The schoolboard meeting will begin in 1 minute. Please take your seats. Again, the schoolboard meeting will begin in 1 minute. [Music]
Heat. Heat. [Music]
Good evening and welcome to the May 27th, 2025 meeting of the Marian County School Board. It is now called to order. mirroring and modeling the way our students begin each day. I ask that we observe a moment of silence at this time. Please join me.
Thank you. Reverend Cummings, will you please read the board commitment statement? Yes, ma'am. We are the Marian County School District Leadership Team. When we come together, we are to work. We are efficient, effective, and productive. Our three most important characteristics
are dedicated, transparent, and individually responsible. To work well together, we must demonstrate respect, confront reality, and be accountable. We'll always put students first. We will leave a legacy of success. Thank you. For the courtesy of those listening to the meeting, I am requesting everyone in
the audience to please turn off their electronic devices or put them on vibrate. Later in the meeting, up to 30 minutes will be provided for individuals to address the board on matters concerning the operation of the Marian County School System or school board only. Presentations to the board are
limited to 5 minutes and are televised. If you wish to address the board regarding a regular agenda item or matters on which the board customarily takes action, you must first complete a peach form located in the lobby. If you wish to address the board regarding a
public hearing or a student discipline matter, please complete a lime green form. These forms must be fully completed and received to the board clerk no later than 5:40 p.m. The procedures applicable for each are on a separate separate sheet. Good evening,
Miss Gonzalez. Will you call roll for us this evening? Good evening. Dr. Allison Campbell, District 1, here. Mrs. Lorie Conrad, District 2, here. Mr. Eric Cummings, District 3, here. Mrs. Nancy Thrower, District 4, here. Dr. Sarah
James, District 5, here. Dr. Diane Gollet, superintendent, here. Mr. Jeremy Powers, schoolboard attorney, here. Thank you. Dr. Dr. Glet, will you share with us who is going to provide the inspiration and lead us in the pledge this evening? Good evening, Madam Chair,
members of the board. I am very pleased to do so. Miss Beck is here and she has brought some, I can tell you, very talented second graders from the Forom Early Learning Academy and a special fox, too, who's who's well behaved. Uh, very talented second graders as we saw
again last week. But pleased to introduce Miss Beck. Thank you. Thank you so much. Good evening, Chair Conrad, board members, and Dr. Gullet. I am so happy to be here with you this evening. It is truly my pleasure to come before you presenting our very first graduating
second grade class from Forom Early Learning. Tonight is a milestone not just for our students, but it's a dream that began with a very small school that had no name for a little while. It was just called the Early Learning Academy,
but a big promise. And our promise was that we were going to love on our students and we were going to make sure that they knew everything they needed to to be successful for third grade and beyond. And boy oh boy, have we come a
long way in a short time. We know the future is bright for all of our students. And I'm deeply grateful to the families who took a chance on us, who believed in the vision before they ever saw the fruit. That leap of faith, that
trust is something that we don't ever take for granted. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge our incredible staff and families. So, if our forom families and our staff, if you'd please stand for a moment.
[Applause] I think this is just a really nice testament of how we kind of wrap around each other and it's really the love and commitment that fills our campus daily. At this time I am so honored to turn the
program over to one of our parents, Landis Martinez. She is a dedicated parent to two forom students and she's been with us from the very beginning. Good evening. Good evening. Um, forom to me has felt like family since the first
day that I left my two kids there. It has always just been comforting and everyone at that school treat your kids like they are their own. From my kids pitching a fit, not wanting to get out of the car and them just loving on them
just like that. Um, it's been such a fun experience watching the students and the school grow to what it is now. And I'm sad that my kids have to leave, but I am so excited for the future of all of
them. Thank you. Thank you so much, Miss Martinez. Now, I'd like to turn the program over to our one and only, currently second grade teacher, but will be growing, uh, Mrs. Margajac. She has taught these fantastic
students this year. She'd like to present each of the students to you, and she is going to lead us in the pledge of allegiance this evening. Hello, my name is Nikki Morgaj and I have had the privilege of being the one and only second grade teacher here at
Forom Early Learning Academy. It has truly been an absolute wonderful year. I love these kids like they were my own. And if you had the honor of getting to go to our concert last night, you saw me shed many tears because I'm going to miss them so much. I am so proud of
every single student that is here and all the students that could not make it here tonight. And it is my honor to introduce to you the first graduating class of Forom Early Learning Academy. So students, when I say your name, come up, stand, and wave. And then you're
just going to stay up there, okay? Caleb Dobs, Kevin Bostik, Isaiah Santana, Eastston Martinez, Ella Sass, Skylin Watkins, Luca Joacam, Mason Terrell, Iani
Dennison. Okay, let's give a round of applause to these students. [Applause] Thank you schoolboard members for all of your support this year and throughout all of Forom's journey. We know it's new, but you guys have been there since
the beginning, and we can't wait to see how long we are here and how far we go. So, at this time, we would like to lead you in the pledge. So, everybody, please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. Mrs.
Beck, if you'll wait just a minute, we want to come down and celebrate with you and grab a picture. You heard? All right. Ready, guys? And in three, two, one. All right, that's good. You can come in.
Stand up, guys. Everybody can put their hand in. We're gonna say we're gonna say go boxers on three. Ready? Go boxes.
[Applause] You're not going to help. Now you're already on YouTube right now. Foxes are leaving the building. They are.
Okay. Um, we're going to go off script for just a second. Um, we have one more recognition uh this evening and Dr. Gullet, we want to recognize you. So, if you'll hold on just a second. Y help us out or straight
but Oh, that's so sweet. We we want to thank you um for stepping in and being out no being our first appointed superintendent and taking on a
lot during a challenging time and so we wanted to just take this it's your last public meeting and so we want to celebrate with you and I want I want the board to come in and join us and get a group picture. That's so sweet to hold the face is engraved. It is. Oh, is it
really? It's a little hard for me, but your glasses. Yes. Right. You're welcome. You want to get in front of the sign? Okay. Are we centered enough? Yes, ma'am. Thank you so [Applause]
much. All right, we will continue on uh really with some celebrating. We are going to recognize some donations. So, we have $15,000 to Dr. NH Jones from Dr. NH Jones Elementary PTO to be used for student resources. $1,500 to Lakewear
High School from Wings of Faith Fellowship to pay pay a share of the total cost to General Athletics for a baseball pitching machine for Lakewear High School baseball program. $1,000 to Vanguard High School from Citizens First Bank to be used for senior scholarships.
a thousand dollars to Forest High School from Citizens First Bank to be used for senior scholarships. Uh thank you to all of those those groups and businesses uh for supporting our schools. We sure do appreciate it. All right, Dr. Glet, I'll turn it back over to you. Thank you,
Madam Chair. I recommend approval of the agenda for the May 27th, 2025 schoolboard meeting with the materials in the board packet, those materials distributed to board members at the meeting and the audio recording included as part of the official record of the meeting with the exception of the
following items. D24.1, D24.2, D24.3, and D24.4 have been placed under discussion regular items and items C 20.2 2 and
C17.2 have been pulled and placed under discussion pulled agenda items as well as item GC26.1 has been added as a discussion good cause item. Thank you. Thank you Dr. Glet. May I have a motion to approve the superintendent's recommendation? So
move. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Second. Uh thank you, Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the April 8th, 2025 board
meeting? Motion to approve. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, board member Thrower. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0.
May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the April 17, 2025 administrative briefing and work session? Motion to approve the minutes. Second. Thank you, board member Thrower and Reverend Cummings. Are there any additions or corrections to the
minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50. Miss Gonzalez, please provide the proof of publication for tonight's school board meeting. The notice for the May 27th, 2025 schoolboard meeting ran
in the Ocala Gazette on May 16th, 2025. The proof of publication has been attached in Boardocks under proof of publication. Thank you, Miss Gonzalez. Good evening, Attorney Powers. Please explain the rules governing persons who wish to address the school board this evening. Good evening, Madam Chair. In
compliance with section 286.0114 Florida statutes, the school board has adopted uniform procedures for tonight's speakers who may wish to speak regarding either one of today's agenda items or a matter relating to the operations of the school district. These
procedures will ensure the public has a reasonable opportunity to be heard on school board and school district matters. A written summary of these procedures are available from the table in the lobby. Public speaker forms are also located on the same table. The completed forms were due to the school
board's clerk no later than 5:40 p.m. This evening's speakers will be called prior to the business portion of the school board's meeting in order of receipt by the school board clerk. Now, before you begin speaking, please state your name for the record and spell your last name. Each speaker will have five
minutes of time. If there are more than five people who wish to speak, the board may seek consensus to limit each speaker's time to three minutes. When the speaker has one minute remaining, the speaker will receive a visual rep notice to complete his or her comments. Speakers may not yield their time to
other people. Speakers and meeting attendees are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Therefore, verbal attacks and profanity are strictly prohibited. Pursuant to the procedures for public comments item six, speakers are not to identify specific individuals other than themselves or
their child unless the statements provided 24 hours in advance. The board is here to listen to your comments only. You may be directed to an administrative staff member following the conclusion of your comments for further assistance to address your concerns.
If there are matters dealing with student discipline excluding including expulsions, they will be scheduled at the conclusion of the televised portion of the meeting. Parents may address the board regarding a discipline matter at that time. To ensure student privacy, only a parent or guardian may use a
student's first or last name. Identifying references to or identification of of other students or their families are also strictly prohibited. A speaker speech does not reflect the endorsement or position or sponsorship of the school district. Thank you for
your attention to this board's requirements. Madam chair, that concludes my explanatory remarks. Thank you. Thank you, Attorney Powers. Miss Gonzalez, do we have any speakers this evening? Yes, Madam Chair. Miss Nella Haynes. Good evening. Good evening.
Says protocol. Oh, Navella Haynes. H A Y Nes. Since protocol has been established, I'm going to say hello to each of you in your perspective seats. Dr. Gullet, I would like to say thank you for coming to Marian County
and bringing unity because when you came here, you stepped into the lion's den, but you came here putting our children and families first while dealing with some inherited issues. I know it couldn't have been easy, but
you got us back on track and rebuilt the bridge to the community. I know it isn't I know it hasn't been a honeymoon, but you did it and I wish you well in the new chapter of your life. Welcome, Mrs.
Brewer. Looking forward to the upcoming year and getting to know you. As I look back over the years within the Maring County Public School System, many decisions have been made without the consideration of staff. I understand you all are leaders and you
have a right to make changes, but it's how you go about it. At Lakewell Middle School, some of us are in Speak into that. Sorry. Oh, you can't hear me? Oh, y'all can't hear me. That's better. You hear me now? I'm
sorry. I'm sorry. It's okay. I'm quick. You want me to start over again? Oh, we got Oh, okay. At Lakewell Middle School, some of us are in a bittersweet mood. Why? The decision was made to give
Mr. Jacers an opportunity to go to Lake High. We can't be upset about that. But we are upset about how it was done. You all made a decision and it took you about two weeks to announce it to the
staff, leaving us in the dark. But I want you to know there were many leaks. Personally, me, myself, and I received approximately 10 calls telling me my principal was going to the high school. And I responded to
the first caller, "You are lying." Cuz Mr. Jacobs would have told us and perly after receiving that call phone call I went to Mr. Jacobs and personally asked him and his response was I don't
know anything about it. Finding out later he was told not to say anything. Can you imagine what predicament that put him in not being able to be upfront with his staff? And can you imagine how we felt
when the official word was released two weeks later? You w you all sit up there and talk about transparency. This is not transparency. I'm going to give you an example of this situation as I see it.
If you have a husband or wife and you think everything is going fine, then you get a call saying, "Girl or boy, your husband or wife is getting ready to divorce you and he or she he or she comes home every day like everything is
okay and two weeks later a warrant officer serves you your divorce papers." When Mr. Jacobs went to Lakewell Middle, it was a D school. Mrs. Canard and our our area superintendent Mr. Jacobs and his team worked hard and
one year Lakewell was a seat. Now you have snatched both of our top leaders that led the troops out of the forest successfully. To me, this seems to be a pattern with the Marian County public
school system. You have failed in schools. You put someone there to clean up the mess that someone else left. Then when they clean up the mess, then they are moved on. As of today, we have no clue who our next leader is going to be.
Do you think this is fair or transparent? Hopefully, this is a learning lesson. Thank you, Anthony Hartwell Brown. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Good evening. Um, my last name Brown, B R O W
N. First, I want to thank you. You have not met me and I have not met you, but my grandfather said that you should always give credit where credit's due. And I want to thank you for the outstanding administrators you have put in front of me at Lake High School and at Lake Middle School in my time in
Florida. They have been exceptional, student centered, loving, and I consider every single one of them friends. So, thank you. With that being said, I also trust that our new leader will follow that mold. I just don't know any better because you have done so well with me.
My concern as expressed so eloqu eloquently by Miss Narlla mainly has to do with the concern of transparency. I work with eighth grade students with disabilities. I'm a little
OCD. What that hap what that creates is a situation where I tend to proceverate over issues. Issue of fairness comes into play. This is just Tony. My concern as Tony that stakeholders in
other areas were kept in the loop when our stakeholders were not. Whether that was by design, whether that was by accident, it is not fair from my perspective. The lack of information,
even something as simple as a statement as to the process was never given. That's dangerous in a business and education is a business because your employees don't know what's going on. It creates anxiety. It creates
stress. I understand that there are wheels that are moving that we do not understand and we don't need to understand. But from my humble perspective and my OCD, at worst, excuse me, at best it is
simply um an oversight. At worst, it's blatant disrespect to a group of stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to love on these kids and bring them from a point of despair to a point of success with
everything continuing to trend forward and up. So again, I want to thank you for what you have done for me, for reinvigorating my career after 30 plus years in another state. Thank you for putting those people in my path. Please put someone
else in my path. I think, and I only speak for myself, God has put me here for a reason. And I trust that God is leading you in that same way. But ladies and gentlemen, transparency is the key. Information is the key. And when you
exclude one set of stakeholders, it can create problems. But I'm just an eighth grade student with disabilities teacher. So I thank you for your time and I thank you for your concerted efforts. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Tyler Stefon Walker. all doing? Uh, my name is Tyler Walker from Lakewear Middle School. That's uh W A L K E R. We can't hear you. Oh. Uh, my name is Tyler Walker. I'm also from Lakewear Middle School and uh that's W A
L K E R. Thank you guys for uh hearing us out today and allowing us to come and speak our minds towards the transparency issue that we feel is going on uh at Lakewear at the moment. Uh I'm in agreement with uh Mr. Brown and with Miss Haynes that uh a lot of us started
the position when I first joined at Lakewear Middle School uh two years ago. Uh it was a breath of fresh air to have Mr. Jacobs there and his uh uh presence and his experience uh really brought a lot to the table uh and was one of the
reasons that I continue working at Lake Middle School. I remember a conversation I had with Mr. Jacobs recently uh where he was one of the reasons that I continue to stay at Lakewear Middle School. Um and one of the unfortunate
reason uh unfortunately uh one of those reasons is going away. Um and I wish we would have had some foresight or some little bit of information beforehand so that we could know what was coming down the line that we could be be prepared.
um just trying to make sure that we know what's going on. Uh it's not fun to be uh the last to know and so it would be uh excellent if in uh in the future we could have more transparency. Thank you.
I think this thing's calm and falling. Thank you, Mr. Walker. That is all for tonight. Thank you. Okay, we're moving into a public hearing. I declare a public hearing. Is there anyone present who wishes to address the board regarding any of the
nine titles for the nine courses recommended for adoption this evening? And that will be that we will be voting on separately. Seeing none, oh Dr. Glet, I'm sorry. We're flipping pages here. So I I mistakenly
flipped back to where we work. Um, Dr. Glet, do you have some information to share with us on this item? I do. Thank you, Madam Chair. Instructional materials are adopted according to a process defined in state statute 10006.28 as well as board policy 2521. Nine titles for nine courses are
being recommended tonight for adoption. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Gullet. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for kindergarten ELA intervention materials? May I have a motion? So move. Thank you, Reverend
Cummings. Second. Uh thank you, board member Thrower. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of
instructional materials for first grade ELA intervention materials? May I have a motion? Motion. Thank you, Dr. James. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in
favor say I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional material for for second grade ELA intervention materials? May I have a motion? Motion
to approve. Thank you. Board member Thrower. Second. Second. Thank you, Dr. James. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5-0. May I have a motion to
approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for third grade ELA intervention materials? May I have a motion? So move. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Second. Second. Uh, thank you, Dr. Campbell. Is there any
discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for kindergarten math intervention
materials? May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, board member Thrower. Second. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 50. May I have a motion to
approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for first grade math interventions? May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, board member Thrower. Is there any discussion? Seeing
none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for second grade intervention materials? May I have a motion?
Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. A second. Second. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion
passes 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for the third grade intervention materials? Motion to approve. Thank you, board member Thrower. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Is there any
discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. May I have a motion to approve the public hearing for the 2024 2025 adoption of instructional materials for
fourth grade math intervention materials? May I have a motion? So move. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Second. Thank you, board member Thrower. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. Uh
thank you board. That was a lot of intervention materials. Um, the school district used a construction management delivery method included including a guaranteed maximum price to perform construction work on the following projects. To allow the district to purchase materials through
the owner direct purchase process to save sales tax, the construction manager needs to return the funds to the owner via a deductive change order. The superintendent has signed and approved the change orders per board policy 6345.
The superintendent is authorized to approve and execute any construction contract change order that will increase the construction contract by $25,000 or less or that will decrease the constru construction contract amount provided
that approval will be in her judgment in the best interest of the board. Such change orders will be binding upon execution by the superintendent. The superintendent shall report each change order that she approved to the board at the board meeting that follows her approval. The superintendent's approval
of the change orders will be entered in the official minutes of the schoolboard meeting. Item 9.1, construction of a security fencing system at Westport High School. Change order number one, work authorization number 14, project
23-131. The sales tax savings is 29,000, excuse me, 29,852.11. Item 9.2, guaranteed maximum price for districtwide hydronneumatic tanks replacement change order number one, work authorization number five, project
25-110. The sales tax saving is $6,23010. board. This concludes theformational items for today's meeting. May I have a motion to approve consent agenda items C11.1 through C21.1 with the exception of items
D24.1, D24.2, D24.3, and D24.4 that have been placed under discussion, regular agenda items, and items C 20.2 and C17.2 2 that have been pulled and placed under discussion
pulled items. The item GC26.1 that has been added as discussion for good cause item. May I have a motion? So move. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. James. All those in favor
say I. I. I. Any opposed? Nay. Thank you. So motion passes 41. Before addressing expulsion matters, I wish to acknowledge the board members have received the alternative placement
list for students through May 8th, 2025. Miss Gonzalez, are there any parents who have submitted a timely request to speak on their child's disciplinary matter? No, Madam Chair. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the expulsion of student
JD25-278E, JD25-288, JD25-289, JD25-290, JD25-293 with off-campus virtual learning for the remainder of the 2024,
2025, and the entire 2025, 2026 school year. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. James. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50. May I
have a motion to approve the expulsion of students [Music] JD25-280E JD25-281 JD25-282 JD25-285 for the remainder of the 2024
2025 school year and the entire 2025 2026 school year. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. James. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say I.
I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50. Moving on to discussion. Regular agenda items. May I have a motion to request to increase the expenditure for the North Florida buying group for main food and supply items for the USDA
commodity processing via the Elatchua County Public Schools RFP 23-24. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you. Board member Thrower. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. James. Dr. Gulla, you have some information you'd like to
share with us regarding this item. Thank you, Madam Chair. I do briefly uh board the cost for this item. The request is 1.4 million, which is a big item. and Miss Belchure is here to provide some additional context, but essentially we're looking at the two additional um
schools coming on board, the elementary schools as well as summer school and um the upcoming school year and the needs for food service. Miss Belchure will provide some more context. Thank you. Good evening, Chair Conrad, Vice Chair Cummings, board members, and Dr. Gollet.
Food and Nutrition Services is requesting an increase in the expenditure for the North Florida buying group with Gordon Food Service as the supporting vendor from 122.5 million to 12.9 million for the remainder of the
2425 fiscal school year due to higher food quality and increased participation in the national school lunch program. The additional $4,000 will cover food and supply items for the academic year and the summer feeding program. In
addition, the proposal seeks to raise the expenditure for the 2526 school year to 139 million to accommodate the opening of the two new elementary schools. The contract runs from July
1st, 2023 to June 30th, 2026 with approximately 10.7 million already encumbered at the time of submission. So approving this request will enable us to purchase food for the remainder of this school year, the summer feeding program,
and the school year ahead. Thank you. Thank you so much for your presentation. Board, do you have any questions? Yes, Dr. James, I just want to I heard you say 4,000, but I know you meant 400. Yes, 400. Thank you. Correct. Um there's just a few more zeros, so I just wanted to make sure that was clear in case
anyone was only listening. Same thing. Thank you. Anything else? Okay, seeing none board, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. may have a motion to approve the Sourcewell contract
120122 MBS unified communication and con contact center solutions. May I have a motion? Thank you, Reverend Cummings. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, board member Thrower. Dr. Gullet, you have some information for us regarding this item. Indeed, I do. Thank you,
Madam Chair. So, the cost for this request is $500,000. Um we are looking for the new phone systems to be installed at our two elementary schools coming um on board this fall following a pattern here and the utilization for other schools that need it as well. But
Mr. Ben Venudi is here to provide some additional details. Thank you. Good evening Chair Conrad, Superintendent Glet and board members. We're requesting approval to utilize the source well contract 120122 MBS which pertains to
unified communication and cont sorry contact center solutions. The purpose of this request is to establish a scalable reliable communications infrastructure that will support both our new schools facilities and necessary upgrades across schools and departments throughout the
district. This contract if approved will provide access to essential telecommunication systems. The contract is being fulfilled through MEL business systems headquartered in Mesa Arizona and will be serviced locally by Vertex Consulting located here in Ocala,
Florida. The term of the Sourcewell contract runs from June 20th, 2023 through March 8th, 2027. The estimated financial impact is approximately 500,000 per year. It's important to note that as of date of this agenda
submission, no funds have been expended using this contract with this vendor during this current fiscal year. Today, we're just simply requesting approval to utilize this competitively solicited cooperative contract for the remainder
of the term as well as any extension periods that may be offered through Sourcewell. This will ensure procurement compliance while enabling our district to deploy modern communication solutions in a cost, effective and timely manner. Thank you for your considerations. Thank
you, Mr. Benini board. Any questions or concerns? Okay, seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion P passes 5-0. Thank you, Mr. Benudi. May I have a motion to approve the compensation amendment number three to the
construction management contract guaranteed max maximum price for buildings 1 through 4 interior finishes buildings 6 through 11 and courtyards related to construction of new high school CCC project
24-105. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you board member Thrower. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Dr. Gullet, you have some information for us on this item. Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. And I actually I think the title says it all. The the cost for this
item and and for the public is approximately $29.7 million. It's a big project, as you know, with the the new high school CCC underway. Miss Usher is here to provide some additional details to the board. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Gallet. Good evening, um board chair,
board members. This is the third GMP for the new high school CCC. As Dr. Gallet said, it's for 29 million 29.7 million approximately. We are currently within the budgeted amount that the board approved for this um project. This is
for the building interiors for building 1 through 4. Those are the buildings up front and the courtyards and locker rooms. There'll be one more GMP coming to you and um hopefully we can use sales tax money savings and other savings from
the elementary school to fund that. Thank you, Miss Azure board. Any questions here? We'll be recusing myself from this item. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Yes, Dr. James. Yes. Um, I would like to just be, it doesn't have
to be today, but maybe an updated perspective timeline of when we start school in August of 2026, what buildings will be we we are fully intending on moving forward with high school CCC opening for August of
26. That's correct. So, understanding that some of the substantial completion dates in this are not aligned with an August date at sometime in the near future, could the board please receive an updated um maybe timeline? I know previous work sessions we've received
kind of a graphic of sorts of an overlay this much will be done then and so if there's a way we could receive some kind of update as I know there's been a moving target um so that that when the community asks what they can be expecting to see we will be able to effectively articulate that certainly
Dr. James, the only thing the completion date for the auditorium is October 26, but everything else should be ready for the August um 2026 school year, but I will give you an updated timeline. All of the athletic fields as well. I'm not certain about the fields. I'm the
buildings will be ready except for the auditorium. With the fields, I'll have to give you an update on that. Yeah, for for obvious football obvious, you know, those questions that the community has. Their child's getting reszoned. They play football. So, are they going to get to play football on their Those are just
questions we're getting. So, if sometime this summer we could get that update, that'd be great. We'll do. Thank you, Dr. James. Any further discussion? Questions from the board. All right. Thank you, Miss Usher. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed?
All right. Motion passes for um zero with one recusal by Dr. Campbell. May I have a motion to approve the guaranteed maxim maximum price for Ocola Middle School building improvements building one project
25-115. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. May I have a second? Second. Thank you by Dr. J. Thank you, Dr. James. Dr. Gulllet, you have some information on this item for us. Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, Miss Usher remains close by. She's coming
back to the podium. So, this is another big item. The cost for improvement at Oyola uh middle school is approximately $3.8 million for for that work. And Miss Usher is going to provide additional details. Thank you, Dr. Glet. Um yes, the um the GMP for the Oyola Middle
School building one improvements is 3.8 million. At the last board meeting, you approved 500,000 as an early procurement package. So the total GMP is 4.3 million. They have given me a substantial completion
date of August 7th, 2025 for all the interior work to be completed by then and the exterior work going into November of 2025. As requested at the last board meeting, I will um provide regular
updates on this project to you. Thank you, Miss Asher board. Any questions or concerns? This one Dr. James. Um my only request is that August 7th is after teachers return to work. So if there is going to be um limitations
for teachers getting into their workspace, I'd like to to ensure that we're having communications with the union and making sure that we're providing an applicable um and appropriate work condition seeing as I believe teachers return to work
Monday of that week and this completion date is Thursday. So definitely Dr. James, we're already talking about that and looking into that. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. James. Yes, board member Thrower. Thank you. Um, just in looking through the attachments and the letter
to Miss Boombach, it says on page one that unknown existing conditions may affect these schedule dates. and and we're talking now a $4.3 million
project. Uh I just find it interesting that we are apparently going to find the money to shore up Ociola Middle School when it was being proposed that we close Feezington for needing so much work in
the future. And I just want to bring it up to the board again that I would like it as an agendaized item in a work session sooner than later um to talk about uh both of these schools, talk about a resolution for the pure reason of if I
think that we as a board make a commitment um to protect both of these schools in perpetuity, then we can start encouraging our grants department to look for grants. we can encourage the um SAC committees to look for grants so
that we can preserve these schools in a more fiscally responsible way. And from my understanding and background, when you're working in conditions like these, I assume maybe
all of you did take the tour that Ocola offered and got a chance to see uh what's at stake here. Uh I would be very pleasantly surprised if this work uh manages to be done um on time. Just
be because of no fault. I know these folks that are on tap to do this um have been doing this kind of work for years, but just the nature of the building, you don't really know what you're getting into till you are elbows deep. So, I
would encourage any families um to be prepared and teachers and staff to be prepared, you know, for disruptions. Um you know, we had a high school that had plywood over the windows for quite a few months when inside that high school
there's been classrooms with no windows for decades. So, I think that if you just let people know ahead of time what to possibly expect, it helps manage their expectations. And I know because of this accelerated timeline there, I
received a voicemail and there was some other email communications about not uh chasing ODP for this project. Is that still the case? Um board member throw we will try to get every penny back for the school district but because of the tight time frame and the o um we might not be
able to do that but we will try in this case we're not buying equipment so the ODP would be getting back would be from carpeting or or um sheetrock or stuff like that it won't be substantial but we will try to you all has to be
transparent so I'm transparent that if we might not be able to get all our ODP pay back. But I believe to you the scheduling and getting the school completed for next semester is more than important more than getting um and if it
was a substantial amount I agree but it should not be because we're not buying equipment with the air handlers. We're just going to clean those and remediate and put them back in. Yes, ma'am. and and I did receive that information and I also sat here for uh many many minutes,
many many meetings and heard a lot about ODP and why it was so important and I heard that directly from the contractors as well that we were not doing a good enough job and it came loud and clear from the same company that is asking us
to forgive it on this one. So, in the spirit of transparency and in the spirit of making sure that every penny counts, I just think that, you know, what's sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose and that there are circumstances, including in the past, where it made
more sense to keep moving with the project because that's what's best for kids. But others got crucified on that. And that in my mind was not fair. So if we're going to be doing this then we need to make sure that it is very public
for everyone and also again manage the expectations that when you're getting into projects like this it's really difficult to have a very hard and fast timeline and I would encourage the folks associated with Oyola to expect some
disruptions you know um that's the nature of construction so there's no point sugar coating it it It is what it is and I'm ready to move forward. Thank you. And I promise I will update you regularly and stay on top of the contractor. Thank you. Thank you, board member
Thrower. And I I just want to add that um when Miss Usher joined us that our first meeting, I shared with her communication in the past had been challenging um to say the least. And so, Miss Usher, I just want to say publicly, thank you. I feel like you've made a
concerted effort to communicate with the board um when things don't go exact exactly how we hoped they um would go and that happens a lot in construction and so um thank you for working hard to communicate um not with just with me as
the board chair but with the board um in general. So thank you for that. Are there any further questions? Okay, seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. Thank you, Miss
Usher. Moving on to discussion pulled agenda items. May I have a motion to approve the job job description for crisis response coordinator 1.77. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. James. May I
have a second? Second. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Dr. Campbell, I understand you've pulled this item and you'd like to have further discussion. Yes, Chair. Thank you. Uh because this job is going to now be moving into the communication function,
there currently isn't anywhere necessarily in the job description that indicates why. And so, bullet seven currently says assist schools in developing effective crisis management plans. and speaking with the team and uh
Dr. Brewer as well, my recommendation and she concurs is to change that seventh bullet to read assist schools in developing effective crisis management and communication plans because there is a significant difference in a crisis
management plan and the crisis communication plan that follows it. There are significant differences and so I believe that will be the responsibility of this coordinator. That's my recommendation. Thank you. Anything else on the board?
Madam Chair, um I understand that they're talking about moving this one to communications, but I'm not sure if this position even needs to be moved under communications looking at the job description. I I'm sorry. We already approved that in the consent agenda tonight that it is. I understand that. I understand there's
other things in consent agenda the way I voted against it. I understand that. But again, I think this may need to be reconsidered um at some point and I will be bringing it back for us to look at it again. I can't hear you. I'm sorry. I can't hear you. I will be bringing this back because
there's some serious issues concerning this one um being under communications and not being sitting under safe schools. This is more of a I know they're trying to make it a civilian position, but it's really not a civilian position. It's a position that has a lot of interaction with law enforcement and
federal agencies and of the such. So, I just want to let you know it's going to be coming back within the context of the same meeting. If there has been um an item that went under consent and was voted on and the board would like to offer a motion for reconsideration
within the context of the same meeting, that is a viable alternative if you should choose to do so. So if there is an item which falls in consent that board members obviously have the right to pull an item in advance. However, if it falls in consent, it gets voted on then additional information comes
forward within the same meeting. If you would like to offer a motion for cons reconsideration that can be done suisonte in other words just right off the cuff if you I would like to offer a motion for reconsideration. I can't hear him. I'm sorry. He would like to do that. Okay.
So that item that we voted on that I'm just administrative personnel packet for 2425. Is that what you're talking about, Reverend Cummings? Yes. Can you give me a number? Yeah, it's uh C19.1, I believe.
No, it's not that one. See, it's the staffing plan changes. It's not 19.2 is one I would like to revisit. Um, but it's a change to the staffing plan. Oh, you're right.
Just looking for it. Is it 19 point? Uh, 20.1 maybe. 20.1 one is amendment to the central office staffing plan. Yes. The safe schools attachment. Is that what you're speaking about, Reverend Cummings? Mhm.
I'm looking at that attachment. Just verify that's what the one you're looking for. Yes. The emergment management. Yeah, it's 20.1 where we had the changes to showing it the removal of the position from safe schools and into public relations. That was item 20.1.
Right. All right. So, if Reverend Cummings has been recognized by the chair, he can make that motion. Then if the motion is seconded and the board votes to reconsider that particular item, then with the board's with the board chair's permission, we may vote on that item. Chair, I want to I would love
for us to reconsider this this item. You got to speak up. I can't I can't hear him. I would love for us to reconsider this item um as um what is it? 20.1. 20.1.
Motion to reconsider item 20.1 has been made. Okay. All right. Motion by Reverend Cummings and a second by Dr. Campbell. Is there any further discussion by other board members? Dr. Campbell, do you want to share? I
still believe that on the job description when we vote on that again, we'll have to make the vote on what we just made the motion on. But when we get to the item on crisis response coordinator, I still believe it needs to have the word communication plan in it because we do need someone to develop the crisis communication plan first.
Just motion to reconsider. Has it been voted on the reconsider? Understood. It has to discussion on that. Okay. So, so are we reconsidering is it's what's on the table right now. Okay. Reconsider. All right. All right, we need to vote on that. Been a motion reconsider and a
second. The board votes on that. Then we'll go back to the item we and then we go to the item. Correct. All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Nay. Motion passes. Three two. Now
opening item 20.1, amendment to the central office staffing plan for the 2425 school year. Okay. I'm sorry. I thought the motion we just voted on was that one.1. It was a It was a motion to reopen. Now
we have to vote separately on it. Got it. Right. Thank you. Thank you for the procedural. Should we finish the vote on the We have We have a mo a motion in a second on the table for the job description. We do which did not get closed. That
would have been automatically tabled by the pending motion. So, and we'll need to make an additional amendment to it if you now that we've just Yes. If we pass now that we reopen it. Okay. Now that we've reopened. Yes. So, Dr. Campbell.
So, with item 20.1, I believe the motion is to keep the position of crisis response coordinator in safe schools and not in public relations. However, also 20.1
includes the addition of a chief financial officer, which I do not believe needs to be a part of the I think that needs to go ahead and move forward, but I I believe the request of Reverend Cummings and he may want to make the motion on that is to keep that position in safe schools and not move it
to public relations. That's correct. Um my motion again would be that uh the emergency was emergency management crisis response. crisis response not be moved to communications. There needs to be language added about the
communications part, but it needs to remain under safe schools due to the the um probability of it being uh dealing with law enforcement, different federal agencies and it's not a civilian position. It should be a position that has the um that can speak the language.
Okay. Do I have a second? Second. All right. Second by Dr. Campbell. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Nay. Nay. Motion passes. 32.
Okay. Chair for clarity. I think can we just so the the what we just approved so that everyone understands is that the crisis management position will remain under safe schools. Safe schools. Correct.
Okay. So back to the job description then. 5.1. All right. Um, so the way the job description reads, um, still this first of all, the one of the changes that will need to be made is who it reports to. So that's at the top
because currently the job description as presented says it reports to the director of public relations. So that will need to refer revert back to the safe schools director. Um, I still believe that the seventh bullet does need to say assist schools in developing
effective crisis management and communication plans. Um, that was going to be my primary change to this. I I still think even a law enforcement person needs to have that capability and I don't know, Reverend Cummings, if you would recommend some kind of change to the
position qualifications because there isn't anything currently represented that references law enforcement. Right. Um, I'm looking at the qualifications. Um, wait a minute. I lost my highlight on it. Um, I it does need to add that
communications piece of the um communication plan. Where is it? Well, it says certifications and the national incident management system, the NIMS, including incident command system, ICS, and all
hazards position specific AHPS courses. Right. those should still remain. Um I think it says experience minimum three years of verified successful experience related to emergency management and or equivalent com combination of education and
training that needs to remain the bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution. I'm not sure about that piece. Um because a lot of law enforcement may not have the bachelor's degree. Um but if they have the um qualifying experience, they're
just as capable as someone with a bachelor's degree. Okay. So what I'm hearing is we're not ready to approve this job description. I think we is everybody comfortable go ahead and call them. Well, I I just want to offer I think the
reason the job I know the reason the job description is on tonight's agenda is because they need to hire the job so that we can have the person properly prepared for hurricane season, which we are promptly entering. And this person is a critical component to our response
in emergency management situations, which can be a plethora, but the primary emergency management response we have in this district is hurricane and shelter relief. So delaying this two more weeks on a board agenda and then having to
post for five days and then interview, we're going to be in the heart of hurricane season before we even hire this person. And so I I I don't want to speak on behalf of Dr. Brewer, but I believe the way of work for this to be on tonight's agenda is so that we can get it approved. So, Attorney Powers or Chair Conrad, I would recommend if the
board can come to consensus on the changes and the job description, can we go ahead and have those minor changes um taken care of and get this approved? Yes. I would just ask for clear instruction on exactly what changes need that the board wants to be made. Um and
then uh the board chair can can approve. I I'm a little uncomfortable with that. Uh, you know, this goes this goes through a lot of work before it gets to us. And so I don't know if this is permitted, but I would like to say
if the board would approve this, can it come back before us to be updated? Like, can we approve this job description so they can begin hiring? They update, they make these changes, which I don't want to speak out of turn
because this is not my area of expertise. I will tell you however that that may affect whom it is that who is going to be doing the interviewing, what departments, everything else because Miss Marine coming forward please. Sure. And the education piece is
important because we if we decide bachelor's degree or relevant law enforcement experience, you know, to capture, right? Um the fact that it may not be necessary to have a bachelor's degree with other relevant experience that could be a quick fix, right?
What's the I'm sorry because we can hear bits and pieces, right? So what what is your ask? There there are some things some pieces of this job description that different board members um have concerns with. So my question is if we approved the job description as is tonight so
that hiring could the hiring process could begin and board members with concerns get with you on these updates and that the update of the job description come back before us like is there any rule about how long there has to be between updates? So there's no
rule about how long and yes that can happen. My concern from an HR perspective is if we recruit someone based on meeting these qualifications and then you make changes and then they no longer qualify then we have another issue. What what are what are your
concerns or what is it that you are considering changing? We'll start again with Reverend Cummings. We're considering um the education piece where it talks about the bachelor's degree. Um may I make a suggestion? Yes. How about
we just take it from the top because we were talking about having it move from director of public relations in terms of reporting back to uh safe schools department safe schools right so the very first thing would be reports too right that's an we can okay and then the
seventh bullet Dr. Campbell had the seventh bullet had it in communication crisis management I captured that plans and then the one that I had raised was um if it it may or may not be necessary to have a bachelor's degree in lie of
other related experience. So I would just like to say this is an administrative level position and all of our administrative level positions do require a bachelor's degree. So my that would be my HR recommendation is that for this administrative position require
a bachelor's degree and and when we had the emergency um coordinator before it required a bachelor's degree as well. So can you add or related related experience? No. I mean, if that's the direction of the
board, but again, my recommendation would be that it requires a bachelor's degree. But again, you all let me know, but my recommendation would be it required the bachelor's degree at a minimum. Reverend uh chair, yes. Yes,
Reverend Cummings, it does say uh three years of experience um in law enforcement. I'm trying to find the exact verbiage related to emergency related to emergency management, right? So, and I guess I said law enforcement,
but I was thinking they all work together. Do you want to maybe expand on the um related experience related experience and even the degrees? I'm sorry if we're having open discussion for just a
moment. So I I concur that the bachelor's degree because of the salary range that this one is as well as it being on the administrative salary schedule, bachelor's degree needs to be required. I'm not sure certain if we want to increase logistics andor government management if there's a
different degree offering that we also wanted to say because that there is a section there on education that says these degrees are encouraged. So maybe there is another I'm not sure what law enforcement degree would what that is. I I that's not my expertise. Um but then also in the experience category uh where
it says related to emergency management uh we could say emergency management, law enforcement, comma and or equivalent combination of educ. I can go with that. I can go with that. So I'm not sure what other degree offering there would be that beyond logistics and government management. I
mean there's varied um you know organizational management could fall under there. There's a lot of different ones that could fall under that. we can. And the way it's worded, they don't have to have the bachelor's degree in logistics or government management. That's what's preferred. So, if they
have organizational management or something else, we would still accept that as long as they have a um bachelor's degree. Okay. But I'll I'll add organizational management as another like example that's encouraged. And then in the
experience, we'll um add related to emergency management. comma law enforcement and or equivalent combination of education and training. Okay, I'm good with that. So now your motion and uh vote would be as amended or as orally amended. Sure. And I think
I I may have been the motion on that. I'm not sure originally, but okay. Make a motion on this. Go ahead. As amended. All the things we just said as amended. Second. Okay. We have an amended motion by Dr. Campbell and a second by Reverend Cummings. Any further discussion? All
those in favor say I. I mot those opposed. Motion passes 5. Thank you, Mr. Mor, for coming up impromptu and helping us. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, there was a mention of
another item uh that so I think uh that's what we were in was in the consent agenda. I if if we can do it now or I can do it during board comments, but we did have uh some members from our school community come up this evening and address item
19.2. Um that is the change of positions for Lakewear High and Lake Middle. And I voted against the consent agenda because I didn't believe we had an ample opportunity to address their concerns. And um I uh respect those folks that
came and represented their community well and um appreciate the opportunity to have public discussion about it if the board wants to. So I make a motion that we reconsider item 19.2 pulling it out of consent and have a separate vote.
Second. Okay. Motion by Dr. Campbell. An amended motion by Dr. Campbell and a second by Reverend Cummings. Um, any further discussion? Well, I mean, this is just to pull it out. Just to get it out. Just to get it out. This is just to pull it out. Okay.
Okay. So, call We'd call now for the vote. Just call the vote with no other disc to pull it out. Okay. All right. Um, all those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? All right. Oh, sorry. I'm not doing a good job leading you here. No,
that's okay. Um, so motion passes 41. All right. Now, um, that's just a bullet. Now, call item 19.2. 19.2, which I have 14 papers here entitled administrative personnel.
Administrator. Give me just a second. Item 19.2, administrative personnel items 2025 2026 fiscal year. Okay. Thank you. All right. And
so you would request a motion. May I have a motion to amend? We're amending this. We're going to We just want what? To discuss it. A motion to bring to the table, then to uh to second and then discuss. Okay. May I have a motion to
bring item 19.2, two, human resources, employment services, administrative personnel items 2025 2026 school year. Um, in for discussion move. Thank you, Reverend Second, second by board member Campbell. Oh,
sorry. I didn't hear you. Board member Campbell. I was wondering. Okay. Open for discussion. We have to vote on that. No, you you you are the item is now open. Perfect. in discussion all over discussion. Well, Reverend Cummings, you heard the motion.
Would you like to start on this discussion? No, you can go ahead. U So, I completely concur with um Mr. McAteer being named high school CCC principal. So, I want to take that off the table per se. And those both there are two
items represented in this particular vote. Uh but we did hear from many members of the Lake Middle community this evening. uh and I am interested in hearing from the board if if this is a decision that we
uh want to approve this evening uh to make that move. Uh my understanding is one or the other will become available tomorrow. So if the board voted this evening to leave Mr. Jacobs at Lakewear Middle School, then the Lakewear High
principal position would be posted. Whereas if we vote just as it was in consent this evening, then the Lakewear Middle principal will be posted effective tomorrow. I'm sure. Yeah. Yes. Listen, I um I I concur with both
of these moves. I agree with both of these moves. Um Mr. Jacobs going to the high school. I agree with Mr. McIntyer going to the new high school. Uh the concern that we got from the community was not about them moving. It was about how it was communicated. Correct. That's
the issue that was that was the issue that was addressed. Um I think the um the lack of um the the what I heard the staff felt it got blindsided and that there were leaks that some kind of way it got out into the community and it put
Mr. Jacobs in a bad spot. I think the move is a good move personally because now these kids that he has worked with the past few years get to move with him to the high school. So, it's a continuation of the culture that he's built at the middle school. So, I'm I'm
in agreement, but I think the issue that we need to be addressing is from the community was how it leaked and how they were told and the transparency in of all of that. That's that's what I heard from the community. It is, but I mean that's not
parting on. So, I mean, we had three people I I'm just going to share my comment here. We had three people come forward um happy with the leadership that they had. They're sad that their leadership is moving and they ask that they hope they get leadership that's just as good as what they had. Um I will
say I don't think that positions being leaked is a new problem. I think it it's happened many times uh probably since when I started teaching 30 years ago. So um it's uh misfortune that it happens.
Um but it does some people um can't keep things to themselves and so that is damaging um when our staff finds out uh and they have it hasn't been shared. So I just want I just wanted to add my comments. Board is there anything else? Yep. I Dr. James. So a couple
things. It's very we cannot presume that just because Lake Middle School is getting posted tomorrow that that would mean Lakewware High School is getting posted tomorrow if we flip-flop this because that's not necessarily what the interim superintendent or superintendent would
do. But what is I think I'm what I'm concerned about is that we've now reopened a second item tonight, but we're not talking about the contents of the item. It seems like all of us are pretty much in agreement that I believe my understanding and I
mentioned this I believe in the last time we met. It is not our job to get into the nitty-gritty of personnel items. It's not our job. So we approve the personnel packet by a matter of uh formality and practice but it is not our job to make personnel decisions and the
public shares concerns which I completely agree with. When the which I intend it's on my list to address and comments then we address it as a as a board with our employee or at this time employees because we have an interim superintendent and superintendent.
But it doesn't change the fact that the personnel packet is the personnel packet and it's not our job to get in the weeds on the personnel packet. We got multiple emails about I believe we all did about um another personnel move for an assistant principal. My response to
those employees was I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thank you for reaching out. The personnel packet is not my job and I have forwarded your responses to the interim superintendent and the staff who are making the changes. So that's where I stand on this. I maintain I believe Mr. Jacobs is
going to do a tremendous job as is Mr. McAteter and I and trust that we're going to get a really great administrator to come in to Lake Middle School. And I'd just like to add that those principles are looking forward to doing that their next job, their next
assignment. Their staff is happy for them. They're just nervous about who's coming in to lead them next school year. And unfortunately doing things with through the school system is a little slow. We have procedures that
we have to follow. And so um it's not as quick or as fast as some would like. Madam chair. Yes. And and this is what I hear. I I I agree with both what you just said. um
the the decisions or those personnel decisions don't come from this board. Correct. Those recommendations don't come from this board. Those recommendations come from the superintendent to the board and we either approve them or disapprove them.
Um I I know this how the how those things got into the community have created angst and anxiety amongst um the staff but those are not and but we were the board was addressed as we leaked something and we
have to address that piece and say that that's not our that's not even in our function. Our function is to approve it or disapprove it. And so, um, I'm sure that our superintendent, our interintendent is going to work on how those how transparency is is and making
sure that, um, whenever there is going to be moves, those moves are communicated in a proper way. Um, it's unfortunate, it's very unfortunate that it put Mr. Jacob's in a in a in a compromising spot that um he couldn't be
forthright with his staff because it it shines on his credibility as a leader when he can't say certain things. And I think um we just have to do a better job. Uh there it was it was it wasn't just his position. There's other positions that um that's out there. We
those Lake Worth Middle School staff were just concerned enough to come to the board and say it. So, thank you. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Hold on. Board member Thrower has something she want to share. Attorney Powers, I just wanted to share that I heard loud
and clear from the folks that spoke tonight that they were thrilled that uh Miss Principal Jacobs is getting this opportunity and that Mr. McIntyre is getting this opportunity. And that wasn't the point. The point is is that
when people that are at the highest levels are trusted with very sensitive information that affects the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people that it is
critical to make sure that the appropriate silence is maintained so that the timing of when staff is informed formed comes from the right people at the right time for the
right reasons. And I've been with this district a really long time. And this particular season of movements, I don't like what I have been hearing and who I've been told they've been getting it from. So I would
encourage everyone in high level positions to consider that information. and it has been brought forward and public tonight by the people that are in the trenches and how it is affecting them. And that's where I'm going to leave this with that. Attorney Powers, can you give
me some direction on what board chair will now call a vote on item 19.2, administrative personnel item 25, 2025 2026 fiscal year. Okay. May I have a motion? You've already had a motion. You had a second. Second, so we just have to talk. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
Sorry. All right. All those in favor say I. I. I. Those opposed. Motion passes. 50. Um I have just one final comment I want to say. This board has quite a bit of time um to reach out a sta to staff uh
before we get to this meeting. And I would just encourage uh board members if you have a concern um to reach out to the experts in the field. um to talk through some of these items. If you if you are concerned
um about things that are being pushed forward, even though this item really is in the weeds for us, I encourage you to reach out and have those conversations. You know, my personal experience is anytime I call Miss Morant, she calls me back or texts me and says, "I'll get to
you as soon as I can." So, I just would encourage you if you have concerns um to reach out to our leaders within the district to help get um clarifications or even explanations of why those decisions um have been made. Uh with that, we are going to um
move on to item C17.2. Uh now we're returning to item 25.2. We were 25.2. 17.2. Is that that's She's on the right one. Yes, I'm sorry. It is C17.2.2. May I have a motion to approve the
expenditure increase request for bid 4052 MF indoor air quality remediation and asbestous abatement term contract. May I have a motion? So move. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Dr. James. Dr.
Campbell, I understand you've pulled this item and you'd like further discussion. Yes, Chair. I intend to vote in favor of this, but because it does mention the reason for the increase in funding is due to the environmental challenges at Oyola Middle and it was recommended in the last board meeting, I
know from this board seat that anything to deal with this Oyola um abatement issue would not be in consent and it would be placed into discussion just for the purpose of transparency. Uh that was the reason for pulling the item. Any
further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5 Z. Moving on to discussion with good cause. May I have a motion to approve the request for the second amendment to
agreement for purchase and sale of real estate warehouse. May I have a motion? Motion to approve. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. May I have a second? Okay. So, I have Mr. McGra here to speak to the board if the board wishes to hear it. If we don't second it, we don't do
that. So that that's Do we have to have a second to have a discussion? We have to have a second to have a discussion. Correct. Um I will I will read this for the per for the board's purposes. The board has had an opportunity to read the best
practice. Um essentially here we had um buyer completed his due diligence on the property and would like to renegotiate its purchase price offer. The bo buyer has indicated the cost of repairs total over $519,000. The buyer is willing to close
the contingencies for reduction to $2 million. The original listing price was at 1.95 I believe is what uh uh we requested that Mr. McGra take forward. Um I have had discussion with Mr. McGra
and put this item here because it would um if the board does not vote to here then they have to walk away from it and we relist or um we would have a uh contingency period wait 10 to 15 days
and um perhaps bring it back to the board for consideration. So that's the stance and status. Um I have had discussions with Mr. McGrath regarding this exact item and because there was little time for me to bring additional
items uh for anyone's further notice. Um all I can indicate to you is that if this is not something that is at least discussed tonight and you voted up or down then it is something which just drops and we would be unable to and
that's fine. It's within the board's purview. Just want to be clear what the ask is. Is the ask is essentially for an explanation for the board to vote it up or down. Chair. Yes. I'd like to offer an amended motion for an extension of the due
diligence because I don't think this item is appropriate for this for this board to vote on um at all with a I don't know 5h hour notice. So, um I can offer an amended motion to extend the uh what's appropriate term due diligence
period for 10 days so that it can be properly noticed and then this item can come back before the board. Uh that's fine with me. But so if that would be of the perview to get a second, then I'm fine to offer that amended motion. All right, we have amended motion by Dr. James. May I get a
second? Can I pass the gavl to make a second? Yes. I second the motion, the amended motion discussion. All right, let just hold on. I hold on. I'm just making a note of all that's going on this evening. All right. Um, we're going to open this up for discussion. Attorney
Powers, would you like to invite our guests? Yes, indeed. I have Mr. McGra here to speak to you. Um, and I will also indicate that as a contingency, because I didn't know which way the board would like to go with this, uh, we've also prepared a second amendment to the agreement for purchase and sale
of real estate, which does take into account exactly what the board just discussed, which would be an additional period, an extension of a period for which we would be able to um, uh, due extend the due diligence period and bring this back to the board uh, later
if that's the board's pleasure. So, I'll let Mr. McGrath I do have a question before Mr. McGra begins to Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Um, hasn't this due diligence period already been extended once? It has. By how many days? We extended it the first time for a was it a 30-day
period, Mr. McGrath? We extend it for a 30-day period. That's correct. Okay, that's correct. Correct. And suddenly there's uh over a holiday weekend $514,000 of expenses have been identified. That was identified to vote on tonight. that was identified uh for
us on Thursday and of course as the board is aware or may not be aware I've been in federal court on Friday or been a truency court on Friday in federal court today. So um I posted this item this morning with the board chair's permission after convening more talks
with Mr. McGra over the weekend and and when does this actually run out? Tonight tomorrow right this not do or die tonight. Well, it is because the board has to vote. It dies today if we don't vote on anything.
And I if if the board's pleasure were to grant an additional uh I think it's a 10-day extension is what we 10 calendar days from May May 28th and then bring it back for further discussion. We may do so with a second amendment agreement which has been prepared. The board may
choose not to do that. I'll let Mr. McGra further explain after you've Thank you. if that satisfied your question. Thank you. Because because it it does not. Um we already have extended this by 30 days and it was asis. So I think we
were gracious to extend it an extra 30 days. They have until tomorrow to decide take it or leave it if that's the way the board votes. So, I agree that we have to have a vote tonight, but I just wanted to get this um out there in in
the open and remind everyone on this board how this got started, how it the deal was structured, and now what we're being faced with at the 23rd hour and that doesn't sit right with me. So, now I'm ready to listen. Thank you, sir. And
I I think Mr. McGra will probably uh reflect to you if he's honest about the the fact that my first impressions uh with being exposed to this as well were um very very similar and very um um I
was I was definitely not happy with uh with what I heard. Mr. McGra does have additional information which may or may not have an impact on that. So Mr. McGrath, thank you for waiting on us. Um we're ready to listen and hear what information you have to share with us. Okay. And and first and foremost, thank
you guys for having me. Um I've got Sandon Weich here with me as well, who is the real estate agent that we engaged well that we engaged um to market the property. And so he can also fill in any gaps that I may have in in explaining
the process. But the way the real estate market works is that if you do have a due diligence period, it's a time for you to make a determination and look at a building to see if it's suitable for your purposes. And during that period, the buyer can terminate at any point whatsoever. Or that buyer can ask for a
request. Specifically in this case, they asked for a reduction of $500,000. And that is a big request coming at you at the last minute. But I don't believe there was any malice or intent, you know, ill intent. Um, we've got a buyer here who's working in the real estate market, and this is a
traditional and very usual and customary way to handle a request for a price reduction. Um, I don't think they were looking to say, "Hey, school's almost out. We're going to hammer the board right now at their most weak position and we're going to really get a great deal." I don't see that being the case.
Um, I do want to go back, however, and talk about how we first started when you first engaged me. Um, it was to handle an auction process. And we did that auction process. It was a blind auction. And the bids that we received were a
$1.4 million bid, $1.2 2 million bid and a million50 and then a whopper of a bid of $37,000. So those were the bids that we received and and entertained and then we went back to the group and said, "Hey, listen. These aren't going to work for
us. Please increase your bid. if you'd like a chance to purchase this building. And all parties declined at that point. And so then we went to the drawing board and we just determined we would engage local real estate agents who knew the market. And that's where Sanding came
on. And so Sandy came on and started marketing and they listed the property and it was actually at a million995 was the list price. Jeremy, I think I sent you an email that was incorrect. At a million 950, it was a million995. And so the uh property was
listed. Um we received two offers on the property and the two offers on the property were one greatly above our asking price which I I don't know where this buyer came up with this number but it was 500,000 above our asking price.
And of course we went with them. And so now they've gone through the process of looking to see if there's anything. And I don't think it's a bait and switch. It may may very well be. I don't know. But nonetheless, if we take their reduction that is being proposed where they wave all contingencies and are ready to close
on June 30th and their money's hard. So we actually have an addendum that says that just that that we will wave all contingencies that our escro deposits hard that we will deposit an additional $75,000 and we will close on June 30th. They have no outs whatsoever if we sign
that document with them, whether that be today or if we postpone it and and hold it at a a meeting where there's open discussion. And I I my preference would be would be today. But if we can't do it today, then I would definitely suggest that we go down the route of signing the
10-day extension that allows them to extend their due diligence. Meaning, if we do the 10-day extension and they want to cancel at day nine, they still get their escro deposit back. But it at least gives us the ability and we think we're all traveling in their good faith that you've said you will buy this for
$2 million. We just need time to have a discussion and to properly publicize that discussion and make sure it gets out correctly. So, I think that's really what our options are is do we go through and make a decision on the $500,000 reduction right now without proper
procedures in place possibly and run that risk versus let's go ahead and sign an extension which I believe the chair has the ability to sign without any further action on the board based on the fact that you you did sign that last
extension and I think that that was the power granted. So, I'm I'm not even sure that has to be voted on, but I will defer to you guys on that 10-day extension for the due diligence because it it doesn't modify or change anything other than extends out their due diligence so they can cancel for 10 more
days. So, thank you, Mr. McGraw and board. My concern was um that there wasn't prop proper notice and so even though I'm support um I do want the public to have an opportunity um for it to be noticed and come and comment if they so choose.
So board, I I offer any other comments. Well, there's an amended motion on the table. So yes, I I would like to um I mean I maintain my amended motion. I would like to see the amendment for 10 days or whatever the day range is to
extend. Um so that I I'm in full support of this. This offer, even with the 500,000 reduction, is still above ask. This is the best offer we're ever going to get on this property. And if it had been properly noticed, I would be a automatic yes right now. But the
notification being I mean less than a business day is just completely not okay with me. It does not give the public opportunity to come give comment. This is the first thing we've sold and I can't even I don't even know. And I don't think we should start down the road of selling property because we have
multiple things to sell in the future with with not doing it the right way. And that's just I that is how I feel about it. So I maintain my amended motion and I would love to see at our next board meeting this item properly publicized and we get to vote on it and move forward with the same closing date
of June 30th. Mr. McGra, the only thing I will ask is uh as the board considers this, what you and I had prepared was actually uh for an extension of 10 days. Uh our next board meeting is actually um June 10th. So unless we set a special
board meeting, that would actually be 14 days. We have a board meeting on June 5th. It is an off air for discipline that we have done this before. We can just reopen and and the question is that's prior to an administrative briefing and work session. So is there time to
adequately discuss the or is there time for us to ask adequately discuss those issues at that time? I don't think we have any I mean I'm not aware of any issues. I mean we can obviously have discussion tonight. What I'm saying is we're off air and then we we go on air on June 5th and we can even agendaize it
for the work session if needs to be and then go into the public board meeting afterwards. But we could vote on this June 5th. Yeah. And what I would offer too, if uh at all possible, Sandin is here tonight and he can certainly step up and speak to any other questions you
have about the potential buyer. Um anything else and maybe we can get that out tonight so that in on June 5th we're ready to go. Let's let the board ask its questions and and discuss at this point first. So a couple of things about June
5th. First of all, if we go by practice that this board has always maintained, it will not be a full seven days between the Friday through that Thursday for publication. It's already published. It's already publicized,
right? The the the notice of meeting is published in the paper. The agenda itself doesn't go uh it just has to be published for seven days. Okay? And that's not publication in the paper. Again, the purpose of why we are considering giving them an additional
due diligence is so the public has the ability to weigh in. That meeting is at 7 a.m. So, are we intending for the the special board meeting is at 7 a.m. So, our intention is to have the public show up for that meeting. No, that's not how
we've done this before is we do our off air after 9:00 am. We go and we we've done this before with other facility items in the last year. We go on air, we start our work session, we have the work session, we we had recessed the board meeting and then we rejoin the board
meeting in the public. And if we go back and ask Miss Martinez uh how we how we p published it, I mean we put I think I put a time on it even. So that's how we've done it historically. I just wanting to make sure if we're
doing this for transparency sake that we maintain consistent practice. That's how we've done it before. Consistency question, Mr. McGra or Mr. Ogans, do you think um the difference from the date um from the 5th to the what's the second
date? The 12th. 10th. The 10th from the 5th to the 10th. Is that going to be um a deal breaker for the buyer? I know you I mean this is a prediction. And I'm just asking that would request 14 days then I would probably say 15 for the purpose of execution. 15 days instead of 10 is a
business day. I you know I don't know that it's an issue for them but I would the only risk I think in that is is you know the first extension was requested by the buyer that y'all granted. This extension is really requested by the seller and during that time frame you know they can terminate still for any
reason. So I think the shorter that we can keep that the less chance of them you know continuing to do inspections. It it basically gives them 14 more days of free look right to terminate for any reason. So even if we get to the you know the 13th day and everybody's on
board you know they can still terminate. So I think you know in the effort of getting it closed the shorter we can keep that time frame the better. Okay. I do think they'll stay on board. They have they've done all their inspections but you know. All right. Thank you Mr. Regent. I appreciate that. Any further
comment from the board? Yeah, board member Thor. Thank you and and good evening uh Mr. Regions. I guess again where I am stuck is, you know, folks that have done this type of work as their profession. You know, this
warehouse has been around for a while. You know, we all know what it's been used for. We all know it's been inhabited, living, breathing human beings, all kinds of stuff being stored in there and everything else. I I'm just really um discontent with at this final hour
now it's a huge reduction in price. Uh you know how much more is there should we be thinking about should be expected. And I also disagree that this is the best offer we're ever going to get. you know, this land in downtown Ocala, they ain't making any more of it, as the old
people say. And with what they're doing downtown, making it walkable, bikable, beautiful, all kinds of businesses coming in. Um, we're probably going to need another school on that property at some point because Oyola is completely
full. So, I don't feel the same sense of urgency from from this seat. That's that's really where I am with this. And it is frustrating when it is a known uh it is a known building and there's
been plenty of opportunity. We've been working on this for a while, you know, to take a good look at it. So, that's just where I am with this board. And as far as the public noticing, um, according to my recollection, if when we have made those decisions, we made we
were doing it to make sure that there was full notice. So, and and this is our leadoff first time selling a property like this as as a board. So, I just I just am not comfortable with with
this direction and and I the offer was was great and I was fully amendable to extending, you know, the due diligence period and now here we are again. I think the board just needs to think about that. Chair. Yes. I just want clarification. Board member Thrower, are
you suggesting that you think we shouldn't sell it at all because the offer is $600,000 more than our highest offer we received before and over ask? I'm suggesting that there was a reason why it was over asked and I'm suggesting
that it is in a very wonderful area and I am suggesting that the school that is two blocks over is over capacity not open to you know uh open enrollment. So there's there's
almost as many good reasons and this is just me. You can disagree. It sounds like you do, but it with me it sounds like there is just enough reason to keep the property than there is to sell it. So I did not appreciate being faced with
this today at all. I just didn't. And and I want to do business and and feel really good about everyone that we're dealing with. And I was quite certain that's where we were going, you know, with this. we had come a long way. Um, so I'm not going to be labor the point.
I'm uncomfortable with it. That's it. And and Sher, I just want to add this buyer is not out of Ocala, Florida. They're out of New York, I believe. And so they have spent a lot of money getting
contractors here, spent a lot of money making sure that they're going to be able to use the space. No one locally wanted to buy it. You are so right. It has sat there and we've had it empty for a year and it has sat there and the highest bid we got was from probably one
of the most productive groups in in downtown Ocala and they offered us 1.4 and that was the best we were going to get. None of the other guys who buy downtown were even interested. So we I feel adamant that we're not going to get
better than 2 million. And so either I I do believe that if we do not either do an amendment to the motion and extend it for the for the 10 business days or 14 calendar days or whatever we make it so that we can get this properly noticed or
we vote tonight on what is presented. You we can consider this dead and then sure it can be another Oyola Middle School but I don't believe we're in a financial position to do that. So I I have offered an amended motion. There's a second on the table. We should
probably vote on that, I guess. Chair, just last um Reverend Cummings, did you have anything you want to share? I don't like the fact how I don't like how this came up the last minute. I I do not like it. Um I think it was unfair to us to
get this hours before a board meeting and then say we have to come up with a quick decision on how we're going to do it. um to to have the price way up and then automatically it comes down 500,000 miles over a holiday weekend. Well,
concerns. I got concerns. Dr. James, I know what you're going to say, but I still got concerns. That's that's that's bad business in my opinion. So, but Reverend Cummings, they provided the information to Attorney Powers on Thursday. Yeah. So, right before holiday. Well, in
my we were in a work session on Thursday. say I got provided the information when I was in the meeting here with you. I went from here to witness interviews in my office federal court. Then I was in truency court from 8:30 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on
Friday, right? And then no way to publish it over the weekend. So you know that there was there there's a reason for the delay, but those reasons are built in to matters of when business hours are. and I I worked all weekend past business hours, but this is it's
difficult to advertise everything and have the discussions we need around this. Okay. And to be clear, if we do if we fail this, I just want to make sure every all the board members are aware if we fail this, we're done. I mean, you can offer your expert opinion if you'd like. I guess that'd be most
appropriate. Uh yes, I'd like to if I could. So, um I understand like the concern of the timing um in our in our industry if there's a retrade like this is kind of what they've done is retraded the contract. It typically happens at the witching hour unfortunately. Um the
fact they give us four or five day days notice is a day or two more than we normally get. That generally does cause some, you know, fast-paced movement at the end and being the board, I think it's probably harder for y'all to move fast on it. I don't think it was intentional to line it up before, you
know, a holiday weekend. Um I think the dates just fell like that. Um they gave us like I believe the five days was was enough. I think if you can extend it and bring it back, if you're going to sell the property, I think it would be very smart to continue with this contract.
You'll have $100,000 non-refundable with a set closing date. If they terminate for any reason, you get their 100 grand um they're ready to close. So, I I think that the the misunderstanding, Ply, about y'all being blindsided is is maybe just a lot a not understanding of how
the industry works. That the notice was was actually five or six days more than we would normally see. Um, and I can answer any questions y'all have about how that transactional process works, you know. Thank you, Mr. Regions. Yes, board member Thrower. Thank you. Uh my
question continues to be what was uncovered in the second 30 days that wasn't covered in the first 30 days. You know, we just had for anyone that knows who Brett Michaels is, he just flew into the Ocala airport over the weekend to do a gig and then left. So, you know, it's
not like people can't fly in and out of Ocala very quickly, easily, and in a in an enjoyable way. Uh so um people that are from outside of Ocala, you know, they see the the potential here and you
think of what that property would cost in Brooklyn, you know, they probably feel like they're getting the deal of the century. And I'm sure they probably are even at a even at the expanded price, which is, you know, so anyway, go ahead.
So your question was the last 30 days. So the sec I'll be honest with you, I've had to open up the building almost every time they've been there. In the last 30 days, I've probably opened it 10 or 15 times between people they had looking at it as well as all their contractors and subcontractors. The first 30 days, they
were not here very much. And that's why when we did that first 30-day extension, I was actually pushing for some more contingencies rather than just extensions. And the board granted the full extension. In my honest opinion, they really waited till the second 30 days to do most of their work. Now, they're not asking you though, Mr.
Story, for another 14 days. They're we have an addendum right there that we could sign tonight and then tomorrow their money is hard and we move towards closing. But I guess there's some notice provisions that prohibit us from signing that tonight. So, this additional 14 days is not being requested from the buyer, it's being requested from the board
because we're a public entity and we need to be really concerned about things. But I'm saying so we're out of we're out of extensions. The extension we're asking for is, you know, is we're asking them, hey guys, can we please have an extension so we can notice this properly and then and then and then
proceed forward. Okay. I I I would like to say that if I will go with the amendment, but it needs to be for the appropriate the traditional amount of of notice of public notice,
not tacked on to a 7 a.m. meeting that doesn't meet the typical notice requirement. If we do that, then I'm open to discussing this again. Okay? Even though that opens us up to more risk for more um findings, for lack of a better word,
it open it opens us up as the district for the opportunity for the buyer to find which in speaking with some of your staff today, Sandon was there is potential to find other things,
more findings, change of mind. I mean, it's 14 days blanket due diligence. We're extending that blanket due diligence what to whatever date y'all decide they can terminate for any reason whether it's findings, change of mind, find a different property they want to buy, then I don't have to have a reason. Correct, John? Yeah. No, that that's
correct. Um, I think the benefit here is that we do have a number that they will absolutely move forward on and I'm hopeful that they will stick by that for the 14 days to allow us to get our procedures and publication handled properly. And I think that can be sold
to them pretty easily. Hey, we are very interested in this amendment that you're discussing and we just need to have it properly published and have the the correct meeting. I think that's how we sell it to them. And if we get to the meeting and we go, we don't want to do it. We're not going to do it. Just let
you can either buy it at 2.5 or you can terminate. Then the cards are you still have the cards. I mean, by giving this extension, we're not releasing any of the cards. Right now, if you were going to sign and have the ability to sign the addendum, reducing the sales price by
500 and immediately locking them in today, then I would say do that because then you hold all the cards as long as you're okay with that price reduction. But it even sounds to me like you might not be okay with it. And so my long and short of mine is I would sign the amendment for whatever time period you
need it for. If it's 14 days, we can modify the one that the buyer actually signed because they've already agreed to a 10day based on what our communication was to them today. So they've signed off on a 10-day extension. If we need to go back and modify that to a 14, I don't see that being a problem. And that we
can likely get a signature from the buyer tomorrow. And then that would give us time to put it on. And then we can come back and have this discussion as it's properly set and noticed with as much flavor and information as you'd like us to provide on this on this deal
to determine if you want to move forward with a contract at the reduced price. Madam Chair, um I'm in agreement with the 14-day versus the 10. Um I I want us to make sure that we're doing it right. I don't want us to undercut ourselves. I want us to be completely transparent
with the public. And this is the first, again, this is the first one that we're doing this board. We need to do it right. All right. Thank you, Reverend Cumins. Um, all right. Dr. James, can you remind me when you did your amended motion, did you put a time frame in it or you just I didn't, but I can specify.
So, all right. Would you please? Uh, and I think I think what was requested was 15 days, which would take us to the Wednesday after the board meeting two weeks from now. so that then proper signatures can be done. Um, right. Right. 14 calendar days from May 28th. Okay. Which is what's actually on here.
What's actually on the one that the buyer signed for Mr. McGra today was 10 days from May 28th. Okay. 14 days from May 28th would put us at uh June 11th. Okay. So that a board meeting on June
10th would be able to be properly noticed if that's the board's desire. Okay. Can we get if if that's the way the board chooses to go with the 14 days and we modify that document, can we have authority for
the chair to sign it? Yes. The chair to sign. Yes. That's what we're signing. So um I I guess technically then we don't need a motion on the table because we don't need a motion for her to sign the amendment. Correct. But there is there is obviously a motion on the table. It didn't get a second. It
only got a it only got a motion by Dr. Campbell. The motion that's on the agenda tonight, which is 26.1 or GC 26.1. Right. So, you made an amended motion. Correct. That did get a second. But what I'm saying is I I seconded. I
know. What I'm saying is I I don't believe we actually need the formality of a vote for that amendment seeing as the chair has the authority to sign without um the board vote. Okay. Yes, Dr. Campbell. And and I understand
what we're asking for just for that extension. However, what we have before us also includes the purchase price of $2 million. So, as long as we are not having her vote on that part of it and we have open discussion, I would be more comfortable with the board not voting on
anything right now, but the board giving consensus for approval of a second amendment which allows an extension of the period by 14 days past March 28th. Yeah, that's what I mean. The board gives that and gives consensus for the
board chair authority to sign, then Mr. Mr. McGraw and I will do that as we've done with minor edits for um for uh other agreements in the past. And then G26.1 dies. Correct. Correct. Okay. Dies
for lack of second. Okay. Is that I think that Thank you, Mr. McGra. Thank you, Mr. Ogens. We sure do appreciate you taking time to come this evening and explain some of the pros and cons what of what we have to do. So, thank you both. Thank you. And Mr.
McGrath, thank you for your conversations over the weekend and even on Labor Day or I'm sorry, Memorial Day yesterday. I appreciate that you were you were had no nose to the grindstone at your office as well. So, you have to you have to um in terms of getting this
signed, I do want to get this revised amendment signed. So, do you, Chair Conrad, want to come by my office and sign tomorrow morning? I could do that for you. Is it Does that work for you? Okay. If that's the case, I'll have it ready by 9:30 or 10 o'clock coming in at your leisure and then we will circulate
over to the buyer and hopefully have a locked up extension by 1:00 tomorrow. Okay. Okay. I'll see you in the morning. All right. Very good. All right. Thank you. Okay. All right. Thank you, board. Um, we're going to go into meeting reminders. There's a special board
meeting scheduled for June 5th, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. The next administrative briefing and work session is scheduled for June 5th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. And the next school board meeting scheduled for June 10th, 2025. Schoolboard meeting at
5:30 p.m. We now go into board comments and concerns. Miss Gonzalez. No, Madam Chair. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Dr. Gullet. Uh, yes. Thank you. I'll be brief. board. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so I think it's important to always start and end with students. So, tonight
we kicked off our meeting with the Forom Early Learning Academy and they've really those second graders and and this first second grade class were just phenomenal. Uh, last week we had some of us had the pleasure of participating and hearing their talents and so I want to thank them. Um board, I want to thank
you for your support when we had this conversation and and Miss Beck reminded us last week at the show that early learning academy started with 12 students and I know there was a lot of concern in the community about what's this academy and what are we trying to accomplish and now with with hundreds of
students and uh one of the best kept secrets in town um it is a model for what early learning should look like and and helps to support early learning in all of our schools. So I want to thank you for your support of that. Uh, I want to congratulate our graduates again. We're we're right in the middle of
graduation season and except for tonight, I think we have one every night this week and looking forward to celebrating our graduates. Um, I also want to say a public thank you to my superintendent student advisory group. Um, we met in person just uh a week ago
and I'll be putting that in my last weekly wrap-up this week. But what a tremendous opportunity is to to spend time with students, hear their feedback. uh you you hear board with your school board representatives, the voice and the advocacy they have is is um just
remarkable and I'm just been impressed and I thank them all for their diversity of thinking and how we can continue to better serve and help every student succeed. Lastly, I just want to thank um our employees who support our students. And I say employees, I didn't just say
teachers, teachers of course included, but all of our employees that work so hard to support our students and thank them for just another productive year for for putting our students first. I think that's always the most important thing is and I've said this so many times over the years, what's best for
students is often the most difficult for adults and I don't take that lightly, but uh having a student first district is is really important. I hope that continues. So, thank you for allowing me to serve. Thank you, Dr. Glet. Attorney Powers.
Uh, as you heard me report, we had a truency court again on uh Friday. We had a couple of board members who did uh choose to attend as well. Um, it is continuing to go well. There is enforcement mechanisms strongly in place. Uh, there's been some media coverage of that specifically lately and
uh we are getting quite a bit of positive feedback on that front. Um, we have also continued to see a number of successes and uh we are able to voluntarily dismiss cases after students have spent a couple of months doing the right thing and consistently getting to
school. And I want to emphasize that in some of these cases, we've had students that have missed 70, 80 or 90 school days out of 180 school days in a school year. um who are now four months ago they started missing
three or four days and then then three months ago it was one or two and then for the last two months they're down to not missing at all and by that time it's starting to become habit and it's a positive habit that has formed. Um and you're seeing we absolutely see the
curve with the students grades which we have the report of there for the judge. Um Judge King has been wonderful on this. Uh the judge monitors those grades. He monitors the discipline reports as well which we provide to him. Um and he's able to see and we're able
to see that as student attendance improves student discipline issues decline and student grades are higher. And uh that's been a very positive experience and I'm appreciative that I'm able to continue to do a part in that.
Um our our our staff does a wonderful job. We have a number of people who support us who are sit there in court just as long hours as I am. So, I'm uh very appreciative of those folks as well. Um in addition, uh we recently had some federal court litigation I've been
involved in and uh everything's uh gone well there. We had our last date in federal court today and uh we should be awaiting some more orders uh this week which I will further inform the board of when I have that knowledge. So, um, last thing I'd like to say is there is a
special graduate from North Marian High School, Angela Powers, who will be graduating, uh, tomorrow evening. And, uh, that's my daughter. And, uh, I'm very proud of her. And, uh, she is doing wonderfully, and I appreciate and very much thank all of her teachers and
mentors that have been with her through Madison Street um, all the way up through North Marian. and uh and I'm am very very pleased with uh with the education she's received. So, thank you very much. Thank you, Attorney Powers.
Dr. James, thank you. Uh I I'll start with graduations. We um last week had Hillrest and then Belleview High School on Saturday morning and it was a beautiful morning for graduation and I really look forward to an opportunity
for the board as a whole to discuss a way to approach graduations in a more unique fashion in the future so that we can not have graduations at the same time. It's really important to our community and I look forward to that conversation.
Uh I'm looking forward to our visits of the new schools board this Thursday. We are visiting the two new elementary schools and taking a tour to see their status and where they are. And I'm really looking forward to seeing that. Uh I just want to make mention
board that tonight we did reopen C20.1. However, that is only for the 2024 2025 school year central office staffing plan. So, we just need to ensure that when we go to discuss the central office staffing plan for
2526, either that change that we've now recommended and voted on will then remain in impact for 2526 because we discussed a job description with those changes that would presumably be in um
in use in 2526. So, I wanted to make that observation board and to Dr. Brewer and staff to ensure that whatever needs to happen there happens. Um, we had members from Lakewware Middle School here tonight and as they were making comment, I did write down some notes for
my comments tonight. I have always been an advocate that our principal changes occur before voluntary transfer opens. I have maintained that for as long as I have been in public education, even from
the time I was a teacher. People work for people. That is evident by the the heartwarming messages shared by Mr. Jacob's staff tonight. And people have hesitation when they don't know who they're going to work for. That is a
natural normal occurrence. And if we did moves prior to transfer window, then people could work for people. But we don't do that. We have never done that. That is not the way of work. And I would love to be a part of a district that
transitions our initial moves to occur prior to voluntary transfer so that people can transfer in or out of schools where they will have a leader they want to or want not to work for. And I would love to see us get there. Um it is
important for me that people have leaders that they respect and want to work for. And I do feel confident that Lake Middle School will gain the attention of some really awesome leaders. We've had leaders leave the district um and go work in other places
that that may very well want to come back. And so I just I really I'm hopeful and positive thinking that we're going to get a great leader to fill the seat at Lake Middle School as well. Um, I want to just make note I I think
that it is going to be incredibly important as we transition Dr. Got it last meeting tonight and as we kind of transition our work as a board that we continue to strengthen our standard operating procedures and reporting structures because we have a lot of
individuals who hold the keys to castles and they are so good at their job, but if they are not at work, maybe they're on vacation, maybe they're called out sick, but if they're not at work, the work of this district should not go on pause because they're not at work. And
so I want to continue to see this district strengthen our reporting structures and the way that we are communicating so that we can ensure that the work can continue regardless of people's presence at work. And lastly, I know that we're going to have a work session next Thursday to further discuss
the budget and the central office staffing plan. I just want to go on record and say that I am incredibly concerned that we may be approaching a period of time where we are going to have to cut positions that impact people and it will
occur after school has already gotten out. I am not a fan of that approach and I am disheartened that it is now that we are discussing this. I think that there's a lot of factors that play into that and how we are this late in the
game. And I'm not looking to place blame on anyone, but I want to just share my concern and my pause and my hope that we will be able to create a solution where we are not impacting people and can mitigate it as best as possible. Uh, and
I'm looking forward to that conversation. Lastly, ending with a positive, I am looking forward to the livestock pavilion the next few nights as we celebrate our graduates shaking hands and celebrating uh as our students take
on their next steps and journey. And so with that, I will finish my comments for the night. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. James. Reverend Cummings. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um we did start uh thank you Dr. develop for uh remind us about the great start
we had this meeting with tonight with forom uh early learning. We know that few years ago that that was a new initiative for us was getting form up and going and we can start seeing tonight we saw some of the fruit of our labor and the labor of Miss Beck and her
ta and her staff. So, um, those kids, uh, they're amazing and so we we're we're just looking forward to for them being even more and doing even more in what they're doing. Uh last week, um I had
the uh opportunity to go to truency court and I saw some stuff, heard some stuff. It and it was the courtroom was packed. The courtroom was packed packed. And I'm glad to see that we're taking
truency seriously because we know that the truency uh attendance affects uh the students affects the schools as a whole but it it affects the success of that student. Um I heard various reasons on
why um some of these kids are going and and I've always said that if the kid is if there's a little kid uh that's the parents responsibility. That's not the kid's responsibility. That's the parents responsibility. And as they get older, we know that as kids get older, kids
start making their own decisions and start doing different things um contrary to their parents. Um, and that's the parent, that's the kid's responsibility ultimately. Um, I I want to thank Judge King because he was able to decipher
what was and what is and uh he he he likened me to some of my days of of doing um uh judicial things where he just saw through the through the through the cloud of stuff that was being thrown
his way. I'll say it that way. Um, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, it was just it's parents. I want to say his parents. We know some people went to jail last week. Correct. Some parents went to jail last week. Some kids went
to DJJ last week. We need to do every parents do everything you can to get those kids to school. Um, we understand that people have different situations, but part of the part of the part of the resolve of that is to have communication with those schools. If you don't have
the communication with the schools and you leave it up to people to think whatever it is going on at the house, it's it's going to be left up to us to think it. And so, and then when you come to court, you have all these different reasons. And you can tell the ones that
are legit and you can tell the ones that are not legit. And um I I appreciate Judge King for for having that discernment as he as he um made different rulings. Student student attendance is a direct direct relation to student
outcomes. Direct direct. And so I'm I'm I'm looking forward to the day where I can go to truency court and not be so many students in there, so many parents in there cuz that was to be honest with you, I was I was disheartened. That
wasn't my first time going to Trinity Court. But the last time I went, it wasn't that many people there. It was packed on a Friday and even some of the absences were all the way up to last week. How do you miss How do you miss 90
days out of 180day school year and expect to um get some type of educational knowledge or get ahead? How how so uh I don't want to be on that that soap box too long, but attendance
is vital to student success. Attendance is vital to student success. One of the things I kept hearing in um in the court was the offering of summer school. Many of these kids that that are
truent or are in need of summer school and we have to be able to have a resource to be able to um get them into summer school. Some of the ones that um Mr. Powers was working on was trying to make sure that these kids um that were true were able to get summer school and
there were some schools that didn't offer summer school. We got to do we got to do what we can to because if they've they've missed the whole year and they missed 90 days out the year. We got to have something for these kids and to for for you to tell a kid that's truent or
to tell parents who have truent kids that we're going to put them on virtual learning that is crazy. That's crazy because if that was the case, they would have did it when they were home. So that's that's not to me that's not even an option. But I kind of heard those things coming out. So I want
us to look at this I want us to look at this seriously and figure out some ways that we can help these kids. The other thing um graduation Hillrest graduation is always so um inspirational and motivational. It
was truly um it always brings me to to um a point of uh I don't want to say tears but um real reflection nostalgia nostalgia and reflection. Many of you know I have a son that graduated from
from Hillrest and I always I always think about the time that he was there and how good that school was to him and and where he is now and how it was part of his plan for being um being uh having
a normal life as he can. So I shout out to Miss Manessa and to the staff at Hillrest because um you guys do a tremendous job over there. We had the opportunity to go to Belleview uh Belleview Saturday morning. I think I think we got through there in about 55
54 minutes. Was a quick That was a good graduation. Real good. And we were out of there. And uh not that we were rushing it, but uh it was hot. And the longer you stay on that stage, the the the hotter your toes get uh if you got
on real shoes. So, um, we shout out to all of our graduates. I think we had 393. I kept hearing two different numbers. I heard 371. I heard 390. Whatever it was, it was close to 400 um kids that graduated from Belleview. Um, I'm tracking, we're tracking all these
kids, the number of kids we again, we do have um graduations tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And congratulations, Mr. Powers. I know how you feel to have a graduate getting out. Um I'll I'll share with you if I haven't
never shared with you before. Um the Cummings have a a certain rule called the 1890 rule. So that 1890 rules after they turn 18, they got 90 days. Figured out school, job, military, something.
But that 1890 rule has been working so far for me. So far for me. And finally, my final comments is to Superintendent Gulla, Dr. Gulla. Um, in 2020, you came on, uh, you applied for the superintendent's position here in Marian
County. You came in, you did a tremendous job. As you can hear, um, people in the community thought, think very highly of you and the job that you've done. I'm sure you didn't accomplish all of the things that you wanted to accomplish, but we appreciate you being our first appointed
superintendent. and um Godspeed in next chapters that you're going to write cuz I'm sure you're not writing a chapter, you're going to be writing chapters and uh we appreciate everything that you've done for Marian County Public School System. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Reverend Cummings, board member Thrower.
Thank you. Um well, since we've talked a little bit about truency so far tonight, I will report in that um the word is now out in in the community and I certainly couldn't be
happier. Um summer school does occur at the Arnet House. I'm proud of the fact that most students by the time they hit truency court, it is clear that they need a lot of help and a lot of support. And I'm proud of the fact that there are more students that are being adjudicated
to our net house than to the juvenile detention center. That being said, there's summer school in the detention center, too. And attendance is usually 100%. So, you'll probably, you know, do what you need to do and get what you need to know so you can get into your
quote unquote right grade. Um, Fort King Middle School is having uh is having summer school this year. And what the reason why I'm mentioning that is because they have room for students because they have the fewest number of eighth graders that still need
units than they've ever had. So that is just a testament to the work that's being done by that team over there. Uh I spent a lot of time at the courthouse this week and let me explain on on Thursday. It was an
evening. It was for the we the people uh the constitution um competition in the mock congressional hearings. And that is one of the most amazing curriculums that we have. It's available in elementary, middle, and high right now. Um because things so many things that uh really
fostered face-to-face interaction fell by the wayside during the co years. The program is being rebuilt. We were up to five elementary schools. Thank you, Oakest, Maplewood, Wii, Ward Highlands, South Ocala, and College Park. Three of those five schools are in my district.
Shocker. Um, for participating and we really want to increase that number of schools for next year. It is just amazing. And the line was very long waiting to be screened to come into the courthouse. And the reason why it was so long is because there were so many
parents. And so I didn't mind waiting one little bit uh for that to begin. It it was a it was a great night. And then the very next morning I was uh back at the courthouse for truency court and uh board member chair vice chair Cummings was absolutely right. Another packed
house. Um but I just wanted to uh share that you know my hat is and I know all of our hats are off to all of the school attendance teams um that are working so hard to increase attendance. they are seeing some results now and it's just a terrific example of the excellent
outcomes for kids that happen when district staff and school staff work together you know on behalf of students you you begin to see that improvement and it's accelerating and I'm happy to keep beating the drum and leading the charge on attendance um I just believe
it is so foundational you know to all the work that that we do um and especially in elementary and middle school and and vice chair Cummings spoke to this it really is the parent or whoever is the adult responsible for that child that has just got to step it
up and and we're always ready to to help. Uh please remember community the truency court is the final stop after incredible effort time and all of our collective tax dollars have been spent
and I'll say wasted in many ways. Um trying to prevent that final stop from from happening, you know, before finally dropping the hammer. And it's sad. Um but for some the the carrot is the stick. And even Judge King, you know,
he's so empathetic. He gives multiple chances and it's like, oh, you know, he even shortens sentences, you know, and lets them get out early and go back and just show me, you know, that you can that you're this is going to improve. And, you know, he's raised five kids, too. He has a kid in our system right
now in our public schools. And and he hates having to do it. Um, but but he will. And families are finally getting the message that that we aren't playing anymore. And this is just my opinion. You know, all children deserve the best
opportunities we can provide and they have to be at school regularly to benefit from all the opportunities we have available. Not to mention, it's the law and we are just finally completely enforcing it, including LearnFare. So, I
look forward to a day very soon when the courtroom is a lot emptier because kids are in school and and getting the benefit of the fantastic educations and opportunities that under Dr. Gullis leadership for almost the
past five years has put into place all of the pathways, all of the pipelines, all of the community partnerships that are right there next to us, you know, cheering these kids on. uh we're it's going to be another as we begin to
accelerate there there's going to be more years that'll go by and before we even see the results that we're able that we're just beginning to to see now and so it is a great time to be a member of
of the Marian County School Board. I know I'll continue to say that till the day I step off the deis. Um, I wanted to quickly thank uh Ward Highlands Elementary School secretary uh, Miss Lana for another perfect audit. It's
probably number 463. I don't know. But she just seems to get it done every year and and W Highlands has a lot of kids, very high ESSE population. You know, there's so many that flows through there and a lot of auditing that has to be done. So congratulations to you and congratulations to everyone that is
working so hard for those perfect audits at the school level. Those are really the beginning of the whole auditing process of which we have like I don't know 35 of them maybe. Um on to just a a couple other things. I really would like to get a work session item um chair
agendaized um to talk about um Oyola Middle and and Fezidin. Both of them are on the National Register of Historic Places. We know our budget is always tight and just getting tighter. You know, if if we're going to have these gems of schools, then we do need to be
looking at as many funding streams as we possibly can find. I think it's just been proven over and over that the appetite's certainly there in the community. Nobody wants to see either of these schools closed at the at the community level. So, can we please at
your Yes. I was waiting waiting to let you finish. I I just wanted to let you know that Miss Usher and I have been in conversation. Um she has, you know, jumped in and joined our team at a at a critical time and so she is working on
getting some information together. So, um board member Thrower, just know that that is not forgotten. I do have a note on that and so I will meet with Miss Usher again and we'll see. I don't have a date for you right now, but but we are discussing it so I'll get back to you on that. Okay. Thank you so much. I I
really welcome that conversation. Hopefully everyone else will too. And then the last thing I'll say is that I just feel like as a board member when you know our two primary functions and responsibilities are policy and and finance that, you know, we're still
waiting for a state budget. You know, Memorial Day is over. Uh I'm sure uh board member Campbell will update us on when session is actually going to meet. It's been extended till June 6th. Well, that's fastly approaching June 3rd. June
3rd. So that's 30th. Oh, June 30th. Okay. Well, that is quickly approaching. That is a couple days before uh one day before our fiscal year begins. Um we're shooting in the dark and it makes it really really hard to plan at the local
level of for people, for positions, for programs, all of it. and anything that can be done to continue to make that as clear as
possible that the longer we delay, the less chance we have of achieving the tremendous results moving forward that we all know we need and we want and we're working so hard to
accomplish. We just have to have a budget sooner than later so we know what we're working with. So, um, that is the last thing that I have other than go form foxes. You are awesome. That's it.
Thank you, board member Thrower. Dr. Campbell. Um, thank you. My apologies. It is actually a concurrent resolution for June 6th is whenever they are extending session through. I I was reading that they're not going to be required to be in Tallahassee this week.
Uh and so that's what messed me up because that's through May 30th. Uh but they uh will be there next week. Uh no official announcement has been made confirming the exact return date. So that's um the information on that. Um I I have several things I wanted to
mention this evening. I I know we kind of already addressed them, but I do want to thank again the Lake Middle team folks for coming this evening. uh they did reference multiple times to this board kind of saying the changes we're making and so I just want to ensure that everyone out there
understands that the changes in administration that are happening throughout the district have not been driven by this full board. Um some of the changes coming are for the right people but the timing is quite challenging on some of them. Three principal moves represent three of the four principles who've been piloting
sitebased budgeting. That concerns me. Uh Lakewear High School also will now have their third principal in three years. Those are unfortunate timings that we are experiencing with some of these moves. The folks this evening were
representing just one campus who has is being impacted and they're not happy with the communication or transparency. But while they represent only one campus, there are many other employees on many other campuses who share the same concerns about how the decisions were made. uh who appears to
have been orchestrating some of the changes even before we had an interim superintendent named and how these changes have been communicated. Please employees understand I share your concerns. Uh we already addressed some
perfect audits. I'm going to mention them all again even though you mentioned a few. Marian Technical College, Ocala Springs, South Ocala Elementary, Stanton Wearsdale, and Ward Highlands. Congratulations to those school teams. Uh I know that we had one school's audit
that was less than perfect significantly and I believe additional information is coming to us about that. In the consent agenda uh this evening item 16.16 was for RevTrack and so that is our online credit card processing system
that we use. I want for the good of the order and for families to be aware that what we approved this evening is that the district is absorbing roughly a $100,000 in credit card processing fees for families so that we're not passing those costs on to families for field
trips and school dances and things like that. Revrak is our processor for specific district fees and it's not to be confused with our athletic game ticket processor or the processor for Marian afterchool programs because they might operate a little bit differently
but for rev track and anything that is a required fee uh for your child who might be participating in those school related activities such as um field trips, school dances and more. We are encumbering those credit card fees. So we approved that this evening. Uh, we
already mentioned graduation at Belleview. I did have a graduate attorney powers and so all the feels and all the uh, things that you can imagine, you're going to be feeling it tomorrow. I've been there. I know I'm a little biased because I did have a graduate there. But it is one of the most
efficient graduations that we have in the district. It uh, inevitably never rains at 8 am on the Saturday before Memorial Day. And so, for whatever reason, Belleviews goes off without a hitch year after year after year. So kudos to that team for making that
happen. Um, as Miss Thrower was mentioning about We the People, I'm going to congratulate South Ocala Elementary for their three Pete. Yes, you had three schools in your district, but South Ocala in mine has now won we the people for three years in a row. Um, I'm just grateful that we had five
elementary schools participating this year because the first year that we judged, I think it was only two two schools and we've continued to add a school every year and there were some really solid rockstar teams and it it was really tough to judge those those students who did such a fine job. Buddy
Oswald does a wonderful job and continues to advocate for We the People. He even recommended to bring it to middle schools and high schools. And as I've talked to some school teams, I believe we've had in the past that maybe an elective of law studies or something like that that uses the we the people
curriculum at the middle and high school level. Highly recommend us considering doing something like that because it is such an effective program uh where the students are actually this year in a real courtroom and actually deliberating uh in the courtroom and it was it was a
lot of fun for them. Lots of photos taken. Also wanted to congratulate South Ocala. Again, I know I mentioned them already, but they had a successful first year as an international balorate primary years program candidate school. And so they're still a candidate school, but they have done a wonderful job
incorporating all that IB in the early years. And so I look forward to uh hopefully being able to do something similar in our elementary schools that might be feeders into some of our other programs. We had a work session this past week with our mentoring programs
and I really am looking forward to what's next from those discussions. It just reminded me as we were talking that I completed another year of mentoring for take stock and children. I actually went by uh last week and pulled her out of her classroom because she had finished her test and was going to be
sitting there for the next hour with nothing to do because she had already finished her test. And so she was grateful that I came by and spent some time with her. So um that was that was really great. Uh unfortunately this evening with the meeting going as long as it has we have missed some balorates
as well as the messpies. So my hope is that the sooner we can coordinate year-end events for 2026 the better. So we can all get those on our calendar and as much as possible to not have them overlap next year in any capacity so the
board can take part in as many of those items as possible. I hope I really hope we can board. I wanted to address one thing that we talked about in the work session that I brought up which was the C membership question. I have gotten confirmation that our annual renewal
actually will be up in December. And Dr. James alluded to the renewal date versus the mid-year date. And so our annual renewal will actually be up in December. So the invoice that I inadvertently received is our mid-year invoice. But the total membership for the C that is
paid by Marian Technical College for Marian County Public Schools is $10,000 for the year. So I think if we want to have a conversation about that, we certainly need to in advance of that December renewal date. And if we wanted to change our membership level, uh it
would be time for us to have a conversation soon. Finally, last thing I was going to mention also is to thank you Dr. Dr. Glet for your leadership and your expertise and for being the right person at the right time. You were only here a few months before I was elected. So, we've been here alongside each other
just about this whole time. I'm grateful for all the changes that have been made for the better, even when change is hard for adults. As long as we keep our vision of helping every student succeed, which is a vision you helped us develop, our community will be impacted for
generations. And you have a mark on that. So, thank you. That concludes my comments. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Board member Thrower wants a second term. I just have to admit something, and I know it's just because I really want Ward Highlands to
participate in the We the People curriculum if they're able to, you know, make that happen, but it was actually Saddlewood was the fifth school and it wasn't Ward Highlands. So, I stand myself corrected before someone else does because I'm sure I'll hear from
someone. So Ward Highlands, you're in my heart to be we the people participants and congratulations Saddlewood for your participation. Yes, Heather Bach and two out of five. That's pretty good. And congratulations on the win in your district. Thank you. Go south of
California. Great. Great. Um I just want to start with uh from the beginning of our our meeting. uh really enjoyed um the presentation from our students. Um their graduate second grade graduation
program was super sweet um and memorable and meaningful and as a former primary teacher. Uh just emotional. I was just so proud of them. um they got up and spoke and got up in front of a big group
of people and so just great work that's going on at Forom and and I'm grateful for that program. I also want to say I was really grateful we only had three we had three speakers um from Lakewear Middle tonight, but we there was a whole crew of people that
that showed up. Um and to me that's exciting when we have teachers um that are whooped. you know what it's like at the end of the school year. They are whooped and they showed up here to speak on
um how excited and proud they are of the leadership of the at their school and how impactful it's been. Um so I just want to give a shout out to the staff members that were here um from Lakewear Middle today. I sure did appreciate you taking time to come here this evening
and um I also appreciated all of the comments that you had to share. So, thank you for that. Um, your voice has been heard uh and what you contribute is valuable and so thank you um for bringing all those um
concerns and celebrations forward. So, it's just just great to see you all. Um graduations, we have two behind two under our belt and a few more to go. Um, just looking forward to it. Families want to remind you, uh, if you've been to a a graduation in the last couple
years, the traffic is crazy. So, just leave early, try to get there early. Um, we look forward to seeing you there and shaking hands with your students. So, we are excited to celebrate. Um, on that, the Belleview graduation is very, very
efficient. Um, it's beautiful and efficient. But I wanted to share that one of my favorite things about the Belleview graduation is their ambassadors uh that meet us in the parking lot and it's early in the morning folks. We are there early and they are students are there before we
are um dressed in their got a little t-shirt, their ambassador t-shirt. They know where everybody is supposed to go and what we're supposed to do. Um and so every year I just enjoy those brief informative com conversations um with
those students that are helping organize and prepare for that ceremony. So I just wanted to give a shout out uh to those students who work extra hard on a weekend bright and early. We sure do uh appreciate them.
Um I think I that is the majority. Oh, I do also want to say a thank you to Judge King, Attorney Powers. Um, this is a little funny on my family. So, I know y'all are tired of hearing me say I've been in in education for 30 years. My husband is forever telling me, "I don't
want to talk about school. Stop talking about school." But yesterday, he was like, "You know, you guys are all over the radio. It's all over the radio that parents have gone to jail. Truency court has really hit the news." And so, um, as
sad as it is, uh, if you're sitting from this seat or even the seat on the other side, um, it is exciting that attendance, um, has made the headlines because we all know all of the all of us involved in any way, shape or form in education
know that if the students are not there, they can't learn. Our test scores are not going to increase. you know, it affects our our teachers, our staff, um the morale of the school, not just the student. Uh you know, it's just it's
cyclical. It it affects everyone. So, just exciting that we we've had we've got some great traction on this and um the importance of showing up to school, you know, every day is being being shared and talked about. Um so, I I'm
excited about that that part of it. And and lastly, I want to end on on a positive note. Um, Dr. Gullet, we're just so grateful for your leadership. I haven't been on the board all five years that you were have here, but um, I have enjoyed working with you. I I appreciate
your insight and your expertise, your willingness to talk one- on-one and and share your thoughts as we're moving forward. And so, we just had a small token for you this evening, but your impact has been large. And so, just thank you. And I know that you will be
around for, you know, a little bit longer, but this is your last public facing meeting. And just wanted to say thank you. Thank you board. With that, uh, that wraps up um, our work for this evening. And if there's no further business, may I have
a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. Second. Y'all in a hurry. Dr. Campbell and board member Thrower. All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes. 50 and this motion is adjourned at 809. Thank
you. [Music]