##VIDEO ID:oVHWoga_my0## this meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education and public for the purpose of conducting the school district's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting this meeting is an imperson meeting held at 870 cfax here in Benton Harbor in addition a live stream of this meeting is available at the following link questions may be submitted beforehand to natalie. singer bhas.org or present it 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 may be sent to natalie. singer bhas.org I call this meeting to order officially at 6:05 p.m. we'll Begin by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance FL of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stand one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all right Miss singer as secretary tripet gets adjusted can you please call the RO Robson pres pres secretary triplet president treason truste rad Martin presid truste Gavin pres truste Doyle all right thank you a quorum has been established next we have approval of the agenda you guys notice it's a very short and concise agenda today however being that our original work session was scheduled I believe for Christmas Eve we rescheduled it for today earlier this year so this is our work session technically for January I just wanted us to be off to a great start for next month um so at this time I'll ask is there an approval of the agenda Madam president oh I'm sorry and there's one notation I just want to make sure miss Nichols you need us to take the vote on B1 today correct for the student reinstatement to my understanding they returned January 6 okay so just want to make sure you guys know that the staff report B1 will be for an actual vote today all others are just reviews and updates so is there a motion to approve the agenda as noted I make a motion to approve the agenda is there a second or support second the motion has been made by trusty Roat Martin and supported by trusty Bowen questions comments and concerns president Robinson trusty Gavin have someone to um speak on behalf of uh the superintendent Roman number three or Roman number 12 or do we need to remove those from the agenda can you say which hold on I'm G pause for one second this Echo it's a little bit louder than your voice okay which reports are you referencing um section Roman numeral three uh for the superintendent he's not present today good notation we can remove that so 12 there's no one to speak on his corre okay so which uh trusty Gavin was notating is that in the absence of superintendent we can remove numeral 12 which is his announcements and comments and then the partnership update and strategic Plan update um I know that there was some updates that he had for us the puzzle piece putting all the pieces together as it relates to the Investments that we've made I've asked that he wait until he's here for us to receive that puzzle so we can make sure we have everything we need and then the other is the operational changes that he was suggesting I think it would be best if we wait until he's present for that so at this point I ask trusty rocket Martin are you okay with approving the agenda with removement removal of the superintendent items as noted yes okay uh vice president B do you support those yes okay all right if there's no other questions or comments secretary triplet can you please call the vote president Robinson yes vice president bow yes secretary triplet yes treasure kraton point of information the um Director of Human Resources just walked in okay but yes okay all right so yes to the agenda yes but I just wondered we just removed it no we remove superintendent updates and superintendent announcements and comments oh 12 is human resources right no 12 is superintendent sorry okay yes has staff acting as his lead did he leave the staff anything not to my understanding okay so they're prepared to run their individual sections but to my knowledge neither of them are prepared to speak on his behalf in those sections okay um treasure k your vote was yes yes my apologies okay did you get through everyone else no I got stuck at just off a little bit but yes um um trusty rocket Martin yes and trustee Gavin yes motion carry all right next is the review of the board Norms um if there's no disagreement I'm going to actually uh Breeze through those today I think we're all very familiar and we've been doing a great job at um our board Norms so I don't think that this board at this time needs me to read them so we're going to go forward to public comment on agenda items is there anyone present for a public comment on an agenda item all right hearing none next up oh you can come forward Miss singer can you open the public comment statement for me hold on one second sir I have to read something to you the Ben Harbor area school's Board of Education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on District matters to 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 request that each interested participant complete a public participation form using legible writing to ensure that responses are appropriately and properly focused per B harbard area schools bylaw may speak more than once on the same topic until all other persons have had an opportunity to speak on that topic participants May remove their mask when addressed in the board participants shall direct all comments to the board and not to staff or other participants the board will listen take comments and questions under advisement and not respond at this 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 that require followup please email those directly to natalie. singer bh.org you have the Flor good evening good evening my name Derek Bishop I'm from here um I'm here because I I'm a middle school coach at the fairplane middle school the basketball coach and also I'm up here at the high school quite frequently I have cousins and a stepchild that goes here and the first thing I like to ask is what's being done and what's the remedy to the absence of teachers in some of the classes because not only are my cousins and my stepchild have EPS or or incomplete grades in those classes it's also a bunch of tumultuous conflict between them and not getting some of the things that they need for their own mental health and stability in the class as well some of them even feel like there's more Focus being put on suspension referrals and punishment that actually taking time to get into in-depth convers to find the solutions for some of the problems that they have while they at school we can't okay so I have your notation so as we read in the public comment section we don't actually respond to you now but Administration takes your concerns they um investigate it and then they follow up with you however everything that you say before this board is heard loud and clear we're just not appropriately prepared to respond to all public comments so we give our an opportunity can I ask another question you can go ahead I'm something else I'd like to know is who's personally responsible for um hiring the teachers and those substitute teachers security guards things like that outside of the principal because some of y'all most of y'all I don't know but some of y'all I do know primarily Mr tripy he was my teacher at eighth grade so he can attest to my character my upbringing and my support and my love for the community I um I don't know what's wrong but I find it kind of I kind I find it kind of upsetting and befuddling that it seems to be a disconnect or a lack of care with the relationship between some of the staff here at the high school I really feel like the principal been hamstrung to a degree and I and by the the the lack of presence in the room I'm pretty sure I'm not the only parent or concerned relative that feel like that and that's something I like to know as well like who who I need to get my phone number to so I can get uh the answers and responses back that I need because this is this is something serious that I take real serious and and I plan to keep showing up here as well okay so the simplest um answer to your question the Director of Human Resources can you please raise your hand okay so that's your point of contact for hiring but all of your other questions I have noted uh absence of teachers conflict with staff um more focused on student Behavior who is responsible for hiring staff and you feel as though the principal is being hamstring that's specifically at the high school correct okay all right anything else man y'all have a good night thank you make sure you fill out the public participation form so they have your contact information all right anyone else for a public comment on agenda items all right hearing none we're going to proceed to approval of meeting minutes we would reg we would be normally um reviewing the minutes for 11:26 as well as 1210 2024 however they are not yet prepared we did have a quick turnaround so we will have those emailed out to you all prior to our upcoming meeting um in January but we wouldn't have taken vote on those as well so I would say in the next do we have a a time frame anticipated the next seven days you all should receive um the email with the completed minutes all right so moving right along we're at protocol um reminder as of 913 2022 all comments will be limited to two minutes per truste per topic the first item of business as a reminder that we're legitimately taking a vote on is the student reinstatement staff report B1 um just for our records Dr bus is absent how however I'm perfectly content with either trustee that attended um the hearing presenting the staff report to us I know treasur kraton attended was it rockat Martin and Doyle no the two of them two of you guys okay read did I present it okay so you can go ahead and um present okay thank you um staff report um S1 um subject is student reinstatement the reason for board consideration is the policy requires the school board to review any student request reinstatement policy reference 5610 facts and Analysis following an incident in November of 2023 said student FF and those are her initials um was expelled from Ben Harbor area schools after 150 days the policy allows the parents or legal guardian to petition the school board for reinstatement a petition of reinstatement was received from the say students parents on October 3rd 2024 to be rein stated at Ben Harbor area schools following the 150 days PR board policy there was a Review Committee whose recommendation is as follows strategic plan go reference learning environment B har area schools um oh out of order okay as follows yeah they just standard put the Strategic plan where it goes but you can go ahead with the recommended action recommended action that the Ben Harbor Area Schools Board of Education votes to approve the conditional rein statement of the said student to Ben Harbor area schools effective January 6 2025 with the condition of the student and parents meet with principal Morant prior to the return and student and parents agreed to the conditional reinstatement pending sign Behavior contract um and so for board consideration um so basically the committee um met it was myself Miss raette Martin um Natalie singer the administrative assistant and recording secretary um also a teacher representative and a parent representative and the attorney we met we went through policy 5610 we went through the application um I'm sorry along with principal Morant if I didn't um say him and um we agreed that um the student should be reinstated on a conditional um reinstatement um starting the 1 of next year and um the principal will work through the details with the parents on an appropriate behavior plan to help um the student reenter the um traditional educational environment all right is there a motion to approve staff report S1 I'll make a motion to approve staff staff report H1 is there a second or support support um with a few um grammatical Corrections I caught the 2025 she made that one what's the other I don't know because I was just filling it in as I was reading but but pretty much to leave the language the same and just fix the grammatical Corrections okay so that return date should be January 6 2025 and then the student is requireed to meet with principal Mor prior to return and the student parent agreed to a conditional reinstatement pending sign Behavior so the motion has been made by trusty rockat Martin and supported by Treasurer kraton any other questions comments or concerns I do have a uh vice president bow and then we'll go was that Gavin's hand yes okay is this a student that was at Cape like they were expelled and then they went to Cape and now they're being brought back to the high school or no it's just the strict Expos she that would be a question for services can help us with that was this a student that was expelled and sent to Cape or was just totally expelled so um any kind time a student has to be reinstated they were permanently expelled and so that's why the committee so they were out they were not at cap okay okay trusty Gavin thank you um my question is about the signed Behavior contract was the were the terms two questions were the terms of the contract decided upon at the meeting or is that something that's going to be developed later and um shared with the student and parent when they return and then the other question is just uh it says B1 and S1 just not sure if that's if that's something we just need to correct it should be B1 okay that's those are my questions the report number yeah yeah it's on the agenda and on it should be on your thing but it's just not on the staff okay and the first the question for truste Gavin posos to the committee is whether or not the contractor the behavior contract has been shared with the committee or is that something that principal MBR will develop you want a short answer or a long answer uh short okay so it has not been developed okay it I see okay so is there a is there a um kind of a template for a behavior contract that they all have to principal Mor do you feel comfortable stepping forward yeah and I think um as he is coming forward I think um one thing that took place Miss Miss singer said that they did work on that you can come up um one thing that took place yesterday we did meet with the attorneys and um we realized that you know we're not the the expert on creating these contracts that that's something that should have probably been handled on the building to Student Services level um we did not have anyone there from student services or the superintendent's office so um Mr Mor was there from from the school and so it was just too many elements and we were on day 179 and so we we kind of didn't want um to get involved in the weeds but but just to do the board portion which it says that we're supposed to have this re-entry hearing um I think the format changed a lot so a lot of things that happened before um this hearing did not happen this time I don't know if it was just a change of an administrative guideline or what but it the meeting was a lot different and so um I think Mr Mor was going to work on that and I think he he can share kind of what he did overnight well good evening everyone good evening um the contract is nothing different it's a template of what we usually use in collaboration with Support Services um we're going to meet with the parents before they actually the student actually come back to school but also within the contract look at the additional resources that we can provide for the student whatever is needed okay and then even though there's a standard contract is specified to that particular child's needs or the concern that we had previously correct so we'll be sitting down with the parent and student going over the contract and I mean it's Bas selfly you know self-explanatory and the student and the parent they'll go over it and then with that being said parent will let us know or the student as well whatever additional resources they need um you know then we'll add that you know as well collaboration with the contract so if a student needs if they feel they need counseling we can provide that as well so that will be also set up okay and one thing Miss um if I can add go ahead um Mr Mor was very um adamant about making sure that this is not a punitive um contract so this will definitely be something to help with what her re-entry and Rehabilitation back into the school environment any other questions from the board yeah I'm I'm I'm very concerned I it just it just amazes me how it just seemed like everything is just so difficult everything is so difficult and for me to come to this table and before I leave to sit here and just see and hear the things that I'm seeing and hearing that even even um down to the reports at this table where we get ready to start reading reports there are things that are not correct I don't know how Central Administration was not there at all so I don't know who the representatives are um if it was a superintendent or if it was student services who represents Central Administration is unacceptable and so these are the kind of things on the one 179th day and as punitive and as chaotic and the things that happen to our Workforce and the standards that's being held by people uh as it relates to our employees and everything else I mean the tough standard and every time we come to this table is is almost to me embarrassing so it and and I just want the record to show that I have come to the resolve that I am not looking at individuals because it seems as if whenever we come up to this table that uh from Central Administration everybody is extremely sensitive and they take everything so personal and this is not personal this is business that's unacceptable why are we down to the wire one day before the last expulsion hearing we had to go back through and I have a seat principal Mar yeah the last uh exposion hearing we had to go back through because there were things that were not in place and it again I keep using the word dismantling because one thing that one reason why we we're still here is that Venton Harbor area schools was a well oil machine and now it's down to the point where I mean just like everything is and I'm talking about literally every thing is traumatic and it's unacceptable so I hope that this is done tomorrow before Christmas break because on the first day of school from um Christmas break that child needs to be in school so by any means necessary I don't know who's responsible for it uh but on January the 6 that child should have had the meeting that parents need to be contacted tomorrow they need to come in and they need to pull this stuff together so this is another one of those things when people leave they take everything with them they take all of our Tech our property and they take it with them but we on on the 6th of January a child need be back in Ben harb high school and so I'm looking forward to hearing from um the superintendent or if it's the role of the director of student services the principal whoever it is we need to hear that this child is reinstated back in school this information has been set with a parent 180 days this should be done thank you thank you um secretary chip can you please call the vote for staff rep B1 and so on my sheet over here on the sheet it says B1 and on the staff report on here it says S1 so I changed it to B1 yeah and this is regarding the student reinstatement I have a question I'm sorry um so just like should what should be under strategic plan goal learning environment is that fine y That's fine it was something that I read that was like well the strategic plan goal is before the recommended action so the it says whose recommendation is as follows and then it goes into the Strategic plan so it probably should have the go reference before facts and Analysis so it's an easy read that's one thing I caught but okay I think that they just structured it as we normally structure the report okay sorry she got it okay secretary trip King please call the vot president Robinson yes vice president bow yes secretary triplet yes treasure kraton yes trustee rocket Martin yes trusty Gavin yes motion Carri all right now just to wrap up on B1 I think and I could be mistaken I think there was clarification received from the attorneys and through the policy that indicated that I don't think the superintendent had to be present or something to that effect but I did communicate to the superintendent that I wanted either he or Miss Nicholls present at all times and I know this particular time he was um out um so just want to reiterate I did suggest that he listen virtually in case he need to provide support to his team so I just want to reiterate that we would like an administrative staff present we are the board however we this is a learning curve for us as well and so we glean on the district's experience level um to lead through that work so we do want a representative president and I know Miss singer was there but either Dr bus or um Miss Nicholls a yes um I think we need to make a a directive so it's easy for you to say it but maybe we should have a resolution where we're directing that a member of central Administration therefore it's not it's not an option it's not a policy it's a director from the board okay so we can put that on the January agenda say the other hand who's the other hand oh treasure K thank you um my my comment was was kind of like a followup to that um I have sat on these hearings um from in a different a couple different seats and this was my first time um with it really not being structured um I don't know if we were doing it wrong but um it didn't it it wasn't it was good but it's because you you happen to have a board member there who had before in other you know seats and then the principal had been there before but like let's say this is a principal at another school and you don't have board members that you know have that experience um I I agree I think there should be an administrative guideline and from my knowledge there was an administrative guideline that kind of spelled out and so one thing that's starting to get uncomfortable and I know I'm down to a couple days but we're starting to get uncomfortable it's like I understand that there's a policy right there are laws about speeding but then you still know that there are still things that you have to do as a responsible driver right and so as a school district there may be a policy right that that's followed by the law or but there still needs to be a process and procedure or an administrative guideline that spills out how it should be done and and that needs to happen and so at this time I would like to make a motion um or amend the agenda to make a motion to um to do that and to make that something that you guys work work on um at the next meeting so um at this time I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda to add an item um to support um the policy reference 5160 okay so you guys are wanting to change the policy today or what are we trying to do I don't know what needs to be done but I think there should be an administrative guideline for sure or something um to support it so um obviously this is a work session so you guys will have time to discuss it in January but um I definitely think it needs to be on the radar for someone to start working on it so however you feel comfortable doing that um I I'll respect your leadership so I think at this because I think at this time I haven't noted for the January 2025 agenda okay um and so we're having a discussion at the table I've communicated it before okay um so we'll take a look at what 50 because I haven't read 5610 since the last time I almost had a contion at the table so I have to view it and and determine what exactly it says but we whether we amend the policy or make that a directive we can handle that at the January board meaning I do have it noted um secretary tripy you I'll go ahead and let you go and then we'll move forward and just so you guys know I'm leaving at8 the agenda is skeleton so we G we can get through it quickly tonight no and and this right here is the problem and I have all respect for everybody's time and my time is important as well when we come to this table Illy prepared we end up having a whole bunch of extra conversation I don't think there's a policy or anything that needs to be written or direct adjusted or anything I I I don't know where the confusion came from what the deal is is when you come to expulsion the superintendent brings the expulsion to the Board of Education student services director does not bring the the the expulsion to the board of education so it is good to continue to protect and to take the hit and and and and and and and as president of this board of education you have done an absolutely amazing job in doing so however the game I like how you said that yes the game is over check M we central office is to be there the superintendent is to be there if the superintendent is unable to be there the director of student services or it should be the representative our director of super of of student services not a novice in this particular area that's why we supported our director of student services but our director of student services has an employee a boss that takes the lead on this and so regardless to what there's nothing to rewrite stop playing that is is unacceptable the parent wasn't there the student wasn't there and we're voting we voted on an action because we missed a deadline and so when people say that we're micromanaging and we're constantly in the wood we have been forced to do the things that many of us have done and are doing and it's it is I we cannot continue in this vein Madame President we cannot and I I like I said I appreciate it and you're you should be bruised you should you should have bruises up under your makeup for all of the time that you stepped in and and and and made ause excuses the tools of incompetent used to build monuments of nothingness people who use excuses regardless to what their role is will never become successful individuals in their various rool enough of enough there should be a directive to follow the policy penon Harbor has been expelling students and have had hearings expulsion hearings forever it's nothing new and all of these people with their credentials with their role with their money should know how to prioritize and make sure that we're not here again in front of this community taking the Heat and the hit from citizens because work is not done correctly and properly and that is my final word and I want to make sure that we all out of here I want it to be done at 7:30 cuz I am sick of it all okay I'm I'm I got you that thank you okay so we're going to um have that on the agenda for for January um moving right along up next we remove superintendent we have business and finance finance committee update Treasurer kraton we haven't had one from you in maybe a month or so so looking forward to it and then um Brock uh Miss brockard I know that you will have the monthly financials ready for the upcoming meeting but if there's anything that you would like to give us a for warning about today after she gives the committee update then you can do so it's thir laugh um we we actually met before the last meeting that you guys had last week so we didn't have I don't have any updates um I guess just that whoever is the next treasur um that that you we kind of go back you guys go back to that standard format of working directly with um the director I'm sorry what's the correct title Director of Finance Director of Finance um to ensure that things run smoothly um we've always had the best committee for the last four years and there's no doubt in my mind that um the Director of Finance and whoever the new Treasurer is will keep that going uh I know that for the last couple of months we've not had um the updates I think in transition things just kind of got lost but there is a template um Miss Brock Carter so if you guys continue to follow that um I know that we went over some things last week in our um Finance meeting for the audit um those audit findings hopefully you'll put a plan a corrective action plan in place in order to get that done with the new treasure um and then um a couple plugs I know that we talked about um one is um I know we we kind of misused it or mmed it as a restructuring but U and rightsizing but really it's about being operational efficient and so from a um Financial standpoint I think um that's on Miss Brock Carter's radar so she will need this board support and making sure that that hand is not kicked down the road but that she has a proper support from finance and this I'm sorry from HR and this entire board to make sure that she has a balanced budget I know that that's our number one priority um outside of getting through that last audit and so um just making sure that things are put in place um I am a volunteer so hopefully I can continue to volunteer the concession stand and we're working on financial procedures there um I think Ben Harper's on the move the main thing is um making sure that the culture and climate can support Finance because without the student count um and the culture and climate obviously leads to the student count without those things all working together um I think um it it can put us potentially back in debt as a district so um just be mindful of the decisions that are being made at the table um ask good questions and make sure that they all kind of connect that would be um my final uh report okay so at this time I'll pass the um thank you treasur Katon I'll pass the mic to director Brock like y'all W listen any y was talking just listening no that's him he whispering to me some about my makeup I just want to see if you want to show your bruises oh he was giving me the opportunity to show my bruises from Talking is talking yeah trying to cover I do I have been whipped from all sides he's not telling the story and I know it but um I would like if if you guys would you I have heard about it in conversation with you both but I do not believe it's been discussed at the table the cashless process that we're going through as it relates to tickets and concessions I'm really excited about that but we haven't had an opportunity to debut it and I believe it was suggested from finance and you pushed it forward so can you tell us about that yes thank you president Robinson we are um cashless at the concession stand um we set up to take um cards at the concession stand it has been working out wonderful the uh Volunteers in the concession stand have expressed their thank thanked me several times for getting it set up and I want to give a shout out to Nick blue in the athletic office because he and I kind of work together to get that going so we are cash list at the concession stand and we do have online ticketing now through Gan which is a platform that many of our surrounding districts use and it's also a platform that the MSHA Athletic Association correct they use their we if um schools have um tournaments and district and finals so we um are now with go fans for our ticketing right now I believe we are still doing a little bit of of cash sales on tickets just because we want to get our community acclimated with the process but um we're going to be doing some signage and some more things with the upcoming game so we can make sure that our fans know that we'll be completely cashless um probably I I had said by the beginning of February but if we can get it going earlier that's what we'll do but um our community has expressed their sincere thankfulness for having that option and it's been working out well so thank you very much you're welcome it was exciting for me because a lot of times you you forget you might forget to bring cash when you come to the game or you only got a couple dollars to get your little concession or your kids get all your money from you so it's convenient to have that um and I know we have expressed concerns about the record keeping um how do we know exactly how much comes in not that we think anyone is you know but how do we know how much exactly is coming in and out and things like that so I think this is wonderful and I'm very excited that Ben harbar schools is keeping up with technology thank you so I do want to add something um yeah so we're not completely cashless yet okay we have um I just don't want to be misleading we have um um non-cash options right and so um I think um as um the finance office continues to put the processes and procedures in place um this is something that we've definitely been pushing as a board um to ensure that all of the Student Activities and all of the things that we thought was happening right with keeping track of the money and fundraising is being done so I don't know that that's on your radar but it probably need to be something that you add to the list um just simply because like at night you know what happens to the money who is making sure that it's counted and all of that and then also it should save money I'm not trying to put anyone out of a job but it should save money because we do have a lot of people in in a concession stand we're all volunteers but then um at the door you know you you have two people selling tickets and then another person or two collecting the tickets and so hopefully it'll help with operational efficiency too um so um I was really excited we had a whole fancy machine everything so you can before we were using cash app and people was like borrowing money and now they can tap swipe Apple pay it's the bomb so thank you thank you yeah and then we eventually with saving on people we should go down to that where we only need one person at the window and one person taking tickets um so that's our long-term goal for that and I I am working with um our interm athletic director so that the process and procedures are not only in place but also documented that we can share with incoming people and so everyone knows the processes and how it goes and one other aspect of it I want to add that was really helpful especially with our game being at LMC when it came to the point where we were almost at capacity I was able to change the app to show that we were sold out so that we wouldn't continue to sell tickets and overfill that space so that's one great thing about it right now we have it capped for a capacity of our gym but when we go other places we can change that number so that we don't oversell and people are packed in there or can't get in and have bought a ticket good pretty impressed you on top of capacity and everything yes yes yes well all right watching that money ain't you I know they you know I stay in touch with you know if I can't be at the game I make sure I stay in touch with everyone who's there throughout the game so if there's anything that's needed or any tweaks we need to make is just a simple text message or phone call and we get it squared away so it's it's been absolutely great okay any questions or comments were there were there any other updates or anything you want to highlight for January yes I do want to also highlight um Treasurer kraton and we haven't had a chance to work together that much but I do want to say it's been my pleasure um we've had a great time the short time that we've had together and I will miss you from the meetings and from the finance committee but I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking time out of your life to be here and to help me with my transition and to be there for um our treasury um committee so thank you so much thank you hopefully this board approve my volunteer application because I really love the possessions there you make the best KN one thing I do want to add is that um treasur Katon did mention um right sizing or things that we're doing to balance our budget um Dr bus and I do have a meeting set up next month with the state superintendent to kind of go over our overall plans they have asked us you know what is our plan to balance the budget since we did start off in a deficit U so we have been putting things together our entire team and so that we can present um how we're going to move forward through the end of this school year and be balanced and what changes we're going to make for next school year so I just wanted to let you guys know that those talks are in session and um they have been checking in on us and we uh plan to present our things next month and go from there go ahead um I would also like to let the board know as well that reminded me we're going to do some Financial um but buting trainings as well in the first quarter of the month because we'll have to come back to um we have to develop our new budget for the fiscal year and so we've already started having conversations about how we need to watch what we're spending so we can stay in a positive Place financially but we're going to do some Financial Training as a board so we can Pro uh support Administration in their decision- making as well as we watch our budget over the next couple years treasure CRA oh and I was just going to make it sound simple like like if you think about being in a restaurant and if you've ever seen a waitress uh close down the section um because of a low census that's what needs to happen right to have 300 employees and to have low enrollment of like a thousand um you just have to make the adjustments um right sizing you know is the term it scares people but those are adjustments from an operational Finance standpoint that you must make and so um it's not emotional it has to happen and there are ways to do it without cutting jobs um so I think um we have a lot of temporary employees a lot of um you know substitutes and so um it's something that you guys can do um definitely learn how to read the numbers I am a phone call away um this is not a bad transition I am around um this is what I do every day I live and breathe it so if there's anything that I can do from an advisory standpoint just shoot me an email and um I can give you at least my professional opinion thank you no problem thank you secretary triplet yeah I I I um I too I think we'll just do it towards the end because I think that we need to acknowledge the the the hard work of of treasure crate and you know it was some some some great work and I'm so glad that you were in that position at the time when we made the different transition I do I am concerned because people throwing this right sizing and I don't think that this board of education understands completely what this right sizing is what this include is you know um decisions have been made as it relates to employees under the under the GU that this is rightsizing and that's not what right sizing is Right sizing is a meeting with this board of education and the superintendent to go through and present now I know that we are not under the state so I'm concerned why is there so much contact and intera interaction with the state superintendent because the state superintendent I'm not sure if the state superintendent does this in other District so it's a lot I don't need anybody to respond but there's an alarm at the gate and this has nothing to do with Dr Rice and it has everything to do because we are a local school district and just like from um September until November that I asked for the presentation that was going before the partnership agreement and we never saw so we when our superintendent go to the state super to the state superintendent without us knowing then that takes away it's almost like we feel like we're still in bondage so this right here is something when we talk about right sizing that is something that we do collect itively in tandle with one another before the state superintendent is even brought into this so all of this interaction with the state really is like we're still under uh a a watch and it it sends out a horrific message okay so we need to stop using that word rightsizing because that's not what they're doing they are not right sized they have not presented a rightsizing plan they have not so right sizing is to the point even discussion of closing School collapsing classrooms and all the all of this stuff has to come before us and we need to be actively involved in so I want you all to be careful be careful you got to be careful Madame President we have to be careful people because we were under that watch and we're not when we go before State superintendent rights we need to have our stuff together because it should be together on a regular basis any here so again close with this stop using the term right sizing because that's not what you're doing right now that's not what we're doing you can't do that without interaction from this Board of Education Without some presentation and some discussion from this board of education because it affects this community that's not micromanaging that is a critical piece we've had committee meetings we have a discussion there are several ways that you can have this board involved in those discussions but the president of this board of education the executive team and whoever the president designate we need to be having that conversation you can't just walk down in these districts and stop don't underestimating and acting like this is something that we're like we're walking hand in hand you know you know just like for uh and the clock is on I'm respecting and watching well it's actually uh she started it probably about two minutes in oh so you're watching it too to me I'm watching because for everyone honestly okay well I got 10 seconds just 10 seconds being smart but the the just you know I mean but we need to be serious about that we could they they they're out there when I sat there at that partnership agreement I was devastated and I was speechless and that was not right because there should never been a time in such a critical piece that we did not know this information okay so um um and also it's it's important that we sit down and that we know what's happening in our school district and just just from what's presented here I'm I'm be I'm beginning to become nervous about even signing documents here so I definitely don't feel comfortable with this being presented to the state superintendent and we haven't heard one word is this still my committee or and I don't want you to misunderstand my statement when I say a discussion um you know we plan to put to a plan in place to present to the board and have involvement probably more than one plan and when we say right sizing we mean U the number of based on the number of students we [Music] have can I help my committee this is what what's happening right when we say right sizing so I don't know if that question or comment was us but when we say right sizing is actually the right term the musical chairs is not right so what was presented earlier in the was more musical chairs totally different it was restructuring more than it was right sizing so right sizing is as a building principle if you know your building budget and you have a certain amount of FTE right amount of staff that you can have in your building according to your student count then you trim that down so if your average uh Stu uh student enrollment per class is 13 then you can combine some classes and collapse the classroom that's right sizing right sizing is not oh he Angel work at um mcco Renaissance Center and we're going to move her to Cape because she had 33 students in her class and we gonna get rid of all her 33 students and take her to the building that was musical chairs so I think that's the difference right sizing is the correct term um as long as you're looking at the FTE student count and looking at the dollars but I guess another thing that came to my mind when we were talking and then want to call him miss Gavin since this is my um Comm report but the next thing that came to my mind is that there needs to be building level budgets cuz this would be a simple administrator conversation if the building administrators actually was given the information to balance their own budgets to know how many staff um people that they need this is not always negative sometimes you have too many students and you need to add employees as well so there needs to be some discussions for sure um trusty Gavin it's supposed to be um two minutes trusty I'm sorry okay thank you um I'm just I'm just hoping that in the conversation of rightsizing and the talking points as to you know how we went in the dead and things of that nature if we're not really addressing the real why then we're not going to come up with the right solution um if a you know the gentleman spoke earlier about having a stepson and cousins and family members and being employed in the district we've had teachers with eight children who have you know left the district right and so when we're calculating how we're winning and losing dollars and things of that nature I think sometimes we take the human aspect out of the equation um we talk about moving you know closing the school and moving them to another area not consider considering the possibility that when you close that school those parents leave and go to another district and they take their kids with them or that staff person who didn't want to be moved leaves takes their kids their cousins and everybody else with them and so I think that you know there's some nuances in the conversation as we're calculating those dollars we really need to think about the human capital um if we have a shortage of teachers and if we have a shortage of Subs then we don't have too many staff employed we possibly are not maximizing the staff that we have making sure that they have what they need making sure that they have the environmental conditions to stay on and so I believe that if the state superintendent is going to come and speak I respect I definitely respect him speaking to our director Finance but I also think that he should talk to us he should talk to the representatives of the community um and we should you know consider those factors as we're calculating what is needed in order to um streamline our resources thank you okay so we're gonna um proceed I just want to jump in to clarify so I um as it relates to um Dr Rice I can't remember which particular date it was that we met but I made it very clear that the state's hand and Baran Reese's hand does not need to be a part of the actual budgeting um they're wanting to more so Provide support but that is going to be a the conversation that we're leading and a and a decision being made between the board and administration so I don't want anyone to think that they are um saying that we have to do anything is just going back to the initial conversation that he had with secretary triplet my myself and I think vice president Bowen when we went out to dinner and then he pointed out the fact that budgeting is going to look different in the state of Michigan um a lot of districts are going to lose their Esser funds and so districts have to be mindful that not as much money is coming in and just making sure that you're being fiscally responsible so you're not continuing to dip into the savings or the you know the fund balance that we have so this is a decision that we make as it relates to what the district looks like in the budget but I do know like uh treasure kraton mentioned it's on the the top of U Miss Brock Carter's radar because she wants to make sure that bent Harbor area schools continues to be in a positive Place financially so this is just a decision that we're making and I'm going to move us right along thank you treasure CR I have some closing comments for you as well but I'm going to save mine for the end um so if there's no other questions or updates from Finance we'll proceed to student Support Services director Nichols thank you good evening I'm sorry I'm a little bit the weather so you bear with me um so I just want to I know we wanted to bring peer mediation updates so I wanted to make sure we I did that um so the high school had three mediations with 12 um students participating so I just wanted to let you know that was um an update with that um Fair playan middle they have not had any um peer mediation I did have um conversation with both high school and the middle school around um just utilizing um the peer mediation um moving on to we next thing in student support service tomorrow we have the shopping with um a pillar um so I'm excited that um several of our buildings so discover Enrichment Center um Martin Luther King Junior fairplane East and fairplane um middle schools will so it's 45 students from each of those buildings that will be participating in that um shot with the pillar at Walmart so I'm excited about that for those students I have a question exactly what is you have the floor shopping with the pillar what is that she's asking what it what is shopping with the pillar oh shopping with a pillar is um so there's an organization um the I don't want to speak about their uh present pillars um and they're they are the ones that will be um with the their volunteers as young their men their fathers and they will be taking the students and shopping with our staff with the students all right trusty Gavin thank you um I want to thank you um director Nicholls for adding peer mediation to the update um um really glad to hear that we had some students participating my question is do the student and then I also have you know some concerns about fairplane middle do they have ongoing opportunities to conduct Outreach to other students um do the perer do the perer mediator peer mediators have ongoing development meetings where they still in connection with each other are they only activated if somebody um requests their services does that make sense what I'm saying it makes sense um I can take this down and then I can email you that um that answer okay thank you and I guess what I'm thinking about uh what I saw I was I was so impressed with the high school's um daily announcements that they do uh they have these digital video announcements that they do every day let's lets us know what's going on um let's the students know what's going on it's kind of like a tiger Spotlight kind of um and they mentioned the P mediation in there my question is if I'm a student and I'm you know concerned about a conflict with someone how would I know like who to go to you know are there visible you know options um around the buildings or like how would I know to even activate or access the services for middle and for high school yes um I can answer the question for the high school because I have seen a lot of their signage but I will send you an email regarding the others okay okay good you see it's signage so like what what would they do just is there like a box to put in a request form like how do they exactly I will send the email to you gotcha gotcha okay thank you and then I'm just lifting this up I don't expect you to have an answer right now but just still the reminder about the parent teacher um Association um if we can get some yes so um that was um sent to our building principles to work with their family community engagement Specialists great question family engagement specialist for Cape what's what's going on with that so they are supported by the family engagement specialist from the high school okay is there a reporting system that you have in place for the family engagement specialist to share um you know what the um progress is with both uh Kate and the high school so there is and what they do in the beginning they said um events for the year so we do have that process okay good deal I'll follow up um online thank you any other questions for from uh Vice presid bow so I see we have shop with the pillar but is there also shop with the cop um so there is a shop with the cop but that's outside so that is after school and that's um wasn't something that was internal okay so but they still identified our students some of our students correct correct do you know how many of that is how many students was it just at one school or I'm sorry was your question how many students do you were shop with the cop or was it just that one school or there's no number no all of our buildings were asked to participate so what happened they sent a permission slip home with the students and it was if the parent wanted their child to participate they would return that and then that was given to um shop with the cop but because it's after school and it didn't have an ass affiliation with the school that way we left it to the parents to decide if they wanted to participate in the afternoon in the evening excuse me with their child okay thank you secretary triplet so when we talk about peer mediation and what have you do we have employees that are specifically hired to do this work under a specific Grant how does that look so who who oversees pure mediation at the high school who oversees peer mediation at the middle school who are um and how are these people paid um are they is are these separate positions can you give me some clarification on that Matt yes um the peer mediators um they did they are at the high school um our mtss specialist who is um Mr Burton and then at the middle school is our mtss specialist who is Mr Jones and so with them being in those roles that's a part of their responsibility and so you have I I guess for me you've only had 12 peer mediation there only been 12 peer mediation at the high school and that's excellent however you know from the the data that goes out to this community that there is a lot more work that needs to be done and at this particular time in December there is nothing to report off from fairplane as it relates to peer mediation and and so am I to assume that there's no conflict at fairplane middle school they don't have a team these people in there if this is a part of their professional respons posibility then they should be held accountable they should be proactive versus reactive and so that's what I just wanted to know but now I have an understanding mtss P mediation Falls up under that thank you so much director Nichols you're welcome all right so we're going to proceed with the agenda um next we have teaching and learning and we're going to pass it over to director CS the only thing that is coming before us anticipated at this time time and staff report T1 regarding um the Ben Harbor area schools 9 through 12 course guide updates we discussed that twice but we never actually had a staff report presented so she plans to act take the actual vote um for that in the upcoming meeting but uh secretary triplet is there a committee update from your committee at this time or are we passing it over to director CBS I think that you know from the last time we did have a discussion on on what was happening and your question was to the committee but we have um we have spent a lot of money on material and uh I I don't know if uh director cuff is prepared so I would anticipate not because that when I talked to Dr buts around 4 or three or so he was framing an email a long email to answer the question and so I did not want us to receive it an email form I wanted him to be able to be here physically present to present it and show it to us so I told him to pause until he's present because I didn't think an email would work at the table in his absence okay so where's that on your chin this one or in your nose probably right upside the here question you have is he on leave or is he working from home so he's on sick leave but like today he had to jump in due to certain emergencies so he's working from home today because there be aware of a liability okay yeah he took the day back okay so I I'm what I'm going to you you got all kinds of stuff just be mindful understood so uh you're passing to director CBS or were you finishing yeah well I'm just gonna I'm GNA close it out because I like I said I'm not sure exactly what was being director cus go forth with your report and I'm thinking this work session is for us to discuss things that are going to be on the agenda for the meeting for January's agenda so when January comes we should have have a thousand we should not have a thousand things that we know nothing about in the absence of the superintendent and what do you have you I think that we have competent director so she can give us a briefing on what's going to be coming before us in January and anything else that you'd like to share director custs thank you secretary triplet um the course guide was presented at the uh work session with the changes highlighted as well as a chart that shows um each one of those changes in the rationale uh at the last board meeting um a a clean copy was requested so all of those changes were then made into the course guide um and we wanted to give plenty of time for review and now we would uh like to have the opportunity to vote to accept that so that our school counselors can begin the process of um speaking with students and uh getting their course requests to start building the master schedule for next school year so you but we're not you're not presenting you're not anticipating a vote on this tonight are you if you want to vote but I assume that the vote would happen in J in January I just wanted to make sure I wasn't Miss okay okay anything else that you present do you have any purchas major purchases that you're anticipating for January no ma'am okay vice president bow yeah the treasur I mean the trustee or secretary um the black college tour I know every year we get it in May has that been any discussion in your committee we have not discussed that as of yet um I'm sure director cuff will we put that on our radar to do and that's from the high school the high school principal and what he had would make that recommendation and how that looks like he the high school basically puts that together and so we probably need to hear about something about that in the very near future yeah get it earlier than instead of last minute um so I can you can you share with us while we're here in the work session um the I know we talked about the transition right now we're under Michigan Merit is that not correct is relates to curriculum our graduation requirements and and guidelines or what have you and so when are we transitioning or are we even have we even started the discussion about the credits going up because it's like been presented to kids and we don't know exactly how that look we haven't we haven't had an opportunity to discuss it but can you give us just a little a brief something to think what we're anticipating doing so my understanding from last school year and participating with the course guide committee uh was that during those revisions last year uh the course guide shows a change for the class of 2028 which is this year's freshman would be required to complete 22 credits uh with those four additional credits being uh elective credits and that was in the approved revisions for the course guide last year so there is no change to the 22 credits moving forward it it would just be that cohort and Beyond thank you that's it alrighty anything else do you want me to read the staff report or not um you can you can read as you'll be presenting next week this is the first time we've actually had the staff report so you can proceed and then we can anticipate taking vote next month so the uh staff report T1 reason for consideration the board annually approves the high school course guide and any changes or amendments made to it facts and Analysis the guide includes information on all available courses information on personal curriculum individual development plans and options for earning credit policy reference 5460 graduation requirements and 2230 course guide strategic plan goal reference Benton harbard area schools will increase student achievement as measured on local state and National assessments recommended action that Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education approved the recommended changes as presented to the Benton Harbor High School course guide okay and there's not going to be any updates from what we've seen in the last two meetings correct I'm not sure what you're asking so the last two meetings we went over the same course guide twice in the um November work session and then at the December regular board meeting because I think we in the meeting realized we did not have the staff report so I'm just making sure what we vote on in January is going to be exactly what we reviewed twice already that is correct okay um in closing too uh director cusp the coun and what have you should already be scheduling those kids in classes for the next semester which is at the end of January when does the next semester start they are already scheduled for the entire school year the conversations would be in preparation for August of next school year thank you so very much I got kind of nervous I'm like God they don't have any classes already you're gonna be in the P you need to do this tonight tonight right okay so thank you so very much direct come all right if there's no other questions um our curriculum will proceed to uh Human Resources Director wait did you have you don't have a committee update do you we we don't have a committee update but I do have a question and I would like um the board to have legal uh review because I believe we violated our policy at the last board meeting where we are putting people in positions that do not exist so I want us to make sure that we are following our own policy and we did not break a law if I stand corrected on that not because it was you get where I'm going did we violate or did our I hear what you're asking I got it yeah I'm trying to be as much as possible because it's a HR matter but there was no commission um no HR meeting or anything but if we can look back at that okay so brother chairman uh yeah so when when you ask that question and and president Robinson is understood exactly what you're saying that we have positions that we've hired people in or moved people in that have not been approved I also want to ask this question who eliminated a position of the like the the position of equipment manager who elim at that position and based on what and how because I'm what what I'm finding is what's being presented to us as it it here at this table and the individuals are calling and saying something completely different and so when you send them back to they are afraid to go back to they're afraid to go they are literally afraid to go back to Central admin ministration fear retribution and so I'm I want to know just out of the blue if uh HR can say we eliminated that position or we're eliminating this position we're eliminating that position those different position because when I looked at last the last meeting I was just so confused it was just I I just I was just confused I'm just going to be honest with you because it was just so much we we're here at the table we're typing in we you know we don't have report people's names are not on these reports we have to take a recess to go and get the report get the get it Rewritten and so it kind of threw me off and then we had people clumped in together um because you know we hired uh an administrative assistant for the h uh for the athletic department that at the same time was brought to our attention that the the equipment manager position which is a very intense position which requires a lot of work and so that administrative assistant is now going to be cleaning the uniform meeting all the requirements because somebody wiped his position out I think we need to be because we made some decisions without knowing and I yeah so I I I don't I don't I agree with you uh brother chairman on um a review from the HR committee yall can bring that back to us yes so the HR committee won't be meeting um unless it's emergency until the new board takes place however um let me remind you that we are a committee of three we do not have a quorum so we do not vote or eliminate positions or anything of that nature however I would ask you to ask our HR director um about any positions or can he respond to us in email because when it's in writing it's better um for us but if we can get it in email or a question if you want to answer it now no I just want you know it's it's out there because and and like I said just being left up in the it's it's weird that's all I don't even know the word for it I can't I can't I can't find a word it just stuff is just weird right now for me so yes I mean they can as the chairman of the committee can you follow up on that as you close out and I have't noted Madam Madam president do are the director are they do they work over the holiday are they yeah with along with the superintendent they don't the the whole District doesn't just collab right so our building staff their last day is 12:20 and they return on January 6 central office we get a few days off to celebrate or um yeah to celebrate Christmas and New Year's but we're working a few days in between uh Christmas and New Year's so um off the top of my head I can't say exactly which days but there's a few days that we will we will be in District you don't you don't know the day without looking at the calendar I can't so we're off the 25th and the 26th right and then January we're off of the 1 and the second okay and all the other day just regular work day correct because these are our directors correct okay all right I just was thinking so we can still work and do some things along with other central office staff so not just yes right okay thank you so very much I I it looked like some of the directors were kind of puzzled and not clear but trusty Gavin thank you I'm I'm actually very I know that um hey I know that Dr bus is not present to fully explain his initial idea about Kate but I have seen this happen so many times is disturbing um so I really want to get in front of it and not be behind it um in terms of the restructuring of Staff or that building being the skill center which I didn't even I don't even I have I would love to get a tour of the skill center right the skill center possibly being closed those folks moving to Cape cap moving to the cosmetology building I don't understand that at all it doesn't make any sense to me in terms of uh uprooting staff in the middle of a year um having them move so that another group of people could move that's two moves that's an unnecessary move and then you're taking over a CTE space um so once you take over that CTE space I don't even know if we still have if it's still considered a CTE space but it's it's it's convoluted it doesn't make sense and it's uprooting people in the middle of a school year and it's having people move twice if you had to close the skill center why wouldn't we just move the skill center over to the high school you know somewhere Rec Center High School somewhere you know over here as opposed to moving an educational facility over here and the other thing is that's an alternative school there's a reason why they're separated from the high schools okay and so if we then close that building take that staff put them over here and when those students come to C they're now coming back to the high school when we already moved them to an alternative setting and you have some families who chose that setting because they want to be in a different location right so I just you know us not getting in front of that I just feel like we should get in front of that I agree I'm sorry that that's my time thank you yeah I agree with you you know a few we were told in our HR committee I actually think that's something that should have went to facilities that if I'm correct the roof at that building was gone bad I remember we had a presentation a couple of years ago but I don't know if the skill Trade building roof was on there um I'm still confused about the whole movement stuff I thought it should go through the facilities committee I also have concerns because we have middle school kids that are at Cape and they're moving up them up here I'm sorry so I agree with you and I hope um secretary triplet and his committee um gets us some data on that secret um treasure kraton thank you um to say the least you know I had been in a HR committee meeting in in a in a couple months but that meeting uh stressed me out gave me anxiety and made me feel like I had dementia um because there were so many things that came about that were not HR related um I did ask if things were taken to finance which I knew it was not and then also facilities and curriculum so you know I think um I guess in transition too in my mind I just hope that um this board gets a handle um as you continue to matriculate throughout your terms that you know you get a handle on some of these things making sure that they're going through the proper protocols because you know it was sad and and I was excited to celebrate the gym and excited to celebrate this and excited to celebrate that and then to hear that we have a building that we've not properly maintained as Cav in and people been working in unsafe working conditions and it was just so dramatic and traumatic and you know like miss you know Gavin Shar it was just so much um and climate wise you know staff it it was just so loaded all to save like $5 so um I definitely think um you know it's time to really look at the Strategic plan look at the partnership agreement and do what's in it do what's in that to to to lead this work um let's stop you know calling plays on the Fly let's run the Playbook that we spent hours and hours and years developing um because it's definitely starting to be embarrassing and professionally offensive yes okay so um Mr mcder you have staff report H1 um so there's been a an update to what you originally attempted to present to us so can you just read that staff report so the board is aware of what we'll be voting on in January yes president Robinson staff report H1 reason for board consideration a list of employees whose employment relationship with the district is or will be separated is submitted to the board each month fa and Analysis is recommended that the Board of Education votes to accept the separation of employment of the following staff 3140 and 4140 resignation sorry policy reference 3140 4140 resignation of professional and support staff strategic plan goal reference Personnel leadership Ben and Harbor area school to recruit hire develop and retain the best staff to improve student outcome um separation of employment by ways of resignation Sarah Cadet from the position of ela teacher at the high school with effective date of 1220 2024 recommended action that the Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education votes to accept the separation of employment of the forementioned staff all right so I just want to make sure the board uh references this was the report previously that was a request to transfer um the board amended the staff report at that particular time and so now at this time we have a resignation so I just wanted to make sure you all just noticed just a slight it's not the same report slightly different any questions for um director mcder M president you have the Flor right here just just a quick question and just for the record to be shown and the the the you know I I I I hope that our human resource office is not operating under the GU of threats and fear that if you don't do this I'm going to do that and if you all don't say this I'm going to do that I will repeat this the resignations or the movement to move a certified English teacher from Benton Harvard High School to Discovery Enrichment Center who's not certified to even be in the discovery enrichment center it's ludicrous and so if I don't take it like the the teacher designed uh because they wanted to go to the Discovery enrichment um Center without the certification I take it just for me I take it as a teacher certified teacher who was at vinon Harvard High School who did not get the necessary support did not have the necessary equipment did not have the necessary instructional material and that's that and so that's from director cus um um the principal at the high school and everybody we can't keep on playing these musical chairs and playing games with because these people are I they're the pattern and I want to make it perfectly clear that you might say you all might say they didn't want to do an E interview but they eony and they are interviewing and they are saying why they are letting us know so we are aware and so we just cannot we have to stop that and we have to have qualified certified people who are supported in these buildings it has absolutely nothing to do with anything else but these people need support I have walked through and I have visited building and I have gone into classroom and not my responsibility to go back and give a report to any of you I will you know have a discussion with the superintendent but some of the things and places that I've been and where I've seen and you know people again millions and millions of dollars being spent with no pencils no papers no materials nothing let's keep it real okay and y'all can take a personal turn look snap crack Po and all of that because it's going to be dealt with and it's going to be addressed I'm not talking about what I heard I'm talking about what I know I'm talking about teachers having two and three jobs and having to go and get things get materials and it's not right this school should be material rich and why it isn't that's unacceptable I have had a discussion with the board president about some of my concerns and what I saw so some of you all y'all might y' y'all have gotten comfortable upstairs but we have spent millions of dollars books everything as I walk in here for the last two months it's materials that has not been unpacked is right out here in this library and I walk in every meeting and it's still there I walked in last night it's cartridges that cost cash money that's been sitting over here in this library for two months and having gotten to where they're supposed to go so please pay attention because we are paying attention pay attention to what's happening to our staff and to our teachers and how our staff and how our teachers are being treated it's a and and I have shared with you all have asked you all several times from the superintendent to the Director of Human Resources we have been here at this table we've heard everybody talk about all of these decision that's made up on this third floor and the principls are not at the table the principles do not have their budgets principles are not involved in it at all so I'm I I'm just going to keep on saying it okay so I don't want this to be anoun SE since y'all said no for her to go down to DEC uncertified that's why she resigned thank you okay so I'm not sure if that comment was to me but I just wanted to make sure you all notice it wasn't the exact same staff of work that it was different oh no no no it had nothing to do with you madam president if it was with you I would let you know okay it wasn't for you trusty Gavin thank you president Robinson thank you for noting that this is a different staff report I I thought that we were going to be discussing a transfer um um I'm sorry that it is a resonation instead um I guess what I would like to note I know that we all are we all are built different um and before I came back to Benton Harbor I decided to sub it was it was a choice to sub in all the levels so that I knew which grade I wanted to teach right and sometimes we don't we don't know till we get in it right and once we get in it we realize okay this age group might not be a good fit for me maybe this other age group is better for me it's it's figuring it out um there's a lot of things we don't learn in college we get the paperwork but that you know actual Hands-On training it happens in the field and I I would just like to I guess request of my colleagues uh to consider um the consider that some folks really you know want to make those transfers because they feel like that's their best that's that's best for them um and when we keep people in a position um because of the paperwork and everything sometimes it ends up being harmful for them and for the student and I do understand we want certified folks in certified places I I would also recommend that if you know we as a district um maybe we should have some sort of paperwork um I don't know if there's a transfer request form um that helps to take it out of your word against mine if HR has does HR I guess that's my question does HR have a transfer request form so that you know there's a documentation in place that indicates that this is what the person wants to do thank you uh thank you trusty Gavin we do not have an official transfer request form however uh when employees send those Communications to us preferably via email um we respond let them know we would take it into consideration so we can develop a form um we can we can work on that but at this time we do not have a form an official form ready for issue thank you for your consideration I think for transparency um I think that would be very helpful to have something like that and it will help us when we're making those decisions too trusty raar I I also agree with um truste Gavin a lot of times you don't know uh you know what exactly just because you're certified doesn't always mean that you're effective and so if you recognize as a teacher that you are not effective in that position and you request a trans or you know a transfer I assume that the position that that she re that she's requesting has been posted and so inhouse can vote on it I mean can can apply for those positions is this a posted position oh yes the position is is posted so in-house can can can uh you know submit an application for it the other part of this is she will be certified in May as a teacher as a certified teacher uh in the Lowa L grades where they need her also uh so we would be gaining a teacher instead of losing uh gaining a position to be filled instead of losing two positions uh she would not be a TNT but she would be a certified teacher so she has paid her own money to do this and so if she you know I just um you know I just believe and think uh that if you are willing to do another career that's almost like another career move uh and MoneyWise uh that that's something that you probably know better that that's what you can do um she's had her time at the high school she find out it's not working for her and so rather than to just totally you know just leave our district just request to fill another position that would also help our district 19 minutes oh did you ask a time check what were you saying vice president bow so I I know vice president bow he was warning the board of being too specific in details that are being discussed at this particular juncture um so I think that was a good reminder we're going to proceed from that conversation um I didn't anticipate it would go that direction I just was trying to make sure that you guys noticed that small change in the staff report because often it's the exact same so we're gonna um you caught that President Robinson yes sir 30 more seconds no okay we're gonna keep it moving I think that might be best okay next we have facilities committee um I would ask if the chair uh triplet if you have an update to provide if not we can pass it over to director Dash I I just do want to say I didn't get a chance to say it uh that he's been working hard um seriously on some things um and I didn't get a chance to say that over the Thanksgiving break when we were getting ready for heating issues and what have you he worked all throughout the break you know yeah he um and made himself available about came down you know we had a close he came down from his home and we talked we discussed that you know we we definitely wanted to make sure that all of our systems were on and because he came down he did find leakage you know some find some found some things that would have could have possibly said we return back to school that our schools would have been cold so he was able to go through and he did it and he came down and he walked through Bell and Ice you know just so I just want to put that out there and I do appreciate that um I know that he has a uh uh an update you know we did discuss we talking about signage and and and those types of things we we discussed some things in the uh facilities committee um you guys got a chance to see at the last meeting some of the updates were made to the um the visiting locker room and what have you which were good updates and there's still more to come um I know that he had a report to present to us as it relates to the gym floor and what's going on with our uh our dedication we did have a dedication last night um I don't know if the board in its entirety was invited I receive an email but that was one of the things that was really stru at the beginning for all of our board to be there and I did not see some of our colleages there and some of our colleagues did not receive the invitation has nothing to do with cility um our president as again as always humbled herself um and had to take a back seat there wasn't even a seat for our president um a treasur I mean you know just those of us who came so but the the the gym was beautiful the facilities around the gym the school licked up and I think you all would have been extremely proud you know of everything else so director dad you give us a for it yes um thank you I wasn't expecting all that um well I I I do have a a on my my sheet I don't know if you guys can open it up or not um I I left the the sinks and all that stuff in there because I figured we were going to be talking about the the gym floor today so I wanted to remind you guys like I there is some good news um and if you scroll down a little bit um about where it says Pac lighting I came in Saturday um and I worked with a company to install eight new stage lights on the um for the PAC because of all the Christmas stuff going on um you know you just you just want you want to be able to see the kids and uh we also um our wiring is pretty bad in there it's super old if you scroll down a little bit um Natalie whoever's controlling that yeah the lighting right yep okay so the wiring is pretty bad so when I try to fade it it turns into like a rock concert sometimes so I I had uh three settings programmed into our new lighting controller um of high medium and low and if you scroll down yep right there um that's our new controller um the other one was this old wooden 1970s thing that was gigantic um but that one there's super small it's connected to a computer and you control everything with those four buttons I I circled there um I'm actually took this picture and circled those for myself so that way I'd remember what ones do what um if you scroll down a little more you'll see the computer that Now controls the lighting um and even a little more you'll see the eight new lights and we removed the old on so that way no one can when you go up there like like before there were like 13 lights up there but like three worked and you didn't know which three worked cuz they just kept getting unplugged all the time so now we just remove that that confusion and those eight now light up the the stage and um today we had some sort of a musical Thing um in there and it was really nice like uh everyone was super happy the the staff just loved it and that that's that's that's why you do it you know that's it but um I do I do want to say one thing though uh um over the break it wasn't just me that came in Dr buts was in too and he was he was floating around helping out with things and he was trying to help me fix a door there was a door that was broke it be play middle and that thing was that was fun but we got it fixed so yeah um but uh so you guys want to hear about the gym floor yeah I don't want to talk about it but um uh last Friday um one of the maintenance guys was working on a Ural and he couldn't find the shut off for for the Ural there there was a leak in the locker room and uh couldn't find it couldn't find it and it was a routine procedure really like it was just loosen up pipe we do it all the time it's a rubber fitting in there so it's not like a tight fitting pipe it's a rubber fitting usually comes off pretty well like if you got a strong grip you could actually kind of turn it with your hand um he put the pipe wrench on it and it just broke it there was a corroded connector inside the wall and when it broke it shot out a lot of water and then we were in the Pro in the tight spot of find that valve um so ran down to the basement talked to Andy Ean they shut everything off that they could um nothing shut off that water we called the city they showed up shut off everything they could and even the city was like oh man we don't know what why you still have water just blasting out of this thing um it went through uh or it happened for over an hour the water spraying um a lot came out uh a 1 in pipe can produce up to 27 gallons a minute and uh if you math that out that's a lot um we did everything that we could to divert it away from that gym like everything besides lay down in front of it and begot you know like we were doing everything like it showed up the custodians Mr Morant Millie that everybody was out there trying to push this water away um it I think I think it would have been way worse but um a lot of water still got on that floor um the majority of it went under the floor which is the big big big issue um we had the water cleaned up after after we shut the water off we had all the water cleaned up within an hour if not an hour um it went into I want to say somewhere around 10 or 10 to 12 classrooms I think Mr Mor something like that um uh not all of them had a lot of damage um one did have the carpet just completely bubble up but my my guys two of my maintenance guys went in there today and they got the carpet up and half done they they got half the carpet back down like wow you know that was amazing um but we still have to talk about the water that went under the floor um under that floor is uh channels to allow air movement because it's an oak floor um it's it's a what floor Oak Oh I thought you said Oak no no it's an oak Flor enate yep sorry that's a new floor it's an oak floor but um so anyways uh there's four layers of plywood under that floor with channels built into it for air movement um the water took advantage of that and it went all the way up to the logo um underneath not on top uh we immediately called in surf pro thank you Angela for taking the lead on that while I was out there sucking up water um and they came in they pulled out about 30 gallons of water with dehumidifiers off the floor um before they got there I probably pulled off three to four five gallon buckets of water from under the floor with a shop back um and there's still it's still moving that water's still moving under that floor um surf pro has requested to have five to or seven to 10 days to have that floor without any movement on it and be able to do their work because they're pretty confident they can they can salvage it um we we did have to shut it off for one day for the thing um but at that point they already got 30 gallons and they tested it with h their moisture meters um they they said that you know we it's good for a few hours we can we can do our thing um but we still need some more time on it uh right now the machines are in there going and um I talked to the installers the original installers because they're over at fairplane middle right now and they came over and they looked at it and they told me they said you need a lot of air movement in here and and very little traffic you need to let it settle you need to let everything equal out as you're pulling all this water um and there's potential for um yeah there's potential for damage to show within any time after it's dry it could take a few months for it to even show up you know um but things are if if we get the drying time that we need in the time we need it um meaning like right now um then we're going to be good for our our Christmas thing yes so the the the question is because right now with the schedule uh that we have we have a game scheduled Thursday which we need to go forth we don't need to transition any of that we're going to have days for Christmas after for Christmas break Arrangements need to be made with the varsity team as to where they can re practice they can practice their Fair playe they can practice they what they can't practice at fairplane is that not correct but they can practice at king or there other facilities that you all can find so we have the game for Thursday in the gym and we do have two games for Christmas tournament for Christmas yeah so they we need to continue on with that and in between because can that run 24 hours that the equipment yeah oh yeah it's it's okay yeah so when the game is over we need to have somebody there to let get it back in yeah crank it back up again Christmas tournament let it crank it back up again we cannot shut that gym down because we need a two months that even like four months down line it might show up yeah that's that's that's the the process that I believe that we're going through yes um it's uh it's not what what Surf Pro requested but if if that's what we have that's what we have yeah because we we we took our we we shut our football stadium down our kids did not have home game they did not have anything that was devastating to the community now we're going to turn around and do this again which we can hit in and come out of it it doesn't need to be shut completely down because that that's a brand new floor there should be some insurance there should be some I call them guarantees there should be some things that they that they guarantee we just spent millions of dollars on this floor and they're over at Fair plane but we can talk off offline oh yes yes you know on how as a committee how we need to move forward with the actual plan yeah yeah that's our kids but I don't just I don't want to be a knee-jerk reaction shut it down and and and and and go in that direction yeah I I appreciate the the committee thing yeah thank um but that that's what we got going on um we did some good things and then a bad thing happened but we'll get by there's lights in stage all right thank you I have a this is more so just a a reminder um the M facilities plan I've been on it all year I hop that we were going to be done with the plan by December we're not there so I know we did the survey about the um buildings in use to my understanding there was going to be a survey for vacant buildings that was the second survey because the first survey did not include the vacants so I'm just putting this back on your radar I don't know where exactly they are with that process but we need to make sure that that that keeps moving and and the reason and I've said we've kind of said it before but the reason that I would like to push it is because I would like for this board of education to consider going for a bond so that we can build a new elementary school because I've noticed that we I I believe that we're bleeding kids from MLK and so we can have a new Elementary state of our elementary school we can keep some of the kids that are leaving after they come out of Deb but I do not feel comfortable going before the community and asking them for more tax dollars without an established plan as to what we're doing with the assets that we have now yeah and I don't want to leave my term that I have remaining without us making an effort to go for bond to get a new school building and I want the master facilities plan in place so we as a board know that we've set a road map for what The Bu The District is going to do with his buildings when our terms are over because trusty Gavin myself and do will be we're up in two years whether we if we don't decide to run again so so we don't have to go into that conversation but I just that's just I know you have a thousand things going on but that has to be at the top I made a note um I'm I'm actually taking notes to email to myself for tomorrow so I don't forget these things okay and I know that's something new for Angela because I know we haven't said Bond at the table with her but that's something that we have to look into whether Miss singer does it or you you do it what is our time frame as far as when we decide like what does that look like if that's something the board wants to do but I just feel like we need to have this we need to get this part figured out before we even have those discussions trusty Gavin thank you president Robinson okay I just wanted to make sure I heard things right the recommendation was that there's no activity on that floor yeah um until the water is pulled or whatever needs to happen needs to happen is that that is correct that um you did elementary school before I've taught us you know when you like take that little uh like finger paint you put inside of a Ziploc bag and you let little kids kind of Squish it with their fingers and you you push on it and then it just kind of goes and spreads around that's what happens so it's um it's it's going to travel some places with all with all our students running across it um it'll travel places that it currently is not um but uh yeah that that's that's what will happen to it okay so that's a concern um also PE um I know that we want to move on with things but I am concerned you know if we have insurance I think they would be expecting us to adhere to whatever the recommendations are we made a huge investment in this new floor I appreciate your transparency it's not easy to say that that's what happen but I'm hoping that I'm hoping that we are not asking our facilities director I mean I mean this in no offensive way but I hope that we're not asking our facilities director or our Administration to go against the recommendations of the experts just so that folks won't be upset with us because I think there they will be very upset if we let everybody run across that floor and it's messed up and we knew on the front end that nobody should be on the floor until it is properly serviced I'm no facilities person that's just my first start there the other thing is I'm really grateful about the PAC I think that that's you know super important for the lights to be working when we have these events I've seen them not and it's just a we're excited about what's going on in the PAC but it's a very dreary depressing feeling to be in our perform art center and the lights not be working properly so um really happy about that um I'll just reiterate I'm hoping that we will really make some responsible even if they're tough decisions when it comes to the floor so that we are not revisiting that issue again later and the other thing is I I requested a while back that we have like some type of report in terms of help desk tickets versus what is it that's out and then what is it that has been addressed and what is still outstanding and if there's some way I'm pretty sure people do those health desk tickets on some type of system so I'm assuming I'm hoping that there's a report that can be generated I like to look at the raw data on that I love the highlighted information but I also like to see the raw data this was put in this was taken care of this is outstanding just wondering if it's possible to have that type of information I always intend to put it in um and then something crazy comes up like a flood or um yeah but I I will be better at it thank you I apologize so this is um first of all for clarification purposes I'm not my my comments were not based on groups being mad or anything like that that that's not what I'm I'm not gonna do that however when you said specifically 10 days and we have been meeting and working and talking about it that you know that they need they need 10 days physical education is not going on in that gym no there is no usage in that gym at all you know it hasn't been and so this has been almost 10 days or you know we've had probably seven days that serpro has been actually in there and so I don't know from the day that they actually came when I talked to you and they were in there from the day that the incident happened this thing has been running now have and they have not been practicing like the basketball team girls basketball team nobody has been using that and so can I ask you this question have this been has this been running all night yes it it runs all night it runs all day um it's been like three and a half days that it's been in there um actually running all night and all day yes yes uh Saturday when I came in it had like a gallon that it pulled out of the the floor Monday when I came in it was closer to 20 to 30 gallons that it pulled out so and it's running right now oh yes and it'll be running tomorrow yes and it would be and then so say for instance if you if you uh if there is a game because there was a game Monday night the dedication of the floor was scheduled for Monday night and we had it and so when that game was over did they hook it back up and it it pulled oh yeah yeah it was pulling um the uh I I don't know when exactly this happened but um the um I'm I'm taking a guess and it's probably not a great guess but I'm I'm gonna say say it anyway um you know those little holes that are in the gym floor where they put in the volleyball nets I do um they're standing water in those things right now um and I I almost wonder to myself did that move over there during the basketball game you know what I mean like I kind of wonder if that happened then yes so we can what we can do it we can we can look it because if it's standing there it could be Zapped out but yeah we can yes um trusty crazy is it recommendation to not have any movement on the floor if so does the game need to be rescheduled or canceled or and that was I was going to allow everyone to make comment but I I actually agree with trusty Gavin um and and I just wanted to give everyone an opportunity to speak so I I've dealt with a great amount of water um and pipe bursting and things like that and so I I would I would go with serve Pro's recommendation sometimes that water if it's under the floor it can do severe damage to the found to the foundation Mo milde and so the the sooner that you're able to retrieve all of the water the less likely you are at risk of the UN the layers under the floor being damaged and creating further issues so I would also a agree that if serve pro has recommended that we not be on the floor we're great we're grateful that they made a concession for the 16th because it was such a big deal but if they're recommending and I I would follow up if their recommendation is that we're not on that gym floor I think that should follow that recommendation because if there's something that happens that night or or any subsequent night we've we've gone against the recommendation of the people who are credential to to do that type of work I have a suggestion yes can we possibly I don't know who we're playing but can we swap locations like maybe this game be there and then the next game be here whose game is it yeah uh is it so it's it's this point of of just a question so if this if if it looks like it has to be 10 days you're saying that this process just started three days ago but this incident happened happened Friday it happened last Friday yes so um they by the time I left on Friday um it was like six they were just setting up the tints and the dehumidifiers on the floor to get the the main extraction out and air movement um so uh Saturday Sunday Monday two but we had to take it off for they had it off at noon on Monday because we had to go in there and put the gym back together so that way because we had the baseboards off um right all that stuff you know um we had to move put all that back so that way we were presentable um but they need seven more days at least that no activity on that floor yeah and they were they were requesting um uh uninterrupted days because it it causes the the moisture to come up to the the top of the wood and then when it's when you stop that suction starts to move back down and then the movement and there's a lot of factors involved um yeah so the uninterrupted days just just a question the uninterrupted days have you started that then you would have to start the uninterrupted days from today pretty much okay you've already had three days but now you want to do the uninterrupted days then you have to you would you would say start that from today and then you go 10 days out from today oh seven to 10 but yeah you're correct okay so I'm saying so then the athle director would need to be notified and the necessary adjustments need to be made to the schedule and the contract and so we would have to give them that lead in that a which would take the Christmas tournament which I don't know if that if the 10 days would take it to that's the 27th when is Christmas tournament the 27th the 27th so and today's the 17th so Dr director Dash what I would ask is that you guys follow up yeah we we've been working with director Jennings and yeah are we able to see after the meeting oh you go anywhere you want yeah okay all right so um there's no other question for facilities will proceed with the agenda um old business the same as before um the board Retreats we're going to focus on the finance piece so we can make sure that we're heavily trained to help and support um our director and our finance committee for um the budget for upcoming school year as well as standard team building [Music] um no the only date we have right now is the um organizational meeting day which is the first uh no so the organizational meeting is January 7th Tuesday the 7th at 6 o'clock 2025 it'll be a special meeting and then our regular board meeting is the 14th and that way if there um is new officers elected on the 7th they'll have an opportunity to be appropriately prepared for the January agenda do you have form board in there Madam president forley um I know that uh former VP Bradley he so he'll be trusty Bradley coming on he did request some financials and things of that nature so we will make sure we get him um an onboarding appointment to get caught up to date with what he's missed in the last two years Gavin so um the board retreat date we're not sure about that yet correct right I guess what I'm wondering is um I sent an email regarding the uh consideration for the committee as a whole um you know we have a lot of committee meetings that don't happen that haven't happened through the year and so just recommending that we look at that structure um for the streamlining of for the superintendent for the executive staff and for the board um and I'm wondering you know is it possible to have a training on how to structure a committee as a whole even if we're even if this board decides not to do it um if it's possible for you know us to have a training on what that looks like what type of reporting documents would be most effective and efficient for us and even if we don't vote to move as a committee as a whole maybe those documents will help us will help the you know the board members um in those individual committees yes ma'am so thank you for the reminder I hadn't noted in my last um on my last agenda the committee as a whole as the topics as well I didn't forget that and I did get your email uh emailing me today reminding me that I did not respond to you so I will respond I didn't respond because I didn't like what you told me that you don't want to do but we'll talk about that later I got to process how to respond um so I do have that um noted the committee as a whole and I will check into that um I don't have any new business do we have anyone for open public comment all right hearing none we'll go to uh board member announcements and comments we're going to start with trusty Gavin today thank you very much excuse me um president Robinson can I say one more thing before we go into that um I do want to mention over the Christmas break that U the high school and fairplane middle school will be getting new cafeteria Furniture I know um uh we had uh some carryover funds that we needed to spend down for a food service by um June of 2025 and a huge portion of that is going to be new cafeteria furniture for the high school and the middle school and their um their Furniture that's in good condition is going to go to some of the elementary schools um we're going to swap out some of the maybe not so great items with some of the items that are still in good condition at some of those buildings so I just want to let you guys know that that is happening and that's being facilitated by director Dash and um our food service director okay thank you very much very exciting all right trusty Gavin I want to thank everybody for coming out both um in person and virtually um sometimes these board meetings get so long and so heated that I don't get to acknowledge the community members that speak at the beginning of the board meeting um and so I want to thank um I want to thank uh Mr Bishop for coming and speaking um his concerns about teacher shortages or teacher attendance and all of those issues as a parent I'm concerned about those things as well and I often times lose sleep um thinking about how can we make sure that we create an environment so that our staff uh will be here and will provide the best learning experience for our students it um if we're looking at you know raising money that is the best way to raise money is just do the right thing do the right thing by the staff do the right thing by the students they will come and we will have what we need to do what we're supposed to do I just strongly believe that so I thank you uh Mr Bishop for coming up and speaking to that I think this was a really good meeting and I am looking forward to what next year will bring I do want to say um that my presence may not be out as much as it was before I'm being very very very particular about how I uh spend my energies and I want to make sure that the time that I invest in The District in the community with my family with everybody is time that is um well served and so I'm just gonna put out another request for the committee as a whole because I just think that is the best way um to have the transparency that's needed um for the community to see what's going on we're here for 5 hours anyway most times so why not have you know the information that's needed in that hour's time um the community gets it at the same time and then we have a week or so to digest it and connect with folks and then come and make a vote at the next meeting that should not be as long so I'm just really hoping that we will consider the option of streamlining our efforts and making sure that we're doing what's best uh for the community in a way that's transparent so that we can rebuild the trust with the community thank you for your time thank you uh trusty rocket Martin um here's the season of holiday season so fairplane East uh had their Christmas program today very nice very nice tomorrow I think at 1:30 or so MLK will have theirs so you know they love to see central office board people whoever so uh that's out there and also I'm so happy to hear of the the new updates that you're doing with the concession stands and all those things at the high school to make it so much easier for people to uh spend their dollars with us so I appreciate that also I'm I'm uh glad to hear from our parent and employee at the same time uh you know his concern learns and so you know I would invite you to you know if you have not talked with the building administrator you know uh maybe some of those things can be ironed out at the building level uh that's always a open uh you know way to handle things and so um also like to just kind of pose a couple of questions for us uh I know we talk about moving this building and moving that building but if you look at the number of people that they serve they may not be serving as many people as you think and so with that being said our high school the CTE uh colle uh beauty college hasn't been used for almost how many years many years many years so this would be a time to go in and maybe do some things um we can update and we can make some changes and those changes may be for the better we just need to keep that in mind I know um and and for the water breaking the walls uh however the water break that to me that's a call for a new school but anyway uh doesn't hurt to get some new facilities around here and you know I'm sure our community would appreciate it thank you thank you up next we have Treasurer kraton thank you um as I signed off I'm really excited and grateful for the opportunity um I've learned a lot professionally and personally um I've I've been in some uncomfortable spaces but I've had a lot of Joys and and wins and successes and so um I'm just grateful overall um I'll be around um I I've been able to join the PTO at my kids school and really you know do some things that I need to do personally and professionally um and I'll continue to give back to Ben harb area schools um I'm a tiger for life um and so I'm really excited just for the Legacy um that I was able to be a part of um this Balan budget I'm so excited about um the upcoming balance budget that I know director um Brock Carter will make sure happens um and uh along with this um Board of Education um I challenge you all to continue to learn and grow um I you know I appreciate the training that's being done at the msab but I think it takes a little bit more and so seek some specialized training to continue to grow professionally um like I said this this has been a great um full circle moment for me and I'll be around um as long as I can pass the volunteer background check um and um I'm in a community space um I'm in a space to be able to help from the outside in um so I'm excited um we did a cult drive a few weeks ago um we're able to bless 60 students been hard are schools with coats hats gloves boots so um it's just a blessing to to just continue to be a part of the work um the work does not stop here um I I personally just had to do some other things so that I can continue to grow professionally but like I said I'm around I'm a lifelong tiger and I'll be at the games and I'm here and I'm a phone call away thank you up next we have secretary triplet thank you so very much um again I don't apologize I I I said what I said I act what I act I'm familiar with what what um you all are saying but I'm also familiar with the Malarkey okay and I'm very clear on that I I I think there is an ethical imperative that must take place we cannot sit here and act like this is not happening here you know I I think that there's an element of disrespect and it it is becoming you know because first of all we are the Board of Education and because they have access to you or you are the person that they give you all of the information this this a board of seven people and all of us should be equal when it comes to expectations and things being presented in the proper way we cannot sit here and act like there is not a problem we cannot sit here and act like there's not a Personnel problem we cannot sit here and act like there is not a structural problem we cannot and we have to be very very serious because we have people that come up to this mic every meeting and say things and incriminate and say all these different type of thing but we have to keep moving can't take that stuff personally we are aware that we do have uh uh people on our Central Administration team that's new to the game but they stepped in and and and I think they're doing a great job I'm gonna close with this I said what I said I meant what I said and I still mean what I say and so just because you know it was it was kind of like a joke you know you know Mr triple chuck chuck w w but I'm going to still be up in here doing what I was elected to do and um I want to say to our Treasurer I'm going to miss you girl I really am I appreciate your hard work and um you you you brought some you brought some real serious stuff to us and I am so Godly proud of you and I thank you and uh the the part for me that's so um disheartening is that it became so stressful that you just decided not to do it anymore because I know your heart so we wish you uh wish you well you're not leaving my life but uh we wish you well and I don't think that thank thank you welcome proud of appreciate you thank you all right vice president Bowens good evening thank you for coming to see your government in action um just want to make sure that the administration is focusing on the cell phone band that will be going out so during Christmas break hopefully we can have letters going out Facebook social media last year in the summertime we asked for a marketing plan I am wondering where is the marketing PL where is it we haven't seen nothing else from it and I want to see the progress and everything of what we're doing and where is it going um I also sent a request and I'm going to um read it out loud I sent it to the whole board and I sent it to the superintendent um I'm hoping for a response I just got a response today that he has not gotten to it yet but he is working well he's working on it I hope this email finds you all well I'm reaching out to request the following information and data for review the student discipline data the number of students supended and the number of referrals write ups for school per school by teachers a comparison of this year's numbers um data and last year's data I would also like to know the stem funding the total amount of funds spent on stem equipment and resources um how are we investing in that the book committee information so many times we hear about a book committee and these teachers got to select the books I would like to know as previous mentioned in previous board meetings there is a committee responsible for ordering and approving books could you please provide me the full list of committee meetings in um committee members in the roles I also ask for job applicant data information on employees or individuals who applied for positions but were not considered or did not meet the qualifications I would like to have that information and I ended in the email I appreciate your attentions to this matter and look forward to your response please let me know if you have any additional details or clarifications are needed I sent that um six days ago December 11th so I'm hoping I get it before January 11th or sooner than that um Madam president I think that's some important data that we need to have um when we first came on the school board four years ago we were there with covid and it was the middle of a pandemic and they were doing virtual bitton Harbor was going through their lead crisis we had a superintendent um that was going on to higher aspirations um the lead crisis we had fairplane Junior High that was dealing with lead and no one believed us and when we told the superintendent then to send a letter out just last week I believe bitt Township released a letter to its residents about lead levels um we were been able to do some tremendous things such as um replacing the gym floor giving our teachers our higher pay investing in Esports investing and different things these last four years um have been a learning experience I've been honored to serve with you all um there have been bumps but I've grown I've learned a lot from you all and I appreciate whatever he he brings to the table personally it has taught me don't take things personal and assume positive intentions so every time I'm at work I use the seven Norms of collaboration um I'm gonna finish with the great person he said this a couple of times I said what I said and I meant what I said ronado triplet good night God bless and have a merried Christmas and a happy holiday okay so I'm gonna be short and brief as always I appreciate everyone I'm grateful for everyone um I think that b Harbor area schools has many amazing successes um to tell and I would challenge um Administration as well as this board of education to make sure that we are highlighting those successes and those wins because there are some things that we have concerns about it's no secret to everyone that we're are turnaround District so there's going to be things that are problematic or things that frustrate us I think sometimes we focus so much on the things that we need to fix that we don't highlight for the community enough the things that we're doing really great at we're doing really well and so I would challenge everybody um ensuring that we highlight those things because it's not all perfect but it's not all bad either and I think if you listen to the conversations at the table one would only pick up the negative things because we're so outspoken and so I don't want to use the term passionate because sometimes it has a negative connotation but we really drill in on the things that need to be fixed and sometimes we don't celebrate as much the things that are fixed and the successes so I challenge each of us to do that I would like to say the treasur of Katon it has been a whirlwind Adventure leading with you I appreciate everything that you have given to this board and given to me and my leadership there are conversations that we have had uh beyond the board table that are uh between you and I but one thing that I can say is this board may have its differences with each other but one thing we will not let anybody do is mess with us as a board of education and so you've always been one of people that have my back even when I may not be aware that I need someone to have my back and you know those moments that I'm mentioning so I'm grateful for you your prayers um your daily devotions your uh attention to policy even though I know sometimes people are like where did she pull that from I'm grateful that you had an eye for policy to be able to help us so we are going to miss you tremendously I know that this is a major transition for you but I pray that God gives you everything that you deserve in this next season and that it is yes it's an overflow for you and He blesses you abundantly with what your next mission and service is so I'm grateful for you and um I hope that we are lucky to have a treasur as great as you are thank you all right so with that being said I'm all done um at this time I'll ask is there a motion to adjourn stand we sure can I guess I forgive you all all right um is there a motion to adjourn Madam president I make the motion to adjourn is there a second or support I support the motion has been made by vice president bnes and supported by trustee rockat Martin questions comments and concerns here n secretary triplet I please call President Robinson yes vice president Bowens yes secretary triplet yes treasure kraton trusty rocket Martin yes trusty Gavin yes this meeting is adjourned as of 8:30 p.m