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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=lnRIWARmy38

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This meeting is a meeting of the board of education in public for the purpose of conducting the school district's business and is and is not to be considered a public community meeting. This meeting is an in-person meeting held at 870 Coldfax here in Bentley Harbor. An additional live stream of this meeting is available at the

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following link. Questions may be submitted beforehand to Natalie.bhs.org or presented in person during the public comment section as indicated in the agenda. Board members may be contacted through the emails listed below. Requests for special assistance, including for persons with disabilities,

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may be sent to Natalie. Bhas.org. I call this meeting to order officially at 6:05 p.m. We'll begin by reciting the pledge of allegiance. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

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for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with all. All right. Next up, we have roll call. I'm going to give our secretary a second

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to get to the table so that he can call roll for us. President Robinson, >> present. >> Vice President Barnes, >> present. >> Secretary Triplet, present. Treasurer Gavin, >> present. >> Trusty Rocket Martin, >> present.

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>> Trustee Doyle. >> Trustee Bradley, >> present. >> Madam President, a quorum has been established. >> All right. Awesome. Up next, we have approval of the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? >> I make a motion that we approve the

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agenda. >> Is there a second or support? report. >> The motion has been made by Trusty Rocket Martin and supported by Trusty Bradley. Any questions, comments, or concerns? I think I might may have missed the um

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time to do this, but I would um from looking at the agenda, one of the um HR reports, staff report, I got the right one

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for the hiring of the director of academics. I would like to have that tabled and removed off of the agenda. Am I in the wrong time? Was this >> This is the This is the time. This is

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Well, you can make comments. So, right now there's a motion on the table. >> Yeah. >> And your comment is that you would like to amend the agenda. >> Yeah. >> To table. Um, so the person who made the motion,

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remind me, was it Rocket Martin? with the support by Bradley. >> Okay. Rocket Martin. Um being that you have an active motion on the floor to approve the agenda as it is, do you have um any feedback to that request? Were

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any other any other trustees? Are you wanting to maintain your motion with approval of the agenda as is? >> Yes. >> Okay. Any other questions, comments from the board? President Robinson. Yes, ma'am. Okay. So,

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we still do not have a close session meeting. There's been an investigation that we're supposed to get an update on that's on a grievance since January. And we still do not have a close session

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so that we can discuss that. And nothing on this agenda is relevant until we're able to get clarity on that information. And so um

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submitting that we um and ethical imperative that we include a closed session so that we can get an update on that. investigation.

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>> Okay. >> So there is your request right now is not a request that I can enter into close session with you for because I do not have a written opinion or anything formal that allows me to go into a closed session at this time.

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So, are you are you speaking to Triplet's request for tableabling or is this an additional request as it relates to the agenda? >> This is an additional request. I find it hard that we don't have any information on something that happened so long ago.

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There should be some type of update, close session, and if we don't have anything that we can discuss, then it might be time to take this to a higher level. Okay. So, I'm slightly confused by and I

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understand what you're speaking of, but I I gave the update that you asked me for. I gave you the update. So, once there's finalized information concerning that, then you will be able to enter a closed session and speak with the person that is

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managing that. So, at this time, I don't have a reason for policy to go into a closed session with the board of education. the policy about non-employment of the superintendent. That's not currently uh an agenda item

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on the on the table. Trusty, I'm requesting that we add that agenda item. Okay. So, there's a motion on the table that was made by Trusty Rocket Martin and supported by Trusty uh Barry. Are you all wanting to move your agenda?

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>> No. Motion as it stands. >> Motion as it stands. >> So your motion maintains with approval of the agenda as it is. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Bradley, are you still maintaining support of that motion? >> Support of that. >> Okay. Secretary Triplet, can you please follow the votes?

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>> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowen, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, no. Treasure Gavin, >> no. >> Trustee Rocklin Martin, >> yes. Trusty Bradley. >> Yes. Motion carried. >> Okay. And then Secretary Triplet, I know

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you you came in kind of quickly. I just want to make sure you notate that. Um the senior is not present. So I want to make sure you're able to we're not moving too quickly for you to be able to document the roll call sheet. >> If you're moving too quickly, she will have an opportunity to look into the meeting before.

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>> Well, we had a meeting prior where something happened with the recording. So I just want to make sure if I'm moving too fast, let me know. >> Yeah. Thank you so very much. >> All right. Next up, we have review of our board norms. The board of education norms for Benton

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Harbor area schools. We will treat each other with respect. We will listen to learn. We will refrain from side conversations. We will use our time wisely, starting and ending our meetings on time. We will challenge ideas, not people. We will ask questions when in doubt. There will be no surprises at the

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board table. We will practice the seven norms of collaboration. Those are pausing, paraphrasing, posing questions, putting ideas on the table, providing data, paying attention to self and others, and presuming positive intention. Next up, we have public

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comment on agenda items. Is there anyone present that would like to make a comment on an agenda item? The Ben Harvey Area Schools Board of Education recognized the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on district

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matters. Today, there are two areas for comment on the agenda of which you may decide when to speak. Public comment on agenda items and open public comment. We request that each interested participant complete a public participation form using legible writing to ensure the responses are appropriate and properly focused. Benton Harvard area schools

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bylaw 01673 which governs board participation at board meetings. We request that you preface your comments with your name, address, and group affiliation when appropriate. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to a 3minut duration of prior bylaws. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic until any

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other persons have had the opportunity to speak on that topic. Participants may remove their mask when addressing the board. Participants shall direct all comments to the board and to staff or other participants. The body will listen, take comments and questions under advisement and not respond at this

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time. I, as president, will refer questions to the superintendent for research and response. Please ensure that your public participation form includes your contact information as requested. If you have specific questions for the board or executive team or require followup, please email those directly to Natalie. Singerbhs.org.

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You have the floor. >> Um, I'm Nikina Carter. I love you Gavin T. Um last meeting we had until what June 1st to decide or to pull her for evaluation her as in being the

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superintendent. Why wasn't that done? Um we come here today and she wanted to amend the agenda. It was okay for triplet to amend the agenda or add something or take some away. But when Gavin say can we add this and go into a closed session, it's a problem and it's a no. Um another thing, so recently

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there was a a prom at Fairplane Middle School. Mind you, my daughter been getting bullied since October of last year. Um, there was a recent prom. I came to the board members, Deshana. I came to her and I was telling her, you know, um, Fairplane Middle School was

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advertising this prom. Why was one of her bullies that's expelled allowed onto campus? So, Desa was like, "Oh, it's not associated with this even though the school email said it was affiliated with it. the school text messages was

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affiliated with it. And I emailed her, you know, that concerning that problem with the the prom and that my daughter is still getting bullied to this day. The only thing she replied to was about the prom, stating we had no affiliation, which it deemed you guys had an

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affiliation with it. Well, Fairplane Middle School had an affiliation with it. Um, she didn't even say nothing about my concerns about my daughter being bullied. Still, it was just about the prom. Then I go to Kate, which the

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superintendent works at and her um assistant Natalie Singer. I went to her, I emailed, screenshot, still got the email of the bullying and I wanted to speak with the superintendent. She's in the meeting. Fine. Well, you let her know. you send these emails to her and

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let her know my daughter is still getting bullied over one of the students that was removed from the building and put into cape, she's still getting bullied by this student. Having heard not a thing from nobody and this been going on to where I've been getting neglected as a mother, as an advocate

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for my daughter, my daughter has been getting um getting neglected as a student by not only her principal, the staff members in the school, but the board members as well. She's been getting neglected by and it's still been happening. Like how long is it going to

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take to where it's going to be so detrimental on her mental something is going to happen which I'm as a parent I'm not going to let that happen but still put her in somebody else shoes. Something if her self-esteem was so low and she was getting bullied something

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cuz she could have took herself out and they didn't have a care in the world. And then you have Trenton, you have the superintendent, um, Griffin. They don't get your comment. >> I will. >> They don't pay attention to the community and what they saying. They held their head down. They had solid

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conversations, but she just stated no side conversations in the board meeting. He think it's funny. Whatever. We have Doyle. I mean, what's his name? Bradley. He come tell us one thing, but then get up on the board on on a seat and do another. all for us on private

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conversations to get her out. >> And he's all buddy buddy. He's agreeing to everything that she say. >> That's it. Y'all just y'all just y'all playing your cards the wrong way. Y'all not listening to the community. The community want her out. It's been plenty

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of times. She has bullied members and her comment >> and y'all have did nothing. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate you. Anyone else for open public public comment on agenda items? >> Hello.

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Good evening everyone. >> Um I'm Shenica Davis once again. I'm a staff member here at Ben Harour Area Schools. Um I'm not going to keep getting up here hooping and yelling and

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telling y'all this. Y'all see it. Y'all on Facebook, y'all. Y'all here. Y'all just got to stop ignoring it. I said it before. Y'all know what Dr. Griffin been doing and y'all allowing it

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to happen, which is terrible. It's very terrible. And not only is she doing it to me, she doing it to some of y'all peels. That's even their part. I could stand up for myself, but just how many just imagine

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how many y'all peers that y'all went to school with got to stay silent while they watch they friends, former friends, family members, not say nothing. Disregard the issue because it's an issue

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cuz I bought several issues for y'all. Several. Yeah. Yeah. That's all I got to say. Thank you. Anyone else can publicly comment on agenda items. >> Hey everyone, my name is Chloe Summit. I

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am a fourth grader and for playing is I am here. >> Oh wait. Um can I get y'all inviting um attention side conversations? It was a no-go when I was up here. Thank you. Um Triplet, can you sit up? We ain't going to start until Triplet sit up. >> I can hear it.

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>> But we need to see your face. Thank you. >> We waiting. Okay. So we could just proceed. >> No, I think she suggested she want that. >> We're listening. >> Thank you. >> Hey everyone, my name is Chloe Summers. I am a fourth grader at Fair Point East.

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I am here to speak about Mr. Mo and him being fired. How all the kids feel about him? And I want to say he's a good man and you're going to sit up there and fire him. what you need to do. You need to

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get fired because all >> I know on it because all this stuff you're doing, you need to stop a lot of trouble. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else for publicly

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comment on agenda items? Praise God. Almighty God is one God and he will fight for us. My name is Diana Shopan. I am the Swahili teacher here at the Benton Harbor High School. Three years ago, the

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Benton Harour Area Schools Board voted to incorporate the world language Swahili into the school's curriculum. I want to officially thank the board as that decision has placed Benton Harbor High School students at a major

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advantage over other high school students in the county and probably the state on at least four levels. Academic, economic, business, social and international. Why? Because Swahili is the universal African language. It is

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that pan-African language. It is the lingua frana of the diaspora. It is recognized by the United Nations and is one of the working languages of the African Union. Did you know that the children's building block game Jenga is

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a Swahili word? Did you know that the word Kia, the name of that car that some people drive is a Swahili word? Did you know that one American ambassador to Kenya prophesied

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that between the years 2030 and 2050 that 25% of the world's population will be relocating to an Swahili speaking nation? Since that is the case, y'all might need Swahili lessons. To celebrate

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Swahili and his success at the Benton Harbor High School, as your official Swahili instructor, I am inviting each board member to receive free Swahili classes. I will email you about the details.

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I have um your Swahili names already picked out for each of you. and for your information. The certification process is successfully moving forward. I want to thank doctors

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Santos Gooden and Dr. Griffin for making this happen. And as we say in Swahiliant Sana, praise God and thank you all very much. Hallelujah. >> Thank you. Anyone else for public

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comment on agenda items? All right, hearing none, we'll proceed. Up next, we have approval of our meeting minutes. Today, we are approving regular session 512 20226 and special session 522 20226.

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Is there a motion to approve? >> I make a motion to approve. support. >> The motion was made by Trusty Bradley and supported by Vice President Bowens. Any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the minutes at this time? >> Hearing none. Secretary Triplet,

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>> Robinson, >> um I I believe I would need to abstain. I think 522 may have been the No, wait. >> All right. No. Um, yes. >> Vice President Bren,

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>> wait a minute. One second. >> Yes. I'm confused. Did you just abstain in vote? Yes. Or >> my apologies. May 22nd was I was present then, right? >> No, we that was a Friday meeting.

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>> Yeah, that was a Friday meeting. >> Are there and that was a >> was not established. So, it wasn't too >> My apologies. Let me get Oh, okay.

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>> Okay. I'll I can vote. Yes. I'm sorry, Secretary Triple, cuz I know that I wasn't present. This is just documentation that there wasn't a forum, but >> Vice President Barnes, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasure Gavin,

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>> yes. >> Trusty Rocket Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Bradley, >> yes. Okay. Reminder, protocol as of 9:13 2022, all comments will be limited to two minutes for trustee per topic. Our

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first item of business today is a MASB spring institute update provided by Trusty Bradley. You have the floor. >> Uh good evening my esteemed colleagues. Uh we had a 2026 spring institute.

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Myself and Trusty Rocket Martin attended and um she may want to speak on some things. I don't know if she had anything prepared for tonight. Um, I attended four classes. Um, we did, um, I did CBA 365, collaborative conversations for

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effective decision making, CBA 252, media relations, CBA 3151 audit. Me and Trusty Rocket Martin uh, took that class together, and um, CBA 370, managing a construction project. Uh, this took place at the MASB headquarters in

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Lancing uh, at the beginning of May. uh some key takeaways I'll go through real quick uh for media relations um the things that was just being said social media being the wild west discussions around it our power land and our policies discussing and establishing the

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spokesperson policy and making a board norm um finding comfort in the silence and reviewing interview techniques anatomy of an audit we went through an audit in real time and what I did was I used our last few audits and uh we went

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through and they they um kind of broke down the different parts of it. The disc discussed the reasons behind having an audit. Um the finance office during many audits each quarter and discuss how some school districts create a policy around the fund balance. Uh 365 CPA uh

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collaborative conversation for effective decision-m that was led by Deb Min. Um and of course she's they her inspiration for some of the class came from my board. So we should give ourselves a round of applause because MASB is logically some of the things we do and we discussed the seven laws of

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collaboration um how board needs boundaries. We discuss norms and how it handle helps us handle business uh during after meeting surveys for board members to gauge how the meeting went discussing uh physiological safety and how do we make the table feel safe. And

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the one thing um I'm going to be handing some of the members tonight um a handout. Uh there was a book that she had brought up and it's called improving schoolboard effectiveness and there's a couple areas in there that I want everybody to kind of read especially

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pages 92 and 93 and some characteristics in there and I'm going to hand that out to you all. Um the next thing um and I think that that should be also one of our um retreat topics too. We should do a

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couple maybe spend some time on that. Um last class I did was CBA 370 managing the construction project. And I know right now we're trying to do our master facility plan. Uh they say even if you're not going after the bond to see where you are and where you stand. Um

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school districts matter. It boosts community value. Um, don't build for Easter Sunday, meaning don't over overdo it. Uh, making sure that principles and teachers are included in the building process because they know the day in and day out of the buildings and what where

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what needs to go where. Um, working with contracts and discussing change orders and how they can help the district save money and the three questions around change orders. I want to bring to your attention the upcoming MASB events and I did link them in this document as well. The summer institute is going to be in

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Kamazoo, Michigan. The annual leadership conference is going to be in October from October 15th through the 18th in Lancing and MASB does offer virtual classes. So if you have a busy schedule, you can go in take the classes and everything. Um trust you about that

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Mark. Did you want to add anything or do you have anything to say at this moment? >> Um are there any questions for me? >> Hearing none, I will return it back to you madam president. >> All right. All right. And I just want to remind the board we our air our fan is a little bit loud. So we want to make sure

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we get a good recording from the minutes. So if you all could speak directly into your mics that would be greatly appreciated. That's for everyone in attendance. Okay. Up next item B under board business is superintendent contract amendment staff report B1. Um so you all have a draft of the first

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amendment to the superintendent contract. And so it's essentially um the board and superintendent agreed to the following revision of the last sentence of paragraph 12 of the superintendent's contract. Superintendent's performance shall be evaluated by the board at least

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annually. So the staff report presented um and this will give us essentially through the end of this month to um finalize the the contract for the school year. Resolution to approve first amendment to the superintendent contract. This is

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staff report B1 Benton Harour Area Schools, Benny County, Michigan. The district a special meeting of the board of education of the district. The board was held in the Benton Harour High School Library within the borders of the district on the 9th day of June 2026 at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was called to

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order. Essentially, we'll fill that in. The following preamble resolution were offered by and supported by whereas the board of education, Dr. Simone Griffin entered into a superintendent contract effective July 28, 2025 through June 30th, 2028 the contract. And two, the

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board and Dr. Griffin desire to amen paragraph 12 of the contract relating to the timing and presentation of the superintendent's annual performance evaluation. And three, the proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract removes the requirement that the superintendent's annual evaluation be presented later than June 1st in in

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any given contract year. And the board and Dr. and Griffin have agreed that all other terms and conditions of the superintendent contract shall remain unchanged and in full of force and effect. And five, the board has reviewed the proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract and determine that approval of the amendment is in the

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best interest of the district. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board hereby approved the first amendment to the superintendent contract between Benton Harour Area Schools and Dr. Simone Griffin as presented. The president and the secretary of the board are authorized and directed to execute the first amendment on behalf of the

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board of education. So at this time I'll ask is there a motion to approve staff report B1? >> I move. >> Is there a second or support? >> I support. >> Okay. I heard Bradley first. The motion has been made by Secretary Triplet and

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supported by Bradley. Any questions, comments, or concerns? Can you elaborate on what this is about? >> So, essentially, um, the original contract that we had indicated that the evaluation needed to take place by June

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1st, um, we're all aware that we need to have the evaluation done within the school year, which goes through the 30th. But in order to make sure that we are not out of bounds as a superintendent and board of education with the June 1st requirement, we're essentially just making an amendment to

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the contract that extends our time frame. So, it's been adjusted by council to annually and that will allow us in the next motion to set the date for our evaluation or in the next uh item of business on the agenda to set our date prior to June 30th, 2026.

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>> For the evaluation. >> For the evaluation. Yes, sir. >> Superintendent. Thank you. >> Yes, sir. Uh I believe Doyle had a question that was clarified. You have the floor. >> So, no. Um >> in your mic, please.

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>> Sorry, time is flying. So, we are doing a superintendent evaluation. Um and thank you for working with legal >> to make sure that we are doing this. >> Gavin, can I hear you in the mic, please?

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>> I'm talking as much as I can. I'm sorry, but then I'm sure it's extra loud for her. >> Maybe any more. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. >> I was just saying um thank you for working with legal counsel um into Dr. Griffin to allow us to amend the

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contract so we can do the evaluation. Thank you. >> Okay. And I just realized there was a a back page. I'm not I can't I don't I'm not sure if I read it. The first amendment shall be attached to and incorporated in the superintendent contract effective July

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28, 2025. All resolution and parts of this resolution in so far as they conflict with the provisions of this resolution are hereby rescended. Um so the motion was made by Triplet and supported by Bradley. Any other questions? You have the floor.

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Oh. Um, number three says, "The proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract removes the requirement that the superintendent's annual evaluation be presented in writing no later than June 1 in any given contract year."

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>> Mhm. I'm wondering why it doesn't instead say the proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract removes the um requires that the superintendent annual evaluation be presented in writing no later than June 30th.

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So this was the draft that so this is the amendment that was sent over by council and so the resolution has been made according to that amendment because this says it removes the requirement as opposed to giving it a different deadline date.

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Right? So we the understanding of the legality is that the deadline is June 30th. He just indicated it annually because a school year goes from the beginning of, you know, July 1 all the way through June 30th of 2026. All right. So, I have an issue with this

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wording because it removes the requirement for the evaluation. It doesn't give June 30th as the deadline. I have an issue. I have an issue with not addressing

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the investigation prior to even having this conversation. But since we're here, the wording does not protect this board. It does not protect this district and requiring an evaluation. It removes the

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requirement for an evaluation. So, I think you're concentrating on the resolution. The contract clearly states the superintendent's performance shall be evalu evaluated by the board at least annually. And I sent the amendment out to the

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board of education prior to this meeting. It would have been my hope and desire that if there were any concerns regarding the contract, the amendment language as it was, that you all would have communicated that to me prior so that I could have had that amendment made prior to coming to the table.

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I communicated my concern about this evaluation several times, but what I'm requesting is that we consider um making an amendment to this wording because it removes the requirement from

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the annual evaluation. Now, if that's in her contract, then the resolution should mimic that contract. So, are you So, your concern is not the contract, it's the resolution. You want to adjust the resolution?

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>> My concern is that we're here, but since we're here, I would like it to match because if this doesn't match, what it says is that it removes the requirement that the superintendent's annual

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evaluation be presented in writing. >> Okay. So clarify for me what you think is better for the resolution to state. You wanted to say superintendent performance shall be evaluated by the board at least annually as reflected in the amendment. Yes. Okay. I have no

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objections to that. Um, so three would read, "The proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract removes a requirement that the superintendent's annual evaluation be presented in writing no later than June 1st in any given contract year and

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requires that the superintendent performance shall be evaluated by the board at least annually so that it matches the amendment." That's better. Okay, >> thank you. So, the motion um hold on, Secretary Triplet. The the motion on the floor was

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made by Triplet and supported by Bradley. Would you have any um contest to that? Just adding the language um superintendent's performance shall be evaluated by the board at least annually to number three.

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>> I just >> It's just the resolution. >> Yeah. I just wanted to be clear that the superintendent will be evaluating Benhav area school. >> Mhm. >> So that that's a non-negotiable.

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The reason for this is to say specifically, are we going to say specifically? Um when you say annually because the superintendent was hired in

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July. So she has not had a complete year here. She was hired on July the 28th. And so the way it was previously in the contract that they would go that we would have to have it done by June the

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3rd with this amendment that gives us an opportunity the window is open. Do we specifically need to say June the 30th or does that just leave it open and by the end of the school year? because I don't want people to think that we what

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we're voting on tonight is saying that the superintendent will not be that that's our number one responsibility. >> Correct. So, um this essentially is giving us that that contract school year versus the June 1st deadline. You all will see that the next item of business

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on the agenda is us setting and confirming a date for the evaluation. So, um correct. I have no problem with the language in order for my colleague to feel comfortable, >> okay, >> with this resolution. >> What I've adjusted it to just to make

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sure everyone's clear in the resolution. Item three, the proposed first amendment to the superintendent contract removes the requirement that the superintendent's annual evaluation be presented in writing no later than June 1st in any contract year and requires that the superintendent shall be evaluated by the board at least

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annually. Any other comments from anyone who hasn't already made a comment? >> I'm voting no. Anyway, >> Bradley, do you support that amendment as it with the adjustment? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Secretary Triplet, can you please call the vote?

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>> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowen, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasure Gavin, >> no. Trusty Rocket Martin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Bradley. >> Yes. >> Motion carried.

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>> Okay. So, next up is the >> Trusty Do you know? >> No. >> Trusty Doyle. >> No. >> Okay. I didn't see you come in. >> I didn't realize she was there. >> I did. I didn't see her here.

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>> Oh, you mean you didn't know she was present? >> I didn't. She wasn't when I took the role. I walked in at 6:30. >> Are you here now? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to miss you. >> No worries. >> Okay. Can you notate on your call your

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sheet that she arrived at 6:30 for me as well? Okay. So, we're going to proceed with uh the evaluation date. I'm wondering um I know that we currently have

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a meeting scheduled and if I'm not mistaken for the 23rd which is the um next work session meeting. However, Dr. Griffin has indicated that she will be no she'll be present that day but she leaves the 24th

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um for an anticipated vacation. I will be out that full week. Um, so I'm wondering if my recommendation would be that we attempt the 29th, which is the day prior to that 30th deadline. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing the 30th because I

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don't want us to have any mishaps on the actual day. Um, but that would give her time the time to get her her um evidence together, get it submitted to the board, everyone an opportunity to review it. Um, and then we could do that money the

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29th if that works for individuals at six o'clock. >> It's uh we'll go to Secretary Triple and Gavin. >> It's important that

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the training necessary to have been taken place by the superintendent is completed. It's imperative that the artifacts are pulled together and presented to us prior to us coming

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into the actual evaluation. So those things need to be set in stone when those if she can submit them before leaving. But we need those a week, you know, we

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need those within the next week or so so that we can review them before we go into the room for the evaluation because I do not want to be reviewing artifacts in the midst of the evaluation without having had an opportunity to previously see them.

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>> Thank you. Uh, Trusty Gavin, Treasurer Gavin, my apologies. >> No worries. Um, so the 23rd is um our is that our budget hearing?

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I think that I'll allow Carter to clarify that. Is that the day you have anticipated? That's a detail I'm not. Yes. Okay. So the 23rd is our budget hearing and you're proposing

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that we have the evaluation on the 29th. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So I have to go back to our closed session. What date will we be able to review the

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information close session that is related to this? >> So my goal I anticipate that they'll have that you that will have been done prior to that. That also gives us that extended window of time.

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Are we looking at receiving that data by the 23rd or you said I would hope so? >> Yeah. I won't be here, but you all, regardless of whether I'm I'll be here, you all will um will proceed with the meeting. So, I'll be I'll be in Houston

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the 22nd through the 25th. I have no problem with um getting with finance and Dr. Griffin to kind of go over the details of the budget hearing and ask any questions that I have. I don't want that to delay the business of the board because I'm absent.

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and we will be able to review the closed session correct information by then. Okay. So, >> 29th works is a issue for anyone at the table the 29th at 6:00.

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>> Trust me, >> I'm will be will you be able to be here? Um, I can try to work on my schedule because I have a doctor's appointment on the 19th and um, but I can work on my schedule to see if I can finagle that. >> The evaluation is important that >> Yeah, >> all of us need to be in that evaluation.

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>> I I could probably make that work. I'll talk to my my people. >> Yeah. I also requested two data points. One was the dates in which everyone received their evaluation training and then two if the facilitator can

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provide us with some um information on reaching a consensus. I was not satisfied with how they did consensus last time. So I would like if if possible if MSB or is that something I

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should gather on my own or is that something that >> that's something that >> I'm looking it up now for you. >> Um so as it relates to the dates of everyone's training I do have that um the way that it was sent over to me. I

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was going to try to put it in a table for you all but I can notate it for the record now. Should be able to get it pulled up. Okay. So, uh, Robin, President Robinson was

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trained March 4th, 2025. Boeings March 4th, 2025. Uh Gavin was trained Gavin Triplet and Rocket were trained July 17, 2024. Doyle also July 17, 2024 and uh

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Bradley March 4th, 2025. Dr. Griffin was trained on the 13th of May of this year. Um, as it relates to the consensus piece, I did speak with who my preference was, which

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was um Mark. However, he's going to be in Chicago um the end of the month. But Miss Singer has connected us with another facilitator. And so my goal was to get that information from that person so that we can go ahead and get scheduled. I just wanted to get the

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board's availability so that we can get confirmed with the facilitator that can come. Thank you. And then we can get that clarification. I also plan to ensure that Dr. Griffin um even though she just had the the training and it's most fresh for her, we would like for her to, you

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know, her or any other individuals that might have questions to see if we can get um one-on- ones or two on twos or 303, three on threes, however it looks like, as long as it's not a majority of the board. if there is availability for the facilitator to touch base with us because even though some of us were

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train trained in 2025 and some of us in 2024 we've actually never done an evaluation using this particular tool. So if anyone has any questions about the process, I would like to open the window up for everyone to be refreshed. That's been quite some time.

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Secretary Triplet also um prior to the evaluation, the instrument is sent to the board so that they can do their um their preassessment >> with the calculations and everything of what it is that we're putting how we're

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scoring. So can you please find out and let us know how soon that will be sent to us >> so that we can work on you know we can work on it before coming into the actual evaluation. >> Absolutely. So once I can get it confirmed which facilitator we'll be with um I'll circle back to reconnect

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with everyone to see if you are in need of a um to be in one of those refresher sessions or just a question and answer session. Um we we have the tools um we've had the training. I just with the amount of time that's passed and us never doing it under that new tool, I

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just want to ensure that everyone has their questions answered as needed before we get started. Bradley, >> yes, please sign me up for a refresher. >> Okay, thank you. >> All right. One quick question. Yes, ma'am. What is the deadline for um Dr. Griffin's artifacts to be submitted to

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the board? is standard a week prior a a a good week before so that we can see it and go over it and then it gives us an opportunity to do a self- evaluation as well. I will double check that so that we're clear. Um she and I have already talked about her anticipated vacation

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and ensuring that um we have artifacts prior to her leave. So we'll ensure that she she with the time that we're setting she's had her training she'll have opportunity after her training to process get her artifacts together. It'll also give her an opportunity to

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give that to us and us to review it and be able to um have an equitable evaluation. Thank you. All right. So as it stands the evaluation will be June 29th 2026 at 6:00. Um we'll proceed with the agenda. I thank you all for working

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through that conversation. Um, we're going to proceed. Superintendent items partnership agreement update. Dr. Griffin. >> Thank you, Madam President. I am excited to say that I have done my portion uh for working with Lisa Patterson out of

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Barry and Resa to put in all the goals and all the applicable uh areas of the my kit platform. There is one kink that is not on my end. It's on uh Barry and Reese's end for me to be able to submit because I did double check for Jim's

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Mars to submit the uh agreement. But thank you to all the board members that submitted input. But my portion after hours and days uh for getting information into the platform, I have completed my portion as superintendent and just waiting on clearance with Jim

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Mars for uh submitting it over into that platform. There are two platforms. the first platform all areas have been submitted according to the desires of the board regarding the partnership agreement that was agreed upon there's one more step but I don't have access

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yet they've been waiting on that and then it's just submitting into that second platform just mara so I have sent information to Lisa Patterson to work on ensuring because I clicked on the links accordingly it's just a technical issue but other than that that portion has been completed

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>> okay and I just want to also because I'm not sure if we said this on the record. Um we've had for previous conversations about the status of the partnership agreement document. Um I had someone reach out and ask me had it been signed

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maybe in the last two weeks or so some someone from press I just want to make sure it's clear on the record that the the partnership agreement document has been signed by all parties. Um, and the board was informed of that as well or sent that finalized copy. So, just want

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to make sure that that's clear. Um, and then we will, as we've discussed before, get quarterly updates on the status of the partnership agreement. Um, so I look forward to receiving that as well. >> Okay. So, if there's no questions from

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the board, we'll proceed with the peace day 2026 success. Are you presenting that, Dr. Griffin? I have already created a brief document that is attached to the agenda. Just wanted to shout out uh all of the participants that led that effort. They are all

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articulated there to principal Keith Sanders, Miss Goodson, and Treasurer Gavin for a huge endeavor that anytime we seek to have peace for our children, keeping them safe in our community is something that should always be honored and affirmed. So, as superintendent, I

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wanted to make sure that there was a document that confirmed my support of the event and excitement for its success. >> All right. Any other comments or questions from the board regarding that update? Treasure Gavin, I want to thank you, Dr.

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Griffin, for acknowledging um peace day. It is my hope that moving forward with this being something that was unanimously voted on through the city as a day of observance um that we can get to the point in which

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all of our schools can coordinate coming together for such an event. This can be a holiday in which we are setting the tone for the summer, for the rest of the school year. we are encouraging our students. Um, and so it's my hope that

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transportation will somehow uh support efforts to get all our kids here. Uh, it has been done in the past and I think it's something that can be done again. Was really grateful to see Fairplane Middle, even Bitton Harbor Charter came over. So, it just makes sense that all

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of us um are present in that space. Uh and I also want to thank uh Trusty Doyle who has been uh very instrumental uh in this work and everyone all of the students the staff uh Ben Harbor High

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School Fairplane Middle um everyone peace for life leadership academy who has helped to make this possible. Um thank you. All right. Any any other comments? Madam President, I um was

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unable to attend this year, but I am so happy um and grateful um that the event took place. I think it is absolutely amazing and beautiful, so refreshing. if you have if you ever had

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an opportunity to attend one, the opening and the beginning of the celebration um is is very very very very is is just beautiful. And so with all the things that are happening um

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in not only just in our community but just happening with our young people and and the adults in this city, you know, peace has to be at the forefront. Peace needs to be a part of the conversation. And so

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I want to thank um Treasurer Gavin and Trustee Doyle um for the leadership role that they take in this great initiative and also like to thank Dr. Griffin and this board of education for supporting

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um it as a collective and contributing um the way in which I think we should contribute as a board of education. Thank you. All right. Uh, Rocket Martin, >> I'd like to also uh thank you for peace

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day. I had a student, one of the students that works with me, high school student works with the YMCA. Uh, she attended peace day and she came back with a positive, very positive attitude and a comments about how nice it was for

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the high school kids and and the people that participated. So I I'm happy to see that it is affected our young people and and it will make a difference in the long run. Any other comments from the board?

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>> I would like to say that I was super excited with the turnout of peace day. I think it's always an amazing um venture for our district to take and I support um and appreciate everyone who was involved. I was unable to attend but I

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do support you all in spirit fully nonetheless but it looked completely awesome and amazing and powerful um from the photos. So if there's no other um comments from the board at this time

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we'll move on to the summer community engagement update. >> Thank you madam president. Just want to say that I'll be partnering with my cabinet as we do a year in review year one and reviews looking at our community recap just focusing in on both in person

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and online opportunities to reflect on our progress highlight initiatives such as expanded classroom resources and supports and then clearly communicate our priorities for year two. I'm excited about the work that has been done thus far, but really want to get out into the

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community this summer to share our vision going forward around community support and of course high quality instruction and college and career readiness. So, I'm grateful for the partnership of our families, our staff, and community leaders. And I look forward to using this summer to listen, build relationships, and keep Benton

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Harbor Area School students at the heart of our community. >> All right. Thank you. Um, we're going to proceed with the next item of business, teaching and learning, uh, the 2026 2027 district calendar approval. Um, so I

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know Dr. Griffin, I asked if there was an alternative, um, copy. Is it linked? It's linked. >> Okay. Uh while while you looking it up um madam president I want to ask

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is there a moratorum on the use of paper for our booklet cuz I am just literally I I I do want to apologize uh to you uh to yacht because I'm frustrated because I'm I'm having to go

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this is too much I can't and I am professionally offended of this stuff that's in my in my in my in my in my notebook. I don't know where I I'm I'm just lost. I'm I'm just all over the place. So,

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I'm going to step out and let you all work through this one. We got a lot to work to. I just need to step out. >> Dr. Griffin, I'm um this copy here. Is this updated? >> So, we have live apologies because I know you and I spoke about this. >> Yeah. I can't

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>> plenty of clarity. I cannot hear. I'm so sorry. Can we Can we maybe try um unplugging that fan? If we get too hot, we can reconnected, but for the sake of being able to communicate effectively from one end of the table to the other, I think we need to pull it for a hot

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second even. Madam President, ma'am, I do recall the communication and I'm sure it's just a small oversight, but I recall Miss Singer did address this. So, I apologize that that's the one that made it to the binder, but know that a corrected copy,

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hard copy was available, and I'll make sure that every board member gets that copy. Okay. So is do you have would you happen to have the copy so that we can um more clearly know what what it is that

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>> Yes. Hopefully I can double check the email communication thread. Unfortunately in her absence I would need to confer with her but I can double check in the email. >> President Robinson. Yes ma'am. >> There was a linked copy and that's what I'm trying to understand. There was a

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linked copy in the agenda. So, is it now unlin? I think the linked copy was the same black and white copy that we have. That's what was initially there. When I looked at it, it was this copy. And so, I communicated that we needed because

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looking at this, I take this to be what was initially drafted and then need these may be slight adjustments that are made and signed and authorized by the union is how I receive it. So, I did request like the updated draft um be linked so that we can easily understand

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it. But I don't think the updated draft is what was linked. It's just this copy here. Um I don't know how Go ahead, Gavin. I'm also not seeing peace day on the calendar.

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I'm just trying to understand why do we am I am I missing something? >> Uh you have the floor to clarify. Treasure Gavin, it absolutely is on the calendar for next year. Let me see what I can do to get us that uh fresh copy. And um Miss Dorsy, if you happen to have

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it in your email, that would be great because we definitely have a a fresh copy. I remember she addressed it in our correspondence that we had online. So, let me just see what I can find. Okay. Because she's not here. >> So, what if it's no if it's not an issue for the board, I would suggest that we take maybe a brief recess.

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>> Yes. Um because I'm normally pretty good at clarifying and and working us through something, but I don't want to I don't want to state anything wrong and we not knowingly know what we're approving. So, we'll take a brief recess. It's 7:03. I would say if we can return by 7:15,

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would that be you think that's sufficient time for you? 7:15. Okay. So yeah, let's let's go. 7:15 anticipated return from recess.

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Uhhuh. All right, we're returning from recess as of 7:23 p.m. All right, so the board of education has received the updated copy of the 2026 2027 calendar. Uh Dr. Griffin, can you

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just please give us a brief overview? um taking a a look at it, I'm able to navigate and understand the color coding, but I just kind of want you to walk through it so the board um is aware of the aspects of the the draft.

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>> Okay. I know that uh I want to first give thanks to the team that worked on this process uh Miss Dorsy uh our union president and vice president, Miss Terrell and Miss Wilson, as well as Mr. Hoffen uh and many other people that got together to ensure that the amount of

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days were accurate. Uh so when looking at this year's calendar there most of the days are set by the state but we start uh this year a little bit different and making sure that we have added a week of professional development for our staff. So, as you can see, in

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August, our union president and vice president did a fantastic job of collaborating with us to add some additional days, the DPPD district provided professional development and then building PD, giving us an opportunity to uh get some of the needed

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profess professional development activities uh set at the beginning of the year and then get some job embedded professional development throughout the year and And then as you can see for those colors, those are the highlights for uh in pink you have your Good Friday, your

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holidays, national holidays, Good Friday, spring break, no school for I what's that? It's not Labor Day. Labor Day, those days. And then of course the important days as well, file count day is there. So we have our SY 27 days, the

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the marking period days are in green as you can see. Our first one is October 30th and then goes up to there should be another one. Oh, I see it in March. Uh, so the days in terms of what needs to happen regarding our national holidays,

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Thanksgiving break and winter break. As you can see, it looks like a teal color, not teal, I would say orange, those colors. And then of course, our district provided professional debates are in green with MLK day. You'll see in January. I think what's really critical

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is that uh we had to adhere to some state guidelines, but then we were able to add in professional development days to really drive in for teaching, learning, and assessment for our staff. >> Okay. So, I will um allow you to read

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the staff report if you're presenting it and then I will open up the floor to the board for questions and comments. Subject 2026 2027 Ben Harbor Area Schools District School calendar approval. Date June 9th, 2026. Reason

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for board consideration seeking board approval for the 2026 2027 Benon Harour Area Schools District School Calendar. The presented district school calendar has been developed by a committee including central office administration, building administration, instructional staff, and support staff. The calendar

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meets the state requirements for 110 180 days of the instructional time and 1,098 instructional hours. It provides professional learning opportunities and collaboration for staff and at least five district-wide professional development days throughout the calendar year. Additionally, opportunities for

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parents and teachers to connect and collaborate have been established with two asynchronous days for parent teacher conference days. Policy reference 8210 school calendar strategic plan of reference communication. Ben Harbor Area Schools will engage and inform all stakeholders to mass maximize district

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support. Recommended action that the Ben Harbor Area Schools Board of Education votes to approve the 2026 to 2027 Benton Harour Area Schools District School Calendar as presented. >> All right. Is there a motion to approve staff report T1? President Robertson,

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you have the the floor. I'd like to make a motion to approve staff report T1 with the addition of peace day on the last day of school to be added to the calendar. Okay. And for the record, can you state the last day of school?

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>> Last day here, Miss Dorsey, can you clarify? I don't want to say the right. >> It looks like it's the nth. >> It can't be the ninth if graduation is the fourth. Is it the second? It is the 9th of June. >> Graduation is before the last day of school.

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>> It is graduation was not before the last day of school this year. Friday. So, you're saying graduation is on the 4th of June and the last day of school is on the 9th of June. >> That is correct.

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>> It's never been that way before. >> No, it wasn't. >> So, I have a question to ask. >> Okay. I would ask that you you pass it to Mike. Go ahead. Uh, Trusty. Yeah. Um, I'm I'm getting mixed information from my colleagues. My understanding is that

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the last day of school this year was Wednesday and then graduation was Friday. That's correct. But some are saying that we've had graduation prior to the last day of school. That's never happened. The seniors have had their last day of

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school and then Yeah, this is we've never done this before. I I just want to get the rationale for having graduation and then still continuing school. >> That's

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common. >> You you have it for Secretary Triplet. >> That's common. It depends on when they're putting the when they're putting together the calendar, how they come to the agreement. It's not like um

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this is has not happened before where they have graduation because the the goal is to get the number the amount of days in. So students have returned the underassmen have returned um back to school. Um

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I see it all the time. I don't want to just keep bringing up um where what what has what I what I've experienced, you know, at my at my job, they have graduation on like a Thursday night and we didn't get out of school until the next week. They're able to do their

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exams and and what have you. They were still working. So, it has not been that graduation has been the last day of school. But I do have a question. Um >> so, there was a motion on the floor. So, do I want to cl I want to um and I was

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just allowing you to give the feedback to the question that she asked. >> Yeah, it it I was going to give some feedback. >> I know, but I don't want us to get tangled up and forget she has a motion on the floor. >> So, the last day is the 9th. >> Yeah.

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>> The last day of school is Wednesday the 9th. >> Okay. So yes, I'm make a motion for uh staff report T1 with the amendment of peace day being added to the last day of school. >> So you just want to notate the June 9th?

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>> Yes. >> Okay. Is there a second or support to that? >> Okay. So, the motion was made by Gavin and supported by Doyle um to approve the calendar with an amendment of peace day being June 9th.

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Secretary Tripley, you can maintain the floor for your question. Yeah, I was thinking um with peace day with with with the last day of school being a half a day. Uh so if if peace day is on the last day of

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school, then do that give the students to participate, you know, how would you get all of the kids to be able to be here, you know? So, could it be on a day that it's a

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full day? >> And how was it this year? Was it the last day of school? >> It's Yes, it's always the last day of school. Okay. That's >> okay. >> But is it always a half a day? >> I believe the teachers have this. I think the teachers want it to be a half

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a day. Um, so that makes it >> challenging in terms of festivities. >> Yeah. But >> well either >> I mean we've done you you can do a season of peace. You can have multiple

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events leading up to peace day. Um >> and this and it was a day this time, right? I think when was it happen? You were able to make it work. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it it that that was my thing. Challenging. >> Yeah, that that was my thing. And so, not saying that it's not doable, but you

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know, that would take some coordination with transportation. Um, we've had events at the school where everybody was here and then the buses picked all of the students up at the school. >> So, I mean, you know, I know one of the

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things afterwards is a celebration where they get to eat and play games and different things like that. So, I was just saying, you know, that that was my thought. take it into consideration and make those necessary adjustments because they kind of missed out this year on doing that and that's one of the uh most

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fun parts of the event. >> Yeah, >> I think so. >> Okay. Is there any other questions or comments from the board? Uh Bowens, >> thank you, Madam President. So, I notice on school >> the start date is August 31st.

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Then they come back the well they leave the 4th and 7th. They're off. I'm just interested in the rationale of that. >> So they have school the 31st, the 1st, the 2nd, and the third, and then they get the fourth, and the seventh off for the holiday.

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>> Yeah. >> Yes. So I I get that and I that's what I said. Well, I guess I'm a proponent of starting school in August, giving them the two weeks to get adjusted, then the vacation, but most kids have we looked

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at the numbers for the seventh or the sixth. Um, the past three years, when do we get most of our students coming to the district? Am I making sense on what I'm saying? It's a holiday. It's always a delay.

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I'm like looking at you doctor here. >> No, you you are making sense. I understand what what you are saying. I and if I'm incorrect, Dr. Griffin, you can let me know. I know that you indicated that you all wanted to make sure you had a full week of professional development prior to school starting. I

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would anticipate that in that impacted um the schedule as well. Um, and I know our teachers union, um, as well as district leadership agreed to the calendar, but I'll offer if anybody wants to give insight that worked on the

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calendar to u vice president Bowen's question, I'll open the floor for that. >> Hey, before they answer that, >> did we do a waiver to start before or I don't know. I see something on TV about being visa trying to get waivers. So, that's included on top of that question.

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Sorry. You have Dr. Griffin. >> I'm going to yield to Miss Dorsy to provide some clarity around that. >> Thank you. The start of school being the 31st is the same as it was last year.

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And the thinking around not starting after Labor Day is that mid June is a long time to be in school. That break from January to June is very long. So most people want to be out in those first two weeks. If we start later, we

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get out later. It'll put us out on the 16th of June. So we talk about summer school, professional development, and getting ready for the next year. It doesn't leave much time when you end mid June. As far as the waiver, schools can start

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uh before Labor Day. I've checked to make sure that beering has worked for our entire county. I'll verify that for you, but they can start before Labor Day. >> Oh, >> I'm sorry. Your last question was about being offered on the 4th and the 7th. So, if you remember like 100 years ago,

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Jennifer Granholm made Family Friday >> and that was the Friday before Labor Day to give tourism >> um in UP a chance to be successful. So, we don't have school on the 4th and then Labor Day, of course, we don't have school. So, that's why those two days

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are off. All right. Um, go ahead. >> So, we don't get penalized if our numbers are low. >> That's a loaded question, but um, it depends on the district's numbers as a whole.

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>> Thank you. >> All right. Any other questions or comments from the board? Hearing none. Secretary Triplet, can you please call the RO? The motion was made by Gavin and Doyle to approve the calendar with the amendment of

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adding peace day to the last day of school which is reflected as June 9th, 2026. Secretary Tripler, can you please call the vote? >> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowens, >> yes.

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>> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasure Gavin, >> yes. >> Trusty Rocket Mark, >> yes. >> Trusty Bradley, >> yes. >> Trustee Doyle, >> yes. >> Motion unanimously

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passed. I haven't heard a unanimous vote in some time. I just wanted to make put that on the record. >> Thank you. And I also want to uh thank the board for your patience as we got um a copy that we could all read tangibly so we can be sure of what it is that we

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are approving. We'll move forward with business and finance. Um I was able during the break to clarify with uh director Mark Carter that you all did review the April monthly financials in the previous meeting. So she is going to present staff report F1.

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Thank you. Um, President Robinson, excuse me, my computer is spinning. I had to use Miss Dorsy's. For the monthly financial reports, reason for board consideration, a set of financial reports is provided to the board of education each month. Facts and

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analysis. This evening, it is recommended that the April 2026 payments be approved for all district funds. Policy reference 6470 payment of claims. Strategic plan goal reference

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facilities/operations. Benton Harbor area schools will develop, implement, and evaluate a physically responsible plan that will ensure physical and psychological safety. Recommended action that the board of education approve the April 1st through

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April 30th, 2026 payments for the following funds. General fund 640,66460. Food service fund $6,463.13. Syncing fund $119,200 for a total of $766,627.73. All right. Is there a motion to approve

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staff report F1? >> I move. >> Is there a second or support? >> Support. >> A motion has been made by Secretary Triplet and supported by Trustee Bradley. Questions, comments, or concerns? Hearing none. Secretary Triplet. Oh. Uh,

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tr uh, Trusty Doyle, >> I don't see um the check for 160,000 for that um project that's going on. So, I will support this one. >> I don't know if that would have that wouldn't have been cut already. Correct.

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>> No, not for the April reports. >> Okay. All right. Uh, Secretary Tripley, can you please call the vote? >> Represent Robinson. Yes, >> Vice President Bowen. >> Yes, >> Secretary Triplet. Yes, >> Treasure Gavin.

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>> Yes, >> Trusty Rocket Martin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Bradley? >> Yes. >> Trusty Doyle? >> Yes. >> Madame President. The motion carry with seven votes. Yes.

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>> Up next, we have the mileage rates for 2026. Director Bar Carter, I forgot to ask you. Um, was this review prior or is this the first? Was this on the Did you get a chance to go through the mileage rates for 2026 previously? >> No, these are the millage rate. Millage,

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sorry. No problem. >> Thank you. No, I didn't have the information at the time. There are some municipalities waiting for our documentation in order to give us our property tax payments. So, I apologize for this not being reviewed at

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the previous meeting. Uh, but it is important that we uh take care of it today. I did notify some municipalities that I will have a signed document for them after this meeting. Um, I'm more than welcome to retract my statement if

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need be. Um, but if we could uh move forward this evening, that would be great. Okay. Can you proceed with pro uh presenting staff report F2 and then we'll open the floor if there's any questions or comments.

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Millage rates for 2026. Reason for board consideration. Each year, the board of education is required to approve the Müller's rates to be levied for the school property taxes and authorize the filing of the annual tax rate request for L 4029 with Bian

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County. Facts and analysis. The district has received its 2026 mill reduction fraction calculations worksheet. That's form L4034 and tax rate request from L4029

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from the B County Equalization Department. The calculations reflect the annual heavily amended rate of requirements to establish the maximum allowable mill rates that can be levied for the 2026 tax year. Approval of these

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rates would allow the district to timely submit required documents to Baron County and local tax collection units for the levy of school taxes. Policy reference none. Recommended action that the board of education approve the

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following millage rates for 2026. Operating millage or nonhomestead non preropy 17.9694 mills 2017 sinking fund millillage on

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property 2 mills commercial personal property 6 mills and all other property 18 mills. All right. Is there a motion to approve staff for F2? >> I move support. The motion has been made

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by Secretary Triplet and supported by Vice President Bowens. I just want to state for the record I can read. The agenda says mileage rates although the staff resolution says millage. So I don't want you all to think that I cannot read.

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>> No, that's why I asked you. It better have one L in it. That's all I was saying. >> I'm not sure correction. Okay. So, at this time I'll um the motion was made by Secretary Triplet and supported by Vice

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President Bowens. Um I'll open the floor to Bowens for questions. >> Got a question on commercial personal property. I don't know if the law allows it. I see it's 17 meals for the res nonh homestead. I'm on all property two meals

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commercial personal property. Are we able and I know this is no intention of the board to do it. I want to say that so nobody gets scared. Are we able to raise that on personal property? I mean commercial property or

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would we have to raise it all? >> I'm not sure. I would have to double check with the county treasurer on that. But a commercial personal property is like the equipment inside of a commercial. It's not the building. Okay. Right. It's like the machines and then

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the certain property personal property within the commercial building is not taxable. um in property over a certain amount. >> So which one would the commercial be? >> You mean the commercial buildings? >> Buildings. Yes. Sorry.

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Is that considered non-h homestead? >> That is considered all other 18 mills. >> That's a little higher already. Okay. Thank you. >> The question that I have director Barta is this is there any increase in either of these rates from our previous fiscal

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year? Yes, there is um not an increase in the mills, but our um I don't have to pull it up. The like the base taxable value of the B county homes has increased.

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Understood. So, we're not increasing our meals noted our standard, but of course there's been an increase to tax values. That was incorrect. Any other questions from the bull right here? >> Yes. Um, we'll go to Trusty Bradley and

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then Secretary Triplet. >> Um, Vice President Boyce wanted me to ask this question for you all. Uh, he wanted to know if we don't pass this millillage, what would be the consequences? >> I want to state for the record that each trustee gives one turn per topic. And so

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I want to state for the record that you have found a loophole in getting more than one turn. So, thank you for being for being honest and notating where the question came from. Um you have before director Barard if we don't pass it we won't get our property tax payments

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>> deficit if it >> secretary trip >> was the question if we are the board don't pass it is that >> I believe that was the question if the pass this particular >> oh the residents don't pass the millage

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>> oh the mill has already been passed by >> I thought it said June 26 expires is that a new one precise >> excuse me I thought I read something. December 26 expires. Is that >> Well, if we wanted to increase our meals, okay, we can do so at the November election.

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>> Okay. >> And then this one does expire December 26. And if we increased it, the new will start the following year. >> Secretary Triplet, did you get did you get a chance? You were just asking for clarification. >> No, no, no. I'm okay.

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>> On all of this uh Okay. on on the whole procedure about with attack and 18 mills and all of that how that works for for school districts. Um but um all of the one thing that's very very important is

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that we get this paperwork done for everybody that we're supposed to get taxes from. >> Correct. >> And so this right here for me is is this should be done. So whatever I know that we are a district that are made up of several different municipalities and

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what have you. How soon can we get all of those to collect the taxes from all those different municipalities and get the paperwork signed so that we'll be we'll get our money >> once uh the signature tonight. I'll be sending our form tomorrow to our

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municipalities and the funds normally start coming in immediately after they've received the paperwork. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, if there's no other questions or comments from the board, Secretary Tripley, can you please call the vote for staff before F2? >> President Robinson, >> yes.

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>> Vice President Bowen, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasurer Gavin, >> yes. >> Trusty Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Doyle, >> yes. >> Trustee Bradley, >> yes. >> Madame President, motion pass with seven votes.

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>> Thank you. Okay. So, our next uh vote is for Stepping Stones contract, but I just had a clarification and I apologize. Um, President Robinson. >> Oh, I'll skip forward. Okay. I'm so ready to get this clarified. I do that on the side with Dr. Griffin. Budget

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hearing discussion. Director R Carter. Um, I believe Dr. Griffin, did you want to handle this one or did you want me to just discuss where we are so far? >> Okay. >> Yes, we have been meeting daily on the

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budget. Um we are going through every every position, every allocation, all the funds and we are moving at a great rate so that we can have everything ready for the hearing. Uh but

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yes, we are meeting regularly in the superintendent's calendar that she had available. Um Miss Cena was nice enough to put me in. So we are meeting as a cabinet uh Dr. Griffin, myself,

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Miss Dorsy and um Miss Hagler Thomas uh and then we have a principal meeting tomorrow that will give us more input on the budget, but we are going to be very well and working together making sure all the information is going to be ready

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for the board and our budget will be um rectified on time. So what is your anticipated date for the budget hearing? The 23rd is my anticipated date. Uh we we will get the public notice out six days ahead of that date. Uh there may be

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some small meetings prior to that. We want to introduce more than one scenario to the board. Um prior to the hearing, when we come to the hearing, we'll have one budget ready to go that we all agree on. But we do want to uh give different

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scenarios on the budget and before we do the final hearing. So uh you may receive an email or notification to see when your availability is. Um we have to have an actual public meeting

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prior then we'll do that. But we're going to be doing small groups with the board prior to the hearing so that you all can see the different scenarios and we can move forward with one budget. Okay. And then you clarified for me pre

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uh during the break that with the June 23rd 2026 anticipated date, the budget hearing would be are you proposing an hour ahead of the regular meeting as we've done in the past? >> Okay. So, our standard um and and I'll

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come to you. I see you, Vice President Billings. Our standard meetings are at 6. So, we may want to I don't know that the board has availability to come at 5 due to our work schedules. Um so, we have a choice of either having a 5:30

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budget hearing and a 6:30 um meeting or a 6:00 budget hearing and a 7:00 meeting. So that's something I want you all to marinate on. Um and then I'll give the floor vice president blowing. So pre messaging and I don't want to put

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you in a hot seat with the public. I see the ed um state current administration will be cutting not the state sorry the current um administration will be doing some major cuts with this new education budget that's coming out. Um would you

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say that the projected budget we should not expect sunny skies but cloudy with a bit of sunshine? >> Um we should if we continue with the revenue should stay the same. Um we have received our estimated allocations for

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title one 2 three and four they are about the same as they were for 2526. the uh per pupil amount is expected to be the same or increase from the state and um huge portion of our budget which

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is 31A is also expected to stay about the same. So on the revenue side we are expected to be um almost the same. Uh the expense side is where the clouds come in. Um just taken from what you

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said Trusty Burns um if we continue our spending um at the level that we are in please expect a huge deficit in the 2627 budget. So, we basically need to prepare for cuts that we or stuff. Not putting

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you on a we >> we are going Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off, but we are going to present several scenarios. >> Some one with everything, one with recommended cuts and hopefully

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one that may be a bit in between. >> Thank you. And when you say cuts, you mean just cost savings. Cost savings. And because we're a school district, we know that majority of our cost comes from staffing. Uh people are the biggest

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part of our budget. Um so we will be presenting potential staff cuts um based on the needs of the buildings. matching our staffing with enrollment.

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>> Okay, Secretary Triplet, >> you know, I know, you know, it it it's almost like a a a mindset, you know, when you you've been in quote unquote poverty so long that when you come out, you don't even realize that you're out.

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When we're talking about when we use the word cut, the first thing go to you go come to mind. People gonna lose their job. We're gonna lose this. We're gonna lose teacher. We're gonna lose. First of all, we don't have all the teachers that we need. Number one. So, you can't lose what you don't have. Okay. So, we

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talking about getting certified people in these positions, which are moving in that direction, but that won't be a cut per se. Um, the thing is, like you said, it's it's it's spending. We we definitely need to look at these millions of dollars that we spent in

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hope with all of these contracts that we have gone into with people. All of this massive amount on on criculum and and items and different things that were spent previously people came in and made

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presentation and then when we get here they the the workforce can't handle it. It it's not you know they're not distributed. So there I mean so when we say cut for for me instead of using the word cut we're

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going to have to make adjustments >> correct >> financial adjustments. We are not in a deficit and that let's be clear and and you have to be you know the words that go out to

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this community community and how people take those words and run with those words. We have to be mindful. So there will be some adjustment. We've already spent enough money. We you know we we have situations where I don't

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know if this is the case this year. We have millions of dollars or whatever. We have we have we have loads and loads of money in title one and people don't get people don't even spend it all. and and you have to know how to use those things, those funds and what have you without supplanting

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but making sure that the needs of this district is met and not funneled out to whatever. >> I agree. >> And so if when you have administrators that know how to efficiently use their

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budget for their building, we shouldn't have a problem. So again, I I I I just want us to make sure the messaging because we got people rooting for for for it to be said that we got to cut people, people got to lose

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and putting false narratives out in this community because that's what they expect. So, it's kind of hard to accept that we we're pretty good right now and we're grateful, but we just have to move with with with with with a plan of

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action long range planning as well as short range and the things that we need for um within our building. So, I appreciate um what you're doing. I also appreciate that you all are working together. It does bother me that everything is

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always in the 11th hour and that's uncomfortable for everybody. It is it is very uncomfortable and it should not be. And so I'm glad in June that everybody's working together and

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we'll be able to on the 23rd be able to make a decision as it relates to the budget for Ben Harvard area school. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, any other comments from the board in the discussion? I do want to make sure uh, Trusty G, uh, Treasure Gavin, I do want to make sure that we

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talk about the timing of the meetings as well before we move to the next subject. You have the floor. >> Thank you, President Robinson. Um, Director Carter, I have a couple questions. How many, if any, people have been informed that they will not have a job

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due to finances? >> None. >> Nobody. No. Are you certain? >> HR HR is here if they would like to chime in. >> Director Dorsey. Director Dorsey, can

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you um take the mic, please? >> My response is the same as hers. There's been more one release due to finances. >> Okay. Have we restructured any departments due to finances?

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>> We haven't presented the budget yet. We're still working on the budget. So, we haven't done anything yet. Is there should we anticipate recommendations for department or school cuts

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due to finances? >> You have the floor. Uh Dr. Griffin, >> we haven't made any decisions regarding any cuts to the budget to positions because of the budget. We are looking at positions

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and looking for ways to put people in qualified positions because it is my endeavor and this is something I've spoke to every time we've sat down to meet to make sure that we're able to keep everybody if we can in some capacity for what they're qualified and

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competent in. And we will continue to do that. >> Okay. And so we're not looking to close any schools this time. Is that something that's being

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considered? No. Okay, good to hear. Um, do we have any incentives in place um for staff to be involved in recruitment and

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enrollment of students incentive for staff? >> Yes. Not not particularly around enrollment. We have given retention. I'm sorry enrollment and retention. Yes, we have given retention bonuses to the

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staff. We did twice during this school year. Um, and we did set aside money also for recruitment so that new employees can also receive bonuses. My apologies. I mean, I should have been

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clear. That's my apologies. I mean like recruitment, enrollment, retention of students. So staff being involved in the process of recruitment, enrollment, retention of students.

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Not at this time. Okay. >> However, I would add that that is something that we can consider as we look at budget funds and what the grants will allow us to do and whether or not we have to put those monies and those incentives in general funds. nothing's off the table to ensure that we're able

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to welcome back students from surrounding school districts back home to Ben Harvard. Thank you. But I say that because sometimes we say we have too much staff and I believe that there are ways to structure the staff so that

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they are actively um engaging in a process that increases our enrollment, increases um our financial capacity, increases that culture and climate um so that we won't

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even have those conversations about deficit. And I do want to get some clarity around what Secretary Triplet said. We're not in a deficit. Is that correct, Director Brock Carter? We're not in a

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deficit. We're just spending more than we were. We We are spending more than our revenue. So we have a fund balance that protects us so that when we spend more than our

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revenue, we have a fund balance to to keep us out of the bucket to offset that cost. And what is the fund balance? >> Um I have to pull up the member reports.

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>> Can somebody at technology help us computer? I think it's so important for us to be clear on that part. We've come out of a major war. >> And so it's going to take some investments in our school district and

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our staff and our community for us to to recover from that. And so I'll allow I'll allow Director Bar Carter to get that answer. I just want to make sure I want to reset us cuz we were, if I'm understanding, the budget hearing was more so about timing,

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how we want to do it, how we want to pre-prepare. And so, we're starting to go into the meat of the conversations concerning the budget and the budget itself, and no options are presented before us. So, I'll allow her to answer that question, but I do want us to at least have tangible options and things

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of that nature in front of us before we dig too deep in this actual conversation because nothing's been presented to us. And I and I say that, President Robinson, because of the narrative. No, >> you know, it's so important for us. This deficit conversation um le lends itself to cutting folks that

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we don't need to be cutting. And so I just want to make sure that the community and whoever is listening understands that we're not in a deficit. We're spending as we should. Um, and while you pull that total, can you clarify what it's

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called? When you spend more than your when you spend more revenue than your income for an annual year, >> it results in a deficit for that particular particular year. So, I want to make sure I know that we we want to be clear that essentially the points

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being made by Secretary Triplet and Trustee Gavin, Treasurer Gavin, are the fact that we do have millions in our fund balance. But as it relates to an annual year because the expenditures

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exceed the revenue, there is an annual deficit. And so, we want to make sure that we're clear on that. And that just means we're spending more annually than what we're bringing in. But this there still is a a positive fund balance at this time. Do you have that number handy

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for uh Treasury? >> Yes. And the proper It's a structural deficit. >> Structural. Okay. >> Yeah. And as of April 30th, 2026, our general fund balance is 20,780,91. Okay. Thank you. So, $20 million, right?

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So, just to be clear, the words can be what they are, but that's money that we can be investing in our school district to make sure that our kids have what they need, that our staff is paid, and that we're able to provide the services

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because who is benefiting when it's just sitting in the bank? Cuz it ain't us. And so I get the words, but we also have to be clear in how we're communicating that to our people. Because I'm not here to make the bank feel good. I'm here to

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make sure that our kids and staff get what they need so that our kids can have the education they deserve. Thank you. And my job as your president to make sure that we are accurate in the information that we put out completely. Um, so I'm not trying to disregard any

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any points that anyone is making. That's why I asked her to to give us the actual term of the point that she was attempting to make as it relates to revenue and expenditures. And I think that's important for us and the public to know regardless to what direction we

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go with the budget. Um, I'll go to vice president. Did you? Oh no, that's badly. And then we'll go to Rockat M. And then reminder, we need the focus of this particular topic again is to make sure we navigate the actual logistics of the

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budget hearing because I know that this is a topic that we can sit here and talk about for two hours, but we're trying to get to the heart of how to proceed moving forward with that actual conversation. We'll go to Bradley and then >> I'll just say this to be real quick. From what I was hearing discussion, it

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sounds like we went down this road last year. Um, yeah, the numbers are on the paper, but like I said, we want to be conservative in how we spend the money. And I understand everybody's understanding, but we also, yes, we want to invest the money, but we also don't

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want to overspend our budget as well. So, I do understand where you're coming from in the finance department. >> Okay. Uh, Rocket Martin. >> Yeah. I wanted to make a comment on the um the incentive part, too. One thing it

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would be nice to know that um that you can express to our staff uh the incentive would be if you can retain and recruit students that would help you to maintain a job because kids bring in

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money and money is what we need for for uh staff. The other thing is um I know that our fund balance is 20 million and that's like a a savings for us too. And so if we continue and I'm not against

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spending the money, but we do have to be careful. We have to be extremely careful >> because if you keep spending out of that fund, that general fund balance more than we're putting in, eventually it will get depleted. It's like a

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savings account. you have your bills, you pay your bills, and you don't have enough, so you go into your savings to pay your bills and and eventually that savings dries up. And so, we have to be mindful of that that we want to keep that kind of a fund balance so that our

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district will uh continue in existence and I know there's an amount that the state says we have to keep just to exist. What is can you tell us? 10 to 15% of our revenue we should have in a fund balance.

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>> Okay. Which is how much >> we can't spend other. >> Okay. >> Okay. So then as far as the um you said that you wanted to follow with the board as far as meetings, individual meetings, I would ask if you all could

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present us with options and ensure that there's evening options and maybe afternoon like lunch hour options and maybe a morning option. That way there's variety in what works for the board. Um and then that way the board can select the uh date or time that works best for

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them based on those variables. And then um I wanted to make sure we get back to the board. I know that we previously at one point I think about two years ago our meetings used to be at 5:30. They're at 6 now. That's still uh I think we're we're getting here as

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fast as we can at 6:00. But I want to know are you all wanting to have your budget hearing at I won't be here so I have you know I won't be here that date but are you guys wanting that budget hearing at 5 with expectation that the meeting will be maintained at 6 or you wanting to push

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the main meeting back? I think we should do the six, but we should also make sure that the the board meeting agenda is not stacked.

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>> I agree >> with loads and loads of stuff. Only the things that must be handled. That's it. No lastm minute adding because people didn't get this and the state called in January and you got to have it yesterday. All of that we need

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all that cleared out at central administration. The only things on that agenda is pressing business and I think we can move in that capacity >> cuz we also have to do our final budget for 2526 >> in that in that second meeting or during the hearing

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>> in that second meeting. >> Okay. So, um, is is the remainder of the board in agreement with the budget hearing being at 6:00 and the board meeting starting at 7:00 on that 23rd? I think we would be pushing it to try to

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go sooner than that with 5:30. >> Thank you. Any objections to that from the table? Um, if I'm not if I'm not mistaken, even though that's a work session, that's currently on the board calendar. So, we

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would technically need a vote. Um, we would need to amend the agenda to allow for that vote to push the work session, the scheduled work session meeting back to 7:00 because we've already agreed on the work session being at 6. So, would anybody um

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like to make a motion to >> I so move. >> Okay. Second. The motion has been made by Secretary Triplet and supported by uh Treasure Gavin. Any questions, comments, concerns? And this is just about amending to allow for the vote to push it back. All right. Secretary Triplet,

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please call the vote. >> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowens, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasure Gavin, >> yes. >> Trusty Rocket Martin, >> yes. >> Trustee Bradley, >> yes. >> Trusty Doyle,

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>> yes. >> Motion carry. >> Okay. And Tripley, you made the motion. >> Yes. and it was supported by Gavin. >> And this is to add >> And now this is Yeah, that was to allow us to take the vote. Now I'll ask is there a motion to

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um change the time the start time of the June 23rd, 2026 work session meeting to 7:00? >> I move. >> Is there a second or support? >> I support. >> Okay. The motion has been made by Triplet and supported by Rocket Martin.

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Any questions, comments, or concerns? Hearing none. Secretary Triplet. >> President Robinson. >> Yes. >> Vice President Bowens. >> Yes. >> Secretary Triplet. Yes. Treasure Gavin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Rock. >> Yes. >> Trusty Doyle.

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>> Yes. >> Trusty Bradley. >> Yes. >> Carrie. >> All right. So, the budget hearing will begin at 6:00. Um, and the work session will start at 7:00. Um, Director Parker, could you

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send an email to Singer? I know she's absent. She'll read the meeting, but I just want to make sure that that that the um posted schedule is adjusted to reflect such >> like tomorrow. >> Yes. All righty. Um, so if there's no

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other uh discussions from the board regarding the budget hearing, we'll proceed. There's a department update under student support services. Just wanted to talk specifically around the work that we have looked at for this past year and then starting to make that

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shift towards more restorative and relationship based approaches to school climate and discipline as well as McKenna Vento support services. So I'm looking at working with our team to hear more from them. I've had some great meetings with them and gotten insight and feedback and input around what we

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need to do in terms of our strengths and those areas of growth and changes we need to make for the year going forward. And this includes data to monitor the patterns in behavior and discipline. Specifically, when it comes to the reliance on exclusionary practices and providing students with structured

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opportunities to repair harm and rebuild connections with their peers and with staff. I noticed in my meetings with in my 101 ones with our safety director, Trooper Burton, we found that there were patterns of situations, but by the time we get to the uh expulsion hearing, we

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could see that uh there was some missed opportunities for us to work with the students and the families around some of the social emotional challenges the students were having. And so we're going to take some time this summer to really make some adjustments to what PBIS should look like for tier one schoolwide

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across our district as well as opportunities to ensure that there is much more uh family and community engagement around the awareness of services that are available to them through our grants and our county and state support services so that they know that they have access to support when

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they need it in times of crisis. and also strengthening the bond between uh the support for kids and with parents because they have a tendency to have needs that come up in a crisis when they get to those tables. And so we're going to do some much more um diving into what that support looks like so that next

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year in that department things are much more preventive rather than reactive. >> Okay. Any questions regarding that update? Madam President, >> Secretary Trooper, >> the all of the people that we have in place in these buildings,

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uh, graduation advisors, character cultures, what kind of data are they providing for this district? Uh, Dr. Griffin, I heard you say you were meeting with the team. Who is the student services team? What people are

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on the team? We have uh Tiara, she is our truency person. She provides guidance to all of the schools regarding attendance and chronic absenteeism. So she gives them strategies and the funding so that they

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have a plan for their school to be able to engage those kids those kids and work with the school teams, the leadership team to help those babies want to stay in school. finding out why they're at home, why they're missing, and seeing if they can we can connect them with supports for the reasons that they're at

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home. It could be health, it could be, you know, any type of concern that the mother or parents or guardians may be dealing with by themselves. >> Now, I was I wanted to know, you said you meet with the team. Who was the team? You got the attendance person, >> Miss Allen. >> Yes, Miss Allen. We've got our uh family

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community engagement specialist. So, that's Solar Dad and Ardell. All of those people around the district. We have um Miss Brenda Matthews who gives us a ton of information that we need for how uh our families leave and how they how they come in. So that in McKini

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Vento support services. So u there are meetings that I've had with them to get a sense of what are some things in terms of a SWAT analysis. What do we need to work on to strengthen and get better about in the year to come? And so I'll continue those meetings with them more closely over the summer so that we can

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codify those things and improve our systems. >> Yeah. So that that that right there would be I'm I'm I'm just I'm just curious to to know when we talk about uh meeting with teams people that's good data um that's an artifact

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um and and within that artifact you know signin sheets of all of these meetings that's been held with these groups collectively as a collective is student service because I I really since our student service uh director has been

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out. I'm I just I I never knew who her team was and how they worked as a collective. So, I'm looking forward to getting that information from you because I know it's very very important when you have all of those support services

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uh working on working together things will change. Loads and loads of things will change. But if people are just in these positions and sitting in these buildings with no accountability, we can't justify people doing that and you know they're

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not doing their work. And that's one thing that is very very important that Benon Harvard area schools get the best bang for his buck. This is not a place where you just come and sit around and be on Facebook and all over the place because you have to work every day. And so I'm looking forward for those

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artifacts and that information from them. so excited about it and how we'll be moving in the next direction. Thank you so much. >> All right. So, um if there's no other questions regarding the update provided, we um next on the agenda was the

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stepping stones contract. I would ask um what I am asking for out of necessity at this particular time is that we actually table um staff report SSS1. It is not uh due to a lack of support

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for the particular staff report. However, it's come to our attention that the contract linked is not accurate. >> Who is Stephen Stone? >> Uh Dr. Griffin, can you clarify? >> Yeah. Who is Stephen Stone?

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>> They provide us with uh in the special a department are social services for those uh the social workers that we don't have in those vacancies. they provide some of that support. >> And just to clarify, the um our name is not indicated on the agreement, which is

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why I'm requesting that you all table it. Um it's Bendle Public Schools. >> Is who? >> Bendle Public Schools. >> Oh, Bendle and Mage. So,

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>> I'll ask is there a motion to table? >> I so move. >> Unless you all need to look over it just to ensure what I'm saying is accurate. >> I don't. >> Okay. You you request to table. Is there a support? >> Support. >> Okay. Secretary Triplet, can you call the vote? >> President Robinson?

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>> Yes. >> Vice President Bourne? >> No. >> Secretary Triplet? Yes. Treasurer Gavin? >> She stepped out. Trusty Rocket Martin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Bradley. Yes. Trusty Doyle.

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>> Yes. >> Motion carry. >> Vice President B. Just out of curiosity, you're not required to tell me. Why is your vote known? >> Bobby Brown says it best. It's my prerogative. >> You don't vote on another school district's contract. >> Um, no. But I actually,

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and I'm not trying to throw anybody under the bus. I get that. And that's something that you can just white out and fix. >> Um, >> yeah, that's something that you can write out and fix. Um, >> but it would also need to be signed by the individual parties

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>> and I get that and thank God you can do scan it and fax it. He's made technology and it's even more advanced. >> Understood. We'll appreciate >> and it does come before the board. But you know, one thing I will say is >> um, it's just a minor it's a minor. You

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I'm gonna give it to you now. So go ahead. >> I got something to say. >> We have not heard from our department chair of the need or what this it was

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questions last. So I you know even if it was to go into discussion, ask questions and then table it to get what the information I know it was tabled last time and here we are again. some of that stuff could have been um writed out and everything. So, that's why I just said

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no because we need to make sure we're getting a head start with this. So, sorry. And again, it was my prerogative and I apologize if my prerogative, >> Madam No, I just wanted clarity. Um and I'll

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just So, I wasn't at the work session. I'm not sure if it was just a you know and I we don't have to necessarily get into it too much but what I have before you all is not what you're voting to approve. It's not even we do not have the authority to approve this. So that's

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why I thought it's not that I and I understand you were you saying you would like to have more discussion about it but being that it's coming back we will have an opportunity to um approve this. Um, and Secretary Triplet, I know that you asked for there to be minimal information on that next agenda, but

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this will be a topic that'll need to be on there. You have the floor. >> Yeah. And and and I do I do understand because each one of us when we making these vote is all of our prerogative. But what I will say and what I will not do, I will not sit at this board tape

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report after report with mistakes, typos, have people reading phonetically that can read, reading the words, it's offensive, scribbling. I'm not going to do it. We pay too much money when you talk about that budget and you talk

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about that revenue and that money going out and most of that revenue is in people. there wants a million dollars up top. I think I personally myself as a board of education. I'm offended and I am not playing

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because I don't think that if there's no way in the world that I would have to repeatedly you see us up here scuffed and we look and we that's unacceptable and it is evidence of something a larger matter and so I do understand we should not

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accept anything that's not presented to us without it being excellent. We have too many tools and and and and things in place to spell check to to make sure if if if we can get this in 10

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minutes on a 10-minute recess, this should have been in our packet from the beginning. And again, and I'm going to say it over and over again, nobody has returned their checks. Bren Har deserves the very best just like everybody else.

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And so I I'm I'm I'm very serious about this and I have tried to hold it myself, but I am a professional. I am not perfect. This is offensive. We have people with master degrees, PhDs. We shouldn't have this coming to the table.

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It's unacceptable. Everybody makes mistakes. This is unacceptable. And so I appreciate that. And yeah, we can white out if if that's what you think all we deserve is from our team bringing us stuff that we have to white out and scan and read. No, when it comes

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here, it should be ready. Thank you, >> Madam President. Was that a rebuttal to me or >> No, that was my We're going to proceed with the agenda because we're going to keep it moving. We're not going to do that tonight because we had plenty of time. We had

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plenty of time last meeting in my absence to do that. So, we're going to keep it moving today. Uh, facilities department update. >> Thank you. I will yield to Dr. Bulocks to give us an update. >> Hey everybody, our superintendent had a

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chance to meet our contractors as well. Um, bar demo will have their final clearance for abatement on July 11th. Melchi will begin their abatement on June 15th at Martindale. And our facilities department are doing

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walkthroughs with our principles to identify um items and areas that need to be addressed for the next school year. >> Okay. Any questions from the board on that update? No, I just went I I I wrote I I rap has

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bar every day and I place something out there as a marker and bar is still sitting there in the same shade. It hasn't been touched. We have paid I think $89,000 at one

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point and another set and nothing's been done. And so again, hopefully I'll get a chance to speak with the superintendent and the director of facilities for our director lead. But again, these are the things that we're

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facing as a board of education with our constituents. This have this money was paid last month and it looks the same. So why did we pay the money that we paid? What was that money used for? And

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there are no acts. >> Director Bullock, do you have a response? Do is there uh has there been delays in the construction or the >> There's not been delay. It haven't been any delays. It's a lot of the work is going on on the inside. We have pictures

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to verify. Um building had to be cleaned out. It was terrible. So, we do have pictures and updates. far as when the construction actually start demoing, it's only going to take probably like two weeks to demo the building. But the

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abatement is a slow process. We got to make sure we got enough air. It's a lot going on with when you talking about the best and different things like that. So, it is a slow process in the building. Our superintendent went and visit the site as well. So, she see the progress

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and the movement going on as well. Uh we do have pictures of the many dumpsters that has been taken out of the building. So on the outside, you can't see what's going on on the inside, but it is some work going on. >> Yeah. I I would like to say this and I'm

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going close out because I'm not here to argue. I can't see what's going on in the inside because the inside is open. So I don't know what they doing because there's no windows. There's no signal. So I ride past it every day. I'm just glad that you two are communicating and this get closed out before you leave.

441
02:05:17.280 --> 02:05:34.159
um by June the 30th. But we need to see more progress. We need to see what is happening because we cannot keep giving these large lumps of sum and we're not getting what we're paying for because those buildings should that somebody

442
02:05:34.159 --> 02:05:48.960
Martindell hasn't even started or or or but and B is still standing. So I understand what you're saying. I appreciate it. But I'm saying for me looking I'm not going up in there but I can see all the way through that

443
02:05:48.960 --> 02:06:06.080
building. So I don't know what what what's been seen or what's been taken out cuz it was wide open. So as best has already hit the height but thank you anyhow. Appreciate you director Bulock. >> Um I think Dr. Griffin had a response

444
02:06:06.080 --> 02:06:22.960
and then we'll go to Bradley. >> I do want to thank Dr. Bullocks. Uh I confirm what he shared because it was shared with me. There was a lot of leeway unfortunately with bar because it had been partially open. It became a dumping ground and they have removed as he stated. I I can confirm I walked the

445
02:06:22.960 --> 02:06:38.079
property I can see at least five dumpsters. They they've also been very careful adhering to the asbestos criteria to ensure that now they lift enough floors. There is a tunnel in that building that they have to be very careful about for asbestos. All of that

446
02:06:38.079 --> 02:06:54.800
just like you said. I agree. He's doing a good job. He's making sure they stay on it. They have to adhere. It takes weeks on the front end for some of this stuff to take place before they pull agree. And so I do thank him for the confirmation that I got with the team and meeting with me himself to find out,

447
02:06:54.800 --> 02:07:11.520
okay, there's a lot of essentially a lot of frontloading that has to be done before any bricks are pulled so that they can adhere to the state federal guidelines around what that looks like. So, I know it has been a slow process on the front end, but I'm excited to say he's right. When it gets to the part

448
02:07:11.520 --> 02:07:27.119
where they do tear down, it'll be done very expeditiously in about two weeks. And that document uh that new timeline he and I have and I have also shared it with uh Secretary Trib, Mr. Bowens, and I can share it for your reference so that you can you can see all of the

449
02:07:27.119 --> 02:07:43.840
documents. He gave me a hard copy. All of it has been scanned. I emailed it to you for your reference. So you can see that a lot of the work has been and I understand I I felt the same way but in talking to he's right he everything he said check out >> I I and I do know that uh Director

450
02:07:43.840 --> 02:08:00.159
Bullock is an expert in in those areas as it relates to construction so I trust what you're saying and what you're doing. I'm just glad that we in motion. >> Thank you sir. >> All right Trusty Bradley. >> Okay Trusty Doyle. >> Thank you Madam President. I have a

451
02:08:00.159 --> 02:08:14.320
question about the master facility plan because I know you guys are aware that I the community and students are interested and would like to get that pool up and running. So, can I get an

452
02:08:14.320 --> 02:08:35.440
update on the master facility plan? >> Yeah. Whoever would like to go ahead. >> Well, I would just wanted to speak to Yes. I I agree. I would like the pool to be updated too. What I have been doing in my conversations with our new grant writers talking about the need for that

453
02:08:35.440 --> 02:08:51.440
to be updated a part of the construction. There's a grant that we're working on that is uh all about construction and then giving us the opportunity to use funds for that. So I do respect and understand the urgency around the pool and many other places throughout the district. And so I've been having those meetings with Miss

454
02:08:51.440 --> 02:09:08.079
Lameé about uh there's one grant in particular, millions of dollars that could help us with funding for getting the pool up and getting it running, but it is a process. And now I'll yield to Dr. Bus. >> Yep. So we we actually have actually

455
02:09:08.079 --> 02:09:23.760
reached out to a couple pool vendors. So they going to be scheduling a time. This is the busy season right now for them. So they are trying to work on their schedule just to come up here and assess our pool. So >> okay, thank you. Uh facilities massive

456
02:09:23.760 --> 02:09:39.840
plan update, masses facility plan update. I think she mentioned that as well. >> Yes. So we did um we we kind of waiting on I know um Dr. Griffin did email the board about um

457
02:09:39.840 --> 02:09:55.760
>> C2A. >> Yep. C2A. So we kind of waiting on a plan from you all. What do you you all want to do with some of the buildings? And >> can we do some type of um Can you clarify? Um

458
02:09:55.760 --> 02:10:11.119
>> Wait, you just >> I'm sorry. Go ahead, Doyle. >> Did we do some type of survey with the community asking them? But they wasn't really clear. I believe that's what happened with that. Am I correct?

459
02:10:11.119 --> 02:10:26.159
So, can I ask has there been an adjusted timeline developed? Um, either of you can answer. Have we had any chance to adjust the timeline that was previously provided to us that goes through all of the steps? Cuz did we get all of the community

460
02:10:26.159 --> 02:10:43.440
input? Well, one of the things that came out with what they said because it was only a few people. Well, I won't say a few, but it was about a little over a hundred. And one of the things that we have put uh in the email is, do you want to put another one out? uh because we have the facilities condition index. We see what condition the buildings are in.

461
02:10:43.440 --> 02:10:58.880
We're just waiting on insight from you guys on how you would like us to move and so we can certainly put another survey out and we can certainly make sure that everybody's clear about it. We're just let us know and we will proceed and Mr. uh Dr. Bulocks you can proceed if you want to. >> Okay. So we're so essentially we're at

462
02:10:58.880 --> 02:11:14.719
the space where we need to be analyzing and I would like the timeline um adjusted for this year. Um, but essentially what I'm hearing you communicate is that we're at the we're at the space where we need we need to be assessing the timeline, the community

463
02:11:14.719 --> 02:11:30.719
feedback received, and then coming together tangibly for a recommendation of what we want to do with what buildings. Okay, we're going to get that done. Okay. Um, there's no other questions. We'll we'll allow to proceed in human resources. I

464
02:11:30.719 --> 02:11:47.679
and I anticipate under old business, we have board retreat. That'll be part of one of the things that we do in the board retreat. Um being that we have multiple meetings this month. Um we'll make we'll sit down we'll have that conversation as well. Um

465
02:11:47.679 --> 02:12:05.360
but we'll proceed to human resources because what I would like for us to do is come up with a tangible draft that we all kind of agree on and then get community feedback from that draft. But I'll allow us to move forward. I'll yield to Miss Dorsy to go through

466
02:12:05.360 --> 02:12:20.560
the different steps in the staff reports. >> The H1 report is a separation report. The subject is separation of employment. The date is June 9th, 2026. The reason for board consideration. A

467
02:12:20.560 --> 02:12:36.639
list of employees whose employment relationship with the district is or will be separated is submitted to the board each month. Facts and analysis. Is recommended that the board vote to accept the separation of employment of the following staff. Policy reference

468
02:12:36.639 --> 02:12:52.960
3140 and 4140. Termination resignation of professional support staff. Strategic goal. Strategic plan. Goal reference. Personnel leadership. Basic harbor area schools will recruit, hire, develop, and

469
02:12:52.960 --> 02:13:07.840
retain the best staff to improve student outcomes. So for separations we have Ram Burton TSRP associate teacher resignation effective uh May 20th building DEEC date

470
02:13:07.840 --> 02:13:25.199
of hire October 19th 2015 extra interview is done in person on the 29th of May is it completed yes and okay to share with the board yes we have Natalie Singer executive assistant resignation

471
02:13:25.199 --> 02:13:42.079
effective date 63 3 2026 date of hire 8:21 2023 exit interview held 65206 ex interview completed yes okay share with the board yes

472
02:13:42.079 --> 02:13:57.760
Dumis was a teacher in training she resigned effective 617 2026 from Fairplane Middle School date of hire September 14th 2022 ex's date

473
02:13:57.760 --> 02:14:13.679
interview sent or herald June 5th 2026 is not complete yet and then TBD to share with the board to Townsen athletics administrative assistant resignation

474
02:14:13.679 --> 02:14:29.280
effective 6:30 2026 Ben Harour High School date of hire 12224 exit interview held or will be it was sent June 5th of 2026 not completed yet in TBD4. Okay to share

475
02:14:29.280 --> 02:14:47.119
Elizabeth Perkins certified music teacher resignation effective 603 63 2026 from MLK. She was hired January 31st, 2022

476
02:14:47.119 --> 02:15:03.280
and it was sent on the 5th of June. It will be done in person on the 10th of June. Then John I mispronounced that. >> Eco boy. >> Boyco. Thank you. Certified teacher uh

477
02:15:03.280 --> 02:15:18.320
PE retired. Effective date 65206 from MLK. Date of hire August 26, 1998. Exit interview was sent on the 5th of

478
02:15:18.320 --> 02:15:35.840
June. We have not held that yet. And okay to share TBD. recommend that the Ben Harvey Area School Board of Education vote to accept the resignation of employment of the affformentioned staff. >> Okay. I just have a point of clarification. Is Miss Senior's date um

479
02:15:35.840 --> 02:15:51.760
correct? Cuz she's still working. It's noted as June 3rd. >> She is still working. >> So >> So do you know what date should be there? The 17th. >> She gave us two weeks. Yes. >> So should that that should be edited to

480
02:15:51.760 --> 02:16:08.880
the 17th? Yes, it will be. >> Okay. And then her title is executive is it executive >> assistant? >> Executive assistant. Okay. >> Okay. So, is there a motion to approve staff per H1 with the noted amendment that uh Natalie Singer's resignation

481
02:16:08.880 --> 02:16:25.040
date is June 17, 2026. >> I make a motion to approve staff H1 with the noted amendment. >> Support. The motion has been made by VP Bowens and supported by um

482
02:16:25.040 --> 02:16:47.439
Trustee Bradley. Any questions, comments, or concerns? My apologies. >> Mad, >> you have the floor. I don't see Natalie's exit interview. >> She has to be given after

483
02:16:47.439 --> 02:17:13.080
Chile leaves. Oh, >> Vice President Burns. >> Thank you. Um, you know, it's Mr. the PE teacher. Um, happy retirement. Um, I, you know, you're seeing some of these positions that

484
02:17:15.439 --> 02:17:32.399
it's just interesting. Um, I'm glad that we had a certified music teacher at MLK. Um, so I I'm sorry to see that go, but I am also want to say thank you to Natalie for her work, her telephone calls, um,

485
02:17:32.399 --> 02:17:48.559
and reminding us, making sure we were registered for conferences, um, and just her commitment to Bitten Harbor area schools. And I'm expecting great things from you when she leaves. All right. Uh, Bradley, uh,

486
02:17:48.559 --> 02:18:04.639
>> I would just like to say, um, I hate to see some names on here, especially our, uh, executive assistant, our district gatekeeper. Um, and I know if she's listening, I want to say thank you so much. when I called today, I did not realize until I went and checked later

487
02:18:04.639 --> 02:18:21.359
that you were uh resigning, but I do thank you for um like you said, being a gatekeeper for our superintendent, making sure that the board had the resources that they needed um anything that we call text. So, I appreciate your service and to all our other staff

488
02:18:21.359 --> 02:18:38.880
members um that are believing, we thank you for your service to our school district as well. Uh so I would like to add um I wish all the best to the staff whether they have resigned or retired. Um specifically

489
02:18:38.880 --> 02:18:55.280
this long-term um date of hire 826 1998 that's that's wonderful. So we thank you for um your efforts given and the longevity reflected. Um, also I agree uh with Miss

490
02:18:55.280 --> 02:19:09.040
Singer choosing to move on to greater pastures. I just want to wish her the best in her future endeavors, especially with her school studies and things of that nature. Um, she's been a strong point of contact for me stepping in um

491
02:19:09.040 --> 02:19:26.880
when our previous executive assistant um transitioned or retired. So I am going to miss her um extremely and I hope that we are able to secure someone that is extremely strong in that position is they are a guiding foundation for the

492
02:19:26.880 --> 02:19:45.280
work that the board does as well. Um any other comments from the board? >> Yes m uh secretary >> madam president to Mr. Coco. Um I work with him down through the years and uh I didn't I didn't notice

493
02:19:45.280 --> 02:19:59.920
that we had any um retirement celebrations um for staff that were retiring um or if he was even honored. And he

494
02:19:59.920 --> 02:20:17.560
gave many years of service to this district. And I hope that something is done to honor him and to thank him. Uh

495
02:20:17.920 --> 02:20:32.960
when when when somebody showed that type of loyalty, it needs to be acknowledged um to all of us to to man uh Natalie

496
02:20:32.960 --> 02:20:51.760
Kayla and to Miss Perkins. Had a had an opportunity to work with her down through the years as well. I want to thank you all. I hope that uh you didn't leave with a bitter taste in your mouth.

497
02:20:51.760 --> 02:21:09.600
Um and I also want to thank Natalie. Um like uh my colleagues have said, being the gatekeeper for this district, that's a that's a very serious role and I wish you the very very best. Um Nikki, thank you.

498
02:21:09.600 --> 02:21:29.280
>> Thank you. Uh, Trusty Gavin, Treasure Gavin. Thank you, President Robinson. Um, I have a question about our um teacher and training. Um, were they

499
02:21:29.280 --> 02:21:47.439
given was this a how do I say this? I noticed that we have a certified teacher in the new hire portion with our teacher and training program. Are they

500
02:21:47.439 --> 02:22:05.840
dismissed? Do they have opportunities to stay on? Is it how does that work in this separation? >> In the case of Miss Dumis, >> yes. Once she resigned, we posted a position and people applied right away.

501
02:22:05.840 --> 02:22:22.319
She said that time left in TNT had she wanted that. That was her decision. >> Okay. So, she had the option to stay. >> I never met with her. I never got you. >> Okay. Okay. So, I want to say um thank

502
02:22:22.319 --> 02:22:40.399
you to everybody here. Um because these exit interviews are not on here, I don't know all the details as to the wise. Um I've already expressed my um

503
02:22:40.399 --> 02:22:57.760
gratitude to Ian Burton, awesome teacher at Deck. I've seen a lot of um executive assistance to the superintendent, whether it be from my community work, whether it be from working for my father

504
02:22:57.760 --> 02:23:15.600
when several years ago or being on the board before. And what I want to say about uh Miss Singer is that she was a re a breath of fresh air, a class act, kind, thorough,

505
02:23:15.600 --> 02:23:33.200
accountable, and I'm very grateful to her for the service that she provided. And I pray that somehow she finds another space in this district because her spirit was just something that

506
02:23:33.200 --> 02:23:49.600
something that we need. Um so I'm truly going to miss her. Miss Dumis, excellent teacher. My son loved her class, loved the work, loved the rigor, loved how organized she was. Um so hoping that

507
02:23:49.600 --> 02:24:04.640
she'll find something back in the district again. And so I'm just thankful to everyone on the list, but those are the people who I um have seen personally uh and professionally in their work and also thanks to Mr. VCO as well. I've

508
02:24:04.640 --> 02:24:21.439
kind of seen him take on classes uh that were not necessarily his own cuz that's kind of what PE teachers end up doing sometimes. So thank you for his years of service. Okay. If there's no other comments from the board, um, Secretary Tripley, can you please call the vote for staff

509
02:24:21.439 --> 02:24:38.560
report H1? Oh, you sure can. >> I just wanted to take a moment and say publicly my appreciation to Miss Singer as well. Uh, having coming into the position brand new, uh, she has done a tremendous job, just remarkable job of providing me with insight, not just

510
02:24:38.560 --> 02:24:54.960
about the role, but about my position and the community. And she worked diligently every single day. she was with me to uh share just her kindness, her wisdom, and her demeanor just in making sure that uh as much as possible

511
02:24:54.960 --> 02:25:10.960
that I would be on my game. And so she will be sorely sorely missed. So I want to let her know on the record uh I am proud of the work that she did uh with me this last year and I cannot wait to celebrate her uh educational growth in

512
02:25:10.960 --> 02:25:26.319
her new endeavor. uh sad to see her go but excited about her future. And of course, I appreciate the service of all of the members that are on this forum. And special shout out to Mr. Voco. I got a chance to see a video of him still at

513
02:25:26.319 --> 02:25:44.080
field day getting in tugofwar helping the kids. So, it was clear it has been in his heart since August. That's the same time I started in education back in 1998. So, it's good to see a fellow soldier do what he has done all the way up until the last days as he leads into

514
02:25:44.080 --> 02:26:02.880
retirement. He really is an example to the rest of us. >> All right, Secretary Trooper, can you please call the vote? >> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowen, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. Treasure Gavin,

515
02:26:02.880 --> 02:26:19.280
>> no. >> Trustee Rocket Martin, >> yes. Trustee Bradley, >> yes. >> Trusty Doyle, >> no. >> Motion carried. >> All right. Um, up next we have staff report H2. And I just want to clarify

516
02:26:19.280 --> 02:26:34.319
just a quick question. Special education department manager is a position we already had. Okay. Okay. Um, go ahead and proceed with staff report H2. >> Thank you. Staff report. Uh subject

517
02:26:34.319 --> 02:26:50.800
employment of staff date June 9th 2026 submitted for board consideration to approve the employment of staff in accordance with the revised school code and other general laws of Michigan. Facts and analysis is recommended that

518
02:26:50.800 --> 02:27:08.160
the board approved the superintendent's recommendation for the hire of the following personnel. Policy reference 3120 4120 employment of professional and support staff strategic plan goal reference personnel

519
02:27:08.160 --> 02:27:24.160
leadership vent harbor area schools will recruit hard develop and retain the best staff new hires Isaac Ashari certified social studies teacher at Fairplane Middle School

520
02:27:24.160 --> 02:27:40.720
sources general funds effective August 17th, 2026. Margarita Dina Simohig, certified teacher of math, airplane middle school. Again, general funds,

521
02:27:40.720 --> 02:27:57.200
August 17th, 2026. Benjamin Bermudi, certified teacher, social studies, Ben Harbor High School. General funds, August 18th. Quis Nichols, special education department manager, central

522
02:27:57.200 --> 02:28:13.920
office, general funds. Start date 6:15206. Marcus Muhammad multi-tier systems of support athletic director Venton Harour High School general funds July 1st 2026

523
02:28:13.920 --> 02:28:29.680
recommend the action that the vent harbor area schools board of education vote to approve the employment of the affformentioned staff >> president I make a motion approve staff report H2 support >> the motion has been made by Bowens and

524
02:28:29.680 --> 02:28:45.359
supported by Um, Bradley, questions, comments, or concerns? You have the floor. >> I just have a question on the process of hiring Marcus Muhammed for athletic

525
02:28:45.359 --> 02:29:00.560
director, the team, and who was on the team and all that good stuff. >> Director Dorsy, did you hear the question? I'm sorry. >> I did. >> Okay. >> Dr. Griffin was on the team. Jessica

526
02:29:00.560 --> 02:29:29.040
McFar Natasha Heather Thomas Monroe Enrich who else is on the team and Jordan Light. There were six people interviewed and there were two recommended for Dr. Griffin and did she have a final selection?

527
02:29:29.040 --> 02:29:44.960
So when you say there was six people interviewed interviewed by whom was anybody from the high school was the principal any of those people a part of the interview? >> Mr. Sanders was part of the interview team too >> for the selection. >> Yes.

528
02:29:44.960 --> 02:30:02.160
>> Of the athletic director. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And you said Dr. Griffin did the final two? >> Yes. >> The two recommended by the committee. Um the question that I have as it relates to the um NTSS/athletic

529
02:30:02.160 --> 02:30:18.560
director. So this essentially two different positions. >> The the athletic director position is not a full-time position in a school our size. >> Okay. >> So they'll have a regular position and a stipen for the ad part of it.

530
02:30:18.560 --> 02:30:34.640
>> Stipen. >> You said what >> she they asked for clarification regarding this. You said a stipen. >> Yes. >> So when did the athletic director not

531
02:30:34.640 --> 02:30:49.600
become a full-time position in Ben Harvard area schools when that was uh the pillar of our strategic plan academic athletic and the art?

532
02:30:49.600 --> 02:31:07.120
When did that become uh where an athletic director gets a stipen for being the athletic director? When athletic directors work late into the night all game, all sports,

533
02:31:07.120 --> 02:31:22.479
when did this change? >> So, if you recall, Danny Jennings, the current athletic director, has been the assistant principal. He was principal at um MLK for a couple weeks. He's currently the principal of Cape as well as the athletic director. That's been

534
02:31:22.479 --> 02:31:38.080
going on all year. I think I think um I understand I hear my board. The athletic director prior to Mr. Jennings was a full-time position. And

535
02:31:38.080 --> 02:31:55.280
so Mr. Jennings was made interim and because he had an existing position, I don't know if he was hired into both of them dually. I think we added interim to this and then he he split the two, but prior to him becoming an interim, it was a full-time position.

536
02:31:55.280 --> 02:32:12.240
Um, and so you all your intent is for him to essenti So it's not So you said it's a stipen. It's not like a part-time or I guess I'm sorry. >> No, the the configuration would be MTSS.

537
02:32:12.240 --> 02:32:32.720
He would work five hours a day. NTSS have two hours to do the ad portion along with the siphon. >> Uh, President R, you have a floor. >> Is it possible to separate the athletic director

538
02:32:32.720 --> 02:32:50.399
um this this position from this report like to have a separate staff report for this one? Is there any objections from the board? She's essentially wanting to separate the consent agenda um so that they essentially would be in

539
02:32:50.399 --> 02:33:06.880
I guess we could call it H4 um that would include Muhammed only. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. Is there any objections from the board that we amend H2? Um do you have any objection to amending your vote just

540
02:33:06.880 --> 02:33:28.240
to allow the separation of that? So essentially what she's saying is she wants to do that position as a separate vote and then do all the others as a consent doesn't impact the way that you vote at all. >> Okay. Yes. If you want to do it separate

541
02:33:28.240 --> 02:33:43.840
>> Bradley, do you support that? Okay. So we we're essentially just disconnecting the staff report or the consent agenda of staff report H2. So it would include all listed except for Marcus Muhamd. Marcus Marcus Muhammed

542
02:33:43.840 --> 02:34:01.200
would be a separate vote under H4. Um motion amended >> by Burns and Bradley by the request of Treasurer Gavin. Uh Trusty Rocket Martin. Oh, I was going to say it was a

543
02:34:01.200 --> 02:34:18.080
time that uh the athletic director when Willie Wilson was here, I believe, because um at the high school, he was also an assistant principal over the 10th graders while he was also the athletic director.

544
02:34:18.080 --> 02:34:37.040
So, it has been where they headed two positions >> um doing two jobs. So what I will say and right now so we can revisit that. Um what I will say is if if Mr. Muhammad has accepted the

545
02:34:37.040 --> 02:34:55.120
position with athletic director and MTSS as it stands and that's something that he feels he's capable of doing then I wouldn't necessarily object the merger in that manner. Um, I would just ask that we're mindful that it's not

546
02:34:55.120 --> 02:35:11.600
too much, as we've stated before with the previous, that it's not too much to to try to um do both. And if the district finds that that position needs to be revisited and athletic director requires full-time

547
02:35:11.600 --> 02:35:26.080
service or full-time effort, that that be a conversation brought back to the board. Um, is there did you have input? Go ahead, Lance. >> Um, not on Mayor Muhammed's I'm sorry, Marcus Muhammed's position. Um, but I do

548
02:35:26.080 --> 02:35:42.640
want to talk to um, Miss Dorsy um, and your team. It feels delightful every time we come in here and we see certified teacher. Um, and I also noticed the effort with Fairplane Junior High. Um, so I'm just want to say thank

549
02:35:42.640 --> 02:35:58.399
you for your team. Um, one of my teaching friends told me that one of the staff, she works in Grand Rabbits and she's like Bitten Harbor is aggressively trying to recruit her. Um, and she didn't know if they

550
02:35:58.399 --> 02:36:15.680
knew me. Um, but she was just telling me day on it, is it that good to come here? I said, come on home. So, I just want to say thank you so much for doing that and looking out for certified teachers. I'm also thankful and glad to see that our special education department

551
02:36:15.680 --> 02:36:34.960
um will be having a manager in support that is needed. >> Yeah. >> Um we have a high population of kids um that receive those services. So by us making sure we have the department manager in there

552
02:36:34.960 --> 02:36:51.760
um we'll make sure no child is left behind. So thank you All right. So, at this time, real quickly, sorry. Go ahead. I just want to acknowledge Miss Nichols. She's um I believe she's a former teacher um and she worked with special education

553
02:36:51.760 --> 02:37:08.000
students. And so, I think that is great that she's back. I love her just her personality, her love for the kids and the community. She is an alumni of Ben Harbor Schools and so it's just really great to see her in this in this

554
02:37:08.000 --> 02:37:24.000
position. Okay, if there's no other questions, this is concerning staff report H2 with the amendment. No, we're on one H2 with the amendment of um separating

555
02:37:24.000 --> 02:37:38.960
Marcus Muhammad. Secretary Tripley, can you please call the vote? >> President Robinson. >> Yes. Vice President Bowen. >> Yes. >> Secretary Triplet. Yes. >> Treasurer Gavin. >> Yes.

556
02:37:38.960 --> 02:37:56.560
>> Trustee Rocket Martin. >> Trusty Rocket Martin. >> Oh. >> Oh, you're thinking. >> Yes. I'm thinking. So, we're saying that um we're just taking it from Liz on a separate. >> Okay. That's fine. Yes.

557
02:37:56.560 --> 02:38:14.080
>> So, you're Yes. on all these people. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. Trustee Rley. >> Yes. >> Carry. >> All right. Up next, we'll just proceed even though it's out of order with staff report H4. Um, this is essentially the

558
02:38:14.080 --> 02:38:29.359
same staff report just with the separation of Marcus Muhamd. Um, again, as a reminder, as MTSS/athletic Director for the Ben Harbor High School being paid out of general fund starting effective July 1st, 2026. Is there a

559
02:38:29.359 --> 02:38:44.399
motion to approve staff report H4? >> I make a motion. >> Okay. So, I'll take Bowen as the motion and um triplet as the support. Questions, comments, and concerns.

560
02:38:44.399 --> 02:39:00.080
I have a question. You have the floor. My question is around the structure of the athletic department. I understand that there may be certain colleague or colleagues, I hope not a s

561
02:39:00.080 --> 02:39:16.479
that has interest in um outsourcing our athletic department. It's one of the most powerful departments that we have in the district and I've noticed a move in that direction outside of just indicating an

562
02:39:16.479 --> 02:39:34.560
interest in it. I've seen positions, you know, pushed through edge of staff and now I'm hearing that um you know, this position here is a part-time thing. Um

563
02:39:34.560 --> 02:39:51.040
when you're looking at growing your program, you're looking at the needs when you look at us needing more feeder programs. Um, I'm just curious what is the what is the goal

564
02:39:51.040 --> 02:40:09.439
um for the athletic department for being Harvard area schools and how does making that a part-time position connect with the future plans that may be a HR question or a Dr.

565
02:40:09.439 --> 02:40:24.399
Griffin question. I'll speak to the portion regarding the vision uh is to get us back to that nostalgic place that that great place that the athletics used to be. The vision is what it has always been and that is for in-house that we

566
02:40:24.399 --> 02:40:40.720
grow and develop and cultivate physical uh sports teams uh in our district where every child has the opportunity to find their passion in some way some form in some sport. Unlike me who was slow in track, I still had the opportunity to try other sports and I want that to be

567
02:40:40.720 --> 02:40:57.280
the case for all our students to build the program, expand the program, get the pool ready so we can have a swim team, get the track, make sure everything is maintained that we do have so that there are more access and more opportunities for our kids to choose among all kinds

568
02:40:57.280 --> 02:41:13.520
of sports. On the HR side regarding the position being part-time, I'll yield to Miss Dorsy to provide additional context around what that has to look like for us as a school district in the state of Michigan. >> Thank you. There's no discussion that

569
02:41:13.520 --> 02:41:29.680
I'm aware of to move athletics to edit staff. The leadership will always be here. So, I have I I have not heard that. I'm I'm what I'm saying is a lot of our coaches, right, are our coaches in in house. >> That happened years ago and and most

570
02:41:29.680 --> 02:41:45.920
districts around the city have done that. It's been like that. I've been in two other districts in the last 30 years and they did that. Both districts did. So that's been going on for quite some time here already. But there's another piece to this that's part of our budget presentation. So I don't want to share

571
02:41:45.920 --> 02:42:02.960
it on now because it's not approved yet. So that he'll have help. He won't be by himself as the AD, but that piece is part of the new budget. >> Okay. Yeah. And I would say, yeah, I get it that these things are happening elsewhere because project 2025 didn't start in 2025,

572
02:42:02.960 --> 02:42:19.359
right? And we're often the guinea pig for that. When we move those positions outside of our district, that's outsourcing our department. And when we make it part-time instead of full-time, that's

573
02:42:19.359 --> 02:42:36.000
another way of slowly um it's not expanding. If we have a goal to expand, then we expand the position. If you have a goal to dismantle or to make smaller, then you contract, right? So, I think

574
02:42:36.000 --> 02:42:50.319
it's just important for us to kind of look at those things. And then also, I've said this before, anytime a person is wearing two and three hats already, that um is a is a

575
02:42:50.319 --> 02:43:07.439
definition for um chaos. So I think that if we are seriously looking at expanding um a program then we look at giving that person that job to do that um and to

576
02:43:07.439 --> 02:43:24.080
focus on it. So those are my concerns. I'm also concerned of course about the you know who all is interested in outsourcing it. Um it's one of our better programs. Thank you. Um, I just have one quick question and

577
02:43:24.080 --> 02:43:40.319
then I'll go to Secretary Triplet. So, I just want to understand with these two positions, is he essentially a full-time staff with salary and benefits? >> Exactly. >> Okay. And I would assume that being that he's here, he accepted that position that worked for him. Okay. >> Based on board approval. Yes.

578
02:43:40.319 --> 02:43:55.120
>> Okay. Secretary Triplet, >> I you know I I I had not heard um as Treasurer Gavin said about the um outsource ne that will never happen

579
02:43:55.120 --> 02:44:11.040
period unless everybody in central administration is outsourced. So that won't happen with our athletic department. That's the goal. Um that's where when you look at the dismantling, you look at the attack

580
02:44:11.040 --> 02:44:27.279
It it it attacked our instrumental and vocal music department and it attacked our athletic program strategically. So because those were top programs in the school district. I am so

581
02:44:27.279 --> 02:44:44.479
excited um to have uh Mr. Muhammed in that role, a former Tiger. I had the opportunity um to have Mr. Muhammad to work under me while here

582
02:44:44.479 --> 02:44:59.359
and and alongside me while here at Ben Harour High School um in our safe and supportive schools initiative and he was awesome. Um I I'm I I know for sure that he's a tiger

583
02:44:59.359 --> 02:45:13.760
>> and so I appreciate um all of you all and and what what you did um for this particular choice. So I'm I'm I'm happy. Um, I just hope that the stipen or

584
02:45:13.760 --> 02:45:30.880
whatever it is is enough and feasible to do um because I see athletic directors 9 10 11:00 at night traveling up and down the highway um to games if they're going to do the job effectively being there

585
02:45:30.880 --> 02:45:46.479
and protecting our kids when they go into spaces and places that's unfamiliar to them. um building our schedule, building our programs and recruiting and all those different and if if if it can be done um athletic director

586
02:45:46.479 --> 02:46:03.279
hopefully this will pass Muhammad will be the man that can lead us in that direction. Thank you >> vice president Bill. So, you know, a few last week, um, I was walking the track field and it was

587
02:46:03.279 --> 02:46:18.640
about 7 or 8:00 and then I I was inspecting how they were going to do graduation. I was trying to be nosy, but I've been walking it and I me, Mr. Triplet, was actually out there walking and um, seeing the

588
02:46:18.640 --> 02:46:35.120
potential and I I also understand what my colleagues are stating. our athletic department needs to be built up and having a part-time athletic director um

589
02:46:35.120 --> 02:46:53.920
is a concern, but I understand we have to do what we got to do. Um Mr. Muhammad, if you're watching and this rope passes, I hope that you will make us proud and I hope that he has the tools needed

590
02:46:53.920 --> 02:47:13.520
to be successful. Thank you. >> Okay, there's no other Oh, you have the floor. >> I just wanted to say real quick, I'm in support of this. Um, I do believe that it's, you know, very good that we have our former basketball coach in and working, you know, with that and as te,

591
02:47:13.520 --> 02:47:30.560
you know, former teacher as well cuz, you know, I think he was my coach and my teacher at one point in time back in the day. Um, but I I'm glad that we have role models that we can look up to. I'm kind of biased because u he um went to high school with my oldest brother and so I kind of look at class 93 as my

592
02:47:30.560 --> 02:47:47.439
sibling. So, want to say that. So, thank you. Um the only thing I'll add before we vote is I think that um because of the other leadership areas that he works in um his his former status as a coach

593
02:47:47.439 --> 02:48:01.840
um his college career and things of that nature. I think he'll also be amazing for um potential reclaiming of athletes and students because of the relationship that he has, a strong relationship that he has to the community. So, I'm excited

594
02:48:01.840 --> 02:48:18.399
to see um the efforts that he brings to the position with his expertise in the various roles that he's worked in the district and his other professional careers. Um and I just want to put it on the record and I don't want to open it up for this conversation now, but I just wanted to be clear that I would not be

595
02:48:18.399 --> 02:48:34.160
opposed and and I kind of I'm hearing that from the board as well to athletic director being a full-time position and not a merged position. Um so, we can proceed with the vote as it is. However, if the district determines that that is something that is feasible or something

596
02:48:34.160 --> 02:48:49.200
that is possible in the budget, but I know I did hear you say something else comes with it. So, we'll wait for that. I'm just putting it on the record that I would support it as a full-time position if the district went in that direction. So, at this time, I'll ask for um the motion was made by Bowens and supported

597
02:48:49.200 --> 02:49:06.160
by Triplet to approve staff report H4 concerning Marcus Muhamd and MTSS/Athletic Director Benh Harour High School general funds effective 712026. Secretary Triplet, can you please call the vote? >> President Robinson,

598
02:49:06.160 --> 02:49:21.600
>> yes. >> Vice President Bowen, >> yes. >> Secretary Triplet, yes. >> Treasure Gavin, >> no. Trustee Rocket Martin, >> yes. >> Trustee Bradley, >> yes. >> Trusty Doyle, >> no.

599
02:49:21.600 --> 02:49:42.920
>> Motion carried. >> All right. Congratulations, Mr. Muhammed. >> Okay. So, our last I don't want to get too excited. I'm sorry. Our last vote for the evening. Staff report H3.

600
02:49:45.359 --> 02:50:05.920
another staff report from soc Dr. Griffin has requested that we table is H3 is um >> director of academics. >> H3 is yeah the director of academics. You're requesting the table. Okay. Any

601
02:50:05.920 --> 02:50:21.840
objections? Secretary Triplet, I know that you wanted to you suggested that amendment. Do you want to make the motion to table? >> Yes, I would um like to make a motion that we support Dr. Griffin in her tableabling of this resolution at this particular time.

602
02:50:21.840 --> 02:50:38.479
>> Is there the support was made the motion was made by Secretary Triplet and supported by Gavin. Um Secretary Triplet, can you please call the vote? >> President Robinson, >> yes. >> Vice President Bowens, >> no. >> Secretary Triplet, yes.

603
02:50:38.479 --> 02:50:54.399
>> Treasure Gavin, >> yes. >> Trusty Rocket Martin, >> no. >> Trustee Bradley, >> no. and trustee Doyle. >> Yes, it passed. >> Motion carried.

604
02:50:54.399 --> 02:51:10.479
>> Okay. Thank you all for voting to support her recommendation for tableabling. Um uh old business board retreat. So, we have quite a bit we have to do in June. I'm thinking the soonest that we can get to our board retreat is July. I don't

605
02:51:10.479 --> 02:51:26.080
know if it's too soon for you all to um look at your schedules. Um, I would like, of course, not the fourth. We stand to try to do a Saturday. I'm thinking either July 11th or 18th. Does anyone have a conflict for either

606
02:51:26.080 --> 02:51:41.760
date on their schedule, >> keeping in mind that we do have a work session? No, the work session will be the 28th. So, we will have a our board meeting that month is the 14th. So, we can either have it the weekend

607
02:51:41.760 --> 02:52:04.479
before or the weekend after. >> Yeah. Any preference? >> I don't your vacation gonna be right here in Bhley. Is there a certain date that you >> I was going to I can I can make arrangements. I was trying to uh take some time because I had a vacation

608
02:52:04.479 --> 02:52:20.319
coming up but I can I can work with the job. >> No preference between either date. >> I prefer the 11. >> Okay. Is the 11 presenting as a conflict for anyone else? >> Not at this particular time. >> Okay. So, we can tentatively plan our

609
02:52:20.319 --> 02:52:34.800
board retreat. >> Actually, there is a conflict on the 11th. >> Okay. What's your You have a personal conflict. >> There's some professional conflicts on the 11th between 9:30 and 1. >> So, we could do the

610
02:52:34.800 --> 02:52:50.640
>> Okay. Um, >> we all have to be there for it to count for what we're doing with our partnership with >> Yeah, I was hoping that we could do a training um >> that we could merge one of our trainings, our first training into that

611
02:52:50.640 --> 02:53:06.399
date as well. And as we know before, they didn't all they don't all have to be two or three hours. They can be as long as it's something that's meaningful. Um, it could be after it could be after. Um, >> can we do it the 18th?

612
02:53:06.399 --> 02:53:22.960
>> I'm okay with one. I'm after you're done. Like it could be one or after. >> Okay. So, are you guys opposed to instead of coming first thing in the morning, we start >> at 1 >> and end a little bit later in the evening. >> B4.

613
02:53:22.960 --> 02:53:39.439
>> You guys okay with that? Starting at 1? >> I mean, that that's fine. I will also think but I don't want to push it out too far because I know people may have other things. >> Okay. >> To do the afternoon. >> Okay. So, we'll we'll set it tentatively at at 1:00

614
02:53:39.439 --> 02:53:55.840
>> or maybe at 12 where we begin with a a lunch. >> Yeah. Well, one >> or like a talking lunch or something. Would you be opposed to that if we just start with like a casual lunch breaker at 12:00? >> At 12.

615
02:53:55.840 --> 02:54:10.720
>> Yeah. Um Sunday >> 12 not the event is not over till 12:30. >> Okay. So we'll do one >> madam president. >> Yes sir. >> Um I don't know who's going to be formulating the agenda but can we have a

616
02:54:10.720 --> 02:54:27.040
governance opponent? Uh not opponent but a component. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um so Bo has put together a a framework but I think it's probably about a month or two old or maybe about a month old. So, we can revisit that. I don't

617
02:54:27.040 --> 02:54:42.720
remember right off topic what all he has on there, but we will re >> review that. I do want to try to at least squeeze, like I said, squeeze in a training if we can. I'm wondering the restorative um the restorative practices

618
02:54:42.720 --> 02:54:58.240
training that the staff is going to get. Are we still going to get that? And can that qualify as our training? It may. Um Dr. G, can you send me more details about that and I can see if it if it's something that we can get approved? How long is that?

619
02:54:58.240 --> 02:55:13.040
>> I'm not sure. Please give me the opportunity to follow up on that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I'm for us as well as the board. >> Okay. >> It's something we can still do. >> So, we have a month out to flush out all the details. So, we'll set the date tenatively July 11th at 100 p.m. um for

620
02:55:13.040 --> 02:55:27.600
a for a um board retreat. I just wanted to make sure that we got that ironed out. um >> on the 11th, right? >> The 11th. Yep. July 11th. Okay. I don't

621
02:55:27.600 --> 02:55:48.960
have um I didn't have new business um cuz the retreat was old business. Um so we're technically at open public comment. Anyone here for open public comment? >> Yes. >> Hello.

622
02:55:48.960 --> 02:56:04.240
>> Do you need me to read read the Okay. I just want to talk about three things that I sat and heard about. First, um the peace comments. If those wasn't the fakest

623
02:56:04.240 --> 02:56:21.439
the fakest I'm happy for peace days I ever heard in my life. Lord, please. Then not one person show up but the last two. Nobody on the board showed up for the peace walk. Didn't help prepare for it. didn't have no positive comments

624
02:56:21.439 --> 02:56:39.040
about it. And um I did attend like a few little events the school been having like the um sixth grade awards ceremony, the eighth grade moving ceremony. Dr. Griffin was at those places, but when it came down to that peace walk, she was

625
02:56:39.040 --> 02:56:56.720
not visible. So all that fake stuff because of the camera was up in here, that's what we not going to do badly. Please have your own thoughts, your own mind. Quit being a follower because on Facebook it's a whole different story.

626
02:56:56.720 --> 02:57:13.920
It's a whole different story with you and Dr. Griffin Bowens. Whenever my inbox get out, whenever my inbox get out, I hope they see your true colors because this a this is a front.

627
02:57:13.920 --> 02:57:31.439
I was advised by you to report Dr. aggression. If it's going to come out, it's going to come out. Des please stop ignoring everything. Every email my email is going to come out. So, I'mma skip past you. Triplet, I got so much so

628
02:57:31.439 --> 02:57:48.240
much respect for you. I can't even not like be mad at you because I know my mama go get me and I know my mama going to let me have it once I leave here. >> Right. >> You can handle it. I can >> I can handle it cuz I'm a mama daughter

629
02:57:48.240 --> 02:58:04.080
so you know I can handle it. >> But I love you so I'mma skip you. Um Miss Raquette I don't know Miss Raquette I think I gave you kind of a hard time enough when I was younger >> and I I I really really think that and I really want to give you a hard time a

630
02:58:04.080 --> 02:58:21.359
hard time now but I just think some of your old fashioned ways need to just go out the window. All that back in 1990 I remember this I remember that. This is 2026. 2026. It's time to talk about 2026. How this

631
02:58:21.359 --> 02:58:38.240
world is changing. And the second thing I want to talk about 25 in what account? Million in the account. Mind y'all, I am the president of the Paris for the union. We've been begging for money.

632
02:58:38.240 --> 02:58:53.359
>> Want you to wrap up. >> It's been two minutes. Mhm. You went a little long with the first point, but go ahead and finish. >> Okay, let me just wrap that up. But the money we did here for a raise. Mind that the parents are the less paying employees in the district. We don't get

633
02:58:53.359 --> 02:59:09.359
paid during summer. Only seven paris got picked for a summer program out of 25 paris. So of course they everybody have to find a job and a way they're going to fend for their families through the summer because we do not get paid. Which I'm okay because I have a degree and I could go into my field. But it ain't

634
02:59:09.359 --> 02:59:25.279
about me. It's about everybody else. But yeah, I know y'all don't want to hear that. And the third thing, the 29th for the evaluation of Dr. Griffin is crazy because the latest meeting it got paused

635
02:59:25.279 --> 02:59:42.080
because of we didn't have the proper paperwork, we didn't have this, we didn't have that. But so we what we've been doing all this time, we haven't been preparing paperwork. We've been having we we haven't done nothing since the last board meeting because we pushing it to the 29th

636
02:59:42.080 --> 02:59:58.479
because we need evidence and paperwork. It's like a ongoing excuse. What is the issue? Why is we keep trying to fall back then the 29th when the dead deadline is the 30th? That's ridiculous. What do What is trying to hide? >> Please wrap up your comments.

637
02:59:58.479 --> 03:00:14.240
>> Now I'm trying Now you rushing me. We already been here all night. >> For the record, I do this with everyone. It's not personal. You've been at the meetings. No, it's kind feel kind of personal than it should be. >> It feels personal. >> So, I'm going to ask that you wrap up. >> It feels personal. >> Assisting with people. Please wrap up

638
03:00:14.240 --> 03:00:30.760
>> your comment. >> I'mma wrap it up because Madame President Desanna asked me to wrap it up and I ain't got time to be sitting up here going back and forth with Desa when she can't go back and her email. >> Please wrap up your comment. Thank you so much.

639
03:00:30.800 --> 03:00:46.560
Okay. Superintendent announcements and comments. No comments at this time, Madam President. >> All right. Board member announcements and comments. Uh, Trusty Doyle. I just would like to um revisit the

640
03:00:46.560 --> 03:01:01.760
state. The kids did not have what they need for state. When they went out there, they were unable to do any fun activities and the eating budget was horrible. Mr. Triple, I just want you to know that it did not go very well.

641
03:01:01.760 --> 03:01:17.920
Um, I want to let me definitely thank Natalie. Natalie, I love you so much and I hate that you're leaving us. You are the best thing that happened to this board. Um,

642
03:01:17.920 --> 03:01:33.920
what else? Um, and I want to make it known that I do not support $160,000 check for that little old little bitty

643
03:01:33.920 --> 03:01:48.319
black top back there. It don't make sense. 100 $611,000 don't make sense. Um, what else? Uh, thank you all for watching watching

644
03:01:48.319 --> 03:02:06.880
and I would like to let it be known that I am a fresh start champion. I support all of it and I'm here for it. And we need to also understand that what

645
03:02:06.880 --> 03:02:22.240
we working with the educational system was not made for our children to thrive and grow. It was for them to learn the system. You hear the bell, you

646
03:02:22.240 --> 03:02:37.439
move. That's what that was about. And we need to understand that we absolutely have to think out the box and do different things. so our children can have what they need. Thank you and have a good night on purpose.

647
03:02:37.439 --> 03:02:54.720
>> Thank you. Up next, we have uh Trustee Bradley. >> All right. Um I'm going to try to be succinct. I got a lot to unpack. Uh first of all, thank you uh everyone for coming out to our virtual audience. Thank you for bearing with us. Uh

648
03:02:54.720 --> 03:03:12.560
congratulations to the class of 2026. Um thank you for whoever decided to do a live stream. So, I was able to tune in and see what was going on. Um, I want to say this. Um, y'all know I take this work very, very seriously and I've been doing some reading and I got a

649
03:03:12.560 --> 03:03:30.319
handout I want to give to everybody. I know how some of you may feel about me giving out information and just saying that it's verbose and um, I'm just going to toss it out cuz Bradley gave it. Take me out of the equation. I really want you guys to take what I hand you to heart. read it, reread it. Because the

650
03:03:30.319 --> 03:03:45.359
question I do want to ask is, are we really truly looking out for the best interest of our students or are we looking at the interest of adults? Um, that's the question that we really need to ask ourselves. Are we really looking

651
03:03:45.359 --> 03:04:02.160
out for the interest of our children? Are we trying to move this district forward or are we trying to do the same thing up here? Are we here to handle business? That's the question. Yes, we may feel a certain type of way about certain things. Yes, there may be some questions that need to be answered, but

652
03:04:02.160 --> 03:04:18.399
sometimes I feel like it's a lot of misplaced anger and blame going at the wrong direction. Um, the other thing I have an issue with is we need to uh control the people that come in here and have public comments and are bullying the board. They can't talk about bullying if they're going to

653
03:04:18.399 --> 03:04:35.040
be bullying us around. And I don't I have a issue with people putting words in my mouth and twisting up what I have to say. Like I said before, I may not agree with everything Dr. Griffin does, but I support her because I want this district to move forward. I want our children to

654
03:04:35.040 --> 03:04:51.040
be successful academically. I want this district to succeed. I want this district to be here. I don't want to look down the road 30, 40 years from now and we don't have a district because we BSing around at this table and we have people up here coming in here trying to

655
03:04:51.040 --> 03:05:07.120
um got a family situation going on. We have a department where you can get resources to get counseling if you got family issues. And with that um other thing I had to say um I also had a chance to attend the uh Mayo renaming dedication at our library that was very

656
03:05:07.120 --> 03:05:24.399
beautiful today. Um, and I, you know, yes, it was very beautiful. And, um, also June 11th, get on board town hall by MSAB. I'm going to hand this information out. Please take it, take me out the equation. This is just not me repeating stuff. Pay attention to pages

657
03:05:24.399 --> 03:05:43.200
90, 91, 92, and 93. Um, with that, have a good evening. >> Okay, we'll go to uh Trusty Rock. >> Yes. Um, well, back in the day at Bard's on the field, it was a golf course. They

658
03:05:43.200 --> 03:05:59.120
changed it to the Tiger Woods Golf Course uh that land right in front of Bard School, the entrance way. They did a beautiful golf course right there for our kids because um I remember Evan um

659
03:05:59.120 --> 03:06:14.000
Sanders had and Mr. Jones uh used to be our band teacher. his he would come and they do uh the golf program with our kids. And so I know Bart has to be torn down. And so that land is still there

660
03:06:14.000 --> 03:06:30.880
and it's still green and it's still uh in a landscape way way where maybe we could turn it into another golf course for our kids to do golfing. Um and I think that would be very nice and a very nice thing

661
03:06:30.880 --> 03:06:48.240
for our kids to go back and do. Um it was something that they used to do. Uh the other thing is um for the MTSS I know um there were a time where the the student advocates so the

662
03:06:48.240 --> 03:07:04.160
MTSS would go actually into the classroom and work with the kids in the classroom to teach them skills on how to management skills conflict resolution skills. So if you do it on the front end, you don't get so much of the back

663
03:07:04.160 --> 03:07:19.359
the bad the behaviors uh that you don't want to have, you know, non-school behaviors. So I think if we could look at that, uh, you know, I'm just putting it out there because it worked. The things that we did back in

664
03:07:19.359 --> 03:07:33.840
the day, they work. We were able to graduate our kids. We were able to, uh, graduate our kids from college. we were able to steer our kids into profitable careers. And that's what we want our kids to be able to do even in this day.

665
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And so if we can get um some training for the kids in their classroom, so when Johnny hits me, what do I do? Uh if I'm unhappy, what are some things that I can do to to tone myself, get myself back in

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line? You know, those kinds of things. And it was done weekly in every classroom. And it made a difference uh in the building climate. It made a a difference in the the classrooms and and it helped the kids to settle down so the

667
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teachers could teach. So uh we might want to take a look at that because it really did work. Uh the other thing is um uh let's take advantage of our Swahili lessons.

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So I I'm kind of looking forward to that and that um you know that it could be profitable. You know, you never know. I might get a chance to go to Africa one day. Who knows? But anyway, uh those are kinds of things that I would like for us

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to take a look at. And um Trusty Ram, please wrap up your comment. >> Okay, she >> Okay. Um Treasure Glavin, thank you so much. Um I want to thank everybody for coming

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out, everyone who participated in Zoom and those who will watch later on YouTube. I struggle with the being in a space of hope for our

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district um for what's possible, the enthusiasm around all of the advancements that we're making. And then also um making sure that we are holding ourselves accountable for the setbacks,

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holding ourselves accountable for making sure that we are not moving in a space of hypocrisy. Making sure that when we are in a position of power that we are using that power in a way that is ethical

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um and that is not morally corrupt. And so I'm I'm holding those two spaces and I'm I feel enthusiasm but then also feel a deep anger and disappointment um because we have the power to move our

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district forward. We have the power to make sure that our kids have everything that they need that the millions of dollars that come into this district that it's invested in our staff and people are being told that they won't

675
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have a job. People are losing their homes. People are stressed. And we have the power to make a difference. And people are being mistreated. And we have the power to do something

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about it. People are resigning when they don't really want to, but we are protecting power as opposed to protecting our

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children. and pretending that it's not happening. It's very challenging for me to sit here and to be okay with that. I'm not okay with it. And sometimes people congratulate me for

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just like composing myself. I don't I don't deserve that. I don't deserve congratulations for composing myself when I have a child in the district and I see us as adults and colleagues not holding people accountable who are

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causing harm to our children. I know it's possible and I know that education is not hard. Slaves taught each other how to read and write. The education part is not hard. It's the power part. It's the hunger for power and the

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disregard for what's happening to our people and when it's trying to chastise them for how they regulate their anger. We can do better than this. Our people deserve better than this. My child deserves better than this. Our

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district deserves better than this. And so I want to implore us to go back and look at the investigative documents. There's a lot of people who are not saying the details of what's happening

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because they expect us to do our jobs. And so we have to do that. And if we don't, that's blood on our hands. And I'm not saying that figuratively. It's literally blood on our hands when we don't do what we're supposed to do for our kids. >> Gather please. I'm right. I'm done.

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>> Okay. We'll go to We Secretary Triplet. >> Yes. Yes. I would like to first of all congratulate um the Benton Harvard High School class of 2026. You all did an amazing job.

684
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Very good. I I I have all confident in all of my colleagues um ain't no corruption up here. Okay.

685
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and everybody got their opinion. And so I've heard that word couple of time and tried to figure out who you talking about or what they talking about cuz ain't no need to be corrupt up here

686
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cuz we ain't got no money. Ain't nobody supposed to hold you up. But you must be be careful. Be careful what you hear and what people put out there.

687
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That's misleading. Very misleading cuz everybody up here we were. I can speak for myself. And just because you say it don't mean that it's so and you're not the only one who have an

688
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opinion and you're not the only one that's right now. It's okay. Everybody's beautiful as long as as long as we in the sandbox and everybody building your cow. That ain't the way it

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work. We respect. We come up here and we listen to people say all kind of thing off of fake narratives. And just because people don't say don't mean that they don't know. There's a protocol. There's a way. Nobody trying

690
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to hide nothing about no evaluation. There are systems and protocols that we must follow as a board of education. And so again, I want to say, you know, people rled up and saying, "Thank you

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for not going off." I'm glad ain't nobody up in here going off because that's not what we do. Because I know if I can fit up in here with people that I know not what I heard

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that contribute contributed to my demise through life and I can sit up in here and work. Anybody should be up here be able to sit up in here and work. Everybody know what they do. Everybody know what they did.

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Everybody know what's going on. to the citizens of Benhab and those of you all who are out there. >> Secretary triplet wrapping up >> made a conscientious decision that I'm not going to match energy cuz I haven't done anything to anybody.

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Everybody everybody that got hired in here I voted for everybody. I'm looking over at that table. I don't have anybody over here that I voted no including the superintendent. But I'm going to do my job.

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It ain't personal. So don't make it personal. I want to thank our cabinet and I want to thank the superintendent. I want to thank our employees. Be encouraged. You do have some wellthought

696
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um trustees on this board of education. And believe me that we are looking out for the best interest of our kids and not grown folk. Thank you for tuning in and for always supporting Ven Harour Area Schools and congratulations to our new athletic

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director uh Marcus Muhamd. Thank you, >> Vice President Barnes. They call me stepping stones on the block. So, you know what? Like Jay-Z says it best, men lie, women lies, numbers don't. I bring facts, some bring feelings. That's the

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difference we need to recognize. >> First, my prayers go out to the family of Ricky Dunes. >> Yeah. I could not attend peace day, but I was on the corner and I watched for my job and I was shocked to see the mass of orange and black. Congratulations on the class of 2026.

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People love a villain because villains love to make the story simple. Real life isn't that simple. Sometimes the person you're blaming is carrying the same burdens, frustrations, and scars that you are. The difference is they're still moving forward. One lesson I learned,

700
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the best way to beat a bully is not with anger, gossip, or retaliation. It is with the truth. I know what it feels like to be bullied, talked about, criticized, and targeted, even on social media. But over the time, I learned the true way truth has a way of exposing

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itself, even with intimidation tries to hide. Pay attention to the behaviors. Pay attention to the patterns. The character eventually reveals itself. The Bible tells us about the story of David and Goliath. Everyone saw a giant.

702
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Everyone saw an impossible situation. But David saw the opportunity to stand on faith and truth. He did not defeat Goliath because he was the biggest one and he was the loudest. He defeated him because he had courage. Sometimes the loudest voice in the room is not always

703
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the right voice in the room. Sometimes the giant is not a person. Sometimes the giant is division, negativity, dysfunction, or the belief that things can never get better. That's where bitten harbor comes in. If there's one thing I know about bitten

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harbor, it is grit, determination. We have been through emergency. Please wrap up your comment. >> We have been through emergency management, financial struggles, political battles, and more setbacks more than more communities could ever imagine. Yet, we are still here. It is

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an honor to be a tiger and work as a board member as a tiger. One thing I heard from graduation was from Kiier Lewis when she said, "I never wanted to be a St. Joe Bear. Being a burying strings clover has never crossed her mind." Let that be a reminder that your potential is not limited by your

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environment. Those were some powerful words that I heard at graduation and I'm wrapping my comment up. You go on one today. Like David said, we may not always be I'm sorry, like David, we may not always be the biggest. We may not always be the loudest, but with truth, faith, and

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determination, we can overcome any giant. And Madam President, I would like for us to have the attorney review the revised school code on public comment because I do have a concern that I believe we are being bullied and harassed. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I will keep my comment

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very short and brief. When I am at this table doing my elected role as a trustee and my appointed slashelected position as governed by this board of education, my name is President Robinson. I am always very respectful to everyone when

709
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it comes to the way that the business of this district is conducted. I never call anyone by their first name in any way that I am interacting with you at all. And so I never have any issue with people speaking freely as they need to, but I would just ask that when I'm

710
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addressed at this board table, my name is President Robinson. Lastly, I want to make it clear um my effort and my work that I do for this board of education. I have been the board president for a period of now six years. I've been on

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the board for seven years. I am the longest standing president in Ben Harbor area school's history. the amount of effort that I give above and beyond behind the scenes that is not witnessed at this table or any event that I'm able to attend, I'll never be able to

712
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calculate the hours that I've given. Whether it's in work at this table via emails and communications or listening to the concerns of my trustees after board meetings, they get out at 10:00 and I'm on the phone with people until 11 or 12:00 at night. There's a lot of

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work that you all don't see. I also have to do a job working for an agency that is in the process of trying to redevelop for 250 properties for the city of Benton Harbor. So, if you do not see me at an event during the day, it does not mean I do not support Benton Harbor

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Schools. I go above and beyond and I've done much work for Benton Harour area schools and I'm also doing for the city of Benton Harour and trying to ensure that we have quality and affordable safe housing in the city. So, I just want to put that on the record. My absence is an event does not mean that I do not do

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work or give the labor. So, with that, um, if there's any other clarifications that people have about what I give to the district and what I do outside of district work, feel free to reach out to me and ask me that. Um, otherwise, I'll ask if there's a motion to adjourn.

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>> I move support. >> The motion has been made by Secretary Triplet and supported by I believe I heard Bradley first. Any questions, comments, and concerns? Mary Moon, Secretary Trip