##VIDEO ID:https://www.facebook.com/100063786360274/videos/2510480339151586## Alright, were you ready? Everybody's ready. Alright, good evening Pontiac community. I thank you to our guests for joining us. Happy New Year to those of you that are watching at home and everyone that's here attending our meeting in person. It is a pleasure to see all of you. We are going to get our board meeting started. The time is now 6: 12 PM. If I can have roll call please. VP Bowman. Present. Trust trust me today, present, trustee ground, present. President Hannah. Present. Trustee Heather, brother, and treasurer. President that Alright, thank you. If we can all stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Alright, before we proceed, I want to do Hope we can get right started doing the swearing in and then I'll amend the agenda of that. Alright. So, tonight is a special night for us because we have two newly elected trustees joining us in the name of Trustee Tanisha Miller in the name of Trustee Jennifer Dooley and our returning re-elected trustee good old trustee Kevin Gross. So, at this time, we're going to proceed with our swearing in ceremony for these individuals. One second. So, I can get our script. Alright, do they have, you got it? Ready? Ready? Alright. Well, we're going to get started with before I approve it, I will. So, we're going to go ahead and get started with our newly elected appointed trustee Tanisha Miller. If you come to the podium, your guest as well So, Trustee Tanisha Miller will have her guest read the oath of office and then, we'll move to the next trustee Jennifer Dooley and then, we're going to move and have the same happen for trustee Kevin Gross. So, Trustee Miller, we are ready. I, Tanisha Miller. I, Tanisha Miller, do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. Or affirm. That I will support. Or affirm that I will support. Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State. The Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State and that I will faithfully discharge the duties. And that I will faithfully discharge the duties. Of the office of member. Of the office of member. Of the Board of Education. Of the Board of Education. Of the school district. Of the school district. Of the city of Pontiac. Of the city of Pontiac. Accordingly to the best of my ability. Accordingly to the best of my ability. Great. Thank you. It is official official. Trustee Tanisha, did you have any words that you wanted to share? Yes. Well, since y'all give me the opportunity Um hello, everyone. I am so humbled to be here to work with such an amazing district with the other members on the board. I look forward to doing great things and continue to add to the great things that's already going on here in the city of Pontiac. Thank you for trusting me. I promise I won't let you down. I look forward to another another not another. I'm sorry. I look forward to a great six years doing what's best for the city and for our students. Thank you so much. Thank you. Now, we will have trustee Jennifer Dooley and her guest. I'm going to ask prophet Deshaun Jackson to come and administer my oath. Okay Okay. I, Jennifer Dooley. I, Jennifer Dooley, do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. Or affirm. Or affirm. That I will support the constitution. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. Of the United States. And the Constitution. And the Constitution. Of the state. Of the state. And that I will. And that I will faithfully discharge. Faithfully discharge. The duties of the office of. The duties of the office of. Member of the Board of Education member of the Board of Education. Of the School District of. Of the School District of. The City of Pontiac. The City of Pontiac. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. I know you will. Thank you. Yes. Yes and Trustee Dooley. I just want to thank every voter that went out and supported me. I intend to represent, bring all educational stakeholders to the table with the city to excel our district but before I go any further, there are two people that mean a lot to me in this process. The first one was just up here. Come back to Sean. Prophet Deshaun. When I retired, I was done. I was done with education. I was just done and I on a 4 o'clock AM prayer. She said to me, duly, the lord is saying, you're not finished and I'm thinking to myself, I don't know what you're talking about but I'm finished and she said, god was going to use me mightily in the area of education. So, here I am and hopefully, not hopefully, I will because I'm moving in the name of the the lord and what I do will be based on biblical principles to do the right thing and we always say, what would Jesus do? And I see some people probably thinking, you don't mix state and in in school or or god in school together but look on your money. It says, in god we trust. So, in god I trust. Thank you, Deshaun. The next person very dear to my heart, I could not have done it without this woman. This woman ran the campaign. She knew what to do, how to do it, when to do it, what to do. So, none other than my friend, my campaign manager, Carol Turpin. Thank you everybody. I welcome you to these meetings. Don't just let this be your only meeting come out. Support us. Let us work together to move this district forward. Thank you so much. Thank you. Alright, now we have Trustee Kevin Gross. I before I take this oath I always ask my brother to do this for me because this is who I admire and I look up to throughout my entire life and this being my fourth election that I won. He has done this for me all four times. So, I appreciate him being here and doing this again and I thank him because this is who I look up to. I don't want to blow this. You should be used to it. You good? Alright, G, Kevin Gross. I, G, Kevin Gross. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. Or affirm. Or affirm. That I will support the constitution of the United States. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of this state. And the Constitution of this state. And I will faithfully discharge. And I will faithfully discharge. The duties of the office. The duties of the office. A member of the Board of Education. A member of the Board of Education. Of the School District of the City of Pontiac. Of the School District of the City of Pontiac. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. I too would first of all, thank those citizens in the city of Pontiac who made the decision to bring me back here and I appreciate that and I don't take this for granted. I truly enjoy what I what I do here. I just completed 12 years as a board member and I'm now into this new election. So, I'm grateful that now I'm the longest ten-year board meeting member on this board following the steps of footsteps of Carol Turpin who was the longest and I that your support but I want to thank a few people. Mayor, I want to thank you for accepting the invite and coming out this evening. Council President Pro Tem, Mike McGinnis, and Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford. Thank you for coming over here. That's important to me to know that I have good friends on the other side that support what I'm trying to do here in this district. Uh I want to thank my brother and each and everyone of you but to somebody in truly important to me. That's been me now for quite some time and I want to thank my wife. I I watched her at the polls she made sure you couldn't get pass her unless you took a Kevin Gross flyer and I mean she worked and I tried to give her a break I tried to feed her and she says no I'm missing somebody she kept going and going and going. So, I got tired before she did. So, I came home a little early after right before the election polls closed but she stayed. And she made sure that the job was done and I appreciate you, honey and I thank you. Yeah. And the saying goes, besides every great man, there's a greater woman Yes. That is true. And that's a fact. And she is my rock and I thank you. So, thank everybody for this. I appreciate this. Thank you, Board. Let's go to work. Let's go to work. Yes, but we can still have a little fun. Yes. Thank you. And congratulations again. Alright, I would like to amend the agenda. There are two items I need to add onto our working agenda. The first, I would like to add under General Counsel Human Resource items under discussion and action item Employee Kern versus Pontiac School District. And the other item I would like to add to our agenda will be under the Board of Education, Regular Working Agenda. Um separate agreement with Kelly Williams for discussion and for action. With that being said, I would like to move forward and get an approval. Can I get a motion for the approval of our agenda, please? So. Of the amended agenda, please. So, move. Second. Thank you. It's been moved by trust. Adams Adams and I would like to also I'm sorry. Yes. Can you recede your motion and support? I need to rescind it. I I know what you have. Okay. Thank you. I need to add also to our agenda, the swearing in for Cat Trustee Kevin Gross under the culture order. So now, if I can get an approval for the amended agenda, a motion for the approved the amended agenda. Support. Thank you. It's been moved by Trustee Dooley supported by Trustee Gross to amend the agenda. Any questions Roll call. I'm voting yes. Trustee Dooley. Thanks. Trustee Gross? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. And VP Bowman? Yes. That passes seven oh. Let me see. Thank you. And now if I can get a motion to accept the approved amended agenda please. So move. Second. It's been approved. It's been motioned by VP Bowman supported by Trustee Dooley to approve the amended agenda. Any questions? Roll call trusty dually. Trusty Grouse? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. Bp Bowman. Yes. And I'm voting yes. That pass is seven oh. Alright, thank you very much. Moving down to awards and recognition, interim superintendent Doctor Leverette and Meeting is yours. Thank you, Doctor Hanna. Good evening, everyone. This is School Board Recognition Month. Excuse me. The key to a brighter future for Michigan's children is a strong public education system. Every day, students count on public schools to help prepare them for a successful future. Whether they understand it or not, they count on adults across the state ensuring they have access to resources to help them learn, keep their building safe, and have qualified teachers to guide them. It takes a pure, unwavering commitment to a community to make this all possible. Yet, at the end of the day, the true superheroes contributed to the success of our students are just ordinary citizens with extraordinary dedication to public schools, our school board members. These individuals approach their volunteer work like it is a full-time job and for some, they value their work on the board as more important than their chosen profession. Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure that schools are accountable to the community, and strongly advocate for continuous improvement in student learning. The job of a school board member is tough. The hours long and thanks few and far between. Too often, we're quick to criticize school board members without really understanding the complex nature of their decisions. We have to remember to time to thank them for their entire efforts. The month of January marks the observance of school board recognition month. This is an opportunity to show our year-round appreciation for the servant leaders and begin to better understand how local trustees work together to prepare today's students to be tomorrow's leaders. We encourage you to join with others throughout our community, state, and nation to salute the individuals who provide grassroots, of public schools each and every day. Let's give a big round of applause of thank you to our school board members. We thank you and appreciate you as we continue to move the district forward and you have a token of our appreciation from administration. Thank you. We certainly appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. We'll continue. Alright. I'll be right back. Alright, thank you. Continuing on with our awards and recognitions, this certificate of distinction and you will hear from this young man later this evening as he provides a comprehensive blueprint and outline in terms of the goals moving forward with our career tech ed department but this certificate of distinction is proudly presented to you Brian Sherman in recognition of being selected as a winner of the MDE Michigan Department of Education twenty twenty-five Career and technical education Excellence in Practice Award. Business and Community partnership for Pontiac High School's early childhood education program. We appreciate you, mister Sherman, giving this 13th day of January 2025 in Pontiac, Michigan. We are very excited. We are on the move with our career tech ed department. I had an opportunity to visit piece a few weeks ago and to see our high school students connected with our preschool students and the opportunity that they have to be exposed to the curriculum to be exposed to that environment and how the littlest ones really look up to our high school students. So, this is a partnership that has actually come to fruition and it's one that we are be, we have been identified as a district at the state level and we are extremely proud this evening. Mister Sherman, we recognize you and we thank you. Please come forward. This next certificate of distinction is proudly presented to missus Esperanza Harrington in recognition of your achievement of obtaining certification as a district C teamship coach. Thank you for your commitment to providing our students exceptional learning and career development opportunities. Miss Esperanza Harrington, we appreciate you. Given this 13th day of January 202five. I spoke with miss Harrington today. She called and says, please mister Gross, go up there and accept my awards. I like to do an academy award. On behalf of miss Harrington, I will accept this award on her behalf and thank you all. God bless. Thank you. God bless. This next certificate of distinction is proudly presented to Raquel Welch Johnson. Missus Welch Johnson in recognition of your achievement of obtaining certification as a district C teamship coach. Thank you for your commitment to providing our students exceptional learning and career development opportunities. We appreciate you giving this 13th day of January 20twentyfive. Miss Raquel Welch Johnson, thank you. Thank you. Certificate of distinction, this certificate is proudly presented to Justin Brantley, mister Brantley. In recognition of your achievement of obtaining certification of a district C teamship coach, thank you for your commitment to providing our students exceptional learning and career development opportunities. We appreciate you, Justin. Given this 13th day of January 202five, congratulations. Thank you. Appreciate you guys. Alright. Alright. Thank you, Doctor Leverette. Board we'll start with the board with any comments. Congratulations. Thank you all so much for the hard work that you you do and thank you for being a part of the PSD family. We appreciate you greatly. Great. Thank you. Trustee Gross. Thank you, madam chair. I truly love when we do this because it shows how we feel about your commitment. Mm hmm. As staff and and listen, I say this all the time. I've been saying this now and Imma keep reiterating Over the last 12 years that I've been here that this is not an easy job to do. Working for the schools. It takes more than just first of all, you guys don't get paid enough. I don't know if I'm supposed to say that at the table. But I I've always been someone who believe that in education, it should be the highest paid position it is because in your positions, you teach those to become whatever. Doctors, lawyers, firemen, police officers, board members, mayor, council union. It starts with you. And so, it takes a lot to be committed to what you do. So, if if we can just, the little things that we can do to show our appreciation, let's continue to do because trust and believe, we appreciate you. We really do and I'm glad that we're doing this and I and I appreciate Doctor Leverette for implementing this part of our board agenda is to recognize our staff and students. So, let's continue to do this in two thousand twenty-five and Alright. Let's have fun. Alright. Thank you. Thank you. Secretary David Smith. I just wanted to congratulate you guys again. Um I appreciate you going beyond your scope your position and it takes all of us to to be a great district and so I appreciate each and everyone who who works in our school district Um no matter the position. And just keep up the good work and thank you guys so much. Yup. Thank you. Treasured Terry. Yes, yes. Um I just want to say thank you first of all for being that example to our students that they have that example that it doesn't matter how old you are. You still can make progress and still do things and accomplish stuff. So, I just want to say thank you for being that example. Continue to let your light shine. Continue to be that example for the other. I guess you want to say staff members as well but now also them but as far as the students goes too. So, they can always see somebody there that's doing something positive and continue to educate theyself and make they selves better. So, thank you. Thank you. Trustee Miller, did you have some something you would like to say? Yes, thank you. President Hannah, I just want to say thank you for everything that all of our educators do. Thank you for the time that you spend, the the the dedication that you have to our students. One of which is my own. So, I really appreciate you all and congratulations to all the parties that were recognized tonight. Continue to do great things here in the City District of Pontiac and we look forward to to moving forward great together. Thank you. And Trustee Dooley I thank you for being a lifelong learner. I'm excited to see how those certifications will be shared with other teachers. I'm excited to see how those certifications will support increased academic achievement with sustainable, measurable results for our students. So, keep learning. Thank you. And I just want to add mister Sherman. I see you. Um Mister Brantley, we know this CTE program is the key. The the secret sauce for Pontiac School District and I am so excited with the efforts that you all are putting in to really bringing this to pass. I know we'll hear about it in your presentation but I just want to say to you mister Brantley, thank you. For your dedication. Thank you to mister Sherman for sticking with us, for really helping us to move the needle, and really get this implemented for our students so that our community can be better. So, I really appreciate your commitment to our and this work within our CTE program and as Trustee Gross said, miss Harrington, she did reach out to us to say she can be here but she's really excited about being acknowledged for her work in this area. So, miss Harrington, we appreciate you as well as miss Johnson for your commitment to this work as well. So, thank you all. Alright, moving down on our agenda at recognition of our elected officials. Again, good evening to our board members but also good evening to our mayor, mister Tim Grimel, our president of city council, mister Mike McGinnis, and our city councilwoman, Melanie Rutherford and if there's any other elected officials here that I do not see. Standing up. I don't see anybody else. So, thank you. Thank you for coming to support us at our meeting and we really do appreciate you being here. Thank you. Okay. Yes, Melvin, did you have something to share, Councilwoman? Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. That's how you do it. Good evening. The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but building the new and that was said by Socrates. Every day as a councilwoman, we are given the task to build and mend bridges. We have to go about the change that we want to be and so in this year, as my lovely Vanna White, mister assistant president Michael Guinness, get up and get the bag so I can pass mine as I talk. Yeah. Hold on one second. You'll get used to it. Real quick. 3 minutes. So, I believe that in order to change the narrative, we must change the energy, right? So, I made y'all some survival kits so you can survive in your will and not just pass em out, sir. Go ahead. I'll tell you. We going to have fun. I know y'all serious but we have fun over in this park. So, if you look in the bag, once you get it, I want everybody to see it. It's the year review of everything we've done in the illustrious, the best district ever, district one. It tells you about shut up. Tells you about all the highlights. The second thing for your survival kit, you going to get thirsty and in your meeting, pull it out. You see the cup? you got a cup so you cannot, you know, quench your thirst and then you're going to say, I don't know the resources of the city. Where else do I go? And I don't want to call Mel because I don't know where who she going to be today. It's going to be called, it's going to be Melly Mel. Is it going to be the delivery? What's the damn constant woman rather? And here are the resources and the numbers for everybody you need to call. Last but sudden not the least, I'm going to challenge you to do something. Two months ago, I I baptized and my pastor told me, Mel, be as loud with your apology as you are with your offense. Often times, people try to perp because it's election time and everybody want to make amends and if you know me for real, you know, I don't say nonetheless, I mean it. I publicly want to say, we both have lacked on both sides of having great communication. We both have lacked on both sides of respect in each other's roles and they and and in a position. So, I apologize because I can do that. I'm big enough to do that and the question is, are we do it right. This time together or keep working separately. Now, this is the challenge. You already say you're ready. We're ready. Okay. Guess what happens January the twenty-fifth. This is so exciting. At 3 o'clock, there is a meeting. Mm hmm. A real one. Down at the Alley Cat at 31 North Saginaw. I am challenging this new board who says they want to work together, be inventive, not have no issues, and if we have a problem with somebody we going to call to come to the district meetings of all council people like when President McGuinness leaves, he gotta meet. You can't go day. But maybe you can go next month. The reason why is this, we cannot say we are real city trying to build, grow, evolve, and change. When we dive in petty politics. And so I go to Trinity Baptist Church and we are taught that if we have an odd against your brother, you bring it to them. And if that don't work, you go get another person. And if that don't work, you go get three people. And then you go get the pass and then you get kicked out. All I'm challenging y'all to do is this time, come to the District Meeting s, find out what's going on and everything so that you don't have to listen to the Rumobi See you listen here. Listen to hearsay and you can get the answers that you need. This is the report. See how lovely it looks? Give it up for Vanna White. He did give it out. Give it up for Granny Board and I'm done. That's it. Thank you so much. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. And I have it added to the I I have it added to the calendar for Saturday, the twenty-fifth at three. Happy birthday, John. Thank you so much. I appreciate you. You're welcome. Thank you and Grandma, would you like to have a few words? Yeah, just briefly. Thank you. Okay. I no, it was not actually at all. Uh, that was not the intent. Uh, I really just wanted to congratulate the three trustees on their election. I want to begin, of course, with the reelection of Trustee Gross. Congratulations. Four elections really speaks to how the community respects you and believes in you. And, and really believes in the work you do on behalf of the students of the district. But, maybe even more importantly, since they're newly elected for the first time, I want to congratulate Trustee Miller, Trustee Dooley. I know that the has put their faith in you and that you are terrific additions to the school board. I want to echo similar comments to Councilwoman Rutherford which is we at the city have really appreciated the opportunities that we have had to collaborate with the school district and we look forward to embracing additional opportunities in the years ahead. So, please let's work together to identify ways that we can work together both city government and the school district to move forward behalf of the students of this community and make sure that they're really optimizing all of their learning and enrichment opportunities and then, most importantly of all, I really do want to thank all of the school board members, all seven of you for your service. I know you're not doing it for the pay. I know that it's a thank this job but it's an incredibly important job and the community believes in you and trust you to really work on behalf of our communities. And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't say the same about all of the educators in the district and when I talk about educators, I mean, each and every employee in the district from administrators to cafeteria workers and janitors and custodians in the buildings because they all are essential to the education of our community's children. So, thank you all and congratulations to the awardees tonight. You're obviously the leading lights among the educators here but each and every educator pours their heart and soul into improving the lives and futures of our children. So, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Grimel. President McGinn. Happy New Year. I just want to say This is the best looking school board in America, ladies and gentlemen. A beautiful school board. Thank you, sir. Uh, I'll leave it at that. Just, I know there's many birthdays in the room from Vice President Bowman and Trustee Gross. Yes. And Doctor Leverette, happy birthday to all the grown and sexy Capricorns in this beautiful, beautiful You got something great. Right before mine. You have such a great memory. Thank you. Thank you. Keep calling. Alright. We're going to continue with our agenda. Uh again, thank you city council for coming over and to share with us during our meeting. Alright, if I can get a motion for the approval of the consent agenda, please. So, who? Support. It's been moved by Trustee Gross. Supported by VP Bowman to approve the consent agenda. Is there any questions? Roll call please. Trustee Gross? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. VP Bowman? Yes. I'm voting yes and Trustee Dewey. Yes. That passes seven oh. Alright, thank you. Information from the superintendent and administration, Doctor Leverette, the meeting is yours. Thank you, Doctor Hannah. At this time, I will call Brian Sherman to provide an overview of the CTE department and what the future of that looks like moving forward when we consider the work of the Michigan Department of Ed and their top of ten and 10 in terms of where we want to be in the in the state as well as in the country. Um this is one of those key pillars for us as a district as we advance student achievement as we think about post-secondary opportunities and credentialing for students entering college and career readiness. So, with that being said, I will let you know that mister Sherman has has done a great job and we still have lots of work to do but this is a report that I think that you will find beneficial. So, with that being said, good evening, mister Sherman. Good evening, Doctor Leverat, District Administration and the Board of Education. Welcome to our new trustees. I'm glad to be here this evening to give you the state of the CTE department where we've come and where we are moving as the district puts together its strategic plan. Next slide, please. So, everything we do in the CTE department revolves around Michigan's top 10 strategic plan. This relates to Perkins five which is a lot of the funding that comes for career and technical education. Through that, this improves the health, safety, and wellness of all of our learners within the district, expands all secondary learning opportunities for all of our students, helps to increase the percentage of students who graduate from high school and also to increase the percentage of adults with a post-secondary credential that will lead them to some sort of employment. Next slide I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the faculty that are working hard throughout the CTE department. Um I've got Michaela Tatamy in my office. She works with me as my CT specialist. Justin Brantley who you saw here is in our engineering area. Raymond Kaufman is the new aerospace aviation teacher at the high school. Uh Miss Ann Munn, she is our health sciences faculty from Oakland University, teaching our CNA PCT program. Miss Suzanne Palmer who's also our other engineering teacher. Um miss Leonard Sanford, our building substitute. He's in our JRTC program right now. Miss Caroline Shallal, who's in our business admin program, miss Esperanza Harrington, who's in our finance and our marketing program, miss Emmanuela Shepherd, who is in our health sciences program, part time, teaching our elective course there, miss Spiker who is our new education general teacher for our early childhood ed program and Sergeant Kurt Wilson who is our second Army JROTC instructor. We also have mister Michael Mo who always over at ITA right now who teaches a few business management courses at ITA nine through twelve and then miss Candice Wrigley who teaches the middle school careers and computers class which will be leading into the eighth grade course that the students will take before they come to the high school. Then, in the non-instructional side, miss Shawna Jackson, who is our college and queer readiness coordinator, who is most eloquently done this PCT program for over a decade now. Miss Stephanie Matthews, our college and crew readiness specialist who also works with our PCT program and other college and career readiness initiatives and miss Tamara Nelson who is our College and Career Readiness Tutor who works with our PCT and CNA students. Next slide please. So this is where we started when I was hired on with the district in August of twenty twenty-three. We had two, four, six, seven programs at the high school engineering, IT, health sciences, business admin, finance, marketing, and army JRTC. Out of those seven, only four of those were state approved and that was our business, our finance, our marketing, and our army, JROTC Next slide please. We have wildly expanded on that. So, on the left is what where we started. On the right, we've added two new state-approved programs, engineering, and health sciences, PCTCNA. We've also added two new brand-new programs with state approval automatically out the gate. That is our a general program for the early childhood ed program and our public safety program which is at OCC for the Fire Academy. We have two new CTE program that are pending state approval, our IT program, and our aviation program. IT has been in the district for a while. Um we're just waiting for the final approval from the state for it to be approved. Hopefully, we should be getting that this month and then aviation was also put in in the fall since we've launched that program and that will be state approved as well. Next slide please. So, with the addition of all the new programs and the ones that are pending, by the time we get this done at this month, every program that is offered at Pontiac school will be state approved and we will start capturing funding for those programs. 61 A 1 and 61 B. What we are doing is working with the new additions we've had in one school year. In the bottom left hand far portion of the slide here, I have put the funding from last year to this year. So, in our 61 A one grant funding from the MDE in twenty34, we had a little over $12, 000, 12 300, and then when we received our award letter for this year, we have doubled that with the new state-approved programs up to 25thousand 6 20. 61 D, much of the same. Last year, we received 1600544. This year, we have received 26thousand 6 18 and that's still with two additional programs yet to be put on the books. That doesn't include the early childhood ed program because we won't be able to capture funding for that until next year. It's one year delayed. Um IT and aviation are not a part of that yet and then neither is the fire academy because that was also a spring approval last year for start this year. So, we should be able to capture funding all the remaining four this year for implementation next year. Next slide please. With that as Doctor Leverette has made the announcement. Pontiac is receiving one of four MDE, OCTE, excellence, and practice awards at the Michigan Career Conference in about two weeks. Um from the letter we received from the state superintendent in Career and Tech Ed saying it gives her great pleasure to announce that our early childhood ed program is the Excellence in Practice Award for Business Community Partnerships. It's noted they only get four of these out every year to any school. We are the only traditional K through 12 school that is getting one of these. The other three are career centers or academies. So, we're doing, we're doing it right. So, we're doing it. We're doing it. Yeah and I have to say and Doctor Leverek can vouch for this one because she was my first call. When I called her, Trustee Gross. Yeah. I took your words. Yes. Yeah. It's not Rochester. It's not West Bloomfield. It's who? Pontiac. There we go. There we go. My man. Next slide please. In the past year and a half, we forged new partnerships in the CTE department. Oakland University for the early childhood ed program, OCC for the State Fire Academy, AOPA, the aircraft owners and pilots association for the high school aviation curriculum for via for the engineering technology and other CTE departmental support. We are now a National Technical Honor Society School District which I'm very happy about that one. That is a replica of the National Honor Society but strictly for Career and Tech Ed. So, we will be launching that at graduation time and luckily, it matches our colors. So, we don't have to do much else. Uh Williams International, we are engaging them in the aviation program for eventual student internship placement in four years when we get to the completer part of this. Um that will also open up a new for engineering aviation engineering. So, a different subpathway which is a an area of high demand within Oakland County right now. So, next slide please. Now, with that, about a year ago, I want, I want to say a little over a year ago. Uh Forvia came out and they toured the high school for the implementation of some projects and stuff that we were doing through them out there. They actually, they brought a film crew to do a promotional video on what we are doing at the high school with our partnership for this came out right before Christmas I was tagged in it. So, this will be the first time a lot of us have ever seen this. So, miss Wright. The trade school development project is in addition to their career technical education program that they already have implemented at the school. Engineering, getting computers into their hands to where we're about to put industry leading software for Cadcam development as well as expanding the digital curriculum in not only the engineering area but in business and finance, soon-to-be information technology, all vital areas here in Southeastern Michigan that employers are actively looking for people to hire and they're targeting our students for when they graduate. Two of the softwares that we've granted to the school are called ISAB and C Space software. These two platforms work very well together in that they both provide certifications for the students that they can take to a future employer and that employer can in turn verify that certification online just as they would a college degree. The ISAF software is more of the curriculum-based information the students need to go through. The lessons that they'll learn, the preparation materials that they need for the testing, the testing itself, and then the certification after they pass that program. The Z Space software is like the next layer, the icing on the cake if you will and that is incorporating more of a 3D virtual experience for the children. For example, there's a welding software where the children can do more in a safe manner of learning the experience of how to hold a welding gun to have that hands-on experience before they actually do it. So is the district CTE administrator for the Pontiac School District? This grant has allowed me to expand different areas in our career and technical education pathways to beef them up even more and give students more opportunities to be able to do things that involve real-world experience and real-world skills using technology that is industry standard. We are going to support them in a soft skills manner. So, that will consist of supporting them at competition as well as incorporating in their career day fun, life skills that they would have on the job. So, our students and our families sometime lack the ability to provide certain things for their home and that's where we try to step up as a school district and we try to be in the gap for them and have those things that they can't necessarily provide for themselves and the parents are always grateful. They the students for we were given amazing backpacks one year and the students which started actually started off our partnership with Forbea and the students were so grateful and what I love about Furbia is they take care of our kids the way we want to see our students taken care of. So the idea of this project came in the fall of 2022 through something that Forvia does every year called Solidarity Days and that's part of our corporate social responsibility as the company to get out into the community and help. So, that project was a hygiene supply kit for the students here and backpacks. I very much needed support in delivering all of those hygiene kits and backpacks to the school and thanks to my colleague Sonny Samper. She stepped up and we delivered all of that to the school and what we found that day was the gratitude and the joy that the that the students had in addition to all the faculty coming out and thanking us that day. It was overwhelming and deeply touching. I was emotional but the whole way home that day and I just kept having the words right behind my head. There has to be a way we can help do more. There has to be a way. So, about a week later, I was on our corporate site and I discovered the Forvia Foundation. And I went to Sunny and asked if she would help me again and support me in doing a project again at Pontiac High School. So, we discovered at that day Um to work more with the school and the Forvia Foundation helped immensely for us to establish roots here at the school and it brought us together so we could grow together. Since arriving into this role in August of last year for Via has been instrumental in getting some things into our kids' hands to help grow my programming. So what we're doing with this grant is getting the tools and things that are going into our students' hands to set them up now to go into the workforce right here home. It has been life changing. It's been life changing for me. The students here at Pontiac High School, the parents, and this community and I'm so very, very grateful to be partnering with people such as them and their organization. The biggest lesson I've learned is that kindness matters into a school with open arms that has welcomed me and accepted me and they too want to join this journey of kindness with me. Next slide please. So, what's next? We are continuing to educate, empower, and excite our students in the CTE department. As you've seen, we've come a long way in about 18 months. Now, we are looking ahead to what's next. We, next slide, please. We are focusing, looking forward on five different areas within the CT department, academic achievement, curriculum development, professional development, technology integration, and equity and inclusion. Next slide, please Some of this will be looking at our staffing needs, reviewing our content, and our courses, and how they are being offered to align with state requirements, to make sure we are maximizing the amount of students we are getting in the classroom, also looking at how we are tracking our students' progress through the pathways. This is an ongoing exploration right now. I'm looking at two different pathways to do this. Whether it's MyStar or Zillow, then by the end of this year, we will have all the remaining courses put into MyStar so I can activate these. Ideally before scheduling this year so we can have idea of what kit what courses are ninth, tenth, and 11th graders currently have taken so we can schedule appropriately for not only the kids but for the master schedule for twenty-five twenty-six. Next slide please. We will be reviewing our scope and sequence in all of our pathways as we do every year to make sure this is being followed with fidelity and that we are not doing just schedule fillers. Like we are strategically offering classes when we need to to make sure we are getting our kids to complete our also looking at recruitment for our ESL and ELL students. Um make sure we're providing the supports in place for those students as well. Next slide please. Faculty, professional development will be a focus as well. This goes through some of the required SIP specific professional development that we are required to offer for state approved programs. Also working on professional development for ESL to make sure our students have the training and knowledge and supports they need to support our ESL population. Next slide. And then sustaining and growing our programs. Making sure we are having the students complete all of the programs and then placing them in internships. Other work-based learning after they they complete the required scope and sequence. Ideally we are looking moving forward to eventually get 100% student participation in CTE programming. That it is not an option. That when these students are scheduled coming into ninth grade they are picking a pathway and they are completing that pathway. Next slide please. Also looking at curriculum development review through our annual Sip Self review process to make sure scope and sequence, instructional design, and all the different aspects that we have to have of our state-approved programs. If there's any changes we need to make to them, addition, subtractions, and then also working in our partnership to continue to build with Oakland schools for our college and career readiness requirements. With that, miss White. I am pleased to introduce with the hard work of our communications department, the updated twenty-four 25 CTE department course guide including all of our new programs that we the edge general program, the aviation program, the fire academy, updating all of our existing programming. This has been a labor of love for about nine months now to get this done. And I could not have done it without the guidance of the rest of the administration, my teachers, and our lovely communications department for the countless hours. We they have put into making this a reality. So for the board's preview, she is handing that out right now. We've got one or two minor things we're going to add to it before we do a mass run of this and then we will be posting this on the district's website very shortly. Next slide please. We've come so far in the last year, a year and a half and we have so much more to do. Our students have to be ready for whatever career or college path they choose post secondary and we are molding and shaping the CT department here in Pontiac to be the best in the county. We're already getting noticed. Now, it's time to continue and expand this journey even further. Next slide please. With that, welcome to our new board members and I will take any that any of the board trustees have, please. Trustees will start on this side now. Trusty Dooley, do you have any questions? So, how many students will these programs benefit? That's one. Uh part of the certification will that go for college credits? So, the number of students it's right now, we are at about, I'd say half to three fourths of Pontiac High School. Yeah. By the time we're done, we want every kid to go through a CTE program but that's that's some work we have to do there to make sure we're getting that and that starts back in middle school when we're scheduling for 9th grade, talking to the kids. Out what pathway they want to go into and making sure that they complete that program. Certifications, it all depends. Um there's a lot of factors there. Um a lot of it has to deal with articulation agreements between universities and the MDE for different codes for the programs. Say a student goes to OU and they have completed this one program then with that statewide articulation agreement then they would get whatever that university deems correct between the two. So, yes, there is the opportunity there for that. And I just like to say I appreciate the hands-on experience that our students will have because as you know, all students won't necessarily go to college but if we can teach them in the old adage, if we teach em how to fish, they'll eat for a lifetime. Yes. So, thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you. Good. You good? Okay. BP Bowman. Thank you so much. This is, as you said, we've been waiting for a while to see this. I'm excited. Um one quick about. I know that we're still waiting for the state with the aviation program. Mm hmm. Is there any, has there been any communication the airport here at the Oakland County International Airport? I know that they've expressed willingness to partner with Pontiac School District in some way and if that conversation hasn't happened, let's make it happen but good job. Congratulations and thanks for everything. Ideally, that is something I would like to see but toward the when we get students in years three and four. So, we're talking close to internship placement toward the end especially for students that want to go down the pilot track of the aviation program, then, that's where we would engage the airport for airport training and pilot training, FAA requirements, the whole nine yards. Thank you. Thank you. Alright. Trustee Miller. Thank you for your presentation. Uh I personally have the opportunity to meet with the aviation instructor at Pontiac High School doing parent-teacher conferences and I was I was floored by that entire program. You know, my I have a newer student that's there. This this school, the school year. So, I I was completely unaware of the the many opportunities that that Pontiac has for our students and just hearing just sitting here casually as a parent, listening to what he provides to our students was very impressive. So, thank you for all that you do. Thank you. Thank you and thank you to all everyone involved with the CT program. Alright, thank you. Secretary David Smith, anything? Any questions? I just want to say it was a great presentation. I'm excited. Um I see some of the kids and how excited they are to even talk about the different programs they're in. So, I really thank you guys for all your hard work. I know this has been a lot to for you to get it to this point and I'm I'm so proud and I'm thankful for all your hard work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Treasurer Terry. Uh first off, wonderful presentation. Um you touch base on a lot of the I guess options we have out there for our current students and hopefully they take a full advantage of that even for the ones that like I said not pursuing college or something but it gives them something to pursue as far as a career wise. Um second off, I just want to say thank you for all of your effort and your team's effort to get it to where we are currently right now. I know it's been a journey and I know there's been some some hangups and some complications but we're pushing through. So, I'm just excited to see where we go in the future and what else we can continue to add to that list and also continue to pursue. I guess you want to say funding from the government so that we can continue to, you know, incorporate this for all of our students. So, that will be just a wonderful thing to see in the next few years. So, thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Trustee Dooley, you had an a question? I was here on maybe two couple of meetings back and we honored a student that completed the fire program and it was stated that we had more slots available and we could not fill those slots. My question is, do we have some type of recruitment process in place, something that we're going to do to ensure that we don't let those seats remain vacant and that we have a full program. So, that student hasn't completed the program yet. He had just finished his first semester. He now into the second semester and we'll complete it at the end of this year. Um for in terms of slots, it's a little more complicated than recruitment. That program is solely after school. Mondays and Thursdays, 630 to 9: 30 PM and every other Saturday, nine to 5. So, it's more of a logistics for transportation. Um making sure the kids able to get from here to the Auburn Hills campus and back and finding the right fit for students for that program. We just don't want to put anybody into that program because of the commitment that comes with it. The night school, the course work were very methodical about who we are putting in that program. This year, we had a couple students interested but he's the only one that like truly fit. Wanted to be a firefighter, had the ability for transportation because that late at night and on a Saturday, if for a few kids, busing is not an option. Mm hmm. At this point. So, we are working out the logistics this year, having one student completed because it's giving me a better idea as we watch the student go through this year. What things we haven't thought of yet. So, we can go through. Now, we're working through our career program, Zillow, that Oakland School provides already to start looking at students that may have been identified with an interest in public safety and firefighting and start talking to those kids to see if they might be interested doing it. but just like the PCT program, that one also has a GPA requirement for it as well just because of the commitment that comes with that program as well. Alright, thank you. Mister Sherman this whole program excites me as it always has. Um I am so proud of the work that you and the team have done. Miss Jackson, it is it's amazing and it excites me so much. It's because we are helping to prepare our students now for beyond high school. So many students get to the end of their senior year and then they're still saying, well, what do I want to do? Well, what's next? So, by Pontiac School District thoroughly to immerse every student that comes into our that enters high school to put them on a pathway to success. So, when they graduate high school, whether they're choosing two or four-year colleges, whether they're choosing skill skills trade, whether they're choosing employment, whether they're choosing military, we are equipping our students to be successful beyond high school. So, that's why I was saying, this is the district's special sauce. This our key to making sure that we are preparing our young students to be successful beyond high school. So, awesome job. Thank you so much for your commitment. Miss Jackson, thank you. We know how important Naf is in this work because without work-based learning experiences, they need that. They need the aware, they need to become aware of what their options are. They need to be exposed to it. So, these partnerships that you talked about with all of these companies, them coming into our schools to talk to our students about their career choices as well as inviting our students to their locations so that the students can see and feel themselves in that space to really get an idea of if this is of interest to them. So, I I totally appreciate the direction that we're going in as a school district and the working commitment of your team for this project. So, thank you again. Yeah, we goes hand in hand. you know, studies have shown that, you know, graduation rate is much higher if it's not completely CTE program. So, the gen ed side of the house in CTE hand in hand. Absolutely. So, thank you. Continue. I have one more. Okay. Okay. Thank you. As Doctor Devison comes, we are so excited. I see so many of the Rogers staff here under the direction of principal Ewing. We I want you to know Roger Staff. Um you know, I'm in the buildings. I'm visiting but we certainly appreciate your hard work and dedication to our students each and every day. You guys are great and so we're just looking forward to seeing your presentation this evening. Um I will turn it over to Doctor Devison who will give a overview as we look to going into the future of Pontiac School District So, we cannot do that without our littlest people at peace as well. So, these are two presentations. One from Peace Academy this evening and one from the Rogers Elementary, Doctor Devison. Good evening to our community, to the staff, and to the board. Happy board appreciation month. Um I wanted to just can continue to give a friendly reminder that our number one priority is our students and that we promise that we would present every school to you all. So, that is here our charge. Um wanted to let you all know that I will be presenting for peace as miss Nicole Harris had a small situation at home but hey, we're here and ready to serve. So, I'll start with peace who are our babies. So, Peace Academy has an enrollment for GSRP of 200 30 students and then we have the ECSE program with 41 students in the overall enrollment for Peace Academy is 271 students. The attendance as we talked about in our district, we're focusing on attendance. We're focusing on curriculum and instruction and we're focusing on our social, emotional, but as it relates to attendance, even at the small grades, we want to continue to focus on attendance and currently, the average for attendance at peace is 80%. They have a quite a few of illnesses this year. They had challenges with you all have been seeing on the news with RSV. Um handful them off stomach virus. Um our next steps is just sending out letters. We are working. We do have a district nurse. So we have been working with the district nurse to be proactive with getting information out before a season of a virus coming out. So we are have been working with them to make sure that we let families know prior to the incident occurring. Um just letting you know even at the little baby ages, we are still working on the My Kip Goals. So, we are increasing awareness at 10percent, increasing basic math skills by 10% and the base baseline data awareness is 2. which child observation records and then baseline for math is 2. 77 and again, this is all just relevant to preschool and the curriculum that they're doing with high school. Next slide and then they do have celebrations as it relates to book donations from the Daughters of the Republic which they had a 000 dollars. Every child received two books to take home. As we know, reading is just, it will get you through anything. Now, I'm I'm sure I didn't deliver the way that miss Harris would have delivered but I wanted to make sure that we brought Frost to the table and that we did not miss them and that we honored them. If you have any additional questions, miss Harris open and willing to answer any questions and you know right where she is. Um so then I want to be excited about, oh my goodness, do you all see the Roger Staff? Roger, stand up. We have miss Pina over there. We don't want to miss her but just you all, as we have been doing these presentations, staff have shown up but I want to say Rogers have shown up and showed out. So, good job. Um so, if you can come on up, I'm going to turn it over to miss Arley Ewing who is the building principal there who clearly has done a fabulous job with her staff. Good evening, Doctor Leverette and our Pontiac Board of Education and members. It is my pleasure to be here to celebrate Rogers and talk about all the wonderful things that we are doing. Now, as you see, we have our staff here because we know we can't do it without the staff. These these are the people who make it happen and I am so proud of them. So, I have two additional staff members who will be presenting with me. So, I'm going to ask them to come up at this time as well. Three, I'm sorry. Three additional staff members and I'm going to ask them to come up with me at this time. So, there's no in between our presentation and as they come forward, I like to say Rogers has approximately 251 students. Uh of that two and fifty-one, as you can see, ladies, come on out. We have miss And there's one more. This is our energy. Um other 251. As you can see, we have approximately 440 at each grade level, 30 to 40 at each grade level. We're running two sections of each grade level. Two at kindergarten, two at first, and so forth. Uh there's only one grade level that we're running one and a half at. As fourth grade, we're running a split section of fourth, a fifth grade, and I have to say, it has gone extremely well, extremely well. Um attendance. Let's talk about attendance for a minute. Our attendance Rogers has been averaging, I would say, 80 to 85% every day. With the exception of our half days. Then, we see a drop. Uh and we know we see a drop because parents have difficulty with transportation. If they miss the bus, it's very difficult for them to get here or if students don't have any claim outfits or clothing to put on, they find it very difficult to come to school. Uh so we have a very we have challenges and barriers that sometimes have a a huge impact on our student attendance. Uh especially on those half days. Financial struggles. Many of our parents are experiencing. And during those days we average generally between 60 and 65 students on those half days. However it doesn't mean we don't still encourage them on a daily basis to be there to the best of their ability. And whatever it requires to take to get them there. We do that. Next slide please. At this time, I don't know if we passed out our Phoenix Pride tickets but I want to show you our Phoenix Pride tickets. When I say we talk about and I think miss Q is going to pass mile. When I talk about we, go ahead and pass. When we talk about trying to get them there, on a daily basis, we celebrate them. We celebrate them by giving a Phoenix Pride tickets and saying, hey, today or any day, you are in the running for getting something specta whether it's a gift card or a cupcake. I don't care what it is. It's something that encourages them to want to be there every day and that's what we do. We have this drawing every day for our students and they love it. It's our encouragement to get them there and they really and the parents appreciate it as well. So, at this time, I'm going to turn it over to miss Crenshaw Brown who is going to talk about the My Kit program I believe which is up next on the next live. Okay. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good afternoon Today, I'll be going over our school, Rogers Elementary, My Kip Goal Updates. Michigan Integrated Continuous Improvement Program. Under the leadership of our wonderful principal, missus Ewen. Our dedicated teachers Have made a commitment to follow the curriculum with fidelity. As you can see posted. We have included our reading and writing goals along with our math goals. Utilizing wit and wisdom and phonics first, we are covering phonemic awareness phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Our dedicated students and also our dedicated teachers provide explicit and systematic instruction on a daily basis. What does that look like? Well, we are engaging our children with socratic seminars and think, pair, share. Those activities are provided our children an opportunity to be successful in today's society. Also do small guided reading groups where we are meeting all of our children's at their reading levels to show growth. In addition to that, we are utilizing the iReady. The iReady provides each and everyone of our children. A personalized, individualized instructional path. Now, let's take a look at our math goals. Once again, our dedicated provide explicit and systematic instruction utilizing our everyday mathematics curriculum. And once again, we encourage fun and engagement with all of our children. On Fridays, our children are utilizing the everyday mathematic games online and also utilizing the iReady Math Learning Games. They are enforcing the mathematical concepts that once again are dedicated Rogers Elementary teachers have provided to all of our children. Systematic and explicit instruction. Under the leadership of our wonderful principal, missus Ewen. Good. Well, it's hard to follow my good friend. This is Crenshaw Brown. Well, we are we are the silly ones in our school. We are, we bring all the excitement. We bring all the kids to school and we do it so well sometimes. Yes, we do. So, go ahead, missus Francis. And and you, if you want to know how do we celebrate all the dedicated staff and children at our school. Well, we have so many wonderful sponsors such as Zap Zone, Panda Express, Hungry Howie's. I mean, these people donate to our school so we can make our school fun and reward their the children for the core values that they exhibit every day like integrity, hard work, perseverance, perfect attendance. Yeah. Um can we go to the next slide please? Well, we have spirit week. I mean, we celebrate everything. Um all of us have a a lion sweatshirt, T shirt. I mean, anyhow you had to buy one. Came to school and I mean, for real. They, you tell em, everybody had it on. It is, it doesn't matter if they're the Tigers, it doesn't matter what we're doing in the community, we are wearing it. It's nobody really, I mean, it includes everybody and the parents, anything we ask them at Rogers, they do. Um I think they do it because they love us. They do. Our students, our students love us. I'm not even kidding. We all get along and anything we ask them, they do. But anyway, about attendance. I am the tendest person and so I just come every other morning and I say, hey, mister Salant, what today is? What today is, mister Salette? Perfect attendance day and I tell the kids, you to be here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. I don't even tell em Friday because they coming on Friday because you know what we going to do? We going to mess up mister Celeste Gym. Yes, we are and he's going to fuss about it and we don't put back all that stuff. So, one week, we may play with all the materials and then another week, we make dance party and then missus Francis want to bring a karaoke machine. That gets crazy. So, we we just brainstorm everything. We all meet together in my room every other week with a DHS worker. He has resources. I mean, we just trying not to make it stale for them not to come to school. And it's really sad sometimes maybe out of your whole classroom, you have two and they look so disappointed. But we don't make them suffer. We don't, it's not their fault. They don't drive. So, they're not left there to do something you know, they're not being punished for it. So, everybody gets a chance to participate and and things don't have to cost money. These things we do for fun, I mean, and it's doesn't cost the district, doesn't cost us a penny. Just deciding if you come every day, we're going to have pajama day today and it just, it just even on a half day, we have to beg miss Ewing for that though. But man does do pajamas bring him to school. They do. That's their favorite. Um I think we have one more slide. And and oh you know that's just a perfect attendance. Just a picture of that. But you know what we do and our whole staff, you guys can shout out because I couldn't write them down because I would've cheated a little bit on the slides but we did not. So, these are some of the things that we have when we all show up. We show up to math night. We show up to finest night. We show up to bingo. We showed up donuts with that. Go ahead and shout it out. Go, guys. What else we have? With mom. Muffins with mom. Yeah. Yup. Anything we have at your school, we are there. Yup. It's we support each other. That's right. Yeah. And the kids you see in the pictures, these kids represent 0 days missed since from the beginning until. Yeah. December. Yup. Yeah. So, after miss Grenshaw Brown and miss Joanne, thank you but we are the silly ones and we make everybody come to school. Okay, here you go, mister. Thank you for having us. Yes. Thank you for inviting Rogers. This is Rogers Elementary and again, we love our students. We love our staff and you could tell by the staff members are here. We do believe it takes the community. We do believe it takes every each and every one of us as well as our community that surrounds us. So, thank you. Thank you I would like to thank them for their commitment and for their presentation and at the end, I know that we've had a lot of fun and we talked about a lot of good exciting things but we want to hopefully at the end of this year, be able to show those results that match what we have been talking about by focusing on attendance, academic, social, and emotional. So, I'm so hopeful that at the end of this year, we'll be able to come back with data, with numbers stating that all of the things that they talked about academics, being teaching with fidelity that all of those things will show results. So, that's my hope and that is our prayer. So, thank you so much for tonight. Thank you. Thank you, Doctor Devison. Thank you to Roger Staff and thank you for that presentation. It was absolutely wonderful and it is just a true indication when we talk about collaboration, when we talk about teamwork, when we talk about what's important for kids, you are providing all of those things. So, we again look forward to a future presentation coming from you all later this year. With that being said, we would like to transit, transition, excuse me, to discussion and action. Um Bill Hokelman attorney Seagers around the bus invoice from first student. This is the EV bus purchase from first student, excuse me, Bill. Okay. Thank you Doctor Leverette. Good evening, Doctor Hannah, Trustees. Welcome our new trustees and in our old trustees. Um what we brought before you tonight is for discussion and action is an invoice from first student or transportation partner. Um some of you for the new trustees in in twenty 22 we applied for and we're we're awarded a grant from the EPA roughly nine and a half million dollars for transitioning to electric buses from diesel buses. So, this is in regards to those buses. Read this. Uh the school district of the city of Pontiac was awarded a rebate from the EPA Clean School Bus Program for 25 electric buses and infrastructure in fall of twenty twenty-two. In the amount of nine million eight $875, 000, Of that money, eight million six hundred seventy-nine thousand three hundred and. Wow. 16, sorry, of those dollars were to purchase new buses. Um, our transportation partner for Student Incorporated, using their National Buying Power, purchased the buses that met the district's requirements, and has held them during the production phase. Buses are now ready to be to be, filled and begin the commissioning phase as district assets. So, this means they're done in production. They still need to come into the district and be Pontiac ized. Uh so, labeling put on them, gate arms put on them, cameras put on them, recording devices inside the buses. Still a lot of work that we have to do to the buses before they're they're ready to go out. Uh but we now have them in the area and can begin that work. Um Uh this requires the district to take ownership and pay off the invoice from first student. So, they outlaid the the eight 6 million dollars when we order the buses and now they're ready to get their money back. Uh additionally, the purchase and decommissioning of 25 internal combustion engine buses as part of that. So, we have to turn in old buses and get them off of the road. That's part of the EPA requirements. Um but the buses. So, that's what we're we're looking at doing. So, it is the recommendation of the administration that the Board of Education approved the attached bus transfer agreement for the purchase of 25 EV buses from First Student Incorporated in the amount of eight million six hundred seventy-nine thousand three hundred sixteen dollars. Additionally, $65, 000 to purchase 25 internal combustion engine buses to be decommissioned for EPA requirements for a grand total of 8 million 740 4, 316. Questions. Yes. Trustees, we have, yes, Secretary David Smith. So, have we started putting up the charging stations for the buses? No. Uh the charging stations won't begin in in getting in place until the buses are on site. Uh so, we're working with First Student DTE and a couple of other suppliers. Um to start laying that out. At this point in time, we won't start actually putting in the Chargers until the spring until the frost laws open back up in Michigan. Uh so that we can drill into the ground. So it they they will be located at the Fell Center as well. Uh currently, they'll be located at the bus transfer company on their lot to do the rest of the work that has to be done. That will take a couple of months to do that. So. So, it's based out. It's a Navastar facility based out in Rochester Hills. So, does those buses have like because I didn't get a chance to see em. Do they have like like the GP S's and stuff like that like that. Yes. They do. Yup. Wow. Yeah, they have the bells and whistles part of it. They they have USB charging ports inside of them. So, students can charge their phones on the way to work or their laptops or their Chromebooks. Um they have Kajit wireless routers inside of the buses so they can attach the internet while they're on the bus and do their homework. Hopefully, their homework. Uh to and from school. So, so for for me where I work We have tablets and those tablets show our parents exactly where we at when we drop em off and things like that. So, is that already on that those buses or? Uh that's an application that first student rolls out and they're rolling it out this spring where we're testing it right now on some of the buses. Thank you. Mm hmm. Okay. Trustee Gross. Thank you. Good evening, sir. Good evening, sir. Thank you and and I I really appreciate the information you've been given us and what we've done to get these. My question is the responsibility of maintenance of the buses is held by the whatever company we have that the buses are. leased to. Correct. The contract that contractor. That's correct. I've been hearing a lot of different things out as it pertains to electric vehicles, as it pertains to mostly in cars and SUVs with recalls and things that are going on. Uh, we pretty set on as far as a warranty to ensure that if there's some concerns or issues with our buses, things will be taken care of. If there's recalls, things will be taken care of and replaced, and, and where we are to, as we're looking at quite few buses now because I think we start off. We have, we have some online now, right? Uh we have 25 of the initial buses coming in and then the second set is 15. Second set is 15. So, total of four. It's 40 buses. Uh huh. So, we want to make sure where we are as it pertains to maintenance and warranties and because they guaranteed us some some specific things such as the savings and the gas and and because maintenance less when it comes to electrical buses compared to the diesel buses right. So, the warranties are in place. Yes. Um as a as a general guideline in Ice, in internal combustion engine bus has about 3200 moving parts. The electric bus has somewhere around 400. So, the the maintenance cost of these are a lot less than than an traditional bus. And the because Pontiac is is not a Healy or Whitfield without of heels mainly flat here. Uh huh. Uh as far as the charging goes and that was a good question far as the charging I mean the charging stations put in because of the more of the buses that we're getting. Um the majority of the charging stations will be at the Fell Center. They'll be at the I'll I'll just say the Transportation Depot wherever that may be. Whereby Transportation Depot is. Okay perfect. And you know I I so if I can add one comment, when we started down this path with the buses, they were to be owned by first student. That's correct. Company. I remember. What this transaction allows is for the district to own the buses. Own the buses. They'll be titled under the district which allows us to subsequent subsequently to us submitting to the grant. There was some IRS moneys that became available through the inflation reduction act that now we can apply for that money. Uh it's roughly $1. 2 million dollars. That's perfect. My last question is it pertains to the cleanliness of the I know one time we discussed some months ago maybe a year ago so that we initially at one time had a bus scene car wash that we use. Um where we with that because and then how does that affect electric electric buses it is all sealed within the within the buses so when unless and and I won't lie about it I mean if if the bus is submerged in water there's concerns correct we've seen that in Florida and and New Orleans you know hopefully that something that we don't have to deal with. Uh well and we have a lot of snow that hits on these buses too when they're idled. Yeah, the snow, the snow is not, that's fine. Not really. But where are we as far as do we implement that? So there was there was previously at the Fell Center a bus garage. That's correct. Um to bring that facility back online was around $2 million dollars. I remember. So, we looked at a company that stationed next to the high school. It's called Fleet Depot. Um. I heard of that they have washing facilities there that we've arranged that we can take the buses up there when they need to be washed. For a nominal fee. Excellent. Guys, that was my concern because we still want to look good. Yup. Absolutely. Alright, especially with these new buses, man. We'll make sure they're taken care of and cleanliness. This is next to. Thank you. Thank you, mister. Sir, thank you, sir. Yes, sir. Alright, thank you. VP Bowman, had a question. Just a quick question. Now, I know some sometimes in the cold, electric vehicles have issues starting or have we had any issues with any, well, it hasn't been that cold but do we foresee any issues with? No. So, all of our buses. Um although they are electric and certified 100% electric, there is a supplemental gas tank on them for the heater. So, it takes a couple of gallons of gas that will help fire up the heater so it's not completely reliant on the electrical in draining the batteries. That's smart. Thank you very much because there were some concerns about our buses not starting and us not getting our children to schools because of things. So, I just wanted to get that up. Thank you. That would be biggest concern during the winter. Pardon. That would be the biggest concern and during the winter on draining the batteries is the heat. So, that's why we did the supplemental gas tanks on them. Good. Do we have any? Yes. Treasurer Miller. Trustee Miller. I have a question about the the allocated funds. So, for my calculation and I could be wrong. Is there a plan to distribute the 1 million $130 dollars and sixty-four six hundred eighty-one, 1 million, 130 six hundred eighty dollars that's left in the grant. Okay. So, the buses are paid for. So, that's already been allocated. Okay. Uh we've spent that on charging the chargers, the charges for the district are already in the district. We purchased those last year. Um we'll just be installing them in the springtime. Good. Good. Alright, good. Treasure Terry, did you have anything? Good. Okay. Any other questions? Good. No. Alright. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um we will let's go ahead and do the service contract and I know miss Trustee Dooley, you got a question. I want to revisit the Rogers presentation. Yes. Okay. You guys should. That's what you mean. No, we're going to go ahead and do the, you have one more service contract. Service contract for zero eyes. Doctor Laverette. Yes. Thank you. This is for discussion and action. The service contract for Zero Eyes, background rationale, Pontiac School District Administration is looking to renew our weapons detection services for the twenty-four, twentyfive, twenty-5, twenty-six, and twenty-six twenty-seven school year at $99, 840 dollars a year for a total of 299 thousand five hundred twenty for three years. If grant funds are no longer available in future years due to the funding sources no longer being awarded or nor the grant funds are obtainable. We are able to either opt out of future year services or review other funding sources for continuation. And the funding sources there we have a section ninety-seven student safety grant as well as section 31 AA Mental Health Safety Grant. Um it is the recommendation of administration that the Board of Education approved a purchase with Eyes incorporated in an amount not to exceed 2 hundred ninety-nine 520 excuse me and I have Chief Gross here to answer any questions you may have or as we know we've had zero eyes in the district for a number of years so if you have any questions for to to for chief or bill that they can help answer or facilitate at this time. Any question? Yes. Trustee Miller. Thank you guys for coming. I have a question. Um so, Zero Eyes is basically when you walk into the high school, you go into the mail detector, is that what that is? No. What is that? Okay. Zeroize is an early weapon detection system. It's attached to all the cameras throughout the the school district and when anybody walks in an area with a weapon, it identifies that weapon. Whether it's it can determine difference between toy gun real weapon and what it does, we get notified myself sheriff department. Yes. Uh Bill Holcomb and a couple of other people getting notified and sheriff department dispatch gets notified and we respond and make the proper calls to do so but it identifies a weapon when it's drawn and it you'll get a picture and by text or or Email or whatever comes in and it'll put a square and identify and weapon. Uh we've had about Uh I can't tell you how many cars we've had but yeah, it's it happens a lot but it's not real weapons that have been detected because it'll differentiate between that a real weapon and a toy gun. Sheriff Department wants to get all the calls anyways. So, they get em and then they put it in there information system but it works because we did a testing was it last year Bill? And we went throughout the school district and we'll go to certain areas of a building and guys that have weapons drawn and boom we got all the notifications. So it helps us be proactive and I identifying any weapon that may come into the school and the sheriff department and we're notified right away. Thank you for that. I do have a follow-up question. Now, I understand that this has been in the facilities for two years, you say, correct? Mm hmm. How often do they upgrade the software? Do with with how do how they integrate that with with things that are new and upcoming. So, has it been updated through that company? It it's constant. Okay. We're in touch with them. Uh we had meetings monthly or by monthly or something with the the makers of program. So, we're we're constantly updating. We meet with Zeroize, representatives. We meet with the sheriff department. Everyone else that may be involved. Alright, thank you. Okay. Any other questions on the side? Any questions? Let's go. No. Thank you. Um and and I'm glad you said that because this is something that it allows immediate response and it's used throughout a lot of school districts. Uh huh. Um we've had it and I think it's a. I think there's no limitation on safety for our children and again, I'm not trying to lobby for votes but safety to me is more important than anything except educating. Including sports, athletics, and this is something that allows us to have immediate response And I think this is a good thing. And we talked about this before because the immediate response to the sheriff department. Immediate response. And then we would have officers here immediately if they if there is a weapon here outside of what we already hear have with Chief and his group as well as our SROs So, I appreciate you bringing this back for another approval but I think we need to continue to look out. This is helping us safety wise and and that there's anything else that we may need to ensure that our kids are safe. Bring it to this board and and let us decide or determine whether or not, you know, it's not necessary or not but I think it's something we should always have to take a look at because things are ever changing as it pertains to safety within this world, not just in Pontiac Mm hmm. And we see that and we remember when Pontiac was the first district to put in metal detectors and we were talked about, ridiculed. Yes, we were. We were. We were called prisons and we send our kids to prisons but now, we're getting districts to ask, how did you do that? So, things are ever changing and I think this is something that I think every school district in America is going to continue to adopt and have and I'm glad Pontiac is on it. So, I just I just want to make that statement. I appreciate chief and Sergeant James and everyone for bringing this information to us because listen Kids gotta be safe here. You can't teach them if they're not here. And that's the key. So I think safety is is in top and thank you. And you know we we always I said we have to be proactive. Um we have to stay ahead. Yeah. Of what these folks are doing out here. Because they're planning on doing things and you can't be reactive in your response. You have to be ahead and whatever. Um things that you can use to help us continue to make this school district safe. I was the one that brought in the first metal detectors back in recreated some. Yes. But we did get all the headaches and backlash back then. Uh so, you know, I'm we're we're thankful for your support. Um Bill is a big part of this. Mister Holcomb in helping us get this program started. So, thank you for your support. Thank you. Alright, thank you very much. Before we move down to our action items for approval of the EV bus purchase and the service contract, Trustee Dooley had a question for our curriculums and instruction. Going back to that presentation, you it was a blanket, blanket statement made, increased by 10%. So, my question is, did you do baseline data for every student? Are there any learning cycles in place to check. We don't want to get to the end of the year and we have not did any intervention. Also, I like the daddy with donuts, muffins for mom, and graham crackers with the grandparents but how has this affected behavior? Has this your PBS? Has this decreased your referrals, suspensions? How how is this interrelated to academics but I'm really concerned about that baseline data done on every student. the learning cycles, and what are we, when we talk about that increasement, have we used district assessments or are we used our teachers working in silo or are we using state? So, so again, you gave me a blanket statement. We increased by 10%. 10% how, where, when? So, that is a heavy question but I want to go go through the process. So, what we have started this year was called performance management. Um and we meet with the staff. So far, we've done three meetings and they present to us and you are more than welcome. We can get you the schedule for the performance management. So, at the Performance Management, we look at data. So, we look at NWA results. We look at IReady results. We look at attendance results. So, the next meeting that we have is on January 16th that will be here in the building and then we have another one on January twenty-third. So, like I said, as it relates to performance management, we look at all of our district data and make decisions about any data that we're doing within the district. Like I said, attendance, iReady, NWA, and then as it relates to so we meet five times a year as it relates to that data and the baseline data, you're right. We looked at the baseline data for individual student. Yes, ma'am. And then we still are running. So, just as a I guess note, we we went reinstituted the blue and with the reinstitution of the blueprint, we are looking at the PLCs and so the schools have PLCs where they look at individualized student data and they make decisions about that. Now, is it a perfect system? Absolutely not but we have definitely reinstituted each building is doing a professional learning community and district wide, we're looking at data to the performance management but as it relates to the individual building as it related to, there was not blanket statement but I will let miss not miss Rogers, miss Ewing, talk about what was she specifically talking about and how they increase that information. I think the 10% blanket you were talking about was what one of the slides that piece had up. As we talk about Sue to Growth, we look at student growth based on where they are as we assess them from the from the beginning and then we look at how they grow their student growth over periods of time where we assess it. And we hope we improve it basically through their PLCs, through their small group instruction, through their interventions, and things of that nature. So, we're constantly assessing, trying to see where they are and if the growth is taking place. So, you already have your mid-year report since this is January and we started it. We are in the process of taking it already. As we speak, it started today to see exactly where they are in terms of the growth from September to right now but we have other assess data whether it's a quarterly assessment data or anything of that nature that we're using to determine how much growth is taking place. So, I guess my my question is, if I was a parent and I wanted to know how little miss Jennifer Dooley was doing, I could tell you, how are you going to tell me if you're not and clarify my I want I'm I'm trying to get you to clarify so I can my thinking. If you're talking in generalities. I need baseline data for each individual student. Where are we going? I can tell you. I can tell you based on what your child specifically is doing. So, so for the district, every student would have. Has to be. It has to be because it doesn't it doesn't do me any good for you to say generality to terms of everyone. I need to tell you exactly where your child is and how your child is growing or not growing and what we need to put in place to help your child grow. Okay, the other thing and where are your checkpoints to check this data? So, little Jennifer needs some help and the testing. How how how are you going to not let Jennifer get midyear and realize that Jennifer can't count? And then at the end of the year. So we doing interventions. We're also doing progress monitoring. So if you go to each building as we stated you're doing the professional learning communities. And in those professional learning communities. So each individual teacher. So is Miss Morris Francis. You can come in. Each one of the teachers can specifically say what they're doing in their professional and community for each student. I'm sorry. But Imma come to you. Am I doing a progress report to show you three to four weeks where your child is and what they need to focus on? Yes, that is taking place. Thank and you good. Cuz we can. That's what I just told her. I would I I will attend one of those meetings just because having been a teacher and knowing about PLC and knowing about what we do in the classroom. I would have more extensive questions. No. Thank you. Absolutely. And we welcome it. Yes. Go. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Alright, action item 3 under our information from the superintendent administration. Can I get a motion for the approval of EV bus purchases from first student? So move. Support. It's been moved by VP Bowman, supported by Treasurer Terry for the approval of the EV bus purchase from her students. Any questions? Roll call. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. VP Bowman? Trusty Dooley. Yes. And Trusty Gross. Yes. That pass is 7 off. Alright, thank you. Can I get a motion for the approval of the service contract with Zero Eyes Inc. So move, support. It's been moved by Trustee Grow supported by Treasurer Terry for the approval of the service contract Zero Eyes Inc. Any questions? Roll call please. Trustee Miller. Yes. Treasurer Terry. Yes. Bowman. Yes, I'm voting yes Trustee Dooley. Trustee Gross. Yes. President Hannah. Yes. That passes seven oh. Alright. Thank you very much. Moving down the agenda to our regular working agenda under Board of Education. Item for discussion. And action and then we also added item B under discussion and so we'll have an action item B as well. Action for discussion A, OCSBA, GRC appointment. Each year, we ask every member, district, member, district, board of education to appoint a trustee to OCSBA's government relations committee. The appointed trustee will be asked to attend GRC meetings, serve as your board contact for legislative communications, and share the information with your board. Dr. Anisha Hanna would like to be appointed to serve on the OCSBAGRC board to represent the Pontiac School District. Questions, comments trustee Hannah, we have discussed this and I think you would be excellent in representing the board because you have a desire to do it and anytime a person has a desire to do something, it will come out better. So, I certainly will make that motion. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that but. What? Yeah, I wanted to just give a comment. So, when we were at our MASB meeting, we talked, they shared with us that this there was no representation from Pontiac. Right. For our government relations committee So, because we've asked each of our trustees to identify a committee to serve on and I'm not sitting on any of our the committees that we have which is finance, school improvement, as well as our policies committee. So, I did say that because there was no representation that I would gladly sit on this committee. I did receive an Email from Trustee Miller just this weekend expressing her interest to also be a part of this board. I believe you can have a delegate. So, there can be more than one person that sits on this board. So, I just need to confirm whether how long or if you have to wait until after you've completed all of your courses to be considered for that board, for that position too. So, with that being said, we'll wait before we do the approval so that we can go ahead to to item B but are there any more comments or questions regarding the discussion we have not had representation in the past and this is something good that we can start and continue. Uh huh. Because it's part of it's open school, Oakland County. So. Yes. Yes. That's correct. Alright, thank you. Alright, the next item on our agenda which was added was for, you have it, for the separation agreement with Kelly Williams. VP Bowman, you want to read it? Background rationale. The school district of the city of Pontiac superintendents Kelly William has announced her retirement effective June 30th 2025. In that regard, she will serve as a consultant to the interim superintendent, Doctor Kimberly Laverette until June 30th The attack separation agreement governs her future employment with the district as well as the term of the separation from the district. It is recommended that the administration that the Board of Education approved the attached separation agreement with Kelly Williams. Correct. Comments from the board. Comets. I'll just, I'll add that superintendent Kelly Williams. She has been the district's longest tenured superintendent at the Pontiac School District has had. So, we hearing that she is eligible for retirement and she is going to move forward with her retirement effective June of twenty twenty-five. Um she has done a of great things for the school district. She has stuck with the school district through the ups and the downs and so for that, I think she should be celebrated. I think her commitment to the school district as well as her commitment and dedication to these students and her staff should be commended and so, I just wanted to make sure that we we are aware of that and we we remember those things, the sacrifices that she has made for the school district and so as she submits her retirement to the school district that we take it we take it seriously and we again thank her for for everything that she has done. Um Thank her for everything that she has done. Just being committed and dedicated to this district despite everything. So, just wanted to put that in there. Is there any other questions or comments, statements? No. Alright. So, we'll go to action items for first, we'll start with the action item for the approval of the OCSBA, GRC appointment. Can I get a motion? Support? It's been moved by Trustee Dooley and supported by VP Bowman for the approval of the OCSBA, GRC appointment. Any questions? Roll call. Terry? Yes. VP Bowman? Yes. I'm voting yes. Trustee Dooley? Yes. Trustee Gross? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. That passes seven oh. Okay. Yeah, I I think I should have abstained. You said you're voting? I'll resend my vote. Oh. Oh. I don't know. But but you can vote for me. You can vote for yourself. Yeah. In this situation. Oh you can vote for her. Okay. Well, my yes. Okay. Is yes. My yes. That's right. Thank you. You do both of yourself to be part of myself. Alright. Next action item would be for the approval of the separation agreement with Kelly Williams. Can I get a motion Support. It's been moved by Trustee Gross and supported by VP Bowman for the approval of the separation agreement with Kelly Williams. Any other questions? Comments. Alright, roll call please. Vp Bowman. Yes. I'm voting yes. Trustee Dooley. Upstate. Uh chicken of steak. Okay. And sorry. Trustee Gross? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. And Treasurer Terry? Yes. That passes. So when I do six oh. Six oh. It still would be Okay. Alright. Thank you very much. Continuing down our agenda, General Council, Human Resource Items. We've added for discussion and approval, employee Kern versus the Pontiac School District, Attorney Seagers, The Meeting is yours. Yes, it's the reinstatement of of an employee number Z E zero two zero seven one eight. Uh the the decision to reinstate the employee is a result of a mutually agreed resolution between the district and the employee following her separation from district on April 4th, 20 twenty-four for an alleged violation of a board policy. After extensive discussions and a careful review of the circumstances surrounding determination, the district believes the reinstatement is a fair and constructive resolution to this matter. The employee had filed a claim of appeal with the teacher tenure commission challenging her termination as part of the agreement. The employee has agreed to withdraw and dismiss her appeal with prejudice. This eliminates any ongoing legal conflict and prevents further intensive litigation for both parties. The employee will be reassigned to a first grade teaching position at Elcot Elementary. This reassignment provides an opportunity for the employee to resume her teaching duties in a manner that aligns with the district's needs while ensuring compliance with all district policies moving forward. The district will provide the employee with back pay for a period from April 4th of 20twenty-four through January 13th 2025. Totaling sixty-six thousand six hundred and forty-2 dollars and forty-2 cents. This payment reflect the district's recognition of the agreement and is intended to address any financial implications resulting from the resolution. The reinstatement reflects the district's commitment to equitable dispute, resolution, while maintaining its standards for professional conduct and adherence to board policies. The decision is made in the best interest of the district, its students, and the broader educational community. It is a recommendation of administration that the Board of Education approved the reinstatement of. Employee E zero2 zero seven one 8 to the first grade position at Elkhart Elementary and the payment of back pay and the amount of sixty6 thousand six hundred 42 dollars and forty-two cents to resolve this matter. Thank you. Any questions? Yes. Okay. Upon if approved, this is employee starts back immediately. Yes, thank you. Alright, can I get a motion for the approval of the reinstatement of employee? Support. It's been moved by Trustee Dooley, supported by VP Bowman for the reinstatement of the employee. Any questions? Roll call please. I'm voting yes. Trustee Dooley? Yes. Trustee Grove? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. VP Bowman? Yes. That passes seven off. Alright you very much. Moving down to curriculum and instruction, Doctor Levert, the meeting is yours. Thank you, Doctor Hannah. At this time, I will turn it over to Ashley for discussion and action of the metro EHS Pediatric Therapy. Ashley. Good evening. Um we bring forth this contract to meet the speech and language needs of our early childhood special education students as mandated by their IEP goals and objectives. Due to the national shortage of special education staff, especially in-person ancillary staff, namely in this situation, speech and language pathologist. It has been a challenge to fill the speech and languages, speech and language positions with on-site in-person speech and language pathologist to service the needs of our special education students, Metro EHS will provide students with weekly speech like sessions by in-person speech pathologist at their four Oakland County locations. The students will attend the sessions weekly for their scheduled date and time at the designated location for the therapy sessions to meet the students' needs and IEP goals. Objectives and district compliance. Metro EHS will provide speech and language service to about fifty-five early childhood students during the second semester. Um via a team of licensed and credential speech and language Metro EHS staff members. It is a recommendation of administration that the of education approved the attached contract and the amount not to exceed $65, 000. Thank you. Four trustees. Yes. Questions, trustee growth. Um if approved how soon will we be able to get information pertaining to any results of what we're doing and if it if they're successful and I know it's needed and this has been asked for quite some time and and just I don't want that now. I just want to you know you don't have to come up doc. We're good. I just want to make sure that at some point in time within this school year prior to the end, that we get an update on how we're doing. Is that good? That's all. That's what I'm asking. Yeah, thanks. Cuz I I know you've been talking about this for quite some time. And it's it. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Doc. Any other questions? Alright, no other questions. Moving down to action items. I get a motion for the approval of the Metro PHS. Support. It's been moved by Trustee Growth supported by BP Bowman for the approval of the Metro EHS Pediatric Therapy Contract. Any questions? Roll call please. Trusty Dewey. Yes. Trusty Gross? Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Treasurer Terry? Yes. VP Bowman? Yes. And I'm voting as seven out of that pencil. Alright, thank you very much. Alright. Now, as we move down to the last portion, do we have any communications, petitions, and delegations? There are none. Alright, thank you very much Now, we'll start and go around with our board comments and any announcements, I'm going to start to my left with Trustee Dooley. I'd like to thank everyone. I had a couple of people that I failed to mention and I would be remiss if I did not say thank you to my pastor, bishop Murphy Junior at New Mount Moriah and Great Ebenezer Ministries. I also want to they've left already but my cousin Elaine, Gloria Thomas, the wife of the late President Judge Preston Thomas. Mm hmm. Uh I want two people that are still here. special to me, my niece Delicia and Kim Harper, a former teacher here. I'm her son's godma but I want to say, I look forward to working with the district. I believe we will move this district ahead as we work together bringing all educational stakeholders to the table. With that, I say have a great evening. Godspeed. Thank you. Trustee Gross. Thank you. I'll be brief. I think half of this room don't believe that. Uh no, I will. What a great night and I'm so glad to be with my two colleagues who were sworn in this evening and congratulations to you and I wanted to say that publicly. And and I know you guys may have received this already. I just checked my mailbox. Um but I want to thank Senator Jeremy Moss for sending me a card and congratulating me and my good friend, Congresswoman Hayley Stevens for sending me a card. So, hey, congratulations. So, I had the opportunity on Saturday to be part of her to witness her swearing in at Wall Lake Western High School. I was invited to be a part of that and so, I thank her for that and we as she stated and I always said here, we're moving forward and we got some good things coming this year and so, I wanted to make sure that this board, the staff, our students in this community, know that although we I have 6 years here, it's my dedication to do the best I can within these six years. And that's always been me. Um I said I wasn't going to say anything. Okay, I will. But I need to say this. My my commitment goes beyond as it was stated beyond a smiling face, a pat on the back, It goes beyond that. My commitment I've been a part of this district my entire life and I don't want to give the years because I just celebrated a birthday and being a member of the actually born and raised here attending every Pontiac school from K through twelve. And moving on to a Michigan College. Michigan State College. Net go white. To come back and to be part of four different elections completing 12 years of service and when you get there, they owe me a plaque. Okay. Cuz they said 12 years, they give you one. So, I'm waiting on that but to also come back and and for another 6 years. And upon completion, that would be 18 years of service here. And it goes beyond just a as it was stated in this letter that I'm just a face and patent people on the back and and my commitment is selfishness and and things like that and so that's a hurtful statement to me and I won't go into any details. You guys have the letters which I didn't get because they were talking about me. Um but I wanted to inform those people who were part of this anonymous letter thing that if you really want to know what Trustee Kevin Gross is really about. Ask me. Ask my friends and my family that are here today. I do what I do because of the love I have for this district and my children And you. I'm not going to allow this to affect my attitude and my mood because in this letter, you are wrong. You're very wrong. Very wrong. Very wrong. The intent was to not give me a copy of it because you want to call separation. We have two brand-new board members here who I'm just getting to know. They got the letter and they're reading it and it talks about all this **** And he talks about someone who's not here. So, I don't even understand that part of it. But I need for you to know and I need this board to know. If and there's some things written in this that shows that they're getting information from someone who knows. Cuz they put it in this letter. But I want to say to this board and I've already said this to our board chair. My commitment is for peace, harmony, and hard work and dedication with us all. And we can only do that if we work together. So, you read this letter and you accept what's being said and the intent is to call separation. But if you have an issue with me, call me. Let's break bread and let's talk about it. Because this means quite a bit to me. And I'm also asking and I'll I'll quit and I'm asking that upon completion of this meeting, I would like to meet with the president and the superintendent if I can for about 5 minutes. Sure. Thank you. Alright, thank you. I understand. Trustee Miller. Watch this. About 30 seconds. I ain't going to take the whole five minutes like trusty girl said. But on a serious note, thank you everyone. Thank you to the board. Thank you to the citizens of Pontiac that chose me to represent to represent this district. You know, to represent what's what's best for their students, their grand student, grand students. Jesus, take the wheel. Their grand kids, whatever capacity you guys put your trust in me and I'm I am humbled. I will remain humble for the next six years by this opportunity and I plan on using it to the right thing. Absolutely. Okay? And that's that's that's just keeping it for real. Ain't no secret. Everybody who looked me up. No, I'm not from Pontiac. I'm from Detroit, okay? I'm seven mile. I'm seven-mile girl, west side. I've been, I've been in Pontiac so obviously, let me clear everything up for you. I've been in Pontiac 12 years. I have a student at Pontiac High School. So, my dedication is going to be from what I see as a parentals, from a parental standpoint. In addition to, from what I've experienced or what can benefit this district from a fresh set of eyes because that's what I am. I didn't go to Pontiac schools. I went to Renaissance High School in Detroit, Michigan. Shout out here, Phoenix. Um so I come with a fresh set of eyes and I plan on using those eyes to unobjectively look at things from a different perspective. Thank you to everyone. I look forward to working with everyone and let's let's get it done for twenty twenty-five. Let's do it. Oh wait. I got one more thing. I'm sorry. I I went on the I would like to there were because I am from here. You know a lot of people don't know me. There but there were some people that really like stood behind me and like uplifted me and was like yo you know what? You can do this. Um A lot of people don't even live in this district but I they know who they are and I appreciate their support and I appreciate them leading me and guiding me and telling me that I can I can make this step. Um my sister, Shannon Grodo was here to give me my oath of office. I appreciate her. She know I love her to death. Uh Al was here to support me. He know I love him to death. Thank you so much for being here. I ain't got a huge circle like everybody else. My circle is small but you know what they know I love them and I know they love me so I appreciate that. Alright, thank you very much. Secretary Davis Smith, happy New Year everyone. Um I just want to say that I love the CTE program presentation. It was great. Thank you. Peace and Rogers for their presentation and I was excited about that. I thought that was cute. So, I don't get to Rogers very often. So, let me know next time you guys are doing muffins or cupcakes or whatever. I'll donate. Just give me a week ahead because I, you know, I'm not in the bakery. So I wanted to donate that to you guys because I I go to peace often and and donate my time and stuff. So, Also, to my new board members, welcome and we all are the previous board. We were like a family. We argue, fight, love each other, have a good time, and we're adults so we can agree in a gracious way. So, I'm here to help you you ladies and also Trusty Gross will help us along the way because he's our senior board member but we're here for the same reason and that's just to make make sure that our district move forward for our our youth and also to support our staff and our teachers and and you know, in administration. So, Um I'm sad to hear about the letter. I didn't read it or whatever but I know that mister Gross as is always been here for the right reason and that's for our children, our youth. He's Uh everybody knows him because he's been he's been here for the kids and so I don't want you ladies to think of nothing negative. Um we have always tried to be positive in everything that we do. We do for the right reasons especially the these my trustees that's on this board right now and we we're all in here for this fight. So, I'm here for y'all. Y'all can call me, text me. Anytime I'm up pretty early. So, five o'clock. So, it gets started with parents and teachers and things like that. So, I just want to thank everybody again and again, like I said, it it takes everyone for us to be great and it starts from the top and we're the top of the the chain for our district. So, we're going to remain positive and this is going to be a great year and I'm here for whoever. Um teachers, buses, food service, you know, I hear people saying, oh you're somebody. We are somebody. I'm just a vote. I actually work for you guys and that's that's what I want everybody to say. Thank you for my gifts. I really appreciate it because really we need to be gifting you guys because you guys are the ones doing the hard work. You the ones who's going in there early in the morning, washing clothes for our babies who don't have em. Um making sure that they're eating right and things of that nature. I mean, it's I know that you guys do go beyond the call of duty and so Rogers, I didn't know y'all were popping like that. So I do gotta I do gotta get over there because I know I have a great time with Walt Woman and and I love my little babies. So, I'm always at peace in in Alki. You guys. So, I got to get over there to Rogers now. Hey. So, thank you and I'm here for you guys. Remember, trustee David Smith work for you. You don't work for me. Have a good night. Thank you, ma'am. Alright, treasurer Terry, you bought comments, announcements. Good evening, everyone. Um first off, once again, want to say welcome again to my new trustees and returning trustee as well. Um look forward. Sir. To working with you guys. Um I think I got about two more years here. So, before I have to do that whole election and stuff again but welcome, welcome and I'm looking forward to working with you. Um second I want to say as far as the gifts go, I want to say thank you. I believe this one is from the administration staff. If I'm correct, this one from the HR department as well and then also, we got a little gift bag from the city of Pontiac. Wanna say thank you again for the City of Pontiac for stopping through and and just showing some love and support here. Um next, I want to say also congratulations to everyone that received their recognitions. Um just continue to push forward, continue to lead by example. Um continue move forward with that education and just let these students know that it doesn't matter how old you are. You can always improve and you always got room for improvement. So, congratulations to you guys and continue moving forward. Um I want to say also thank you for the report you received today. Um the CTE obviously just an excited program that we have here in the district and I'm looking forward to the many things that it has coming in the future for our kids and you know, for the ones that are coming here and the ones that had opportunity to participate in it and move forward in their career out in life. Um also want to say thank you for the presentations from Peace and from Frost. Um great presentations. Um also looking forward for more information as we go out through throughout the year as well. I know reports are being compiled and everything as well. So we just looking forward as we move forward to get those follow up reports as well. So thank you for that information. Um other items is discussions. Uh great topics of discussions. Um just excited about the EV buses. I know we've been waiting some time for these to come around. So, hopefully by I guess next school, starter school year, we can have those up and running and on the road and taking full advantage of that and continue leading the way with the EV buses. Um outside of that, I believe I said everything that I want to say and congratulations to you. Thank you. You know, doing bigger and better things. So, keep moving forward and you know. I guess. We got your back, you know. We got your back. We got your back. Alright. Thank you. Alright, thank you very much. PP Bowman. Good evening, everyone. Good evening. Thanks for the gifts. This is fantastic. I always love the gifts. I know there's no swag in here because they're little but I still take it. Um this was a this was a wonderful meeting and I'm glad that we were able to put Doctor President here in place to continue to represent the Pontiac on the larger scale. Um I'm grateful for the presentation that we had and the wealth of information that we received for the community because often times, it's overlooked. The progress that we continue to make in Pontiac. I'm proud to be on the board of education. I know that there are plenty of things where people say, well, Pontiac isn't doing so great. We are we're doing well. The children are well. Is that the statement? The truth. So, and then as far as the CTE pathway program, I would like to all of my trustees here and I also would like to give a shout out to my former trustees, Carrie Tolbert, Sherman Williams William Carrington, Mike McGinnis, and Carol Tarpin because in Saquana Davis Smith, when this program, the CTE Pathway Conversation started, that was the board. That started the conversation and to see this many years later, it finally come together. We still have little fur, excuse me, a little further to go but to see it, to see it be my term mens and it's completion. It's it's a beautiful thing. So, I'm grateful to serve as my trustee said, we work for you all like without you all, there's no us and we thank you because as we continue to to work together, this is not a you and us. This is a we thing. We are this school district. So, as we continue to move forward and press along. Let's let's continue to thrive and rise. Uh thank you and good night. Alright, thank you very much. Alright, as we get ready to wrap up again, I want to say to Trustee Miller, Trustee Dooley, welcome aboard. I am we are definitely looking forward to serving with you and of course, we we love that we have our returning trustee, mister Trustee Gross here. We have lots of work to do here in our district but the most important thing is we're here to do it for our students. We're here to make sure that we are providing the best education experience we can. The students within the Pontiac community and so I look forward to serving and doing that work alongside each of you. Uh congratulations again to all of those that were acknowledged tonight. Um the CTE department and as well as the others. This is an exciting time. There's so many opportunities and I hope we can continue to move forward and doing the work and not get distracted and caught up by some of the other things that come along the way. So, again, thank to our C our curriculums and instruction department for the presentation the culture and climate is always so important and miss miss Ewing, we see that your school has great energy over there. So, thank you for all that you guys are doing over there amongst each other and for the students. Um thank you to our board members for supporting me as we continue to move this district forward. Um stepping in and accepting extra responsibilities. I'll figure out the how and why later but I'm happy to serve and again, to our administration, thank you for your support. We are here to help and support you. We work together as a team. So, we just thank you for acknowledging us and appreciating us for the work that we do alongside of you. So, with that being said, I am going to now take a motion to adjourn our meeting. So, move. Alright. It's been moved by VP Bowman and supported by trust dually to adjourn our meeting. Any questions? roll call Trusty Gross? Yes. Yes. President Hannah? Yes. Trustee Miller? Yes. Okay. Treasurer Terry. Yes. VP Bowman. Yes. I'm voting yes and Trustee Dooley. Yes. That pass is seven oh. Thank you. The meeting is now adjourned at 830 PM. Thank you guys for being here today and thank you for those that have tuned in to watch.