[Music] How are you? [Music] That's actually All right, we're going to go ahead and get started here. All right, everybody. If we could a I ask uh Reverend Michael Gera from
Connect Point Church, Middberg, to come on up and give the invocation, which will be followed by the pledge of allegiance. If everyone would please stand. Good evening, everyone. If you'll join me in prayer. Jesus, we love you. We thank you for the opportunity to come together today and
to talk about business that's important to us. It's close to our hearts because we're talking about our children in this community. We pray that you would guide us with your spirit. We know there's a lot of important decisions that are going to be made here tonight. We pray that you would grant us your wisdom,
that you'd grant us your peace and direction, or that the right thing would be done for our children, for the teachers that are overseeing them, for the administration, for everyone that's involved. just lead us with your wisdom and give us your grace. We thank you and praise you for all these things in Jesus
name we pray. Amen. If you'll join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, good evening. It's great. It's great to see everybody here, especially to hear these young singers from Shadowl Elementary School, led by Zachary Shambala, music teacher. The
Shadowlon Singing Falcons are a mixed group chorus consisting of 35 talented third, fourth, and fifth graders. This group meets after school once a week. While some songs may also be worked on in the classroom, they have been working
hard to sing two amazing songs for you this evening. One is a patriotic classic and the other is a 1950s classic that might have been before my time that really showcases their ability to soar to new heights. Once again, the Shaolon
Singing Falcons [Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Music] [Music]
Hallelujah.
[Music] [Music]
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]
[Music] [Applause] [Music] I want you. [Music]
Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music]
Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Hey, [Music]
hey, hey. [Music] [Applause]
All right, one big round of applause for the singing falcon, Shadow Lawn Elementary. Let's give them one minute so they can exit. And I'm sure some parents want to exit also. All right, let's go ahead and let's get started. If I can get your attention up
here, please. We'll go ahead and we'll get started this evening. Want to take a minute to thank uh Shadowon Elementary and Miss Barker for the beautiful artwork on display. This collection showcases the creativity of students from kindergarten through
fifth grade. Students have been studying the element of art focusing on line, shape, color, space, and texture. Students in third through fifth grade explored Zenangle art. Yes, I had to look that up. using repetitive lines to
create intricate designs. They looked at the art of Vincent Van Go to see how he used line to bring his masterpieces to life. They also learned about perspective, including how to create onepoint perspective drawings. Students experimented with the variety of
mediums. We are so proud of all their hard work and creativity and hope you enjoy the artwork that you see displayed in the bag. So, one last big round of applause for Shadowon Elementary School. I call to order the organizational meeting of the school board of Klay
County, Florida, this 6th day of November, 2025. This meeting is called pursuant to section 10001.371 Florida statutes for the purpose of organizing the school board by the election of a chair and
vice chair. So at this time I will now open the floor for a recommendation for chair. >> I'd like to nominate Ashley Gilhousen. >> Are there any other nominations?
I'd like to nominate Aaron Skipper. >> So, any other nominations? Okay. So, I have two two nominations. Ashley Gilhousen, Aaron Skipper for chair. We go in that order. I'm going to
ask that you raise your hand and say I when I ask the following question. All in favor of Ashley Gilhousen being nominated as chair. I >> Okay, that's one four. Aaron Skipper. All in
favor of Erin Skipper as chair, raise your hand and say, "I." >> I. >> I. >> That means that Erin Skipper is the new chair for this next school year or the repetitive chair from from this year. Now, I'll open up the nominations for the vice chair. Do I hear any
nominations for vice chair? >> I'd like to nominate Ashley Gilhousen. Are there any other nominations besides Miss Gilhousen? Hearing no other nominations, let's go through the procedure of a vote. All in favor of Ashley Gilhousen, please raise your hand and say, "I."
>> I. >> So, congratulations. Miss Aaron Skipper is our uh chair for this upcoming year. Miss Ashley Gilhousen is our vice chair. Let's give them a big round of applause. At this time, it's also ceremonial that
because we're ending this uh this school year at this organizational meeting that we present a plaque to our outgoing chair, who's now our ingoing chair, Erin Skipper. We want to thank Miss Skipper for her three years of dedication and loyal service to the school board and her role as chair and all that she's
done and the passion that she brings to our school system. So, I'd like to present this plaque on on behalf of the school district. You know that the chair of the school board and the school district itself have to work closely in order to get the job done. And we appreciate Miss Skipper working closely
with us. Thank you so much. [Applause] And now I turn it over to Miss Skipper. >> All right. Thank you. Um at this time we are going to establish date and times of
meetings. So the next item to the organization of the board is to establish dates and times for the schedule of a regular school board meeting for the upcoming year. Uh the superintendent's proposed recommendation is that the board
establish meeting dates and times for regular schoolboard meetings for the period December 2025 through November 2026 as the first Thursday of each month with the exception of December's meeting due to the annual joint conference which
will be Thursday, December 11th, 2025. the January meeting due to the New Year's holiday, which which will be Thursday, January 8th, 2026, and the July meeting due to the July 4th holiday, which will be Thursday, June
25th, 2026. All meetings to be held at 6:00 p.m. at Fleming Island High School and the Teacher and Service Center. Board members, is there a motion to approve? >> I'll move approval. >> I have a motion uh from Miss Gilhousen. Can I get a second? Second.
>> Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 5. >> Next up, we have uh authorized payment of bonds for school board members. Uh is there a motion?
>> Move approval. >> Have a motion from Miss Gilhousen. Can I get a second? >> Have a second from Miss Clark. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries 50. Next up is bank resolutions due to change of
school board. Oh, nope. We don't do that. Sorry. Right. No, we're good. All right. Well, at this time, this current meeting is adjourned. And now, sorry. Okay. And now I will call to order the meeting uh school board meeting for November 6, 2025.
Welcome citizens of Klay County. I want to take the opportunity to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend tonight's school board meeting. This meeting is our opportunity as your elected representatives to collaborate openly and make decisions that will decide the future direction of our public schools
and the education of our children here in Klay County. If you wish to address the board on the agenda item, there will be an opportunity to speak for three minutes. Please fill out a card located at the side entry door indicating the specific item number or topic you wish
to speak about and turn it in promptly to one of the officers. If you have items that you would like to present to the school board or superintendent, please hand them to an officer who will distribute them accordingly. Speakers who wish to address specific agenda items will be heard following the
recognitions and awards portion of the meeting. Speakers wishing to address non-aggenda items will be heard following the adoption of the consent agenda. No additional cards will be accepted once the board moves to public comment section under the presentation
from the audience. Your participation is welcomed and appreciated. Up next, we're going to move right along and we're going to do recognitions of art and the capital winner with Mr. uh Chris Ghoul, fine arts curriculum specialist. Sorry.
Good evening, school board members, superintendent, and community. It is my pleasure to recognize an exceptional young artist from Klay County tonight who has earned a prestigious honor in the statewide Art in the Capital contest. This annual competition invites
grades 6 through 8 students from across Florida to create artwork reflecting their creativity and artistic skills with each county's winning piece displayed in our state capital during the legislative session. This year, I am thrilled to announce that Klay County's
winner is Athena Early, an eighth grade student at Lake Asbury Junior High. Athena created a stunning pen and ink drawing with watercolor titled The Water Moth. According to the judges, Athena's piece stood out among numerous entries because of its vibrant background, which
created a strong contrast and highlight to the line work of the moth. The judges also thought the artwork allowed for a photorealistic perception which was juxtaposed with the watercolor creating a blurry background. I'd like to take a
moment to thank Lake Asbury Junior High School principal Lydia Creel and Athena's art teacher Desiree Stone for fostering a creative and supportive environment for all of their students. After tonight's recognition, the artwork will be delivered to the capitol by representative from Florida Senator
Jennifer Bradley's office. They'll be taking Athena's artwork back to the capitol to inspire visitors and legislators throughout the upcoming session. The art in the capital winning pieces from across the state will hang in the Florida capital's second floor rotunda. At this time, I'd like to
invite Athena Early to the front. [Applause] Congratulations, Athena, on this incredible achievement. On behalf of Klay County District Schools, we congratulate you and look forward to seeing all the places that your artistic
skills will take you. Let's give another round of applause for Athena. Uh, next up we are going to recognizing or recognize outstanding 2025 2026 school volunteers with Miss Tori Grenice, coordinator of family and
community engagement. Good evening, board members, Superintendent Broski, and guest. Um, with me tonight, I have my amazing family and community engagement specialist, Paula Summers, and together we are proud to present the Klay County District Schools Outstanding Volunteer
Awards for the 2025 2026 school year. November is recognized across the state of Florida as family engagement month. A time to celebrate the powerful partnerships between schools, families, and communities that help students thrive. There's no better way to honor this month than by recognizing the
volunteers whose dedication, time, and care strengthen our schools and support student success every single day. On these first few slides, you'll see just a few snapshots of the incredible volunteer efforts happening across our schools. From Orange Park Elementary's trunk or treat and campus
beautifification projects to Lake Asbury Junior High's trunk or treat event, Fleming Island Elementary is on here and their campus beautifification. Clay High School students volunteering at their back to school bash. And these are just um these examples represent just a
fraction of the ways our volunteers make a difference. But we also want to recognize our faith-based and community partners, including the church volunteers who helped with Fleming Island High School's beautififica beautifification project prior to the start of the school year. These images represent only a fraction of the
countless ways our parents, students, and community members contribute their time and talents to make a difference in Klay County schools. On this next slide, you'll see some of our district-wide volunteer data. this. So far this year, we have over 12,000
level one volunteers. We have over 2,000 uh level two volunteers. We have hosted more than 225 school events. And that is not including extracurriculars, fine arts, performances, or athletic events and an impressive 16,000 volunteer hours
recorded so far this school year. While these numbers are incredible, the true impact of our volunteers goes far beyond what can be measured. Their time, compassion, and commitment have a lasting effect on our students, staff, and school communities. Tonight, we are honored to highlight
four extraordinary individuals whose dedication stood out among many deserving volunteers. Each of these honores was nominated by their school administration teams and selected by a district committee for their outstanding contributions. I'm excited to share a little bit about each of their stories
told through the heartfelt words of those who nominated them. When I call your name, you may come forward to receive your certificate. First, we have um Ivy Carroll, an eighth grader at Orange Park Junior High School.
[Applause] Ivy has made an extraordinary impact across her school and community through a wide range of volunteer efforts. She has supported athletic events, helped with volleyball concessions and football
and flag football ticket sales, ensuring events run smoothly, and fostering the school spirit. She has also assisted teachers with classroom setup and organization, creating welcoming and structured learning environments for her peers. Beyond the school walls, Ivy has contributed to the Ridgu High School
drama camp, tutoring fellow tutored fellow students, and participated in a historical society tour, helping preserve and share community history. Whether helping in the classroom, at events, or with peers, Iivey's efforts reflect her commitment to fostering a positive and thriving school
environment. Iivey's creativity and initiative have not only enhanced school programs, but have also positively influenced the learning and growth of students across Orange Park Junior's campus. Please join me again in celebrating Ivy Carroll, our CCDS youth
outstanding volunteer of the year. Our next honory is Tammy Miller, an extraordinary volunteer at Fleming Island Elementary. [Applause] A little bit about Tammy. So, for over six years, Tammy has dedicated her time, energy, and creativity to support
students, families, and staff, contributing more than 700 hours of volunteer service in the past year alone. As president of the PFA, she has strengthened family engagement, guided volunteers, and helped foster a welcoming and positive school culture.
Tammy's leadership has transformed the school's PBIS program, turning the PBIS store into a vibrant student- centered space that recognize recognizes and rewards positive behavior. She also organizes major school events, including the glow dance and the Halloween carnival, providing opportunities for
families to connect and students to feel celebrated. Through her consistent dedication, innovative spirit, and collaborative approach, Tammy has made a lasting impact on school climate, student motivation, and an overall sense of community at Fleming Island Elementary. Please join me in celebrating Tammy
Miller, our adult outstanding volunteer of the year. Oh, sorry. [Music] Do we have a volunteer that can help with technical difficulties? Our next honore is Deborah Garvin, a
remarkable senior volunteer at Middberg Elementary. Deborah is the cornerstone of the school library wherein she ensures that it runs smoothly by checking books in and out, shelving, and maintaining a welcoming space for students. She works closely with kindergarten students patiently
helping them keyword patiently helping them find books and fostering early literacy and a love for reading. Her contributions extend far beyond the library. Deborah organizes materials for small group lessons, supports the McKenna Vento program, and prepares weekly teacher folders, saving teachers
valuable time so they can focus on instruction. She also enhances school spirit by decorating for events like Dad's Bring Your Child to School Day and donating treats and supplies that brighten classrooms and staff spaces. Deborah's volunteerism is not only consistent but multi-generational,
beginning decades ago with her own children and continuing today with her grandchildren. Her proactive, generous, and encouraging spirit also inspires others to volunteer, multiplying her impact and building a stronger school community. Through her dedication, creativity, and care, Deborah has
positively influenced every single student, teacher, and family at her school, making her an invaluable member of the Middberg Elementary family. Please join me one more time in congratulating Deborah Garvin, our senior volunteer of the year. And last but not least, our final honore
is Ashley Pippen Jones, a resiliency coach volunteer from Tines Elementary. Ashley has been an integral part of the school community for the past 5 years, dedicating her time and energy to supporting students, families, and staff. Working closely with the school's
mental health counselor, school counselors, and dean of students, Ashley identifies students who may be struggling academically or socially and builds positive mentoring relationships that help them thrive. She actively mentors members of the Tines Tiger Club and informally mentors several other
students, regularly communicating with classroom teachers, parents, and counseling staff to ensure these students have the guidance and support that they need. Ashley's leadership extends far beyond direct student support as she helped to create a volunteer coordinator position on the PFA board, expanding the volunteer
network from just a handful of parents to a robust community of family volunteers. Her coordination ensures that every volunteer need on campus is met, increasing family engagement, and strengthening school programs. On any given day, Ashley may be supporting the media center, assisting with special
events, or mentoring students, often averaging 20 hours per week. Not counting the additional time she dedicates through calls and emails, her efforts enable large-scale events such as the PFA's fall festival to succeed with dozens of teen and adult volunteers contributing. Through her commitment,
advocacy, and ability to harness the power of community, Ashley has made a lasting impact on her school, helping students develop resilience, confidence, and meaningful connections. Join me in congratulating Ashley Pippen Jones, our resiliency coach of the year.
Would these administrators please come up for a picture as well? [Applause] Up next, we have the recognition of the 2025 5 2026 Klay County Principal of the Year presented by Superintendent Mr.
Broski. >> All right, this person's probably going to think you're all here for him. Uh this person 24 years within our district, started at Lakeside Junior High 2002, teacher at Orangeburg High School, athletic director at Orange Park
High School, AP and principal at Bannerman Learning Center, been at Middberg High School since 2020. Under his leadership, Middberg High School has earned an A school ranking three consecutive years in a row, which I see
Miss Richardson here. We know that's special and that's a leader to say the least. Uh district district leader in the roll out of positive behavior supports. Uh deeply committed to reaching all learners on his campus. A
great mentor for new principles. consistently at the top of the list for walkthrough numbers. He's in the classroom seeing what's happening at his school. Industry certifications increased from 235 to 692. Okay, so students are exceeding uh
expectations at his school. CTE signing with business partners and students who are entering the workforce directly supporting all students not just collegebound students is his mantra. visible in the community supporting students at all events. He is Mr.
Middberg High School. Our principal of the of the year for 2526, Mr. Martin Afuck. Mr. Broski, can I say something, Mr. Broski? >> Yes, ma'am. >> I just want to let you know that his positive attitude is infectious. In my
family personally, our two homeschool girls are now going to Middberg High. One starting in January. It would have never happened without the positivity that you give to your teachers and your students and I personally appreciate you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Aba. Sorry. Uh up next, Superintendent Broski will present the recognition of S. Brian Jennings Elementary for consideration as a 2026 exceeding expectations award school.
>> Okay. It's my honor to to to uh present this um this award. Exceeding expectations. You know, not every school's made the same. They don't serve all the same communities out there. And so some some schools uh exceed expectations. You might say, "Well, what does that mean?" There's actually a
group that studied data across the state of all of our schools and then they use various metrics that I'm going to explain as quickly as I can in order to make a determination like this. So, this is not something you apply for. It's not something you seek. It's something that
other people look at the data and then say that's a school that needs to be recognized for the work that's happening there. So there's some basic background about the exceeding expectation schools, but I think it's best just to show you this graphic. So if you look at it in uh
2025, there's about 1794 elementary schools across the state. Then you look down the red bar, the second bar down, it dropped down to,60 that were um that had a poverty index.
Then you see down the next sort of red 694. That's the number of schools that had an A or B ranking. And this school has an A ranking by the way. Then you go down to the turquoise color. No ESSER findings. That means every single
subgroup on campus met the federal index. Then you go down another level and you can see it's down to 200 now across the whole state that reached this level which is a percentile ranking of achievement above 50. Then you can see you're down to 90 schools across the
state have achieved this a percentile ranking for learning gains. Then you can see the last two you're down to 45. and then eventually only 35 schools across the entire state of Florida fit
this particular category for this school. So this really is amazing and great work happening at this school. Uh the school that I'd like to recognize as a top 2% in all of Florida under this index is S. Brian Jennings Elementary
School. We have We have Principal Farber here and as Brian Jennings is just a great place for kids to go to school. Through her leadership and the faculty there, they do great things. So, congratulations. All right, up next we have a school
showcase. Shalon Elementary School with Miss uh or principal Whitney Johnson. [Applause] Oh, and there's some sound on that. You
could turn the sound on. All right. Well, will they work on that? I'll just go ahead and get started. Um, uh, first of all, Mr. Broski, board members, I want to thank you guys for having us here, uh, so Shadow Lawn can showcase this amazing school. Um, board
members, I know that you all have never had the opportunity to visit our school. Um, so we have something for you to make you honorary Falcons for just tonight. And Mr. Moore is going to bring that to you. Everybody wants some SLA swag obviously.
And for Mr. Broski, um, you have a hard job and and I know that there's often times that you don't, um, get to really, um, enjoy the fruits of your labor and leadership. So, for you, we have a box of
handwritten notes from our staff. So, every day you can start the day on a positive note. [Music] Okay. All right. So, good evening. So, I'm I'm principal Whitney Johnson. Um, I'm the proud principal at Shadowon
Elementary School. I'm in my eighth year as an administrator there. Um, and you know, the beauty of my school is I got to go to a school that was already beautiful and my only goal was to help continue to bring it to its full brilliance. Um, I have amazing teachers
and right here with me tonight is Mr. for William Moore who is my assistant principal and he's in his second year at Shadowon and he has been an amazing addition uh to our team. He's a Falcon through and through. Okay. Okay. And so now I want to
introduce you to what matters the most at our school and that's the faculty and staff at SLE. Um they are really the star of the show. I don't know how many of you all are familiar with uh Mrs. Honey from Matilda or Mrs. Frizzle from
the Magic School Bus. If you're here tonight, I'm sure you are. Well, our teachers are like if you took them, made a mold, they had a baby, and you created a super teacher. That's my teachers who are the best of the best. And I got some right here. I'm super proud of them. So,
I just want to take a a moment and let you meet all of them because I'm just so so proud of them. [Applause] [Music]
If you ever find yourselfuckst [Music] to help our friends in need. I'll be there. [Music] So what I love about our school is like so once a falcon always a falcon. I know I think I just stole that from Lakeside
but facts are facts. So at Shadow Lawn, like we even have teachers who went to school there who were so impacted by our educators, some of them whom are are right here, um that they came back and we're like, you know what, I want to come and be part of that special
community again. Just kidding. So I want you to meet Cassidy Chaff. Um I actually got to hire her um last year. uh she went to Shadow Lawn, so she's a a former and a current
Falcon. Um a and she talked about the impacts that Shadow Lawn had on her. And now she's she's back and she's making impacts of our her own and it's beautiful and we're so so proud of that. So I can't say enough what a magical
school we have. Um, and I think that what makes our school so magical is because we take culture and we take the expectation of achievement and we kind of swirl that around and it comes out as excellence. Um, and part of that is with
our teachers. You know, we know that if our teachers are happy and they feel that homeostasis, that's going to trickle down to the students. Um, and that's that's our goal. Um, sometimes we know it's okay to slow down and it's okay to, you know,
maybe you don't need to test that day. Maybe you need to make a macaroni necklace for your grandma. That's all right, you know. Or maybe you need to step outside and you need to see if you can see the the SpaceX launch. That's okay, too. Because what teachers do best is they not only, you know, we don't
just teach and learn. We we make beautiful core memories. That's who we are at our core. That's what we do. So, at Shadow Lawn, we obviously we have guidelines and we have rules. Um, we're very big on character. We feel that by
building character, um, we're going to soar. We're going to soar in the classroom and that's what we focus on. Our students are very aware of these expectations and that that makes us special. And obviously to reinforce this, you couldn't have um you know those great
guidelines and rules without an amazing uh school counselor who can reinforce that and come in and make sure that students are meeting their behavioral and academic goals. Um we have a school counselor named Stacy Murphrey. Um, and
she is truly just above parin. She helps all of our stu uh students sore. Oh, and this is one of my favorite places. I spend a lot of time here. So, so here we have the Falcon Cafe. Some of
y'all might call it your lunch room, your cafeteria, but no, ours is a cafe. And so, we feel like that culture should extend across uh the campus. Um, and I obviously have one of the best cafeteria managers in the county here, Zoe Drury.
And she also has something for you guys over here. But the Falcon Cafe is really a place where you can get the world's best queso, mashed potatoes. You know what I'm talking about when they have the rolls, too. You can dip the roll in the queso. It's a thing. It's a thing. So,
that's what we do. We have fun Fridays where you go in the cafeteria and and you're going to listen to some throwback jams and you're going to get your positivity on. Um and uh Miss Jury here, she has established um the hairet hero program where students are recognized
for kindness, uh positivity, good manners, and she has set the bar. She set the bar on expectation on what kids deserve when they walk into the Falcon Cafe. She's got a little something for you, too. You want to pick that up? >> Oh, you already got them. Oh,
>> so if you ever come to our school, you can take that pass. Skip the line. It's your lucky day. It's going to take you right to the front. Okay. So, because we are so heavy in mixing culture uh with academic expectation
um we see this uh formula play play out obviously um with being a top five school in Clay County. Um, we're a a proud A school and not only
that, we've been designated by the Department of Education as a school of excellence. So, we're we're owning it out there 100%. And so I think, you know, when I think about where we want to go, um, our goal is to continue to rise because what
happens is when we meet these numbers, which our teachers work so hard to do because they love kids and they're amazing um, teachers. What happens is is we know these numbers mean that we're providing our students and families with a high
quality education and they deserve that and that's what they get at Shadowon. And just some more warm and fuzzies. I just want to tell you what makes us special also. Um but we have a deep sense of community. Okay. Um, we're
always working towards involving our families and our students uh into the fabric of our school. So, we're always trying to offer community events and clubs and I'm just going to go over a few of them. We have lots of them um but just a few.
So, if you were to come to Shadow Lawn, you could experience rocking around SLE where you could experience the sounds of the season um with your family. We have the drama club which is led by
it's teacher led by the way by Michelle Perez our teacher of the uh year Leah King who's right hereoop and Sydney Mullen. And and these aren't these aren't just like these are above par theater performances. They're engaging. They're captivating. Like I
would pay money 100% to see them. Oh, next we have the chess club, which I have Jessica Cam Morland, my chess club uh coach, right here. And so in our chess club, our goal is to teach critical thinking skills and that there
are no gray areas, only black and white. >> Yes. Hey, >> stop. I just We also have our story book parade. Now, if you had been there last Friday, not only would you have seen the most
adorable children dressed up, um especially my favorite at the bottom, that's a boy stuck in a porta potty. And that's a win for the team right there. He won. He won it all. But then you could have also have seen our fourth and fifth graders do a flash mob to thriller
and like surprise, right? So much fun. And that was led by our coach Schaper who was dressed like a dinosaur while she did it. Yeah, that's a teacher right there. And we have our dads and donuts which we have an amazing turnout. That's where
you can come and you can sip hot coffee and eat donuts with your favorite falcon in the morning. That's just a good time. And while we have so many more things to offer, I couldn't I had to at least
bring up the chariot races because I know that this is unique to us. We have the only school where not only do you design and build a chariot, you race a chariot. So for just the day, Shadow Long goes back and we turn into the Roman Empire. Like it gets a little
dangerous, but look, we have fun with it. Oh, and then of course our community partnerships. Um, this is very special to us. Um, and we're very grateful for all of the these are all of our businesses who work with
our school and this is another way that we can keep our environment positive because these uh businesses help us to provide incentives for our staff and our students to really keep things fun. So, we appreciate all of them. Um, and then
I can't say enough about our parents and guardians as well. Um, we know that they entrust us with their kids for most of the day. Sometimes we see them longer than they do and we don't take that lightly and we honor that at Shadow Lawn and their
opinion and um, their input matters to us and we take that into account. Um, we asked many fa many families. We said, "Hey, you know, why are you proud to be a Falcon?" And um I want to take a minute and I want to listen to one mom and I
just want you all to know that this is not a paid actress. I gave her nothing. Nothing, but you know, I might need to when it's done. So, um
just take a listen here real quick. of the little falcons at Shadowan Elementary. And quite honestly, I do not think my kids would thrive as well as they are in any other school. And the reason for that is because of our teachers. Hands down. We have some of
the best teachers in the county. They love our kids well. They love my kids well. They are always willing to walk through whatever it may be with them. Whether they just woke up grumpy that morning or whether they were struggling with a particular task, the teachers are so encouraging with the kids, they're so
loving and they are willing to walk through whatever they need to that day to help kind of turn maybe that grumpotamus uh attitude around. So, I appreciate how much these teachers invest in my kids and just our kids in
general. Honestly, you walk through the hallways of Shadow Lawn, they are bright, they are colorful, they are full of the kids art, and these kids are happy. Like, they want to be at this school. And I think a lot of that starts from the top down. Having Principal
Johnson as our principal and the way that she leads and the way that she loves the kids as well, I think that just has a trickle effect throughout the whole school. So, honestly, I cannot think of a better school I would rather be in. Um, I so much appreciate her
leadership um just not with the teachers but with the kids as well. And I think that these kids want to do well. You know when you have support from the top down the kids want to perform a certain way. So that you know they can make everyone around them proud. So as a
parent I am grateful to be part of Shadowon. I am proud to be there and I honestly cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be. [Applause]
Um, so since I'm since I'm right here and I've got the podium, I want to shamelessly like congratulate and plug my teacher of the year. Leah King, could you just stand up real quick? Right. Right here. Yeah, she's shy. She's shy. Hey, she's a powerhouse in the
classroom. I would literally walk on hot coals for her. She is good. Um, anyway, needless to say, I appreciate your time and I I truly I just want to thank you all for giving us the opportunity to to share our story with you. It's a story we're proud of. I'm proud of our
teachers. I love these ladies and um we thank you for your time. Have a good night, >> Miss Jury. We'll be there on Italian dunker day. All right. All right. Last call for comment cards. After this,
we will not be accepting any. Just a FYI. Um, and we're going to since there's no specific agenda item, we're going to keep moving on to discussion items.
Okay. So, at this time, we are going to open the public hearing to approve, as advertised, revisions to the schoolboard policies and bylaws. Uh, if you would like to make a public comment on these specific uh policies
and bylaws, please line up at the podium. You do not need a comment card. Seeing none, we are going to close the public hearing. Can I get a motion from the board to approve the school board policies and bylaws revisions?
>> I'll move to approve. >> I have a motion from Miss Hansen. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> I have a second from Mr. Alvaro. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any oppose?
Vote carries. 50. And there is no human resource special action. So we're going to move on to the consent agenda. Uh please note proclamation number 26-07 to establish November 17th through the 21st 2025 as national education week and
November 19th, 2025 as um educational support professionals day. Sorry. Uh, also proclamations 26-08 to establish school psychologist week as November 3rd through the 7th, 2025.
Uh, can I get a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> I'll move approval. >> I have a motion from Miss Gilhousen. Can I get a second? >> I'll second. >> I have a second from Miss Clark. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any
opposed? Motion carries. 50. All right. At this time, we are going to do public comment. Uh I'm going to have at least five of you line up at a time behind each other. So when I call your name, just line up because there's quite
a few of you. So we want to be efficient on time. Uh that being said, uh remember our our rules that are not posted up there. Maybe we can get them up there. Uh kind of nice. All right. So, first
up, I have Oh, and to be efficient, uh when your time runs out, there will be no running over when when it dings, the next one comes up. But I do not see a name on here. So, hold on one second.
Shondaanda Holloway will be our first one. John Meeks following her. Please come to the podium and line up behind each other please. Nikita Copelan, Christine Devault.
Shondaanda Holloway, are you present? Uh John Meeks if you'll be first and then we will have Miss Nikita following Christine Devault and then Sherry Smers. Is Miss Sherry Smers present?
Okay, please line up. Please line up behind each other so that we can um keep going. Miss Kelly Stal Stalner and we'll start with that and then go from from there. So you have three
minutes, Mr. Meeks. Go right ahead. Remember to state your name and address. >> Yes, ma'am. John Lewis Meeks Jr. Um I live at 3500 University Boulevard North, Jacksonville, Florida, apartment 3301. Uh, this is a homecoming for me because I grew up in Klay County. I went to
William E. Chair Elementary School. Uh, I remember Jesse Tine signed our report cards back then. It seemed like he was superintendent forever. Went to Orange Park Middle School and Orange Park Junior High School and Orange Park High School. And I am proud to say I'm now a public school teacher of 23 years. Thanks to the work that your teachers
and education staff professionals put into me, invested in me as a young man. So, I'm grateful for them teach this late talker how to speak. My mother says, "Will you ever stop talking?" Um, you taught me how to become a good journalist, a good writer, a dreamer, a thinker, a doer, and I'm ever so
grateful to the men and women of Klay County who taught me and helped raise me. And I became a teacher of the year because I modeled my work after that of Jeannie Chamblas, my language art teacher at Orange High School, and we're still in close touch. And we have brunch on Sundays together. And this proud Raider is expressing his gratitude from
the bottom of his very heart and hopes and truly praise that we do right by our teachers and education staff professionals. Go Raiders. >> Miss Nikita, you're up. >> My name is Nikita Copelan and I live at 3222 Wood Glenn Drive in Orange Park.
I don't have a threem minute speech for you. I just have a couple of things that I wanted to say. The teachers are what give your your schools the Agrade that everybody likes to boast about. I have three kids that attend clay schools and it used to be four.
Not one of their teachers, present or past, is worth 0% of a raise. They come in early, they leave late. They use a lot of their income to fund their classrooms, either be it lessons or just fun activities for the kids to
do. They also put themselves in front of our children as human shields to protect them. They're more than educators, more than mentors. They're essential members of the village that it takes to raise our children. And I'd like to understand how their contribution ranks below the boards when they themselves are with our
kids more than full-time. And the board position is a part-time gig. I feel as a community we know better and if we know better, we must do better by the essential members of our village. Remember that they're the key factors in shaping the futures of all of us in this
room and in this county. I feel this insult is an extreme has an extreme negative impact on our community as a whole. It's just my twocentent opinion, but I'm sure the majority of your stakeholders agree. Uh, next up, Miss Christine Devalt.
I'm going to ask everyone to hold their applause in between because the next person's going to come up and their time's going to start and you're not going to be able to hear what they say. So, Mr. Devault, can you please >> Hey. Um, my name is Christine Seavoy Devault. Uh, address is on file. I am an
RN at a local junior high school. Standing before you again to first thank the board for making the decision to have a full-time mental health counselor at our school. The support has been vital for the needs of our students. For
some of it has been a matter of life and death. our mental health support um is wonderful and already has a full schedule um the one you hired. Um now I stand before you to address the matter
of the increase of the 500 students to our school then how there was positions that were eliminated before the increase of our students. There was no consideration taken into account of the fact along with no
compensation whatsoever. There is two of us in our tiny little clinic and you did not take into account the needs of more space to care for these for the increase of these students. Upon our inspection with the Department of Health recently,
we pass with flying colors. All besides the number of students that enter our clinic is over capacity. Now, us as nurses are considered support staff holding the sixth graders increased our needs for
space. also increased our paperwork, liability, and workload, including hearing, vision screenings, scoliosis testing, height, weight, more um reports, including multiple communications that have to be shared um with the parents multiple times. In
stating all of this, none of us do this for the money, but increasing all of our jobs by 500 students with no compensation speaks volumes to your employees. Please consider these facts.
With all the increase of housing development and new highway, I'm really not sure why there is no money. Thank you for your consideration, >> Miss Sherry. My name is Sheri Smers. I live at 9967
Merlin Drive East, Jacksonville, Florida, 32257. This is my 25th year in public education. For two of those years, I was a kindergarten teacher. And during the other 23 years, I have been working as a school counselor. I'm here tonight to
implore the school board to make teacher pay a priority. The professionals who are educating and nurturing those who will one day be running our country should not have to hold multiple jobs in order to take care of their families. I personally know of several co-workers in my current work location who do have
multiple jobs in order to make ends meet for their families. Teachers need to be financially compensated appropriately for their hard work and dedication. Every year when I make the toys for tots and holiday food lists for families that are unable to provide
Christmas gifts and holiday meals for their families, I have to put a few of my faculty members on those lists. I find it shameful that these hardworking professionals are paid so little by our school district that they qualify for these resources. Furthermore, the fact
that incoming teachers are making only a few thousand dollars less than those who are nearing retirement is unconscionable. I personally have a friend who is in her sixth year of teaching and she makes $6,000 less than I do in my 25th year
with two master's degrees. Many teachers are leaving our district so they can make more money in neighboring districts. If I were working in Duval County this year, I would be paid $9,000 more than I am currently being paid. Board members, please make teacher pay a
priority so we can retain our hardworking, experienced teachers. Thank you for listening to me tonight. Miss Kelly. >> Good evening. Uh Kelly Stnau, my address is on file. I have spoken to the board before tonight as a teacher, breaking
down in detail how the salary is not providing a living wage for teachers. I have shared my son's medical conditions and the financial burden of being the lowest paid state in the country for a teaching profession and the exorbitant cost of the health care offered. I have
listened to the reasons from the board at the end of the meetings with concerns over budget changes at both the state and federal level. I had a shred of hope that all parties involved were attempting to do their best to get teachers a fair contract until honestly I didn't have any hope any longer. I
have listened to the budget crisis and I've heard you say you cannot give teachers or the majority of them a raise despite the inflation and the state of our economy. As a part-time school board member, you had the audacity to acquire a pay increase on a part-time job,
earning the salary of almost the salary of a teacher who works days, nights, weekends, and still does not have enough money to get ahead. Actions speak louder than words. That action is a huge slap in the face to the dedicated teachers of this county. It is unjustifiable.
I do not cannot comprehend how you can say there is no money for the teachers to have even a basic standard of living raised. Instead of in instead of standing in solidarity with your employees by having a pay freeze for yourselves, you took the opportunity to
increase your part-time pay to that of many full-time positions in the county. The exasperation is compounded with diets here. they are not eligible or do not meet the criteria to have a raise with the assistance from the safety and security fund. Do you honestly believe
teachers are not the foundation of safety and security at school? If you do believe teachers are vital to the safety and security of the school, why would you deny us having a raise with use of these funds as is happening in other counties? Every year teachers are taking the the
mandated safety and security required trainings at last hours. We have been trained with stop the bleed and the life back to ensure the safety of our students in case of an emergency. We guard doors at arrival and dismissal times. We walk and ensure the safety of our bus riders, biker walkers, and
parent pickup. We check and recheck locked doors. Just today, I had an incident where a student shoved another student. I was responsible for the safety and security of the students in my class. I got involved. I stopped the inappropriate behavior. I made contact
with the parents. I put steps in place to ensure this incident would not happen again and as I am responsible for the students safety in my classroom. Teachers are the first line of defense and protection. Just because we do not carry guns does not not mean we are less vital to the safety and security of our
schools. Attempting to deny this or the use of this fund is mindboggling. Putting money towards digital signs outside of the schools is not an effective security measure. Priority. >> Thank you. >> All right. Up next,
Miss Jean Baptist. I'm going to ask again that we hold our applause because this is cutting into time to your teachers. Okay, that's fine. Miss Jean Baptist, Victoria Tomkins, Shana Bell, Roberto Torres,
you're going to they're going to miss their opportunity to speak because they can't hear. And then they're going to they're going to to They're not going to you're not going to be able to hear them. Jean, Victoria, Shannon, Shan, Shannon,
Roberto, Caitlyn, Kim, I didn't say Caitlyn's last name. Uh, Thomas, Kimberly, Deepis, Deucus, >> Dep. Donna Ganis, Winona Melton,
Chris Harris, Justine Gallab. >> Okay, there you go. Machine, go right ahead. State your name and your address.
Jean Bastine. The first name I called. That all I see is Jean on here. >> Good evening. My name is Dun Jean Baptiste. My address is on file. Just like the pastor that you had to come present, I'm going to start off with Luke 12:48, which talks about how
much is given, therefore much is required. This conveys the idea that those who receive blessings, talents or resources have a responsibility to use them for the benefit of others. According to niche nishe, however it is
pronounced.com205 um rankings, Klay County is number four among best school districts in Florida, number eight in the state for overall public schools, number eight for having best teachers. So we see here where much
is being given. So therefore much is required on your part as it pertains to paying teachers. Clay ranks 48th through the 50th. That was earlier when I checked. When I got here I was told 51st. The county uses seven mindsets to teach
the following. Everything is possible. Passion first. We are connected. 100% accountable attitude of gratitude. Live to give. The time is now. Well, if everything is possible, then it is
possible for you to check your resources to see what it is that your collective minds can do to give teachers what it is that they have earned that the county gets to benefit from. Passion first. Let's see where your passions lie based on the decisions that
you make. We are connected. If we are truly connected, then we're going to make sure that every facet is recognized and that the needs are met. And we're talking about practical needs here. People being able to pay their mortgage, paying their rent, having the funds in order to pay for services that their
children may need. 100% accountable. Teachers are held accountable. They are evaluated. They are provided with opportunities in order to better their craft. We need to make sure that you recognize that you are held to that standard as
well. Attitude of gratitude. It needs to be more than just the attabo and the glowing comments. It needs to be also reflected in the pay that you provide. Teachers live to give. It speaks for itself. The time is now. No better time like the present. James Bowwit said it
best. I can't believe what you say because I see what you do. Thank you, Miss Victoria. Victoria, address on file. I'm here tonight to speak about the substandard offering the district has been has made in regards to teacher payraises. We are
contracted to work seven of hours. Six and a half hours are with our students. Those hours do not even begin to include the time we give before and after school. On a typical day, I and many others arrive prior to contract. Did you know that to create a good engaging lesson takes a minimum of 45 minutes or
to grade for 85 students or create a test and grading essays can take hours? Oh, and our planning is 30 minutes, a little longer in the higher grades. Depending on the day and the teacher after our contracted hours, we voluntarily go to tutoring, drama club, girls on the run, math team, or sports,
and the list goes on. Teachers then either stay at school or take work home. the times I quoted to get the basics done. That doesn't include parent phone calls, board configuration, basic room maintenance, required paperwork and training from the school or district, updating data spreadsheet, and the list never ends. Now, try to add those hours
up. It can't get done in contract hours. Despite all of this, we continue to do the job we love and do it very well, which is shown through our A rating. And yet, the district offers us F money. Here are some things the district has said. It'll be a miracle if we make payroll by the end of the year. The digital marquees are a safety and
security need. The state allotss money for the superintendent and the school board raises. My response, if it will be a miracle a payroll is made, it will be a miracle there are teachers left in this county by the end of the year. The last time we had a code red lockdown, I don't remember the digital marquees coming in any room to help hide kids.
Have you ever tried to hide 21 kids, one in a wheelchair and a closet? But please continue to tell us that teachers are less important to safety and security than the digital marquees. The state does a lot money for your raises. What you left out is that you voted yes to that raise. It's the principal. It may
not be a lot, but it's the principal. For scoreboard raers who are elected officials to a voluntary part-time job to be making almost the same amount as a teacher is egregious for a number of reasons. But especially so in a year where budgets and jobs have been cut and now many are facing a food shortage
issue. While you make this 48,000 something for a part-time job, you have many teachers working a second or even third job just to survive. People want to know what does the board do to deserve this 3% raise. When you make your decision when presented with the district's budget plan and the unions, please remember the following. The
majority of Klay County teachers fall into either one to nine years of service or 21 years or more. The district wants to give nothing to teachers from one to nine years, and they want to only offer $800 to our most veteran teachers. That's about $28 a check with a 14% tax rate. The union is only asking for
$1,500, about $53 after taxes, which for many is barely a tank of gas, but we will take it for all that we do. Remember that when you vote, I hope you will all be able to look every teacher in the eyes after you make your decision. Miss Shana,
Miss Shana, Miss Bell, good evening. Klay County is one of the best school districts in the state of Florida. Yet, the average teacher salary for uh a Klay County teacher is $50,000, well below the state average, lower than
neighboring counties. St. John's County this year gave every teacher raise raising from $4,500 to $8,888. Under your proposed budget, a 20-year veteran teacher in Klay County receives only $800.
What will happen to our community when the employees of Klay County's largest employer can no longer afford to live in the communities in which they serve? What is going to happen when those same employees can no longer support the
businesses that support us? How will Klay County continue to grow and thrive? We can't. The answer is clear. When your employees struggle, our communities struggle. Your
budget decisions are harming the very the very families who elected you to guide our most precious possessions and the very people whose lives are dedicated to educating the next generation. We are not asking you to be
fair. Fair would be for you to pay us for every hour that we work over our contract hours. And the average teacher works at at least a minimum of 10 hours a week. That is over $11,000 in unpaid
labor every year. We're not asking for that. We're not even asking for you to be competitive with the neighboring districts. What we are asking for is to show that you respect and value us. Mr. Broski, at the last school board
meeting, you said the teachers wanted a nice place to work. And I thought about my Klay County teacher friend who with eight years of experience and a master's degree is stuck in a bad marriage because she can only afford lowincome housing for herself and her two girls.
She deserves a decent place to live and a safe place to live for her and her children. Tonight I am asking each board member to stand with the teachers who have to go to food banks in order to feed their family. Stand with the teachers who have
to work two to three jobs to stay afloat. Stand with the teachers who have to forego medical and dental care because they just can't afford it. Tonight I am asking you if there is truly no money for teacher salaries, if
there is not one cent, I am asking each and every one of you to make the hard but honorable decision to turn down your raise of $1,457. [Music] >> Thank you, Mr. Torres. You're up next.
>> Good evening. My name is Roberto Torres. You have my address on file. Uh members of the school board, thank you very much for uh for the time given. Um I come to you not as a teacher or as an employee of Klay County. I'm simply just a homeowner, taxpayer, and registered voter here. Uh me and my family uh moved
to Jacksonville over a decade ago. Started over at Duvall. Uh we eventually made our way over into Klay County. Uh where my family all uh me, myself included, bought our first homes. Uh we've met our partners. Um my uh my partner being a teacher for the for Klay
County. Uh we have been supremely happy when we first started here. Uh she felt that uh my partner felt that she was getting a lot better support, better funding, and at the time fair pay. Meanwhile, my family felt uh that my nieces and nephews were getting better
support from the uh from the faculties, uh teachers, the schools. They were just getting everything they've been needing. Uh it's been great. However, these past uh couple years, we ignored a decline. Uh on top of the raising property taxes of people coming in, which I know that's
not as out of your control, uh we have been noticing the slashing of funding uh whether in school supplies, meager raises, uh just coming in left and right. Uh I myself have had to put in more time at my own job just to make up
for the lack of funding uh so we don't degrade the quality of teaching. we uh my partner has been giving to the students and that my niece and nephew have been receiving. Um however, as far as for my family, enough was enough. Uh they felt they were not getting a proper return of investment. We didn't come to
Klay County for the amenities for the parties or anything. We came for the schools because you guys are the best and I want you guys to continue being the best. Uh but they eventually sold their homes, moved out to Clay uh to Duval County and St. John's County. uh
my uh teacher friends and co and colleagues uh also ended up moving out to Duval County apologize. It was uh it is tough but I really do not want to sell my home. Um I don't want to move to another county. I do
believe in this district. Um I know it's it teachers who are great communities great. I know you guys uh do a great job too when you can. I understand it's a full effort, but we this is not sustainable. Uh last year between uh the
making up the lack of funding, paying for the additional certifications uh and the very meager raise, I felt that we lost money last year and the MA and my the math proved it. So I urge you not only to do what's fair um is to invest into the future of this county.
You guys will not only lose teachers, you are you will lose residents. We came here for the education. Please let us stay and please continue to invest in the future here. >> Miss Caitlyn. >> Hi, my name is Caitlyn Thomas. My address is on file. I've been a third
grade teacher for 12 years. And in my opinion, actions speak louder than words. So, while I may be here this evening simply using my words to express my immense frustration, your actions, the actions of the board can actually impact myself and my fellow educators. Something that I teach my students every
year is the word integrity. To do the right thing even when no one is watching. When no one was looking, the board made sure to provide themselves that 3% raise this year. When no one was looking, multiple superintendents have increased their own salaries. When no one was looking, special advantages were
made to help out everyone but your teachers. This is in reference to page 83 that the schoolboard members will get reimbursement for their high-speed internet at home. Meanwhile, I don't. Also in reference to section five, travel on pages 85 to 89 of the revised salary schedule for this year. So now
that the eyes are on you, will you continue these same patterns or will you show integrity and do what's right by your teachers and students? Teachers are in are demanded to do more than ever before. Yet our value isn't matched. Our input and dedication to our craft has been used and abused for far
too long. Teaching is one of the only jobs where we're called professionals, but we are certainly not treated in a professional manner. We are doubted, questioned, villainized, and made to believe that we don't deserve fair pay. We've been brainwashed to believe that we're in
this profession for the outcome and not the income. Obviously, none of us went into education to become rich and famous, but we certainly did expect to live off of our one paycheck, but it's just not cutting it anymore. The amount of times that I've heard friends, family, neighbors, parents say things to
the sentiment of, "Oh, teachers deserve to be paid better." But there's never any change. You're the people who can make the change. We shouldn't be standing here before you begging for income. What we should be is at home with our families who we already spend such little time with because our
jobs are so demanding already. We should have a school board that's fighting for us and with us for our pay. We should have a school board that's willing to work with our union for the betterment of all of us teachers here. But at the end of the day, I know it's the hard and fast numbers that speak more loudly than
any personal story that you may hear. So in you know all of the numbers. I'm not going to go through all of that again. I'm going to skip down to the next part. I have three main things to say. Teachers are incredibly resilient. Despite being short changed our salaries, we still continue to bring you a sustainable Agrade. We work with all
of these expectations, but we still show up. We are taken advantage of. Our hard work at this point is expected. We go above and beyond, always keeping the status quo and we're expected to still keep our heads down only because people say it's just part of the job that you
signed up for. And lastly, we've sat by for too long. We are the ones who are doing the hard and dirty work in the classroom day in and day out, and we deserve fair pay. Thank you, Miss Kimberly.
Good evening. My name is Kimberly Dewe and my address is on file. I'm here tonight to get us thinking about safety and security. How? How could it happen? We have gates. How could it happen? The doors were locked. How could it happen? We have the best security system money
can buy. How? How did it happen? The gate was breached. How did it happen? The lock was busted. How did it happen? The system was down. How? How did they save them? The
teachers barricaded the doors. How did they save them? A custodian swept the campus for students. How did they save them? A heroic educator heard the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
I ask you, will you remember the ones who keep our students safe? Will you remember the ones who put themselves in harm's way? Will you remember the ones who give it their all? For when the things you've invested in fail, the ones you've forgotten remain.
We remain the first on the line when a student is in crisis. We remain the first on the line to deescalate a situation. And at the end of the day, all too often, we remain the last ones there prepping and preparing for the day
ahead. Why do you prioritize things and neglect to budget for people? We are the first and last lines of defense when it comes to safety and security.
Miss Donna. >> Good evening. My name is Donna Ganes and my address is on file. I am actually here this evening to speak on behalf of another teacher at my school who is has lost her voice and is not feeling very well. She does have something that she
wants you to know though. As a single mother of two children, she cannot afford to take a day off because she is sick. She also qualifies for free and reduced lunch and that is shameful.
Please do right by our teachers. Thank you Winona. Miss Melton. >> Hello. Good evening members of the board. My name is Winona Milton and my address is on fire file. I am here
tonight as an employee of Klay County District Schools to express my deep disappointment in your decision not to provide raises for support staff. Quite frankly, this is unacceptable. Klay County Schools cannot function without its support staff. Without
transportation department, more than 14,000 students would not get to school every day. Without our cafeteria staff, students would go without meals. Without our nurses, students who need medical care would not receive that
care. Without our custodians, our schools would not be clean, safe, and ready for each and every school day. Every one of us, from transportation to food service, from maintenance to clerical, play an vital role into keeping our schools running smoothly.
In many industries, employees receive a cost of living adjustment each year just to keep up with inflation. Yet our district denies us even the smallest increase. Even just 10 cents more an hour would make a difference. It's not about the
money. It's about what it represents that our work is valued. Meanwhile, surrounding counties are offering more competitive pay. Just for example, St. John's is paying its bus drivers up to $7 an hour more
plus bonuses. But because of that, we are losing good, experienced employees, seven drivers this school year alone. So to be told that there is no funding for raises is simply unacceptable. This
district has let down both its teachers and its support staff, the very people without whom this school district would not function. We deserve to be recognized and compensated fairly for our contributions. Klay County can and must do better.
Thank you for your time. >> Mr. Harris, Chris Harris, 356 Willow Green Drive, Orange Park, 32073. I She said I could have her extra time. Um 16 days ago, um I emailed every board
member and I took a different approach. Um, I could stand up here and talk to you about what I can't afford. I've done that before. Um, 16 days ago. I've yet to receive a response from anybody. That's unacceptable.
Sorry. It's just unacceptable. Even just to let me know that you got my email would have been something. Um, so my email approached things from a different angle. Um, I asked some questions that I wanted some answers to and that's why I
emailed and in my email, if you read it, I said I'd be here to ask the same questions. So, one thing that I'm truly interested in is what as a school board you can do to share the frustrations of your
constituents, your your teachers, uh, about the lack of funding from Tallahassee. Like, what what can you do? What are you doing? because maybe it's me, maybe I'm ignorant, I don't know. I don't know of what you can or have done in the past. So, I'd love that
information to be told to us. I'd like it to be transparent so that we have an idea of what legally you're allowed to do, what you have done, what you plan on doing. The second question was, I've been a teacher for 21 years. Um, to hear
that the budget was a shock. Florida's hasn't budgeted for teachers in 21 years. So, where is the forethought? Where is the planning to take care of us? It always seems like it's, well, we don't have the money, but if we have the
money, we're going to give it to you. Well, can we start planning ahead? I don't see why that's so difficult. Are we communicating to the community, our parents, the dire needs of our teachers? Because a lot of them, I don't think, are aware. to me that falls under your
job to communicate that to the public so that they are willing to give more money if that's what it takes so that we can be paid a fair wage. You make according to what I can find about $4,000 less than I make after 21
years. But it took 16 but it took 16 days and I didn't even get a response. If I didn't respond to a parent after 16 days, that's a problem. So,
my mother, God rest her soul, taught me that actions speak louder than words. Other people have said that today. As a Klay County teacher, as a a parent of a Klay County student, and as a graduate of Klay County schools, I'm tired of the placating words. It's time for some
action. >> All right. Up next is Justine. But before we start with her, Molly Geyser, Jason Dune, Doney, I'm trying to read handwriting. I'm Jason Jason. Jessica uh Kitell Kitell
Judith Chapel Liz Crane Christopher Trhan >> Tran Tara Richardson Mary Howie
and Chan Chandra Holley. >> All right, go ahead, Miss Justine. >> Thank you. My name is Justine. Um, I'm not a teacher. I am a parent. I'm also one of your neighbors. Um, I really do
believe in what public schools mean to our communities. I don't come here uh as someone who grew up here, but my kids go to school here and I believe in the education that this school district gives to my kids. You guys are amazing. Um, I'm here tonight because I want to
stand with the teachers, of course. I believe that they're doing everything right. They show up. They do work overtime. time. I know many of that is unpaid and they support our kids when we can't because a lot of us are working families who can't work and teach. I can't do my job and teach my kids and
they would hate it. Um, but somehow they're still being punished by the policies that come out of Tallahassee. Policies that make it harder and harder for public education to even survive in this state. Meanwhile, you know, politicians here in Tallahassee are arguing to spend money making schools
hang portraits of of US presidents. That's uh SB420 and HB 371 if you don't know. Like seriously, that's the priority in it right now. That's what gets money. They don't get money. You know, not enough to make sure that these teachers can pay rent, pay their
mortgage, buy their groceries, or even stay in the jobs that they love. the same people who would lay down their lives for our children if there was a shooter in their school tomorrow. But somehow they're the ones told there's no money for you even though you guys said there's money for us. While the board
doesn't directly have hands on everything. This is disgusting. This is backwards. This is ridiculous. And at the same time, we've got what? $24 million that's being siphoned out of Klay County all into these private voucher programs. all of these things
that have no real oversight, no real transparency. We don't know where that money goes. We don't know how it's spent. We don't know if those kids are actually getting the education the taxpayers were promised and that we pay for. Meanwhile, Klay County gets a $10 million shortfall. And the teachers are
being told to yet again do more with less. Sorry, no more for you living wages. Boohoo. That's not sustainable. This is not responsible. And it's sure as hell not fair for them. It's not fair to our kids. It's not fair to the parents who depend on this system like
me because not everybody can homeschool. Not everybody can afford private school. We rely on these public schools because that's supposed to be for the greater good. And what's most frustrating is living in a family or I'm sorry in a state that talks nonstop about family values but refuses to value the people
who educate our children. It shouldn't be controversial to say that the teachers deserve to make enough to live in the communities they teach, to own a home here, to raise their families here, to retire here if they want to. But under these kind of policies, that's getting impossible. So
do more, do better for our teachers. Miss Molly. >> My name is Molly Gieser, 401 Styles Avenue, Orange Park, and I have proudly taught in Klay County for 36 years. I have devoted my entire professional life to helping Klay County students grow.
This community is my home and its children are my heart. But tonight, my heart is heavy because our teachers, the people who make this district what it is, are reaching a breaking point. The Klay County Education Association has
reached an impass with the district over pay. That impass is not just a contract dispute. It is a crisis that threatens the stability and excellence of our schools. The district's current offer is
not a raise. It is a message. It tells us that decades of experience, advanced degrees, and deep commitment are worth little more than leftovers. Nearly half of our teachers would receive no raise at all under this
proposal. Meanwhile, teachers in neighboring counties are earning more for the same work. Those districts have made comp competitive compensation a priority because they know it is the key to retaining experienced educators. Klay County is falling behind and that
difference is pushing great teachers to leave for our districts that value their expertise for other districts. At the same time, board members recently received about a 3% raise. If the people in charge of policy and oversight are
granted raises to account for inflation and cost of living, then surely those of us doing the daily handson work with students deserve the same consideration. The district argues that millillage
funds are earmarked only for safety, but let me be clear, teachers are safety. We are the only ones allowed to answer our classroom doors all day. Why? Because of safety. We are required to wear panic
buttons and trained to respond when there is a threat on campus. We are the eyes, the ears, and the hearts that keep our students safe. There is no school safety without teacher support. Klay
County success is built by people, experienced, compassionate, skilled teachers who show up day after day, year after year, even when their paychecks fail to reflect their worth. I urge you tonight to make fair teacher
compensation a true priority. Invest in the professionals who create the excellence you celebrate. Value us as partners, not placeholders. Thank you, Mr. Jason.
>> Jason. Uh, my name is Jason Don. I live 5495 Gordon Court. Uh, I'm not a teacher. Uh, I'm a parent of two kids that graduated from this high school right here, Living Highland. Uh, great kids. They went to college. They get a great education
here. But I am the husband of a teacher and the brother-in-law of a teacher who has to live with me because she can't afford to live on her own because she doesn't make enough. She has a master's degrees. She's worked for 17 years. She can't afford.
Is that your problem? Yeah, it is. You guys asked for this job. All of you ran for this job. You said, "I'm going to do better than the last group." Have you? I don't know. Have you done last bit of the last group before that? I don't
think so because I'm sitting here look looking at this. I pulled this up last night and I remember this from 2011. Another superintendent came up and said, "Oh, we can't afford it. We can't do this. We have a list of uh what teachers are supposed to make." It was a step increase.
This was 2011. So that's 15 years ago. A 27year teacher was supposed to pay $60,000 a year >> in 2011. So now today in those numbers it'd be $87,000 $86,000 something like that. I
did learn from some teachers so I do know how to do math. The 17ear teacher which is my sister-in-law she should be like 62 or 67,000 right now. Neither one even close. Not even close. So now you're telling us the same thing. The last superintendent
said please we're at a shortfall. The guys before us made a mistake. They didn't get the 3% savings. So, it's it's, you know, just please help us break your contract. This was a contract. As a business person, when I sign a contract, I have to honor it. The
school boards before you did not honor the contract. Ask them to help them out. Please help us make up this shortfall, and we'll make it up to you. We promise. If you even honored this contract at
$60,000, you would help. But honestly, you owe 27,000 or teachers for 27 years. You owe them $86,000 a year. Let's not add up all the money that they didn't get paid because of this. They helped you guys or your predecessors when you
needed them. Now you're again going, gosh, we don't know what to do. Another teacher said it great. I hadn't thought of it as a great idea. And as a business owner, I have to plan two, three years in advance for taxes, for employees, everything I have to do. I don't get to
just go, "Sorry, the budget was bad. Can't do it. You guys have to do better. You asked for the jobs. You ran for the jobs. You spent money to become in char because I don't hear that either,
>> Miss Jessica. I'm Jessica Kitrol and my address is on file. Um, I'm speaking today because I have a question I can't get out of my mind. When I heard that all of you were receiving a 3.5% raise, I was under the impression that the state determined your raise based on population growth
and it wasn't you that created the raise for yourself. Therefore, it was out of your control. Then I heard that you had the option to decline the raise, but instead you chose to accept the 3.5%. Now you make $48,500 for a part-time position for the county.
Meanwhile, with my nine years experience working a full-time position, one unpaid part-time position, which are all the rest of the task that teachers have to do in order to make sure that their students get the best uh education that they can uh give them. And I also work
another part-time paid position. I'm working six days a week and I'm barely making more than your part-time position. The state feels you deserve a 3.5 raise due to population growth. Why is it that you feel I deserve 0% educating those
that are the reason why you got your raise? You may say you don't feel that way, but I've watched the bargaining meetings. I've watched multiple options be put up on the table for consideration and all of them have been declined because there's no money. However, when
asked specifics about the money, it's always an um a broad answer and never specific and not transparent. We as a public deserve to know where exactly the funds are going and why there isn't enough for teachers. But let's say you are speaking the truth and there truly
is no money to give educators. Here are the facts. You, as a part-time schoolboard member, were offered and accepted a $1,457 raise. Veteran teachers with 10 years or more experience and an abundance amount of uh professional development hours
under their belts get a 300 or I don't know, someone else said $800 raise, whatever that is. U myself along with 45% of other teachers or more in the district with less than 10 years experience are getting 0%. Mind you that some have master's degrees. I myself
have worked extremely hard to maintain a highly affected teaching status which is due to my highly rated evaluations and my student state testing scores. Yet we are worth 0%. Your plan is to give us something in two years based on funds that you don't even know if the state is
going to be offering them at that point. Lastly, highly qualified educators are already resigning. They are not waiting until the end of this year, let alone two years. My question is, why would you accept a raise from our compensation funds yet leave 45% of educators with
nothing and veterans with the leftover money? I honestly don't know how you guys are able to sleep at night. >> Miss Judith. Hi, my name is Judith Chappelle and my address is on file and this is going to be a little bit of a commercial break
because I'm not going to be talking about teacher salaries. I actually watched the workshop and I wanted to thank you guys for being able to look into taking on student discipline in the future. My granddaughter is a student
here at Fleming Island and one of the things that she talks to me about every day is her fifth period class. In her fifth period class, there is a student discipline issue. I actually came here with my heart breaking for what it is
that this teacher deals with on a daily basis. He has students in his class that interrupt his class daily and it seems to be a challenge for him. He even mentioned during our orientation that
these students are an issue for him and he seems to have his hands tied. This behavior seems to be something that he cannot deal with. He writes referrals. They're back in class. They're banging on desk. They're disrupting his class on
a daily basis. He spends about 80% of his classroom time in trying to discipline these football players that are part of his classroom and only about 20% of his time teaching. My heart
breaks for him as a teacher. Until today, I was actually wondering where this poor behavior could come from. Where did they learn how to disrupt
meetings when there should be some decorum? Where could they learn how to not act correctly when there should be sitting quietly in class? Thank you,
>> Miss Liz Crane. >> Good evening, Liz Crane. You have my address on file. Last time we chatted, I shared that you were paid 46,544 in the 2425 school year. And this year, your pay increased to $48,11.
Financially, as we've heard tonight, that's 1467 or a 3% raise. that is almost three times more than what you are offering the employees. It was stayed, oh well, we can't do anything about it. Legislature determines our salary. Well, you're half right. State statute does have a formula to determine
your salary. As stated earlier, statute 10001395 that the board's salary is the amounts are indicated based on the population of the county the district board member serves. However, if you keep reading, just underneath that statute is this
one. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section is 145.19 district school board members may reduce their salary rate on a voluntary basis. Now I have a lot of history in this county been involved with the union for a long time.
Back in the 2000s I remember when the school board voting on their salaries they felt very strongly that their salary should not be higher than the beginning teacher salary. Remember that, Tara? If I can remember only one year where a
school me board member differed, but if memory serves, they still voted to keep their compensation lower than the beginning teacher. This is not due to a law. They did not think that they shouldn't be compensated. It was about decency.
I began to see erosion in that decency in 2009, and I'm seeing it again tonight. I am sure by now your attorney has the statute up on his computer. He's probably had it up all all day and is looking at one in particular. So I'll
save him the trouble. Just under that statute about reducing your salaries is another one. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section 14519. The salary of each district school board member shall be the amount calculated pursuant to subsection or the district's beginning salary for teachers who hold a
bachelor degree whichever is less. Please note that this was the language that came about in 2009. The previous school boards were not held to that language. They reduced their salary on their own.
They had decency. So what is the decent thing to do? If you firmly believe that there is no money and you could not possibly give not one additional red penny more than give it back to the district,
the decent thing to do is to vote collaboratively, collectively to reduce your salaries to the 2425 school year. >> Christopher, >> good evening. Christopher Tran. My
address is on file. I stand here this evening in solidarity with my f fellow teachers instead of being in my graduate courses right now. And I stand here in f in solidarity and protest to your failure to bargain in good
faith. To witness the unprofessional conduct of the district at the last bargaining session was shameful. and beneath this county. Shame.
Your claims of financial hardship ring hollow as we witness this school board voted to give itself a 3% raise, which comes out of the county's budget, as well as increasing spending on supplies and materials by upwards of
about $4 million. Where is the fiscal conservatism that this district has championed itself on for decades? The brain drain that you're risking by refusing to budget for your employees is
very real. I'm curious how many advanced degrees are in this room right now. I myself hold a master's degree and I'm in my third year of doctoral studies. I start my dissertation next year and I stand
here before you saying that my wife, God bless her, with her bachelor's degree makes in one paycheck what I make in a month. You claim that teachers aren't part of safety and security,
but who's responsible for securing my classroom and protecting my students in the event of an emergency? who was ushering students into their classrooms today at Orange Park High School when a lockdown was triggered,
not a drill. Had the situation escalated, it would have been the teachers in the classrooms who would have been responsible for protecting the students of our school. We're the ones on the front line each
and every day. We're the ones in the classroom. We are the eyes and the ears of our schools, not you. It is offensive to be dismissed and diminished in the
way that you as the board have done. To ask us to accept a proposal that left 45% of our teachers in this county out in the cold is cruel and abusive. You have continually increased our
responsibilities as professionals, all the while increasing our class sizes to the point that it appears that you have no intent to respect our or honor your obligation to the class size amendment. Our working environment is our students
learning environment. Do better. >> Hello, my name is Mary Alice Howell. My address is 428 Winfield Circle. Um, and today I'm before you because I would like to speak to school safety and who actually keeps our students safe every
single day. According to Klay County School's own job description, a school safety officer is expected to monitor hallways, deescalate conflicts, communicate with parents and law enforcement, supervise students, respond to emergencies, and build relationships
that prevent problems before they start. That list, that's my Tuesday. Teachers patrol hallways, bus loops, and parking lots. We deescalate arguments. notice when a teach student seems off and step between students and flying
furniture all while teaching, grading, and managing the emotional climate of a classroom. We complete safety training on bloodborne pathogens, human trafficking, mental health, first aid, life act, bleed control kits, Narcan administration, and de deescalation
strategies. We handle medical crises, emotional crises, and everything in between because our students safety is literally in our hands. So, when I hear that teachers shouldn't receive salary funding from the safety and security
mill because we're not safety personnel, I have to ask, what do you think we're doing all day? The board earns about $500 less than a firstear teacher for a part-time position. Meanwhile, we're told there's no room for fair raises for those who
make the daily magic and the daily safety of our schools possible. If value was measured by actual work, teachers would be at the top of the list. And the irony is our district is ranked fourth in the state. The ranking isn't because
of schoolboard meetings and workshops. It's because of the teachers, staffs, and students who show up every day. But I do not doubt that our success will appear in your campaign materials as though it were your achievement.
We've also seen the lack of respect toward the bargaining committee. Snark, condescension, and dramatic exits from the board spokesperson have replaced dialogue. There are other ways to show appreciation without breaking the budget. adjusting supplements for
advanced degrees, leaving early on half days, extra planning time, or aligning our last day with the students if duties are complete. What's missing isn't money, it's imagination. When I started teaching 22 years ago, I earned $36,000
to keep up with inflation. I should make about $65,856 today. Yet, I'm nearly $10,000 below that. Miss Terra, >> it is shameful, >> Miss Tara. >> My name is Tara Richardson and my
address is on file. I would like to remind the board and the bargaining team that respect costs actually nothing. And I have to tell you, I' I've been coming to schoolboard meetings for 45 years. It's a different room. It's a
different board, but it's the same attitude, and the seats are hard. I'm speaking tonight as a retired educator, a grandmother, and a citizen of this county. I'm speaking tonight because I read that Mr. Broski was disappointed that
teachers didn't understand the pressure he and the board are under regarding salaries. As a former employee, I can tell you that the teachers in this county do understand pressure. You've seen it tonight. They have pressure to complete
their work serving the students in this county. They have pressure affording and paying for housing, food, insurance, and paying their monthly bills. In 2022, I was part of a group of female educators who met with Representative Garrison, actually then Representative
Garrison regarding House Bill One, the bill that provided vouchers and uh money to private and charter schools. Representative Garrison at the time said that he wouldn't vote for a bill that would make Mr. Broski's job any harder.
Despite the information that I shared with him at the time that vouchers would cost this district in the in the area of $8 million far short of what you are actually you actually lost. Representative Garrison voted for the bill.
I've had an interesting educational career. I was 21 years in the classroom, a teacher and a union leader, a proud union leader. than an administrator to finish out my career. I can assure you that this
district has been to Impass several times. It is never good to go to impass with your employees. There is nothing productive and all you do is burn through any goodwill that you have with your employees. You really need to
consider supporting your employees the best that you can and respecting them when they speak to you. Miss Holy. Hello. I'm Dr. Shondaanda Nicole Hosley. My address is on foul and I was I'm not
here to talk about the topic. However, I would be remiss if I did not say that we have two daughters that have gone through currently going through the Klay County school system and they are thriving and that's because of what teachers are imparting imparting into
their lives. So, I hope that you all can resolve this issue with the teachers. I support the teachers. Um, due to a scheduling conflict, I was not able to address this situation when it happened in real time. But I would like to know,
it dates back to um September 3rd when our Florida surgeon general had a press release, I'm sorry, press conference and he mentioned that vaccinations, mandatory vaccinations may become a thing of the past.
Um, I would like to know your thoughts on this potential outcome and what discussions you are proactively having to address it. I'm a doctorally prepared public health professional and I know the scientific benefits of vaccinations.
They have reduced and in some cases eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled humans such as polio and smallox. So therefore, I'm curious as to what plans are being devised by this body to address such a policy
change. Thank you for your consideration, Miss Kidwell. You're up next with an update. You're up next with an update. Good evening, chair, board members, superintendent, and hopefully some
members of the community. Tonight, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the educators who make Klay County Schools what they are. Our teachers, counselors, pair professionals, support staff, and administrators are the heartbeat of this district. They are the
reason our classrooms feel like family. Our schools feel like a community and our students feel seen and supported. Klay County's reputation as an aid district is not built on programs or policies alone. It's built on our people. Our educators spend their own
money to make a classroom feel like home. They comfort a child having a hard day. And they find new ways to inspire curiosity and confidence. Our educators go far beyond what's written in a job description. They arrive early. They stay late. They plan lessons long after
their own children have gone to bed. They bring creativity, patience, compassion into every corner of their work. They coach, they mentor, they listen, and they lift others up. Our people care deeply about every child who walks through their doors.
Tonight, while many of us are gathered here, I want to acknowledge those who wanted to be here, but notified me they could not. After giving their all to their students all day, they must head to a second job just to make ends meet. That reality should give us pause. These
are dedicated professionals shaping the next generation. Yet, too many are sacrificing their evenings, their energy, and their time with their families to simply get by. Still, they show up every morning with smiles, determination, and hope. They find ways
to inspire despite the challenges. Excellence is not an abstract goal. It lives in the daily actions of these dedicated educators who inspire the spirit and the success of our students. Our educators deserve more than our
gratitude. They deserve respect, fair compensation, and the unwavering support of this community. But tonight, at the very least, they deserve to be seen and celebrated for all that they give. I am so very proud of them. And to every
educator here and to those working elsewhere tonight, thank you. Thank you for your endless dedication, your courage, your compassion, and your belief in our students. You You're the heart of Klay County. You are what makes this district great, and I hope we never
forget it. >> All right. Up next we have or is Mr. Lonnie present? Mr. Lonnie. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> But that's the update.
>> Good evening school board members, support staff, and the good citizens of Klay County, you teachers. My name is Diana Bose and my address is on file. I am proud to serve this county as your school as a school bus driver. For nearly 12 years, I have served our students in our community with
dedication. Before making Klay County my home, I spent 22 years as a Navy spouse supporting military families and several commands here and abroad before and after 911. A time that tested our nation, but also showed us the power of
unity. In addition to driving, I serve for I serve for a prominent criminal law firm with jurisdiction nationwide on my own contract and I proudly serve and learning
this vice president's role for CESPA, our support staff and emphatically know the importance of a contract. Tonight I stand not only for myself but for the hardworking support staff of Klay County. The people who show up to keep our schools running and our
students safe. Are you aware we are in a government shutdown? Families right here in this community are struggling to afford groceries and housing. Now is not the time to withhold a raise your support staff has earned. And we
are not asking for luxury. Excuse me. We have heard time and time again that the Klay County is poor county. No, we're not. But the growth we see all around us tells another story. To
neighborhoods, new families, new development. Klay County is not the same county as it once was. Everywhere you go, we run into traffic. New buildings popping up, new housing popping up. What we are asking for is for something
fair to our citizens. I want you to hear this clearly. We are currently and will be as of Christmas break. 16 drivers short. 16 drivers short. That means 16 bus loads of up to 55 to 76 kids will
not have a driver. And folks like me and those that were standing with me, we're running hard to try to get our kids to you. Teachers and we are human. We're not robots. We break. That's 16 loads of children without a
consistent driver. We are not short staffed because people don't want to work here. We are short staffed because people can't afford to work here. They are leaving to go to other places that pay better. We are losing good people. Our students are paying the price.
Let's speak safety. Not long ago, Mr. Broski, I had a situation and I thank Mr. Boyak. Wherever he's here, I have to stop and I'll honor that. But thank you for listening.
>> Yes, sir. All right, Mr. Broski, superintendent update. >> Yes, ma'am. Wow. Um, I agree with Miss Kidwell. We should celebrate, you know, all of our employees and the work they do. I thought she did a good job, Miss
Kiddwell kind of wrapping that all up for sure. Uh, there's no doubt that our employees deserve more. So maybe what I ought to do is kind of pivot a little bit on what I was going to talk about, talk a little bit about some of the questions that were asked here. You know, one of the things that when we're
in an impass type of situation, the board really won't be won't be talking much about it because they can't. So I guess I'll be the guy that does some speaking on behalf of the board related to this particular topic. So tonight I'm
going to talk a little bit about the budget and then I have some other stuff that's really great dealing with students, schools of the month, our October recap virtual planning. I I listened to Mr. Harris. Are you still out there? Where are you? Okay. Some of the
questions he asked some of the points that he brought up as well as some of the other the other uh folks what they said. I think it's true. Absolutely 100% true. So I would I would appreciate the opportunity to give this quick three
minute overview of this. I promise I'm not going to spend very long doing it, but trying to trying to give this to you in a easy digestible view of the budget. So just going to give it quickly to you
so you could see this one. You know, ideally you want a budget that's that's balanced, right? revenue and expenditures have to match. Just like just like at home, you you can't spend more money than you make, right? A very
basic concept. Unfortunately, the 2526 budget, you can see that expenditures far exceeded revenue from the state. So, when I heard Mr. Harris kind of pointing towards Tallahassee and other places, I think he's very astute in his analogy
there. Florida ranks 50th in funding for teacher pay. It ranks 43rd overall for per per student funding. That is not good. It's really not. It's
at the very bottom of all of our states. When you take a look at the history of this, never before in the history of the state of Florida have they not produced a fourth calculation. So a fourth calculation is at the end of the year when you get to April the state says
okay here's where you're at district this is the last calculation to this day they have not produced the calculation why I hate to I hate to say this I think it's because of uh vouchers and their
inability to figure it out how about that right it's kind of sad to say in addition federal funds were withheld And the state didn't even pass a budget to the very to the very end. If you recall, let's talk about what's happened
and what the state has has done. Uh in regard to the budget, you can see that the revenue that the state produced was 78 of 1%. That's less than 1% that the state gave. Inflation alone is 2.9%. So
in a in a district terms, that's roughly 16 $16 million loss. TSIA, the salary given the salary initiative for teachers, they cut that by 55%. That went from 2.7 to 1.2.
Think about that. The legislature through legislation and the budget, they went from 2.7 to 1.2. In addition to that zero increase for safe schools, mental health again ranks
43rd out of 50 states, ranks 50th in teacher pay, right? You could see that in the TSIA number. If you take a look at what happened uh to us specifically, enrollment uh went down about 500
students from the previous year. You're going to see I'm going to give you a slide here in a second that's going to show this. In addition, FRS has gone up every last four years. Vouchers, I heard maybe four or five of
you speak about this. And let me just say this is what's happened to Klay County with vouchers. I I think I heard Miss Richardson too uh talking about it. 30 million. Let this sink in. $30
million from Klay County going to vouchers. If you notice in the 2324 school year, which is the third column, if you can't see it, third column from the right, you can see that's when it all exploded. If you pay attention to
the legislation, what happened in that year was they took off the income limit and also made it so that it was universal and could go to private school. So, there's currently public school funding, right? Public
school tax dollars going to private schools, students that students that have never ever been enrolled in public schools. As the public school superintendent, I absolutely
uh am upset about that. You know, I think that speaks for itself for everyone out there. So, you may say, "Well, what's happening?" What you Yeah, we'll tell you what we're doing about it right here in a second. When you take a look up
there, you can see all other districts in the state are experiencing the same sort of thing. I hope that you're kind of tuning in and seeing what's happening to public education across our state. Uh, of course, locally, we're focused on that, but you can see that just about
every district is having similar issues. In the case of the bottom one, because I don't want to call out names, you know, they're they're looking for an $85 million deficit. So, all districts started off with this particular year in
the 2526 year. How are we going to make up $30 million of funding for vouchers only paying us a 78%. So, I know all that's like, okay, well, great. What are you doing about it? Right? That would be the question. I heard that from the
back. Here are the things that we've done so far to be proactive related to this. Uh all district and and school allocations. Yes, we did move I think 242 positions if I got the number right uh
of positions reallocated out. Okay, that that's tremendous amount of shifting that you guys all all know what I'm uh talking about. We also reduced budgets by 20%. That's all budgets across the board. That would include things such as
energy and other and other items. We canled contracts. We did uh return on investment to figure out what programs for example transportation itself, the amount of money that the state funds
transportations, and help me out if I get it wrong, but it's like 9 million. The total cost of transportation is almost 18 million to give you an idea just alone. Travel monitoring uh all of those steps are
currently being taken and in addition I heard Mr. um I think it was Mr. Harris you talking about hey what's the plan for the future? We've met several times with our local delegation, which is they're they're really good people and at the same time, you know, being good
people is one thing, but also producing more money is another thing, right? And so, um, we're we're we've done that, working on that diligently. I will say in fairness
when you look at uh at how the board has contributed over the past couple years, you can see the numbers up there, right? Those are the actual numbers. So you can see from 19
the 1920 school year through the 2425 school year that amount in red is the reoccurring funds reinvested in our employees. You deserve more than that. I know that. Okay. When you see that
number, that total number winds up being around $49 million. So to give you an idea of what that is, that that's that's uh a tremendous investment. It's not enough. Totally get it. But you could
see that number is is significant. The last box that you see there, the $14 million is the increased uh contribution towards health insurance. Right? So, here's a here's a little fact that's not
really talked about much because it's not popular to talk about it, but the last six years, no premium increase on health insurance. That's six years straight. The way that that happens is by increasing the contribution by 14
million. So, when you look at that, and I and I appreciate you listening to me, I really do. When you look at that and apply logic to that, very few businesses wind up six years without any increase. So I think the message there is that we
hear what you're saying. We really do. I'm trying just in the threeminut time frame give you a whole budget picture here, but you can see how the board has done during that time frame. Again, it's not good enough. I totally get it. Okay.
But at the same time uh we are trying to increase revenue and of course we have to decrease expenses. There's only two ways out of it. You have to increase revenue and decrease expenses. So that's kind of where we are now. Uh I do appreciate three or four speakers
talking about like hey how is it that we get more money, right? Uh, I would encourage you to to use uh Democratic principles and contact your legislators related to uh funding. You cannot
increase funding by 78 and think it's not going to have an effect on every district across Florida. That's kind of sad to give you that information that way, but that's kind of where where it's at. So, I do appreciate you listening. Thank Thank you so much for that. Now on
to on to what I was going to talk about super students. Okay. Uh here's Aninssley. Aninsley fantastic student from Ride Out. Wound up safety patrol captain fitness club. Totally great
student. Okay. Reese from Wilkinson Junior High. I'm going to tell you, every adult on the campus of junior of of Wilkinson knows who Ree is in the senior high category. Keenley from uh Keystone. Fantastic kid doing great things out
there. Schools of the month, Clay Hill Elementary and also Rididge View Elementary. Fantastic schools. This month we want you to vote. Uh the theme is helping hands. October recap was principal appreciation month. You
can see the picture of our principles. over a thousand years in education among those principles, 14 of them, more than 30 years on the job. Unity day, want to thank everybody for that. There was the anti-bullying day uh districtwide
virtual parent academy. Uh you can see the virtual parent academy, our courses for parents. Here are the ones that are out there now. Navigating rooms for parents, understanding report cards and accessing grades, FASA fundamentals. Coming soon,
supporting resiliency and understanding dual enrollment. Here's your upcoming events. Tuesday, of course, Veterans Day, day to honor our veterans uh near and dear, and of course the end of the month, fall break, Thanksgiving. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you, Superintendent uh attorney remarks. All right. Well, we'll start with school board remarks. Miss Gilhousen, nothing for me tonight. Thank you, Mr. Alvo. Mr. Clark,
>> the the only thing I'd like to add tonight is that we have had quite a few emails and phone calls from citizens who recognize that school crossing guards are not as plentiful as they used to be.
and it's kind of like our bus drivers. So, I'll just make a public service announcement. If anyone knows anybody that's willing to work for the sheriff's office and do those few hours a day, uh we need you. So, that's all I want to
say. Thank you, >> Miss Hansen. >> Yeah, I just have something little to say. I can't We're not allowed to talk about everything you guys talked about tonight. I I don't think a lot of you know that. But what I want to tell you
is I taught in Klay County. I got hundreds of emails about how I don't understand to be a teacher nearly 20 years, 80 hours a week teaching English to kids who can't read. I was an ESE teacher, got two masters. When I left
the classroom in my 19th year, I made $48,300. My daughter has a master's and lives with me at my house with my two grandkids. I'm sorry everybody left because I was quite
frankly tired of hearing the emails about how we don't understand. I absolutely understand. This board absolutely understands. The superintendent absolutely understands. And for some reason that message has
gotten lost. And I just want to tell you that you are close to our hearts and always in our thoughts and we'll work hard to fix it. >> This meeting is adjourned.