they get to spend time with their family and really reflect um and appreciate those who sit around their table um this year and and around their trees. Um and Lord, thank you for all you do and you continue to do for us. Lord, I pray for
discernment. I pray for these board members and superintendent and district um guiding us and making the the right decision for our students. Um I pray all of this in your name. Amen. Amen.
>> I pledge alce 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. At this time, I call to order the
workshop for December 16th, 2025. Welcome, citizens of Klay County. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend today's school board workshop. This workshop is our opportunity as your elect representatives to collaborate openly
among ourselves and make decisions that will decide the future direction of our public schools and education of our children here in Klay County. There will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions at the end of the workshop presentation. Questions will be allowed. Public comment will not be allowed. If
you wish to ask a question, please fill out a comment card with your question and hand the card to a deputy. Your participation is welcome and appreciated. Um before we start our draft review, we're going to talk um board members, if there's anything you guys want to
address or talk about, um we'll do that at this time. But if you don't mind, I just want to address two things real quick before we actually start. I need to since I went on record at the last U board meeting. I got I got chewed out a
little bit. So I wanted to set the record straight that my mom has actually served 38 years, not 36 years. She did not want me to take away that time. So I said, "Well, I will publicly address it."
>> Exactly. I know it feels like like more for her. So, um I said I will address that. I will address that. I apologize, Mom. >> Yes. So, um 38 years in Klay County schools. Um I also there was some chatter and and
maybe we need to I know you uh Mr. Rosski, you've talked about this um a lot. Uh we the school board does have a lobbyist. Um, people have reached out to me actually this week asking me about this. They think it's absurd. They think
all of the things and after I tell them that they essentially pay for themselves and have paid for themselves. Um I don't know if that's something maybe I've kind of sprung this on you if you want to just address because >> Sure I can I can address it from memory but
>> right I know we don't have the numbers and everything in front of us but >> so the um I think the total cost of that Bonnie help me out it's >> 60,000 per year 5,000 per year and this past year we just had a a appropriation
go through I'm going to say it's $1.2 $2 million for advanced manufacturing at our at our high schools. I think it's Old Leaf and Orange Park, I believe, the two schools that are getting that program. >> Um probably have to double check those numbers, but you know, it is a
statistical fact that they bring in much more money than they cost. I mean, um, unfortunately, Tallahassee works the way that it works and so folks like lobbyists aren't a necessary thing in order to achieve objectives of the
district. Southern group, by the way, is our lobbyist group and they are connected in the sense that the they also lobby for the county itself. County government also employs them too. So there's a
unified front as far as Klay County is concerned. Uh when it comes to lobbying, I get >> 1.88 million >> 1.8 >> 1.88 million >> 1.88 million. I stand corrected. >> I just wanted us to address that cuz
there was some talk about that and how it's a waste of money and I I didn't have the numbers on hand either, but I knew it was even an overwhelming amount last year. um uh being able to get some of our our obligations and or our
funding for CTE and a few things that they have done um with that. So I I told them that they bring far more money than than we spent. So I just wanted to address that right off the bat um as well. But um Mr. Alva, do you have anything that you would like to bring
forward to the board or discuss? >> Miss Hansen? >> Yeah, I'm sorry. I always have something, right? um what we're here for. >> Yeah. So I um one of the things to help us communicate more openly for
our taxpayers I wanted to talk about we have created a folder for the internal audit um all of it like the YouTube video is not in there so people who couldn't watch have not been able to watch. I think it's important Mr. Broski
that we get that video in there for them. It is held during working hours and so the people who are really interested would like to watch that like some people go back and watch our schoolboard meetings and our workshops. So in addition to that the minutes are
probably in there maybe I don't know what kind of a time frame so we know when you guys can go look at the minutes. uh this time it took a little longer but it's new right so we need to get that system together and since the board practically we have two jobs policy and budget right I would like the
1% sales tax folder and the 1% mill folders to be moved there so as a board when we talk about um especially when we speak in front of our constituents we can give them that particular page and
they can click on the audit committee how we spend our 1% cent mill, how we spend our half cent sales tax. That alone, um, I guess we can't afford the great tools that Duvall has when it comes to the calculator where you can click on each school and see all the
repairs done. We really need to have I realize our technology department is probably consumed by this new focus thing coming up, but we really need to update our the way that people can view because we have always been very transparent and
honest. Um I give full credit to the fact that we have a half cents committee of civilians, right, that meet and decide what we do with the halfent sales tax. The 1% mill is a directive. We spend it exactly as we say, but you
would be surprised the percentage of people who have no idea that we're doing things the way they're supposed to be done. And so I think we need to really look at what we put in the halfsent sales tax folder, what we put in the 1% bill folder, and bring it all in under
the umbrella of the school board where it sits in most districts actually, the budget stuff. Um, and it gives us a place where we can be out and say, "Hey, this is it. Go to this website." And so I don't know what we can do about that. Trying to make it easier. >> Certainly do that. We certainly move it
over there and look at how it's laid out. >> Yeah. >> People can see. >> We don't need what they have, but at least a place. >> Okay. Or we can put it both places. >> We can put it in both places. That way if they're going to operations, they can see >> because there's no I Yeah. I'm sorry. But there's no way anybody's going to
know to like go into operations. And look, that's the whole point, right? I didn't even really know that. I can go find it after clicking, but we just need that. The other thing is I want to talk about a little bit of the training that I did at the FSBA convention. Um, one of
the trainings I went to and I spoke with Mr. Rosski about this and we kind of just left it as we spoke, but I want to talk to you guys. This is going to piggyback on what Miss Skipper was just saying about the [clears throat]
benefits of having a lobbyist. So that $60,000 brings us $1.8 million. We don't just give them the money just to give them the money and say we have a lobbyist. We utilize that money to make
more money for Klay County. And one of the most important thing I learned when I was there, I went to a SUSPA um meeting. I don't really know what SUSPA stands for. Well, I'm not quite sure,
but I learned about Sarasota County. And this is what I learned about Sarasota County. We are the largest employer. This part is a little background out. We are the largest employer in Klay County. We have over 5,000 employees, 40,000 students.
And within that, one of our biggest problems is is that we are losing students to the private sector. People are pulling their students out. As a business, we need to
stop that bleed. That is the entire problem right now with Klay County. If we could get back 30 million, get back $60 million, we're gold because we are a business, the business, biggest business in Klay County.
We need to start thinking about how to earn those kids back. So, I stayed after this meeting and I talked to he is the marketing director of Sarasota County. Excuse me. I'm just going to
And I said, "What do you do in Sarasota County?" He said, "I'm the marketing director. It's a business. Our job is to market. Our job is to bring good light to Klay County Schools. Our job, number one job, is to
earn back students to Sarasota County Schools." and he said in my first year I earned back 400 students and they were not students that were normally in their system. What that me
means is these kids had never come to public school before. 400 students in one year. And I was kind of in awe about that. And I started to ask him about how you do that. And I say to him, "How many
students do we have to earn back to pay for your salary?" He said, "10." And he said, 'But you can get a whole marketing division to revamp how people feel about your public schools to send out flyers like
you would in a campaign. He said, 'The entire marketing campaign is the most important thing you can do now because your business is losing money. I said, well, how much is it? And we have people that could be here with this
what I'm talking about. It's not like anybody loses a job. how much is it to have your small marketing um I don't know division I don't know what you call it right he said 25 students
now the math says we 400 minus 25 375 students brings us in about we lost 830 million about $15 million in Klay County that it just in my said,
"All the lights and alarms went off." That is the thing we're missing. We are missing a professional that works side by side with Mr. Broski sending out all the things people need to know why Klay County schools are better for your kids.
CTE, sports, as Mr. Broski says, our afterchool activities are really important factor. the fact that we have a banking CTE, a nursing CTE, all the things that we can provide that other people cannot provide and we are
providing in a better fashion than all of those other things as a whole. Right? And so I don't need to do an exit slip. I can sit here and tell you exactly why parents are leaving Klay County Schools. That's a talk for another time. It's not very complicated.
What we need to do is make some of those changes. And so what I am asking for is for us to provide or make an allocation for one marketing person and if the
district could get with Sarasota County, if you're talking about the money for one 10 students, he said nine, I'm rounding it to 10 because I don't that just sounds like a marketing number, right? that how much a professional might cost us. If we could bring in one
of these that work directly with the district, they find out where we're going wrong, how to bring them back in and that position and make we have we have uh people we have Sabrina, they could be together under what is his
profession. He graduated with his masters in marketing and mass mass marketing. That's what they do. So, I'm asking the board and um to hear me out. Yes, it is spending money. I'm going to say it right off the bat. But if nine students pays for it and we can get 14,
15, 20 million, it might not even be the same kids on scholarships, right? Could be other kids that move here, kids coming into the system. We need to fight for those kids. And I'm asking the board to have a little discussion about this allocation because I think we need to
start thinking about our budget and our district as the largest employer in Klay County. So that's that's what I had to say about that. >> Um I'll just piggyback off of that. I mean I think it's a great idea. Um
I've discussed this with Mr. Grosski for a couple months now. One of one of the meets I went and spoke at about our schools was to a bunch of business people and um small business owners and one of their biggest questions.
The whole room actually wanted to know about it was where is your advertisement for um essentially CTE is what they were they were wanting. How do I know that I can go get flowers made uh for my
wedding or or deliver flowers to to my wife for their anniversary or what, you know, how do I know that I can go get my car fixed at Middle Brook High School and where are the prices and what teacher can I speak to and and who can I talk to about all of this? So, uh from a
business aspect, they were essentially saying the same thing that Miss Hansen was saying and I've talked to Mr. Rosski about that that that is our school choice program. Um and we as a public education need to advertise actually several of the emails that I've gotten
um over the last month or so um due to recent events where what are you doing? What are we doing to advertise our school choice options? What are we doing um to let the community know? And I know that we did a really good job with our
kindergarten um campaign. Uh our numbers were were great with that. Um however, I do think that we do need to do more advertising um and that we do need to do more marketing. I have said
this for the last couple of months um on and off the record. Now, what that looks like, how we get there, um and I'll get all of your thoughts on that. Um, I know we're in a in a predicament right now. Um, but same thing with the lobbyists
making you have to spend money to make money. Um, a lot of times and from a business aspect, I get that. So, I wouldn't jump into a whole department. I would also like to see um, >> we don't need a whole department because we have people. We already are doing
this. I just think we need expertise in this particular >> implement messaging messaging. So, I I think our CT and our our ACE programs and our IB program and our um dual enrollment options and um the track that
gets a child to their AA before they even graduate high school are all very marketable. Um but I would wonder if that's really where we're losing students. My suspicion is that a lot of the private school, if that's the target audience, is K8, not 9 through 12,
because there's only I think there's only one private high school in the county where there's a lot of options for K. >> So to me, while marketing is is a part of it, I think the other part of it is how are we competing [snorts] K8? What
are we offering that's different and attractive K8? And I know we've talked through that before. That's where the monastery idea came from. That's where Punch Park Elementary's concept school came from. I think maybe before we look at a marketing strategy, what we look at
is how are we making our K8 marketable. >> So, but here's also the other aspect. When you talk to people, they have no idea that we have a monatory program. They have no idea what OP >> I think the weight list would say different. [clears throat]
Well, no, but we have people from from Jacksonville and other areas that are trying to come in and and whatnot to to use that. But I'm telling unless you know. >> Yeah. >> But the public does not know. They have no idea until I'm telling you when I went and >> messaged it.
>> But what I'm saying is if you're going to catch those kids, you need more than one because right now that monastery program, I think at least it has been historically full with a weight list. So, Miss Gilhouse, if I if I may, I'm not I I missed this part.
>> They actually marketed why they found out why those kids were leaving and marketed to those parents. >> Marketing is beyond our expertise. >> Everybody does Instagram, social media, but if you have to come back to the the
bottom line is we lost 800 students. It it it's good what we do. This is so sometimes I also learned in this meeting when you have something that will work, it automatically insinuates what we're doing doesn't work. And that's not what
we're doing here. We need to get better at what we're doing. School boards are not marketing machines. We were not meant for that. Districts are not marketing machines. We use the tools we have mostly for free and we have a lot
of data. Marketing is what they do for a living and they get fired if it doesn't work. They're not sitting here thinking about us. We have to think about the money and yes this might be but they're going to make sure that our community understands
that problem and that's one of the key problems is what you just said. Absolutely. But they get these kids back and we have how many kids a year moving here with the housing, right? They bring those kids in. Maybe there's parents that have heard about the scholarship. When they
move in, they're getting a marketing package. This is why you need to choose Klay County Schools. We had a slide during our presentation about they were talking about when the scholarships went up, we started really losing a lot of money. Right then and there when we knew that was going to
happen. We should have ran a marketing campaign. And I'm talking at every house, every house of the kid. It is closely run with the superintendent, not with us. It's mostly run with the superintendent in the district. They work on ideas based on the data. And that is one of the areas that they will
do a great job in. And when I and I don't know, I'm just really really passionate about it because we're talking about bringing in 10 new students pays for this position. We have to throw the dice. We have to figure it out. And that is
the one common theme. Every workshop I went to that Klay County was missing. I was telling Mr. Broski, they were talking about making your budget work for you. Check. We did a great job. Great job. Check. Then they would go to the next thing. Check. Communication.
And I had to listen cuz it's hard to listen. But I had to put like an X in that box. And then I would go to the next thing. How to talk about your budget to the community. And it went through again making your budget friendly to the people in your district. Do we do we do a great job? Check.
Check. Check. And then we get to the communication. It is the area that will bring these kids back. It will not cost us any money. Once the allocation is in place, they do the hiring. They he Mr. Broski is very very familiar with Susp.
I talked to a couple of guys that spent the night with him the day before. You guys went to some dinner. I don't. They were really working you that night. >> Crazy. We ate dinner together. >> Yeah, [laughter] it's nothing crazy. It was one of the things you get invited to, but they were working Mr. Broski that night as well,
they told me. [clears throat] So, um, I do understand what you're saying. If it doesn't work out for us, take it away. They're just marketing people. But I think we need to try. That's all. Miss Clark, did you want to say something? You're a business You're a business lady. >> I was going to say I do marketing every
day. Um, I think it's something we should address, but there's so many variables that go into this. So, yeah, we need to address it and let's plan a time that we can have a separate meeting possibly and come up with I mean, as far
as Cali, the I know we've removed the one spot in our newsletter. Has that gone out already? >> No, we had to make a couple little changes. So, that is going to go out before um by the end of the week. All right. I'm just wondering if we could plug in about the lobbyists
and the funds that have come in in that spot. >> You know, I know a couple years ago when I asked for us to look into hiring a lobby firm, we, you know, we didn't know
grants all the capacity that that could bring to the county. But I think maybe that's a good way to if we've got that many people looking at it, maybe that's one avenue where we could plug that in and see how much it's brought to the to the schools. >> Okay. >> So, just a thought.
>> Thank you. >> Yeah. I think Mr. Busky had something you wanted to add. >> Yeah. Well, I can I just real quick I think Orlando, uh, Orange County >> has um hired marketing. I've been
sitting here thinking about some of the other counties and some some other um school board members that I've spoke to across the state have discussed this. I don't know where they are if they're going to where they're at. Um Bvard, >> there's 37 counties. >> 37.
I don't know. I know that they're in discussion with this. Um and I think marketing is never a bad thing, especially the last month or so. I have really come to the conclusion of how
uh much we do need to market andor message um because people just don't know what they don't know and they're not um they're living their lives and they're not educated on how things work and um I'm guilty myself before I got this position. I didn't fully understand
it either. And then when you sit down and talk to people and they ask you these questions and they're [clears throat] like, "Well, why aren't you putting this message out? why aren't you essentially marketing? Why aren't you guys uh uh explaining this? And I'm like, well, we do in workshops or we do
in in in meetings. I don't have time to watch your 2 to three hour workshop. I don't have time to watch your meetings. I should as a as a parent and or teacher, but I just I I'm doing 900 other different things, which is
understandable. So that's why um partly why I wanted to do the newsletter was to get the message out um in small convenient little blurbs so that you had time to just look at it, glance over it and move on or dig deeper and do further
research or reach out to your board members, whoever to ask these questions. But if we're not um and I'm assuming this marketing I know for for uh one of the other districts that I've spoke to in the past about this they market to whatever your need is to it's not
necessarily to bring back kids right >> so they market everything your reputation programs that you know if I had a masters in marketing I could stay here and probably do a better job I can tell you now the allocation packet is being developed so Miss Clark to have a
special meeting about something that 37 other counties just do. We could get a lot of information on it. Um it's not a difficult thing to do. It is difficult. If they create the allocation packet and it's not in there, we won't have any opportunity. Um because I know is it
March or April that we get that packet, Mr. Broski? >> March. But we can always ask for an allocation. >> And so that's what I'm doing is asking for it. if we change our mind at some point. Um, I know I'm not because I have a small business on Etsy and if you're
telling me I can bring in if I pay $10 in ads and I can bring in uh $90,000. That's basically >> One question I have is with other counties are they is it is everybody doing this inhouse or is anybody contracting the service out? >> It's in house. >> It's all in house >> and it's just a position. Yeah. Well,
because they have privy to all the data, the superintendent, they kind of like BFS was the superintendent is my understanding. Um, he knows all of that the what's the going on. They bring in some outside perspective. They know um what does SUSPA stand for, Mr. Broski?
They have people in all these districts. Do you know? >> They're the communications group like FADS is for superintendent FSBA. >> Yeah. And they can help find somebody who's trained in school marketing. They have them. They're most of their people belong in a district somewhere. It
absolutely is not rocket science. It's being done everywhere. >> Does anybody I'm just trying to think budget budget creative um does anybody associate that marketing department with their clay like with their education foundation. Is that an
option where kind of how um that position pays for itself? Could we have a similar? >> Yeah, we can we can look at the structure um you know for that. I I don't disagree with marketing and the analysis there. I think maybe the best
next step would be that we we present to you the things that we are doing. We actually do track that data can tell you the exact number of students that have left and what school. >> How many have gone to home school? How many have come back? There's a whole
enrollment council that we meet and had for a while that the talk of market share is not new to us behind the scenes. Maybe we haven't publicly to talk about it, but anybody on cabin, I can certainly tell you that I talk about market share all the time
>> and how to win students back and and all of that. So, I'm not opposed to a a position to do that in marketing. Uh I think a good place would be is like hey what are we doing now related to that that might help form the
decision for an application. Well, yeah, I only looked at it because what we're doing now, we still lost 800 students. So, that that that little extra what what is it? you know what is it that one thing and sometimes
>> that's why I suggest that I mean it's a great idea but let's find a time where we can prepare to bring our thoughts and what's already >> the board we can we can bring forward that all the information you need to know in making this decision still have
time we can still do the allocation plenty of time to do that >> marketing they are the ones that look at all the things we're doing and just make it Did we get an exit interview for all of those students that we lost? We know the reasons. >> We do exit interviews. We have
>> I think from the business prof perspective is is is a good idea. >> Y >> a lot of them actually we find are interesting. They some of them are just moving and we do ask about their experiences and everything and why did you leave? Why did you choose play? Why
did you leave? Sometimes it's just like I'm moving out of town or military. We get a lot of the militaries whose orders have changed too. And you do have someone that say I just want to go to home school like >> I would say >> and we're specifically lost you guys told us 800 students to the scholarship. So that's the target number not the
people moving out of the district. >> Yes. But also I think it's important to remember that of those 800 a lot of them never were our students. And that's my frustration with the scholarship money is that those kids never generated money in our budget. >> Yeah.
>> Instead, we're just further dividing the the money that we've been given. So, we're competing against somebody who's been in private school for K K through five and you want to catch them for sixth grade. Good luck. >> Correct. >> And and they they know that that's how they got their 400 students, the ones
that never came to public school. Yeah. Here's also another thing that the economy I know inflation they say it's going down but people are still hurting and things are still going up. So my point is is having that marketing
and being able [clears throat] to market to those who never came to our schools in the first place. Sometimes parents, and I know several of them that are sitting on, should I continue to pay for this private education or is public
education really that bad? Like options? >> What grades are they in? >> Um they're well, fifth and sixth and then some of them are no junior high. They'll they'll pay for the junior high, but high school and up. Um but there are a few
elementary schools uh school children that I um families that I speak to that are weighing that option. Um and I >> well it's to certain [laughter] certain schools offline but um I will say that I have had those those conversations and
and asking um you know how how how are your kids doing? How are the people that you know's kids doing? And we have those discussions. But I also just never realized how much because I've I know I've only been talking to Mr. Broski about it last
three three months or so, but really the last month how much I realized there needs to be improved and better messaging and marketing because here's here's the reality at the end of the day. It's $30
million. Can we get some of that back? Can we advertise um better on our page, website, on our social media? Um have more traction on our social media? Uh getting more engaged with our programs and what we
have to offer because there are so many so many um it's almost like quite literally campaigning. You're finding out what all of these people really truly don't know. Um, even with ACE programs and what we have,
>> those are high school. Well, there's some in junior high, too. But that's what I mean. I feel like >> But these people are preparing their kids though. And you can Aren't there um Aren't there pre programs and stuff that we offer that they that they would >> go ahead and uh put their kids in and
instead of actually a family member of mine said I was going to homeschool, but then I realized there's free aids or there's there's programs >> things in junior high for sure. I'm just thinking specifically competing [clears throat] in those elementary age which we did have and I do we still have the Cambridge elementary programs. So
that's one program we could advertise but um what seems to create the weight list and the demand is the concept schools. So as we're looking next year how we're going to be creative with our budget, where are we going to save money? Um you know I I see some
opportunities for um how we can be creative with with how we're attracting kids into our schools. Um, we've done the monitoring program. The key is getting the key is get them in >> because once they come there, the chances of a parent wanting to disrupt
their child's K5 education is low. >> Exactly. >> So, um, but you need that program that is attractive. >> Um, and whether it's a concept school like Orangeburg Elementary or it's a monastery school where a child feels like or a parent feels like this is an
individualized education for my child. That's what every kindergarten parent is after. I want you to see my kid and meet my kids need. >> Yeah. >> Um I don't want them to be part of a large group. I want you to to meet my child. >> Yes. >> And also I just want to say this as a
fact. 20% of our kids will end up going to college and finishing. Right. So the ACE program is a small program >> compared to the majority of what people will become. >> Right. But we're talking about a small group. >> A small group. So that's a small group
concepts in each one of our schools. Right. So there's a lot of different places that are to reach the other 80% of kids who may not go to college. >> Those are our CTE programs in each school. >> Mhm. >> But we don't have those case cases.
>> Right. Right. So the concept school, I actually talked to Mr. Rosski about this as well, like a school within a school, right? Just that concept school. And there's a lot you can do with it. Um there are districts that do a lot with it for like autism programs where you have specialty people surrounding those
kids. Um, it relieves teachers. There's a lot to say, not just because of like ACE and that part of the population. Uh, that concept schools really work, >> right? >> They really, really work. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. Right now, Ksix, we have the Cambridge, we have Orange Park Elementary, and we have
Monasuri. What else could we add to those offerings? >> How many arts? That's right. >> See, a lot of people don't know they don't have arts or Cambridge or We do cuz we're in it, [clears throat] right? But I am telling you, I will I will invite you to some of
these meetings so that you hear these feedback from these people. Because here's the thing, they don't have kids in school. Their grandkids are in school and or they their their kids are just or they have no family members in school and they pay taxes towards the school. So they they still are very interested
in what are you doing? because I feel like sometimes uh people who have no no [clears throat] uh direct connection or contact to our schools are the ones with the strongest opinions. Um especially because they pay taxes and they they uh question why they should pay taxes when
they have no kids or whatever the school. So I say all of that to say um >> and we should have the meeting. We can discuss it at the allocation if we need to. >> Yeah. Because it's not like you just bring anybody in. Suspa has education people.
>> They what they do is and I asked him, "Hey," he said, "Email me. I'll give you all of our stuff for free, Michelle. You just put your county on it." Right? That's what they do. They make it for everybody. They share it from everybody. Like, I would never want to just hire a marketing person. It would have to be a
person who is connected to an organization that does this in the educational setting. That's their expertise. they share everything which he's willing to do right now. Um that's and so that's why I wanted to that last thing I wanted to tell you marketing
when I first sat in there was like we do that right but these are educational marketing people that bring all the expertise from all the counties into here and share everything they have ever made with us for free. So, >> and maybe uh you know whether we use
that company or not use that company, but we can we can hear out the district then discuss it further. Um so we can put on a [clears throat] whether should we do end of February's workshop for that instead of January's. >> Let's do J.
>> Let's let's bust it out. We got it going on in January. >> I know that's why I didn't know. So I didn't know if you >> can can you contact S [laughter] Club because when we said they will offer us everything for free. >> So just just for clarification Sunspan
similar to FAT superintendent similar to FSBA. >> We we are members of Sunsp. >> Yes. >> Terry was actually on the board of directors for Suns prior to leaving. >> Sabrina is tra you know transferring into a position will be part of that. We
know the people. we can get all of that information. To the to the board's point, I think what I would bring to the table is, >> hey, let's learn all the information. Let's learn about what our market share actually is >> and where the where the numbers actually shake out. And then I do agree with
messaging like there should be better messaging if in today's world where people have so many forms of team engagement and way that's very very important you know. I I I give credence to the discussion. At the same time, uh
it also makes it more difficult that no matter what you do in the area of communication, you'll never be able to reach everybody the way you want to reach everybody. I mean, you have to >> Well, we should try. >> Can we do better? Of course. Of course. And so, I would I would kind of leave it
at that. And so, uh certainly, uh I I broke bread with the gentleman from Sarasota. we could certainly uh you know leverage that relationship and all of those sorts of things. Uh you know I agree with Miss Hansen's point that it
takes very few students coming back in order to pay for something and sometimes you do have to spend money in order to to make money that you know I think I think Kelly will vouch for me because she's in every meeting that I'm in. The idea of market share being competitive
and fighting for market share is not new to anybody that works in the district office very loudly, very firmly. This is the first time the board is ultimately talking about it, >> but we've been talking about it uh for a long time. >> Good news is as far as FTE goes, our FTE
is actually up, you know, this year. So, we're seeing that. But to the point of the discussion, you can always do better in the area of marketing. That's like >> that's a every year you can always say you can do better. So we can do better. >> And they did last note they talked about
districts doing the best they can, right? You have somebody doing this, somebody doing that, somebody doing that. >> There's actually a >> they kind of just kind of pull that those responsibilities. Districts are overwhelmed with millions of jobs. there's not that many people up there, you know, and so when they come in, it kind of takes the lion share of that
from people or give alleviate time to be doing what maybe their where their technical job is because as far as I know, district personnel have a lot of jobs each person and they would take alleviate that portion as well um from
the district to help. So >> Mr. Alva, did you have a comment? I think as if you were trying to speak. >> I think I think it I think it could be a good idea. I think it'll work on our favor. I also wanted to add that
we should focus on the things Clay County offers that the other schools don't. >> And I would be remiss if I don't mention this, but transportation is one of those things that a lot of people take advantage of. >> It's true.
So yeah, that can bring that along with a little marketing and letting people know exactly what we're doing can be really really um >> good advantage [clears throat] for us. >> It's true. >> Yeah. Especially if that child lives within the the area, you can market a
bus right here. >> That that one thing the private schools don't offer is is our >> transportation. I'll go >> even charter schools. Charter schools don't offer transportation.
>> I think that's another thing that's going to be agenda an issue moving forward as these charter schools grow and and more come about. Um not everybody has the luxury of being able to drop their child off at school. So,
>> um that is I I think a campaign push as well as hey, we offer transportation plus this program, you know, so that's a good idea. And at the state level when they talk about CTE and I raise my hand and I say CTE in Klay County is robust. They all go yes it is like we have
really a lot of great things going on. You know what we do and some of that is known statewide. So >> well that's why people have moved here >> do all counties. >> That's right. >> That's always good history. I think we also have a very strong ESSE program to
the point where >> um I believe like um our military personnel direct families here to play. >> Yes. I mean all of our content areas are kids proficiencies in the top five in
the state >> or yeah in the state of 67 counties. So we have a strong program >> that would that would be key for marketing because a lot of private schools do not offer ESSE services. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> So students are very successful in clay. >> We've got a great team. >> All right. So that'll be the plan moving forward. I guess with that we got >> Mr. Rosski. What's on that workshop? I'm just I know that I have the media a
quick review with the media policy the okay >> community rubric what else >> so I have uh bolini I have marketing I have chip the chip kind of a review of transportation we're halfway through the school year
>> um and then um the review of the book >> um policy was there anything else on that list I have the uh >> the bullying student the student code of >> conduct conduct >> and then the financial
>> Oh, I financial run plan. >> Mhm. >> That is a very package. >> I I can go all day drinks. [laughter] >> Okay. I just want to make sure we can two workshops if you need to. It might
be wise to do that. >> Yep. So we're not rushing to get some. >> Well, we can well we can discuss it and see which ones we want to move to February and >> Okay. >> And I am working really closely with Mr.
Dia Daly and Cynthia Johnson. We'll have everything kind of hammered out prior. I don't think it will take very long. Um that portion the community rubric maybe 10 15 minutes. Um, Miss Gilhous, do you have anything
for discussion bringing forward to the board? Nothing. Yeah. >> All right. Take it away. >> All right. You know, December is my favorite board workshop. Does anybody know why?
>> Shortest. >> The shortest >> short plus the holidays. Always a good a good time. So, uh, I do have some information hot off the the press that the board might be interested in. You know that, uh, graduation rates are
always a year behind, but right now we've submitted to the state our our graduation data and based on that data, so keep in mind the state still has to do their thing with it, but usually that's not an issue. We're looking at uh
an increase in graduation to be the highest ever in the history of Klay County schools. Nice. >> So, just an individual uh statistics, Oakley High School from from 98% to 100%. Wow. >> Let me let me tell you how difficult this is.
>> That's amazing. >> In the state of Florida, when you register your child and your child goes to school physically one day, they are on your books. Mhm. >> If anything happens to you in that 4-year time frame for you to graduate
there, you you left, you did whatever, um that data then counts against the school, if you will. So, it makes it very challenging because sometimes it's out of the school's control, the graduation rate, right? Families
move, families do whatever families are going to do, right? But you're left with with the data to to account for that. Florida has one of the toughest graduation indicators in the state in the in the whole nation. >> Right? So we look at it totally
differently and so it becomes very competitive for high school principles to have 100%. >> I don't think I've ever seen it. Right? So it's pretty >> pretty good. Uh, and sometimes when when students aren't there, that means you have to track them down cuz sometimes
people just I hate to say this, they disappear like they don't come to school anymore and like you're like, "Dang, you haven't been here for 4 days. Where are you?" >> kind of thing. So they have some really great people >> that track everybody down. And so that data is very, very good. Fleming Island
High School from 97 to 98%. Uh Middberg High School holding steady at 96%. Ridgeu High School from 96 to 97. Clay High School from 93 to 97.
Um Orange Park High 92 to 94. CBA from 97 to 100. Batterman went up five percentage points. It was very challenging population there. And uh Keystone is at 91%. So um I don't want
to kind of give you any graphic till the state says yeah we've we've we've certified and blessed this and now this is official going there but look very very positive for graduation >> that really says a lot about our teachers and admin.
>> Yes it does. Yes it does. So going to the board agenda, we have uh the winners of our uh Len Batis Foundation contest, stop the bullying, which is one of the ways that we help address bullying in our in our schools. We have the
uh Purple Star Schools of Distinction. We had one, two, three, four, five additional schools. They are Fleming Island High School, Fleming Island Elementary, Green Cove Junior, Ridge View High, and Thunderbolt Elementary. Because it's a three-year program,
there's two other cohorts involved. So, you have Copper Gate, Oakley Village, and Swimming Pen Creek in one cohort. That's the 24 to 27 version of it. The 23 [cough] 26 version is Doctor's Inlet, Discovery
Oaks, Oakleaf High, Plantation Oaks, Patterson, and Time. So, quite a few schools. I think it's an indication of how much we support our military and our military families in Klay County. You know, Klay County has one of the highest
um rates of veterans that actually live within Klay County. So, a lot of people get stationed in Jacksonville around and then they live in Klay County and even after they retire, they come back to Klay County to live in retirement. So, very >> I was thinking the I 10 situation where
we have the tollway going through. Yeah, >> Klay County is a lot easier to access now for those people as well. >> For sure. We're also going to have recognition of our academic team champions and our school related employees of the year, teacher of the year finalist. We're down to top five
hidden as we move towards the u the Apple awards here at the end of January. No uh human resources at this point. And then just some of the normal items that we've had previously, the the uh
the minutes, the personnel consent agendas and every every month item, elementary out of state travel. There's also the uh the review of appeals. Uh in far as book challenges go, I I
think the team does an awesome job of managing all of that. academic services K12 out of state out of state travel proposed allocation uh changes you can see it's always positive when it's in the uh minus cost
the financial reports including budget uh there is um the internal accounts audit is here at our last internal accounts uh meeting we did several we did several things part of That was a was a
presentation purpose gray which did our internal accounts at the school level. It's very detailed document. I like the new format. It actually goes school by school and says what they saw there. Please remember thousands of
transactions are occurring. The most common thing was prior approval of fundraisers. Um and so I was trying to explain to the committee was they said how did that happen? Well, it's really easy, right? If you're in a if you're in a PTA or PTO meeting
and everybody agrees you're going to do a fundraiser and the person that's in there that's the secretary that's there's like, "Okay, we're going to start the fundraiser." They start the fundraiser and nobody fills out the form. You get dinged on the audit, right? So, there's all kinds of ways in
which that occurs. Another common thing that we saw, just to kind of summarize the big three in this audit, um, is fundraising recap. >> Schools are required after the fundraising is done to complete a form that kind of highlights uh, how much
money was raised, where it went to, all of those sorts of things. You don't fill a piece of paper out, you ding down the office. Um, another common one, funds not being remitted within uh, one business day. Yeah, >> you have one business day to turn your
money into the bookkeeper from the time that you collect it. Otherwise, it's sub it's a violation and winds up being an audited finding. So, I I think that this is pretty when I read the you know 30 40 pages very common sorts of items that
comes they get addressed with training of course and people knowing what the role is and how that has to be. Uh I'll also kind of remind the board something different this year. internal accounts is now going through our our finance program where it was separated out
previously. That by itself creates more internal and external impact on internal accounts at school level. So I feel really good about uh really good about that. And of course the internal auditors are working on contract review
and uh cyber security. They've almost completed the cyber security uh part of the >> Was that on the Did you say that on the January 27 workshop or did you want him to come give the board the oversight on the February workshop? >> Yeah, I think I was in the February workshop.
>> Okay, it's February >> that they were going to come back and uh and give that. One of the challenges with the cyber security one is uh we came out of that with a clean tele health. Of course, there's there's always ways that you can improve there,
but cyber security is just that security item. And so, how to communicate that out is being discussed right now because you can't openly come out, but essentially what they do is they attempt to get into our network uh in a variety
of different ways um uh technology wise. And so, we came out of the out of the test in uh in very good shape. But how to communicate that out so that the security of it remains secure
is being discussed now. But that I I like the format of that audit because it goes school by school. >> Um I think it helps schools be accountable. We see your name on there and not a general >> uh statement. So I like I like
>> I didn't realize they did it like that. um deletion of certain items. Then there's the bid renewal for June 10 and stage floor maintenance. Uh the contract for facility asset management software for that. The
substantial completion of Lake Asbury uh junior high school classroom addition pre-qualification contract. You can see OBS, the work of Hobs and Rens. Doctor's inlet, uh, fire alarm replacement, parking lot renovation. So, if you're,
you know, I do agree with the button for [clears throat] that being on the website, you can see each month all of the things that are being worked on >> through that funding. And then, uh, parking lot renovation, redesignment over at high school contract. I still
think we need a people mover from the bus depot to middle B high far more affordable. >> And uh that that completes that. I'm I'm looking I'm looking forward to the holidays. I hope everybody has a great
coffee today. Merry Christmas. School board attorney comments. >> School board member comments. Mr. Clark, uh, all the items that we've got listed coming up, are we going to have that budget meeting where we discuss kind of brainstorm what we can do? So I think I
think one of the things that we heard from employees and many other people is that there has to be a a public facing plan related to the budget. And really when you look at the budget our budget situation and I think the board tried to articulate this. I certainly articulated
this when we had um uh funding we of course have paid you know actually record um compensation for our employees. No doubt about it. That's a fact. Okay. The challenge is is that
is that uh each year you have to do that and this past year we've seen uh through many reasons the increase in vouchers as well as um uh the the lack of state funding that
has come through. There's many reasons why we're in the boat that we are in. But one of the things that I've heard from the board here today a lot is about communication and how we communicate. And so one of the things that we have to do is we have to communicate that out.
And of course this is my you know uh my best judgments that we communicate out with the public as well as our employees of what is the plan. When you look at budgets there's only really two things that you got to do. I always try to
simplify things to make it sound easy. Of course, it's really not this easy. >> Make it sound easy. You have to reduce expenses and you have to increase revenue. >> And so the financial renaissance plan is a written version of the strategies that
are being implemented uh and what the overall goal is of these implementations. So obviously one of those goals and and uh I think everyone remains passionate about this. I'm particularly passionate being a former HR person is to ensure that our
employees are taken care of with compensation. So, one of the goals [clears throat] of the financial renaissance plan is to illustrate all of those measures in an effort to raise more funding to pay our
employees uh more competitive wage. So, there's no doubt about it. I, you know, I kind of I listen to meetings and and whatnot. I'm always very measured in my in my approach and it really don't get very emotional about any of it. But when
I look at it, I think there's a lot of misinformation >> always. Yes. >> That that's out there. So the way that you eliminate misinformation is you provide the written plan for what that looks like.
>> And so um I can't believe that I forgot that for the 27. >> To me, that's the most >> He talks about it every single day. Every day. >> I like it. >> And it has a cool name. >> Yeah. [clears throat] Being a former history teacher, questions rebirth, so
financial rebirth and how do we do that >> uh and squeeze as many things as we can in order to decrease expenses and then what avenues are we are we using in order to increase revenue also to the maximum extent. There's a formalized
way, right? There's no other mill or any other uh form that we could ask voters for, but there are things we can do internally to make sure we're maximizing FTP uh and those types of things. Um going to talk to you also about uh fleet
management. You know, we're talking about bringing forward a plan to reduce the the number of white cars within our lightly by by like a 100. Is that around 100? 100. So there's a lot of things that we do. Unfortunately,
uh, you know, the district's not behind the scenes, you know, putting out Facebook posts, you know, today. We got a meeting on the white fleet. >> Bryce and I really enjoy talking about getting cars. [laughter] >> We don't we don't do that. That's not the form of communication for
leadership. That's not how it's how it's done. M but there is a ton of things are happening behind [clears throat] the scenes that'll put us in a better financial footing in order to deal with those challenges. I don't know how to I don't want to sound gloomy like you know
screw trip before Christmas. I don't see the calvary on the state level coming in the room when it comes to that issue. I know that we all want uh the very best for our for our employees. I've spent 36
years on this same topic and so we have to do that moving forward and so I' I'd like uh I'd like board to agree that on the 27th that will be first item >> that it's really important because you know it took me a couple of years to
figure out part of this budgeting thing and one of them is is if you we gave a $10 million raise to all of our employees it has to come back every single year >> that becomes part of it right people don't understand. >> It's not like someone just gives us that 10 million every year. We literally have
to take it out of the budget >> and provide it every year. And so >> we current >> it's cuz it keeps coming back, right? >> It's very very scary as a board member when it talks about budgeting. I can't wait to hear your plan.
Well, I obviously we have to hit everything on all cylinders and I do have to go after every >> um but what I'll do is I'll just shoot you an email of some thoughts that I've got. >> Sure. >> Some assets.
>> I So we we we've um solicited ideas from a great >> many of people. So I'll give you just a couple off-the- cuff memorable ones, right? And so the challenge when you ask people for hey, what do you think? What do you think? People will ultimately
tell you what they think, right? >> And the challenge with that is that is that there has to be a filter for all that. >> Yeah. >> You you can't do everyone's idea because some ideas compete with other ideas, >> right? Some ideas can't happen because
there's no capacity to make that happen even if it's a good idea, >> right? And so there has to be a filtering of ideas and and so we've had and reached out to a variety of people to say hey anybody [clears throat] has an idea and anybody that's listening like
ideas are free you know please send your please send your ideas over because I think uh I think people at the district are are sick of me talking about it. I can't talk to you about it on the on the 27th. >> It's tough. Yeah.
>> All right. I'll send you my cards [clears throat] and letters and emails because I know my one idea won't won't be liked but I think it's uh it's time. So anyway, that's it. >> Nothing from me. Mr.
my my car was totaled and I somehow I'm missing my school board uh daily planner and [clears throat] I am wondering if I could get the brochure that our advocation brochure you're bringing to Clay Day if I could get a copy of that and is there a way I could get the files
so I can have some of those printed as I go and talk to people. Yeah, we'll send it. >> Mine has disappeared. My brochure. >> Yeah, and other things. >> We'll send it to you right now. >> That's That was my only schoolboard comment.
>> All right. [clears throat] Merry Christmas. Remember to love your family and enjoy those who are around your table cuz they might not be there next year. And love your babies. This meeting is a nurse.