WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=n9W9eMeKFH4

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: n9W9eMeKFH4):
- 00:10:36: Meeting Call to Order, Pledge, Mission, Acknowledgment
- 00:12:29: Roll Call, Trustee Absence, Public Comment Introduction
- 00:13:16: Approval of Minutes From Previous Board Meetings
- 00:13:53: Interim Superintendent Report: Junior Board Achievements
- 00:21:58: Certificate Presentation and Lancing SAVE Presentation
- 00:27:38: Lansing SAVE Recognition, Capacity Building Grants
- 00:31:34: Visual Learning Boards Overview and Presentations
- 00:52:36: ISS Presentation: Budget Planning and Financial Outlook
- 01:01:44: Budget Q&A: Structural Deficit and EV Buses
- 01:06:27: Budget Q&A: Recommendations for Cutting Deficit
- 01:11:41: Budget Q&A: School Based Budgeting and Revenue
- 01:17:00: Budget Q&A: Capital Projects and Fund Balance
- 01:27:43: Officer Reports, Meeting Date Change Decision
- 01:31:27: New Business: Bid and Purchase Recommendations
- 01:32:40: Discussion: Facility Spending and School Budget Justifications
- 01:45:32: Vote on Approval of Recommendations: Atwood Blinds
- 02:00:42: Public Comment: Graduation Rate Concerns
- 02:07:10: Board Member Comments: Graduation, Promise, HBCUs


Part: 1

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everyone and welcome to today's uh Nancy School District Board of Education meeting of May 21st, 2026. And um will you all please stand for a pledge of allegiance?

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I the flag Trusty Williams, can you read our mission, please? >> By the high by the high quality purposefulized Thank you, Mr. Jesus. Sio Meyer, can you

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read our um land acknowledgement? We collectively acknowledge that the Lancing School District occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anish Anishin in Abab

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Ojiway. Ojiua Adei and um wait hang on how did I practice this and then hang where was oh the three fires confederacy of Ojiway Adawa and Batawati peoples

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>> thank you thank you very much uh roll call please >> Dr. Kavana Dr. Herd >> here. >> Miss Leia McKisk >> here. >> Mr. Lopez >> present. >> Mrs. Moore >> present. >> Mr. Niski

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>> present. >> Dr. Rodriguez, Mrs. Strode, Ms. Williams, who are Miss President. >> Thank you. Um, Miss U Trusty Strode is a little bit

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under the weather. Uh, that's why she's not here. And also our superintendent Jessica Venovas is had to go home. Um rested a little bit. I Oh, she's not wasn't feeling well as

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well. Um our vice president um Dr. Kavanagh is on work assignment out of town so that's why she's not here. Okay. So going on with public comment on agenda items. Okay.

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Then we'll continue going to approval of minutes. I have a motion to approve minutes. >> Madam M. President Lopez >> Moore, >> I move that we approve our minutes from our May 14th meeting

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as well as our >> oh, I'm sorry, our May 7th meeting. >> Thank you. Second move to second to approve the minutes as presented. >> Those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Thank you.

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>> Reports. Interim superintendent, Mr. Mrs. Benas. Uh we have Deputy Superintendent Kek here to sit in uh for Superintendent Benovitz. >> Thank you, Mr. Lopez. Good evening. Um

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tonight we are very grateful to have our joint junior board member Mr. Washington De Jesus Saio Meyer who is uh going to give us a a little summary of this year's achievements in during junior

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achievement please. So, um, the first thing we did in junior board, right, was kind of go over the Robert's rules of order cuz, um, it's important like even if it's boring, I think that it was a pretty good first introduction into like a board setting

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and especially for me, like we didn't do that the um, previous years. So, it was kind of our first year getting into it. Um, after we did that, we kind of started looking at like the future. So, we started talking about an Evershot Eversaw trip because we did one last

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year. I think we did one starting last year or two years ago, right? Two years ago and um unfortunately I didn't go to the one the year prior, but this year I went and I felt like it was very uplifting and it kind of brought junior board closer together. So, like as a

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senior, it's kind of like I don't really talk to like middle schoolers obviously, so like I didn't really know a lot of them, right? So, it was it wasn't hard. It was like it wasn't hard to collaborate but it was a little more challenging because I I didn't know them like I wasn't like

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kid said this think about that but after like or during the the um excursion to Eversaw um it kind of brought junior board from being an organization into being more of like a family. So we um first we learned I like learned a bunch of names. Like I knew some of their

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names, but a lot of them they didn't really speak up as much before the Eversaw Ever Eversaw trip, but after I I like as the president, I saw more interaction and they kind of came out their shell after that. I also saw students grow together. Like people

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tried archery, they tried new foods, they played new games, they even like left with people like like like dormed with people because you know having things. So they dormed with people who they never really met and made new connections which is really important

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especially in the real world because connections support you later on and stuff. Um also yeah we played a lot of games. Okay. I feel like half half the fun of like going to Eversaw is playing the games not just what you learn. So it was kind of all around a great

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experience. And um after the Eversaw trip, we started playing the 3.5 banquet. And with the connection we formed during Eversaw, it was a lot easier and a lot smoother to plan everything out. So, not only were the kids organized after

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learning the Robert Rules of Order, but also they were like there was like a familia or familia famili. Okay. So, um it was it was it went really smooth. Everyone bounced ideas off of each other. everyone spoke. I saw

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um students who really like were very passionate about the 3.5 banquet and they really cared. So, it was it was pretty fun. It went pretty smoothly. Um there wasn't really anything crazy with that. And then um after we started planning the um

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well, we it's going to be in August, but they they brought up the idea of better together, right? What could we do to really represent that as the J board? So I we we brainstormed. We thought of like schoolwide events and then we wanted to go a little bigger than schoolwide. So

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we want to do districtwide because really like Miss Benvdas has that little proud to be LSD. So we decided to um to um we decided to start like planning out uh like district-wide field day at the

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fieldhouse or I think it was at the fieldhouse, right? No, it wasn't somewhere. Okay. But um so that will be happening sometime in August and I'm going to be like working with Miss Christian to kind of figure that out. So I feel like or as a board we felt like

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it was really important to have something that can bring people together but also like like kind of like their own Eversaw. We need to bring Eversaw like we can't take the whole school district to Eversaw. So we want to take Eversaw to them. We felt like a field um a field day was a really

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good way to like start getting people like you know like come out their shell and stuff. So we're going to see how that goes. Um also um for my I'm in full DP so I have to do a cash project at the end of the year. And for my cash project

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um I really like sat back and thought what would be what could I do that could one get me a good grade but also um assist like something I care about deeply. And I chose junior board. So there like earlier in the year and the years prior there isn't really there's

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not really like a constitution. So the president can like do whatever they want. But I me and Josh were talking about like coming up with a constitution to like kind of set like like checks and balances for the president to make sure everything is in order. You know we do Robert rules of order. We don't have a

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con, you know. So um like I'm still working on it. I've been procrastinating a little bit. My last day is tomorrow. But um I'm working on like making a constitution with Josh and I have to make a whole presentation and stuff. So I'll let you guys know how that goes.

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But yeah, that's pretty much it. And then kind of want to talk about Junior Board a little more personal, like personally. So for me, I started freshman year, right? I was kind of new to junior board. I got picked like out of nowhere. I was like, "Okay, I guess I'll do it." But I found myself really

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getting into like the mindset of wow like students are very powerful and they can do a lot even if you feel like like I'm just like a just a kid you know I'm just high schooler but like not even like my voice I feel like isn't like the most like not even the most important but like the most heard even though I

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like to talk a lot but I feel like like my junior board like my my family right my junior board family I feel like like when they speak it's Like I explain like why I need to stop saying

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like I wrote no like pause instead. Um but when my junior board like my like oh my god I keep saying um it's just like oh okay hang on. So like oh during the year I would like

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oh I can't keep saying like okay but let me get to my point. When I hear them talk, it really makes me like think and feel like very very sentimental. Like I feel like I can feel what their words in my heart,

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but also like feel in my brain and it makes me want to be the best present I can be for. So it's really important to me like to like get the bonds that I had with them. I'll remember this for like the rest of my life. Even though it was only a like short four years, I made memories here that I don't think I could

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have made like in a student council or national honor society even though I am in those things. But junior board was a really special like foundation and group and it's important because in the real world having organization and building bonds with

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people is going to get you like far and I'm happy I was able to do it with Junior. So that's all I had to say. Thank you. Thank you, Washington. And you were the first group that has been part of the board of education. Uh, Miss Kerry

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Christian, will you please step to the podium? And Washington, will you please follow her? >> Washington. Um, Miss Benvitas couldn't be here, but she wanted you to have a certificate. This is the board of education board. um to this certificate proudly recognizes Washington de Jesus

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Sioayor um for your outstanding dedication and service as a junior board member attending the meetings of the board of education. Your active participation, thoughtful insights, and commitment to representing your peers during the 2526 academic year have made a lasting

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positive impact. There's a future school board member. All right. Okay. We continue on and now with presentations. Um Mr. Our next >> superintendent. >> Thank you, Mr. Lopez. Our next presentation is from the Lancing Safe um

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group and uh Miss Tiffany Lemieux McKenzie is here to uh speak to us and please a little taller than this. >> Good evening everyone. >> Good evening.

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>> Oh, that was good. Good job guys. Um, I'd first like to start by thanking everyone that joined us here this evening, as well as the school board, Mr. Kek, uh, Miss Christian, and super interim superintendent Benovitz for inviting us here. I'm Tiffany Lemieu

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McKisik, and I'm the director of the office of financial empowerment with the city of Lancing. And it is my privilege to be here tonight to recognize the work of our incredible Lancing SAVE bold lancing youth interns and youth board members. The Lancing School District in

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partnership with the city of Lancing, MSUFCU, the Lancing Promise have an incredible program for our students called Lancing Safe. Right now, every student kindergarten through 11th grade in the Lancing School District has a designated

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post-secary savings account at MSUFCU. Next year, every single student in the Lancing School District, kindergarten through 12th grade, will also have a Lancing Save account. Additionally, MSUFCU is providing financial education to each student, kindergarten through high

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school. Why is post-secary savings so important? We know that every year an average of three million students drop out of their post-secary pursuits, whether that be college, trade school, or certification due to a financial emergency of $500 or less. Additionally,

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research tells us that children with designated post-secary savings that know about it are far more likely to continue their education after high school and complete it. We are here tonight to recognize the hard work and tremendous

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effort of our youth interns. This program was created by one of our own students, Xavier, at Everett High School to help ensure that his fellow students know about their account and encourage them and their families to help save for

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their futures. Each high school, um, Lancing, I mean, um, Sex, Everent, Eastern have a designated youth intern and their own designated youth board. Their leadership has had an enormous impact on the effectiveness of this program and

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other communities across the country are looking to replicate this program and their efforts. And I'm here to tell you that Lancing School District students are brilliant, talented thought leaders who will make a difference in this

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community and others for generations to come. And I can say that with authority because I'm the proud mother of two of them in this room. Um, but we're also here tonight to present $2,500 capacity building grants to each high school in Lancing School District to support their

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efforts in ensuring that our kids are successful in high school and beyond. This program and these grants were generously funded by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan and LEO. So, thank you very much to Cedum and Leo for believing in

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our kids and investing in them. So, it is my extreme honor to recognize these incredible youth interns and their youth boards this evening. And we are certainly proud to be LSD. And also, the mayor couldn't be here tonight, but he wanted me to tell you that he's

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extremely proud of you, too. So, thank you very much. Okay, now we would like to uh recognize the interns. Um, Miss Carrie Christian, will you please also help with Thank you. Our first intern is Kayana Mlan from

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Sexton. Good job. Well done. Right here. Next we have Natika Garcia Sams from Eastern. Good job. And we also have Savior Makic from Everett.

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Good job. Okay. Next, all the youth board members, will you please stand up so everybody can recognize you? Thank you. Now, each intern is going to have the honor to make a presentation to their school principal. So, we're going

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to start with uh Ston. Would you like to hold up? There we go. Mrs. Scott, could you come up? >> That's a big check. Right. >> I'd like to call Mr. Kurthers from

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Lancing Eastern High School to the front, please. Thank you. So from me to you, from bold to you, here is the check of 2500 memo of sedum capacity building grant from the city of Lancing. Lancing

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slave/bolt lancing. >> And last but not least, can we have Miss Amy Boils come up to the stage? Okay, wonderful. And we have one more person, Lancing Tech principal, Mr. Mark Pogliano, please.

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Yeah, they don't have seniors yet. That's right. Thank you all of you for your support of the program and your partnership and for being incredible leaders. Our high schools are amazing and like I said, the proofs in the pudding. So, thank you for your dedication to our community, all of

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you. And thank you, youth board members and our interns. Thank you, Mr. Kek. Uh we go to item B. I think this is also yours. Okay. Visual. >> Well, thank you. >> Boards. >> Very busy evening, Miss Benabides. I

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hope she's feeling better. And um our next is one of the areas that um everybody really enjoys is to do the visual learning boards. And today we have with us uh post talk. And if you're from Post Talk, can you please stand up?

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Thank you. Man, hope Dwight Rich Lancing Tech M Forest View. So in a minute we're going to ask you to all of you go to your respective uh visual board and then you will have three minutes to uh give your

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presentation to the members of the audience that will be by your board. So Mr. Alex you have the three minute it's three minutes right so can you please all of you go by your visual board and we look forward to seeing you in there

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and learning more about the good work that the schools are doing. Thank you. Thank you very much to the presentations. It was wonderful. And of course, uh, we like to see the what our students are learning in the

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classrooms and it is exciting to see all the good work that's going on. We're going to move on with the meeting and we're going to go to item C, ISS presentation, 2026 27, budget planning and financial outlook. Uh, Mr. Deputy

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Superintendent. >> Thank you, Mr. Lopez, Miss Adams, thank you for being in front of us and I think we're ready to go. >> Ready for all the fun. Thank you. So, this evening

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we will be looking at the 2026 2027 budget and our financial outlook. We have several things we want to discuss. What is a budget? Some components of a budget. where our money comes from, how we spend our money, what

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our current financial position is, and then moving forward, what our budget looks like, and then closing remarks. So, to start, what is a budget? A budget is the financial expression of the board's priorities, aligning resources

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to advance student outcomes and ensure responsible stewardship of public funds. In simple terms, the budget is a road map that connects our goals to the resources needed to achieve them. What are the key components of our

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budget? One, revenues. Revenues are the money that we receive during the year. Two, expenditures. That is what we spend. Three, fund balance. That is essentially what we keep in reserve. You might think of it as your savings

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account. All three pieces play a factor in building a budget. Where does our money come from? Most of our funding is driven by the number of students we serve with additional funds designated for specific programs. We

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have federal funding of 28.7 million, state funding 155.1 million, incoming and other 24.9, local funding 36.3 for total estimated revenues next year

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of 245 million. How are we going to spend our money? District resources support board goals by helping students succeed, ensuring access to quality teaching, and supporting student well-being. This

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district is budgeting 153 million in expenditures for next year, which is greater than the revenues coming in. How are we planning on spending the money? 48% will be to

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support services. 45% will be direct instruction. 6% is outgoing another and 1% is for community services. Our funding supports daily operations which could be staff, utilities,

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transportation, teaching programs, student services, safe schools, building improvements, family engagement, staff development, and more. our current financial position. When we

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started the budget process, we were at an $18 million deficit. We worked through with our schools, with our departments, and we came up with savings bringing us down to $8.3 million. at central district executive team level

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level. We met and we all internally identified over 50 positions from central office that would be eliminated for the next school year in the hopes of attempting to balance and rightsize our budget.

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So for next year, we're looking at 245 million in revenues. We're looking at 253 million in expenditures. That is a $8.3 million structural deficit. As we look toward the future, we know we

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have several employee contracts that are up for renegotiation over the next year and the next two years. We also know that retirement costs and health care costs continue to increase each year, as well as our

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transportation, fuel, utilities. We have challenges that we need to address head on in order to ensure that this budget is fin or this district is financially solvent for many years to come. If you

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look at our current fund balance of 42 million, that is essentially with the way we are currently spending about four and a half to five years of budget. If we maintained our current spending patterns and the current revenue

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streams, we have the same amount of facilities that we did around CO. Our enrollment is not the same. Our students are not the same. our um grade structures at the

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schools are not the same. So we need to look at reducing our footprint and recognizing savings through economies of scale. What does that mean? Let's say we had two elementary schools

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who had less than $100. I'm sorry, not $100, 100 students per school. When you combine two schools, you then have savings from administrative, secretarial, staffing, utilities,

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transportation, and you then have a the ability to maximize your class sizes, and you recognize those efficiencies through streamlining your staffing. I say all of this because the next screen is going to

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be talking about next steps. But we need to start thinking differently than where we have been just simply rolling a budget over from one year to another. That's very a simplistic matter of looking at what we've done with our budget over the years. But we need to do

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something different. We need to approach it different. And it will take the involvement from the board of ed, our community, our staff, and our internal team here. When we look at our budget for next year, using 8.3 million brings

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our projected fund balance down to 33.8 million at the end of June 2027. That is a 13.37% fund balance. The goal would be 15 to 20 and maintain

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it. Oops. Sorry about that. Yes, ma'am. Sure. Um, if you want, there's only one or two more slides and then we can go back if you don't mind. Moving forward, the district operates 24

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schools and support facilities. As enrollment has declined since before the pandemic, concerns about operational efficiency and economies of scale have increased. Major cost drivers remain outside of our control, including our

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collective bargaining agreements, our continued inflationary pressures, rising fuel and transportation costs, increasing utility and insurance expenses, and escalating costs associated with large contracted

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services and facility maintenance. Moving forward, the district may need to evaluate long-term operational efficiencies, including building utilization, consolidation opportunities, program alignment, strategy, strategies

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to better match staffing and infrastructure with student enrollment trends. In closing, we've already made some changes. We've reduced our discretionary budgets. We've eliminated

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conferences. We've eliminated food from our budgets. We've looked at how we can share supplies, materials between departments rather than having stockpiles. We have done everything we can do at the

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centralized district level at this point. Could there be another handful of position savings? Yes, there could be. But that isn't going to get us $8 million. So I think the biggest thing that we could do is look at reducing our

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footprint and having savings by consolidation. So what exactly does that look like? Those are some of the discussions we need to have. And now I'd like to open it up for any questions you may have. Uh

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>> Trusty Williams. To me, a structural deficit is anytime expenditures exceed your revenues and it is continuing. So, you might have a one year where maybe we're having a new textbook adoption and that would require

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a dip into fund balance because it's not a every school year thing. But if that's not our situation and our situation and we reduced 50 staff to get us to 8.3, that's a structural deficit.

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So with the launch of our student, >> so the ED buses are ours. They would be utilized for our students. Um I'm not speaking out of school, I don't think, but Christina, would you like to address the cost ramification? Yeah. So, the

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buses that were purchased were all purchased with grant funds outside of general fund dollars. Um, and those are specifically to go green and economic and get rid of diesel fuel buses. Um, so those are our school buses. They are Lancing School District buses that Dean Transportation drives opposed to when we

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outsourced to Dean Transportation many, many years ago and they purchased our fleet. We actually own the EV buses ourselves as a district. >> I So, we'll some of our So, the transportation costs that we

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have right now are mostly around fuel and staffing. Um, so we since we just got the EV buses, we're going to have to kind of let this play out and go. We are working with BWL around charging rates and all of those types of things. Um, and what we're looking to do is charge

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our buses during no peak, un peak time. So, right, peak times for all of us are like 5:00 to 10 o'clock at night. It's when most people are home. We all get charged more electricity, in case any of you don't know that. Don't wash your clothes from 5:00 p.m. to 10 o'clock at night. Don't run the dishwasher till after you go to bed. Those types of

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things. It helps you save on your energy costs. So, same thing for us when we're looking at charging our buses. We're doing it off on off peak times. Um, but we really need to start utilizing them, which we have, and then monitoring how if we're like where are the savings coming in and making sure we're kind of

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continually working through that. Um, so ideally, in addition to helping save the environment, this should help us with some costs, but I also want the team to understand this is eventually 20 school buses of our about 70 school bus fleet,

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right? So, and we don't really want to go above that, right? We don't want to go full, you know, Michigan's not a place to go full electric. Maybe if we were in Arizona. Um but yeah, so we're continuing to monitor that, but ideally that will help us um in some ways cut

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out those diesel fuel costs and then lower rates with electricity >> gas. Not at this. >> No, they don't. We still don't have the the staffing capacity. So postcoid school buses across the nation cannot

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get that staff back unfortunately. >> Um talking about So to my knowledge, we are continuing forward with our builds that we already had planned. The consolidation though would be us discussing with the board different options that we see and that

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you see and maybe coming up with something that we all agree on and I would hope involving the community in these discussions as well from the get-go. >> Anyone else? Uh Rodriguez, >> thank you very very much.

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Are you giving the for any recommendations to cut the $8 million to nothing as soon as possible? >> Not today. I am working on >> I didn't say today. I say as soon as possible. >> Yes.

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>> What kind do you have anything in mind? >> I have several things in mind that I'm already working on um as far as when those would be presented. Probably sometime after the audit has been completed. board member is not going to vote yes in this budget unless I see

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some recommendation that this $8 million are cut as much as we can before July 1st. >> Um just to clarify, when we started building this year's budget, we were at

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an $18 million deficit. We've already identified and come up with cuts to get us to the 8.3 million. And just as a reminder, this board adopted a budget for the current school year and modifications, amendments that showed

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the use of fund balance of $10 million. So, this budget is better than the one we even currently have. >> This budget is honest compared to the other ones. We have $52 million plus. Then we went

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to $42 million plus. Now we are in $32 million plus. That is my concern. Are we going to continue doing with our budget the same things we are doing lately or we are going to modify the system?

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>> We are going to modify the system but we also have structural plans that need input from the board and guidance from the board as we move forward. We can't make these decisions in unison or in you know all by ourselves.

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>> No, it's a cooperative work. It's them and us. >> Yes. >> What we cannot be just saying is we are going to have $8 million deficit starting the new year. I don't think that is the best way to start the budget

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2627. Respectfully, this budget is coming in less than the current use of fund balance. We fully recognize that this is not ideal and we will continue working to streamline the

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budget and reduce costs. But in general, we have a structural deficit that's going to require all of us working together to resolve it. Additionally, this budget is built on many assumptions. The state hasn't finalized the budget yet. They um have all these

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proposals on the table. We don't know what the truth is. They have things saying that 31A and 41A will be consolidated with less restrictions, but what's been put in writing so far seems to indicate that there will be more

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restrictions. And then was it yesterday or the day before they came out with changes to the property tax structure? that is a significant negative impact to the district. So, we're very well aware this is not the best thing. It's not

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what I would want it to be, but we're so far beyond where we were to begin with. We definitely will continue working on trying to get this down. >> And then my final one, not because I doubt about you or anybody, I care about

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the district. Same >> the way we using the budget giving the administration money the principal's money

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is the best system that we can use or >> or we can do a better system >> that we protect our budget and protect our students. Yes, I think we need to go back to a modified school-based budget, which is what we did before, where the

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district handled the wages and benefits off the top and took that stressor away from the schools and then we let them program their discretionary money. >> I would love to see that for several reasons. >> I think several people would.

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One of the main reason is I want the principal to be the instructional leaders of the schools and the community. They unfortunately when I was a principal I was not training to take care of money. I was training to take

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care of the students and the families. Money is takes a lot of time and a lot of and how to use it. I think that is a I'd recommend a review of this particular

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and I think we can save a lot of money and do better for the students. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Anybody else? Uh, Trusty Herd, >> this administration spent the better part of my first year on the board telling me that school-based budgeting

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in the way that we've been doing it was absolutely ideal. And so, what changed? So, I think that school-based budgeting is a wonderful tool. It's a great tool, especially if you have the capacity to sit and work on your budgets for hours

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at a time. And you love working with spreadsheets. >> Do not. >> I learned that many of our administrators do not sit in an office just working on spreadsheets and budgets all day. Surprisingly, they are in the school working with students and working

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with staff the bulk of the time and parents. So, we've been fine-tuning the school-based budget year after year after year, and now we recognize that we need to go an additional step. It is backwards to where we were before, but

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it was a good process and it was a good learning experience and I think it did help our administrators open their eyes and view the budget differently and maybe they appreciate the finance people a little bit differently, too. >> Thank you.

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>> You're welcome. Anyone else? Uh, President Niski. >> Um, just speaking on behalf of the finance committee, I want to express my gratitude to the staff already for the work you've done to get from that 18 million to the 8 million for this

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proposed budget. Um, in previous years, you know, the proposed budgets tends to be a conservative estimate of where you think the state's going to be and all that, but typically through the year the budget amendments, uh, which we expect one coming up again for this year, you've been able to find some

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efficiencies and savings and bring that down. Do you expect the same for this proposed budget or is this closer? >> I would say that this is much closer to reality with to the reality we know today. Um there's

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still so many unknowns, but in my 28 years here, every year, every amendment, it gets better because there's usually savings or we find that what we had planned to do, maybe we need to pivot a little bit. Um we're not interested in just throwing money out the door or

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pressuring our schools to spend their general fund dollars. Our focus next year will be primarily on the grant dollars. Not all of their dollars, but the grant ones. I want them to spend the money we've asked for and that the state has given us or the federal government has given us and so we'll be working

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with them more closely on that piece rather than pushing so hard on all of their spending. So I think that's something for the board to consider of of that 8 million where we start the year. Typically, you know, one to two million has just been in the fact that we budget conservatively for enrollment or what we

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think the state's going to give us and then usually because we budget conservatively that improves once we get the final numbers. So that's one small piece. Um, and then I know the district is working on those multiple plans to present to us on other ways to to achieve that remaining, let's say, six

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to seven million in structural deficit, which I appreciate the district bringing that to us and and communicating with the community about that and I hope everyone who's listening hears that clearly that what's on the table at this point is administration has done everything they feel they can do to make

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significant impact at that level. We now need to be in that discussion about building footprints and and structural changes. I want to talk about the revenue side just for a minute and ask um I know that we're below the threshold on non-h homestead property tax uh

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millillage collection. If we were to roll that through the Headley amendment process, how much more revenue could the district potentially bring in to nonhomestead, meaning nonomeowner property taxes? >> Over a million dollars. probably looking

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at 1.1 to $1.2 million at this point. >> So that would be a significant piece to the budget if if the board decided to go to the community and ask for that roll back. Um that's potentially 1/8 of our deficit number that we're looking at on

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the on the revenue side. And have there been any other thoughts? I I know we're looking at um just saw some things about continuing the the 5K race and some of those things that are happening for enrichment. Are there estimates on or goals on what we might be bringing in

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from, you know, fundraising and private contributions for those kinds of programs yet? >> No, I'm sorry. >> Okay. I think that's something maybe we we could work collaboratively on too with our business partners and individuals to say if we were to increase this, what would that look like

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for the district? How much could we reasonably support our particularly our enrichment programs with private donations? Um, that might be something we would look at because I I do want to hold up the revenue side as well as a board saying that we need to advocate to our legislators,

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most of our funding, but also to our community and say we're putting on these programs and we're seeing great results been phenomenal to see the plays and and sports and things growing, but many communities fund those things through boosters and and fundraisers, and I

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don't think we've had that because of all the the changes we've had over the years in enrichment. So that's something I think we should really focus on in the revenue side as well. >> Thank you. >> One last question. Maybe if you could just uh share with the board the next

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steps in the process from tonight. So what we'll be hearing at the next board meeting and then the budget hearing so everyone's aware of that tonight. >> Certainly. So after this evening um the next presentation will be on June 4th and that will be amendment number two

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for the current school year. Just a little heads up, I guess that one's better than amendment number one by about um $800,000. So, that's positive. Um and then the fourth will also be the board receiving

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the L4029s for next school year and approving those. Those are our property tax levies. And then June 11th at 5:30 will be the public hearing. And then that evening at 6 PM will be the regular board meeting. And that's when the board

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would adopt the budget for next school year. And as a friendly reminder, the district must have a board adopted budget by June 30th. >> Yes, ma'am. Sorry. >> Are you done? Trusty Williams

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>> in the fall. Yes, ma'am. No, they'll be here for prelim um June 8th and then August 25th through September 4th is when the real audit will be and then it takes about a month and a half to compile all of our reconciliations and then we present to

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the board. >> Anyone else? >> Okay, go ahead. did think of one other thing that I want um to ask is in this proposed budget um how much is there for capital projects spending.

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>> There is nothing in this budget to transfer out to capital projects. So we know that that is a potential area of very much concern. Um and what we are under the impression is we are

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submitting our solar rebates. The thought was that we would get the million that was due to general fund before June 30th. So that is built into amendment number two and the additional two million that is for the capital project rebates. Those I'm anticipating

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next school year. So depending on when they come in, I'm hopeful that it will be soon like July and August. Then that 2 million will be available for capital projects. So it's kind of a grayish area right now. Well, that's another thing for the board to consider on the

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structural side is because that's not in the budget, brings down that use of fund balance temporarily, but it also puts us behind on what we know is needed maintenance. And if we don't address that, that causes some deferred maintenance costs. We'll maybe have this one-time funding, you know, whichever

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budget year right now, but that's a piece that's not showing up in here that really we need even more revenue to cover that in the future or, you know, we don't have those um capital needs that we're going to have. So, wanted to make sure everyone was aware of that. >> Trusty Moore.

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>> So, do we have a backup plan just in case we don't get those funds that you're speaking of right now? I'm sure you do. Duct tape. >> I got you. >> No, seriously. >> No. So, seriously, um, we have syncing

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funds still. We may potentially, she she won't want to hear me say this, but we may have to pivot on a couple of projects. It depends on what happens. And then I'll let her speak because Yep, I did overstep. That's the look she just got. Yeah. So,

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no capital project money, like Kim said, there's nothing built into the budget like we've had for several years. Sinking fund, however, we can use for certain emergencies, but not all emergencies. So, a boiler breaks down, yes. A hole in the roof, yes. Um, need a

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new maintenance vehicle? Nope. um need to just paint for some reason. No, I mean so there's li some limitations to um syncing funds but we are right now we have slowed down any projects where we can use syncing fund

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in case of emergency. So I don't want anybody to think like if we have a boiler go out, if we have a roof start to leak, we have zero dollars. We do. We do have syncing fund dollars to help with those types of things. What we cannot do is continue to make those massive infrastructure updates to stop

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the reaction. You know, we started to move to a proactive let's make those changes and make our schools more sustainable for a long time. Kind of have to stop or slow down that progress at this moment in time outside of the bond funds that we have. So, our new buildings that are coming, separate

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dollars specifically for that, those will continue. Um but we can't continue to just make those updates to our facilities on that path that we are on. We're move starting to move back to a little bit more of a reactive approach. Um we are being as proactive as we can,

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right? So if our boilers look like they're going down, we can make those fixes with syncing fund money, but we just can't do those massive upgrades like we have been doing. The other thing is we received 31A, our mental health and security money, and if we needed, if

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there was an urgent problem like a boiler broke or something, we can reach out to the state and they could allow us to use that funding. And my understanding is the funding for next year for 31A is supposed to be greater than this year. So, do we have plans?

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No. But yes. Thank >> you. And this number that you gave us, did you include all the money that every building is having yet it didn't spend or >> No. No. So

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>> there's some money there. >> There is a little bit of money there, but the majority of the school's unspent money they deferred to next year already. So it's already built into next year's budget. There may be a couple

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hundred thousand between all the schools that hasn't been accounted for yet, but I won't know until after the school year's been closed. So, that's something we would address with amendment number one next year, as well as enrollment, where we're actually at. And I just I I

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guess that brings up a point um for your question. Last year, when we built the budget for the current school year, we estimated enrollment at 9600 kids. We're over 10,000 now. Next year we've estimated enrollment at 9900.

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We're over 10,000 with spring count. So we'll see what our enrollment looks like. I'll have to true it up with you with our first amendment. >> The really really all the money that you gave we gave to the principles is already in these numbers.

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>> That is correct. It's already planned out. Yes sir. >> Then is nothing there that they have >> very little. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. And I think we had to have that. Okay. >> Anyone else? >> Okay. I do have a couple of questions.

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So, we need to deal with our footprint, right? But we have buildings that are not being used for classrooms like Auto Middle School. It's a building. I don't know. >> I'm sorry. Which school? >> Auto. Auto. >> Auto is not ours. It hasn't been ours.

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>> We sold that one. We rent it. No, we sold it. >> Sold it >> a while ago. >> Well, I'm glad you said that because I've been asked questions about auto. What are we doing with auto? >> It's not ours. >> And even though I knew it, I'm going to say it. Yeah. So, auto's been sold and

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we cannot do nothing with that. >> Correct. >> And we cannot do anything about the maintenance of that building and what it looks like. >> Nope. It has nothing to do with the Lancing School District anymore. >> Say it loud. >> Otto does not belong to us. Okay. Uh on

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the other hand, possibly the library, downtown library may come back to the school district. >> That is correct as well. >> Oh, I'm sorry. That's true as well. So, um that is a building we we don't Well, we do take care of it some degree. Um

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>> no maintenance. No, >> the library, the city does. >> They paid $1 back in the day. >> No, it's $10 a year. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Well, see see what happens. >> See, I can be wrong

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and admit it. >> Well, these are all things that people need to know and so that when we are asked or if if they have a question that um the truth is the truth, you know, we

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don't we don't do this, we don't do that. This building is not ours anymore. like Walter French was ours for a long time even when it was sold and resold and resold. But uh those are the things that some people have questions about uh all

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our buildings. Well, we don't have that many buildings even though we have more than we need. So, this brings me to the real question over here. When we talk about realigning and reducing our footprint, we're going to be looking at certain structures. I can't name one

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specifically, but it'll come with your recommendations in terms of, you know, uh, putting some schools together and so forth. So, um, thank you for mentioning that and public listening.

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Um, not just because we want to reduce that, but it's because we cannot have a 100 kids in one building and be sustainable. Right? So those are the things that that we have to keep in mind and that the community needs to keep in mind as well.

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Um for example uh in your budget, this budget, my understanding that uh buildings, school buildings, features have their they were not touched by by

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the 50 or so cuts that was basically just our administrative >> central office. >> Right. Right. So uh at this point in time we we the administration did not cut a a teacher at Pleasant View because

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of this. Now there may be adjustments from the building itself but not because of this budget. >> That is correct. >> Okay. I wanted to to make that clear and understand that point. Um any other question?

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>> Okay. Well, thank you very much for your presentation. >> Thank you. We really appreciate it and thank you for the transparency. Okay, so we move on to um item seven, officer reports. Report for the secretary. Trusty Williams will

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do a report for uh trustee secretary stroke. >> Good evening. You guys hear me? I'm be Can you hear me now? Please join us for the laugh Capitol City Classic on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026

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at Jackson Field, Lansancy, Michigan. The gates open at 9:00 a.m. Game one is at 10:05 where it's the Eastern Quakers versus J Sex and JDubs. Game two is at 12:35, Sexton JDubs versus Ever Viking. And game three at 3:05 is Ever Vikings

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versus Eastern Quaker. Please you guys join us. It's a long weekend. Let's go have fun playing baseball. We celebrate the class of 2026. Graduation ceremonies will take place on Saturday, June 6th at the Jack Brees Center events. Important reminders for the seniors. Please make

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sure to connect with your guidance counselor as soon as possible regarding all your graduation requirements, details, and schedules. May 22nd, planning and records, half a day for the elementary students. May 25th, Memorial Day, no school. Please rest, relax, and

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enjoy. June 3rd and 4th, testing, half a day for the high schools. Our next uh last day of school is June 5th. It's a half a day. Uh the next board meeting will be June 4th, which is our regular board meeting at 6 p.m.

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>> Thank you. Um this brings us to um point that we need to decide in terms of meetings. Our next meeting is June 4th and then the following meeting is scheduled for June 18th. That conflicts with the Junth

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celebration and the holiday we have. So and there's no school on June 18th, right? I'm sorry. June 5th is what? last day of school, >> right? So, okay. So, June 18th, uh

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there's no no school but close. >> Correct. >> It's a staff is off on the 18th. We recognize, right, because we work four days a week during the summer. So, um staff is off on the 18th to recognize Junth, right, which is on Friday.

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>> So, this brings us to a decision to be made. June 11th is listed as a as needed date in our schedule if we needed to cancel or or not have a meeting.

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So we can either go replace June 18th with June 11th or if you want to go to the last Thursday is June 25th. >> We should do Mr. Go ahead. I you got a

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June 11th is our public hearing. It's been published in the newspaper. We must have our meeting on June 11th. It is the public hearing at 5:30 and then the board adoption of the budget at 6. >> Okay. Well, that takes care of the question. So, we will be meeting on June

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11th rather than June 18th. And that'll take care of the celebration, etc. Um, okay. Super. We got that taken care of pretty quick. Thank you.

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Thank you very much. Um we move on to um new business. Uh we have uh bid recommendations and purchase recommendations. We have uh bid recommendations for north asphalt and concrete replacement.

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And we have purchase recommendation fire alarm system at Hollik. Um uh Hik what's the the whole name? >> The Hik Developmental Center,

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>> right? Or the Helic. Yeah. All right. And then we have purchase recommendation for Edwood Blinds and D recommendation for boardroom streaming equipment replacement. So, since since I was at this uh facilities

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meeting, I'm going to ask um Christina to uh elaborate on any of those or if any of you have any questions on on those bid recommendations. I have a >> Okay. Cross to Williams

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>> up on some of the items. I know some of them probably in some of the conversations. So these projects are being the vast majority of them are being funded out of syncing fund. So it's not

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affecting the general fund dollars and the only exception to that is um the recommendation to update the streaming equipment that is coming out of this year's pre-planned allotted budget of what was left in capital project. So

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none of these are extending into our fund balance any further than what we had used. >> Trusty Dr. Rodriguez you I have to thank you president in the adward

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recommendation we have amount spent during the last year fiscal year 1773,200. Now the sources for this year 47,500 we are talking about the schoolbased budget. Why we don't use syncing fund

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in that this money you can save for the budget? >> Atwood question is >> huh >> Dr. Rodriguez >> yes >> Atwood wanted to set money aside out of their per pupil budget for this so they deliberately set money aside. That is my

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point. We are using budget money and we are not using sinking money, right? No, I know what they want. My point is what is the best because using money of the building and

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I don't know if the money of the building was the purpose to go for facility, you know, the purpose was for education of the kids. Then that is another then this money is coming from they have they did some

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festivities and they sold something and they get the money or this money was give it to them by the launching board education. >> Go ahead Miss Adams >> the money was given to them for this school year for them to use for their

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school for their staff their decision making budget. As we move forward though, there will not be excess money to the extent that there has been at schools this year and the prior school year. >> But you say this money was to use for

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the staff. This money is not for the staff. >> I mean >> to use to purchase a lot of money but go by the principal >> to purchase staff kindergarten through 12th grade classroom teachers, librarians. That's what I meant.

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I guess now I'm confused. If the money if the money um and and I'm walking the real line here, I'm not the money man, but if the money allotted to schools is for staffing or supplies for students

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and teachers and things, how does a school justify using said monies for blinds? part of making their school, beautifying their school so kids feel welcomed in the environment that they're in. Um,

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that was part of the charge we gave to administrators. You have the funding, please use it to beautify your school, make spaces inviting for the public, for their families, for the kids. >> So, I guess the the question that I have, which is fine. I mean, I I'm

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hearing that it's at their discretion to use funds that could be used for other things that are for the direct education of students. I got that. Um, but I think that goes back to Dr. Rodriguez's um thought about yes, it's allowed, but is

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that the best for what we are doing right now? Why does not the board of education if there's another I'm still trying to understand fund balance and syncing fund and all the things. If there's another space for that kind of money to come from, why doesn't the board of education

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just buy Atwood some blinds so that they can use this money for the direct education of our students for more reading resources or more teacher supplies if that's what they need? Um why why for blinds? I'm willing to vote

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for it if it's the best course of action. No problem. But this does not sound like the purpose for which schools have been given said budget. If it's they're supposed to be buying things like blinds, that sounds like a facility thing. Why does not the district just buy them blinds?

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>> Can I elaborate just a little bit more? Let me help explain this process. So, when the schools were given their budget, when they budgeted at the beginning of the year, blinds are not something they budgeted for. They budgeted for staff, for supplies, for field trips, for you name it, they budgeted for everything. What happens

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throughout the school year is certain sometimes certain positions are posted. They are not filled, right? So sometimes we'll see schools post a half an FTE for a literacy coach or an instructional coach. That position does not get filled. We spend all year trying to

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hire, trying to hire, that kind of thing. Throughout the year, schools will move budgets around. Maybe they'll take some of that out. Great. We've gone a half a year now and haven't been able to hire anybody. That freed up $20,000. Now we'll do more field trips. Now we'll buy this thing. So as the school year starts

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to come to an end where we have things like staffing mostly is where we start to see these come in. Staff positions that don't get filled where we have subs in those positions. Subs do not cost as much as a full-time employee. So then some of these savings start to get

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realized. Then as the year goes on, finance works with the schools and says, "Hey, here's your money. How would you like to move it around?" Right? You haven't been able to fill this position. This is not the first school to decide to take some of their funds that have been realized from not being able to

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fill a position to then beautify their school or purchase additional items for their students. So the school gets together and they decide we have this money that was we were not able to fulfill a position for. Not that we didn't want to. That is what we budgeted for, but we were not able to fill it.

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Now we're using these dollars to do this thing for our school. I hope that helps it a little bit. Right? They did not budget for blinds. You know, it it was not that. >> This was my question, Mr. President. She's cleared it up for me. My my question. I mean, if we are allowing

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money for school communities to educate students and to have the proper staffing, I would not vote for blinds when the money could be used. And but explaining it that way helps me understand that this is money that was left over because they weren't able to get fully staffed.

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>> Correct. Correct. If a school is in need of a facilities type item, that comes directly to the operations team and we make that happen. >> That's what I wonder. >> Yes. but this was something kind of extra. So when schools have this extra money, they're like, "We'd love to do this thing and then they take that money

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and they get together and decide to do the thing." >> And just to add a little bit to that, I think uh it was mentioned earlier about Miss Adams and you were questioning about the school-based budget. These are the things as the leadership transition in the district is happening and all

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that that we're reviewing in the future because this is this is what can happen when you give an allocation of money to a school and they fill their staff but then if they have extra they're they make a decision as a school base. And

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what we're starting to think that we might have to go back to how we've done things in in the past that a little bit school, a little bit of central because we have to make sure that the money that we have is enough for everybody and so we don't have a deficit as large as we

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have had in the last year and a half. >> Uh Trusty Moore. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um so I just want to make sure that I'm clear on this. So when schools have money left over at the end of the year, we can't roll that over. >> So we allow them to defer a certain

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dollar amount. So when Miss Adams was speaking earlier, how we had already taken care of the schools rolling for we only allow them to defer so much. Okay? So it's not like nope, you can save up hundreds of thousands of dollars and put it in next year and keep going and keep going and keep going. Um we allow 10%.

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Then everything after that is you have to spend it or it goes back. Okay. >> But moving forward, we're likely will not have any carryover. >> Okay. And Okay. All right. Got it. >> Any other question? >> Trusty Dr. Rodriguez.

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>> Thank you. >> Um this thing that I would want to buy can be bought by thinking P money. Not >> I need to double check. Let me double

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check on it because there are those few things 100% >> you can buy by by sinking money. We save $47,000 to go to the budget. >> The other part that I and I appreciate that 100%. The other part that I wanted

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to point out is um sometimes school has per have perfectly working blinds but they want or I'm just using as an example or they want to update them and make them more or different or whatever it might be. And that's kind of where some of this is

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coming in. Um so I just want to make sure you know the scing fund could not be used necessarily to update the entire school district's blinds. um you know because then we're talking about millions of dollars. Um but I can double check and see if this is something that

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is approved out of syncing fund. I just know we have limitations to exactly what we can spend it on. >> But if we vote today can be table until June 11. >> Hold on. >> Well, the other part is too is we're allowed to transfer funds. Like I know

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you're vote I know you're voting on it today. What I can do is if it is approved by the board today, we can look and see if it's a syncing fund allowable project and we can use syncing funds instead of general funds. >> Okay. >> So >> we go. So for the purpose of of this

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particular item, we approve it with a caveat that the administration um seek to use other funding other than the schoolbased budget >> and this money from the school come to the general fund.

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>> Well, it would go to general fund. >> Yeah, it would it would come to school. >> Okay, thank you. >> Um is trusty more. >> No, no, I just I think you cleared it up. So, cuz I'm thinking, why would we take money from the sinking fund when that can go towards another project that

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we may need to use that money for if the school has this money available to use? To me, it just makes sense to utilize those funds that they have left over and we keep that sinking month money for a project we really may need to use it

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for. I'm just trying to understand all of this. >> Well, that that's those are possibilities. >> Yeah. I mean, you know, I think that staff is going to look into it and and see what happens. I my belief is that I think that's for uh brick and mortar projects, the syncing funds generally uh

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maybe other things, but just as a statement, I think that a school with with uh preppy blinds is not a good uh you know vision for for our district. So this

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blinds um and actually would help students as well. And I don't think we're talking about not having blinds. I think it's just where come from. But just uh I think students need to have blinds that cover the sun if the sun is too too bad, you know, so they can

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concentrate on their learning. So, having said that, um, we're not going to pull it out of this of this motion that's going to come, but we have that caveat. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve?

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Yeah. Recommendation D, right? Yep. It's It should be here. It's here. It's the last one. >> $35,000. I believe >> $35,268. >> 35200.

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>> Okay. Any other Okay. Can I No motion? Not all at once. If you want to pull one or the other one, you can do that. We can pull that one out. Is that a motion?

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>> You can just ask to be pulled up. >> Then I'd like to move. Um, no, I wouldn't. Sorry. Withdrawn. Sorry, >> Mr. President. >> Yes. >> I move that the board of education

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accept items A, B, and D as presented. >> We move to second to approve those items mentioned. Um, there any other discussion? Okay. All those in favor of the motion say I. I. >> I. Oppose. Same.

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Motion carries. Okay. Item, which is the uh >> Mr. President, >> item C. >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education accept item C as presented. >> Second. >> You move with the second to accept item C as presented. Uh, any other

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discussion? >> Yes. From me, I am not settled that we have all the facts, all of the um the means to make sure that Atwood gets there blind with all the discussions

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surrounding the budget and doing things, you know, the best way moving forward. I really would like to see all of the board's options on the table. What are the pros and cons of sinking fund or not? I don't even know what that is as much. um what are the pros and cons of just using their schoolbased leftover

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money to do to do this? How crappy are these blinds in question um for them to decide that they need a full blind upgrade um before I can vote for it? I will go will support the board in any way, but I'm going to vote no tonight.

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>> Any other question? Any other comment? >> I do have Yes. Any other comment, >> Mr. President? I'll just say I I'm, you know, pleased with the conversation tonight. I think this has been a good case study into how the current process

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is working and we've heard from administration on changes that can be anticipated for the next budget cycle. Um based on what you know our our interim superintendent and the team have been reviewing my view is that under the current budget the staff has informed us

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that this this is what the school has been informed for this year and they've been following those expectations uh along with our executive team that this money is in this budget. um they're expecting the approval of it and I think that given the amount and that this is

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our current structure uh I'm inclined to vote for it tonight even though I don't know that it's the best system in a long term and certainly we have what's facing us but because it's in this current year's budget it's planned for that I'm willing to support it tonight knowing that our leadership has already told us

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they plan to change that process going forward um uh so that's why I went to vote for it tonight but I do recognize the need for that change overall and and appreciate the board getting into um this conversation. What I don't want to see is the board continue to get to this

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level of detail on every kind of thing so that we fix the process that we're so that we're comfortable with it. And I recognize tonight we're being presented with a decision we you know are faced with. Um but I'd rather us kind of step back fix the process with the executive team so that don't have to get into

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specifics on on a project like this. Williams. Um I I guess my question while I heard I don't agree I like the process there's more happening everybody is trying to

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understand process especially I app all the clarifying questions because helping us understand what staff is because it is I'm I'm looking at

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It's it's a drain on her, but it's al some type of accountability having this dialogue with um my question I ask if the blinds aren't that bad. Do you know they have that black and white trans

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that can keep in and out? Have they something like that that from I mean it's I mean every option possible that's the first question and The secret fund is money didn't just

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remind me how that works. I finish. >> Sure. So, I'm not sure about them exploring like, you know, putting stuff up on the windows. Um, I did just receive clarification that blinds cannot be used

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can be paid for out of syncing fund on their own. If blinds are part of a larger construction project, then we could purchase them. But on our own, we cannot just purchase blinds. The same as we cannot just use syncing funds to paint a room or paint a school. Um the

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sinking fund is um a levy that we have um that is for like President Lopez said, more brickandmortar emergency. So more structural. So, we usually use it for items such as um we've used them for additions when we need space, roofs,

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parking lots, um those types of infrastructure. In the past, uh the board has um voted to offer us to use them for um network upgrades, uh purchasing additional, you know, computers and systems, networks, those types of things to upgrade our

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infrastructure. Um so that is what syncing fund is mainly used for. Um and of course our deferred maintenance. Um so it's those types of things. Um tuck pointing our bricks, fixing windows that you know break those our boiler systems,

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our AC systems is that hard and sturdy brick and mortar type. >> I I asked that. I knew what but I wanted >> Sure. I guess I'm concerned because that's $7,000 out of their budget they did not

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use for our So they used a Okay, so they this is not the only money that they had left over. So earlier when I was kind of addressing Trusty Herd's you know trying to help explain that is as the year goes on there's lots of funds. They used a lot of other additional funds that they had

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available to them and purchased items for the students for the staff additional programs all types of things and they're working with um our finance department throughout the year for that. This is even more additional money that they had on top of that. So, I don't want it to seem like $47,000 was or

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$35,000 was the only money that they had left over and they chose to spend it, you know, on blinds. That's not the case. They had quite a bit of money throughout the year as positions were not filled that they had posted. Um, and then they use that money and tweak those budgets and put them into things like

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additional supplies, books, teacher items, student items, um, nights, hosting like fun nights and different things that they would for the school. So, they've used them for lots of different things, not just this one item. This was just additional item

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money that was left over. And then having conversations with the staff, what do we want to spend this additional funds on? the staff decided that they wanted to spend it on getting new blinds for the school. >> My concern also would be that we don't

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penalize Atwood. All along, this has been their money. They knew if there was savings from open positions. They could work with their staff and determine what was best for their school. Um, other schools have deferred funding and ba

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built new positions into next year's budget with their money. If we tell Atwood they can't do this with their 45,000, they essentially lose it. That's really not fair and equitable and kind of takes away everything that we have

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done over the past few years to hold all schools equal. >> Okay. Uh, go ahead, Justin. I'd just like to say that I think that I do recognize that we have changes to make in the process, but I do overall support Atwood's use of using their

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discretionary funds for the purchase of new blinds and coat racks. I believe that it does contribute to the quality of a student's experience and the school overall. And I don't think that it's necessarily the board's position to um get to in the weeds of what they can and

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cannot use their funds for because that is our current process. And I think that we've been seeing a lot of blanket statement of like lines don't contribute to student success. But I think that we should empower the student, the school's administration to make those decisions

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on what is best for their school and if coat racks are needed as well as new blinds overall. Um I think that that is a good use of funds if they decide that that that is so. >> Okay.

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So we have a motion and a second. Uh there's not discussion. Uh, we're going to have a roll call vote. >> Dr. Dr. Herd, >> yes. >> Miss Leia McKisk, >> yes. >> Mr. Lopez,

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>> yes. >> Mrs. Moore, >> yes. >> Mason, >> yes. >> Dr. Rodriguez, Ms. Williams. >> Thank you. Motion carries. I I just want to thank uh administration

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and certainly our finance director for u uh giving us all this information that we need to uh really take into consideration and and the transparency that's that's happening uh on on this process. Uh it's not the end. This is

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just the beginning of this process. that we're going to have more discussions and uh and I think that as a board we need to be aware but also look at the big picture and the administration runs

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the district on a daily basis, right? We give them the the means, but they need to tell us how they're going to spend that money. and I think happening right now and I hope that it and I uh I don't hope I I want it to continue that way so

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that we can make um common decisions I mean decisions in a common way amongst all of us that that we know what what is going to happen what's going to happen and and how we can correct it and I look forward to the

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changes to the process that you've been talking about maybe that that uh uh led that process. You know, some in the school building. I remember the school improvement teams approved the building

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budgets. I remember years ago we had the school improvement teams here to tell us why they were buying this instead of that that will help the children. And and I think it's a same question that we're

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asking today. But I think that as as we move on and the changes come through that um I'm looking for a better way of our our school. Thank you very much. Uh Trusty Hart, I'm equally grateful to our

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finance um team and administration for the great work. I I but I I do want to assert that this board has oversight function to ask the very hard questions

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that might seem um trivial or in the weeds as sometimes we say when we want the board to butt out. Um, but with expenditures at the level, the amount of money that this board is being asked to approve from meeting to meeting, I would

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appreciate having as much context as possible in order to make an educated, intelligent decision about what is best for kids. I'm going to trust the administration to lay it all out for me so that I can vote yes or no because I

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don't work here from day to day. However, more than 18,000 people are trusting me to sit here to ask you to ensure that if we're going to vote yes on a $50,000 expenditure, in the same sentence as

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we're saying that we're in debt or that there's a deficit, that when I vote yes, I can stand 10 toes down to support the administration 100%. And sometimes I find that um the

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information given is so high level, so broad, so without context or nuance that it's hard to make an educated decision. And so what I find is I get into these exchanges here at the um at the

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horseshoe um in ways that I I just don't want it to come off that I don't want to support the administration as it supports our I'm behind you 100%. However, I will sleep better at night knowing that I've gotten all the information that I need and that all the

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things that are appropriate and within the law for us to make these highle decisions because ultimately it is not up to the school. Otherwise, we wouldn't be voting on it. It's got to still come to us. We decide on the budget, not the school. So, we need to know as the

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people that are going to be like the final say on whether people are able to use this money in this way to have all the facts so that we can do the best for our kids. And I that is the board's function. I learned that at a conference. That is our function to make

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sure that we do. Thank you very much. I'm sorry. We're moving to uh public comment on non-aggenda items and we have a speaker William Welker. You have three minutes to give us your information and the board

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does not respond to public comment. Thank you for reiterating that the board does not respond when that's already written. The situation is first of all I heard rumor about them retiring the older

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teachers. I once again say rumor. I would like that rumor squatchched but to rest and retired that the older teachers, the ones with the most experience

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are not being retired. But I'm going to move on. My next concern is number one before I go any further. I have breathing issues. That's a handicap. So, I'm requesting more than

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three minutes. That would be up to you to accommodate my handicap. My concern is the reports that I'm getting created by the school district. The report says

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a 93.81 graduation rate. I am a little bit on the old side and I went to school at Sexton in 71. I've looked at the Lansing School

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District rates for each high school. None of these exceeds 93.8. There's four of them. The highest is 90. My mathematic background says to reach

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an average, the items in question must be at least what the average is. I've sat here with my phone and calculated this several ways.

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If I use just four of the SKU schools which are shown in your report, it comes out to a 84% graduation rate. If I eliminate the Crossroad High School,

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I come out with a 875 graduation rate. If I use all five schools, including the Lancing Technical High School, I come out with a 86.8

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graduation rate. My mathematics is old. I used to be a commercial pilot fly in the hundreds of miles per second or miles per minute. I had to make calculations

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on a ILS system where I had to know the feet I was off course by degrees. My mathematics I stake my life on. May I have the handicap time?

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>> A motion. >> Move they give them two more minutes. >> Move to second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you very much. Now, this presents a problem to me.

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I went through statistics. We can alter them, shape them any way we want. I'm deeply concerned. In here, it said some school had a goal rate of 85%.

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And according to the board back there, it was 85%. How can we predict the future? Next, if these statistics have this type of clear error in them,

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I'm deeply concerned about the education process. How can I rely on what this massive report tells me? And there's an obvious mistake in it. If I got four numbers,

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the highest is 90, the lowest is 75, how can I come up with 93.8 percentage? I just can't figure that out. But I got the old mathematics.

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Maybe somebody here can create this new mathematics because it indeed has to be created. But I'm also concerned because this report

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puts the students at an ignorant level that you're graduating. Reading is below average. Writing is below average. Mathematics is below average. and you're graduating.

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This is our future generation. We have to compete with China and other countries that are educating their people. We are supposed to be the highest. Ladies and gentlemen, please review

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what's going on. Good day. >> Thank you very much. Okay, we are down to comments from board members. Um, we have comes uh Dr. Trusty Rodriguez. >> Thank you very much. I just want to let the board know that I attended the

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Lancing promise meeting yesterday and they gave all kind of the report uh how many student graduate how many students are already applied for the Lancing promise. I think this about 310

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but it's about 53%. Please students, seniors, apply for your Lancing promise um scholarships. Uh they are waiting for you. That is that will be a good way to go to Michigan State, Oliver College

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um and other places like Li Michigan State University then please go and apply for Lancing Promise scholarships. I will recommend Mr. president. Then maybe soon the new

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president of the launching promise give us a presentation and the plans the strategic plan. Uh what are the number because they were talking the number of families that they number of the student that building by building they were

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doing the the promise celebration or promise pledge. I I think it should um this board should be more connected with the launching promise and be together then it's up to you members of the board

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and how we can really because it's our students that are involved. It's it's it's everything there and I think it should be incredible how we can be connecting with them

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collaborate and do together. Um I also um attended a celebration of two different graduations. I think that were excellent excellent way. And yesterday I think I went to the transportation and we were there for the EV

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buses and um um and is the future and I hope that we can use all of them to transport our students with less money that we can take care of the budgets. Thank you, Mr. President. Just to piggy back on on Dr. Rodriguez's

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statements, uh the promise is also looking at expanding the choices for for schools, for students from the four or five institutions. We have LCC, um, uh, MSU,

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Olivet, um, >> I think we currently Davenport. >> We're looking at it. Dual Davenport, >> I believe. So, >> LCC. Yeah. But, uh, but we also or promise also funds a trade school,

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the trades. Oh, that's an important part because not all students want to go to college, but they can they can go to a trade either through LCC or through um our unions that that are cooperating with our uh promise scholarships. No.

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And yes, 15 more schools that that we're looking at to expand the choices for our students because at times they want to go central for example and central is not in included right now. So those are

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things that are happening through the promise. Thank you Dr. for bringing that bringing that up. Uh, Rusty Hurt, >> I want to congratulate the Sexton singing sensations who had an awesome concert tonight. It might still be going on. I'm sorry I couldn't make it even

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though I was invited. And to all of our performing arts and sports, um, enrichment activities, if you've been winning things, even if you haven't been winning things, but you've been playing, you've been doing your concerts, the school plays. I'd like to give a shout out to Eastern High School. It burns my

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tongue being a JDub to say I'd like to give a shout out to Eastern High School um for their excellent play uh which was uh Mean Girls um which went on with much success. Um we've seen so many amazing productions happening around um the Ever

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Dance shows and the showcases, all the band concerts, everyone who's done things getting toward the end of the year. Congratulations on all of your success. Just wanted to make another plug. um to our members who are on the promise. I'm

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so thrilled about an expansion of 15 more schools and looking very much forward to the wonderful news the day that you all come back and report that they've expanded to add H.B.CU as well. Um would be glad. So in case you don't want to go to Central Michigan and you want to go to Central State in

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Wilberforce, Ohio, you could also do that. I would be thrilled to see all the 105 H.B.CU, CUS, that's the historically black colleges and universities in the United States beyond that list. Um, I also wanted to um just make a plug for the National Association for the

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Advancement of Colored People. I am the liaison to NAACP and we had an alarmingly low rate of submissions for scholarships this year for NAACP. not

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for lack of um getting the word out to schools, but we saw participation low. And I'd like to um ask the board to help me um as I'm liaisoning to um help our schools that we represent when uh any

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community partner, not just NAACP, any community partner that is saying, "Hey, we want to give our school our students in Lancing schools free money to go to college that the students get the information and that we are encouraging um our students in Lancing to throw in

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those essays um or whatever is required so that they can get this money. It is unfortunate to hear um that the largest school district in this area did not have one recipient of that um scholarship this year um which has not

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been a thing before. So, I would love to see us take more um initiative for that um for for next year. There's so many great things happening in Lancing School. I'm just proud to be LSD tonight and I'm proud of all of our students.

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And I also wanted to bring light to um our students as a whole. We're getting closer to summer and as many of us know sometimes um this time of year can be very scary for many young people that we serve. Um we give two meals a day and

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often times our afterchool programs have yet another meal that our students enjoy every day. And just like right before the holiday season, summer break can be very scary. Um, I encourage all of our families um if food insecurity um is

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befalling you and your family right now. Please call your principal, please call the Lancing School District so that we can give you the resources that you need. If it's about getting into summer activities, please call your school. Please ask us. Um we are here to help

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you. Um, there are many things and there are is a deep well of resources that the Lancing School District have and has and its partners to be able to make sure that your student has an enriching summer and a safe summer. Um, I'm very grateful to all of our staff, all of our

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students, all of our administrators, everyone who has made this school year um so successful. I know we have another board meeting, but that's been weighing on me heavily. Um that sometimes we see an uptick in um traumatic responses from our babies because school is almost out.

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They're excited that school's almost out, but it's also uh a bit apprehensive because school is almost out. And so, um I want to thank everybody who continues to serve our kids. And with that, um if you've been teeter tottering about getting to the PACE office to enroll your baby in Lancing schools, it's high

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time you come home. Thank you. you uh Trusty Williams >> uh captured a lot of things, but I just want back to last week. Last week such a

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I was proud LS had our first African break family's involvement. Uh kudos to our speaker Brian Bever. Wonderful. When I say this that they're

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in captivated by it was so phenomenal. And on th I was a parent on Thursday and they had their and to give back to staff their parents

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just that made an impact on that is why I was not here on Thursday. I was a mom at East being but to whom much is given much is required. So that on Friday I was in Hispanic graduation. Awesome. Dr.

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De, our former board members all the students place. It was a wonderful experience to see for the first time in all of this. I was just excited because to know that have this

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so much more and that staff is back into our children aspect not just their differences. They celebrate that. Such a great week. This week we got the baseball. I'm

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looking forward to going to the baseball game. Our senior tomorrow is their last day. Hug them. Support them because the next two are for their freedom is elevated. That elevation of happens.

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larger extra already seen the last few weeks a lot of catastrophic things happening cars and start our children and then next Thursday is celebration starting at 7 with breakfast

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and then there's I'm I'm looking forward to that I think if you can please this I mean a wonderful I always run into Dr. Nemo who's always guys just every opportunity that we can that they're celebrate our students. Let's do they

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need to that we support them their families that that connect if you can be in then like you said I'm proud to be LSD. Oh, side note board you guys were talk of the parent round table.

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It was that they were glad that did not go outside. So when I say family round table you this is from the parent round table because yes I am a member round. So kudos from the P

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round table and the super proud to be LSD. I am I am I am >> Thank you, Trusty Williams. >> Trusty Rodriguez. >> Thank you. I not only congratulate this

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board for selecting the new superintendent but also the superintendent for selecting the team that is working with her and how this team also is willing to modify change and see the future of this district with

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the new superintendent. I think that give us a lot of hope our community and we need to support each other in the best we can. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, >> Trusty. >> Just very quickly, I wanted to just

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point out um that Ston High School's senior awards ceremony is tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. and Everett's a senior award ceremony is tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. I'm going to try to make both. I'm going to try I don't know too simple sides of

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town. I'm going to try to make it >> comments on. >> Okay. I do have um just an update uh since we spoke about our superintendent um we're meeting and I say we the team

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is meeting with her team talk about contract um to get a a sense of what's what we're going to do. So the representative is meeting with our representative myself and and the vice president

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coming up. So that's coming. So that's an update to to this process. Um the other thing is that um I see that the adult adult education graduation is

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May 27 at 6 p.m. Quite rich auditorium. Uh so let's all try to be there and celebrate our graduates. Also on June 3rd at 5:30, 6:30, 5:30 is the uh 5:30 p.m. is the fire science graduation

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ceremony at Hill Auditorium. So those are events that that we should try to make celebrate our students. And last but not least, this weekend is Memorial Weekend and Christo Church is putting together its annual Christo

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Fiesta which is uh starts Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and uh Sunday 24th. So everyone is invited. It's a community event. The doors are open to all to come and we will also see our students or

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many of our students performing during the fiesta. So, um come and enjoy food and uh and entertainment. We also have a children's um um uh rights of carnival. All right.

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Any other comment here? None. We're ajourned.