Everyone, before we officially get started, I want to hand it over to Dr. Merritt. >> Thank you, President Christensen. This evening, before we begin the meeting, I'd like to take a moment to honor the life of our very own Salem High School
plant engineer, Mr. Mike Runstrom. Um, a kind soul who tragically passed away uh this past weekend. Mike uh was a dedicated member to our PCCS family. Uh he's worked at both Faren and Datson Elementary School as a plan engineer
before becoming the plan engineer at Salem in 2015. To know Mike is to know someone who has um a warm smile and a gentle spirit and always willing to step in and help. He took pride in his building um in his school community and
was always there and present to lend a helping hand. I will say um even on Sunday, Mike was with us the entire day at graduation doing what he loves, serving and being a part of our students lives and their uh community. So, excuse
me. >> Bless you. Yes. Uh on behalf of Plymouth Canton Community Schools, I want to extend our deepest conso condolences to Mike's family, his friends, colleagues, students, including Jamie, his brother who works for us as a plan engineer at
Plymouth High School, his mother, Barbara, is a retired uh administrative assistant here for PCCS. Um very tragic time and uh just keeping uh Mike's family in your thoughts and and prayers. I will ask that everybody join me in a moment of silence at this time in honor
of Mike. >> Thank you. Okay. Thank you for those kind words, Dr. merit. Um, now I'm going to officially call the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Welcome everyone. I am President Lauren Christensen. I appreciate you being here in the
audience and those of you who are tuning in on our YouTube channel. Um, I will ask the remaining board members to introduce themselves starting to my right. Uh, good evening. I'm Judy Westerro. Thank you for coming out tonight. >> Good evening, Patrick. Thanks for
joining us this evening. >> Good evening. I'm Anupam Chung Sadu. Thanks for being here. Okay, Dr. Merritt, can you introduce yourself and your team? >> Good evening and welcome Superintendent Monica Merritt. I'd like to begin by introducing my administrative assistant, Miss Diane Robertson. We want to thank
her for being here and taking care of our minutes and also Mr. John Kger, who is taking care of our technology needs. I'd like to ask the remaining members of our staff to introduce themselves to you, beginning on my right. >> Thank you, Dr. Meritt, participants, assistant superintendent for student services. Welcome.
>> Good evening. I'm Liz Vartania Gibbs, Assistant Superintendent, Student and Family Engagement. >> Good evening. I'm Jen Curry, chief academic officer. >> Good evening. I'm Abdul Mung, Chief Human Resource Officer. >> Good evening, Chief. I'm sorry. My name is Jill Minnik, chief finance and
operations officer. Welcome. >> Thank you. Let's stand for the pledge >> 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. >> Okay, we will begin this evening with our uh public budget hearing. Um and then we have a regular board business meeting following that. I will ask Miss Minnik to take us through Miss Minnik and Jody to take us through that um
these items, please. Thank you, President Christensen. It's our pleasure to present to you this evening the proposed budget for our next fiscal year starting July 1st. As always, we will begin our work with the connection to our Plymouth Canton
Community Schools dynamic plan with strategic goal A. Plymouth Canson Community Schools will increase achievement for all students and close achievement gaps. We'll do this through objective FNO1 and two. Align financial resources including state and federal
resources to areas of greatest need as a as supports for individual students as identified through academic achievement data. And through strategic goal B, all PCCS students and staff will report they feel physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe and represented at
school. We'll accomplish this through strategic objective FO4. align financial resources to the areas of greatest need to support the social emotional needs of all staff and students. With that, we have for you the uh uh the learner profile with our purpose to
attain the dynamic plan action items through fiscal responsibility and alignment of resources to district goals, needs, and objectives as identified through academic achievement data. So we'll start off this evening with just a few historical charts. I'm sure
all of you are familiar with these, but each year we update them so we can see visually kind of a pattern or trends if you will, but also to get into the specifics of our assumptions for the next year's budget. So first we have foundation allowance per pupil as a
full-time equivalent pupil. We portray a few different things on this chart in green. Those green bars represent the foundation allowance, which we might refer to as state aid, uh, per pupil. And so we can see in 2026 27, we are
projecting a foundation allowance of $10,300 per pupil. That is a $250 increase over the current year's foundation allowance. And as we might recall from our last board meeting where we presented the assumptions on which we are building our budgets, we shared that
$250 as an increase to that allowance was uh through all three budget proposals, the governor's, the the senates, and the house budget proposals. We also portray on this chart in the gr in the gray bars what those values would
be if it kept up with inflation. uh at our annual audit report last November, our auditors shared a bit about this. So we've incorporated their assumptions there. So you can clearly see that the foundation allowance, our state aid is not keeping pace with inflation and that
amounts to millions of dollars uh per year and then compounded over time. So with this we do see just a slight increase each year in the foundation allowance and we know that state aid is uh comprised of a couple of factors in addition to the foundation allowance
it's also uh a formula based on enrollment. So our assumptions for enrollment for next year is just a very slight decline and we can see from this chart over time particularly since COVID we have lost enrollment as many many
school districts across the state have uh but with that our enrollment decline is cretailing and that curve is flattening. So where we may have assumed and actually lost um many more students, our projection for next year is a loss
of 75 students. So enrollment times that foundation allowance gives us in general the amount of state aid we can expect for next year. So speaking of those budget assumptions, we craft assumptions for both the revenue side of the ledger and
expenditures. So, we've seen this on the chart already that state aid is typically uh pupil FTE uh enrollment times the foundation allowance per pupil. So, again, we're assuming that loss of 75 students and that increase of
$250 per pupil. Both of those together net a projected state aid increase of $3.22 million. One of our other revenue drivers is the enhancement millage. uh and we are grateful to our voters to approve that and carry that forward once
again. That helps our general fund greatly and it is unrestricted dollars and we are using a projection of about a 2% increase for next year about $128,000. On the expenditure side, uh we shared at previous meetings, but uh we're noting
here once again our staffing will be based on board adopted class size guidelines and aligned to our student enrollment. Our staff retirements, excuse me. Each year, each year we we create an estimate based on prior year trends. So every year we anticipate
about 20 retirements across all levels and all roles. uh which generates generally uh about a million dollars each year new and different for this year. We do have an employee severance plan at hand, but we have not included any savings projections or cost
projections for next year. Uh because first of all, we need to meet a minimum threshold. Uh and those particulars were not known just a few weeks ago, excuse me, as we uh needed to develop the budget and move forward with our
presentation. Uh but in so much, we'll get to discussing that a little bit more a little bit later. But with the employment contracts, we're continuing to negotiate our collective bargain agreements. And with MIPERS, Michigan public schools employees retirement system. We are aware that there's a
decrease in the base and the UAL rates, the unfunded actuarial accounting liability with a projected savings of about $4 million. Our employer healthcare, we understand the hard cap across the state will increase about 3%. And then our custodial transportation
and a variety of other service contracts uh are being negotiated and are in place and will be based on those values. Our utilities for natural gas, electric fuel and such uh we are assuming a bit of an increase for next year. We're seeing that increase already about 5%
equivalent to about $250,000. And then with that, we know that budget reductions are required next year and for the following three years, frankly, to maintain a 15% fund balance. So about a $10 million decrease for next year or
a combination of revenue generation and expenditure decrease as well as $8 million for the two following fiscal years after that. So let's dive into those reductions just a bit more. we've shared previously. Uh yet we want to uh make our public aware
that we have some staffing reductions as an element to that budget alignment. 15 classroom teaching positions to align with staffing and with enrollment or to align staffing with enrollment rather uh about 20 20 and a half non-instructional paraprofessional FTE
four non-affffiliated FTE non-affiliated uh boils down to two central office administrator positions being eliminated the assistant superintendent for student services and the director of state and federal programs as well as two central
office support positions being eliminated and not replaced. Uh 2.5 behavioral specialist FTEES, one half of a counselor FTE, 11 instructional coach FTEES, one assisted
technology support FTE, three multilingual program staff FTEE, two technology integration specialist FTEES, five general education nurse FTEEs. Uh these reductions are necessary to reduce COVID era additions for which there is
no more COVID funding. Uh nurses serving individualized education plans remain unchanged and medical emergency response teams are in place in every school and we are also reducing one security FTE.
Along with those staffing reductions are also some operational reductions across other areas. operational efficiencies pursued through central office restructuring, process improvements, and targeted cost-saving measures across the district as a whole, as well as purchase
service agreements uh that are in review and renegotiation to maximize efficiencies and ensure responsible use of those resources. We also have some operational investments. Uh we are pursuing fair compensation for staff with negotiations of those open
agreements, equity based resource allocation. We want to differentiate those supports based on student needs and invest in one FT one FTE district level technology support. And in athletics and activities, we're looking to increase district support of high
impact extracurricular programs that directly uh support student success. So with that let's take a look at the revenue and the expenditure numbers. So to read this chart on the left are are our uh four primary sources of revenue
local, state, federal and intermediate which refers to generally transfers through Wayne Resub. And reading left to right then we portray the actual audited values from last school year. We also then illustrate the final amended budget figures for that final amended budget
for this year which is later in our agenda this evening and then our proposed budget recommendation for revenues for next fiscal year. We also illustrate the variance of the increase or decreases on each line item. And then at the bottom we have uh the primary highlights of these several revenue
adjustments. uh our revenues are thousands of line items long, but uh you can see those significant adjustments are in state revenue. As we mentioned earlier, the foundation allowance increase and enrollment decline amount to about a $3.2 million increase. And then we always anticipate some level of
categorical increases. You might uh remember from an earlier board conversation around the house, the senate and the governor's proposals and how each of them had significant dollars attached for educational education uh educator ret uh educator retention
dollars, uh educator training, um all all kinds of things, safety, uh a number of atrisisk or bilingual dollars. And we know that although none of those aligned, there's plenty of dollars earmarked in each of those proposals. So
we always anticipate some level of monies coming into the district. So this year less than a million dollars uh just to earmark that we know there's some level of state aid coming around those specialized restricted dollars. And then
in the intermediate sources of revenue, uh we see in addition around that enhancement millillage collection we mentioned an increase of about 128,000. But we also have an anticipated reduction about 50% of the section 74 special education transportation
reimbursement that we receive each year through Wayne Resa. Uh we anticipate that to be reduced. So all in all, we see a total adjustment from our final amended budget of an increase next year of $3.1 million.
Taking a look at our expenditures again on the left we have our expenditures portrayed as either instructional expenditures or supporting service expenditures. And again the actual uh audited values from last year, the final amended budget numbers, the proposed
budget for next year and then the variances from final amendment numbers. So, some highlights here. The takeaways first of all around salaries, wages, retirement benefit adjustments. A total of $6.9 million
decrease in those areas relating to negotiated contracts reductions to align with enrollment as well as those other planned budget reductions we mentioned previously. And then around services, supplies, equipment, and other adjustments, an increase of $1.2 million
for those investments. uh other planned uh investments and utilities and service provider increases as well as other types of planned budget reductions in those areas. So all in all, a decrease in instructional expenditures of about $2.2 million, a decrease in supporting
services expenditures, about $3.4 million from this year for a grand total reduction in our operating expenditures from this year of $5.6 million. So there's a lot of information on this slide, but this is a summary portrayal
of our general fund uh budget both again those actual values from last fiscal year that were audited, our final amended budget numbers and our proposed budget numbers for next year and those variances. So again, we see that summary for total revenue, an adjustment of an
increase of $3.1 million for next year, an adjustment in total of expenditures, a decrease of $5.6 million projected for next year. We have a section labeled other financing sources and uses. Those are items that are not classified as
revenue or expenditures, but appear in our audit. I want to me mention that our audit format, our budget formats, and our monthly financial statement formats all align. Uh so you can compare apples to apples in year to year, monthtomonth. Uh but within that there are transfers in and out of the general fund. So here
we see no shift in that for next year. Uh we are still projecting a a net financing source a transfer into the general fund of about $360,000 relating to transfers from the community services fund. So all of that together,
the revenue, the expenditures, the other financing sources results in for our projected budget for next year a decrease in our fund balance is a planned use of that fund balance of $955,426. When we add that to our beginning
audited fund balance of 35,274,536, we project an ending fund balance next year at June 30th of 27 to be 34,319,110. We're noting there that the ending fund balance is equivalent to 15% of our total operating proposed budget
expenditures for next year. And the reason we've mentioned this a couple of times is because maintaining a fund balance of 15% is best practice as identified in the industry in the industry school business industry by our auditors and Michigan school business officials to name a few. Our board
policy calls for a fund balance to be maintained at at least 10% of our expenditures. So we're clearly beyond that metric there. When we take a look at our expenditures in another way, in another matrix if you will, and we think about rather than
where are we spending, but how are we spending, we're taking a look at those expenditures by salaries and fringes, purchase services, supplies and materials, capital outlay and other equipment, and then other types of expenditures like dues and fees, uh,
membership fees, things like that. And we can see for next year in the proposed budget column, $185.4 million of our 300 or rather $229.2 million projected uh expenditures is
salaries and benefits at nearly 83%. We do see that that is a decrease from our current year's final amended budget proposal of 6.8 million. And then you see adjustments of course through the remaining categories there. Again, all
netting to that same reduction of $5.6 million. Alongside the general fund, we also amend every year all of the other funds within the district. Along the side there, you'll see we have capital projects funds. And within those capital projects funds, we account for
our our two bond projects and our capital improvement fund. You'll note here just a few takeaways. in the 2023 bond projects fund. Those are the bond proceeds from selling the the bonds in 2023. And you see a zero in the ending fund balance for next year. That's an
indicator that we anticipate spending down those funds. We anticipate spending those down right around uh early spring. As such, we issued bonds uh within the last month, the 2026 series uh which in fact we closed today and we received
that deposit of $65.4 million. Uh so for next year we will start the year uh with those funds. Then we anticipate additional revenues as we invest those proceeds along with expenditures uh from the spring to the end of June with an
ending fund balance projected at $54.9 million. a capital improvements fund just to highlight there. Uh you'll see that for next year again just some revenues around interest earnings and we always project about 100,000 150,000 for capital improvement type expenditures
that are not bond eligible. Beyond the capital improvement funds or capital project funds rather you'll see debt service fund. That fund is strictly to account for our debt service levy which we use those proceeds specifically
and restricted to the payment of bond principal and interest. So that's how we account for those uh proceeds and payments. Our internal service fund accounts strictly for healthc care claims. We are a self-funded uh district. Our our program is
self-funded. Then you see a series of special revenue funds. The definition of special revenue funds are those revenues that may not be accounted for in the general fund but have been collected for a restricted use and may only be used for those uses. So
we see act 18 center program fund uh that is around special education and each year we receive those monies and spend them down. Community services fund accounts for tuition preschool community services around extended day and community education. And we anticipate
uh beginning the year uh with no fund balance and we anticipate ending the year with about 450,000. And as we near around this time next year, we will uh determine whether there are funds available for transfer back to the general fund as we are anticipating
this year. Food service fund uh just a minimal nominal beginning fund balance and nominal ending fund balance. We are keeping our eye on this fund though because of that very small fund balance. Uh the funded projects fund is a fund that we account for state and federal
grants. Uh we also account for student fundraising activities and the student activities fund and you can see some robust fundraising there and concurrent use of those fundraised dollars. So that's an overview a quick summary of all the other funds that we account for
in our district. So our tr our truth and taxation is a necessary component of our public budget hearing this evening. Plymouth Canton Community Schools levies an operating millillage of 18 mills and we are grateful very grateful to our
community for renewing this levy because day-to-day operations in public schools are funded by state aid and school district levies of 18 mills on nonhomestead properties not on personal residences but non-homestead properties. State school aid calculations by the
Michigan Department of Education and the Department of Treasury assume that all districts levy that nonhomestead millage and state aid will not make up that difference if districts do not levy are or are unable to levy it if it doesn't pass. The Plymouth Cancer Community
School's 18 mil operating millillage is projected to generate 36,96,581 in operating funds for day-to-day teaching and learning and overall general operations of the school district in 2026 2027.
The other levy that Plymouth Canton levies is for debt service four mills. This debt service levy is expected to generate $34,62,680 to pay the annual principal and interest payments on voter approved bond issues. It cannot be used to pay for day-to-day
operations of the district such as teacher salaries, utility supplies. Uh the district is required by law to levy whatever is necessary to make these annual payments. Yet we uh project with our financial adviserss that four mills and we keep it level so that our
homeowners uh know what to expect in their budgets each year. And the levy is calculated to remain stable. Uh but it may also vary based on total taxable value of the district should there be some unusual uh extraordinary rise or fall of taxable values as well as those
annual bond principal and interest obligations. And in fact, the 2026 levy has been incorporated into that four mill levy and remains to be four mills for that latest series of bonds. So with the presentation of the proposed
budget this evening, what are our next steps? We will continue to monitor state aid legislation. We anticipate a state aid act early July. Uh used to be end of June. uh but we we know not when it will come but we will keep our ear to that
and as that materializes we will respond and report on those f financial and program implications. We will continue to optimize enrollment and staffing levels, meaning we will continue to pursue schools of choice oper uh opportunities as well as
maintaining appropriate staff levels to serve whatever level of enrollment we have. And we will implement strategic use of grants and any categorical funding to the benefit of the district and equitable resource of res equitable
allocations of resources for our students. And we will continue to already we'll be starting that budget amendment because as we prepare the 2627 midyear amendment in late fall or early winter, those amendments will reflect school aid
legislation that is upcoming within just hopefully couple weeks. Um enrollment as it becomes known and as we submit those uh pupil counts in October and November and all the other assumptions that finally become known as we launch the school year. So, it's always budget
season uh in the Plymouth Canson Community Schools. And that is our presentation for this evening. I want to uh thank Jodie Melbourne, our executive director of finance and accounting for her critical work in um monitoring state aid and implications of these numbers
and compiling this work this evening. And we're both available here to answer any questions that you may have and to open it up for the public comments. Thank you. >> Okay, we'll start with uh board questions. And today I'm going to start on my right. Member Voss, do you have any questions?
>> Thank you for this presentation. Will we be discussing the layoffs? So any questions about nursing should be saved till that. >> Right. We have that on our agenda for a regular board business meeting. >> Okay. You can actually discuss those as a part of the budget because they are
part of this. >> Okay. >> That would be a great place. This would be >> fair enough. Yes. >> Um, okay. Then I guess what I'm want to ask about. Um, will our buildings have less nursing
coverage than they do now? >> Dr. Liz. Sure. So with the reduction in school nurses nurses, you will see that there will be less coverage in the clinic if that's what you're asking.
>> Less coverage what? >> In the clinic. >> Okay. >> By a school nurse. >> And do the administrative assistants in the offices in the office do they have the option of opting out to work in the
clinic? In the current contract of the administrative assistance, there is language that they may help with first aid or medication, but Mr. McDune is negotiating a new contract with our administrative assistance at this time.
>> So, that could stay the same or it could change. >> I'll let Mr. Maidun respond to that question. >> Yes. Um on to her point earlier um we are negotiating and depending on what comes out of the negotiation we'd have I can answer that more clearly after
negotiations right now since nothing is settled I can't really speak on anything that's going on there >> but if I may add each building has a health care team with trained individuals as a part of the collective bargaining agreement the office paraprofessional is the one person board policy has two people that are assigned
to support so in addition to your office par profofessional with as a part of the collective bargaining bargaining agreement. You have the the administrative assistants as a possibility. You have your principal, your assistant principal, student support coordinator or various other
people that are a part of that trained team that could help take care of the day-to-day needs. Our current uh model uh is one that if we look to our preandemic model, what we are currently proposing is going to resemble that model more closely. We started off with
six uh nurses at that time. We did increase our nursing staff with our pandemic. We actually went up to 14, I believe, during that time. And we um in addition to their uh responsibilities and clinical oversight, we also depended
on our nursing staff to assist with the uh contact tracing, the reporting, and all of those things around the pandemic. Um we also had healthc care techs during that time because we had the influx of federal funds that allowed us to increase staffing um in that model
reduced over time as those funds began to dry up the healthcare techs and we developed these then teams that would uh service our students in that manner. as we're moving forward and making the very difficult decisions across the district
and across every union group and uh employee group in the district to make reductions and how can we restructure our delivery model of services to protect the classroom, protect uh student and staff well-being. We are
looking to return to our preandemic model of support that will still keep that health care team in effect. It reduces the five nurses, three through retirement and/or uh resignation and then two additional that you will see later this evening on the layoff list.
As a reminder, we are required to uh lay off by June 15th of every single year. So, this is always the first meeting that if we have any proposed layoffs, we do that. Going back to that model, um in terms of that team, we will have a nurse that will be assigned to every building.
So that is a shared support in terms of their responsibility to every building in the district as well as the health care team that is in effect. It is really going to be that shift again to that preandemic model where now our nurses are going to pivot from more of
the daily direct care in the clinic to highvalued clinical leadership and that will include the development of individual educational plans for our students, medical management plans, uh care coordination for students with uh healthcare needs, the communicable
diseases responses and preventions, health and safety training and o oversight that will be for the delegated members of the team as well as leading emergency preparedness uh through our medical emergency response team. Every school has a medical emergency response
team and the my heart safe team serving on IEPs and 504s. Um with this model again uh there's always access to that nurse even if they're not in that building at that time and also any medical emergencies. I do want to also
emphasize we are talking about our general education funded nurses in that model. Um I know that there has been a concern raised around our medically fragile students or students that have nursing support within their IEP. So in addition to our general education
nurses, we also have in employed nurses that are dedicated to uh specialized uh medical uh supports for students and that goes untouched. So, for example, you've heard us talk about nurses that are uh contracted for transportation
that may have to be on buses. And so, that would remain. That's not a part of this structure or this model. If there is a uh a nurse for a medically fragile student that is assigned and it's act 18 funded, that does not shift. So, again, we're looking at our gend general fund
support and looking to return to a prepandemic model with three additional um FTE than we had at that time. Okay, I just have one one more comment. Um, I can quote a nurse who said, "The number of students requiring medication
and help at school increased dramatically in the last six years that I've worked at PCCS. I can't imagine cutting the nursing staff. I just can't understand how we're comfortable telling families that we are reducing nursing
support." Um, and I know that the answer is not just let's cut um administration at the central office, but I I think we need to take a hard look at
those positions. I we have a position at the central office that was created when I worked at the central office that is now the 11th highest paid position in our on our payroll according to our website. Um, and a lot of positions went
from coordinator to assistant director, which takes uh gives them a bump in pay. And so I just hate to tell our families that directly their students may be affected because we can't make cuts somewhere
else. Sure, I do. I appreciate that. And 100% every position is valuable as I stated before and every position will support the needs of students and uh staff within our building from different
functions and we would not say to our families that we are no longer providing um support for our students. We provide that in a different manner. So if there are things that are required from a clinical perspective that will not
change and that will be a part of that assignment to the point that I made around special education or IEPs or 504s certain services. If there is um additional support that might be in a in a classroom clinic such as if there is
uh giving of medicine or I mean every every single staff member is trained for an epipen for example if an emergency were to happen in this office we would not call uh a nurse here we would be we have a team trained that's when we look at the medical response team so the level of service we are not
communicating that we are decreasing their our quality or standard of care for our students by any means. I think it is important to emphasize there was a goal in guiding principles around this budget to reduce we have 65.5
positions that are reduced as a part of this budget and you are only not only you are laying off two of the 65 that was intentional to make the reductions this year which is a painful shift through attrition
not replacing uh positions through retirement through being able to place staff members in vacancies throughout the district so that does not impact pay and or benefits. Um, and that all of
that work that was strategic and and intentional resulted in two layoffs this evening. And when we look at the layoffs themselves, it's because in terms of being able to be placed in positions, this the certification will not allow that at all times. if we are in a in a
buyout scenario, if we have additional resignations or retirements that would allow that recall as early as is next meeting as we always have done. So I say that again to say 65% positions through those guiding principles to protect the
classroom as the first priority to to make sure that we are keeping our eyes on student and staff well-being and safety. And that's why I said we would not communicate to our parents that that is not still a priority and how we're receiving and covering that. We will
remain in compliance legally and with uh our IEPs and 504s and with our trained staff healthcare teams in every building meet the day-to-day needs in our clinics. Um I will say again as Miss Minnik shared we are looking at 10
million again next year if nothing else changes and 8 million and 8 million and that will not be the result of today when you are looking at laying off two people because we won't have a buyout in open positions. We are definitely right
sizing our staff that accounts for 83% of our budget. So it is painful and I would not put a value on any one position. If it's central office, if it is a teacher, if it's a building, whatever the every position in here is
valuable, every person contributes to the success of our school. Our job is to ensure that we do not impact the quality of care, safety, and instructional supports for our students. And as I am I'm talking a lot, but again I just
think it's important. It is painful and this is real and I appreciate us talking about it now spending the time at the next portion of the meeting to carve out positions to answer questions because we need to make sure that we're getting accurate information to our community
and that together we will work to ensure that we don't compromise for our students. And again, we can cut all of one pos one unit. You can say by law you are only required by law to employ a superintendent and you can cut every administrator in this district and it
still would not equal $10 million. That's the reality of it. And so again, we have to continue to to remain together to keep our priorities focused on classrooms and supports and our goals as defined through our dynamic plan and continue to look for ways that we can be
efficient to deliver that service. And as Miss Minnik said, this is not just about reduction. Enrollment is all of our jobs. And so as we work and move forward, if we bring in revenue, we have 2500 Plymouth Canton Community School
students that are choosing to be educated elsewhere. And we support choice, but I firmly stand 10 toes down that we provide the best quality experience in our community for our families. Let's all work collectively to bring our families back. and then we're looking at a different conversation. So,
I will I answered that question in a long way, but I think it's important and and and please continue to answer the questions and let's continue to work together through a challenging situation um for the good of our students and staff. >> Questions?
>> Um thank you for all of this hard work. Um, I look at that that slide where you're cutting basically we're eliminating 65 positions and and you've managed to eliminate open
positions through attrition and all of the rest of that and combine staffing and and I know that that is difficult. Um, so I'm grateful for all of the hard work that you've done to protect as many positions as you as you can. Um to a
little bit more on the nursing questions. What types of of needs are covered by IEPs? I'm assuming we're not talking about um insulin dependent diabetics. >> Sure. So it would be part of an IEP team
to decide if a student needed a nurse and that team would make that decision. So it would be a very um it really would be a medically fragile child. >> Okay. could be I mean I don't want to be very I don't want to give the exact details but it could be a student that needs um
feeding >> okay >> as well as you know bathroom needs >> okay >> movement needs all those things that are part of an IEP that could be part of an IEP for a student >> and if someone has an IEP and a and a dedicated nurse is that a nurse at that
school or >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. >> If it's written in the IEP. >> Okay. Um on one of the slides you mentioned um that you were protecting high impact extracurricular programs.
>> Can you give me an example of what a high impact extracurricular program might be? I mean are we talking football and athletics or >> Thank you for that question. In fact, we are speaking of athletics. Uh there's a number of uh of times that we've had
some conversation at the finance and operations committee this year around uh data dives if you will around those activities and sports uh that are many many students engage in and we know directly relates to student achievement.
And so within all of that we know there are sports that are currently recognized by MHSA uh that the district is not funding. uh we're looking at pay to participate levels uh that families are paying for one or more students to participate uh
either in an activity or an athletic program. Uh so all those kinds of things kind of roll up into uh an investment for next year uh and possibly for a few years uh to be sure that we are uh best serving in an equitable way all of our students as well as uh in our
marketplace around attracting enrollment uh with neighboring districts and uh kind of what is that industry standard if you will in a business sense. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um can you go back to slide number four please?
And and I know that I know that uh member Kiho will probably elaborate on this a little bit >> as well. Um every time we we have these budget discussions, this slide makes me angry. Um because that gray line shows
the the theft from schools across the state. every every school, every district in the in the state is is experiencing a budgetary cliff at this point. And that slide
always makes me angry because it's transcended the the lacks the the deficits to public schools have transcended Republican administrations, Democratic administrations across the board. whatever type of government we've had, whatever type of
uh economic situation that has been since I've lived in Michigan, and I've lived in Michigan for a long time. Um, so one of the things that I that I think it's important to say every single
budget cycle is we as this board and we as this community and communities across the state really need to hold our legislators accountable to properly funding our schools. not funding them properly
really shows in our in our in our nationwide test scores and our in our comparison. I think Amina you sent out some information today which was upsetting to say the least. Um so so
yeah that that's all I've got to say. It's unfortunate that we are in a situation where we have to make these decisions especially when it wouldn't be necessary if funding had just kept up with inflation.
>> I very much appreciate your comments. >> So on that note, you know, the Michigan School Research Collaborative does done work in this particular process. They last updated their numbers in 2021 um before the the current spate of uh inflation and we're still hundreds of
dollars um below their 2021 estimates this year. So if those have been adjusted for inflation, we would still be there. And their numbers are about an adequate education, not a good education, and they don't take into consideration transportation. So when we look at the costs that we incur as a
district that include transportation and providing equity for our students, we're really not where we need to be to provide even an adequate funding. This is this the cards that we've been dealt with. And as a district, we're doing the best that we can to try to make sure that we keep those cuts as far away from
the classroom as we as we can. And they're very difficult. As Dr. Merritt has mentioned every one of these positions even in an ancillary way affects students and they they touch students as part of this process. Um Dr. Merritt had shared some information with
us just before this board meeting on some of the uh the the the resources that we had at at an administration level and at the central office here which is oftentimes demonized in the in the the conversations we've had. We've
seen a reduction in central office staff in the last uh uh three years. So we've gone from 35 down to 33. Um there are two more that are being slated for reduction in this budget uh process right now. So we're seeing reductions that are occurring and those things will
still have impact on our students and the work that's being done. I you know this is always a great conversation. We've been having these discussions for the last several months on what's the best thing to do. And I don't like these cuts. I'm not happy about these cuts. Um
they're not the things I'd like to see. But we are dealing with the cards that we've been dealt with from our funding levels. So everyone's clear as a school district, we can pass uh local levies for uh capital projects, for bonds. We
can pass local levies for the regional enhancement millillage which can be used for operating expenses and we've had great support from our community to do that. Those are the things that we have local control over. The funding allowance that we get from the state is set across the state in generally a
unified way. We are at the lowest level that all districts that most of the districts in the state are set at. There were a handful of small districts that had passed um uh >> hold harmless >> old harmless. There we go. Thank you.
Hold harmless rules back at the time that the Headley amend I'm sorry the uh proposal A came into place almost third more than 30 years ago. >> And those districts have been able to pass local millages that allow them to have more money. The highest of those
districts is about $13,000. $3,000 per pupil more than we have. At least at least $13,000. When I last Miss Minnik is telling me that it's even more than $13,000. That's a huge difference. We don't have
that option. We don't have that ability and that control. I I recognize the desire to have equity across the state in the work that we're doing, but I don't think allowing these hold harmless districts to continue to do that is beneficial to us. One of the best things
that could happen is if our state legislators remove the held harmless uh uh criteria, then you'd have an outcry from people to actually make sure that we provided proper public education for everybody instead of only the wealthiest communities being able to raise uh that
kind of money. This is a difficult situation. I'm not happy about this. I don't like the the the process that we're in. But I feel that the balance that the administration has brought forward to us is probably the best balance that we can do at this time. There can always be debates on one way
or another if we see situations that change and we're obviously working on this u this budget from uh uh our crystal ball that we have from the state. The state has not passed a budget la there's we have to pass a budget by the end of June. were legislatively
bound to do that. The state doesn't have to pass a budget until the end of October and they don't always do that or I'm sorry, end of September and last year they didn't even pass their budget until middle of October. So they they didn't meet their own guidelines on that. So we're really in a very
difficult situation in what we're doing and we're having to be deal with these pretty substantial um uh cuts as part of this process. The thing that's really concerning me is not this year, it's the next years that happen as part of this because this is a continuous activity. And and our options are limited. We
could say, okay, we're going to increase class sizes and just for for round numbers, if we increase class sizes by one student, it's about $2 million. So, we'd have to increase class sizes by five to make up this budget deficit.
That's that's not tenable. People are already saying right now our class sizes are too large there. We have done the work that we can do to try to keep these cuts away from the classrooms. We could also say we're not going to give our staff raises. We're not going to help support them in their um in in in the
and the costs that they have. That's not an option for us. Our educators, they represent 80 or our staff represents 85% of our budget. This is the the backbone of what it our district does and we need to make sure that we fairly compensate people in the work that we're doing and
we're faced with very difficult choices. I'm sorry for my soap box. It's a very difficult uh situation and conversation here. We've been continuing to do this for a while and I appreciate the hard work that's gone into this. >> Thank you to my fellow board colleagues for their comments and questions. I
appreciate you bringing up the fact that we are essentially taking an educated guess and and by, you know, putting together this budget while we wait for the state to um to finalize theirs. Um and and Dr. Merritt, you had mentioned, you know, we're required to to post
these layoffs by June 15th. So, these are dates that we're beholden to. Um, but as those budgets start to crystallize and finalize from the state aid, um, and you know, student needs kind of shift and change, I guess my question to Dr. Merritt and the team is,
do we have the ability to to flex? So, if we find that there are more there's a greater need for nurses and we have budget to support that, is that something that the district can look into at a future date? >> Absolutely. So if you think about the years if we go back to 2011 when we had
significant staffing reductions our job is to always monitor evaluate and propose differences. It could be even that we don't have greater money but we always talk here about return on investment and maybe looking at something else in a staffing model
that's not giving us the bang for the buck for students and we have a greater need and said cut that was made this budget. So, we could always say we're going to make that adjustment there. Um, as we did back in 2011, many of the positions that were cut, we lived through and and divided the work out and
it just wasn't sustainable and it impacted quality. So, as we were able to increase our budget, we brought positions back or new positions or different ways to do things. Um, so again, the ultimate goal uh by your board policy is to have a 10% fund
balance. best practice is to remain 15% and I know Miss Melbourne kind of explained just even what our typical payroll is. So if we're looking at our uh fund balance is $34 million. It sounds like a lot but Miss Melbourne if you can just kind of walk us through to
just kind of help >> our payroll expenses can you go can you go to the mic please? >> Our payroll expenses are about $6 million per pay and we pay twice per month. So we're looking at $12 million a month just in payroll and benefits out the door. So a $34 million funded
balance wouldn't really take us more than about three and a three and a half months. >> We don't get our first payment from the state until October. Correct. >> Yeah. So we need the savings in the coffer to be able to weather that every year where we don't get that state aid payment. So, so recognizing that 15%
really is best practice and where is the need as a board, as an administration, we're tasked with always evaluating our reductions and or our current state to say, do we need something greater and can we invest in that and still maintain 15? Do we need to cut something else in
order to do it? So, it's it's a consistent process of improvement, evaluation, and um analyzing. >> Yep. Okay. Appreciate that. DPS Thank you. I actually sent uh Dr. Merritt a similar question, Jen, right before the
meeting and um appreciate you bringing this up. You know, this is one of the hardest things to do as a board as we see increases in um health care, salaries, utilities, while we see decrease in student enrollment. Um, but
this one's been sitting with me and it's not sitting well, especially um, after I talked to a community member yesterday in terms of the value that all of these individuals bring. U, we're talking about the nurses because they're on the
layoff list. And um, one of the things I put in the email was, uh, what's going to happen to the work that's being done, which you answered. And the other thing I wondered about is if there's a way to bring in uh if we don't have enough
money at the end after we do all of the balancing and there still isn't enough money if there's a way to look at a compromise of like a nurse technician nurses aid to help fill those gaps because to offload some of this work with other staff whatever is being
negotiated. I don't know what that looks like. I don't know what their workload looks like. Um, but I also asked about the data behind are we seeing an increase in number of health challenges that students have today versus 10 years
ago. I can't make a decision on that until I have that data. So, whoever can pull that data, um, that would be nice. I try to do my own, but I'm not a researcher. So I will let the researchers um get that data because I think if we see an increase in number of
students that have health needs today more than we had 10 years ago and if our current nurse load can't handle that then I think we do have to have a conversation about what is uh what is the best way to support student well-being and student achievement
because at the end of the day that's what we always talk about student well-being student achievement. So, um the other thing I asked about was um the data from the last 3 to 5 years about the reductions in staff from different
groups just so we can look at are we really turning every stone to make the best decisions possible because this is a hard one and and I also look at the other ones. I was just looking at uh multilingual support. I was looking at um I mean every one of these positions
you could look at and talk about the value that that person brings to the classroom to the student to the family to staff. So this is this is really really hard as we get through this. I guess I just want I just want to um
thank member Voss for bringing up those questions particularly with the nurses because that is on the agenda today. But I would like us to continue having this discussion around data needs, um, staff loads, and if after all of the budgets
have been balanced, if there's money that does come up, where can we reinvest that thoughtfully? No, >> I appreciate that. >> If I may add on to your comments, uh, as we mentioned in that next step slide, uh, that is our work in the finance
department. We monitor the state aid adjustments, federal grants, any kind of income sources. Uh we're constantly looking at the expenditure side too to monitor the size of those payrolls, the invoices we're paying every week, etc. to have these conversations, uh devil's
advocate conversations, uh to plug things into those forecasts to see if there's any significant change or where might there be changes. And so it's always iterative and then we bring those conversations to core. Uh and this budget process was challenging and and really no fun. And um but it was long,
arduous. We we we strived or strove to hear all voices and funnel those up through uh all of our um positions and up through courts, have those conversations. Uh and as well, we will continue to do that. It's it's ongoing
uh so that we can provide that data. And these budgets represent um conservative revenue numbers because we like we said we don't want to be caught short having allocations without the funds to support it. But likewise there is no fluff
either. We need really strong data and accurate data in order to make these really serious decisions around staffing uh and other types of resource allocations too. So just to your point about revenue generating. So I see that we have a projected decline or loss of
75 students and I know we have a school of choice policy. Is there any flexibility in let's say families who find out in July or August that they didn't get into the school that they wanted in a different district but they want to come here. Um is and we have
space. Is there anything that allows families at the last minute to come in? So unfortunately no. We are bound by um the guidelines within limited schools of choice. So if for example we were open choice then people could uh register and
enroll at any time but we are limited. So we define in the beginning how many seats that we have available we have a limited time that we have to advertise and then um do the acceptance and we can't move beyond that. So even if we
advertised 500, we only had two people come and we saw 498 seats, once we're past that date, we'd have to wait till the following to the next year in order to do that. >> Is that date a local policy or state law? >> So um you Mr. >> State law. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yep. They only allow us one period
enrollment period or application period for school of choice uh per year if you went the limited route. >> Can we extend that to 60 days instead of 30? >> No. Time to change some laws. >> Yes. >> And at one point even we asked the
question, could we open up another window? I think this is when we first had themies >> and really you're supposed to do one window. >> One window >> at that at a time. >> Not at a time at a year. You know, >> per year if you're going limited. >> Okay. Thanks,
>> member. I think my fellow board members have asked my questions, but I just wanted to comment that um sometimes when all of you read sound bites or headlines, it might feel to you
that the board is removed from the students. And I assure you that these are some of the most difficult conversations we have and some of the most difficult decisions we make. And we all uh review the data in a very
detailed manner. We all think of things in a very student centered way. And we you know it's really one of the toughest parts of our role to be told that over the next three years we have to cut what almost $30 million.
So, I just um and I I think I speak for all of us where, you know, we're open to to your input and feedback and the budget survey that goes out earlier in the year, we didn't have a great response rate, but it is a really good place to let us know what you want us to
prioritize. And that's not to say that this becomes like a popularity contest, but we do view all input and feedback very seriously. And at the same time, we have to look at everything from a very holistic point of view. So, um, these
meetings, you know, where we're talking about cuts, they really stink. It's they hurt our hearts. >> Thank you for your comment. Move on to our student co-chairs. Arjun, >> I want to thank you again for um setting
up this presentation. And I understand that it's a really hard process to make. um you know choosing what to cut it's obviously difficult in terms of uh formatting the presentation. I was curious if you could provide me and the community info on how much of the cuts I
think you said 65 are due to attrition versus actually just uh laying off. >> So out of the 65.5 we have two positions that are laid off. So every other position is either um they've been re uh
allocated to an open vacancy or have retired. So out of only two two positions are laid off. >> Okay. Thank you. Um and then on a note of trying to figure out what's most important to the students, you know, we say prioritizing students is our number
one uh priority. I think it would be helpful to get more student feedback on this. And I understand this is a complicated topic and there's a lot of data and um processes that you can't really you know show to students I'm assuming but I do
think that there's a very talented group of students that we have across our district and getting some suggestions because you know pains me to say but I don't really have a solution to this right now and I think that if we give students time to think we show them and we reach a hand out saying hey could you
help us on this you might be able to get something that you know a solution to this. >> I appreciate that. >> Thank you. I very much appreciate your comments. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We'll take that. >> And then we have our our newest co-chair member. Welcome. But do you have any
questions? Krishna, >> thank you. Thank you so much for this presentation. And uh like uh fellow board members have said uh they've I'm just I was wondering mostly on like the
school nurses and so will their ability will their so since you're cutting school nurses is their ability still going to remain the same as their as like previous ones? And is there
essentially is there an impact of cutting these nurses that is really that as important or is it just a minimal impact and is it going to really affect the students and uh schools at this moment?
>> Thank you for your comments and welcome. Uh I might turn that over to more of a subject matter. So I would definitely say any position that we um are accustomed to having the impact is going to be felt. Uh how we deliver that
support is really uh the priority so that we ensure that you as a student do not feel that impact to the greatest extent. And so um that's the work to say we prioritize how whatever what what model that we deliver that. So, as it
relates to our nurses supports to ensure that uh when you go to uh if it's the clinic at school that your needs are met and based on what those needs are to make sure that we have the most qualified person that is available to meet that need and that's what the model that we have on the table would allow
for. Uh kind of going back on that, so would the school nurses that are now present, would they take on larger responsibilities and uh have be more qualified than what they are right now to accommodate for the school nurses
that are being laid off or will their abilities be relatively the same uh comparatively to the layoffs after the layoffs? >> I think it's a great question. I want to expand it beyond the nurses impacted but every position when we say we are not
replacing a position through attrition. So someone retires we don't replace then those that are remaining are taking on more responsibility. So we look to when we use that word restructure to say what can we take off of this plate as they take on this responsibility that might
be content specific or certification specific. Uh so yes um across the system there will be uh work that doesn't just dis disappear because we no longer have the positions but we have to redistribute in a manner um that's more
efficient with less people but people taking on more responsibilities. >> Thank you so much. >> You're very welcome to take questions. >> Can I ask a followup to RJ? >> You may come. um when when he asked about attrition
the position of the media parah those aren't layoffs but it seems from things that we see from our media um teachers that the things that they're
able to do in our media centers like um you know camp read a lot and all those different things will those things go away even though those positions technically aren't laid off there. Those employees will be given different positions within the district. How will
we continue that work? I I think that's a great question because it allows me to clarify although the employee is not laid off, that position is eliminated. So that absolutely impacts the workload of the media center uh specialist that
that's at building. So that is fair because even though that person is employed, they will not be that co-partner to that media specialist. And so, um, the the hope and the and the goal is that we are able to rethink and continue to offer these amazing
opportunities for students through our, uh, volunteers, um, through our positions that although they may not have that assignment, if we have, uh, general pareducation support, can we rethink when we say it takes a village and if we're looking at being in the
building and all hands- on deck, is there a way that we can come together to ensure that we still have um opportunities available for students that they're accustomed to. Can we be creative and find even new opportunities that might meet students where they are?
And so there is not a blanket to say because we don't have this position we will no longer be able to do that. Um but definitely I want to be clear that because the person is not laid off absolutely that will be an impact to the the program that remains and our job is
to make sure that we uh retool ourselves so that it is um not felt in terms of an impact for students as uh it impacts equality in a negative way. So even when we we we think about maybe getting in too many details, but um even with the
media specialist, uh we have um dedicated uh from our philosophy wanting to have an a media specialist per building and at you know at one time that was the conversation because they are they deliver as our specials
teacher. Do do we staff according to our specials? So for art, music, PE at the elementary school, we have a total of nine FTE, whereas we have 14 and it and it doesn't depend. You could be at Workman with 27 sections or you could be at Smith with 15, but both have a
full-time media specialist. through this budget, we're still preserving that staffing levels to ensure and at the same time that media specialist now um that job is different because they also had that full-time parah in that in that
um so again we have to utilize our our uh people that remain with the goal uh focused on the alignment of ensuring that we provide these experiences for students that are so important. Um it's it's it's not just it is very much about
instruction and all things that uh make sure that we are educating the whole child. I know it's a hard it's not a a solid but I just wanted to be be clear that when I say no layoffs the positions are eliminated and that does impact um
we have to do things differently. >> All right. Can I just offer one comment based on what Dr. Merritt said >> please? Um, I think it was a really good reminder when you said that because I remember I don't remember the year, but I know that at one time we didn't have media specialists in every school.
Right. Right. >> So, I think sometimes we get used to what we have and we forget when things were different. So, I really appreciated that reminder. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you for your presentation. Um, at this point, we're going to move to the citizens comments section of the
public budget hearing. So, we've collected um the citizen comments sheets and done our best to split these out to the citizens comments that are related to the budget hearing and the citizens comments that are related to our regular
business meeting. So, if you don't hear your name called in this section, it will be called in our regular board meeting uh board business meeting. Um just a reminder though, um each citizen has three minutes to speak. We the board will not respond. This will be your time
to share. Um, the administration will follow up with each individual who participates in citizens comments. And as a reminder, please do not share any names when sharing concerns or criticisms unless you have their permission to do so. Um, okay. So, first
up we have Alexandria Weber. Hello. When does my time begin? I see right here. Okay. Hi, I am a former student and graduate of Plymouth Canton Schools. I am speaking to you today because I am passionate about the quality of our schools, especially because my baby sister is still
attending school. She is only in second grade and she has 10 more years in this district and I want her to have the best education and care from this district. School nurses are an essential part of keeping our school safe and students healthy. In my time in the district, I have witnessed how the presence of a
school nurse benefits the living or the lives of the students. In the third grade, my very good friend suffered from a seizure during lunch. The nurse was there to identify the problem and keep her safe until the paramedics arrived. In fifth grade, a student at my school suffered a significant head wound that
required many stitches, but that required a nurse. There are many other instances of how school nurses help make our schools safer. From things as simple but necessary as identifying strep throat to understanding how to handle a high
school student who is high on drugs. The presence of high school of school nurses have made it possible for my third grade friend and all students to stay safe in school to make great memories. I understand there are issues with the budget and that there are some people
um in the district who make much more than can be justified when we are already facing cuts already. These cuts undermine the core the care of students as it means fewer support staff for schools as paras are being cut and you cannot expect the teachers to carry
medical responsibilities alone especially teachers who are newer and less experienced in managing classroom emergencies which is what you are doing by asking teachers to take early retirement. However, you are wrong if you think that you can't afford nurses right now. It would cost a lot more if a
lawsuit comes against the district due to the fact that you were negligent to care for your students because you didn't have a school nurse on site at the right place at the right time. If you fire nurses, what you what do you expect to do when a student has a or I'm
sorry, if you fire nurses, what do you expect others to do when a student has a seizure or a stroke? Who will have the medical knowledge to intervene while there is still time? If you claim to care for the students in the Plymouth Canton Community Schools, children like my friend or my baby sister or the
children I nanny for, at a minimum, you must have an adequate amount of properly trained school nurses at their schools. >> Thank you for your comments. Up next, we have uh Katherine Brewer. Hello.
Hi. I am a mom to two kids in the Plymouth Canton district. The only district they've ever attended. When I purchased my home, the most important factor to me was the schools, and I chose Plymouth Canton. I'm here tonight because I'm deeply concerned about the potential budget cuts, especially for
the nurses. Nurses are essential for student safety. Last year, I got a call that no parent should ever get. We've called an ambulance. Please come to the school. My daughter was having an episode where her heart rate would go skyrocket high and then drop. She would become disoriented. We got to the ER.
The episode had passed and they said she was dehydrated. Um, from that first episode, our school nurses were amazing. They followed up with me, documented exactly what happened, and encouraged me to push for a cardiologist uh specialist.
um after several more episodes at school um and the nurse's support providing logs of heart rates, verbiage to share with her doctor and just really advocating and uh describing their details and observations. We finally got
a diagnosis of SVT which is you know super ventricle teacardia and she eventually went for a heart ablation. I truly believe that without our nurses at that school, my daughter's care would have been delayed. They would have never
took a mom um opinion seriously. The nurses advocated for her. Um and I truly believe that's one of the reasons why she eventually got the treatment she needed. And it's not just my daughter. Our nurses, our students rely on our nurses every single day. And I'm not
talking about the medically fragile students. I'm talking about regular students. whether it just be not feeling well, medications, uh, or sudden medical emergencies. The idea that admin assistants would be part of the health
care team in an office really worries me. I've been in several offices over the years and it is a chaotic environment. They do enough. So, putting that on them uh, really, really worries me as a mom. I understand that budget cuts are difficult, but reducing nurses
can be a a dangerous decision. Um, we have lots of students even at the park and requiring n nurses to cover multiple buildings is a very dangerous dangerous situation. Let's continue to be the district that sets the standard. Let's continue to be the district that
families seek out because our students deserve it. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Stephie McCort. Good evening. My name is Stephanie McCort and I'm an eighth grade teacher at Discovery Middle School. I love my
job. I love the people I work with. I love this community that I serve. And most importantly, I love my students. I'd like to share a story from my classroom. A few months ago, I noticed that one of my students had been wearing the same outfit to school almost every single day. As the weather warmed up,
other students began to notice, too. Comments started being made, the kinds of comments that middle school students sometimes make without fully understanding the impact of their words. I knew I needed to check in with this student privately, but the problem was finding the space and time to do that.
The reality of teaching middle school is that privacy is hard to come by. There are always students in the room, in the hallway, at the door. A conversation like this requires trust, dignity, and confidentiality. Fortunately, our student success coach,
Lori Lingerfer, was there that day. And because Lori was there, I was able to step away from my class and talk with this student. I walked him to our school nurse who provided some basic hygiene supplies. I was able to get him a school sweatshirt. Most importantly, I was able
to learn what was really going on. This student needed help. He needed clothes that fit. He needed support. He needed adults who could move quickly and compassionately before a difficult situation became even worse. Because
Lori was there, that support happened immediately. Not after a chain of emails, not after multiple referrals, not after days of waiting. That student received help that very day. This is just one story. I could share many more. I know many teachers in this district
could do the same. Tonight, I come before you as both a teacher and a parent in this district. The recent cuts to instructional coaches, technology coaches, and school nurses make me concerned about what our middle schools will look like next year. When we discuss these positions, it's easy to
think of them as line items on a spreadsheet. But in our schools, they are the people who create time and space and safety and connection for students who desperately need it. Right now, our school nurses are often the first
responders in emergencies. Teachers like me have watched our student or nurses respond when students experience seizures, severe allergic reactions, injuries on the playground, and countless other medical situations. Parents of childrens with medical needs
understand how critical this role is. Our instructional and student coaches do far more than support academics. They help teachers solve problems, support struggling students, intervene during crises, and create opportunities for meaningful human connection. At a time
when so many young people are struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and a need to feel seen, I worry about removing the very people who allow us to do that. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Melanie Campbell.
Good evening. My name is Melanie Campbell and I am a parent of a student at East Middle School. My son is one of many students who live with food allergies. In fact, one in 13 students or children live with food allergies, meaning one to two kids could have food
allergies in each classroom. I would like to share our family's experience and explain to you why these school nurses are extremely important. When my son was in kindergarten, he ate a school lunch that had been labeled safe for him, but later was found to be mislabeled. Shortly after eating, he began
experiencing symptoms and went to see the school nurse. She called me immediately, explained the situation and asked me to pick him up. At this time, his symptoms were not severe enough to require an ambulance. After assessing him, she had advised me to take him to the urgent care, and while driving to
the urgent care, his condition rapidly worsened. He became lethargic, and soon after turning into their parking lot, he began vomiting. A nurse had just parked near and immediately administered the EpiPen that I had carried and carried
him inside. My baby was blue. What felt like only a matter of minutes, he was then transported to Mott's Children's Hospital by ambulance. All these years later, I still think about how that day could have ended up differently. Had someone told him it was
just a tummy ache and dismissed his symptoms. I am forever grateful he recognized what was happening and went to that school nurse. I am grateful that a trained medical professional was there to respond quickly and saw exactly and knew exactly what our emergency plan
was. Children with food allergies, diabetes, asthma, and many other medical conditions depend on these school nurses every day. These school nurses are a critical part of keeping our children safe. And no amount of money is worth more than the safety or the life of a
child. I'm not sharing our story out of pity or to place pressure on anyone. And I am sharing it to bring awareness that these situations do happen in our schools and that behind every policy decision are real children and families who rely on the support of these school nur that that these school nurses
provide. I respectfully ask the board to reconsider these cuts and prioritize the health and safety of all these students. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak tonight and I hope our story can help with your decision-making. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we
have Jamie Gails. Hi, my name is Jamie Gails and I want to speak on behalf of the assistive and instructional technology department. I have been an assistive technology consultant for four years and this department began in 2011. Since then, there has never been fewer than two
people in this department. The department is currently myself and my colleague Michelle Leblanc. However, I will be expected to service the whole district starting next school year. For those who don't know, we work with students with individualized education programs and 504 plans throughout the
entire school district. School teams come to us when a student is experiencing barriers to accessing their curriculum at school. This could be due to a variety of reasons including reading and writing challenges, fine motor concerns, vision or hearing impairments, and commonly communication
challenges. We help school teams and families identify and implement tools that can be used to address these barriers and level the playing field for students who are struggling. This year, we have received 115 new consult requests. We also work with 82 students
in the district who use alternative and augmentative communication devices. Once a student receives a communication device, we follow that student throughout their career in Plymouth Canton, training and coaching staff and families in the use of their device at home and at school. This involves consistent follow-up meetings throughout
every school year. With the reduction in FTE from 2 to 1, I worry about the impact on our most vulnerable population of students, including those who use AAC devices and their families. Fewer students will have the opportunity to be given a voice, and communication is a basic human right. Additionally, IEP
compliance issues will arise. I also want to note that I have not been notified that any duties will be reallocated to reduce the workload of the department next year. Plymouth Canton is too large of a district with too many diverse needs to be serviced adequately by one person. Our students, families, and staff deserve the best
support we can provide. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Up next we have Holly Hanine. Is that Am I saying it right? >> Han, you're fine. >> Han. >> Han. >> Han. Thank you for correcting me. >> You're fine. >> Okay. Good afternoon or good evening. I
guess I am a mom of a child who is not only special has special needs but also is significantly medically complex. Our nurse at our school is already being split between three schools. Every minute counts when it comes to pediatric
care. Our nurses are the first line in emergencies. They do so much more than just sit in a clinic. Cutting these incredible people hurt our students, but also our student staff. Our teachers should not have to take on more of a role as what they're already doing the
incredible amount of teaching our future. as a first responder. However, I can tell you how important these nurses are. Not only for our students, but for fire and EMS who are being called going to these schools. We need these nurses
to tell us exactly what is going on, who need to know how to tell dispatch what is going on. They are truly our first line in defense for this. I cannot imagine how truly difficult it is to come up with a budget for a district
this huge. But cutting these this medical staff really can't be the answer. I know how hard it has to be. But our children deserve the quality medical care that they are getting now, but the thought of knowing that they're
going to be taken away, it scares me. and it does make me wonder if this is the district for my family and for my child. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Amy Collins. My name is Amy and I am the parent of a
medically complex student in this district. Before this board votes, I have one question. If a child in one of your schools stopped making sense in class today, confused, shaking, going pale, and his teacher didn't know if it was a behavior or medical emergency, and the nurse was at a different school, who would save him? I don't mean who would
call 911. I mean, who knows this specific child's care plan for treating hyper or hypoglycemia, knows his devices, knows the difference between a behavioral moment and a medical emergency that looks exactly like one. That is not in a CPR manual. That is what a school nurse who knows your child
does every single day. My son has type 1 diabetes. His immune system destroyed his pancreas. His body produces zero insulin. Every hour of every school day, his blood sugar must be managed artificially. And if it drops too low, he can lose consciousness, seize, or die. There is no grace period. His
school nurse has shown what care looks like in this practice. She caught his blood sugar dropping multiple times before he felt it himself. By the time a child feels alone, there may be they may be minutes from losing consciousness. She was right there during a low blood sugar episode, several low blood sugar
episodes, a fast acting, giving him fast acting carbs, staying with him, watching him stabilize. Without intervention, a low can become a seizure. When his insulin pump failed, she switched him to his insulin pen immediately. A pump failure without backup insulin can cause a life-threatening emergency. She didn't
hesitate. She knew exactly what to do. My son is not alone. There is another child with type 1 diabetes in his building. Across this district, there are children with severe allergies, seizure disorders, asthma, and more. Five nurses gone means all of them are at greater risk, not just my son. I've been told that students with 504 plans
won't be affected, that it only impacts the clinic, and that nursing support will remain for students with IEPs who need physical assistance. I understand that, but the needs of students like my son are no less serious. They are just less visible. A school nurse doesn't just treat scraped knees. She implements 504 health protocols every single day.
That is not clinic work. That is 504 work. Being assigned to a student and being available for that student are not the same thing. When a crisis happens, the nurse needs to be there, not across town. These stu these students do have dedicated care teams who follow their specific medical plans. And those staff
deserve enormous credit. But following a plan is not the same as being a licensed nurse who can make clinical judgment calls and save lives. It is not fair to those staff or to those children to ask them to carry that responsibility. So I have three asks for you. Vote no on the
action items uh reducing the nursing staff. If not tonight, pause implementation until a formal impact assessment is completed for students with IEPs and 504 plans and documented medical needs. Three, guarantee in writing that all active IEP 504 health
protocols will be fully maintained under any new staffing model. Every child in this district who walks in with a medical condition they didn't choose deserves a nurse who knows them, who knows their plan, their devices, their history, and how to act when seconds matter. Tonight, you have the opportunity to make the right decision
before something goes wrong, not after. You have the power to protect them. Please use it. Vote now. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Jennifer Bennett. Okay. Good evening. My name is Jennifer Bennett. I've been a teacher at Plymouth
High School for 21 years and currently serving my second year as our union building rep. I'm here tonight to speak about a budget cut in the building that h will have detrimental consequences to staff and students. A cut that staff has expressed much concern about. A few weeks ago, we were told that the decision was made to cut the copy room pair of professionals in each of the
buildings at the high school. This is tremendously problematic. Staff relies on this support to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. It is a studentf facing support that if removed will not only crush morale further, but prevent teachers from offering support when needed in other places, like stepping in when sub jobs are unfilled,
which we are routinely asked to do. How can we fill in in our planning periods when we now have to run copies on a machine we can only hope is not jammed, broken, or held up by other teachers trying to run their copies at exactly the same time? When will we have time to actually plan our curriculum, respond to our emails, grade papers, sit in IEP
meetings? If we have to wait amongst 10 or 12 other teachers trying to run copies during the same planning period, the copy room paras do more than just run copies when originals are placed in the trays. We have one large Kanuka machine for multiple copies in each building and one small Kanuka to run
class sets as needed. And the pods BC, general office, counseling, athletic offices, band offices, special ed offices have smaller printers that we can run originals on only. The paras are in charge of all of these machines which break down frequently. They troubleshoot issues. They schedule maintenance and service calls with Kuka. They keep the
toner stocked and ready for use in the machines and maintain the stock of everything else that is copy related. toner, staples, paper, colored paper, card stock, card stock, excuse me, etc. The copy pairs keep the copy room running smoothly. When the machines are out of paper, they refill the trays. When staff sends something to the small
kanukica, they remove the backlog and the items and place the items where they belong. When there is a jam, they remove it. When a student wanders into the copy room, they make sure no assessments or final exams are available for a sneak peek. Tests are maintained in a separate location to maintain the integrity of their content which maintains the
validity of all the board directed common assessments. They prevent staff from standing over the machines fighting for time to run the copies they need at the moment as the jobs are organized according to need. Math packets, for example, are created around smaller jobs so the smaller jobs can actually get done. If one teacher puts in a job that
requires 50 minutes to run and walks away from the machine, teachers who need to run a class that was something in that interim won't have the opportunity to do so. Then what? Imagine what this will look like when we bring in the plethora of new staff next year to replace our retirees. New teachers or teachers with new content sometimes can
only stay one day ahead of their curriculum. Depending on running a copy in the morning and being able to unable to do so will crush morale and instill panic as the lack of experience won't offer a way to pivot. When staff is unexpectedly out, lesson plans and documents are shared and the copy pairs
print and run what is needed for the substitute teacher. when assisted as needed prepping for parent teacher conferences, the copy pair provides that as well. Um, there are a lot of things the copy pairs do and to be fair, these jobs could be parcled out among other staff, but let's be real, it's 2026 and education looks very different today
than it did 10 years ago. And I'm out of time. Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Nick Evacco. Hi everyone and thank you for your time. Uh my name is Nick Ivakco. I am a third grade teacher at Field Elementary. I
want to spend my time focusing on how these cuts will affect not just individual students or students with IEPs, but all students in our building. Um, someone had brought up earlier they weren't sure what the health care teams
look like. And I've got an answer for that. It's pair of professionals and teachers who are then pulled away from all of their kids. It looks like an English language teacher needing to skip a small group to support a medical
issue. It looks like pair of professionals not in the room and then teaching staff spending time with individual students rather than being able to meet with all kids. Um,
in general, the cuts have an effect on all kids. Bigger class sizes means less time for one-on-one support. My classroom has 24 coat hooks.
Strikes me as a room for 24. I had 30 last year. It's 25% more than that room was designed for. And that meant six extra students who need me and I did not have paraprofessional support and these cuts again are just going the opposite
direction. um a question of I think it comes to a question of equitability about what is best for kids and cutting people on the front line, teachers,
paras, nurses, the ones who have that daytoday one-on-one impact with kids strikes me as harming students a little bit more. Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Up next we
have Shana Lasker. Hello. Good evening. Um, I'd like to say I am u both a product um of living educational schools as well as a parent of two children enrolled in the district. Um, the sheer number of students enrolled at um, just the park
alone lends itself to the need to ensure appropriately staff care for emergent and non-emergent medical care including medication administration and ongoing medical care management. Decreasing nursing nursing staff at just the park alone increases the likelihood that students may not have access to the
care when needed. As we all know, there are three schools on a very large campus and no one can be in two places at once, let alone adequately cover three schools. For those students with medication management needs, getting to their home schools at designated times should that
be the determination made could be an undue burden depending on their school schedules, potentially decreasing medication adherence. Requiring office staff to administer medications increases their burden as well and decreases the time allotted to fulfill the job duties for which they themselves
were hired. Additionally, our students form bonds with the school nursing staff, providing further emotional and social support, which cannot be discounted. It may be even more important now given the significant plan reduction and behavioral health services specialists, which I am also deeply
disappointed to learn about. I would urge the board to reconsider nursing staff layoffs in order to maintain safety and security of all of our children. Thank you. Okay, up next we have Charles Hamlin. Ladies and gentlemen, >> hello. I'm Charles Hamlin. I teach at
Plymouth Canton. I would like to speak on this, but I don't know if I'm actually able to. So, I'm going to yield my time to Jennifer Bennett so she can finish her statement. Actually, I'm so sorry. We can't allow another citizen to yield their time. So, if you would like to speak, I'd like to speak
about it. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Teachers, counselors, athletic programs, and specialized programs like DECA, AP, and IB depend on the support from our copy pairs. Students depend on support from the copy pairs in the library as it it's a routine that assistance is
provided there. uh Plymouth, for example. The copy pair covers a lunch and supports any substitute that may be filling in that space for the day. Because of her frequency in the library, she's become a familiar and a friendly face as students seek for assistance as needed. It is not uncommon that they ask
her for help to allow them to print things, especially students with special needs. When staff is out unexpectedly, lesson plans and documents are shared with the copy pairs to print and run what is needed for the substitute teacher. I believe you already read this one. When staff need something
laminated, the copy pair is provided. That's schoolwide, not just within the classroom. When the large rolls of paper used for the bulletin boards and large poster displays are out, the copy pair has restock them. That is something that is frequented by students that are always putting those things up uh year
round. To be fair, these jobs could be parcelled out amongst other staff, but let's be real, in 2026, uh education looks very different today than it did 10 years ago. Staff are already stretched thin. Morale is low. Being responsible for paper jams will keep us out of the classroom. Not being able to
have copies when we need them will keep us out of the classroom. Using time in the copy room instead of the classroom isn't best practice for students. The copy room parah is not a luxury to us. It is a necessity to this district's level of activity and expectations
within the classroom. And sure, other districts don't have pair of professionals. Leavon Stevenson nearby where uh where we live uh doesn't have a copy parah but Stevenson has 13 copiers that all staff have access to 13 copers that are capable of running large jobs. We have one of these at Plymouth for
more than 100 teachers. The second Kanuka is for much smaller jobs like class sets but again we have one. The data shows we run a lot of copies. The data shows we use a lot of paper. We are not a onetoone district. So we have to rely on paper to supplement. Courses without textbooks run on paper and the
pendulum is already swinging the other way at the paper front. School districts are ditching the technology uh and the edtech industry sold them. Reliance on tech is not closing the achievement gap. Schools are returning to paper and pencil with success. The ripple effect of removing the copy pairs at the high
schools will be devastating. Surely there are other things that we can cut that will not directly impact student facing experiences. Morale is already low. Please do not make it worse. This will impact every classroom and every student. And I would like to say you might want to have put them in writing that we can't yield back to other
citizen comments. But thank you. >> Thank you very much for your comments. That concludes this section of citizens comments for our public budget hearing. Um, at this time we're going to adjourn the public hearing and move to our
regular board business meeting. Okay. So, we are going to move on to the adoption of the agenda and approval of the consent agenda. Action item number 26-06-69. Can I please have a motion? >> Madam President, I move that we adopt our agenda and approve our consent
agenda. Action item 260669. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> It was moved by Treasurer Kho and seconded by Vice President Sedu. Uh Dr. Merritt, can you please take us through the agenda? >> Thank you, President Christensen. This evening, our consent agenda consist consists of human resources,
transactions since our last time together. We have leaves, resignations, and retirements as well as tenure recommendations for your consideration. We also have the regular meeting minutes from May 26, 2026. And we have outofcountry field trips that have been
reviewed at spa. Great. Thank you very much. Um, I'll call for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. >> Those opposed say no. >> Motion carries 6. Uh, Mr. Mun, can you take us through human resources?
>> Yes, I can. I want to um um go over the retirements that we have for today. It's quite a few and um though it is a um source of sadness, but it's also joy for them. I mean, they need to go on they they're getting a chance to go on in their lives and I
wish them well. So today's um retirements are um Jon Jonathan Burgger or Discovery has been um been with the district since 1998. Rebecca Darby has been a workman is um has been at the district since 1998. Amanda Davis um is
at West um she's been with the district since 2002. Charles Dell um he's um at at Isbister has been with the district since 2005. Janice Deer um teacher at Canton has been with the district since 2009.
Um, D'Vorah Ericson, who's been with Datson since 2004. Valerie Fletcher, who who's at Datson, has been with the district since 1997. Michelle Foster, uh, teacher at Workman, has been here since 1994.
Julie Fowler, a discovery teacher, has been with the district since 1996. Uh, need some water. It's a lot of names here today. Um, Courtney Gallagher has been a um is a teacher at Smith, has been with the district since 2000. Wendy
Gralind, a Miller teacher, has been with the district since 1999. Charles Hall, discovery teacher, has been with the district since 2018. Katherine Johnson, a Hoben teacher, has been with the district since 2000. Brenda Johnson, a discovery teacher, has
been with us since 2006. Bill Keith, Salem teacher who's um um been with the district since 1991. Carolyn King, a Bentley teacher, has been with the district since 1990. Jeremy Mazac um has been um a West
teacher, has been with us since 2007. Leslie Martinsky, a Hobman teacher, has been with us since 2005. Roxanne McCormack, Salem teacher, has been with us since 1999. Pamela Murphy, teacher at Ericson, has
been with the district since 1998. Melissa Novak, a Tanda teacher, has been with the district since 2001. Christine O'K teacher, has been with us since 2002. Diana Olds, a Allen teacher, has been
with the district since 1997. Colleen Otto has been a Faren teacher has been with us since 2011. Katherine Palmer Pumper has been um a teacher has been with us since 1997.
Heather Rohala has been Erikson teacher has been with us since 1992. Robert Sheets, a teacher at Plymouth, has been with the district since 1993. Julie Smith, a Datson teacher, has been with us since 1996.
Kimberly Sparks, teacher at Datson, has been with us since 1995. Kim Tubs, a field teacher, has been with us since 1998. Lisa Trucks, um, she's a coordinator over Extended Day, has been with the
district since 1996. Matt Tresiaak, teacher at the West, has been with the district since 2006. Turk Tisowitz, um, assistant superintendent, um, a student services, has been with the
district since 2002. Nicole Willlet, a Plymouth teacher, has been with us since 2009. And Cheryl Wiseman, um, um, a nurse at um, at East, has been with the district since 2020. Let's give
them a round of applause. and I welcome them and and I I wish them luck in their next stage of their lives. Um also I would like to acknowledge um today is um we um um um tenure has been granted for all the teachers over the entire year.
>> So we just do it this time of year. So I would like to acknowledge that we have 39 teachers who have achieved achieve tenure this year. um one of this is an important milestone in their professional journey and reflects their hard work, dedication and commitment to our students in our district. And please
join me in giving them a welldeserved round of applause for this achievement. >> And that's all we have for today. If I just may jump in for a moment um and acknowledge and thank all of our staff for their dedicated years of service and
the impact that they've made on the lives of our students. Sometimes you don't see that impact, but you'll hear about it even here in the board meetings years later and generations later. So, I'm so thankful and grateful. one particular staff member um who was planning on just sneaking up on us and
just giving us the letter and walking out the door without having an official goodbye that's on the list as everybody knows I've been talking about maybe changes I don't do change as well as I thought I did but I think it's more the surprises everybody knows that and I just guess I didn't didn't anticipate
was just kind of hoping Mr. Chiskowitz was the very first administrator that I worked with when I came into Plymouth Canyon 2011. He was a building principal at elementary. I was from another district as a middle school principal and we both entered into no I was actually a HR director but I had been
but he came in February of 2011 and I came in July and we figured out Plymouth Kenton HR together. There has never been a thing that I asked of Kurt that he didn't either know the history behind the why behind the person behind the decision and if he didn't then we were
going to figure it out together. Um the most dependable uh oh lord and so I am so grateful for you Kurt Disco I'm very happy that you are now embarking on this next chapter. I say
give Kim my cell phone number if she needs to send you out to drive Miss Daisy, do all the things you do. Um, but it's these moments to Abdul's point that um, we it's very happy to celebrate. This should be a time of celebration. So, I'm going to get over it. It's not about me. Uh, but you have been such a
valuable um, you just woven into the quilt of Plymouth Canton family and we will miss you. Um, I will miss you and appreciate all that you have done and will continue. your legacy will live on in Plymouth Canton for years and years to come. So, thank you Curtis
and everybody. If I may, I'd like to just, you know, say that, you know, this decision does not come easily because um Plymouth Canton has really been uh an important part of my life. Um >> I know
>> it's hard. Um, I think about the the district, it's been more than a workplace for me. Uh, it's been like a second home. Um, what stands out most for me is the people in this district and the relationships that I built
during my time here. Um, I've had the privilege of watching students grow from nervous kindergarteners to crossing that stage uh at graduation, including my own kids. Um, I've worked with
amazing teachers, pair professionals, security officers, administrative assistants, maintenance, food service, bus drivers, and administrators who gave everything they had for kids each day. Um, Plymouth Ken has helped shaped who I
am both professionally and personally and I will always always be grateful for the opportunities, the friendships and the memories from my time here and I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve
the district, its students and families and staff. It's been truly one of the greatest honors of my life. Thank you very much. >> Give him some tissue. >> Oh yeah. pass. Okay, here you go. Thank
you. >> All right, >> I assume that concludes human resources. >> That concludes human resources for today. >> We're just done with the meeting. >> Okay. Uh, thank you very much. Um, okay. So, we will move on to action items. We
have an action item number 26-06-74. consider approval of a resolution layoffs for of two nursing positions. This is a first and final read reading. Can I please have a motion? >> Madam President, I move that we consider approval of a resolution of layoffs of
two nursing positions. This is a first and final reading. The action item is 26674. >> Can I have a second? Second. Okay. It was moved by Treasurer Kho and seconded by VP Sadu. Um I will
open this up for further commentary questions to the group. >> So at this point is my understanding is this is a layout that's required for us to do uh a notification by June 15th and this is the meeting that is before that
time. This does not necessarily mean that we would not have recalls uh for these layoffs. We've had these uh situations and processes in the past years and if there were opportunities or changes in what we do in our budget process and these positions could be recalled from this process. It's just
the requirement for us to do this as part of this time frame. At least that's my understanding. >> Correct. >> Can I ask in the past I know we do this every year with recalls and generally people are brought back. Have there been
cases where staff that were recalled were not brought back in recent years? May I share that the names on this list are not correct. Uh it's a two different nurses. I just wanted to say that we could please
update that unless I'm incorrect. Brooke Brooke was recalled back already because uh Cheryl Wisman retired. >> Then we need a new >> Yeah, I can get Abdul and I can work together on the name. >> So why don't we defer this vote and we
will move this to the end because we can't vote on something that's not correct. >> Okay. And actually, >> so does that mean that we are only required to lay off one or do we still need to lay off? You have two >> two but the names are incorrect. Okay.
>> All right. Well, that is sorted out. I suppose we could still have discussion on this at this point. >> Used? >> Yes. >> Thank you. So, the question was in the
recent years, how many times have we not been able to bring someone back? because I recall last year we were able to bring back the person that was on the recall. >> So I would probably have to get back to you. I'm trying to think about my time in HR and uh we were able to bring I
actually came in in the year where you had laid off over 200 teachers I believe and we were able to >> um do a recall at that time. Uh I can't recall not being able to recall during my time period. Liz, you were after me.
So, um, everyone has had an opportunity to be recalled when I was in HR, and they do stay on the recall list for up to two years, unless something has changed in the contract. We do call them. We offer them a position. They might have received a position in another district
by then, but everyone has been recalled. >> So, but just to make sure that it's accurate, we can look and and check that information. I will also say just in the trajectory of how this goes. Earlier this year, you had a a layoff because we had a position that ended and we found
out today that that person um because of the retirements actually on this list is going to be recalled. So that name will come forward at the next meeting. It'll be placed in a different position. And so what is uh what is typically able to happen in our previous years and I'll
get the exact answer if there has been. I can't remember from my seat not Liz K can't Abdul your first one is going to be recalled at the next meeting and then for two years in between I don't believe that we were laying off two years prior to this
>> okay but I again say that um when we when I came into the seat when we began to turn over we weren't laid off as well so we'll we'll get that information for you because that does give me some hope that procedurally by law we have to do this
>> with this time frame but having hope that these individuals the nurses would be able to be brought back. Um, the other question I have is, is there a way to delay the vote until
we get more data with regard to the workload that's going to be um, not done or given to other people or some sort of a worst case scenario like this is the best we can do.
I'm just trying to to make the best decision based on the best data that I have and at this point my data is not clear particularly around the question of are we seeing more students with needs health needs like allergies and
asthmas and other things that we didn't see 10 years ago in terms of trends. So I I definitely think that I heard this answer. Yes, we have seen an increase in medical needs. In terms of the plan that we have on place, even at our greatest, we've never had a nurse assigned to
every building. We've never had 24 nurses. And so the model that we have even in increased needs is ensuring um we have compliance again through special education, IEP, uh 504s, all of these things. and if
there needs to be increased based on that that is compliance and that so that side of the the house will always comply. Um I want to kind of go higher when we look at the state of Michigan alone uh nursing is not required as a as
a position in school. So that's why when I say we've never had one per every single school and the statistics are as high as about 28% of districts in the state don't even have access to nursing services. Uh less than 30% of school
districts have uh direct access where you have shared supports for example. Um and so we really have been blessed to have actual nursing supports. Over half of the students in the state of Michigan 800,000 don't have access to a school nurse. So it is it is definitely it is
not a luxury. It is a need. Um we believe and we support it and it's highly it is valuable. Uh again we made a decision when funds allow to increase that access for students but never at the point of one per building. Um, and
so we do utilize I, you know, I heard in in terms of, uh, comments, absolutely. Uh, we utilize 911 and we would still continue to do that to get the quickest access if there's a me medical emergency. Even with increased needs, we
would have trained teams that are available to assist either in medical emergencies or in daily distribution. our clinical side of our nurses that will continue to do the work with the health plans will be they are will continue to make sure that they are
writing the health plans um with the team with medical with with all of those needs to make sure that they're covered. Uh and again to the first part of your question uh contractually or legislatively in terms of layoff we know that there was a change. It used to be three months
before now we're at the 15 days before. So you make that decision, but every decision that you make is evaluated, reviewed. There could be circumstances that increase whatever it is that we're doing that would require on special education us to bring more um certain uh
positions back. It could be that we end up through uh this retirement incentive and we are in a better pos position because all we have is predictions at this point. Um and although we know we have to cut 10 million, we might be in a place that we are able to cut less and
we say, you know, we need to we've worked through the summer to do our medical plans and we need more. So I would say with all of this we are trying to bring forward our um recommendation for what we believe in terms of meeting the needs remaining compliant meeting
the needs of our students with even increased plans utilizing the uh the expertise of our nurses to develop our plans to ensure that they are followed with fidelity at the building. And again I would say that you have as a collective board always said you know
ask for what you need and so we will not compromise the health and safety of students if we cannot achieve that through. So that's the constant evaluation and if we need to then um return and ask for that. Of course, at this point, it's an ask for
in order to and then potentially if we ask for this, then we're going to look for something else that we have to dig dig deeper to because again, that final number is still the final number. I kind of will go back to when we when we tear the proposed uh reductions and the plan
for how we're going to continue the work and we're always going to go deeper than the number allows. And so that's also a case that we evaluate and if there is something something I heard tonight I think is uh is going to be a part of our work. All of these positions are so valuable and there's also job creep. So
when we have specific positions that we have in the district that are here for a specific reason and we ask for a return on investment. We heard an example of um an I think it was an instructional coach that helped and that's an amazing story and we're thankful. But then if we are
that we have that body that allowed that teacher to do what that teacher needed to do. The instructional coach has data tied to the work and their job is to work with teachers to build the capacity for differentiation. So as we review data on each of these positions to determine when we have to reduce. It
could be not that that position wasn't as impactful, but as they're used in various other positions, then maybe they weren't able to do uh the job that they're hired to do, which means as we're looking at their data, that could have risen up on the list to say we can reduce this. You see what I'm saying?
So, it also lends me to say with positions, we need to ensure that every position that we are hiring for is doing the work that is before them because we're looking at the data to say, is that the return on the investment? It's a sidebar, but I I I am answering your question to say I don't have the number
in front of me. We will get that for you. But yes, I do believe just in general there are increase in medical needs. There are increased in mental health needs and again as we've talked about our job is also to partner. We are
and we are an educational entity and um providing the needs of our students and partnering to how to support those needs. Medical uh health, mental health, we are not going to be able to employ everybody to give clinical support here for students. I wish we could, but
making sure that we connect. I'm also thinking as we're looking here at one point we were proposing in our partnership world to get a clinic >> uh and and partner with the hospital right here at the park. Um and we were in line for a grant and we got pulled from that grant because uh they deemed
other school districts uh had more need socially and e economically. And so in my mind I'm saying how can we again provide this support? Let's go after let's chase that. It's not just about reductions. Can we get with 6,000 almost 6,000 kids? Could we have our own health
care clinic from a hospital? Our partnerships, I'm not going to name our partners because we have different, you know, but we've had a few partners. So, I'm I'm I I still think it's about creatively finding ways that we can continue to embrace our community to best invest in our kids and our and our uh staff in addition to what we're
asking of them this evening. >> Okay. Did I leave a question unanswered? >> No, no. And the last question I have is how do we compare with comparable schools like Leavonia Win Westland North our neighboring even I don't know Ann Arbor but how do we compare with numbers
of nurses per students number of students >> I would definitely say that uh we would be a model for our nursing support our investment in nurses as I shared just statistically there are less than 30% across the the the the state that even
have direct access. There are many uh districts that share services uh you know even within the county. Um so they're there as uh to consult and then deliver you know in building supports much in the same manner that we are with with
the team. So I would say that we're very fortunate >> the most. >> Well I'm I'm not going to put a number to it because I don't have those that detail here. So, there are some school districts in the state of Michigan who have more school nurses employed than we do, and there are some that have less,
and there are some that have one, and there are some that have zero. We do have some data that we could share in board notes. Um, that would indicate how many school nurses are in some of the districts. We do not have it on every school district. >> Okay. Just looking at our neighboring districts,
>> correct? I have it on um the large the numbers of the districts with the most students in the state of Michigan is the data we have available. >> Okay. And last question, and I don't know if this is possible, if this might be too much information for you to pull together, but the case load of each
nurse that we currently have and what percentage is IEPs versus other work because like you said, the IEPs, 504s, those will remain with the nurses. And in addition, I think when we look at the
number of nurses, so we're looking at a specific I know that people were even counting to the nurses. And so as we utilize our full access of general education nurses, what will be added to when we get to that number of I believe the the final number we're talking is nine. That's seven based on current
nurses that are assigned. And then the nurse uh specialists who under our last budget reduction um was reallocated to support buildings three days a week. And now we'll add additional days to support our early on nurse is another nurse. So
again looking at how we can uh even use other nurses that we have to redistribute those hierarchal uh supports that I I talked about in terms of developing the plans and uh moving forward with that that case load. I would say when you look at the school
research collaborative I want to say like ideally it would be one nurse to 450 kids. I believe I said the average in Michigan as as I said less than 30% even have access to districts. um those that do are in the high end between like
2,000 to 4,000 students per nurse, right? And so we would be falling probably closer if you want to say the one to one would be closer to the 2,000 which is definitely on a high end nowhere close to research collaborative that's where the state comes in to say advocacy advocacy advocacy. If this is
what we're saying it cost and the supports that we need for students then give us some money so that we're able to do that. Go ahead. >> So in looking at the org chart for our nursing staff, we have a few uh people
that are called out as uh as nurse manager and nurse specialists. Are they actually counted in the nurses that we have or are they just management positions? So if we are talking about uh the proposed cuts and what that would do,
that means that we would have nine staff members serving in a school nurse position serving students from 0 to 26 years old. We would have then a nurse manager who also will have a case load
of students and working in schools, but she's also overseeing the entire nursing and healthc care program here in our district. >> So player coach so they'll be they'll both have a case load as well. So we actually have 10
nurses correct that our nurse special. Yes. >> Okay. But our nurse specialist will be working in a clinic four days a week. One day she'll be doing her work of the student and family engagement department which includes all the wraparound forms we receive as well as planning the
family academy programs. >> So I want to make sure I understand that. So there's nine nurses plus a nurse manager plus a uh a nurse specialist. >> There are going for next school year. >> Yes. For next school year, there will be
eight plus a nurse specialist who's going to be working in a clinic four days a week. >> Okay. >> So, we're going from 10 to eight. >> We are going from >> We're going from 14. >> There are if we're talking about nurse
school nurses, there are currently 13. This school year we are reducing by five but we are having our nurse specialist work in a clinic four days a week. So we're changing her work so it will look differently so she will be more forward-
facing in a clinic four days a week. >> And the nurse manager is also has a case load >> will have a case load next school year. Currently has a case load also because she has been doing the work of the two nurses that have resigned since the middle of the school year.
So, just again, I want to just double check my numbers. Um, eight people that are just nurses, one person that is a nurse specialist that is in a clinic four days a week, but has other duties on the fifth day of the week. >> Correct.
>> Um, and one nurse manager that is uh also has a case load and will will function as a nurse but is also supervising the other nine employees. >> Correct. >> Okay. And I will say also in addition when we talk about um either the
contracted out support for transportation the uh specialized that's not included. So for example we may have a student who has a a nurse assigned full-time that nurse will not be pulled off to assist in any clinic. That nurse is here for that student
>> and that >> that is not included in that. >> That's not included in that. This is only the ones that are not assigned to a a medically fragile student or somebody that has oneonone an IEP specific requirements for them. >> That is correct.
>> And this do those does nurse manager manage those staff as well? >> That's managed independent special education department. >> Okay. So they don't so they're even though they're they're considered nurses, they're not part of this uh this group that are being managed here.
They're managed by the special education. That's correct. And not a part of the school-based plan. >> Okay. Thank you. So, we're really going to have 10 people instead of the nine that we discussed that will be providing nursing duties recognizing that one of
them has got some additional duties 20% of the time and the other is managing those people in addition to doing nursing. >> Is that just >> Yes. But it's really I would consider it nine people really doing the work of
school nursing because Patrice Williams job is very different than being a school nurse job. She will have a case load but her case load is not going to be as large as a nurse who's in a a clinic five days a week. >> So how would you say what is her case load?
>> So we are going to you know next school year we have her in an elementary school. I can't say the exact case load. There's maybe 500 students at that school. We do not know how many healthcare plans there are there yet. >> Is it is it I'm just trying again to understand our total FTEEs that are
allocated to the duties of nursing. Is that 0.25? Is it 0.5? Is it 75? >> 8.75. >> Pardon? >> In my how I view the work it is 8.7. It's 8.8 FTE.
>> Okay. So that then that means that that person's not doing any nursing because the math does the math doesn't matter. >> I apologize. It's it's nine >> nine total. >> Mhm. >> Okay. So just again looking and I don't
want to be micromanaging this but we've had a lot of conversation on this. The nurse manager is is the the nurse specialist is doing 08 >> because they're doing four days in the clinic >> and that means two days is doing other duties. And the nurse um the nurse
manager is doing 2. >> Correct. I would consider the nurse manager based on the plan we are working on to develop for next school year having one elementary school which will be a point two of this plan. >> Okay. And can you help us to understand
what's the again I'm I'm not a nurse. I don't know what's involved in this. I don't know how much work is involved in that nurse management function that that is 08 work is is exclusively management. So the nurse manager is overseeing all
the work in our school district. She's leading, guiding, supporting all of the school nurses. She's involved in meetings. She supervises them. She um is connected to our health department with the Wayne County Health Department working with them. She's also connected
at the Wayne Resa level as well as the state level. So, it's really a leadership position supporting the overall school nursing program within our district. >> Okay. So, if if as when we're getting the data on the surrounding districts, if we can also get the ratio of
administrative to uh to nursing staff, that would be helpful as well because again, I I don't know whether this is a lot or a little. I I I just don't know how that staffing is, but it would be helpful for us as we're looking at that information. Again, we will probably have to proceed with this layoff
tonight, but as we move forward to the full budget, then that's an opportunity for us to say whether we're going to accept these cuts or not. >> Any other questions or comments? >> Question if I may. Um I was just curious in terms of the how spread out the
nurses would be. Would there ever be a time where um a high school would not have a nurse present during the day? >> In the model we are developing for next school year, there will be two school nurses on the PAP campus
five days a week unless of course someone is absent for their own personal reasons. And I will share pre- pandemic there was one nurse to the park at that time about 62 6,300 students and a parah uh clinic parrofessional that was a
model that we used prior to the expansion of one nurse per >> per building >> and for the middle schools is that similar or like how many middle schools have >> aren't I'm having a hard time hearing you >> speaking to the mic for the middle schools is it also like are there any
middle schools without nurses present during the We've always had a shared model at K8. Yes. Where we haven't had a dedicated the park I think >> has been the dedicated correct person. But >> so I was just curious on if we've run
like I guess in my mind it would be similar to a simulation. Um trying to see what we could do in a worst case scenario situation because that's really what we have to plan for when you think about things like this. Um, so you know, an example could be, let's say a kid has
a TIA. It's like a precursor to a stroke. Do we have someone on site that could recognize that and give the kid help before an actual stroke occurs? or having um I guess running situations to
see like what would happen um in certain scenarios and trying to see does our model actually align well with real life scenarios and do we have to change anything if we've like run >> one thing I'm going to I want to answer in terms of that level of specificity
I'll say it this way is that we have not prior to the pandemic nor uh host have a nurse in a building every single day. So there's always a day or more three four where there's not a nurse in the building but that team on
which anything in an emergency type of situation could happen. And so when you're exercising those protocols to call 911, um, so the teams, if we are now, and I'm not using real numbers, so, but say for example, there's a building that has a nurse two
days a week, let me say four days a week, and maybe we're going to three days a week. And the team that's in place currently and before is really that model that we're looking for. So just to kind of answer your question, there would never be a day right now where there's every single day that we have that school nurse who's in that
office for an anticipated medical crisis such as that. And so that's why the system or the model is in place that um handles what we handle at the school or if we need to call 911, we would call 911. >> And on that note, then I think it really is important to make sure that we're
fully educated and have all the data that that we can before a decision is made. Thank you. >> I just I have one more question. Um >> what at what point in the summer do the nurses come back to work?
>> So our school nurses will report back two weeks before our teachers report back this school year, which is August 10th. I think I can pull up the calendar, but they will come back two year two weeks ahead of time to develop health care plans for our students and
that's been in place for a very long time. >> Okay. I I just I had heard a rumor that the web at the middle schools were planning on doing food this year and I wondered if that was going to be a
burden on the nurses if we're already stretched thin for the nurses to have plans on allergies and things for kids that they don't know yet. Um because web will happen, you know, before school. So, I just wondered if that had been
thought about. You know, my daughter will be going to web this year. If she doesn't get fed, she'll be fine. >> I do not have any information regarding food being provided during web. >> Yeah.
>> All right. Any other questions or comments? Okay. >> Do we have an updated >> Right. Do we know the Do we have updated names or are we Oh, we do. >> April F. Has it been changed on here, too? >> Yes. >> Oh, it has.
Okay. All right. Um, at this time, I'm going to call for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Those opposed say no. >> No. >> Motion carries. I believe I heard 51.
Thank you. Um, up next we have celebrating success. Member Bquard was supposed to deliver this. I don't know if we member Voss. Great. Wonderful. Member Voss will be um doing this. Thank you.
Good evening. Tonight's awards recognize two outstanding staff members and one exceptional student from Starkweather Academy who each exemplify the life-changing impact an alternate alternative learning environment can have on students and families. It is our
pleasure to recognize educators Tarna Bryceacker and Melissa Darnell with the Mary Beth Carol Extra Mileer Award and graduating senior Christina Char with the PCCS Stars Award. Will the three of
you please join me at the podium? Melissa Darnell is an educator who exemplifies the creativity, dedication, and student centered mindset that define exceptional teaching. As a cornerstone of Starkweather's science department, Melissa consistently creates engaging
and innovative learning experiences that both challenge and support her students. She believes deeply in the potential of every learner. Whether she is finding creative ways to explain difficult concepts, helping students build confidence in their abilities, or
personally checking in with students during academic skills time, Melissa goes above and beyond to ensure students feel encouraged, supported, and capable of success. As a social worker, Tarn Bryce plays an essential role in helping
students navigate both academic and personal challenges. Whether she is leading targeted student support groups, assisting staff with complex situations, or serving on Starkweather's sense of belonging committee, her focus is always
centered on ensuring students feel valued, connected, and supported. What truly sets Tarna apart is the empathy and compassion she brings to every interaction. She approaches difficult conversations with students and families
with remarkable professionalism, patience, and care, helping families feel heard and supported during some of their most challenging moments. Our stars award recognizes students with tenacity achieving and reaching success.
And Christina Char embodies that description perfectly. Christina's story is one of perseverance, determination, and personal growth. She joined the Starkweather community facing the significant challenge of being behind in
credits. Over the past two years, however, Christina has demonstrated extraordinary focus and resilience, working tirelessly not only to catch up academically, but to truly thrive within the Starkweather community. Her positive attitude, strong work ethic, and
willingness to grow have made her an important part of the school culture and an inspiration to those around her her. This fall, Christina will continue her educational journey at Eastern Michigan University where she has earned acceptance along with thousands of
dollars in scholarship support. This evening's honores were nominated by Starkweather principal Kim Domen. And I would now like to invite her to share a few words. Good evening. Thank you so much for having Starkweather here tonight. It is
an honor to be here and I'm so excited to tell you a little bit more about these three amazing individuals from Starkweather. So first, this is Tarn Bryceacker. She is a social worker there. Absolutely phenomenal at what she does. super hardworking. Uh I appreciate
so much in how creative she is when she is designing uh plans and support plans for our students. Uh her knowledge of special ed law and community resources that we have access to is massive. She knows everything that there is to know.
Uh it's super helpful for our students and their families with her expertise. Uh she has a gift for connecting with our students, staff, and parents. A true gift. It's so natural for her. She's intentional about reaching out to families to provide support and she
always does it with sensitivity. Uh she's deeply respected by everybody in our building because she genuinely pours her heart into making sure that our students have the absolute best care. She is essential to our team and I am so proud to give her this recognition
tonight. Congratulations, Tarning. Next, we have Melissa Darnell right here. Our science one of our science teachers. Uh top-notch educator all around. She sets the kind of high expectations for her students that shows that she truly believes in what they can do. She is always looking for ways to
grow and she wastes absolutely no time in trying out new strategies to keep her students engaged. This year she worked closely with our instructional coach, our disciplinary literacy team, and our partners over at EMU, the semiis program, to create learning experiences
that are real and relevant for our students. And on top of that, she stepped up to teach a brand new class that she's never taught before in quarter 4, jumping right into implementing placebased and project-based learning in uh in that class. She's incredibly reflective, always pushing herself to be better, and
she is also invested in our school improvement goals and helping us to reach them. She is the type of person who just who quietly does amazing things without wanting a ton of attention. So, I know that this whole thing is a lot for her and Tarn, too. They're both very
similar in that. Um the her impact is huge. Her colleagues voted her staff member of the month earlier this year, and she deserves every single bit of praise for everything she does for Stark Weather. So that is Melissa. And a little more about Miss Christina Shar, amazing Christina Shar. Uh when
Christina first came to Starkweather last school year, she was taking a big step. Um after not attending school regularly for many, many years. Um on that very first day that she was there for orientation, it was a sweet surprise and such a huge comfort for both of us
to see each other. Uh because as it turned out, you know, it was my first day at Stark weather, too, and I was actually her middle school principal. So seeing her face at the orientation just made everything feel right, like we were exactly where we were both supposed to be. It felt good. Um and to say that
Christina found her way at Stark Weather would be a massive understatement. Uh over the past two years, she absolutely tackled high school. Last week, she graduated with honors, is headed to Eastern Michigan University this fall, uh backed by a stack of well-deserved
scholarships as well. Um Christina is an incredibly hard worker, a genuinely gifted speaker. Uh but what truly makes her special is her big heart and how deeply she cares for the people that are around her. It's been one of the greatest joys to watch her shine and
achieve so much in such a short amount of time. uh she is absolutely deserving of the stars award tonight and I couldn't be more proud of the young woman that she has become. So that's Christina. On behalf of the Plymouth Canton Community Schools Board of Education, it
is our honor to recognize Tarn Bryacer and Melissa Darmmell with the Mary Beth Carroll Extra Mileer Award and Christina Char with the PCCS Stars Award. Congratulations to all three of you. Would any of you like to say a few
words? Okay. Um, thank you so much for this incredible honor. While my name is on the award, the heart and the soul of this recognition really belongs to my students and our PCCS community. I want to extend a special thank you to Miss
Dolman. Um, she really given me un uh so much support. Um, anytime I have an idea, she gives me 100%. She just says, "Go for it. You got this." Um, I also want to recognize my environmental studies class that was referenced. Um, they took the reigns with project-based
learning. I said, "Hey, this is new for me. This is new for you." And they did it. Um, they created a campus cleanup day, got 40 volunteers to be part of that. They stepped in as leaders and mentors at Field Elementary School um, and did presentations. When I asked who
wants to be the leader or the presenter, they all volunteered. Um, it just reminds me how it takes a lot of bravery to try new things and that I need to continue to do that just like my students are willing to do that. And then I would like to thank the Plymouth Canton community.
Many people in our district gave us um a lot of donations uh generous support with that and also just uh through trees, through the terrarium, through plants, just all the different pieces to make our project work and without that it wouldn't have worked. Um it also told
our um students um in their legacy letters they talked about just how supported they felt and I think that's really important for them to realize that people came together for them um because sometimes at Stark go there they don't always feel that and they um they
need that confidence so thank you so much I appreciate it but again it's really them that puts me in this position so I appreciate The first thing I want to say is sorry. The first thing I want to say is thank you all for being here to acknowledge
us. It feels amazing and it's defin like even seeing the stars award as for what it is. It really it really shines a light on people and just feeling that I just feel even more supported than I
already did which was a lot. Um I really um I wish I could take all the credit for everything that I did but I know that I wouldn't have been the best version of myself the way that I was doing all those things without Starkweather. So
the main thing that I want to thank is Starkweather. Um, I am so grateful for the staff and for Miss Dolman, for Miss Zaka who's in the audience, for Miss Arnell who always pushed us to go harder and just for
everybody and it really is truly an honor to stand before you guys here on this day and accept this award. Um, I've def I'm definitely leaving this meeting with a new perspective on how education is handled. It's been really informative on the inside procedures and how you
guys handle things. And it's really reassuring leaving the school district knowing that the next generation will be in PE people's hands who put the time and effort to discuss these hard matters that we can't always come up with a good explanation for. And I just really
appreciate you guys. I'm sorry. I appreciate you guys all being here to support us. So, thank you so much. Um, I just want to say thank you. Thank you, Kim, for the award. Um, it's really an honor. Um, but also just a shout out
to Starkweather. I, you know, I'm grateful, but Starkweather is really a team place. It's collaborative. It's amazing. If you haven't been there, please come visit. Um, it's truly a very special place and it I think it inspires all of the teachers there to work hard
to do the best. The staff are amazing, the students are amazing, the families are amazing there. Um, so, you know, I think every every teacher, every staff member there really deserves this award. Um, and please come visit us. We're
This concludes the celebrating success segment and we invite all of you to join us in the hallway for a photo a photograph. All right. Okay. Thank you, member Voss, for the celebrating success awards there.
Um, up next we have board committee reports and action. We have u my president's report. A few things that I wanted to share. Um, first of all, I want to wish everyone a happy last week of school. I can't quite believe that we're already here. Tomorrow is actually the last day of school. So, for most of
us, I know some of our graduates are already done. Um, there's a lot of excitement in the air as students and families look forward to the start of summer break. I want to say congratulations to all of our graduates this year. My fellow board colleagues and I had the opportunity to attend all four high school graduations.
Starkweather on Thursday, um Plymouth, Canton, and Salem on Sunday. Um as board members, we have the honor and the privilege of handing out diplomas to each graduate. And that's, you know, a special honor that we have. And we I know I look forward to it every year, as
do my fellow colleagues here. Um, so I appreciate everybody's participation. It truly is a joyful occasion to celebrate our students and families as they reach this incredible milestone and begin to dream about what's next. Um, I have a couple additional board
shoutouts. Uh, or actually I have one. Trustee Ahmed attended the Pan Asian Festival at the Heritage Park on May 29th. I want to say thank you for Oh, and VP Sadu was also there. That's okay. Just a reminder, please
fill out the board tracking form so I can so I can uh you know speak speak correctly here, but appreciate that. Um thank you both for supporting this important community event and celebrating the diversity in our district. Um I also want to share as a reminder to the board my board
colleagues that we have our organizational meeting on July 14th. At this meeting there's a lot of board business that we go through, but one thing of note is that we will have new officer positions. um that the the group will vote on. So,
if you have a desire to be considered for an officer position, please be prepared to let us know perhaps during our discussion segment next meeting. Um we'll we'll we'll plan to discuss that at our June 3 23rd for business meeting.
Um so, thank you all for your continued service and dedication throughout the school year. And I would like to wish the students, staff, and families a safe and relaxing and well-deserved summer break. That concludes my president's report. Up next, we have Student Performance and
Achievement Committee with Secretary Westerro. >> Uh, good evening, Madame President. Uh, we met last Wednesday, June 3rd. We went over the spring data presentation which will be presented um next meeting that
we have. We also went over the library a library course revision which will be presented later this evening. Um, and we also had an update on the possible replacement of the NWEA as the testing
um the the student testing. Um, and I believe that we've decided to hold that uh not replace the NWA at this time. And we also had an update on the virtual programming which refresh my memory that comes before the board as well or no?
Yes, it will be coming for a first read either next to me or the >> Okay, thank you. I forgot. Um, it was and the spring data presentation was most excellent, most extensive. Um, so extensive that I think that uh member
Sadu and I have been tasked with reviewing it and attempting to >> condense it, >> condense it so that it's the most productive use of our of our time. Okay, that's it. >> Next. >> Okay. I'm sorry.
>> Your next meeting. >> Oh, I am sorry. Our next meeting is actually going to be in the fall. >> Great. So, to be determined. All right. Thank you. Um, up next we have our policy committee with VP SDU. >> Thank you. I believe we had the meeting
of the whole was our last meeting. Um, >> I don't have the date in front of me, but you all were there and we went through the >> was on May 26th, I think, or 29th. Yeah, >> doesn't matter. >> Last month was like a year ago and we went through a recommendation for
a policy provider for the next school year and I believe that is on the agenda and we will have another meeting coming up and that's going to be Tuesday, June 23rd at 5:30 p.m. down in the
collaboration room. That's it. Thank you. Finance and Operations Committee with Treasurer Kiho. So, we had a very extensive meeting last night. Um, so talking about many of the same topics we've already talked about this evening, including and some things that'll be coming up on the agenda. We met for
about four hours last night. We had a scing fund uh discussion uh which we'll be talking about this evening. Uh purchase of weight room equipment for uh Salem High School. Purchase of a grand piano for the choir room choir program. Uh we considered and discussed school
bus purchases, but we're going to come back to get those uh at a later date as well as uh uh we'll also defer a discussion on on the Durham uh uh student services contract. We reviewed the final budget amendment as well as
the proposed budget that we saw this evening. Um, our next meeting will be on Thursday, uh, June 18th at 5:00 p.m. And I also want to call out uh uh that the this was a meeting of the whole yesterday. So, we had the whole board
there and they all got a chance to see how awesome finance and operations committee was, including the snacks that were brought as part of that process. So, we I think have elevated the bar. Maybe never as good as student voice and
action, but I think it was quite strong. Thank you, Treasurer Kho. Um, up next we have joint student voice and action committee. It appears our co-chairs have have left the building. Um, so I will uh report out we have not met since our last meeting and um the students will be
enjoying a restful summer break and we'll return uh this fall. Okay, that concludes our board committee reports and action. Up next, Dr. Merritt, your superintendent report. I think that I am going to abbreviate that report because I'm looking at the time.
I'm looking at the faces around this table and in the audience. So, I just want to say I can forward to the next meeting. Um many of the things that I was going to share, but I just uh a agree with President Christensen that we had an amazing experience with our
seniors last week. Well, Sunday and Thursday through graduation. I thank our board members for being a part of that celebration. It just is a exclamation point on the end of a tremendous journey from prek all the way through that
stage. So just thank you for everybody that's contributed to that. I'm grateful to every one of our staff members for every part and role that you play in this district to ensure that our students walk across that stage prepared for the future and beyond. So thank you
for that and uh let's move on with the agenda. >> Appreciate you Dr. Merritt. Thank you so much. Um, up next we have our citizens comment section. Uh, just as a reminder, this is the first segment of citizens comments that lasts 30 minutes. If we have
citizens comments that move us past that 30-minut time limit, we will hear the remaining comments later in the agenda. Each citizen has three minutes to speak. I already went through this, so I will also be abbreviated and we'll jump right in. >> Um, okay. Up first, we have
Rachel Hayes. Hi, I'm Rachel Hayes and I'm a member of Capes and P Flag. As the district heads into working with a new legal firm and revamping the district's policies, I'd like to take a couple minutes tonight to remind people why policy 5517.03
matters so much to many families in this district. At the end of the day, this policy is about making sure transgender and gender non-conforming students can come to school, feel safe, and focus on learning. It's not complicated. It's a student protection policy designed to
reduce harm, and create consistency for staff and students. Sometimes people lose sight of that. These are kids. Kids trying to get through classes, friendships, sports, and all the normal challenges that come with growing up. They are not political talking points.
They are not campaign material or culture war props. We are talking about real students sitting in our classrooms. Students who hear the rhetoric and know when adults are debating whether they deserve the same protections and dignity as everyone
else. And that has an impact. It impacts mental health, attendance, concentration, and trust. Schools are supposed to be places where kids can learn, grow, and feel supported. not places where already marginalized students are turned into political
battlegrounds, no matter how uncomfortable some people may be admitting that reality. What's especially frustrating is that these conversations are so often framed around parental rights, but usually only when it supports a particular viewpoint.
Because many of the same people demanding absolute parental control in schools are perfectly comfortable supporting government interference and other families private legal health care decisions for their children. So this cannot just be about which rights matter
politically in a given moment. It has to be about whether we are creating schools where every student can safely learn and exist. We know supportive school environments improve student well-being, attendance, and engagement. Policies like 5517.03
create clarity, consistency, and safer learning environments for vulnerable students. And protecting vulnerable students and focusing on academics are not opposing ideas as some community members believe. The reality is kids
learn better when they feel safe. They succeed when they feel respected and supported. Policy 5517.03 is about dignity, consistency, and protecting kids. It is crucial to academic success. I hope the district
continues to stand firmly behind it. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Joel Toliffson. >> All right. Good evening. My name is Joe Tolson and I am the proud parent of a
kindergartener at Isbister Elementary, at least for one more half day. and I'm speaking in support of the creation of a local dedicated and debt-free maintenance, security, and technology improvement fund known as a sinking fund. Now, I'm asking the board to place this question before Plymouth can voters
this November. Our public schools in Michigan have been getting short changed for decades. Sure, per pupil funding has increased year-over-year. However, this funding hasn't kept up with inflation. Yes, Lancing sets the majority of our funding levels. However, we have a local
and debtfree tool at our disposal that every district that borders PCCS is using and we are not a sinking fund. Put this question to voters and we will show you that we want to invest in our facilities, security, and technology in a way that doesn't take money out of classrooms. Put this question to voters
and we will show you that we think it's a better solution when things unexpectedly go wrong like a leaky roof or broken HVAC system. to be able to use dedicated maintenance funds instead of having to divert resources away from our general fund which funds classrooms and
teachers or rely on more expensive bondf funded solutions. A syncing fund allows this district to be more efficient stewards of district money, allows for local dollars to be invested here locally within our schools and better protects our classroom dollars needed
for students learning and not addressing facility needs. Families in Plymouth Canton want to invest in our kids who will be our future neighbors, co-workers, and caregivers, and need the board of education to take the first step and place this question to voters
on the November ballot. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comment. Up next, we have Daniel Okarma. >> Did I say Is it Danielle? Oh, Daniel. Daniel left. Okay, he's gone. Okay, up next we have Michelle
>> Mustakis. >> I'll see if my voice can last for three minutes. Good evening. My name is Michelle Mustakis. I live in Canton and I'm a member of Capes. Over the weekend, I helped deliver groceries and other necessities to 50 lowincome families
with young children in Wayne and Oakland counties. We picked up groceries from a church in Birmingham in a neighborhood of beautiful homes and well-maintained parks. Less than 20 miles away, I delivered the groceries to neighborhoods
of run-down homes and vacant lots. The contrast was jarring. And while the contrast isn't quite as dramatic, it did make me think about how our district covers such a wide range of incomes and social status. And not just
differences in wealth, but in the vast diversity of faiths, ethnicities, and gender identity that comprise our student population. Yet with all this diversity, one thing remains universal. Each student is a
human being that deserves to be valued, loved, and respected. I'm not sure why it's so hard for some to recognize this. Perhaps it's because we are in the midst of a society that is
increasingly insistent that only certain people should have basic rights. And it's very clear which people those are. For those not in that group, our public schools are becoming the last safe
spaces for them. A place where immigrant students should be free from unlawful ICE detention, where kids are protected from bullying, where special ed students receive encouragement, and where LGBTQ students can feel safe
to talk without the very real fear of being ostracized by their own families. We recognize that you can't solve incoming income inequalities, deeply rooted prejudices, or convince
parents to love their child for who they are. But you can ensure that when a child is at school, they are supported and encouraged to pursue their dreams. It's cost nothing monetarily but gives
back in incalculable ways. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comment. That concludes this section of citizens comments. We will move on to administrative reports and recommendations. Uh first up we have finance and operations with Miss Minnik. Thank you.
This evening we are presenting the fiscal year 2526 final budget amendment which reflects updated financial projections through the close of the fiscal year. This amendment includes revisions to revenues, expenditures, transfers, and projected fund balances
across the district's general and special revenue funds. We will review the general fund summary, updated year-end projections, and the adjustments recommended prior to final board adoption, which is required before June 30th.
As always, we connect our work to the d PCCS dynamic plan. Through strategic goal A, PCCS will increase achievement for all students and close achievement gaps. We also connect it through strategic goal B where all PCCS students
and staff will report that they feel physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe and represented at school. Sorry, went too far. We do that through our daily work and attainment of the dynamic plan action items through fiscal responsibility and alignment of the
resources to district goals, needs, and objectives as identified through academic achievement data. So, as an overview, the 2526 midyear budget amendment was approved by the board of education on February 10th, 2026. We continue to monitor the budget to
actual for revenue and expenses in our daily work as well as through our monthly financial statements presented to the FNO committee. The 2526 final budget amendment must be approved by the board of education by June 30th, 2026 per state law. In the upcoming slides,
we will review the general fund summary, a short fund balance discussion, and review the other funds within the district. D, you gota do it that way. Thank you. Okay, so this slide is a general fund summary of our final amendment. And as we look at the slide,
um, going from the left going down, we see that we're listing our revenue, expenditures, and other financing sources. And then from left to right, we've started with our 2425 audited actual uh balances, our 25 midyear
amended budget, which is our current budget that we're working on now, and then our final amended budget of where we project to land uh at the end of the school year on June 30th. And then a variance column as you saw in Jill's earlier uh presentation of the 2627
budget. So, as we look at our local revenue revenue, we're projecting an increase of $539,516, mostly due to um higher than normal tax collections and some delinquent payments that were made. In our state sources,
we're projecting an increase of nearly $1.5 million. And this is mostly due to Miper's cost offsets, which are a revenue and an expenditure to the district. So you'll see increases on both sides of the ledger for those. In federal sources, we're increasing our
estimate by $217,913. And this is due to um some - funding that we received as well as some um increased Medicaid reimbursements. Under the intermediate revenue, which is our revenue from Wayne Resa, we're noting an increase of just over a
million dollars. And this is largely related um to the special ed transportation independent paras and special ed program cost reimbursements that we now have final figures on for the year. That all nets to a net increase to our revenue
projection for the year ending 2526 of three $3,424,369. On the expenditure side of the ledger, we are also increasing our instructional estimate for all instructional function codes by $1.1 million
and the supporting services line by $1.8 million. A lot of this is due to alignment of the educ educator compensation costs which um we originally budgeted in uh instructional but now need to move across all functions for the employees
that were paid for that that uh compensation from the state. We also have increased um specialized student needs for both direct pupil support which would be in the instruction lines as well as um required pupil support uh for IEPs and
specialized transportation. And that is where we're seeing the bulk of the increases that are needed to our expenses. This uh sums to an increase in our expense expense estimate by 2,997,565. In our other financing sources, we're
seeing an increase of $85,682. And that's a net of both a reduction in the income we believe is coming into the general fund as well as a reduction of the uh revenue that's going out for a a a payment that we normally make that due to high increase uh cost the general
fund doesn't need to make this year. So that increase when you add the increase in revenue, subtract the increase in expenses, and add the increase in the other financing sources brings us to an overall adjustment to our year-ending budget of $512,486.
So that re reduces our net of um expenditures over revenue from our previous estimate at the midyear amendment of 10 nearly 10.2 million down to 9.6 million. When you add that to our beginning fund balance of 44.9 million,
we anticipate ending the year with a fund balance of 35,274 536, which is representative of a 15% of our expenditures budgeted. On this slide, we're showing the uh expenditures at a different level at the
object level. So, how how it's being spent and we're showing that the uh most of the amended uh amounts are due to purchase services which aligns with the special ed transportation and um pupil support costs that we're seeing.
Um the rest of the increases were relatively nominal. Uh supplies and material increase of 867,000 is ma mainly due to utilities. Absolutely. Sure. >> On the general fund side, before we move on to those other uh funds that we
account for in our district, I just want to make a note uh that this is reflective these small changes. If I may go back one slide, uh just to reiterate, uh as part of our mid-year amendment when we uh were projecting that net
change in our fund balance, uh to the tune of 10 million, $10.1 million, that shift of $512,000 really is on target. It's a very nominal adjustment to our budgeted projections. And we saw, as Jody was mentioning, we
saw those adjustments throughout the additional added needs. And all of those have been very consistent throughout each month as we've discussed at our FNO committee meeting. So I just wanted to point out that that uh is a very consistent and not a surprise. That is a a very consistent uh outcome. Thank you,
Jordan. Okay. And as we move on to our other funds, um can I get to that? Okay. So on this slide, we've listed our other funds in the district uh from top to bottom and then from left to right
you have the beginning fund balance and those are our audited fund balances from last school year and then the additional revenues we've added to those funds, the amended fund expenditures and then a final amended fund balance for each of
the funds. And I'll point out that um our 2023 bond project started the year with 82 million. We've done some significant construction over the course of the year and we'll be ending that uh at the end of the year at around 39.5 million which we anticipate spending
next year. The 2026 bond project, you'll see there's zero there for beginning fund balance. We actually sold those bonds and received those funds today. So, we're producing the first budget for the 2026 bond projects with an ending fund balance of the $65.4 4 billion that
we received. Going down, we have the debt service fund, which is used to collect the um debt to pay our bond principle and interest payments, and we see a nominal change in that. The Internal Service Fund holds our um the funds for paying
our healthc care claims, and we see a slight reduction in that fund. And then along our special revenue funds, the ACT 18 and community services fund, we're anticipating ending with zero fund balance. The food service with a nominal fund balance of $12,000.
The funded project fund will have a slight uh negative balance due to unearned revenue that can't be recognized until next year. And then the student activity fund remains pretty uh flat from year to year. So,
thank you. >> We're happy to take any questions you may have. >> Great. Thank you. Any questions? Starting with my right to my right. Member boss, >> thank you for all your hard work. I don't have any questions.
>> Member Wester, thank you for reviewing this again. We had discussion last night so I don't have any questions. Member Keo, >> we had a long discussion on this yesterday as well. So we'll keep this brief. Uh a I want to thank everybody for all the work. B I want to point out
that our budget is less than uh 1%. I think it's about a quarter of a percent uh invariance that we have. So it's really great work that we've done as a district. This is there's usually a little bit of adjustments that we see in the in the audited financials that will come uh in the fall and that's when
we'll see some perhaps some bigger adjustments that might occur from unfunded budget things because we have to submit this amended budget before the actual end of the fiscal year. The fiscal year ends on the 30th. Um but we're doing this uh this amended budget
here on June 9th. So again, thanks everybody for all the hard work that's gone into this. >> Y great. No questions for me. Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. We were here late. Some were later than others, but thank you for the thorough presentation and putting all this together.
>> Thank you. No questions. Thanks so much for your hard work. >> Great. Thank you both. All right. So, we'll move on to action item number 26-06-70. Consider approval of a resolution to adopt the 2025 2026 final budget amendment. This is a first and final
reading. Can I have a motion? Madam President, I move that we consider approval of a resolution to adopt the 2025 2026 final budget amendment first and final reading action item 260670. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> It was moved by Treasurer Kho and seconded by Secretary Wester. I'll call
for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. Yes. Those opposed say no. >> Motion carry 6. Okay, I've got to turn the page here. Um, okay. So, uh,
Miss Vinnick, can you take us through the next item, please? >> Certainly. Thank you, President Christensen. Uh, next on our agenda this evening is a recommendation for the purchase of weight room equipment as part of our bid package HS7 Salem High School renovations uh, as part of the
2020 bond program. The proposed equipment package was developed collaboratively with staff, coaches, APAA students, building leadership, and project consultants to support both physical education curriculum needs and athletic program requirements. The page
the package includes delivery, installation, and has been coordinated to align with overall design and functionality of the renovated weight room space. The weight room equipment will be procured utilizing the Omnia and Sourcewell cooperative purchasing programs. The total cost of the
equipment, including shipping and installation, is $163,129 and will be funded with the 2020 2023 bond funds. Uh, with us this evening is Anna Reed with TMP Design, assisted by Matt Blunts, our director of capital
programs and facilities, and we're available to answer any questions that you may have. This was discussed at last evening's finance and operations committee meeting. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. I'll open up for any questions. member boss. >> Um, no, I have no questions. We went
over this very detailed last night and >> that's right. >> No questions. Thank you, >> Member Wester. No questions. As as member Voss said, we went over it last night. Thank you for all of your hard work. >> Everybody got a taste of what FNO is all about last night. It was exciting.
>> It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. >> It's not a sprint. >> So, I I I want to thank the community for supporting this bond program. I want to thank the district and the work that we've done in making it so that we have um uh very similar facilities in all of our high schools. This is will match
very closely the great work that we've done already in the Plymouth High School um wait room and then we'll see something very similar that'll be coming up in Canton uh next year in this process. So thanks for all the hard work and again well discussed last night. Y agreed
members do same well discussed but I wonder if there are things that are worth pointing out in terms of the highlights of the discussion with regard to um the customization and if we could package this together with another just
so the community knows that we talked about all the different possibilities of containing costs. Oh, so we looked at opportunities to both reduce cost and uh adjust our our timelines for delivery. This equipment will be delivered um just slightly after the uh uh the school year
starts. So the old equipment will go into the refinish space first. And we had a long in-depth conversation of whether it made sense to um you know see if we could accelerate this first and final reading or perhaps not having the equipment be customized. uh the branding
on this equipment is really important to the athletic teams and even with removing that branding, it still wouldn't be there in time. So those two things together allowed us to continue to do this. We also talked about potentially consolidating this uh this equipment purchase with one that we
might do for the Canton weight room. Um it really isn't a substantial savings and it would mean that this fill facility that's just been refreshed would go for a full year without being updated. So, a sneak peek into the really in-depth conversations that we
have in EPO uh uh uh um committee meetings. So, >> thank you member. Amen. I'm in. >> No questions. Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Thank you you >> everyone. Good night. >> Thank you.
>> If I may move along with the finance and operations topics. >> Please do. Yes. Next on our agenda is uh for your consideration is a recommendation for the purchase of a Yamaha C3X grand piano and related accessories for the PEP choir program to replace the existing grand piano in the
Salem High School choir classroom which has exceeded its practical service life and requires ongoing repairs and and maintenance. On May 8th, we opened 15 proposals uh that were also read aloud. And the Yamaha C3X uh of course was one
of those proposals. Uh and that particular piano has been identified as the strongest educational choice based on pitch, clarity, projection, tuning stability, durability, I'll underscore that, and overall suitability for large group
coral instruction and performance. The purchase also includes a piano cover, a piano truck, and humidity control system to support long-term maintenance and functionality. The Yamaha C3X is widely recognized as an industry standard in educational
settings in particular with constant use, six hours a day, and will support high quality instruction, rehearsals, and performances for Peace Up Choir students for many years to come. The total cost of the purchase is $42,523
and will be funded through the the approved identified teaching and learning budget of 25 for the 2526 fiscal year allocation for choir program equipment replacement. With us this evening is Kathy Williams. Uh and I'm so sorry I your title has
gone out of my mind once more. >> K12 curriculum coordinator of all electives. Thank you. I'm terribly sorry, Miss Williams. But she is with us. She was uh she worked uh with our piano experts on staff to develop uh a robust competitive purchasing process
and was a part of that selection committee. So we're available for any questions you may have. >> It was discussed at last night's FNO committee meeting as well. Correct. >> Thank you. >> We'll go around the table if there's any additional comments or questions. >> I don't have any questions. I just really appreciate your presentation
yesterday. I learned so much about pianos and >> how they will help our district and I thought it was great. I also think it's important to point out that we're not using money that would save jobs to buy
pianos that those p this is bond money and you know set aside for earmarked for certain things and I wouldn't want people to think that we were you know willy-nilly buying pianos. or not. And so, thank you.
>> May I address your comment? In fact, this is a general fund purchase. It was a a budget allocation identified a year more than a year ago, I want to say, uh, for this need in the district. Um, it is eligible as a bond expense. Uh, yet this was identified in the current year's
allocation. >> So, I wanted to clarify. If this is eligible as a bond expense, >> it is it is considered re-equipping the building >> which is change this to a bond expense. Please >> certainly. >> Yeah, I >> agree. >> Yes, >> I agree too. We'll make that note of
change. Thank you. I appreciate your consideration. >> I didn't realize this was eligible and I'm glad that we had this discussion. >> Um, thank you. Thank you for all of your hard work. I think it was serendipity that we had a committee meeting of the whole last night to discuss all of these
discussions. So I have no questions tonight. >> Uh the other point I wanted to make out is thank you so much for bringing this up that this is bond eligible. So I'm glad that we can move this into the bond because that will protect our general fund. Um the other thing I would say is that we also had a discussion about how
we can look to see whether the existing piano although >> could go into a less frequently used scenario where it would be still uh suited and maybe perhaps in the middle schools or one of the other locations and if not then sold through our district dis disposition policy.
>> Great. Thank you. Good. >> No additional questions. >> No questions. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. Okay, up next we have action item number 26-06-71. Consider approval of a resolution for a
pilot furniture purchase for PAP. Final reading. Can I have a motion? >> Madam President, I move that we consider approval of a resolution for a pilot furniture purchase for PEP. This is a final reading and the action is 260671. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. It was moved by Treasurer Kho
and seconded by Secretary Wester. Um, we did discuss this at our last meeting, but I'll open up for any questions or comments. Okay, hearing none. Oh, okay. Uh, I'll call for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. Yes. Those opposed, say no. >> Motion carries 6.
>> Okay. Up next, we have action item number 26-06-72. Consider approval of a resolution for bid package number EL4, Hoben Painting, revised contract award. This is a final reading. Can I have a motion? >> Madam President, I move that we consider
approval of a resolution for bid package EL4 hope and patent painting revised contract award final reading action item 26072. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. It was moved by treasurer Kho and seconded by member boss. Again, we discussed this at the last meeting. Any
other questions or comments on this hearing? None. I will call for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. Yes. Those opposed say no. >> Motion carries 6. Okay. Up next, we have action item number 26-06-73. Consider approval of a resolution for
security camera replacements. Final reading. Can I have a motion? >> Madam President, I move that we consider approval of a resolution for security camera replacements. This is a final reading. Action is 260673. >> Can I have a second? >> Second.
It was moved by Treasure Kho and seconded by Secretary Wester. Um, again, we talked about this at our last meeting. Any additional questions or comments? >> Nope. Um, just quick question. The funding source is 31A, correct? >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> So, it's not from our general fund, >> right? That's why I just wanted to make sure that we're appreciate that. Yeah. Clear on where the money is coming. >> Leftover money from last year's um security >> from the state of Michigan. >> State of Michigan security funds.
>> Again, let people know where the funding is coming from. >> No, it's a good point. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> We discussed in the previous meetings and extensively at FNL. >> Okay, I will call for the vote. Those in favor, please say yes. >> Yes. Those opposed, say no. Motion carries. 6.
>> Okay, on to our syncing fund discussion. Miss Minnik. Good evening once again. Uh for the last several months over the course of this school year, frankly, uh the finance and operations committee has been discussing uh considering a syncing
fund referendum and uh discussing some of the advantages and the pros and cons and timing uh and just understanding what is a syncing fund. Uh so with that in mind uh at our discussion at our meeting last night we this conversation
again was discussed uh and the survey results of just a local voter sentiment around such a referendum was also reviewed and discussed and as such uh we were asked to bring this forward to the full board uh for consideration this
evening. Uh so with that we have just a very brief uh very simplified uh layman's overview if you will of syncing fund basics. Syncing fund is a awkward term. We can call it a building and sight syncing fund but but by definition
it is a a way that you set aside money periodically that by the time you've set aside all that money you have what you need to pay for what you're buying. So that's the that's the idea of a syncing fund. Uh but with that in mind, uh just a couple of pointers. A syncing fund is
an alternative funding source for the purchase of funding infrastructure repairs, improvements, and construction. A syncing fund can relieve the general fund of these types of costs. So more resources can be allocated toward teaching and learning in the classroom
and operating costs. Uh that way, a syncing fund is voter approved. A syncing fund is a tax levy to generate these funds annually. A syncing fund is not debt. There are no principal or interest payments. A syncing fund has no required timelines
or thresholds for spending or saving those dollars. And a syncing fund allows for long-term infrastructure planning. At the same time, a syncing fund allows for those short-term repairs. A syncing fund does not allow for preventive maintenance.
And a syncing fund does not allow for operating costs of the district such as teacher salaries, utilities, supplies, and the like. A syncing fund is different than a bond. A bond is voter approved like a syncing fund, but a bond provides upfront funds
by selling bonds. A bond can be used for certain building and site improvements, equipment, and construction. But a bond is debt with annual principal and semiannual interest payments over time, usually 20 years. And a tax is
levied to pay the principal and interest on the bonds, but those proceeds for the construction is generated by the sale of the bonds. And a syncing fund is subject to external audit each year. So the following slides I just want to note are excerpts from previous uh board
presentations by PFM financial adviserss and Miller Canfield attorneys uh primarily at finance and operations committee meetings. Um but here we have a slide prepared by Miller Canfield our attorneys. It's a comparison. It's a quick and easy chart of the allowable
uses of a syncing fund and of bond proceeds. Just as a comparison for your quick reference. All of the items and projects listed on this sheet are allowable by both syncing funds and bonds.
So such things as construction, construction of additions to existing school buildings, remodeling, energy conservation improvements, asbestous abatement, land purchases, site development and improvement, athletic facility development and
improvements, and playground development and improvements. There are others. This is just a simple list. And this next chart tells us the uh it goes through the through different types of purchases and tells us which ones are
allowable by syncing fund or bond and none of these are allowed by either. So maintenance or warranty agreements are not allowed by either source of revenue. supplies, salaries, service contracts. I'll say service contracts if
it is a service repair is allowable in a syncing fund. And of course, we have service contracts for bond construction. Uh but more so around salaries, meaning purchase services, we would call that in our district. Um uniforms, textbooks, other types of supplies are not
allowable in either arrangement. Upgrades to existing computer operating systems or software, neither of those are allowable. computer training, computer operating systems or application software and uh computer consulting or computer
maintenance contracts. So those are just some examples. It's not an exhaustive list. And here is a compare and contrast chart where things do get confusing. So the first three items listed,
I'll touch on the first two. Equipment purchases in a general sense and furnishing purchases. So equipment, the FFN that we refer to uh furniture, furnishings and equipment. Generally those are not allowed uh by the syncing
fund, but they are allowable with bond funds. The opposite is true for repairs. Repairs are allowable by the syncing fund, but not by a bond. So those are very clear delineations there. But the following items have caveats.
So school security improvements and technology purchases. We just talked about some unallowable expenses around technology. So you'll see yeses in both columns, but there are superscripts there with a lot of
um notes at the bottom of the page. So, um, without going into too many details, there are occasions where those are allowable in a syncing fund and they are generally always allowable in a bond, uh, depending on the ballot language. The next item on the list, student
transportation vehicles and parts, supplies, and equipment to maintain these vehicles with a syncing fund. Those are allowable just since uh 16 legislation. But under a bond, we see a yes with an a
superscript, but also a no. And that just means sometimes it's allowed and sometimes it's not. So buses are allowed, but vans and trucks are not allowed. The equipment is allowed under syncing fund at times, but or rather by bond, but not syncing
fund. So there are caveats that we will explore further at another time on both of these topics, but hopefully these charts will give you a general idea of what is allowable in both, what is not allowable in either and a few in
between. Primarily furnishings, equipment are allowed in a bond, not in a syncing fund, and repairs are funded in a syncing fund. Those are the primary differences. On the next slide, we have some
statutory requirements for a syncing fund. The first two columns just demonstrate that there have been some changes in the legislation around syncing funds, but we're mostly interested in the column on the right, post22 voter authorization.
It allows for districts to have a referendum asking for three mills for up to 10 years in duration. It allows for the purchase of real estate for sites for in the construction or repair of school buildings.
In capital letters, we see there is no equipment or furnishings other than the following allowed in a syncing fund. School security improvements with a superscript, technology with a superscript, which means both of those sometimes, and then student
transportation vehicles and parts, supplies, and equipment to maintain these vehicles. There are caveats to that and then checks and bands as we discussed as well. And again, no maintenance is allowed under uh sinking funds, no preventive maintenance. They
must be repairs and improvements and then subject to annual audit. So now we're into looking at some really interesting charts, if you will. This is a comparison of K12 debt and syncing fund millages for select districts. And
these are what I might consider maybe our neighboring or peer districts perhaps, but certainly neighboring districts. So on the far left you see Plymouth Canton. We currently levy four mills of debt for our current bonds that are outstanding. Moving left to right,
then we see Dearbornne. Uh and I'm sorry, I should have mentioned uh that the the blue bar is debt mill. The yellow bars represent syncing fund millages and green represents recreational millages, which I we did talk about at uh finance and
operations committee meeting, but I'm not sure if we've had that conversation at the board. Nonetheless, uh we see that Dearbornne only has debt levy. They do not have a syncing fund. Then Leavonia has a syncing fund. We see that
uh Northville has a syncing fund. Novi has a syncing fund and a recreation mill. And then Wayne Westland also has a syncing fund. So several of the districts right around us uh do have syncing funds. The next slide is a illustration of
other districts in within Wayne County. And just by glancing, you can see very varying levels of debt as well as uh really a majority of districts already having syncing funds at some level. I don't know that there's any in
particular to point out to you, but the materials are in your packet. I should note that the line across the graph just shows the average of the districts portrayed on the chart. The next chart again it indicates debt recreation and syncing fund mil millages
but for select districts mostly based on size and perhaps uh proximity to our district. Uh you'll see um Plymouth Canton on the left with our four mil debt levy. Uh and then maybe not a
majority but several districts have a sinking fund uh illustrated here as well. Uh and then uh we see one district with a recreation millillage uh Forest Hills on the west side of the state. So moving into some of our financial
advisors uh PFM's slides. Uh this slide has a lot of information on it. But it has some uh bullet points at the top around some parameters around a sinking fund. Voter approval is required. A maximum of three mills and a 10-year
maximum duration for that levy. Uh a sinking fund mil is placed on the district's annual L4029. Uh that is what we complete to submit to our municipalities in order to levy the tax on an annual basis. And projects are
typically financed on a pay as you go basis. Meaning when we sell bonds, we get that lumpsum proceeds and then we spend it down and then we go for another series of bonds that have already been authorized and spend that down. Here this is a tax levy so we're uh receiving
annual tax collections and they can accumulate or be spent without thresholds. Um and then uh an important note in bold there is that it is subject to Headley roll back just as is our operating millage. Our debt mill is not
subject to to Headley. And then in the chart below I just put two red boxes to draw your attention to the estimated syncing fund revenue should we levby 1 mil. Just a a scenario. Uh but those
gross receipts could approach nearly $9 million. And again, primarily to absorb those costs of repairs that the general fund is currently absorbing because it cannot be funded with any other funding source other than uh the few dollars we have in
that capital improvement fund. It cannot repairs are not allowable in a bond as we mentioned. But then in the far right corner, just some one example of a cost to a homeowner. What does one mill mean for a homeowner? So using a home market
value of 400,000 that taxable value is 200,000. Uh so you would divide that value by a,000 and you would arrive at $200 per year. If it were one mil for one and a half mills it would be 300 per year and
the math uh would extend from there. So some other time election timing and considerations to think about. At the top is a chart around elections in 2026, 27 and 28. And we see that November 3rd election listed there. That is a
presidential uh or federal, state or school regular election date, which means that there would no be would not be any cost to the district to have a ballot on or to have a referendum on the ballot. Likewise, you see presidential, federal,
and state primary election dates noted as well in the I'll jump to the far right column or far right box on the bottom that shows for those respective election dates what the filing deadline is for each of those. It's typically 84 days, I
believe, before the election that we have to register our ballot. Um, and there are several timing considerations that go into such an election. Just some questions posed by our financial adviserss. Does the district have ample time to adequately educate voters? What
is the cost and timing of the projects that we want to accomplish with these funds? What millage amount should be requested as a result? How many years should be requested? And what election date should we use? And what might be the next bond election? With a scing
fund consideration, we want to be strategic and leverage those dollars alongside our bond program. And even though our bomb program uh was a 10-year program, uh we would we would uh recommend that we continue in perpetuity such a bond program because there will
always be costly improvements uh and replacements and renovations around very expensive items such as roofs and flooring and for the square footage and square acreage that we have in this district, it would be costly. Uh so with
that then uh that leads us to some recent election statistics. There's a lot of information on the screen. Yeah. >> So a simple way maybe to walk you through this is first of all I would ask you to look um at the bottom axis the x axis we see each year represented and
don't denoted I guess since 2020 and within each of those segments you see a orange bar. The orange bar is the success rate of zero millage increase elections. And just following that orange bar across the years, you can see that has
diminished. No millage increases. And at the top of the 2020 orange bar, you see 14 out of I'm sorry, my contacts are drying out this evening. Uh 14 out of 35 elections passed. And the percentage rate of that passage is on the left
vertical axis, the y- axis. And so for so as you follow that orange bar, you can see that in 2025 out of 38 elections, 24 uh zero millage increases referendums passed. So within each year,
you can follow the bright blue bar that is a decrease in millillage. You can follow uh the gray bar which is 0 to.99 millillage increases and in my last scenario I was portraying information around a 1 mil. So 1 mil would be that
yellow bar one to 1.99 and that has kind of sporadic um passage rates in the past. And then we see a green bar and another type of blue bar for two to three plus millage uh increases and in
2025 you can see that none of those passed at all. Uh but within all of that um those there are mixed success rates and we don't know anything about those. We don't know if they were uh presidential elections or February elections. We
don't know anything more. It's just a data point that has been shared in the past uh to bring to your attention. Uh so with that um there are there's a timeline associated with the election, identifying those needs, determine the priority of the needs and how soon we
want to go out for that uh referendum. Uh again, determine what needs and amount the community might be willing to support. uh determine that millillage length and dur uh millillage level and duration. Uh our attorneys would work with us to draft that millillage ballot
language and the board of education would adopt that ballot language and call for the election at some point in time and then of course it would go to the vote. Uh so with that I will if I may turn this conversation over to uh perhaps uh board treasurer uh Patrick
Kho uh for additional comments around our discussions. >> A couple questions first just to make sure I'm clear. Yes. >> Um to help us with the data. Oftentimes when we hear from our community they're giving us feedback about the condition of our facilities as compared to others.
And so it would be helpful for us if we could get the numbers that we have uh for the the bonds and syncing funds for all the KAA districts. >> KAA >> Yeah. because that's the ones that that's the district that we're I'm sorry
that's the conference that we're currently part of. And many times people are seeing this because they go to uh athletic events in in these uh in the the the competitions that we're we're at. Brighton's oftentimes called out as one that has beautiful facilities. So, it'd be great to understand where those
those school districts are at. Now, I recognize we're also be moving to the Southern District or Southern Conference uh next next year. So, um that's in not not this upcoming school year, but the following school year. >> Yes.
>> Correct. So, if we could also get it that that that data for the southern conference district schools because I think that'll help us when we're having conversations with the community as to the comparable districts that they're going to be looking at. >> So, specifically the level of scing fund
millillage if one exists and then debt as well. >> It's the it's the total you know just like the charts that we have it's the total um mills fun uh that were levied. >> Very good. Thank you. And then the other related question I had was on the average passing rates. These are like
when we see one that is uh that's set to to 20%. That's 20% of the elections that were done that year actually passed. It's not that only it only got a 20% pass uh rate on it. It's it's one out of
five of those uh of those um ballot proposals actually passed based upon the change the the rate change in the in the uh in the millillage. Now I I did want to understand in that rate change is that all total combined mills? So for
example for us we're doing a syncing fund but already have an existing millillage is is were people looking at the combined rates of all their millages or was it looking at the specific uh uh thing that was being voted on at that moment? >> Yes. The specific thing being v voted on
in the moment. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Those are >> the number of mills that would increase our detail. >> So I I think that the the conversation for us as a board which we started this discussion last night is are we supportive of a sinking fund? what's the right timing for it? What's the amount?
And then to start to socialize this with the community as a whole because this is something that's going to require a lot of education. The name syncing fund is terrible. Um, >> you know, I don't want to go into it tonight.
Okay. Um, you know, the the education that's required just on why we're doing this and what this means will be important for us as part of the process. So, we we saw that this meeting was a a first chance for us to kind of start start to socialize this because if
we're going to approve this, it uh for the November ballot, it has to be approved by the August meeting, which means we have two more meetings between uh now and uh then. We've got one meeting at the end of this month and one meeting in July in order for us to get
this on the ballot. So the my ask of fellow board members and those of you in the community is what questions might you have so that we can be prepared to come forward to the board with the at the next um uh board meeting with
potentially a proposal to to start. And we'll also have an opportunity to have another amazing finance and operations committee meeting where we can go into more depth. Um, I think I'll just open it up to questions as they come at this point since we've had uh discussion about
this. So, by all means, if anyone has a comment, question an um couple of things. One is looking at the agenda, there is no presentation linked in the agenda. So, I think it would be helpful for the community that's looking at the agenda to be able to click and find this
>> refreshed. It's It is refreshed. >> Yes, it has been. >> The presentation's in the packet. I don't know if there's a hyperlink to it. >> There is. >> There is now. >> Okay. Awesome. >> So downloading it before 5:00. >> Correct. Right. I have an older version as well, but the version that's posted
link >> so the community has this information. Yes. >> Um the other thing is I think inviting the community, whoever's watching, if you're here, please start to spread the word about coming to a board meeting, next board meeting, coming to FNO. We
need community engagement. We need people to ask questions. What are the wonderings? What are some of the confusing parts of this? Because there's lots of confusing parts. And we got a great education yesterday. And I just
want the community to have that opportunity to learn what we learned yesterday. So the other thing I'd mention is is that this is one of the few areas where we have local control where our voters in our community can vote for something that keeps the money exclusively in our
community. This and bonds are the only things that we have full local control in this process. And this is a chance for people to say, "Hey, I want to support these programs." And a substantial portion of this or a portion of this money can be used to offset
expenses that we have in the general fund. So every year when we have repairs or other work that we're doing and spending, the fact is we can use this money to support those costs and that can both protect our bond funds to do our big renovations to our facilities
but also protect our general funds and some of the uh extensive um cuts that we're having to make this year, next year and subsequent years. I might um ask you know any anyone in this room you know we talk about how maybe syncing
fund funds may be spent and bond funds may be spent. Can we give some practical examples that we may be dealing with at the moment >> that would be syncing fund eligible that would be very helpful. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Or either either. >> Good evening everyone. Um um I'm Matt
Lent. I'm the facility director um for the district. Um so I just took a a quick little snapshot of kind of things we're dealing with uh really in the moment. Um so uh roof leaks with replacements. Um and obviously with the
amount of rain today, my phone's been going off a little bit as we sit here. Uh so these are types of a a great um scenario. uh boilers. We we have also uh a need at uh Plymouth and Work Workman specifically. Um one thing you'll see is
as my team comes up for bond projects and we present things and there's always a list of alternates at the end and hey we've got five alternates, these are needs. What are we going to do with bond? What are we not? Um TMP and Anna have been keeping that tabulation. So
most of the things that are included in that alternates that we decide to pick up or not uh also could additionally uh be a part of the sinking fund. Um I I think the two things that really stand out right now with the heat too are uh
vertical air handlers and chillers uh coils specifically uh as as we are also working through this heat wave and this AC. Uh, so those are just real high level, real quick, in the- moment um, reasons my phone's been going off all day. I
>> appreciate that. You know, we we heard a lot about, you know, chiller replacements as of as of late. You know, come to to the board. Um, and there's some examples where maybe repairs would be far too costly for us. And so may it's an not necessarily a planned spend,
but we divert that to our bond cost for, you know, purchase a whole new chiller. Fast forward to potentially having uh a syncing fund that could alleviate some of that. >> Absolutely. >> We couldn't necessarily replace the chiller, but we could repair a chiller.
Correct. >> Um you know, we've oftentimes deferred and said, "Well, we can use bond funds to replace this instead." we couldn't use. We'd have to use general funds to do a repair. >> Exactly. >> And you know, sometimes >> we we go for the replacement because
it's a substantial cost and we might be able to get some more life out of the existing equipment by doing repairs of those things. >> Right. And we've seen examples especially at the high schools where staff has has consciously foregone
reporting issues. Back when back when we started the issues at Salem, remember there was a number of cases where there were things that we had to you had to coach the staff to report them that just because we had the bond didn't mean we weren't doing repairs. A sinking fund
would help with that. >> Yes. >> As we talk about these examples, I think I may have asked for this yesterday. It would be nice to have a list of priorities in the next year, current year, next year, next uh two years along
with a cost and approximate cost. I think when we talk about chillers and boilers, most of us don't have a a dollar amount associated with that. I think the public will find that kind of um revealing when they see the dollar
amounts that we have to put into some of those replacements, roofs, etc. So, when you have those priorities listed out with some approximate costs, I think that gives the community a better understanding of why this is so critical. >> Can absolutely do that. And we'd want to
classify the things that are um repairs as well as the things that are um you know bond el I'm sorry syncing fund eligible so that way we can have that discussion because it helps us to to say these are offsets that we can do to general fund and these are things that
we can do to make investments and protect the uh uh the bond funds that we're doing as well. While I do agree with that request, I think that's helpful to understand the order of magnitude of costs that we may be facing. The way I understand a
sinking fund is is also our our rainy day fund, right? When oh shoot, we didn't realize that that chiller was going to go down or oh, you know, we didn't realize that this roof needed to be replaced. We had it, you know, maybe planned out for five years from now, but we really have to bring that forward.
So, while there can be some planned uses for the sinking fund, like additions, like improvements, it's also this emergency fund that we really can rely on. So, I guess I want to make that clear. >> Yeah, there's there's some things that
we can use it for, but like, you know, if if we have sometimes those big emergencies we can't necessarily use. We can use this to offset other costs in bond. But like we if we had a chiller that needed to be replaced, that can't be used for that.
>> It it can't >> or can >> a chiller replacement would be eligible for sinking fund. >> But I thought we couldn't use it for equipment replacement. >> So equipment is around furniture, furnishings, and I see >> equipment.
equipment in terms of infrastructure >> facility >> that's considered a repair >> right >> great >> so we can provide more clarification around >> yeah I think that's the thing that's going to be important for us both as board members and for the community
because there's a lot of subtleties into this >> that's a great way to say that >> as we explored last time >> I one more ask um as you prepare these documents ments. It would be also nice
to have a single page really easy to understand for the community what a syncing fund is. This you did a great job with this um but trying to condense like six or seven slides into a one pager. >> Yes, no, yes, no. Here are the districts
that have it. Um priorities for Plymouth Canton and estimated costs, etc. >> Okay, any other questions or comments? I would just like to ask Ben if we just go around the room to look for direction because what I heard you say is we would
have two meetings if we wanted to put this on the ballot for November. So I would like to say maybe we go around so we get some direction to say bring forth a resolution or not at the next meeting in support of with all of this information that we would do maybe another formal pre presentation with the
first reading. >> I'll start. I'd like to see this come forward as a resolution. I'd like to us to do this. I think I'd like to see the data from the uh other athletic districts that we have first to
determine whether we could what kind of rate or percentage we might do. And we might consider that being again a meeting of the whole that we do in the next finance and operations committee meeting where we could decide on the amount if if we have broad support to bring it forward.
>> Right. I'm totally in support. Let's go. Let's do it. >> I'm in support. >> I'm in support. Um, but I also want to add that we need more community
engagement. So, whatever you can do at your end to alert the community that this is a topic of discussion. U, we heard today from one of our citizens, we heard yesterday, we want to hear more of those stories that need to be out there. So, I'm in support of it, but I think we
I would like to see more community engagement in this conversation to not only learn, but to give feedback. >> Just for reference is that once we approve this, then the real hard work begins. There's going to be a ton of community engagement that's required leading up to the election. >> I'd like to get it right now, too.
>> Yeah, I agree. >> I think I think an important part of this is that we all need to commit to like time, right? going to PTO meetings, >> supporting Monica in in coffees with Monica, whatever, you know, going to the
Rotary Club, whatever to explain what this is because, you know, as as you said last night, like what 10% of the people knew what a syncing fund was. I didn't know what a syncing fund was really until last night. >> Y
>> in support. Yeah, I too am in support and I appreciate member Kho's suggestion to bring this back as a committee the whole so we have an agreement on what that resolution is coming our next January 23rd meeting.
>> Excellent. Or June 23rd. It is not January. This is what happens when it gets late. I say things that are not right. So yes. >> Yes. So that means that mark your calendars. Another exciting FNO meeting on Thursday. Uh, June 18th
at 5:00 PM. >> Okay, great. >> I'll bring snacks again. >> Great. >> Do you have an end time for that so people can plan? >> Before 10 o'clock. >> Oh, no. >> Make sure you take care of your kids
before you come. >> Appreciate the presentation. Thank you. Okay. Um, up next we have teaching and learning with Miss Curry. >> Thank you. This evening for your consideration is the first read for the adoption of three new digital resources
to support the K12 library curriculum and library program management. Noodle Toodles that sorry noodle tools Gail Gale in context middle school and
library track. That was funny. Um these resources will strengthen literacy research and information literacy skills. Noodle Tools provides a comprehensive K12 research curriculum that teaches children how to evaluate
sources, organize information, site evidence, and communicate ideas effectively. Gail and Context Middle School will provide grades 6 through 8 students with developmentally appropriate research resources and reading materials. Library track will
help media specialists track library usage, manage scheduling, collect meaningful data, and demonstrate the impact of library programs on student learning. These resources support Michigan standards and the American Association of School Librarian
Standards. The total firstear cost associated with this recommendation is $13,89623 including implementation and training. Annual reoccurring costs will be $10,634.73. Implementation is scheduled to begin in
August. And I thank Miss Williams for still being here this evening to answer any questions that you may have. Okay, I'll open up for questions. I'll start with my to my right again. >> Thank you. I don't have any questions.
Um, we had a good discussion about this in our spa committee meeting, last spa committee meeting. Um, it's a it's a good change and um that's due to the lateness of the hour. That's all I can think of right now.
Is there is there a um a cost that we have right now for the program that we're doing? So like what are we doing today to support the same curriculum? >> So our research curriculum would be by level and sometimes even by classroom or
curriculum for a certain class say at the high school or the middle school or the elementary. So it's not concise vertical alignment. Um, so there's no cost currently uh for the noodle tools for the Gail in context middle school.
Um, we do have Gail as part of an open source, but that opensource is really reading levels from 8 to 12. And so when you're talking about middle school students and doing research, um, we
don't have any just right for those younger readers in middle school. And this would fill that gap. >> Got it. And library track. >> Library track. Um teachers mainly use Google forms, Google Sheets. Um so what
we have as an open resource, but we're finding that it's not um it could be a little bit more streamlined to where we can actually gather data on the use of our libraries. And so that's very
attractive for us to have that data. >> So if I was to summarize, we have solutions that are kind of cobbled together right now in mix and match across the district. And this brings us to a unified uh curriculum that we do across the district with tracking and um
and consistency in that process. And it's a relatively low cost of about $14,000 for the first uh year and about 10 and a half for subsequent years. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thanks. over. >> Thank you. Um, quick question. How is
the Gail in context middle school different here versus what's um, provided in mel.org. So, the MEL is what I refer to as the open resource part. And so, um,
primarily those resources would be higher reading levels and more high school appropriate topics. if you will. And so the um one of our middle schools piloted the Gail in context for middle
school and found that it increased student engagement considerably because the resources were at the right reading levels. >> Okay. So the mel.org is more for high school and this is more for middle school. Correct. Okay. And within the
all of these uh tools and resources, are they customizable or adaptable for students with different reading abilities? Like um >> so our technology applications kind of layer on to that. Say read and write for Google
>> would um help students who need those accommodations. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Member. Um, I'm sorry if I missed this, but have they all been pil piloted already or?
>> Um, no. So, only the Gail context for middle school was piloted. The noodle tools was well researched by our K12 library curriculum team as well as the library track was um investigated by that K12 team.
>> Okay. But not piloted. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. All right, thank you very much. >> Okay, up next we have human resources with Mr. Maidum. >> Was not morning yet.
>> I wanted to say good morning. >> Good evening. >> This is not a co area meeting. Um uh this um this evening I'm presenting as a first reading the policy committee's recommendation to approve Miller Johnson as the district's new policy service provider. Um as you know
we we have been reviewing options to transition away from our current provider. Um um we review we reviewed two other um vendors both Miller Johnson and Trune Law. Um we looked at their legal support models, the implementation
process, the cost, the update structure, and of course we um got feedback from peer districts. Um both vendors were reviewed as legally reliable and capable. We didn't feel we could go wrong with either one, but the committee determined that Miller Johnson's the
best overall fit for the district because of it more personalized and collaborative approach. um we will have one point of contact um who will be helping us do it with implementation and we felt that would be a good help to our to our committee and to the district
to implement new policies. Um we felt that structure will be easier for the board and administration to use and would better support the district during this transition. The initial cost of this is $17,500,
which includes both the policy manual and administrative regulation manual. The annual update fee is estimated about $4,000 beginning in November. Just for context, we currently for our current provider, we pay $2,750
per year for the updates. Um so um again we were presenting this as first reading and I am happy to answer any questions you don't want to have. >> Okay. >> Do you want to provide additional context? >> So this went through the policy
committee over I want to say four four or five months. We have community members we have students and we also had a meeting of the whole so we've been doing this for about five months now to come to this recommendation. So it is something that we've looked into in
depth and had thorough discussion around what is the best way to move forward. Uh we also have a board goal of making sure that our policies are updated and reviewed regularly. So this will allow us to do that. The other thing we found out as we were going through this is the
way that our policies are shown or um displayed on our website is not user friendly. So this allowed us to even look at a platform that would give us a more userfriendly interface for the policies that we have.
And I do want to ask a question about that. Is that cost uh added to this or would that be a separate cost? >> That will be a separate cost, separate company. >> It's like $1,800, >> $1,500 a year. >> Okay. So nominal cost for a brand new interface that is userfriendly and would
give us everything that we need in just onestop shop. Right now, it's very clunky. I think everyone here can agree. We've all looked at policies over the last 10, 15 years. Very clunky. We want to move forward in in a manner that's usable for us and for the community, but
also allow us to do the updating that we need. And Miller Johnson will give us the six months of sort of handholding to transition into this process. So, we need that customization uh and support because we have so many policies that are unique to Plymouth Canton. So that
is one of the biggest reasons that we're choosing Miller Johnson. >> U member studio Sue, can you tell us a little bit more about what that transition will look like? >> So once this is approved, we will go
ahead and set up a timeline with Miller Johnson. They have a dedicated uh legal counsel that'll work with us. We anticipate six working sessions whether that's twice a month or every month to actually go through this whole transition with their guidance. Once we
have everything transitioned then we would come to the whole board and say we've done six months of work we are ready to now make a formal transition and that would go to the whole board for a vote to say this is what we have this is what we're going to have starting this date. So there's a at least a
sixmonth transition plan. >> And while you're working through that, our current policies or and organization on our website will remain until that is voted to be implemented. Correct. >> Correct. Correct. The only new policies
that we'll be taking up are the ones that we need to take up by law. And I believe the cell phone policy is one that we're still going to have to draft and put into this current platform. and then we'll transition over. We just don't want to do a lot of duplicative work. Whereas we're looking at policies,
we're putting them into this current platform and then four or five months later we're transitioning. So we're trying to limit the amount of work that we need to do right now and only focusing on the policies that we need to get into our books based on state law. And Dr. Merritt, remind me when we need
to have that policy done by the um cell phone policy. There's a >> start of the school. >> Okay. So, we'll we'll be working on that during the summer as well. >> Any other questions? Sorry, I jumped in everyone. >> No questions.
>> Um, we already had a committee of the meet whole meeting, so I don't really have any more questions, but I wanted to um thank you for the hard work and also for assuring us that the policies such as the transgender policy that we heard
about earlier tonight won't get lost in the shuffle. that will still retain all of those policies that are unique to PCCS. Correct. >> I wanted to thank you for all the hard work and the opportunity to have a committee at the whole so I can ask all
my annoying questions there. >> I I like your annoying questions. Thank you. >> Remember, >> she was part of the hardboard. >> She's Yeah, you're part of the crew for sure. >> Okay. Thank you.
Um, now we move on to the citizens comments overflow. We don't have any additional. Um, we have the discussion section, but that also uh we don't have anything listed under there. Follow-up board questions. We had a list. Help me. So, I believe out of the four questions
number one and two were satisfied in email today. Some of you might not have read those yet, but that information should be available to you today. Questions three and four were provided in June the 5th's um word notes. >> Word notes. Okay. And then we want to
capture quite a few questions for this evening which I would need a little help with. >> Yes. So I wrote down a list but I I'm not sure certain that I collected all of them either. So a few of the follow-up board questions that I captured were um
some information around the medical needs of our students. Have have they increased and by how much? So is there data u maybe over the last is there a certain number of years that you would like to use last 10 years >> and may I ask so I know um Dr. is you've
already started on that like when is readily available right now the year span >> up to three years is readily available by Friday vote ordinance 10 years is not available right at this time >> okay let's do five >> five
>> five years >> so if we could get if we get three by Friday and then by the next set of board notes if we get the >> okay thank you okay um how do we compare uh in terms of nursing to studio student ratios those or counts um to our
neighboring districts. >> And are we looking in our in our which we want to do? Wayne County, do we want to do like what would >> like the ones that we normally compare ourselves with? Um >> North Leavonia, >> North Wayne, Westland. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. Okay. Uh member Kho, I think you meant you asked a case load for each No, someone else did. the management level. >> I for the case. >> Hang on. So there was a case load of each nurse. So what percentage of IEPs
and 504s versus general nursing? >> Um and once again, do we have clarity on what that question is asking? >> It would be so if you could please repeat the question one more time about the IEPs. So, uh, let's say nurse A has
a case load of 10 students with IEPs and 10 20 students or that rest of the time is dedicated to other students in one or two buildings. Okay. >> Okay. And then Patrick, I did not capture
>> my question was around the um supervisory and management level for um the the surrounding districts. So the districts that we're getting the comparisons on the number of supervisory or management staff because right now um
it looks like we have a 1.0 um uh f manager for nine uh clinical or uh nursing staff. So I don't know if that is a a normal metric or whether it's high or low or as part of the process.
>> Okay. And this is as it relates to nursing. Correct. >> Yeah. Specifically on nursing because if if right now we're going to have 10 nursing uh FTEEs um but we're only going to provide nine nursing um uh supports. The 10th is
actually doing just purely management. >> Like in my world, everybody's a player coach. So >> we did hear that case load. So yeah, >> we can still look at that information but not purely management also had a case load as well different but one one elementary school is what I believe that I heard.
>> Okay. Um and then I captured a question around bonds and syncing funds. Um wanting to know the comparable like which districts in our KAA >> KLA and then the Southern Conference. Correct. which is the and and specifically for Southern Conference, it
would be the ones that will be going into Southern Conference, >> the sports, >> right? It's the sports. Yeah. They're all related to the sports. These are the athletic conferences that we participate in, right? >> Because it's where our it's where our community is most likely to experience
um other districts and their facilities. >> Understood. And then um I captured a a question around sorry this sort of quick little notes here so it might sound scattered but a list of items and associated costs to help community understand uh maybe the benefit of a
sinking fund. >> Is that correct >> and the need looking at the dollar amount >> right? So what does a roof cost? What does a chiller cost? What does a parking lot cost? >> Where where our community will experience other schools.
>> Yeah. Robotics. >> Robotics. >> Yeah, true. >> Okay. Okay. Are there any other questions that I did not capture? >> I did ask for a one pager uh about syncing funds with a sort of easy to
understand FAQs um for the public and some way of delivering that information whether it's on a website or a newsletter that goes out to families saying, "Hey, the board's discussing this. Here's a one pager or come to a meeting meeting of the whole. The slides that we saw
tonight were a really good start. Yes. >> Yeah. And I think that's part of the campaign, you know, if and when this moves forward those that's a great suggestion. I wonder if that's something to follow up. Are are you wanting this in board notes just to see an example of that? >> I I actually would like it for the next meeting. >> Me too.
>> Because it's there's the density of this material. If we can find a way to condense this into a single one pager, >> um, that will help us to be more concise in explaining it to the audience when we're talking about it. Not everybody's
going to have the benefit of a 4-hour FNO meeting and a uh a 4hour board meeting to uh to absorb this. >> And I also think it allows the community to share stories like we've heard over the last two days and those are the stories we need to capture. So that'll be part of the campaign. Yep.
>> So if I can clarify instead of board notes >> as when we come back on >> probably first FNO and then the board meeting included in that initial first read presentation would be this one pager. >> That would be ideal. >> That'd be great. And if it could >> it doesn't have to be the the forever
one pager. It's the the draft one pager. >> And if it could include some of those examples that Matt gave >> as well >> about things that could be covered by a syncing fund that Yeah. Okay. Anything else?
>> If I may share, not with questions. I just want to thank uh board members. I know we work on protocols and communications that allow us to be most prepared for the meeting this evening and we have um multiple examples because there were some concerns of the agenda that we needed to talk through. So, I
just appreciate reaching out in advance so we can adjust the agenda before it's approved or um get information and questions and email. It's very helpful to uh really contribute to this dialogue. So, just appreciate that effort. Thank you. Agreed. >> All right. Thank you for that comment.
>> And on that note, we're going to adjourn the meeting at 11:07 p.m. Thanks, everybody.