[00:00:01]
GOOD.WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER THE JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, WORK SESSION WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD CALL TO ORDER ON OUR BEHALF.
AND I WILL CALL THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ORDER WITHOUT SMACKING THE GAVEL AGAIN.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION TO ALLOW THE REMOTE ELECTRONIC APPROVAL OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE, MS. ELLEN ROBINSON.
ANY NOS? MS. ROBINSON IS NOW APPROVED TO ATTEND REMOTELY.
MS. ROBINSON, CAN YOU HEAR? YES, MA'AM.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE REMOTELY, UH, PARTICIPATING, UH, AT CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MR. S, CAN YOU HEAR US, MR. S? YES, I DO.
SO FIRST ITEM OF THE ON THE AGENDA IS THE BUDGET, UH, CIP DISCUSSION.
AND WHO'S GONNA LEAVE THAT OFF? MR. CO I'LL JUST DO A BRIEF, A BRIEF INTRODUCTION.
AFTER, UM, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS, IT WAS THE DESIRE OF BOTH BOARDS THAT WE HAVE SUBSTANTIVE AND EARLY CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GONNA BE, UM, VERSUS WAITING TILL MUCH FURTHER INTO THE PROCESS OF WRITING AND IMPROVING A BUDGET.
SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF THAT.
NORMALLY WE'D HAVE A JOINT MEETING IN FEBRUARY AFTER WE'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO THE BOARD A BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, HAVING BEEN SAID, UH, DR.
MARTY WILL THEN BE ABLE TO START THE CONVERSATION.
WE APPRECIATE THIS VERY MUCH TOO.
THANK YOU MR. CARPENTER, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR SCHOOL BOARD, AND THANKS TO MEMBERS OF SENIOR LEADERSHIP FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR SUPPORT THIS EVENING.
UM, WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT BUILDING A SUPERINTENDENT'S ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL, IT CAN GET POPULATED REALLY FAST WITH A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD INITIATIVES THAT ARE ACTUALLY NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION.
UM, I SHARE THIS TODAY IN FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER TODAY IN MADISON, WISCONSIN WITH YET ANOTHER HANDS ACT OF VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS.
AND YOU'LL NOTE THAT THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE DOES NOT PRIORITIZE ANY DETERRENT TO THAT TYPE OF THING ALONG THE LINES OF WEAPONS DETECTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS THROUGH A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO THIS WAS DONE PRIOR TO THAT.
I WANTED TO STATE THAT FOR OUR PUBLICS AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO ARE GATHERED HERE.
THE PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL ARE A 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL STAFF MEMBERS, THREE INTERVENTIONISTS, ONE PER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'LL OFFER JUSTIFICATIONS OF EACH IN JUST A MINUTE.
AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GUCCI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STIPENDS FOR 5 0 4 CASE MANAGERS, PRIMARILY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL ESL SUPPORT, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN DEPTHLY IN A LITTLE BIT.
AND A WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR, WHICH WOULD, WOULD BE A SHARED POSITION WITH US IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
I BELIEVE THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE IN ITS BUDGET, UM, NUMBERS THAT WILL JUSTIFY 0.3 OF THIS FTE.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT JUSTIFICATION IN A BIT.
I'VE BEEN MEETING REGIONALLY WITH SUPERINTENDENTS AS WE DO MONTHLY, AND PART OF OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN TO DETERMINE WHAT IT IS WE HOPE TO DO ALONG THE LINES OF COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
UM, RIGHT NOW THAT NUMBER SITS PRETTY COMFORTABLY AT 3%.
THERE ARE ONE OR TWO DIVISIONS IN THE REGION THAT ARE TALKING FOUR, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF US ARE TALKING THREE.
I BELIEVE IF WE CAN PULL OFF THREE, WE WILL HAVE DONE WELL AS A JUSTIFICATION.
I JUST WANNA SHOW YOU THESE DATA AGAIN.
THESE ARE THE SAME NUMBERS THAT I PRESENTED IN OUR FALL, UH, TOWN HALLS.
THE COLUMN ON THE LEFT INDICATES WHERE WE WOULD'VE RANKED IN THE REGION HAD WE ONLY DONE OF 5% ADJUSTMENT LAST YEAR, WHICH WE WERE GRATEFUL TO GET AN OFFER TO ALL STAFF.
THE COLUMN ON THE RIGHT SHOWS HOW WE RANK WITH THE 5% ADJUSTMENT AND THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT THAT WE EXTENDED TO TEACHERS ONLY, ONLY FOLKS WHO ARE CATEGORIZED AS CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE PRETTY ROCK SOLID IN AT STEP ZERO.
THAT'S ESSENTIAL BECAUSE THAT'S A RECRUITMENT STEP.
UM, WE MAINTAINED OUR POSITION AT NUMBER THREE.
HAD WE JUST DONE 5%, WE WOULD'VE BEEN RANKED FOURTH OUT OF SEVEN IN YEARS, FIVE TO 10, AND WE WOULD'VE BEEN AT THE BOTTOM OR NEAR THE BOTTOM AGAIN IN YEARS 15 THROUGH 25 BECAUSE WE TOOK THE COURAGEOUS STEP TO ADD AND COUPLE THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT WITH THE 5% COST OF LIVING INCREASE, WE'RE NOW IN THE TOP THREE THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
ADDED TO THAT, NEARLY SIX IN 10 OF OUR TEACHERS SURVEYED INDICATED THAT THAT MARKET ADJUSTMENT WAS AN INFLUENTIAL FACTOR AND THEIR DECISION TO COME BACK TO GLAND COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTIONISTS.
I'M GONNA THROW SOME EDUCATIONAL
[00:05:01]
LEADS AT YOU AND I APOLOGIZE BEFOREHAND.I DO THE BEST I CAN TO MAKE THESE THINGS MAKE SENSE AND IF THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE, WE'LL WELCOME.
QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE FIRST BIT OF EDUCATIONAL USE THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS TITLE ONE BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A TITLE ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BY VIRTUE OF IT BEING A TITLE ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ALL INITIATIVES THAT WE DO MUST SUPPLEMENT THEIR CURRENT STAFF, NOT SUPPLANT THEIR CURRENT STAFF.
SO BASICALLY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT ROUGHLY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT A TITLE ONE IS IN CASE SOMEBODY DOESN'T KNOW? YES.
A TITLE ONE SCHOOLS ARE USUALLY SCHOOLS THAT ARE DESIGNATED.
IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM, SCHOOLS THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN NEEDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UM, USUALLY BASED ON SOCIAL ECONOMIC VARIABLES.
SO WITH THAT, THE VLA, WHICH WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH, UM, HAS COME INTO PLAY THIS YEAR.
THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
OUR TEACHERS ARE BEING TRAINED AS WELL AS OUR SPECIALIST.
THE VLA THIS YEAR OFFERS INTENSIVE READING SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY, BUT ONLY THIS YEAR FOR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY IN GRADES, KINDERGARTEN, FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD.
AS WE MOVE FROM THIS ACADEMIC YEAR INTO NEXT THE YEAR FOR WHICH FISCAL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THAT'S GONNA EXPAND AND WE'RE GONNA BE OFFERING THAT INTENSIVE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIX.
SO THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF FOLKS WHO ARE DESIGNATED OUR READING SPECIALISTS, THEY'RE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT DEDICATING THEIR TIME TO PUSHING LITERACY FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEFICITS.
MEETING THE ASSURANCES OF THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT.
AS A RESULT, ONLY BIRD ELEMENTARY, WHICH HAS A MATH SPECIALIST, A MATH SPECIALIST DUE TO ITS TITLE ONE DISTINCTION, UH, IS ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL MATHEMATICS INTERVENTION.
SO, SO WE ONLY HAVE THE MATH INTERVENTIONIST AT BIRD, CORRECT? JUST ONE? CORRECT.
WOULDN'T WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE? THAT, THAT ONE IS TITLE ONE? THAT ONE IS TITLE ONE.
DON'T, DON'T, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MATCHING FOR THAT BURS, THE TITLE ONE SCHOOL.
IF IT WERE AT GES, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A MATCHING AT BUR.
IF IT WERE AT RANDOLPH, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A MATCHING AT BUR.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE PRIORITIZED THE ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONISTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE POSITIONS WILL ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR US TO ADVANCE STUDENTS MATHEMATICAL PROFICIENCIES.
UM, AS THEY SAY, WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE, AND WE ARE DOING THAT VERY WELL WITH LITERACY.
WE DON'T WANT TO ARRIVE AT A PLACE WHERE WE'RE DOING IT AT THE EXPENSE OF MATHEMATICS PROFICIENCY.
SO THIS TABLE SHOWS YOU A FEW THINGS.
IT SHOWS YOU ENROLLMENTS AT EACH OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
BY THE WAY, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A SLIDE IN A MINUTE THAT SHOWS AS OF TODAY, THE ENROLLMENT AT GES IS UP BY TWO FROM THIS CHART GROWING EVERY DAY.
SO THE NUMBER OF READING SPECIALISTS WE HAVE, AS YOU SEE TWO AT BYRD CONVEYING TO THE ONE WE HAVE AT BOTH AT EITHER RANDOLPH OR GES BYRD HAS THE MASS SPECIALIST THERE CURRENTLY IS NOT A MATH SPECIALIST AT GES OR RES.
BYRD HAS A 0.5 FTE FOR AN ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONIST, AS DOES RANDOLPH GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS A FULL FTE FOR THAT.
THESE ARE THE NUMBERS IN THE SECOND CHART.
I WISH I HAD A LASER POINT, BUT RIGHT UNDER 24, 25, THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORT FOR READING THIS CURRENT YEAR, GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THREE.
YOU DO HAVE A POINTER ON THAT.
I FEAR IF I TRY TO DO ANYTHING WITH THIS, IT'LL MESS ME UP.
ISN'T THAT FANCY?
SO THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE SEEING ACROSS THIS COLUMN INDICATE THE NUMBER OF KIDS CURRENTLY IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE WHO ARE NEEDING THAT EXTRA SUPPORT WITH LITERACY.
IF YOU GO DOWN, YOU'LL SEE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE THE ONES THAT WE PROJECT WILL NEED HELP.
AS WE EXPAND FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE SUPPORT NEXT YEAR, 70 AT BYRD 96 AT RANDOLPH 129 AT GLAND ELEMENTARY.
ADDED TO THAT, YOU SEE THE RATIOS, THE SPECIALIST OR INTERVENTIONIST TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
RIGHT NOW, THAT RATIO IS VERY COMFORTABLE AT BYRD.
IT'S A ONE TO 19 RATIO, A ONE TO 43 RATIO AT RANDOLPH, AND A ONE TO 43 RATIO AT GES.
BUT AS WE ADD THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO NEED THE SUPPORT AND NOT ADD STAFF TO OFFSET, YOU'LL SEE THAT THOSE RATIOS WILL INCREASE ONE TO 28, 1 TO 64, AND ONE TO 65.
CONTINUING TO LOOK AT ENROLLMENT.
TWO READING SPECIALISTS, ONE AND ONE AT ELEMENTARY IN RANDOLPH WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF MATH SPECIALISTS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO MATH INTERVENTION AT GES OR RANDOLPH, WHICH LEADS TO THIS.
[00:10:03]
IF WE WERE TO ADD THIS ADDITIONAL OR THESE THREE ADDITIONAL SPECIALISTS, AS I KNEW I WAS GONNA DO THAT, THERE WE GO.ACROSS THE BOARD RAISING OUR FTE, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR RATIOS WILL BE BETTER PROPORTIONED.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOTTOM COLUMN HERE.
WE'D BE AT ONE, ONE TO 20 AT GE, AT BY, EXCUSE ME, ONE TO 38 AT RANDOLPH, AND ONE TO 43 AT GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE SUPPORTING KIDS IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIVE, NOT KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THREE.
THAT'S THE MIDDLE TABLE THERE.
I, I HAVE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY LOBBYING FOR AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GOLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE ENROLLMENT, AS I MENTIONED A BIT AGO, AS OF TODAY, IS 518 STUDENTS FOR COMPARABILITY.
I WANTED TO SHOW THE NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL, TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS ONLY AT EACH SCHOOL BY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS 38 SUCH DESIGNATED STAFF.
GLAND ELEMENTARY HAS 53 RANDOLPH 39.
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS AMAZING GLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS 53, WHICH IS THE SAME NUMBER AS GLAND ELEMENTARY WITH AN AP GLAND HIGH SCHOOL HAS 58, WHICH IS FIVE MORE THAN GLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH TWO APS.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE WONDERING HOW CAN THE HIGH SCHOOL GET ALONG WITH THAT MUCH, WITH THAT COMPARABLE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND YET THE HIGH SCHOOL HAVE GREATER ENROLLMENT.
KEEP IN MIND, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TOUCH A GREATER NUMBER OF STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
TYPICALLY IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YOUR CLASS IS YOUR CLASS UNTIL THEY GO TO ENCORE, AND THEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY'RE YOUR CLASS AGAIN, I DON'T SAY THIS IN JEST AND I HOPE THAT IT WILL RESONATE.
THERE'S SEVERAL KEY FUNCTIONS OF CONTEMPORARY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP THAT WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHEN WE WERE IN SCHOOLS.
IF YOUR PRINCIPAL WAS HIGHLY VISIBLE, A FIGURE OF DISCIPLINE AND REINFORCEMENT ISSUED OUT THE KEYS, ASSIGNED THE CLASSROOMS, DID THE MASTER SCHEDULING, MADE SURE THE LUNCHES WERE HOT AND THE BUSES WERE ON TIME.
IT WAS A GREAT DAY OF WORK FOR THAT PRINCIPAL.
NOWADAYS, PRINCIPALS TAKE ON THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AS THEY RIGHTFULLY SHOULD.
IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE EVOLVING IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP.
ONE IS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP.
WE RELY ON OUR PRINCIPALS AND RIGHTFULLY SO TO COACH AND DEVELOP AND OFFER FEEDBACK TO OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
IN FACT, I WOULD ARGUE TODAY THAT THAT IS THEIR MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION, CONSIDERING THAT NOW MORE THAN EVER IN OUR HISTORY, TEACHERS ARE ENTERING THE FIELD WITH ALTERNATIVE LICENSURE.
SO THEY COME IN, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THEIR LIFELONG AMBITION TO BE A TEACHER.
THEY'RE TEACHING SOMEBODY'S GOTTA COACH 'EM ON HOW TO POLISH THAT CRAFT.
WE TASK 'EM TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY SCHOOL CLIMATES WHERE THERE'S A PRESS FOR ACADEMICS WHERE TEACHERS FEEL THAT THE TIME THAT THEY SPEND WITH KIDS EVERY DAY MATTERS.
AND WHERE THERE'S TRUST, THEIR HUMAN RESOURCE LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT, THEY MANAGE THEIR PERSONNEL.
THEY DO ALL THE OBSERVATION AND EVALUATION.
AND IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WORK IS DIVIDED UP AMONG THREE PEOPLE.
FOR THOSE 58 STAFF MEMBERS THIS YEAR, TINA MCKAY WILL OBSERVE AND EVALUATE ALL 53 OF HER STAFF MEMBERS, AS WILL THE PRINCIPALS AT BYRD AND RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY.
I WISH WE COULD PLACE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ALL THREE SITES.
I UNDERSTAND THE ADVOCACY HERE IS FOR GLAND ELEMENTARY.
AND THEN ALL OF THAT LEADS TO STUDENT OUTCOMES, WHICH ARE FAVORABLE IN OUR COUNTY AND HAVE BEEN FOR A DECADE AND A HALF, 5 0 4 CASE MANAGER STIPENDS.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVED UNDER IDEA WITH IEPS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVED UNDER SECTION 5 0 4.
STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVED UNDER SECTION 5 0 4 USUALLY HAVE SOME TYPE OF MEDICAL CONDITION THAT COULD PROHIBIT THEIR LEARNING.
THEIR CASES NEED TO BE MANAGED.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CASES ARE AS LABOR INTENSIVE AS THE MANAGEMENT OF IEPS, BUT THEY DO NEED CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME NUMBERS THAT ARE GONNA ILLUSTRATE THE GROWTH OF THE STUDENTS WITH 5 0 4, PARTICULARLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO AT GGHS, I'M SORRY, WE'VE SEEN A DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH THESE 5 0 4 PLANS.
AND IT'S RAISED AVERAGE CASE LOADS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS WHO ARE NOW MANAGING
[00:15:01]
IEPS AND FIVE OH FOURS FROM 15 STUDENTS PER CASE TO OVER 24 STUDENTS PER CASE.IT'S BEEN RELATED TO ME THAT WHEN WE'RE HIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, WHICH ARE DIFFICULT TO STAFF, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS HOW BIG ARE THE CASE LOADS? THESE ARE OUR NUMBERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 110 STUDENTS SERVICED UNDER SECTION 5 0 4.
THAT'S MORE STUDENTS THAN WE HAVE WITH IEPS.
52% OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
CASELOAD IS COMPRISED OF 5 0 4 PLANS.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE FIVE OH FOURS BEFORE I TRANSITION TO, UM, OUR, OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS, NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS, THE FIVE OH FOURS, I'M NOT REQUESTING POSITIONS TO HELP US MANAGE THOSE CASE LOADS.
I'M REQUESTING DOLLARS TO OFFER STIPENDS TO EXISTING STAFF TO TAKE ON THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PERFORMED IN NON-TEACHING TIMES.
SO TIMES THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN STUDENTS, THEY WOULD MANAGE X NUMBER OF FIVE OH FOURS FOR A STIPEND OF WHATEVER'S FAIR MARKET.
SOQ IS FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES.
OUR ESOL STUDENTS SHOULD BE ONE STAFF TO EVERY 20 LEVEL ONE STUDENTS.
OUR CURRENT RATIO IS ONE STAFF MEMBER TO EVERY 26.
I WANNA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS BECAUSE I'M PROPOSING THAT WE INCREASE OUR CURRENT FTE BY 0.75 AND ADD AN ADDITIONAL FTE TO OFFER SUPPORT TO THESE STUDENTS.
AND I'LL OFFER THE JUSTIFICATION AS TO WHY OUR NUMBERS RECENTLY HAVE GROWN AND MAY CONTINUE TO GROW.
WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 20 STUDENTS THIS SCHOOL YEAR ALONE, WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE.
THE NEW PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK IS INTENDED TO CREATE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT SET A PROGRESS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AT 10% OF A SCHOOL'S OVERALL MASTERY SCORE.
CAN WE MUTE THAT? THAT'S ONE OF THEIR, SO, SO IT STANDS TO REASON IF THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING AND EVEN IF THEY HOLD STEADY WITH AN NET INCREASE OF 20 THIS YEAR.
AND ULTIMATELY THESE NUMBERS ARE GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON A MASTERY SCORE FOR THE SCHOOLS WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE, THAT WE WORK TO GET SOME SUPPORT, JUST LIKE WE WOULD FOR THE MATH PROFICIENCY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 2.75 TEACHERS SERVING FIVE SCHOOLS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO NEEDED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION, WE LOSE A MINIMUM OF THREE INSTRUCTIONAL SESSIONS A DAY DUE TO ITINERANT TEACHER TRAVEL FROM ONE END OF THE COUNTY TO THE OTHER.
AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT AGO, A WORK-BASED LEARNING COORDINATOR, WORK-BASED LEARNING WILL HELP STUDENTS APPLY THOSE SKILLS, SOFT AND HARD SKILLS TO THE WORKFORCE.
IT CAN HELP THEM SHAPE THEIR WORKFORCE AND EVALUATE POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES AND REDUCE RECRUITING COSTS.
IT CAN ALLOW US TO BETTER SET UP OUR KIDS FOR VALUABLE FIELD EXPERIENCES THROUGH INTERNSHIPS AND EXTERNSHIPS.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS AS A, A NEED FOR OUR COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE EMPHASIS THAT WE HAVE PLACED ON CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND BEING ABLE TO SET STUDENTS UP WHO DON'T HAVE A PATH TO CONTINUE THEIR LEARNING AFTER THEY'RE DONE WITH US THROUGH FORMAL EDUCATION AT A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, BUT ARE EAGER TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAVE THE SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
THIS WILL BRIDGE, UH, SOME PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR CURRENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AS WELL AS PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS.
AND MAYBE BRIDGE WAS THE WRONG WORD BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE EXISTING PO UH, PARTNERSHIPS.
BUT WHAT THIS WILL DO IS HELP US FACILITATE A PATHWAY WHERE WE HAVE SOMEONE WHOSE EMPHASIS IS ON GETTING KIDS CERTIFIED AND EMPLOYMENT READY BASED ON THE THINGS THAT EMPLOYERS TELL US THEY WANT IN PROSPECTIVE HIRES.
I WANT TO TRANSITION, IF I MIGHT, TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
I WILL NOT READ THE ITEMS. I WILL HAVE THEM HIGHLIGHTED HERE, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY MAKE THIS PUBLIC FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE LISTENING.
BUT THE FIRST FEW SLIDES INDICATE ITEMS THAT WERE FUNDED IN OUR FISCAL
[00:20:01]
YEARS, 22 TO 24 THROUGH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ITEMS LIKE SCHOOL BUSES, OTHER REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, UM, PROMETHEAN BOARDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.IF WE GO HERE, THEY'RE SORT OF CATEGORIZED BY SCHOOLS.
THESE ARE FUNDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS BY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND JUST TO GET THE FLAVOR FOR WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
I DO WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ABOUT A FEW ITEMS ON THIS PARTICULAR LIST FOR THE SECONDARY COMPLEX, THE COOLING TOWER REPLACEMENT, THE CLASSROOM HEAT PUMPS, AND THE REPLACEMENTS OF, UM, I'M SORRY, WHAT AM I LOOKING AT? REPLACEMENTS OF GMS PARTIAL.
THAT WAS A WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPS.
WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPS AT THE SECONDARY COMPLEX AND A HEAT RECOVERY UNIT REPLACEMENT.
ALL OF THOSE WERE PARTIALLY OR FULLY FUNDED BY FUNDS DUE TO, UH, PANDEMIC RELIEF.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.
YOU SEE THERE, THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED FOR US AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH A FISCAL, SO THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN UNFUNDED IN THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.
AND IN FAIRNESS, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THOSE.
THE INTERIOR CERAMIC TILE WALL REPLACEMENT AT BIRD.
WE'VE GOT A NEED THERE FOR SOME FIRE EXTINGUISHER UPDATES AS WELL.
WE'VE TALKED AT LEAST THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WHEN I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDING UPGRADES AT RANDOLPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND NOTICE NOT LOST ON ME THAT THE 10 AND 15 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS INCLUDE REPLACING THESE BUILDINGS.
I'M SENSITIVE TO THAT AS WELL.
BUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THERE IS A NEED AND HAS BEEN A NEED FOR SOME TIME TO REPLACE AND UPGRADE PORTIONS OF THESE FACILITIES.
UM, I LEARNED TODAY THAT HISTORICALLY THERE HAD BEEN A GENERAL MAINTENANCE AT ALL SCHOOLS TO HELP COVER THINGS LIKE PAINTING AND PLUMBING.
AND PRIOR TO FISCAL YEAR 24 THAT HAD BEEN FUNDED AT $50,000 PER SCHOOL UNDER CAPITAL.
SO THESE ARE THE CRITICAL AND URGENT NEEDS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.
ITEM BY ITEM, THERE REMAINS A CRITICAL AND URGENT NEED FOR CHILLER REPLACEMENT AT THE SECONDARY COMPLEX THAT'S ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $1.8 MILLION.
UM, THAT CHILLER IS FUNCTIONING AND DOING WHAT IT SHOULD DO.
THERE IS A LONG PROJECTION FROM THE TIME A LOCALE DECIDES TO BUY A CHILLER AND THE TIME A CHILLER IS AVAILABLE AND READY FOR INSTALLATION.
I DON'T MEAN TO PRESENT DOOM OR GLOOM, BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S MY DUTY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF SHOULD THAT CHILLER FAIL DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER CONDITIONS OUTSIDE, IT COULD AND LIKELY WOULD IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
COUPLE THAT WITH OUR CAPACITY AND LACK OF OTHER PLACES TO PUT KIDS, NOW WE'RE PIVOTING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACADEMIC YEAR TO VIRTUAL LEARNING OR OTHER OPTIONS THAT I'M SURE WE WILL AGREE ARE LESS THAN SAVORY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT A CHILLER IS? YEAH.
IT'S IT'S PART OF YOUR HVAC SYSTEM.
IT'S PART OF YOUR, IT, IT'S A HUGE COMPONENT.
YOUR H LY IT'S LIKE THE HEART.
YOUR, WE ACTUALLY, I WAS TAKING LIKE A SALAD BAR.
NO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE GOTTEN, IT'S THE SAME DEAL.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE GOTTEN THE COOLING TOWER REPLACED, BUT NOW WE'VE GOTTA GET THAT CHILLER UPGRADED AND IT IS A, AS MRS. ALLEN SAYS, THE HEART OF THAT HVAC SYSTEM FOR THE SECONDARY COMPLEX.
SO IF IT WERE TO FAILS AND YOU HAD TO GO TO ALTERNATIVES, THAT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE AS WELL.
CORRECT? THAT WOULD CARRY SPECIFIC COST TO PIVOTING TO ALTERNATIVES.
UM, COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE'VE TEST RUN VIRTUAL LEARNING, WE'VE GOT THE, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'VE GOT THE HARDWARE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT AT THAT TIME, WE HAD TO INVEST IN JITS AND ALL TYPES OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OFFERING AN EQUITABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS WHO LIVE IN PART OF THE COUNTY WHO DON'T HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
YES, THAT WOULD BE A COST THAT WE'D HAVE TO INCUR AGAIN.
ARE ALL THESE ITEMS CURRENTLY NOT ON THE CIP OR THESE FOR UPCOMING YEARS THAT WERE ALREADY IDENTIFIED? REFRESHING? YES.
THESE WERE ITEMS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN PREVIOUS CIPS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PUNTED FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
UM, STUDENT PARKING LOT COULD USE A SEAL AT THE AMOUNT OF $70,000.
TO BE FAIR, NOBODY'S GONNA PASS OUT IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
BUT THE COST OF CONTINUING TO PUNT THAT DOWN THE ROAD COULD GET US IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT UPROOTING AND A REPAYMENT A PARKING LOT,
[00:25:01]
WHICH IS GONNA COST A LOT MORE THAN $70,000 SHOULD WE ARRIVE AT THAT PLACE.WE NEED SOME BATHROOM REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS AT BIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $28,000 AND REPLACEMENT OF THE EPDM ROOF, THE 1997 SECTION WITH THE PUFF ROOFING THAT WE INSTALLED ON THE REMAINDER OF THE ROOF LAST SUMMER.
THAT'S GONNA BE A REMAINING PROJECT OF ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS AT RANDOLPH.
THERE IS A NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL CAFETERIA SERVING LINE ESTIMATED AT $85,000 WITH THE EQUIPMENT TO BRING THAT TO FRUITION DIVISION-WIDE, A SCHOOL BUS AND SCHOOL BUSES NOW COSTING A LITTLE UNDER $150,000 PER STUDENT TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE.
AND WE'VE MENTIONED THE NEED FOR TWO, UH, MAINTENANCE VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS AT A COST OF $108,000.
AGAIN, NONE OF THESE ARE, ARE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS.
THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE ENDURED AS PART OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS RUNNING.
AND THAT COMPLETES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ASSESSMENT OF NEED.
I'LL GLADLY ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS DR.
UH, SINCE THE CHILLER IS, IF I'M EYEBALLING AT 80 PLUS PERCENT OF THE URGENT CIP NEEDS, WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED LIFE OF THE CURRENT CHILLER AND WHERE IT, WHAT IS ITS CURRENT AGE? I'M GONNA DEFER TO, I'M GONNA DEFER TO MR. FORBES.
I HAD TO MAKE SURE MR. FORBES WAS BACK THERE.
HE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK MORE KNOWLEDGEABLY TO ME TO THAT THAN I CAN.
SO IT'S ORIGINAL TO THE SCHOOL YOU COME SO THEY CAN SEE YOU ON CAMPUS.
UH, THAT CHILLER IS ORIGINAL TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING, SO IT'S 23 YEARS OLD.
UH, THERE WAS A BERRY ENGINEERING REPORT FROM 2021 THAT ESTIMATED THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A CHILLER TO BE 20 TO 25 YEARS.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, UM, WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE BECAUSE IF IT BREAKS, AS DR.
KMAR ALLUDED TO, THERE'S AN EXTREMELY LONG LEAD TIME OF 36 TO 38 WEEKS TO GET A NEW ONE.
AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE US, THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO RENT A TEMPORARY ONE UNTIL WE GET THE, THE ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL ONE REPLACED.
SO YOU WOULD INCUR THE RENTAL FEES FOR 36 OR 38 WEEKS, AND THEN YOU'D ALSO STILL HAVE TO BUY THE ORIGINAL CHILLER.
SO IT'S BETTER TO BE PROACTIVE WITH SOMETHING THAT BIG AND THAT IMPORTANT.
AND JUST SO WE'RE BEING THANK YOU.
AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE, THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF INCONVENIENCE.
THE SCHOOLS WOULD BE INOPERABLE.
WE COULDN'T HAVE STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING WITHOUT AIR CIRCULATION.
AND IT IS A SYSTEM SUCH THAT IF THAT UNIT GOES DOWN, IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT TO EVERY CLASSROOM AND EVERY SERVICE AREA IN THE BUILDING.
SO, AND I WOULD POINT OUT FROM THE CAMPUS PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS ALSO AN EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR US.
SO OBVIOUSLY DURING HURRICANE SEASON OR BAD WEATHER EVENTS, THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIMARY LOCATIONS THAT WE WOULD USE FOR, UM, FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UH, I ASSUME WE'VE GOTTEN THE ESTIMATES ALREADY FOR THE NEW ONE.
I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DO THEY, WHAT TYPE OF MAINTENANCE, UH, AND WARRANTY DO THEY HAVE ON A NEW CHILLER UNIT? I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE, UM, PEOPLE FORGET THAT THE MAINTENANCE COST THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THAT OLD CHILLER OPERABLE.
YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST ASSUME IT'S GOT 10 MORE YEARS, BUT THE MAINTENANCE COST WOULD BE ESCALATING DRAMATICALLY EVERY YEAR IF THOSE WENT DOWN TO ZERO OR VERY LITTLE WITH A VERY GOOD WARRANTY AND SERVICE PROGRAM.
THOSE WOULD BE DIRECT SAVINGS EACH, EVERY, EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
IT'S, IT'S, WHILE IT'S, I I I'M NOT GONNA FOCUS OVERLY ON THE CHILLER.
IT'S BEEN ON THE C-I-C-I-P, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT IT WAS AN INTERNAL DECISION AS TO WHAT CAME FIRST.
AND SO THIS HAS BEEN DEFERRED ONCE OR TWICE.
AM I GUESSING THAT CORRECTLY? IT'S A PART OF WHEN WE WERE WORKING TO GET THE ELEMENTARY, THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, DECISIONS THAT WAS MADE.
UH, RECOGNIZING I AM A DINOSAUR, I'M A BOOMER.
UM, DO THE WINDOWS OPEN IN THE SCHOOL? IS IT HERMETICALLY SEALED WHERE YOU CAN'T OPEN WINDOWS? I I DON'T KNOW.
[00:30:02]
DO NOT SECURITY MAKE SCHOOLS FOR WHATEVER REASON? YEAH, YEAH, FOR SECURITY REASONS.THE WINDOWS IN THE SCHOOL, I WENT TO A SCHOOL WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.
AND, UM, THAT MAY BE WHY I DIDN'T LEARN SO GOOD.
I MEAN, WHAT ALL ARE, UH, WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES? AND, AND I'M NOT DISPUTING THE NEED FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
I'M JUST, I MEAN, WE'RE HERE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.
THE THING THAT GAVE ME SOME SIGNIFICANT PAUSE IS THE SAFETY, THE FIRE, I MEAN, SMOKE DETECTORS.
I MEAN, CHIEF FERGUSON KEEPS SAYING HE'LL COME PUT THEM IN FOR FREE.
I'M SURE IF HE'S TALKING RESIDENTIAL, NOT INDUSTRIAL, BUT THAT GIVES ME A CONCERN THAT THAT'S BEEN DEFERRED.
I WOULD HOPE THAT NOT ONLY THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, BUT THE SMOKE DETECTORS WOULD BE LIKE YESTERDAY THAT WE NOT DEFER THOSE TYPE OF SCENARIOS.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S SAFETY.
UM, AND I'M NOT AWARE THAT WE'VE DEFERRED THOSE.
ALL THOSE ARE JUST COMING UP AS A CURRENT CRITICAL NEED, NOT, NOT NECESSARILY DEFERRED NEED.
AND THEN I GUESS I'M JUST OPINING, IF I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A CHILLER AND FIRE DETECTION, I WOULD GO WITH FIRE DETECTION FIRST AND THEN THE CHILLER SECOND, JUST, THAT'S JUST ME.
UH, AND THE CHILLER WAS, WE, WE WOULD FIGURE IT OUT.
I HAVE SEEN THIS TEAM IN ACTION AND I KNOW YOU IMPROVISE, ADAPT, AND OVERCOME JUST LIKE MARINES.
UH, SOMEBODY WANTS TO EDUCATE ME HERE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE PARDON.
SO YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS ARE JUDGING BY THE BERRY REPORT.
UH, THEY'RE NOT DUE TO BE REPLACED RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL WITHIN THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY.
THAT'S WHY THE CHILLER LEAPFROG, SO TO SPEAK.
SO YOU DO NOT WANT ME DOING PLANT OPERATIONS.
I, I PROMISE YOU THAT I'M RESPONDING TO INFORMATION, UH, PRESENTED HERE AND I JUST PUT SAFETY FIRST.
SO IF WE PUT ITEMS ON THE CIP AND ON THE OPERATING BUDGETS GOING FORWARD, JUST TO BRING AWARENESS OF, OF OUR NEEDS.
SO WE DON'T JUST DROP IT ON SOMEONE AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED ALL THE AUDIBLES, ALL THE SMOKES, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ENTIRE SECONDARY COMPLEX.
IT'S, WE TRY TO PLAN AHEAD AND UTILIZING THE BERRY REPORT THAT'S HELPING US PINPOINT WHERE OUR NEEDS ARE.
SO DON'T, DON'T FEEL LIKE THE, THE SMOKES HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED.
WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THEIR IMPORTANCE.
UM, LET REVIEW FOR A SECOND, UH, WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR TODAY.
IT LOOKS TO ME AS IF EVERYTHING YOU PRESENTED AS JUSTIFICATION AND MERIT AND SO, BUT I, BUT WE ARE NOT HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS AT THIS JUNCTURE.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT, IS TO TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION, TRY TO WORK OUT A PRIORITIZATION OF THEM AND, AND FOLD IT IN, OR MOLD IT INTO OUR BUDGET PROCESS AS WE DEVELOP, UH, AN AWARENESS OF WHAT OUR FUNDS AVAILABILITY ARE, OUR RESOURCES ARE, ARE AVAILABLE TO US, UH, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND WITH PAYING ATTENTION TO ALL OF THESE THINGS.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AS TO WHAT YOUR, YOUR NEEDS ARE.
AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE, UH, DEVELOP OUR BUDGET INSTEAD OF WAITING TILL, AS YOU MENTIONED THAT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS DONE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT'D BE DIFFICULT TO TRY TO FOLD THOSE THINGS IN THERE OR MAY OR MAY NOT WORK.
BUT, UM, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO IN THE, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO MENTION TWO OTHER THINGS.
UM, ONE IS THE, WE TALKED ABOUT A HORTICULTURE TEACHER.
UM, SO, SO THAT PROBABLY OUGHT TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT.
I THINK THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND WE DIDN'T HAVE 'EM, WEAPONS DETECTORS MM-HMM
I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PAYING SOME ATTENTION TO THAT ON THE, UH, SIDE, I MEAN ON THE CAPITAL YEAH.
INCLUDING THAT THE CAPITAL YEAH.
SIDE SHOP AND NOT THE OPERATIONAL.
TONIGHT WAS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT OPERATIONAL.
I MEAN, WELL, I MEAN, TODAY IS SITUATION, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT HAPPENED EVERY FOUR, FIVE WEEKS WE HEAR SOMETHING MM-HMM
BUT JUST DON'T, DON'T FORGET, DON'T, DON'T FORGET ABOUT IT.
I, I WOULD JUST JUST POINT OUT AGAIN THAT AS WE LOOK AT THAT, WE HAVE TO TAKE CONSIDERATION THE WHOLE IMPLICATION THAT WOULD HAVE, SO ADDING WEAPONS DETECTIONS.
WOULD ALSO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO RUN THEM WHO CERTIFIED AND TRAINED.
AND WHETHER THAT WOULD BE SCHOOL PERSONNEL,
[00:35:01]
SHERIFF'S PERSONNEL, PRIVATE PERSONNEL.SO THAT NEEDS TO BE, BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF IT, THE IMPLICATION, THE IMPACT THAT HAS.
SO JUST KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF BUYING A METAL DETECTOR TO A GOOD BUZZ, THEN SOMEONE COMES OUT AND CHECKS ON IT.
NO, WE, WE TOURED AND HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN LOUISA AND, UM, ARE GONNA LEARN FROM THEIR BEST PRACTICES AND I THINK CAN COME BACK IN JANUARY WITH A MORE ROBUST RECOMMENDATION.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN FIND MONEY TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE.
UM, JUST AGAIN, GOING BACK TO, AND I DIDN'T KNOW MR. SER TAUGHT ME, I COULD ASK QUESTIONS AS IT WENT ALONG.
SO THIS IS GOING BACK TO SOME OF THE EARLIER, BUT THE READING SPECIALIST INCREASES IN THE RATIOS.
UM, DID IT CHANGE BECAUSE IT WAS FIRST CALCULATED ON ONE THROUGH GRADE THREE AND THEN CALCULATED ON GRADES ONE THROUGH FIVE? NOT EXACTLY.
SO THIS FIRST YEAR, STUDENTS ARE TARGETED FOR THAT INTERVENTION IN KINDERGARTEN, FIRST, SECOND, THIRD GRADE.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE TAXING ANYBODY WHO'S OFFERING THAT INTERVENTION WITH FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SI UH, I'M SORRY, WITH FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS.
IT'S GONNA BE THE ENTIRETY OF THE ELEMENTARY POPULATION, GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIVE.
SO NATURALLY, IF YOU'RE ADDING, UM, TWO ADDITIONAL GRADES, THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO NEED THAT HELP IS GONNA INCREASE.
AND THE ARGUMENT IS THAT AS THOSE NEEDS INCREASE, THE STAFFING INCREASES TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE NEEDS.
IT'S, AND, AND READING COMPREHENSION IS WHERE I START IN, IN MOST FUNDING CONVERSATIONS.
'CAUSE IF THE STUDENTS CAN'T READ, I THINK ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS JUST DISSIPATE.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T CONNECT.
UM, SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT ON THE ONE THROUGH FIVE.
BUT DO THEN, MY INFERENCE IS IT'S NOT WORKING IN ONE THROUGH THREE.
IF WE'RE HAVING TO CONTINUE THAT IN GRADES FOUR AND FIVE, WOULD THAT BE A SAFE ASSUMPTION IF WE'RE HAVING TO EXPAND THE GRADES FOUR AND FIVE? IT'S 'CAUSE THEY AREN'T GETTING IT ONE THROUGH THREE? NOT, NOT NECESSARILY.
UM, AND KEEP IN MIND, NEXT YEAR WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR OF VLA.
SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THEY HADN'T GOTTEN.
'CAUSE IT'S STILL A FAIRLY NEW IMPLEMENTED PROCEDURE.
AND I'M JUST GONNA, THE ACRONYM'S, VLA IS THAT VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT.
I, I'LL WARN YOU THAT THERE'D BE A LOT OF EDUCATION LEADS, UH, THE FRONT END OF IT.
UM, SO UNDER THE BEST SCENARIOS, THERE ARE KIDS THAT JUST ARRIVE AT PROFICIENCY AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND SOME OF THEM NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO ARRIVE AT PROFICIENCIES.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, CHILDREN WHO COME FROM HOMES WHERE PARENTS READ TO THEM ARE GONNA BE LIKELY ABLE TO PICK UP FORMAL LITERACY FASTER THAN KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE THAT ADVANTAGE.
THAT'S A REALITY OF STUDENTS WHO COME TO US.
SO IF I'VE GOT A KINDER OR FIRST GRADE CLASS WITH 19 STUDENTS, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT AMONG THOSE 19 STUDENTS, THEY MAY REPRESENT 12, 13 DIFFERENT LEVELS OF LITERACY READINESS.
SOME JUST NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT DUE TO A A, A MARKET OR DEMONSTRATED DEFICIENCY.
THEY JUST NEED SUPPORT TO GET TO PROFICIENCY.
I MEAN, MY FATHER, WHEN HE WAS STILL WITH US, COULD TELL STORIES OF ME SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE WITH FLASHCARDS.
AND YEAH, THE MULTIPLICATION TABLE WAS MY DEFICIENCY.
UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO MAXIMIZE, BUT I, I DID BREAK FOUR OR FIVE AND, AND I, AND I ALSO WANT TO THROW IN THIS PART TOO, UNDER THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT, THERE'LL BE KIDS WHO WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING INTERVENTION THAT HISTORICALLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING INTERVENTION.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS TOO.
WE COULD ARGUE THE, THE, THE WEALTH OR NOT IN THAT, BUT THAT'S A REALITY OF THE ACT AS WELL WITH, WITH THE ESL.
UM, IS IT ALL SPANISH? I MEAN, HOW MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ARE WE HAVING TO ACCOMMODATE? I HEAR STORIES UP IN NORTH VIRGINIA, THEY HAVE 32 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
THAT MIGHT BE AN EXAGGERATION, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.
WHAT, WHAT ARE OUR, WHAT ARE WE HAVING TO ADDRESS HERE, SARAH? I MEAN, PRIMARILY RIGHT NOW, UM, IT'S SPANISH.
THERE'S A, THERE ARE A FEW OTHERS.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE ONE OR TWO UKRAINIAN REFUGEES.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE RESOURCES, ARE WE HAVING TO FIND A UKRAINIAN SPECIALISTS, A PORTUGUESE SPECIALIST AND A NO.
THE TRAINING ISN'T JUST WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE DEVELOPING THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
[00:40:01]
AND THE 5 0 4 AND THE IEPS ARE NOT OPTIONAL.THOSE ARE REQUIRED DELIVERABLES BY THE SCHOOL.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO AS THOSE GO UP, WE GOTTA DO IT.
WE'VE GOTTA MANAGE THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO COME TO US WITH THESE PLANS AND JUST LIKE, WE'VE GOTTA OFFER ADHERENCE TO THE PLANS.
AND THAT IS A STATE REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT, SIR.
AND THEY'RE NOT FUNDING THAT, ARE THEY? NOT HERE.
NOT AT A MEANINGFUL, I'M HEARING LET SAY NO.
WELL, YOU, YOU ALL HAVE HEARD MY SONG DANCE ABOUT OUR LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX BEFORE AND HOW THAT TRANSLATES AND DETERMINES THE PROPORTION OF THE MONEY WE GET FROM THE, IT'S THE LESS MONEY, YOUR HONOR.
EMBARRASS OF WHAT AND WORK BASED LEARNING VERSUS CTE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE HAND IN GLOVE, BUT NOT, I MEAN, DOES MR. WATSON GET TO MANAGE THE WORK-BASED LEARNING OR IS HE JUST FOCUSING ON CTE? UH, I'M SORRY.
WELL, THE, THE, THE WORK-BASED LEARNING, WHICH IS SOFT SKILLS, IS WHAT WE CALL IT IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, IS HOW DO YOU GREET A CUSTOMER? HOW DO YOU BOOK SOMEBODY IN THE EYE? HOW DO YOU SHAKE HANDS? SURE.
HOW DO YOU SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS? ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
THAT'S THE WORK-BASED LEARNING VERSUS CTE, WHICH IS HOW DO YOU CHANGE THE OIL AND DIESEL, I GUESS, OR HOW DO YOU WELD OR, OR HOW COULD, HOW INTER, INTER INTERTWINED ARE THOSE TWO? THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY INTERTWINED, BUT WORK-BASED LEARNING, UM, IS NOT LIMITED TO JUST CTE STUDENTS.
IT IMPACTS ALL STUDENTS IN GRADES NINE THROUGH 12.
AND ANY ONE OF THE 12 WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FROM A SIMPLE JOB SHADOW UP TO A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP, BUT ALSO, UH, WORK-BASED LEARNING CAN GO DOWN TO CAREER AWARENESS DOWN TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND DOWN TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALSO.
I'M A, I'M, THE CLASSROOM IS A WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S NOT THE REAL WORLD.
SO ANYTHING THAT INTRODUCES REAL WORLD TO THE CLASSROOM, WE, WE HAVE CTE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING INTO APPRENTICESHIPS AND JOB SHADOWS AND INTERNSHIPS, AS WELL AS WE HAVE NON CTE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN, UH, SOME OF THE WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
CAN I ADD TO WHAT YOU JUST YES.
YOUR SUBJECT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ALL, AND I AND I THERE, ONE OF THE POSITIONS YOU MENTIONED, DR.
PROMAR IS THE COORDINATOR OF WORKFORCE PLACEMENT COORDINATOR OR WORK, WORK-BASED LEARNING.
BUT THAT COORDINATOR, AND BY THE WAY, LET ME JUST SAY I'M A PROPONENT, SUPPORTER OF CTEI KNOW.
PROUD AT WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE.
WE, WE STAND TALL AMONG OTHER SCHOOLS AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF THAT.
AND BUT WHAT FLASHED THROUGH CROSS MY MIND WHEN YOU MENTION THAT IS THAT WITH THAT POSITION, IT MAY BE AN INFLUENCER TO, UH, ENCOURAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE WORKFORCE IS HERE IN THE COUNTY AND TO ENCOURAGE OUR PEOPLE TO STAY HERE AFTER GRADUATION RATHER THAN GO ELSEWHERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD EVER MEASURE THAT.
I MEAN, COULD POSSIBLY GRADUALLY MEASURE IT, BUT THAT COULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IT COULD ALSO BE A CONDUIT TO ATTRACTING BUSINESS TO THE COUNTY.
THAT WAS ONE OF OUR, UM, DRIVERS IN SEEKING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY TO SHARE THE POSITION.
OH, IT YOUR MEETING MR. CHAIRMAN
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.
I THINK THIS IS, UH, IT, THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, I THINK IS A, IS A BOLD, HUGE MOVE, UM, TO KIND OF KEEP US IN, UH, ON TRACK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE REPEATS OF LAST YEAR WHERE I THINK MY ASSESSMENT WAS THAT WE JUST REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS.
SO I, I HOPE MR. CARPENTER, YOU CAN KIND OF SHARE WHERE SOME OF THE COUNTIES, UM, CALL 'EM, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE DOING WELL, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE CONCERNED, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE, UM, AND I, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO, I, I WON'T EDITORIALIZE ON WHAT I SAW.
BUT I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, UM, WE CAME TO LEARN ON THE COUNTY SIDE THAT THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN A MERIT INCREASE.
SO IS THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT THE ONLY INCREASE THAT THE STAFF AND TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE THIS YEAR? OR DO THEY GET THEIR NORMAL STEPS? AND THIS IS ON TOP OF THAT, ON TOP OF MERIT? SO WE DO HAVE A STEP, WE DO HAVE A PAY SCALE WHERE TEACHERS WOULD ADVANCE IN ON THE SCALE MM-HMM
SO FOLKS WHO ARE ON STEP 17 NOW WOULD PROGRESS TO STEP 18, AND THEIR 3% WOULD BE BASED ON THAT NUMBER.
SO AM I CORRECT IN THAT THE STEP WOULD REPRESENT THE COWORK? THE, THE, YES.
[00:45:01]
INCREASE? THAT'S RIGHT.WE'RE PROPOSING AT THIS TIME, BUT, OKAY.
SO I HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WELL, NO, YOU HEARD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WHAT I DID WAS THAT, I DIDN'T SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
IF A TEACHER IS ON STEP 10, THEIR STEP TWO 11 WOULD EQUAL THE 3%.
SO WE WOULD MODIFY OUR STEPS SO THAT THE STEPS WILL HAVE THE 3% INCREASE ALREADY EMBEDDED IN THEM.
MEANING IF IT WAS, IF YOU WERE GOING TO A $50,000 A YEAR STEP, NOW YOU'RE GONNA GO TO A, UH, OH, HERE WE GO.
GOTTA DO SOME HARD MATH, BUT $51,500 A YEAR STEP.
SO THE STEP JUST GOT 3% BIGGER.
AND UM, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN WE SAT DOWN WITH OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, THE BUDGET IS THE SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
SO WHAT I DIDN'T SEE IN THIS WAS, IS IT A BALANCED BUDGET? IS IT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM A, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR MANDATE TO OUR SIDE, WHICH IS, HEY, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT AS IT WAS LAST YEAR AND IT'S UP TO Y'ALL.
HOW YOU, YOU SHUFFLE IT AROUND.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT EQUAL THIS? SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE, AND, AND WE'LL GROW INTO THAT.
WE'RE VERY EARLY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THE LAST FEW WEEKS WE SPENT TALKING WITH BUDGET MANAGERS TO ASSESS NEEDS.
BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A COUPLE PROCEDURES.
ONE, IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO GO AND LOOK AT SOME STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT INITIATIVES, WHICH WE ULTIMATELY ARE GONNA DO ANYWAY.
AND THEN TWO, IF NOT, IF NOT FUNDED AS PRESENTED TONIGHT AND, AND WE'RE GIVEN LEVEL OF FLAT FUNDING, THEN WE'VE GOTTA GO BACK AND MAKE SOME REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
CAN I ASK, WAS THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAD COMMUNICATED THE EXPECTATIONS? WAS THAT COMMUNICATED TO YOU? YES, IT WAS.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, RIGHT? IT IS, BUT, BUT I UNDERSTAND MY, MY JOB IS TO OFFER AN ASSESSMENT OF NEED MM-HMM
WHETHER THOSE NEEDS ARE FUNDED OR NOT.
IT'S MY DUTY TO DO WHAT I'VE DONE HERE TONIGHT.
SO HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, WE WOULD'VE TO MAKE SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS AND GO BACK AND REPRIORITIZE FACE WITH THE CERTAINTY THAT THE FUNDING IS WHAT IT IS.
MR. C, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD SHARE ABOUT SORT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING LIKE PROJECTION WISE FOR THE COUNTY? YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE FUNDED SOME CIP STUFF, BUT FIRST TIME THAT OUR REVENUES DID NOT COME IN AS ANTICIPATED LAST YEAR.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO SORT OF THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE THAT WE SEE OURSELVES.
I MEAN, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND, AND WE ALWAYS START TAKING A VERY CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINT OF, OF A BUDGET.
AND SO THE GUIDANCE THAT I'VE RECEIVED THAT STAFF HAS RECEIVED IS THAT WE START WITH ZERO BASE BUDGET, EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL THAT HAVE TO GO UP.
EITHER THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED OR SOME ASPECT LIKE THAT, THAT IT'S JUST BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW IT IS NOT LOOKING TO BE A VERY ROBUST YEAR IN THE TERMS OF HAVING LARGE EXCESS QUANTITIES OF REVENUE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS MADE ON OUR SIDE AS WELL.
UM, AS WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE COMMUNICATING THEIR, THEIR NEEDS AS THEY SEE IT.
AND THE REALITY IS IT DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO ADDING UP.
UM, SO MY INITIAL BUDGET WILL HAVE NO PAY RAISE FOR EMPLOYEES, AND IT'LL BE A VERY BASIC BUDGET THAT JUST SHOWS THAT IN.
AND THEN WE SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE AT THAT POINT OF TIME.
AND THEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.
IF THERE IS THE ABILITY TO HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE OPERATIONAL TO GROW IT FROM LAST YEAR'S OR FROM THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD START WITH, THEN WE'LL MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BASED ON INPUT FOR BOARD.
I JUST WANNA ADD ONE THING, AND IT'S IN THE SPIRIT, MR. SPOON HOWER OF, UH, AVOIDING SURPRISES
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAY BE UNIQUE TO SCHOOLS IS WE WAIT ON THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, IF THE GOVERNOR SAYS, OH, I'M MANDATING A 5% PAY INCREASE, YOU GUYS KNOW WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
SO I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS OUTSIDE OF OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL SO UNFUNDED MANDATES, AND WE HOPEFULLY WILL BE GETTING A PREVIEW OF HIS BUDGET LATER THIS WEEK.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE AS WE WAIT AND SEE HOW THAT IS, UH, COMES THROUGH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE EARLY IN, IN THE ASPECT OF, NORMALLY WE WOULD'VE BEEN HAVING THIS MANY WEEKS DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE WE'D BE TALKING TO BOTH BOARDS TOGETHER.
MARTY AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW ON BUDGET, SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, UM, MISCOMMUNICATION FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM HIM FOR WHAT HIS NEEDS ARE.
WHEN I WENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, AND THESE ARE ALL ESSENTIALLY THE SAME CONCERNS THAT YOU SHARED THOSE WEEKS BACK THAT YOU WERE GONNA PRIORITIZE.
SO I'VE BEEN HEARING THAT AND I'M AWARE OF THAT AND, AND CERTAINLY THE, UH, NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND AGAIN, THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL NEEDS.
I DON'T NEED TO, UH, BEAT THE LINE.
[00:50:01]
THEY'RE ALL CRITICAL NEEDS AND HARD DECISIONS MEAN JUST THAT HARD DECISION AND, YOU KNOW, SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED THAT SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, OX WILL BE GORED.THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF BUILDING A BUDGET.
SO, SO TALKING ABOUT THE STATE, I JUST RECENTLY HEARD THAT THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT SURPLUS MM-HMM
SO I DON'T HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS.
IF ANY OF THAT WOULD TRICKLE DOWN TO US OR WAS THAT A RE RETURN TO THE TAXPAYERS OR WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN? DO WE HAVE ANY HOPE OF, TO TODAY ANY INCREASED RULING TODAY IN THE NEWS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, NO TAX ON TIPS.
SO IT WOULD BE, PART OF IT WOULD BE MOST LIKELY PASSED TOWARDS THAT MM-HMM
UM, SO THAT WAS I DID HEAR THAT.
SO THAT WAS A BIG THING TO DO.
THERE IS A, A MOVEMENT AFOOT THAT IS TRYING TO FORCE, I'LL USE THE WORD FORCE COMMUNITIES TO, UM, HAVE TAX RATES EQUAL TO GENERATE WHAT THE STATE SAYS WE SHOULD BE GENERATING IN REVENUE BASED ON OUR ABILITY TO PAY.
UM, AND BY THEIR FORMULAS, UM, WE DO NOT GENERATE AS MUCH AS THEY FEEL WE SHOULD BE GENERATING, WHICH THAT CARRIES OUT IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE THE IMPACT OF EITHER REDUCING THE MONEY WE GET OR FORCING US TO RAISE MORE REVENUE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE INSIDE.
WHY, WHY DON'T WE GET THE REVENUE? WE SHOULD LIMIT BUSINESS BECAUSE OUR, JUST THE AVERAGE TAX RATE ACROSS THE STATE IS IF IT'S 60 CENTS AND OURS IS 53 CENTS OH, OKAY.
THEN, THEN THEY'RE JUST COMPARING US TO AN AVERAGE.
SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S, IT'S NOT DISCUSSION IS GOING ON.
I'M NOT SAYING, SO WE GET PRESSURE FROM THE STATE TO RAISE THE TAX RATE ON OUR CITIZENS REAL ESTATE TAX.
MS. WEISS, YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING FOR MS? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY MR. WINFREY, THAT TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL PROBABLY WANT TO, UM, POUR SOME MONEY TOWARDS ONE TIME FUNDING VERSUS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SUSTAINABLE AS WELL WITH THIS, UH, SURPLUS SURPLUS OF REVENUES.
SO, AND ALSO IT LOOKS LIKE THE GOVERNOR WILL PRIORITIZE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HIGHER NEEDS, UM, OVER, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE DOING WELL.
WHAT DEFINES A HIGHER NEED? UNDERPERFORMING.
LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND THEN SCHOOLS WHERE THEIR BUILDINGS ARE IN MUCH MORE DISREPAIR THAN OURS.
AND ALSO SCHOOLS IN LOCALES WITH A LOWER ABILITY TO PAY RIGHT.
SCHOOLS IN PLACES THAT HAVE A LOWER LOW COMPOSITE INDEX.
WELL, MS. MOSES, I, UH, DOUG MORNING.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU THIS BUDGET.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF IMPRESSIVE RETURNS ON OUR CTE PROGRAM AND WE GET THAT DATA BACK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
THERE'S A NICE, YOU KNOW, VISIBILITY OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT VERSUS A STUDENT WHO MIGHT DO FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE MIGHT DO SOME GRADUATE PROGRAMMING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF KIDS LEAVE COLLEGE AND STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY LOW LEVEL JOBS INITIALLY.
UM, THIS BUDGET THAT NONE OF YOUR SLIDES SEEM TO TALK TO EXPANSION OF CTE RESOURCES.
AND I DO, I AM GETTING A, A FAIR NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FROM CONSTITUENTS ON THAT.
I, I, I BELIEVE THAT I'VE ADVOCATED CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION SINCE I HIT THE DOOR.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN IMPORTANT TO ME AS A CAREER EDUCATOR.
UM, ESPECIALLY HERE WHEN IT'S ALMOST READY MADE TO SUCCEED.
WE, WE'VE GOT, UH, FOR A SCHOOL DIVISION, OUR SIZE FOR US TO HAVE THE DEPTH OF, AND THE NUMBER OF OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE IS NOTHING LESS THAN IMPRESSIVE.
MR. WATSON AND I ARE GONNA BE, UM, JOINING A CALL WITH, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS FROM POWER TAN AND CUMBERLAND SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS, INITIAL CONVERSATIONS ON A REGIONAL PROGRAM WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T HEAR OR USED TO OFFER BUT NOW AREN'T ABLE TO BECAUSE THERE'S SO FEW PEOPLE WITH THE ENDORSEMENT TO TEACH THOSE COURSES.
BUT AS LONG AS I'M HERE, I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR CAREER IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DR.
UM, AND I, I HAD A NICE DRIVE BACK FROM CENTRAL WHERE I THOUGHT THIS MEETING WAS, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR MY MEETING FOR THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES.
UM, THE, THE, UH, CAREER TECHNICAL TENDS TO ALSO, UH, ENCOMPASS, UH, AGRICULTURE.
DID I MISS THE CONVERSATION ON ADDING AN AGRICULTURAL TEACHER TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL? YOU, YOU DID NOT.
[00:55:01]
THINGS THAT I HAVE TO DO IS, IS PRIORITIZE.I ONLY LISTED SIX HERE TONIGHT.
NOW, I COULD HAVE LISTED 10 OR 12 OR 15 OR 20, BUT I ONLY LISTED THE TOP SIX.
UM, MR. WATSON COULD PROBABLY TALK BETTER THAN I EVER COULD ABOUT THE CURRENT AGRICULTURE OFFERINGS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IN OUR PROGRAM, WE'D HAVE TO DO AN ASSESSMENT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT AN ADDITIONAL FTE MIGHT OFFER, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'D BE SUBSCRIBERSHIP OR KIDS WHO WANT TO TAKE THE COURSES.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD'VE TO BE CONSIDERED.
I, I'M, I'M GOING TO SHARE IF I MAY, UM, UH, THIS IS A LETTER THAT WILL GET SIGNED TONIGHT AT THE FARM BUREAU DINNER AT SIX 30, BUT I WAS ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU, BUT IT IS A LETTER FROM THE GLAND FARM BUREAU STRONGLY ADVOCATING THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AG TEACHER NEED, UH, INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET.
AND IT PLAYS ON SOME OF THE SAME THEMES AS CTE AND THAT AGRICULTURE IS AN INDUSTRY, IT'S NOT A HOBBY, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, DOES FEED US ALL.
AND THAT HAS A LOT OF TENDRILS THAT TOUCH A LOT.
YOU TALK TO A FARMER, HE OR SHE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ABLE TO FIX A TRACTOR, UM, MAYBE BETTER THAN SOME OF THE CTE STUDENTS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE POSITION IS EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A DYNAMICALLY CHANGING COMMUNITY AND COUNTY, OUR AGRICULTURAL ROOTS DO, UH, GO DEEP.
I GUESS IF I CAN CARRY THAT METAPHOR THERE.
SO I, I, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE THAT WE LOOK HARD AND, UH, DO RAISE IT UP OFF THE TOP, TEND UP TO THE TOP TWO, UH, INITIATIVES THAT WE REALLY DO ADD A MIDDLE SCHOOL AG TEACHER AND GIVE THE STUDENTS A, A REALLY SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND CRITICAL NATIONAL SECURITY INDUSTRY.
I, I ALWAYS HAVE, I LOOK AT IT, IT'S A, IT'S A $90,000 EXPENDITURE, SALARY AND BENEFITS, ASSUMING WE CAN ATTRACT THE RIGHT PERSON TO DO IT FOR US.
AND I HAVE TO, I SHOULD BEING RESPONSIBLE, LOOK AT THAT $90,000, FOR EXAMPLE.
LET'S TAKE THE SIX PRIORITIES THAT I BROUGHT HERE TONIGHT.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN SOME CONVERSATION AS TO WHICH OF THOSE SIX THINGS WOULD, IF ANY, WOULD GO AWAY FOR THE BENEFIT.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK AN AG TEACHER'S IMPORTANT.
I'VE SHARED AS MUCH WITH YOU, BUT IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO WHAT CAN WE GET FUNDED WITH A FISCAL OUTLAY OR RESOURCE OUTLAY THAT, UH, MR. CARPENTER HAS JUST PUT BEFORE US? WHAT CAN WE DO? WE CAN'T DO IT ALL.
WHAT CAN WE DO AND HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE THOSE INITIATIVES? I ACTUALLY GOT A LETTER TODAY FROM, WELL, AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE SAYING, PLEASE, PLEASE GET AN AG, AG TEACHER.
WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE WEST END, YOU KNOW, FOX, JUST IN THE, IN THE SPIRIT OF SORT OF TRANSPARENCY AND UNDERSTANDING, I KNOW EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS WE HAVE.
I MEAN, WE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A $110 MILLION WE'VE GOTTA COME UP WITH.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE MOVING INTO DESIGN OF THE COURTHOUSE, UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TWO FIRE STATIONS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT, UH, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, THE SHERIFF HAD A FIVE YEAR PLAN, WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET HIM TO.
AND, AND, AND I, SO I HOPE WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WELL THERE.
UM, CHIEF FERGUSON, UM, HAS ALREADY HAS BEEN LOOKING AS WE'VE GOTTEN TO MORE FULL-TIME STAFF.
UM, WE HAVE IT IN ABOUT THREE PEOPLE PER STATION, BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU CAN GET ONE VEHICLE OUT AT A TIME.
SO YEAH, YOU HAVE TO GUESS IF YOU, YOU'VE GOT AN ACCIDENT ON 64, YOU'RE GUESSING, WELL, THEY TAKE THE FIRETRUCK OR WE WANNA TAKE THE AMBULANCE.
SO, UM, HE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO FIVE.
WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET HIM THERE YET.
BUT THEN AS WE MOVE TO DESIGN OF STATION EIGHT AND ALSO TO STATION SEVEN, YOU'RE LOOKING WHAT, WHAT'S EACH STATION? ADDITIONAL 12 FTE OR? WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT FIVE SHIFTS, THREE PER SHIFT, THAT'S 15.
YEAH, SO 15, 15 ON DUTY ON VACATION.
SO THAT'S ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF A YEAR ADDITIONAL TO FUND THE FIRE STATIONS.
UM, WE, THERE WILL BE A VERY ROBUST, UM, VOLUNTEER, UH, CAMPAIGN GOING ON.
SO, BUT JUST JUST SO Y'ALL ARE AWARE, LIKE WE'RE OF, OF STUFF WE'RE TRYING TO, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A LITANY OF TRANSPORTATION PRO PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT NEED TO GET DONE TO SUPPORT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF, UH, NEED.
UM, SO A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID, DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE.
WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY A MOMENT AGO, UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH THE SAFETY AND YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID, AND I'VE LEARNED
[01:00:01]
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT, UH, THERE'S NO BETTER PURPOSE OF FOR THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAN PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION.AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO SUPPORT BOTH OF THOSE.
UM, BUT INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AND I, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE HAVE DR.
UM, SO THAT'S PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL.
SO WE CAN PUT THE WEAPONS DETECTION UNDER SHERIFF PREY'S BUDGET.
I'LL LET YOU HAVE THAT LUNCH, YOU KNOW.
ROBINSON, MS. ROBINSON, THANK YOU.
UM, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU, UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IF, IF I DON'T KNOW AT THIS MOMENT, NO, BUT DEFINITELY A GREAT START.
IS THIS SCHEDULED FOR AN HOUR? 'CAUSE WE'RE MINUTE OVER.
IF WE ARE SIX, SCHEDULE SIX, SIX OH, WELL THEN I MIGHT ASK, MAY I, UM, YOU MENTIONED STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT THAT YOU WERE ENVISIONING.
ARE YOU AT LIBERTY TO SHARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT YOU WERE CONSIDERING? NO, I'M NOT AT THIS POINT.
I MENTIONED IT AS THAT BEING A PROCESS THAT WE'RE GONNA ULTIMATELY EVOLVE INTO.
WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THAT YET IN THIS CYCLE.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT LAST SPRING WE DID OFFER SEVERAL INITIATIVES FOR STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT TOTAL AND I BELIEVE $380,000.
WHICH MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT IN THE CONTEXT OF A $44 MILLION BUDGET, BUT THEY WERE SACRIFICES.
CAN YOU REFRESH MY MEMORY WHAT THOSE WERE? I WILL, I WILL FIND THE PRESENTATION AND SEND THEM TO YOU.
I DON'T, I CAN'T ITEMIZE 'EM IN MY BRAIN RIGHT NOW.
SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS WAS THE ONE AREA WHERE WE SAVE A LITTLE CASH.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? AGAIN, THANK YOU.
ALL OF YOU ALL BOARD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AND VERY PRODUCTIVE AND, UM, IT'S GOOD QUESTION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS SOMETHING DID JUST POP IN AND, AND DR.
KUMAR, I APPRECIATE YOUR FIRST YEAR.
YOU, YOU, I, I THINK MOVED MOUNTAINS SO FAR AS, UH, COMPENSATION AND THE BAND ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
AND I WAS VERY CANDID, I HOPE IN SAYING THAT I TRUST YOU.
UH, AND PART OF THE QUID PRO QUO THOUGH WAS METRICS AS TO WHAT OUR RETENTION IS GOING TO BE.
UH, WE HAD A SORT OF A UNICORN SCENARIO WHERE THERE WAS MID-YEAR RESIGNATIONS OCCURRING THAT MY UNDERSTANDING, WE'VE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS YEAR.
AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MR. LAU, WE WEREN'T SCRAMBLING TO FILL VACANCIES POST STARTING SCHOOL.
WE HIRED, WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE 41 NEW STAFF MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT FROM NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OF OUR MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING TO US IN TELLING US THAT THAT WAS THE REASON THAT THEY OPTED TO JOIN US.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW OF A GREATER METRIC THAN THAT.
WELL, OTHER THAN WE HAD TO REPLACE 41 PEOPLE, WHICH MEANS SOME PEOPLE LEFT, I GUESS.
BUT, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WELL, IF WE HAD TO HIRE 41 NEW, THAT MEANS THERE WERE 41 VACANCIES.
SO THAT MEANS THE STEP INCREASE DIDN'T KEEP 'EM, THEY DIDN'T RETAIN NO, THAT WAS BEFORE.
AND, AND, AND PEOPLE LEAVE SCHOOL DIVISIONS SOMETIMES INVOLUNTARILY.
SO THERE, THERE ARE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO DEPART WITH THE FORMER TEACHER.
WE HAD TEACHERS THAT LEFT THIS LOCALITY TO LIVE IN A PART OF THE STATE THAT DIDN'T MAKE A COMMUTE POSSIBLE.
SO YOU MAY REMEMBER THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REASONS.
LIKE WE HAD TO BRING TEACHERS IN TO FILL NEEDS FOR SCIENCE.
UM, SO I, AND I WOULD, I WOULD SURMISE THAT BEYOND COMPENSATION IS CULTURE.
SO I, I WILL ONLY SAY THAT WHEN WE WELCOMED THE 41 NEW TEACHERS AT OUR NEW TEACHER ACADEMY IN AUGUST, THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE, UM, ENERGY FROM THAT GROUP OF TEACHERS.
UM, I WILL JUST SHARE, LIKE WHEN WE TOLD THEM, HEY, WE'RE ONE OF THE SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT'S BELL TO BELL CELL PHONE FREE.
I LITERALLY GOT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FROM THESE 41 NEW TEACHERS.
SO THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD IS TRYING TO DO TO CREATE, IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS TO CREATE A, A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND, AND ALSO YES, SIR.
AND ALSO MR. ALLEN PEOPLE RETIRED AS WELL.
[01:05:01]
WHEN WE WERE TALKING DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAD LEFT US, THOSE WERE MIDYEAR ACTUALLY AT THAT POINT IN TIME.AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 12, WHICH TO ME GAVE GREAT CAUSE PAUSE BECAUSE THAT WAS, TO ME, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAD LEFT US AT THE SAME POINT IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO REPLACE 41 STAFF MEMBERS, IT'S NOT JUST FOLKS WHO'VE LEFT BECAUSE THEY HATE OUR GUTS OR FEEL UNDERPAID.
IT'S ANY NUMBER OF OTHER REASONS.
RETIREMENTS PEOPLE WHO WE'VE HAD TO SAY THANK YOU, BUT WE'VE SEEN ENOUGH LEAVING THE PROFESSION.
PEOPLE WHO LEAD THE PROFESSION ENTIRELY.
I, I ACTUALLY FOUND, UH, SOME NOTES, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN KICKING AROUND FOR A WHILE FROM 2012, WHERE THIS VERY DISCUSSION ON COMPENSATION AND NUTRITION RATE, WHICH WAS TRACKING CLOSE TO BOTH THE OTHERS.
BUT WHERE I WAS EVENTUALLY GONNA GET TO AND WILL NOW, IS THAT AS WE LOOK AT RENEWAL CONTRACTS, MY HOPE IS THAT WE WILL FIND THAT THE BAND ADJUSTMENT REALLY DOES CREATE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT A TYPICAL RETENTION RATE WOULD BE, BUT I HOPE IT WOULD BE TYPICAL PLUS FIVE.
SO I THAT WE WOULD I WILL SAY THIS TO THAT.
AND THIS ISN'T A PITCHED SPEC.
TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY WITHIN THE MARKET FOR COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T DO 3% AND OUR NEIGHBORS DO 3%, THEN WE FALL BEHIND.
AND ULTIMATELY WE'LL FIND, AND MAYBE IN VERY SHORT ORDER OURSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION WE WERE IN BEFORE WE DID THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
THAT'S WHY LAST SPRING, I WAS CAREFUL IN MY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS CREATES A NEW BASELINE.
THIS WE, WE RESCALED OUR SALARIES AND IN THAT RESCALING CREATED A NEW BASELINE FOR TEACHER COMPENSATION.
I INITIATED THE CONVERSATION IN THE REGION.
THE REST OF 'EM WERE LIKE, WOW.
BUT I SAID, WE WE'RE MOVING FAST.
NOW IF SOMEBODY JUMPS OUT THERE AND DOES 6%, THEN THAT'S, I'LL BOX THAT PERSON.
THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT PERSON AND I HAVE TO HAVE.
BUT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG THE 10 OF US WHO MAKE UP REGION ONE CONTROL WAS THAT 12 OF US THAT MAKE UP REGION ONE WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA WORK TO SECURE AT LEAST AN AVERAGE 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR OUR STAFF.
AND IF WE DO THAT, WE MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM THAT WE FOUGHT OVER TO GET FOR OUR FOLKS LAST SPRING.
I I'VE SAID MORE THAN ONCE, IT'S NOT THE BUILDING, IT'S THE TEACHER IN THIS CLASSROOM THAT REALLY DRIVES EDUCATION.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DRIVER.
IT'S, AND I MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT MENTIONING THAT, AND MY SENSE IS THAT YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD MORALE AND A GOOD, UH, POSITIVE WORKFORCE ENVIRONMENT AND, YOU KNOW, SALARY IS JUST A PART OF IT.
BUT IT'S NOT ALL, I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS A GOOD ENVIRONMENT TO WORK WITHIN.
I ON KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ON THAT.
I'LL BRAG ON THE FIFTH DISTRICT, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
SHE HAS DRAGGED ME, NOT DRAGGED ME.
I WENT WILLINGLY INTO, UH, CLASSROOMS AND, AND, AND HAVE READ TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS AND, AND IT IS IMPRESSIVE.
YOU SEEM TO THOROUGH ENJOY IT.
UH, WE HAVE PICTURES ON THE COVER.
IS THAT YEAH, WELL I DIDN'T PAY OFF THE PHOTOGRAPHER, I SUPPOSE, BUT THE POINT I GUESS IS THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UH, TO, UH, TAKE A WHACK AT THAT TOO BECAUSE, UM, WE, WE WALKED THE HALLS AFTERWARDS AT, AT RANDOLPH AND, UH, JUST THE ATMOSPHERE.
WE HAD AN ENGAGING CONVERSATION WITH THE, UH, CAFETERIA STAFF.
UH, ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR PUSHING 40 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND UM, I DID NOT BRING MY NOTEBOOK, SO I CAN'T CALL HER NAME, BUT IT, IT IS A, WELL, UH, IT IS THE PEOPLE AND, AND I THINK THERE'S CHARM TO RANDOLPH AND BIRD.
UM, BUT IT REALLY IS THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THERE.
SO MY HOPE IS THAT THIS BAND ADJUSTMENT DOES BEAR THE FRUIT OF RETENTION.
THAT WE ARE RETAINING THOSE FOLKS THAT REALLY ARE THE, THE CORNERSTONE AND THE CATALYST FOR EDUCATION.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE GO TO THE CAUSE WHAT? I'M HERE MR. BARNS.
I'M, YEAH, I'M GLAD IT CAME UP, UH, WHEN ANGELA MENTIONED THE BE TO BE NO CELL PHONES, BUT DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF HALF A DOZEN TO 10 ITEMS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE TELLING US? THIS IS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE SELECTED GLAND COUNTY OR, OR, UH, TO GO WORK IN, OR THIS IS WHY WE LEFT, WHERE A NUMBER OF THOSE ARE
[01:10:01]
LOW HANGING FRUIT.I MEAN, I, I THINK OF COURSE PAY IS THE NUMBER ONE THING, BUT IF THERE ARE THOSE ELEMENTS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE THAT CAUSE EVEN ONE FTE TO LEAVE THE COST OF REPLACEMENT AND POTENTIAL RETRAINING AND THINGS OF THAT SORT ARE SUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOW HANGING, THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT ONLY BE A NOMINAL EXPENSE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, IN MANY WAYS THEY MIGHT BE AN INSURANCE POLICY IN YEARS.
WE DON'T LOSE SOMEBODY'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT REASON.
BUT IF THEY DO STOP SOMEBODY FROM LEAVING OR MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM LEAVING, THEY ARE, UH, EXPENSES WORTH THEIR WAY TO GOLD.
SO, UM, DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WERE, YOU HAD A YES SIR.
WORKING LIST OF THOSE ITEMS AND MR. VOS, WHILE YOU WERE ASKING THE QUESTION, I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH DEMETRA HARRIS, WHO HEADS UP OUR HR AND SHE SHARED WITH ME THAT SHE CAN GET YOU THOSE DATA.
ANYTHING ELSE? FEEL GOOD OF THE CAUSE? MEETING ADJOURNED.