT DINNER, [IX. Future Meetings] 05:30 PM, MAY 14TH, 2025, CAREER ACADEMY, HOSPITALITY ROOM 118. BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, 03:30 PM, MAY 20TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. NORTH HIGH GRADUATION, 07:00 PM, MAY 27TH, 2025, TYSON EVENTS CENTER, 401 GORDON DRIVE. WEST HIGH GRADUATION, 7:00 PM, MAY 28TH, 2025, TYSON EVENTS CENTER, 401 GORDON DRIVE. EAST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, 07:00 PM, MAY 29TH, 2025, TYSON EVENTS CENTER, 401 GORDON DRIVE. JUST A REMINDER, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ARE ALL INVITED. BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, 03:00 PM ON JUNE 2ND, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM, JUNE 4TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:00 PM, JUNE 9TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, 3:00 PM, JUNE 16TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, 3:30 PM, JUNE 17TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM, JUNE 18TH, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:00 PM, JUNE 23RD, 2025, ESC BOARDROOM. AT THIS TIME, ITEM 10, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. [X. Superintendent's Report - Dr. Rod Earleywine] DR. EARLEYWINE, YOU'RE UP. >> THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. DIRECTOR LEE, MYSELF, AND DIRECTOR GEORGE ATTENDED THE CHAMBER WASHINGTON DC TRIP WHERE WE GO AND BASICALLY LOBBY WITH OUR LEGISLATORS. IT'S A VERY GOOD TRIP. ABLE TO MEET WITH OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT A COUPLE OF SCHOOL ISSUES, SUCH AS FULLY FUNDING IDEA, SPECIAL EDUCATION. AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, WE HAVE A RATHER LARGE DEFICIT. 2.8 MILLION FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO FUND 40% OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. THEY FUND 10%. THAT PUTS A BURDEN BACK ON OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS TO PAY THAT DIFFERENCE. BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD TRIP. MET WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THEY LISTEN, BUT I DON'T EXPECT A BUNCH OF DOLLARS COMING OUR WAY BECAUSE OF OUR ADVOCACY. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CHANCE RILEY. HE IS A WEST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. HE WAS CHOSEN AS ROTARY STUDENT OF THE YEAR. WE HAD THAT CELEBRATION TODAY AT NOON. VERY NICE, YOUNG MAN. I BELIEVE HE'LL HAVE A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE. THIS IS SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR TIME, EFFORT, ENERGY THAT THEY PUT INTO WHAT THEY DO. IT IS, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, A THANKLESS JOB MUCH OF THE TIME. THEY GET LOTS OF PHONE CALLS AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AT TIMES THAT NOT EVERYBODY ALWAYS AGREES WITH, BUT I DO BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR STUDENTS IN MIND WHEN THEY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. LASTLY, I'LL DO THIS NOW RATHER THAN WITH THE HR REPORT. I SPOKE WITH WENDY BRYCE TODAY. SHE'S A CAREER ACADEMY TEACHER FOR THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION. SHE SAID, "HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE," I BELIEVE SHE SAID 10, "STUDENTS THAT GRADUATED FROM [00:25:03] SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN HIRED WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OR SO TO BE TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT?" I SAID, "I DID NOT KNOW THAT." BUT SHE JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW SHE FEELS THAT GROWING YOUR OWN AND REALLY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND COMING BACK HOME AND TEACHING. SHE BELIEVES THAT'S STARTING TO PAY OFF. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT, BUT SHE DID POINT THAT OUT TO ME TODAY, SO I TOLD HER I WAS GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD TONIGHT AND WITH THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. [APPLAUSE] WITH THAT, I WILL END MY REPORT. THANK YOU. >> WE ARE ON TO ITEM 11, [XI.A. Human Resources Report(s) – Barb Caskey] ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND OR ACTION. ITEM A, HUMAN RESOURCE REPORT, BARB CASKEY. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE HUMAN RESOURCE REPORT? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> ON THE NEW HIRE POSITIONS, THESE ARE CREATING NEW POSITIONS. I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ALL WITHIN OUR BUDGET FOR '26 AND WE HAD PLANNED THAT IN THAT BUDGET. IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> DIRECTOR MEYERS. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND THE HUMAN RESOURCES PEOPLE FOR KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THESE COMINGS AND GOINGS AND PAY RAISES AND CHANGES PLUS THE LISTING OF THE POSITIONS YET TO FILL. I'M GLAD THAT THE REPORT COMES OUT ELECTRONICALLY INSTEAD OF BY PAPER BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE TREES WOULD WEEP. >> A LITTLE GREEN PIECE HERE AT THE END OF THE BENCH. [LAUGHTER] I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST. HERE WE GO. SHANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> I'M JUST GOING TO REMIND EVERYONE, IF ANYONE WISHES TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS MEASURE, PLEASE DO SO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES. ACHIEVEMENT UPDATE, [XI.B. Student Achievement Update – Elementary Music – Amy Denney] ELEMENTARY MUSIC, AMY DENNEY. WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW THE PRESENTERS TO COME UP. I THOUGHT THEY PROMISED THEY WERE GOING TO SING HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN FOR ME, BUT I GUESS NOT. [LAUGHTER] I LOVE THAT SONG. >> THAT WAS NOT A PART OF OUR PRESENTATION, BUT THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GEORGE. >> I THOUGHT WE AGREED TO IT IN PASSING. I'M SORRY. >> NO, I DON'T REMEMBER AN AGREEMENT OF THAT. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SHARE ONE OF OUR FINAL CURRICULUM AREAS OF UPDATE THIS YEAR. THIS IS OUR FOURTH THIS YEAR. WITH THAT, THEN IN THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, I'LL BE BRINGING FORTH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING ALL YEAR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. TONIGHT, I'M EXCITED TO BRING OUR ELEMENTARY MUSIC SPECIALISTS UP. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO REVIEW OUR CURRICULUM AND TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR. BURTON, WHO IS OUR HEAD MUSIC TEACHER, AND HE'LL INTRODUCE EVERYONE ELSE. >> WELCOME. >> THANK YOU FOR HEARING US TONIGHT. MY NAME IS SEAN BURTON, AND I'M THE ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR AT EAST HIGH SCHOOL, EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, MORNINGSIDE ELEMENTARY, AND SUNNYSIDE ELEMENTARY. I'M HONORED TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TO REPRESENT THIS GROUP OF OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS. AS A PERSON WHO'S BEEN IN EVERY CLASSROOM SPACE WHERE MUSIC IS TAUGHT AND WHO HAS WITNESSED THE EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY OF OUR EDUCATORS, I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE THESE FOLKS TO YOU. FIRST, MS. EMILY COLE, WHO IS AT BRYANT ELEMENTARY, AND THEN MS. CARLA GREEN, WHO IS AT LEEDS ELEMENTARY, AND THEN MS. SHALEY MORSE, WHO IS AT UNITY AND BRYANT ELEMENTARY, MS. JODY NIEUWENDORP, WHO IS AT HUNT AND IRVING ELEMENTARY, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MS. KARIN SWANSON, WHO IS AT PERRY CREEK. >> RAISE YOUR HAND IF MUSIC HAS MOVED YOU IN SOME WAY. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CAN SING A SONG THAT YOU LEARNED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SECOND GRADE. FINALLY, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CAN RECALL A MOMENT WHEN MUSIC ENHANCED AN EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WERE HAVING. >> IN TERMS OF OUR TIMELINE FOR THIS PROCESS, IT WAS THREE YEARS OF WORK. YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE. FIRST, WE REVIEWED THE CURRENT CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT OF OUR NEEDS, THEN DEVELOPED OUR POWER STANDARDS AND REVISED OUR ASSESSMENTS AND RUBRICS, CAME UP WITH A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, [00:30:01] AND NOW WE ARE HERE TALKING WITH YOU. >> I WILL NOW READ OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO READ ALONG WITH ME IN YOUR HEAD. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO ENHANCE ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATION AND PROVIDE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN MUSIC BY UPDATING AND DIVERSIFYING RESOURCES TO REFLECT THE EVOLVING DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENT BODY. WE AIM TO PROVIDE INCLUSIVE MATERIALS AND OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF TO EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE THESE RESOURCES. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL UPDATE AND REPLACE CLASSROOM INSTRUMENTS TO ENSURE AN OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, FOSTERING LONG CURRICULUM, CONTINUITY, AND ENGAGEMENT. WHAT DOES ELEMENTARY MUSIC LOOK LIKE IN SIOUX CITY? MY TEAM AND I TEACH EVERY SINGLE ELEMENTARY STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT. WE TEACH ALL 6,742 TK THROUGH FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS. EACH STUDENT HAS MUSIC TWICE A WEEK FOR 30 MINUTES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 12 FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME STAFF MEMBER ON THAT TEAM, AND FOUR OF US TRAVEL BETWEEN SCHOOL BUILDINGS. >> WE BELIEVE THAT MUSIC IS FOR ALL STUDENTS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF STUDENTS AT HUNT. THEY ARE MY FIRST GRADERS AND THEY ARE PERFORMING A MOVEMENT PIECE. I'M GOING TO READ THIS FOR YOU. AMERICAN COMPOSER AND CONDUCTOR LEONARD BERNSTEIN FAMOUSLY SAID, CHILDREN MUST RECEIVE MUSICAL INSTRUCTION AS NATURALLY AS FOOD AND WITH AS MUCH PLEASURE AS THEY DERIVE FROM A BASEBALL GAME. THIS MUST HAPPEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THEIR SCHOOL LIVES. NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FEW PICTURES THAT SHOW OUR STUDENTS IN ACTION. NOW, THIS IS OUR ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. ALL THE GRADE LEVELS USE CLASSROOM INSTRUMENTS. WE DO MOVEMENT, FOLK DANCING, WE USE WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING, OR SHOW WORK, AND WE PLAY THE RECORDERS. OUR TK THROUGH FIRST GRADE USE THE FIRST STEPS OF MUSIC BY DR. JOHN FEIERABEND, WHERE THEY LEARN TO BE TUNEFUL, BEATFUL, AND ARTFUL. OUR SECOND GRADE THROUGH FIFTH GRADE USE CONVERSATIONAL SOLFEGE BY DR. JOHN FEIERABEND, AND THAT'S OUR MUSIC LITERACY PROGRAM. THEY ALSO HAVE SPECIAL EXPERIENCES. IN SECOND GRADE, WE GET TO SEE OPERA IOWA FROM DES MOINES COME HERE. OUR THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS GET TO PARTICIPATE, LINK UP WITH THE SIOUX CITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. >> AS OUR TEAM STARTED TO DEVELOP AND DISCUSS AND FIGURE OUT, WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT? WE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE NATIONAL CORE ARTS STANDARDS FOR MUSIC. WITHIN THOSE STANDARDS, THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS, PERFORMING, CREATING, RESPONDING, AND CONNECTING. AS A TEAM, WE TOOK THE STANDARDS AND WE UNWRAPPED THEM AND WE REVISED THEM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN TK, OUR STUDENTS WILL DO ANYTHING FROM USING THEIR SPEAKING VOICE, KEEPING A STEADY BEAT, MOVING THEIR BODIES, AND THEN WE END WITH EVALUATING THEIR SINGING VOICE. THIS CONTINUES THROUGH. LIKE JODY TALKED ABOUT, FIRST, WE DO TUNEFUL, ARTFUL, BEATFUL, AND THEN BY SECOND GRADE, OUR STUDENTS START READING MUSIC, AND OUR STUDENTS START EXPERIENCING MUSIC LITERACY, AND THAT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH FIFTH GRADE. CONVERSATIONAL SOLFEGE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. WHAT IT IS IS IT'S THE STEPS TO BECOMING LITERATE IN MUSIC. EACH OF THOSE UNITS THAT WE TAKE OUR STUDENTS THROUGH HELP THEM TO EXPERIENCE MUSIC THROUGH WROTE, THROUGH LISTENING, AND THEN THEY DECODE THE MUSIC. THAT MEANS THAT THEY FIGURE OUT, IS THIS DO AND DO DAY, OR WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THEY GET TO CREATE THE MUSIC. THEY GET TO READ, AND FINALLY, THEY GET TO WRITE AS WELL. THERE'S 12 STEPS THAT WE TAKE OUR SECOND THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO READ AND WRITE MUSIC. >> ONE OF THE TASKS THAT WE TOOK ON WITH THIS COMMITTEE WAS GOING THROUGH THE RUBRICS AND WE REVISE RUBRICS FOR EACH POWER STANDARD FOR TK-5TH GRADE, AND THOSE ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOU ON THIS DOCUMENT. WE ALSO WORKED ON LESSON PLANS FOR THE CONVERSATIONAL SOLFEGE, WHICH IS THE OLDER STUDENTS, 2ND-5TH GRADE. [00:35:04] WE ALSO WROTE LESSON PLAN EXAMPLES SO THAT EACH GRADE LEVEL HAS LESSON PLAN EXAMPLES, WHICH WASN'T NECESSARILY DONE IN THE PAST. WE ESPECIALLY HAD OUR NEW TEACHERS IN MIND SO THAT THE CURRICULUM WOULD BE SET UP AND THEY COULD GO RUNNING WITH IT AND IT WASN'T REINVENTING EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. [INAUDIBLE] >> WHEN IT COMES TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM. THE LAST FORMAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FOR FIRST STEPS IN MUSIC CONVERSATIONAL SOLFEGE, AND WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING WERE IN 2017 AND 2019, RESPECTIVELY. CURRENTLY, FIVE OUT OF OUR 13 TEACHERS HAVE RECEIVED DISTRICT PD ON FIRST STEPS IN MUSIC CONVERSATIONAL SOLFEGE, AND WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ONGOING OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE CURRENT CURRICULUM. WE DO A LOT OF INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT ON THOSE DAYS THAT WE'RE GRANTED TO WORK TOGETHER, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTSIDE EXPERTS. BY PROVIDING ONGOING, COMPREHENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT, WE AIM TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY, ENHANCE TEACHING PRACTICES, AND IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES IN THE MUSIC PROGRAM. HERE'S TWO CLINICIANS THAT WE IDENTIFY, THAT WE'D LIKE TO BRING IN. WE'VE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM ABOUT THE DATES AND MS. DENNEY [INAUDIBLE] WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE [INAUDIBLE] MUSIC ASSOCIATION AND IS ALSO A PRACTICING TEACHER. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT VERY MUCH THAT WE'RE NOT JUST BRINGING IN PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER TEACHING OR HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM FOR 20 YEARS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED AS EDUCATORS EVERY SINGLE DAY. HER QUOTE HERE INCLUDES LODGING AND TRAVEL. SHE'S FROM INDIANA. THEN HERE'S HER BACKGROUND HERE. SHE HAS 20 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, GRADUATE DEGREES, ETC. THAT'S THERE FOR YOU TO REVIEW. THE NEXT ONE WE WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING, AND PAUL CORBIE, WHO TEACHES IN IOWA CITY AND IS AN EXPERT IN WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING. WE WANTED TO HAVE A ONE-DAY WORLD MUSIC PD WITH HIM, WHICH ALSO INTEGRATES CLASSROOM INSTRUMENTS AND RECORDERS. THEN HERE'S A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT PAUL. THEN, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WE WANT TO HAVE SOME OFFSHORE WORK PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S REALLY TOO EARLY TO QUOTE THAT OUT, BUT THAT'S ON OUR DESIRES. >> IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023, WE SENT OUT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT LIST TO OUR TEACHERS, JUST ASKING THEM HOW MANY TAMBOURINES DO YOU HAVE, WHAT CONDITION ARE THEY IN, AND HOW MANY WOULD YOU REQUIRE IN YOUR CLASSROOM. FROM THAT SURVEY, WE DEVELOPED A LIST OF NEEDS THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOMS AND THOSE ARE LINKED THERE. >> IN CONCLUSION, THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO ELEVATE ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATION BY INVESTING IN UPDATED MATERIALS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF, AND MODERNIZED CLASSROOM INSURANCE. WE AIM TO CREATE AN ENGAGING AND EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO FOSTER A DEEPER, MORE INCLUSIVE CONNECTION TO MUSIC FOR ALL STUDENTS. WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS REQUEST. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> BOARD MEMBERS, TONIGHT, WE'RE JUST ASKING THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE REPORT. WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO COMMIT ANY FINANCIAL OBLIGATION TO THE REQUEST THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU. WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS-UP THAT THAT WILL BE COMING AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, AND IT WILL ALL BE DETAILED WITH FUNDING SOURCES. >> BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> WELL, DAN. >> GOOD. [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, COMMENT THAT WE AT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR PRESENTATION. I THOUGHT WE HAD A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW INTEGRAL MUSIC EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY LEVELS ARE TO OUR CORE OF PARTICULARLY MATHEMATICS, AND PERHAPS YOU COULD EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CLASS ON TWO FRONTS. ONE IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE RHYTHMS, YOU'RE LEARNING ABOUT COUNTING AND YOU'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE LENGTH OF MEASURES SO THAT IF YOU HAVE A WHOLE NOTE, THEN YOU LEARN ABOUT THERE'S FOUR QUARTER NOTES IN A WHOLE, YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND SOME BASIC MATH CONCEPTS THAT SERVE THE STUDENTS WELL WHEN THEY'RE AT FIFTH GRADE AND PARTICULARLY IN SIXTH GRADE AND START LEARNING ABOUT FRACTIONS. I APPRECIATED THE VERY POSITIVE CONVERSATION WE HAD ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN THE ELEMENTARY MUSIC CLASSROOMS TO HELP US WITH STUDENTS IN MATH. WE KNOW THAT THE ROAD TO MATH EXCELLENCE IS THROUGH THE MUSIC ROOM, AND YOU WERE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THAT WELL. I WAS ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO HEAR. HOW WELL WHAT YOU'RE DOING WORKS FOR OUR ELL STUDENTS, [00:40:02] BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE KNOWING A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE TO DO WHAT YOU DO. I WONDER IF YOU MIGHT ELABORATE A LITTLE FOR THE REST OF OUR BOARD. >> AT THE MEETING WITH YOU GUYS LAST WEEK, WE MENTIONED HOW STUDENTS COME IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO OUR CLASSROOMS, AND WE AREN'T ALWAYS AWARE WHERE THEY'RE FROM OR IF THEY'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY VERY LONG OR ANYTHING. ONE THING THAT I NOTICED IS THAT OFTEN THOSE STUDENTS ARE SINGING AND THEY'RE CLAPPING AND THEY'RE PLAYING INSTRUMENTS, AND A TEACHER WILL ASK ME A MONTH AFTER I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, WELL, DID YOU KNOW THAT STUDENT SPEAKS NO ENGLISH, AND I DIDN'T, BECAUSE THEY COULD SING AND THEY COULD PLAY THE INSTRUMENTS, AND THEY COULD DO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, AND THAT IS JUST AMAZING TO ME. IT'S A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. MUSIC IS ALL OVER THE WORLD, DANCING IS ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THE KIDS LOVE TO DO THAT, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO DO THAT. DO THAT. YOU GUYS, ANYBODY ELSE CAN JUMP IN? >> I MADE A COMMENT THAT I NOTICED SOME OF THE KIDS THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, BUT LIKE SHE SAID, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT. BUT WHEN THEY COME TO MUSIC, THEY SMILE, AND SOME OF THEM HAVEN'T PROBABLY SMILED ALL DAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THEM, AND WE'LL START DOING SOMETHING, AND IT'S LIKE THIS LOOK IN THEIR EYES. I'M TALKING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE. LIKE, OH, I CAN DO THIS, I UNDERSTAND. IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT FEELING TO KNOW THAT THE KIDS ARE CONNECTING WITH US IN THAT WAY AND THAT WE CAN GET THEM A FEELING OF WE BELONG HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN. >> DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> THIS IS REGARDING CLASS SIZES AND HOW YOU TEACH. DO YOU BRING AN INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOM IN TO TEACH, 25 STUDENTS OR SO, SO YOU DON'T COMBINE TWO CLASSES FOR 50 STUDENTS, NOT TOO OFTEN? ANYWAY, MAYBE, KIND OF. HOW DO YOU TEACH? THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. >> WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. >> INDIVIDUAL CLASSES OR COMBINED? >> WE HAVE COMBINED, BUT CURRENTLY, EACH CLASS HAS MUSIC TWICE A WEEK FOR 30 MINUTES. >> WHAT'S AN INDIVIDUAL CLASS OF 25 OR LESS WITH ELEMENTARY? >> YES. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU. >> THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY, MS. DENNEY, THIS IS THE SECOND GROUP YOU'VE BROUGHT IN THAT HAS AMAZED ME WITH THE FUTURISTIC THINKING OF DOWN THE ROAD FOR NEW TEACHERS. HAVING BEEN ONE MYSELF, AND ONCE YOU FINALLY GET YOUR JOB, THEN IT'S, NOW WHAT IN THE HECK DO I DO? WHERE DO I START? HELPING THOSE NEW TEACHERS OUT, YOU GUYS, I HOPE THE OTHER GROUPS TAKE NOTICE COMING IN THAT THAT'S HOW WE KEEP TEACHERS IN THE BUSINESS, IS WITH THE EXPERIENCED TEACHERS SAYING, THE ONLY WAY THIS IS GOING TO WORK IS IF WE HELP THE NEW ONES OUT BECAUSE THEY'VE LEARNED THE METHODOLOGY. IT'S LEARNED BEHAVIOR. THEY'VE LEARNED HOW TO BE A TEACHER, BUT NOW THEY HAVE TO BE THE TEACHER. LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE SECOND GROUP YOU BROUGHT IN THAT HAVE AMAZED ME AT THAT THINKING PROCESS. I THINK MATH WAS THE OTHER ONE THAT JUST BLEW ME AWAY. I WISH I HAD THAT COMING IN BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S ALMOST TERRITORIAL. LET'S BE HONEST, YOU GO TO ASK THE OTHER HISTORY TEACHERS, FOR ME, OR PE, OR SPECIAL ED, IT WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU'LL LEARN. IT'S LIKE NO ONE HELPED ME, BUT NOW IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TO REALLY TEAM UP AND BE GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS AND YOUR METHODOLOGY THAT YOU BROKE IT DOWN, EVEN FOR A NON-MUSIC PERSON, I UNDERSTOOD. NO, I CAN'T SING NOR DANCE. MAYBE 1980 STYLE, THAT'D BE ABOUT IT. [LAUGHTER]. MAYBE A TAMBOURINE. >> PRESIDENT GEORGE, I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT FOR JUST A SECOND ON THE METHODOLOGY THAT I'VE SEEN. THIS IS MY THIRD INCARNATION ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. PRIOR INCARNATIONS, THE ADOPTION OF NEW CURRICULUM WAS HANDLED SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY. IT REMINDED ME OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. TWO SIDES. >> YOU WERE IN THE CIVIL WAR? >> YES. [LAUGHTER]. [00:45:01] >> DO YOU REMEMBER IT WELL? [OVERLAPPING]. >> I REMEMBER IT WELL. I WAS A GRANDFATHER TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN, YES. BUT TO HAVE EVERYBODY TOGETHER AS A TEAM, FOCUSING ON WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM AND THE WAYS TO BRING IT ABOUT IN A VERY STRUCTURED MANNER. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SAVED A WHOLE BUNCH OF EMAILS AND EVEN A FEW PHONE CALLS, PLUS JUST SEEING THE RESULT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WORKING, AGREEING ON WHAT TO DO, AND THEN GOING FORWARD TOGETHER IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. >> DIRECTOR LEE. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. WELL, I WON'T SAY WE DO, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I DO KNOW THAT MUSIC IS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. HAVE WE EXTENDED THIS INTO MATH, INCORPORATING MUSIC AND MOVEMENT, AND DANCE INTO MATH? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TRIED? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY, WE HAVE. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER PRESENTATION. BUT YES, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE INCORPORATED IN PARTNER WITH MUSIC AND THEY SEE THE BENEFIT OF INCORPORATING THE ARTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TEACHERS TO DO. BUT YES, MUSIC IS A PART OF EVERYTHING, AND SOME OF OUR TEACHERS EMBRACE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE EXCITEDLY THAN OTHERS BECAUSE SOME ARE RELUCTANT DANCERS AND SINGERS LIKE PRESIDENT GEORGE. BUT REALLY, EVERYONE CAN DO IT, IT'S JUST SOME AREN'T AS CONFIDENT. WE HELP THEM FIND THEIR CONFIDENCE. THANK YOU. >> I WAS NOT GOOD AT DANCING, NO. [LAUGHTER]. >> BUT MOST OF THEM ARE GOOD WITH THE INSTRUMENTS, AND THEY CAN MAKE A RHYTHM, AND FROM THE RHYTHM, THEY CAN LEARN MATH CONCEPTS, I THINK IS WHAT DIRECTOR LEE WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW SPANISH OR ENGLISH TO DO THAT. WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES YOU A MORE COLLABORATIVE CLASSROOM IN WHICH TO PRESENT CONCEPTS LIKE HOW LONG IS A MEASURE AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HALF AND A WHOLE, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. I WANT TO SALUTE YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN THAT DIRECTION. >> AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SHANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE]. >> THANK YOU TO THE OTHER MUSIC TEACHERS WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT TO SUPPORT US. [APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER]. >> YOU COULD HAVE HAD THOSE DO THE SINGING. JUST ENCOURAGE A LITTLE MORE ACTIVITY. ITEM C, FISCAL YEAR 25 PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENT, PATTY BLANKENSHIP. [XI.C. FY25 Proposed Budget Amendment – Patty Blankenship] IF PATTY WISHES TO PRESENT, SHE CAN. YOU'LL BE PRESENTING SOME STUFF? >> NO. THIS IS REALLY JUST THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT YOU SAW AT THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING. NONE OF THE SLIDES HAVE CHANGED. WE'RE JUST AMENDING THE FY 25 BUDGET. THE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROL IS AT THE FUNCTION LEVEL. THIS IS WHAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER, AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADOPT THE FY 25 BUDGET AMENDMENT. >> BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? >> I'LL MOVE TO ADOPT THE AMENDMENT. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> DIRECTOR GREENWELL. >> PATTY, I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ATTACHED TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, NOT THIS ONE, BUT ARE YOU GOING TO WALK US THROUGH WHAT WE DO FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT MAKES UP THE '25 AND '26 BUDGET PROCESS AND THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM? IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, OR SHOULD WE SAVE IT FOR THAT DAY? >> IT'S PART OF THE NEXT PRESENTATION. I'M NOT GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE DETAILS PROVIDED IN THE BOARD PACKET, BUT I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT PROCESS. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE JUST ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT WE GOT, THE BIGGEST ONE BEING THE BUSES, AND THERE'S NO TAX INCREASE, NO LEVY INCREASE, ANYTHING ON CITIZENS? CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> WE HAD THE FIRST, WE HAD A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SHANICE, ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. >> ITEM D, FISCAL YEAR 26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND BUDGET PROCESS. [XI.D. FY26 General Fund Budget and the Budget Process – Patty Blankenship] PATTY BLANKENSHIP, YOU'RE UP. [00:50:02] >> THE BOARD PACKET INCLUDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FY 26 BUDGET, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED AT PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. I'M NOT GOING TO REVIEW ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TONIGHT IN DETAIL, BUT I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET PROCESS. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND MONITORING PROCESSES ARE DETAILED AND WELL-DESIGNED. MY STAFF AND I HAVE WORKED HARD ON DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING SOUND BUDGETING PRACTICES, AND I AM PROUD OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE BUILT. AS ALWAYS, I CONTINUE TO EVALUATE PROCESSES AND IMPROVE THEM AS NEEDED. THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE HAVE BUILT IS NOT ONLY THE WORK OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT, AND THE DIRECTORS. THEIR SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL IN ORDER FOR US TO SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET, WHICH I BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE. THE EARLY RECOMMENDATION HERE IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE FY 26 BUDGET AND ON THE BUDGET PROCESS AS A WHOLE. >> THANK YOU, PATTY. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> NO QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU, PATTY, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT, PATTY, YOU CAN STAY UP THERE IF YOU DON'T MIND, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT PATTY AND HER TEAMS PUTS TOGETHER AND PROVIDES TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. IF YOU LOOK ON THAT VERY FIRST PAGE, THE MATRIX, THEY DEVELOP A BUDGET AT A DETAILED GENERAL LEDGER ACCOUNT BASIS, SALARIES, WAGES, EXPENSES, UTILITIES, EVERY SINGLE ACCOUNT. I THINK SHE'S GOT A REPORT IN HERE THAT SHOWS THAT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY DEVELOP IT BY FUND, BY FACILITY. >> BUILDING, FUNCTION, WHICH ARE THE MAJOR FUNCTIONS, INSTRUCTION, STUDENT SERVICES, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW IN THOSE CATEGORIES, THE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROL BY PROGRAM SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROGRAMS, REGULAR ED, SPED, AND THEN BY PROJECT. OUR BUDGET AND THE WAY THAT SHE PUTS THIS TOGETHER IS EXTREMELY DETAILED AND EXTREMELY COMPREHENSIVE WHEN YOU ROLL IT UP TOGETHER. I THINK YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DETAILED REPORTS THAT SHE'S PROVIDED IN THIS AGENDA ITEM AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE DO BUDGET DOWN AT A VERY DETAILED LEVEL. IT'S NOT A BLANK CHECK PROGRAM. IT IS NOT A BLANK CHECK PROGRAM, AND WE DO HAVE CONTROL OF OUR BUDGET, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT 25 BUDGETS AND SEE THOSE, AND 26 HAS SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR. IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT FIRST PAGE, THE MATRIX, SHE GIVES TO US A REPORT EVERY MONTH THAT SHOWS THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES BASED UPON ACTUAL AND BASED UPON BUDGET BY FUND. YES, THOSE ARE AGGREGATE LEVELS, BUT THEY'RE BACKED UP BY ALL THE DETAIL ITEMS ON THE GENERAL LEDGER. IN THAT ONE REPORT WHERE YOU CAN SEE SALARIES, WAGES, AND BENEFITS, THOSE AGGREGATE TO THE SALARY, WAGES, AND BENEFITS LINE ITEM ON WHAT WE SEE EVERY SINGLE MONTH. BUDGET TO ACTUAL BY FUND. THEY DO AGGREGATE UP. IT DOES ALL ROLL UP TOGETHER. IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE, AND THE IDEA THAT FOLKS WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DON'T BUDGET AN AMATEURISH IDEA, AND IF THEY WANT TO LOOK INTO ANY DETAIL, ALL OF IT'S AVAILABLE. IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, AND YOU STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT IT, IT'S A FOUR LETTER WORD, L-A-Z-Y, LAZY. ALL THIS IS AVAILABLE. HER DEPARTMENT HAS IT ALL. THEY AGGREGATE IT VERY WELL, AND THEY MANAGE IT. IN TONIGHT'S MATERIALS THAT ARE ON EACH BOARD MEMBERS DIS AND OUT ON THE CABINETS DIS IS A HISTORY FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS OF OUR FUND BALANCES AND OUR SPENDING AUTHORITY. FOR ANYONE TO SUGGEST WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THIS BUDGET, I THINK THEY'RE FOOLING THEMSELVES AND JUST MAKING IT UP. IT'S FALSE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND BALANCES THAT WE'VE BUILT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE AT AND THE SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT WE'VE BUILT, WE'RE ONE OF THE VERY STRONGEST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE NOW. WE USED TO BE ONE OF THE WEAKEST IN THE STATE. [OVERLAPPING] >> CAN I JUST INTERRUPT ALL SAID AND DONE, PATTY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DO, AND THE FORMING THAT WE DO IT IS PRETTY MUCH REQUIRED BY THE STATE, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. >> WELL, I THINK YES. WHAT WAS PRESENTED ON APRIL 14TH WHERE THE BOARD WAS ASKED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET WAS IN THE FORMAT THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE AT THE FUNCTION LEVEL, [00:55:03] THOSE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROLS. BUT THERE IS LOTS OF WORK, WHICH IS AND DETAIL BEHIND THOSE LEGAL LEVEL OF CONTROLS. THOSE AREN'T JUST BIG BUCKETS THAT SAY INSTRUCTION WITH NO DETAIL BEHIND HIM, WHICH IS WHAT DAN IS EXPLAINING AND WHAT THESE DETAILED REPORTS THAT ARE MINE SHOW THAT THERE'S ALL TYPES OF DETAIL THAT WRAP UP INTO THOSE FUNCTIONS, AND THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD. >> THANK YOU. WELL, I GUESS, IN SUMMARY, THIS DISTRICT, UNDER PATTY'S FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP, HAS PRACTICED EXCELLENT BUDGETING SKILLS, EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT SKILLS, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE GROWTH NOR THE UNSPENT AUTHORIZED BALANCE GROWTH, ONE OF THE TOP DISTRICTS IN THE STATE AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE AND GROWTH OF THOSE, IF IT WASN'T FOR MS. BLAKENSHIP AND HER TIGHT CONTROLS OVER BUDGET, AND TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE COMFORTED KNOWING THAT OUR AVERAGE TAX INCREASE, ACTUAL TAXES COLLECTED, NOT LEVY RATE, NOT APPRAISED VALUE OR TAXABLE VALUE. OUR ACTUAL TAXES COLLECTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ARE LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT FOR A YEAR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE'VE BEEN FRIENDLY TO TAXPAYERS IN ADDITION TO MANAGING THE DISTRICT'S FUNDS AS WELL. AGAIN, FOLKS WHO DON'T THINK THAT WE DO, I THINK ARE TAKING AN AMATEURS VIEW OF IT AND NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THE DETAIL BECAUSE ALL OF THE DETAIL TO BACK IT UP IS THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PATTY. >> THANK YOU. >> YES. THANK YOU. >> THEN, LET ME SEE SOME INPUT. BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE FISCAL YEAR 26 GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. ITEM E, SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOL, AMY DENNEY, [XI.E. Safe and Civil Schools – Amy Denney] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SURFACES FOR SAFE AND CIVIL SCHOOLS FOR THE 2025, 2026 SCHOOL YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF 80,000 PLUS TRAVEL EXPENSES OF THE PRESENTER. >> SOME MOVED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST, A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? [INAUDIBLE] INPUT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES, 7-0. ITEM F. ISTATION LECTURER, DR. MANDY BRADFORD, [XI.F. Istation Lectura – Dr. Mandi Bradford] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL PURCHASE OF ISTATION LECTURE ONLINE LEARNING SUITE AND ACCOMPANYING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM [INAUDIBLE] LEARNING FOR THE 2025, 2026 SCHOOL YEAR, IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,590. IS THERE A MOTION? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE FIRST WE HAVE SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS THERE ANY DISCUSSION. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. >> DIRECTOR MICHAELSON. >> MANDY, AS I UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS CURRICULUM MEETS KIDS WHERE THEY'RE AT, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. >> IF THEY'RE VERY LOW LEVEL, WE HAVE LOW LEVEL AND IT KIND GRADUALLY GOES UP. >> IT'S AN ONLINE PROGRAM [INAUDIBLE]. >> WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT BESIDES IMMERSION THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT RECENTLY, THAT WE ARE ALSO PART OF OUR CURRICULUM IS MEETING THE KIDS WHERE THEY ARE. >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM G. AGREEMENT FOR APPLICATION WITH [XI.G. Agreement for Application with Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System Board (ISICSB) – Tim Paul] THE IOWA STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BOARD ISISB, MR. TIM PAUL, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE IOWA STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BOARD TO CONNECT O&M AND TRANSPORTATION [INAUDIBLE] TO THEIR SYSTEM. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANICE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM H, FISCAL YEAR CONTRACT FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES [XI.H. FY25 Contract for Transportation Services between SCCSD and Live Well Home-Health Care – Tim Paul] BETWEEN SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LIVE WELL HOME HEALTHCARE. TIM PAUL, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BETWEEN THE SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LIVE WELL HOME HEALTHCARE FOR THE 25, 26 SCHOOL YEAR? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST WAVE OF [INAUDIBLE]. BOARD MEMBERS THERE ANY DISCUSSION. SHANICE. CITIZEN SAY SOME INPUT. >> YEAH. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [01:00:02] >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NAY. MOTION PASSED IN 7-0. ITEM I. FISCAL YEAR CONTRACT FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BETWEEN [XI.I. FY26 Contract for Transportation Services Between the SCCSD and D&Z Transportation LLC – Tim Paul] THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND DZ TRANSPORTATION LLC. TIM PAUL, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BETWEEN THE SIOUX COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND DZ TRANSPORTATION LLC FOR SERVICE FOR REGULAR ENROLLED DISTRICT STUDENTS FOR THE 25, 26 SCHOOL YEAR. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST MOVED THEN SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SHANICE, CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NAY? MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM J VERIZON RIGHT OF ENTRY AT PERRY CREEK, TIM PAUL. [XI.J. Verizon Right of Entry at Perry Creek – Tim Paul] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RIGHT OF ENTRY AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON WIRELESS AND ALLOW THEM TO CONDUCT A SITE SURVEY AND RANIAL STUDIES FOR A POSSIBLE FUTURE LEASE FOR A STEALTH CELL TOWER AT PERRY CREEK? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS OR A DISCUSSION. DIRECTOR GREEN. >> YES. MR. PAUL, I THINK YOU TOLD US IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT THIS IS PURELY FOR A STUDY. WE'RE NOT AGREEING TO ANY AGREEMENT OR ANY TOWER SITE OR ALLOWING ANYTHING ONLY FOR THEM TO STUDY AND DECIDE A, IF IT WORKS FOR THEM AND B, THEY'LL COME BACK AT SOME POINT IF THEY WANT AND MAKE US AN OFFER FOR SPACE LEASE OR TOWER LEASE, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT AT SOME FUTURE DATE, IF APPLICABLE, IS THAT FAIR? >> THAT IS FAIR. YEAH. ONCE THEY PERFORM THE STUDY, THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW IF A, IT'S A FEASIBLE SITE FOR THEM AND THEN B WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT IF THAT WORKS OUT IN THEIR FAVOR. >> THANKS FOR THAT INFORMATION. WHAT IS THE STUDY? WHAT ARE THEY SURVEYING? >> IT'S A RADIO SIGNAL STUDY. THEY'RE STUDYING IF THAT LOCATION WOULD PROVIDE THE FREQUENCIES AND COVERAGES THAT THEY NEEDED FOR THAT AREA. >> IT WOULD BE A DISGUISED TOWER, LIKE A FAKE TREE, NOT THE BIG METAL CELL TOWER. >> IT'S LIKE A RADIUS OF THAT AREA? >> CORRECT. COVERAGE AND WHAT THEY THINK THE HEIGHT OF THE TOWER AND WOULD IT PROVIDE THE COVERS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IF THEY BUILT IT THERE, ELEVATION, ALL THAT STUFF. >> WITH THE EXPANSION OF 5G AND ULTRA 5G, IT TAKES A LOT MORE TOWERS IN A CONCENTRATED AREA THAN WHAT THE PREVIOUS TECHNOLOGY USED. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MORE NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATIONS TO ADD TOWERS. LIKE DR. GREENWELL SAID, IT'S A STEALTH TOWER. WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON A MODEL YET, BUT THEY'RE ANYWHERE FROM A WHITE POLE THAT LOOKS LIKE A FLAG POLE. THEY'RE NOT NEAR AS TALL AS THE TYPICAL TOWERS. I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS LIKE 80 FEET AT THE MOST. BUT ALL THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ONCE THEY'VE DONE THEIR FEASIBILITY STUDIES. >> IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S ON OUR PROPERTY. >> WE WOULD GET A REVENUE LEASE FROM IT IF WE ALLOWED IT. WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR OUT AT WEST. WE DON'T GET A LOT OF MONEY OUT I'LL JUST SEE. [OVERLAPPING] CONTACT TOWER, BUT THIS ONE'S ESTIMATED JUST FII, AND THIS IS NOT FIRM NUMBERS, BUT ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND A $10,000 REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. >> WE HAVE LOTS OF CHANCES TO SAY NO, OR YES, AT FUTURE DATES. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SHANICE IS THEIR CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM K, [XI.K. Device Repair Services – Chad Fengel] DEVICE REPAIRS SERVICES [INAUDIBLE]. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ENGAGING THE CENTRAL RIVER A EDUCATION AGENCY FOR REPAIRS OF DISTRICT DEVICES, LAPTOPS, DESKTOPS, IPADS. IS THERE A MOTION? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS ARE DISCUSSION. >> BETTER PRICING IS WHAT WE HEARD AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BETTER PRICING THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN USING. WE'RE OPENING IT UP FORM. >> THEY'RE GOING TO PLACE SOMEONE HERE. >> WILL THEY HIRE OR RE HIRE. THEY HIRE. IT'S THE AEA, AND THEY WILL HIRE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WILL BE LOCATED IN SIOUX CITY, WHO WILL DO SOME OF THE REPAIRS, AND THEN THE REST OF THE DEVICES WILL BE SENT TO CEDAR FALLS, WHERE THEY WILL DO THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. THE TRANSPORTATION IS ALL ON THEM, AND THEY'LL PICK UP AND DROP OFF ONCE A WEEK. THE REPAIRS ARE PAID FOR BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. >> THEN DIRECTOR MICHAELSON. >> [INAUDIBLE], I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR A WHILE. DID WE KNOW THAT MOST OF THE DAMAGE TO THE LAPTOPS HAS BEEN IS HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, IS THAT CORRECT? [01:05:02] >> SOME OF OF OUR DIFFICULTIES ARE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE FACT THAT THE CASH OUT VALUE IS SUCH A LEVEL THAT WHEN THERE'S ENOUGH DAMAGE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY JUST PAYS US JUST LIKE WHEN YOU TOTAL YOUR CAR, AND THEN THE DEVICE IS NOT REPAIRED. WELL, THERE WERE WHISPERS FOR A WHILE THAT MAYBE WE WOULD BE POSSIBLY AT THE DISCUSSION IS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THAT GOING WITH CLASSROOM SETS FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I JUST WAS WONDERING WHERE THAT WAS AT, IS THAT? >> THAT'S A SEPARATE DISCUSSION THAN THIS AND REPAIR. >> DIFFERENT DAY. SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. >> BOARD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> WELL, THIS IS A SELF INSURED, WE'RE BASICALLY PAYING FOR IT OURSELVES. WE GET A COST SAVINGS IF WE HAVE LESS CLAIMS, LESS DAMAGE, LESS TOTAL, IF YOU I'LL CALL IT TOTALING OF COMPUTERS. >> WE GET TO KEEP DEVICES IN OUR HANDS LONGER, YES. SOUNDS GOOD. SHANICE YOU SEE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM L. PROJECT HOUSE II BID, JIM VANDERLOO. [XI.L. Project House II Bid - Jim Vanderloo] IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE HIGH BID FOR PROJECT HOUSE II FOR MR. KAUFMAN FOR A TOTAL OF $137,500. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THE QUESTION, I WOULD ASSUME THIS IS ABOVE WHAT IT COST US TO BUILD IT? >> YES. MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COST IS AROUND $100,000, I BELIEVE, FOR ALL THE MATERIALS AND ALL IN ON THAT. THEN SO YES. REMEMBER THIS MONEY JUST GOES RIGHT BACK INTO THE PROGRAM. WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET THIS GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR OUR KIDS. REMEMBER, WE BUILT TWO HOUSES. ONE WAS A HABITAT. THIS ONE, ORIGINALLY, THE CITY WAS GOING TO BUY, AND THEN DECIDED NOT TO BUY IT FOR SOME REASONS, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IT UP FOR BID AND DID GET A REALLY GOOD PRICE, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. >> THIS WAS A SMALLER HOUSE THAN THE LAST. >> THAN LAST YEAR, YEAH. >> LAST YEAR LITTLE SMALLER. LAST YEAR MAKE [OVERLAPPING]. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS. SHANICE ANY CITIZEN INPUT. >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM M. CONTRACT FOR BOARD APPROVAL. [XI.M. Contracts for Board Approval – Jim Vanderloo/ Jarod Mozer] MR. VAL AND MR. MOSER. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING AND ACTIVITIES? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> THE FIRST THEN SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANICE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM N, FACILITY RENTAL AGREEMENT, [XI.N. Facility Rental Agreement – Jim Vanderloo/ Jarod Mozer] MR. VAL, MR. MOSER. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE FACILITY RENTAL CONTRACT? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST AND THE SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, THERE DISCUSSION. SHANICE ANY CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY. MOTION PASSES 7-0. ITEM O, SECOND AND FINAL READ OF EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK BARKASKI. [XI.O. Second & Final Reading of Board Policies – Dr. Rod Earleywine] THE ITEMS THE READINGS ARE FOR POLICY 200.5 BOARD MEMBERSHIP ELECTION TERM OF OFFICE AND VACANCY TO 803.8 PAYROLL DEDUCTION AS LISTED DURING THE AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BOARD POLICIES FOR A SECOND AND FINAL READING? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND. SHANICE, IS THERE A CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO. I WANT TO CLARIFY. I'M SORRY. I MESSED THAT UP. IT'S THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF BOARD POLICIES. I HAD THAT WRONG ON YOUR PAPER. >> DO I NEED TO RESTATE THAT THEN? >> NO. THE HANDBOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE? WE GOT THAT CLEARED UP. AGAIN, NO CITIZEN INPUT? >> NO CITIZEN. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY? MOTION PASSES 7-0. WE'RE AT THAT TIME OF THE NIGHT. ITEM 12. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE FIRST, WE HAVE SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY, NAY? THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.