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October 26, 2026 Board of Education Meeting — Transcript

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3:06Good evening everyone and welcome to our
3:09board meeting. We're happy to have
3:10everyone here tonight. Gina, if you
3:12could please do roll call.
3:17>> Ms. Chesney
3:18>> Here.
3:18>> Ms. Kerns
3:20Dr. McMillan
3:21>> Here.
3:21>> Ms. Miller
3:22>> Here.
3:22>> Mr. Moore
3:23>> Here.
3:24>> Ms. Beal
3:25Ms. Williams
3:26>> Here.
3:28>> Thank you. Everyone please stand for the
3:29pledge of allegiance.
3:33I pledge
3:34>> allegiance to the flag of the United
3:37States of America and to the republic
3:40for which it stands, one nation under
3:43God, indivisible, with liberty and
3:46justice for all.
3:48>> Let's start our meeting tonight with
3:49recognitions.
3:55Okay, that would be
4:19>> Hey, we are ready to start out tonight
4:21with real world learning and student
4:23voice from the Kauffman Foundation
4:25partnership.
4:26>> All right, I will be introducing is this
4:28on?
4:29I don't think so.
4:33Thanks.
4:36>> Is this good?
4:37>> Yes, sir.
4:38>> Okay.
4:40Of course, there we go.
4:43I had to take it out.
4:45>> Good evening. It's my pleasure to
4:47introduce our first student voice group
4:49of two that we will be introducing
4:51tonight and this one is one that is
4:53working through our Kauffman Foundation
4:55partnership. Uh the St. Joseph School
4:57District proudly recognizes six high
4:59school students selected to represent
5:00St. Joseph School District in the
5:02Kauffman Foundation's real world
5:04learning initiative in Kansas City
5:06during the 2016-2017 school year. The
5:08student representatives are Benton High
5:10School students, Sawyer Arnie, Athena
5:13Milbourn, and Ace Botts and Central High
5:16School students, Miles Robinson, Reina
5:19Ramirez, and Emmaline Holiday. If you
5:21could please come up.
5:24>> [applause]
5:29>> Corey Allen,
5:31Corey Allen, can you come up as well?
5:34Through the student voice ambassador of
5:36school led program, students are
5:37empowered to use their voice to advocate
5:39for themselves and their peers while
5:41gaining real world experience that
5:42prepare them for success after high
5:45school. Throughout the school year,
5:46these student leaders will participate
5:48in a student voice workshops on October
5:5123rd, November 16th, March 9th, along
5:54with additional real world learning
5:55events and opportunities. The St. Joseph
5:58School District is proud of these
5:59students for representing our district
6:01and ensuring student voice remains at
6:03the forefront of positive learning
6:05experiences and community partnerships.
6:09Thank you.
6:11>> [applause]
6:15[applause]
6:28[applause]
6:36>> Now this next group is a little larger
6:37so we will come up at the end
6:40so that way we're not a huge crowd just
6:42blocking everyone but this is the
6:44student alliance
6:46student voice alliance through our
6:48partnership with the city of St. Joseph.
6:50The St. Joseph School District is proud
6:51to recognize the students from Benton
6:53and Central High Schools who are serving
6:54on the St. Joseph Student Voice Alliance
6:57through monthly meetings with elected
6:58city and county officials, city staff
7:01and community partners. Students are
7:03developing leadership skills engaging in
7:05civic dialogue and helping move positive
7:07solutions forward. Their participation
7:10reflects our portrait of a graduate
7:11dispositions of communication, courage,
7:14problem solving, respect and engaged
7:17citizenship. Congratulations to these
7:19students for stepping forward to make a
7:21difference in our community. We look
7:23forward to seeing their ideas take shape
7:26this 2026-2027
7:27school year. When you hear your name
7:29please come forward. The Benton leaders
7:32are Braxton Lee,
7:33Carter Stag, Ellie O'Brien, Jayda
7:36Hughes, Kyler Palmer and Neely Zolkoske.
7:41Central leaders
7:43Eno Enopa
7:45Chikunya
7:46Shay Davison, J.C. Jackson, Matea
7:49Johnson, Marley Meek,
7:52Herman Oberai,
7:53Jolie Prophet and Sophia Rodriguez
7:56Savage.
7:58>> [applause]
8:03[applause]
8:08>> J.C. and Heidi are here from the city as
8:10well and so we're grateful for their
8:11impact on our students, too.
8:14>> Students, open your certificates.
8:24All right, so let's do a couple of rows.
8:37Good luck to everyone in the back.
8:39Tippy toes, tippy toes.
8:48>> [laughter]
8:55>> There we go.
8:57Okay, perfect everyone. All right,
8:59please smile.
9:03All right, congratulations.
9:05>> Thank you guys.
9:07>> [applause]
9:23>> Yes. All right, so the Stand Out School
9:25Series celebrates the students and staff
9:28who make our schools special by
9:30exemplifying our portrait of a graduate
9:32dispositions: communication, respect,
9:35courage, problem solving, and engaged
9:38citizenship.
9:39We're thankful also for the support from
9:41the St. Joseph School District
9:42Foundation for providing a mini grant to
9:46each school during this recognition to
9:48support creativity, learning, and
9:50innovation.
9:51And Geno's Pizza for providing lunch for
9:54school staff through the through the
9:56recognition as well.
9:58Tonight we are honoring our September
10:00award winners.
10:02So let's do each school one at a one at
10:04a time. We'll call up Truman Middle
10:06School.
10:07Uh the staff member who was recognized
10:09as Stand staff is Brad Nordquist, an
10:12eighth grade math teacher and department
10:14chair. He's recognized for setting high
10:16expectations, supporting student growth,
10:19and providing collaborative leadership
10:21across 7th and 8th grade math.
10:23The student from Truman Middle School is
10:25Lorelei Weisenand, an eighth grader, and
10:28she's recognized for her problem-solving
10:30skills, commitment to learning, and
10:32consistent kindness and respect toward
10:34others. Congratulations.
10:37>> [applause]
10:41[applause]
11:03[applause]
11:09>> Next we have Bodi Middle School. The
11:12standout staff member is Kelsey Davis.
11:14She's recognized for her high
11:15expectations, dedication to student
11:17success, and servant leadership in the
11:20classroom and throughout the building.
11:22The student is Jackson Musser. He's
11:24recognized for his positive leadership,
11:26strong character, and embodiment of the
11:29portrait of a graduate dispositions.
11:32>> [applause]
11:36[applause]
11:57[applause]
12:02>> And finally, we have Rubidoux
12:04Elementary. The staff person is
12:06Katherine Lawrence. She is recognized
12:09for her leadership in launching the
12:10school, creating a welcoming learning
12:13environment, and strengthening her
12:14instructional practices to support
12:16student learning.
12:18The student is Matthew Chavez. He's
12:20recognized for his academic achievement,
12:22problem-solving skills, and service as a
12:25safety patrol member who helps younger
12:26students. Congratulations.
12:29>> [applause]
12:59[applause]
13:08>> All right.
13:10So, tonight I'd like to recognize two
13:11members of our communications team, John
13:14Morris, video production specialist, and
13:16Ashley Coates, digital communication
13:17specialist.
13:18Each have earned an award of merit
13:22in the
13:26>> [laughter]
13:28>> Nice try, John.
13:31Each have earned an award of merit in
13:33the 2026 Missouri School Public
13:35Relations Association Communications
13:37Award.
13:38John was recognized for his Welcome to
13:40the O'Fallon Technical Center video, and
13:42Ashley was recognized for a photo from
13:45Everybody Cat Foot Loose.
13:47The MOSPRA Communications Award program
13:49recognizes high-quality school
13:50communications that promote the mission
13:52and work of public school districts.
13:54Entries are evaluated by at least two
13:56professionals of public relations,
13:57communications, or marketing, including
14:00experts from across the country.
14:02Judges assess submissions against
14:04professional standards and provide
14:05feedback to help communicators continue
14:07to improve their work. This year's
14:09program included 77 submissions
14:11statewide with 18 awards of excellence,
14:1433 awards of merit, and 24 awards of
14:16commendation presented. An award of
14:18merit recognizes work that earns between
14:2082% and 93% of the available judging
14:23points. These honors reflect John and
14:25Ashley's creativity, professionalism,
14:28and commitment to telling the stories of
14:30our students, staff, and programs. We're
14:32proud to see their work recognized
14:33[laughter]
14:34amongst communications professionals
14:36statewide.
14:38CONGRATULATIONS.
14:39>> [applause]
14:43[applause]
14:48>> I GOT WINDY.
14:50>> YEAH, YEAH.
14:57I THINK IF HE gets another award, he's
14:58got to get his teeth cleaned.
15:00>> Good call.
15:12Hey, next on our agenda tonight is
15:14audience participation.
15:16Jeff Leak, would you come in and share
15:18with us tonight, please?
15:26>> See if that helps the battery.
15:45All right.
15:47Uh before I get started, I because I
15:49recognized I think that young lady's dad
15:51is one of my former students. I think
15:53that the young lady's last name's
15:56pronounced Wiseman, and but uh I saw
15:58dad, I was like, "Wow, I'm getting
16:00getting a little older, I guess."
16:02Uh
16:04You know, one thing I want to talk about
16:05tonight is more than one thing can be
16:06true.
16:08Those were all great things that were
16:10going on.
16:11And and they are great things, and
16:13regardless of the decisions that we
16:15make, there's still going to be great
16:17things that go on. And the question we
16:19need to ask ourselves again is are our
16:22decisions allowing more great things to
16:25happen or are great things happening in
16:27this in despite of our decisions?
16:30One year ago, we had a lot of talk and I
16:32warned about different concerns that I
16:33had about losing some of our best
16:35teachers, lost opportunities.
16:38Just example Lafayette right now,
16:41less than half of the people that were
16:43involved in fall activities last fall
16:45are involved currently at their new
16:47school.
16:48Lack of community support because of our
16:50decisions.
16:51Increased discipline issues, more
16:53suspensions.
16:54Lack of applying rules consistency.
16:56Closing boundaries was a huge deal, I
16:58remember. It was like a non-negotiable.
17:01But we're following enforcing that.
17:05Maybe we can, maybe we can't. One
17:07administrator quoted said, you know, I
17:08can't control if they lie.
17:11And of course, the loss of student
17:12population. That would create massive
17:15losses in revenue.
17:16That's my biggest concern.
17:19We lost $6 million of revenue from
17:23student loss.
17:25We would have to run a levy of 50 to 60
17:29cents to make up for our decision. We
17:32would have been better off to do the
17:35cuts we could have made and done nothing
17:38about school closures last year.
17:40Are we better off one year? And and the
17:43question is I've got studies from BLDE,
17:46the path. Here's one from 2008, a
17:49demographic study. I didn't just pull my
17:52stuff out of thin air. I'm not smarter
17:54than you guys. I just listen to the
17:56people who are.
17:58It's very concerning that we did not
18:02accommodate for this lack of revenue.
18:06I mean, can you imagine losing a certain
18:08amount of money at your workplace?
18:10If Ms. Williams dropped a quarter behind
18:12the desk at the office,
18:14people probably want to arrest her.
18:16It it it's it's ridiculous that we're
18:18just saying, oh, more than one thing can
18:20be true. Yes, our numbers are down
18:22because kindergarten classes are lower,
18:24but they were not lower this year so
18:25that throws out overall the last 20
18:28years that that makes sense. But from
18:30last year to this year, no. We have to
18:32address this and we can't cut our way
18:35out of this. We have to improve our
18:37product. Our product is the opportunity
18:40we provide this community and these
18:42students. We cannot cut ourselves. We
18:45cannot worry about the package all the
18:47time of what the product is going to be
18:49placed in.
18:50We are losing students. We are losing
18:53teachers and you should be accommodating
18:56and be preparing for when we lose more
18:59next year. We cannot be blinded by a $6
19:03million oversight.
19:06>> Last time.
19:07>> Thank you.
19:11>> Okay, next item on our agenda is
19:13approval of the agenda. Could I have a
19:16motion for that, please?
19:21>> So moved.
19:23>> Thank you, Jacob.
19:24Can I have a second, please?
19:26>> I'll second.
19:27>> Thank you, Mike.
19:29>> [clears throat]
19:29>> I'm going to open your online voting.
19:31>> Okay.
19:32>> Oh.
19:34The book will need help.
19:36Uh
19:37stand by.
19:37>> There it is.
19:38>> Yeah.
19:46>> Got Jacob's.
19:47>> Sorry, guys.
19:48>> Got a show.
19:49>> Come on, guys.
19:51>> Give us a big one again.
19:53>> At the top of the
19:57Jacob, can you rescue?
19:58>> Scroll down.
20:00Log in.
20:03>> So it's a
20:04>> Are you talking to
20:06>> Every single
20:06>> Every single day.
20:07>> Okay.
20:08>> Thanks for that.
20:09>> I mean, I probably
20:10>> [cough]
20:10>> didn't answer the question.
20:11>> [laughter]
20:12>> There we go.
20:13>> So the
20:14>> You have to answer the question.
20:15>> I'm not going to finish my lunch.
20:17>> I think it's very serious.
20:18>> What is this?
20:19>> What is this thing?
20:22>> Uh
20:27>> Grandma's always needed
20:28>> [laughter]
20:29>> It's okay.
20:36>> Okay.
20:37Should I go
20:37>> Yeah, we can see.
20:38It's right there.
20:40I don't know what it does for you guys.
20:42It just popped up.
20:42>> I see it. It's on. It's on my screen
20:44now.
20:44>> Okay.
20:45Little practice there. We're good now.
20:47Okay, motion passes.
20:515-0.
20:54Okay.
20:55Next item on the agenda is approval for
20:57the minutes.
21:00I could have a motion for that, please.
21:04>> So moved.
21:05>> Thank you, Jacob. And a second, please.
21:08>> I'll second.
21:09>> Thank you, Mike.
21:27>> [clears throat]
21:36>> Where's the Jeopardy music?
21:41It's not coming up for me.
21:42>> It's not coming up for Ronald.
21:44So, can I just get her vote?
21:47>> Hold on.
21:48>> Stand up.
21:49>> Stand up.
21:49>> The last one did.
21:51>> Yeah, the last one did.
21:52>> Okay.
21:55>> Glad you're here, Jake.
21:56>> Welcome.
21:58>> We're always glad you're here, Jake.
22:01>> [clears throat]
22:21>> Okay, next item.
22:24minutes
22:26I don't know what I have for the
22:28minutes.
22:38>> Oh, got you.
22:40>> Well, you can record her vote real quick
22:42and then
22:43we'll see what the next one does.
22:45>> Ms. Posey?
22:46>> Yes.
22:49>> Okay. Motion passes 5-0.
22:53Okay.
22:54Now, could I have a motion, please, for
22:55the approval of the consent agenda?
22:56>> No, no years did pop up.
22:58They're not popping.
22:59>> Okay. All right.
23:02Motion passes 4-1.
23:19Okay. Now, could I please have a motion
23:20for approval of the consent agenda?
23:23I move. Okay, thank you, Ken.
23:27And a second, please.
23:29>> I'll second.
23:30>> Thank you, Jacob.
23:40Got it, Kristen.
23:48>> [snorts]
24:10>> Motion uh consent agenda motion passes
24:125-0.
24:15Okay. We are now ready for
24:16administrative uh reports. Dr. McGinnis.
24:19>> Sure. I'm going to speak about our CSIP
24:22tonight, which continues to guide the
24:24work across our district. And if you
24:26recall, last July, MSBA and DESE
24:31recommended that our top two priorities
24:33be academics and school finance. And so,
24:37those are our top two priorities that we
24:40have. Mrs. Tutor is going to talk a
24:41little bit about predictive assessment
24:43data. Dr. Hedgecorth is going to do a
24:45deep dive into our finances tonight. The
24:48other three priorities are recruiting
24:51and retaining high-quality staff.
24:53Number four is facilities, and then
24:55number five is communication, climate,
24:57and culture.
24:58Our CCIP guides everything that we do,
25:00so I think it's important to
25:02continuously bring attention to our
25:04CCIP. I want to remind everyone how our
25:07portrait of a graduate is also a core
25:09piece of our CCIP. We continue to
25:13emphasize the importance of our portrait
25:15of a graduate dispositions. Those are
25:18communication, problem-solving, courage,
25:22respect, and being an engaged citizen.
25:25And we are being intentional to bring
25:27those dispositions to life in the
25:29classroom. We're constantly saying we
25:31don't want that to just be a poster on
25:33the wall, but we want to live those out
25:36and through our daily interactions and
25:37and activities in the classroom.
25:40So, and if you noticed, our standout
25:42school series is also drawing attention
25:45to a school staff member and a student
25:48who represents those dispositions. So,
25:50we're just trying to bring more and more
25:51attention to that portrait of a
25:53graduate. Um priority one, effective
25:56teaching and learning, wanted to give
25:58you an update on action step number
26:00five, which is that we will score above
26:0370% on our annual performance report.
26:08You may recall DESE had originally said
26:11that we would get that information in
26:13October. We are now expected for that
26:16information to be released in December.
26:18So, I just want to make sure and I put
26:20that in a weekly update, but also want
26:22to make sure our public was aware that
26:24we will not receive that APR score until
26:26December.
26:28Another update on priority five,
26:30communication, climate, and culture.
26:33Action step two is ensuring a culture of
26:36support and respect among students,
26:38staff, families, and community members.
26:41Uh you may recall we launched the survey
26:43from DESI. That is currently in
26:45progress. We reminded principals today
26:48to make sure they are sending that out
26:50to their students, their certified
26:52staff, and families. And that window
26:54closes on Friday, November 6.
26:58Our next quarterly review of our CCAP,
27:01we review our CCAP four times a year,
27:03and that will be coming up in November.
27:05That is also the time that we are
27:08looking at doing a refresh of our CCAP,
27:10not changing major things, and but we do
27:14want to make sure that we have titles
27:16correct. We have some positions where
27:17where titles have changed, so we want to
27:19make sure those are accurate. There's
27:21also been some discussion amongst the
27:23board about having a 14% finance
27:27benchmark goal, and that way 20% is is
27:31probably a little bit out, but that 14%
27:34goal is about where we need to be to
27:35avoid that tax anticipation note. So, we
27:38want to add some things like that.
27:40I have asked academics, finance, HR,
27:45communications, and my department, we
27:47will look at those action steps within
27:50our CCAP to make sure those are the
27:52appropriate moves that we still want to
27:55meet those smart goals outlined in our
27:56CCAP. So, just wanted to give you a
27:58heads-up on that, that that will be
28:00coming in November.
28:02Priority four is facilities, and I'm
28:04going to speak to that piece a little
28:06later in our CCAP, uh or I'm sorry, in
28:08our agenda, um 10A. I put that on
28:11informational items, that way the public
28:12can speak to it if they wanted to. So,
28:15any questions about those brief updates?
28:22Okay.
28:23Thank you.
28:24>> Thank you, Dr. McGinnis. All right.
28:27Next up is Stacia. Thank you for doing
28:29our academic report.
28:30>> Absolutely, Ms. Chesney, and I want to
28:32thank Dr. McGinnis um for, um, kind of
28:34leading with that CCIP because that's
28:36exactly in my report what I'm going to
28:38lead with as well. And so, if you look
28:39at effective teaching and learning, and
28:42underneath effective teaching and
28:44learning we have a smart goal, number
28:45three, that the St. Joseph School
28:47District will improve reading
28:49proficiency from 38%,
28:52um, which was our 2025 data, to 85%. And
28:56so, that's a big goal for us, and you're
28:58looking at this plan and you're saying,
29:00"How are we going to get there?" Look at
29:02where it says our end goal is 2030,
29:04right? And we know this year we have a
29:06goal of 50%. That's what we want to hit.
29:09And how do we measure that goal? We look
29:11at our predictive assessments to help us
29:13measure that goal. And so, the first one
29:16I'm going to share with you tonight, um,
29:18is based off our academic department
29:20plan, and I'm grateful again that we
29:22have the opportunity to look at the CCIP
29:25and add the pieces from the academic
29:27department plan based off the needs of
29:30what's happening in our classrooms right
29:31now. Um, and the first, um, subject
29:34we're going to study is the high school
29:36government. Um, watching high school
29:38government very closely. Remember that
29:40all 11th grade juniors, um, take this
29:43course. It's a one semester, which is a
29:45change, um, this year based off a lot of
29:48student feedback, based off studying
29:50other districts.
29:52And what you'll see there is that, um,
29:55first, in the high school government,
29:57our district average on the first
29:58predictive assessment increased. Last
30:01year at this time, it was 30.3%
30:04in October, and now it's 43.1%
30:07this year.
30:09Um, and that's a gain of 12.8 percentage
30:11points. And Kevin, thank you very much
30:13for having that up there. I just wanted
30:16to show you where the district average
30:17was, and then where each site is because
30:20again, through this reorganization,
30:22we're monitoring students' work,
30:24academic work. Um, what you'll see, I
30:27really firmly believe, and I say this
30:29all the time, iron sharpens iron. And we
30:31have brought really teachers together in
30:33this government course. That was one of
30:35the key pieces is we looked at who was
30:37teaching that course.
30:39Um and we really streamlined and worked
30:41with Missouri Western to state if it was
30:44a dual credit option that they were
30:46aligned to our standards and are helping
30:48us achieve the results that we want to
30:50see in government. Um and so I'm very
30:53proud of the government teachers there.
30:55We led um James Hostler, our
30:57instructional coach, um leads there and
30:59Dr. Keyser. Um and we've done some
31:02conversations um with our um
31:05teachers of that subject and got, you
31:07know, we celebrated some students, too,
31:08because in the report I share that we
31:10had three students already score
31:11advanced. And so we wanted to make sure
31:13to honor those students. We see you
31:15doing great things in the classroom. So,
31:17that's a little report there of where we
31:19are in government scores right now.
31:21Again, this is just a predictive
31:23assessment, right? It's just a one
31:25snapshot test. And what we do is we use
31:28that data to guide instruction back into
31:30our classrooms. And we look at the test
31:32questions, and we look at how students
31:34are performing on standards.
31:36The other big piece I want to share is
31:38ELA.
31:41And being a former English teacher for
31:4320 years here, I have a love of literacy
31:46and a love um of all things of reading,
31:48writing, listening, and speaking. Um and
31:51so what you'll see here are some great
31:52highlights.
31:54Um we are seeing projected proficiency
31:56improve across every grade level
31:58represented in the district results.
32:01So, a few highlights that stand out to
32:04us as an academic service team that
32:05we've kind of outlined here. Grade 4
32:07increased from 29.5%
32:09this time last year, and now it's at
32:1137.1%.
32:13That's a gain of 7.6 percentage points.
32:16Grade 6, we're also going to celebrate.
32:18You can see that on the chart. It
32:19increased from 29.2%
32:22to 37.6%.
32:24That's a gain of 8.4.
32:26Grade 7, who we watch very closely,
32:29increased from 27 to 32.5.
32:33That's a gain of 5.5 percentage points
32:35there. And I'm going I'm going special
32:37shout-out to our English two teachers
32:38who are rocking it. Again, we
32:40streamlined and looked at who are
32:42teaching those courses. You'll see an
32:43increase of 37.5%
32:46particularly at Benton to 52.6%.
32:50That's a gain of 15.1 percentage points
32:52there.
32:53I also provided for you in there a list
32:56of by grade level. You'll see the
32:58district average and then you will see
32:59each school represented there.
33:02The predictive scores from last year,
33:04not the map test, right? Not the last
33:06test that we took, but we're looking at
33:08like how are students performing in
33:10October of this time last year. It comes
33:13at a very timely point because this week
33:15is parent-teacher conferences and what
33:17we are leading with right now is these
33:19Mastery Connect
33:21enhanced student reports. And these are
33:24communication tool back to our families
33:26how students are performing on these
33:28assessments. And those in Mastery
33:30Connect, those reports are very sleek
33:33and they are very
33:34meaningful to families to support
33:37literacy instruction. So, like I said,
33:40what's driving the work in English
33:42language arts? Well, I can tell you that
33:43we're in our fourth year of UFLI.
33:46That's the fourth year of UFLI
33:47implementation. We are in our second
33:50year of the Benchmark Advance. And so,
33:53first year, you know, you always go
33:54through those growing pains of an
33:55implementation and a new resource and
33:57making sure we're using the right core
33:59resource pieces.
34:01And we are. And so, you'll see that in
34:04the second year, we're really looking at
34:06like moving teachers to really focus in
34:09on the comprehension skill inferring.
34:12And that's not by accident. That comes
34:14from our data that tells us that we need
34:16some support in teaching kids how to
34:18infer. Background knowledge is important
34:21in inferring. You have to have the right
34:23background knowledge. How do we give our
34:24kids the right background knowledge? Is
34:26through reading these texts, right? So,
34:29sometimes kids need support in the
34:31background knowledge. They may not have
34:33experiences or
34:35perhaps
34:36you know, really need to think outside
34:39of how do we develop that unit to
34:41support a kid's development of
34:44background knowledge. And so those are
34:45key pieces. The other piece that we're
34:47really focused in on this year is
34:49writing instruction. What does writing
34:51instruction look like in our classroom?
34:53And what does the
34:54the criteria for what a fourth grader
34:57produces at one site, is that the same
35:00at his other site? And so just this
35:02Thursday we led with UMKC. We had Cheryl
35:08Himes who's the director of ELA
35:10assessment. She came to give
35:12a
35:13kind of a themes approach to what's
35:15happening in our data with writing
35:16instruction and what principals need to
35:18be looking for when they go to observe
35:20writing instruction. And so I'm very
35:23proud of the work of Dr. Keyser and her
35:26instructional coach team. I'm very proud
35:28of the readers and writers, our teachers
35:31who are leading with reading and
35:32writing.
35:33There's there's it's very complex and
35:36they're really digging in and and
35:37getting to it. But I really wanted to
35:40show you that this work is not just
35:43about preparing students for one
35:44assessment. This is really about
35:47ensuring that they can read, they can
35:49comprehend, they can communicate and
35:51write at the level that's expected of
35:53them for the next step. Um
35:56And as we move through the school year
35:57it's our responsibility to always
35:59connect what we're seeing in data, the
36:01external piece. It's a nice piece to
36:03have. It's you know, it doesn't have any
36:05emotions or ties to it. How are our
36:07students learning? Not what we're
36:09teaching, but how are our students
36:11learning? So
36:12um
36:13we have our eyes on the academic pieces
36:16and we're closely monitoring those sites
36:18and spaces impacted by the district
36:19reorganization. I want to say that there
36:22are a number of highlights that you will
36:24see in that data and I want to draw your
36:25attention to sixth grade particularly.
36:28And if you look at sixth grade where our
36:29sixth grade Jose Hide and Limburg,
36:32there at the sixth grade level you will
36:34see for example Jose, that sixth grade
36:37there last year
36:39they didn't have it, right? And you look
36:41there and you'll see Spring Garden 6th
36:43grade was at 16.9%
36:45where is Hosea now 24.6%
36:49where is Hyde 40.7%
36:51and so those are just some of the key
36:53points that we're saying okay are we
36:55were we on the right track absolutely
36:57we're wearing this work.
37:00So I want to thank you for your
37:01continued support for our educators our
37:03schools again I can't thank my academic
37:06service team enough that we are solely
37:09focused on supporting tier one
37:10instruction and making sure that we get
37:12tier one instruction right for all of
37:14our kids.
37:15I will have math data to share with you
37:18I will have science data to share with
37:20you the science predictive just opened
37:22up this week on our math is a little bit
37:24later in November and so we'll be I'll
37:26be sharing that report with you guys in
37:28November.
37:29>> I have a question.
37:30>> Absolutely.
37:31>> So the fourth grade scores those
37:34children would have had U-Fly for
37:37four years is that right?
37:38>> Yeah well now if they would have had it
37:41K one and two and so yes Miss Chesney I
37:44see where you're going with this and so
37:46now they're in four if they would have
37:48needed U-Fly instruction they would have
37:50got it in small group in third grade
37:53but yes they've gone through a system or
37:56an explicit structure with U-Fly
37:58instruction.
37:59>> So when I look at those scores
38:01>> Yes.
38:02>> there's great improvement there so I
38:04think and that's sharing
38:07that it's working yes because those are
38:09when I look overall at those there's big
38:12gains there from last year to this year
38:14so that's exciting.
38:16>> Yeah I thank you for pointing that out
38:17because that is the class that had K12
38:20that systematic explicit phonics
38:23instruction all the way through there
38:24are first class at fourth grade cohort.
38:27>> I think that's looking really good.
38:30Well I just want to say thank you to
38:31your academic team for the focus on the
38:34data and what it's telling us and then
38:37using the data not just having it on a
38:39piece of paper but actually using it and
38:40supporting the schools that still need
38:43support because I mean that just is what
38:46it is So, I appreciate that.
38:48>> It is. And this is about not like
38:50catching teachers and saying, you know,
38:52it's really about supporting teachers in
38:54the
38:54moves they need to be successful with
38:56the students that are placed in their
38:58classrooms.
38:59>> Because teachers also come in at
39:01different levels, too, and that I
39:03appreciate that our district is looking
39:05at and supporting them.
39:06>> Yes, thank you.
39:07>> Thank you very much for this
39:08information. Does anyone else have any
39:10>> And then another advantage with us
39:12purchasing curriculum resources for the
39:14whole entire district is that if a
39:16student switches elementary schools,
39:18their experience in every classroom at
39:20at that grade is the same, correct?
39:22>> That is correct. That is correct. And
39:24so,
39:25when you look at the first quarter here,
39:27our scope and sequence would be we had a
39:29fiction unit and a non-fiction unit,
39:31right? And then the same unit, no matter
39:34if you're at Carden Park or Oak Grove or
39:35Lindbergh, they're all receiving the
39:37same high-quality instructional
39:39materials placed. And if there's
39:41anything that our teachers are getting
39:42right is those weekly
39:45uh the consumables from the Benchmark
39:47Advance with those
39:49student work that they're annotating and
39:52and and really recording their thinking
39:54because again, reading-writing is very
39:56complex and we're moving it to pen and
39:59paper now.
40:00>> And then this is a data collection
40:02question you may not have the answer to,
40:03but
40:04the predictive score does not travel
40:06with the student. So, let's say a kid
40:07went to Hyde last year, now they go to
40:09Pickett Elementary. Does that predictive
40:11score go to their new cohort at Pickett
40:13or is the cohort average at Hyde the
40:16same? This may be in the weeds too much,
40:18but just curious with some of our
40:19boundary changes.
40:20>> Yeah, you know, Dr. McMillan, I don't I
40:23I would have to look at that up and meet
40:25with Ed Cannon, our Mastery Connect. Um
40:28But the percent that we're looking at is
40:30the percent that was per shared with us
40:33last year in our data console with them.
40:35>> Okay.
40:35>> So, when you look at the report here,
40:38I'm only going to pick on let's see the
40:40first one here, Carden Park, 37.6%.
40:45Those were the students last year that
40:47were at Carden Park. Um and then these
40:49are the students this year that
40:51>> So you're using last year's data
40:52>> We are.
40:53>> Correct. Thank you.
40:55>> Any other questions?
40:58Okay. Thank you, Stacia, for that
40:59information.
40:59>> Thank you.
41:02>> All right.
41:04We are ready for
41:07some finance information.
41:11>> Approval bills?
41:12>> Yep.
41:13>> Okay.
41:13>> Um there is nothing in approval bills
41:15that is uh outside the norm. So I'd be
41:17happy to answer any questions you might
41:18have.
41:24>> I make the motion we accept the bills as
41:26presented.
41:28>> I'll second.
41:28>> Okay. Thank you, Mike.
41:50>> [clears throat]
42:04>> We're getting some music for this.
42:05>> Well, get Mike hooked up.
42:15>> There it is.
42:16>> There we go.
42:17>> There it is.
42:18>> What a system.
42:21>> Okay. Motion passes 5-0.
42:25All ready? Dr. Hedgecorth, we're ready
42:26for the September financials.
42:27>> Yes, September financials. Thank you. Um
42:30the first document I have displayed is
42:32what we consider our operating funds,
42:34uh which is funds one and two. Of
42:36course, five and six are actually sub
42:38funds of fund one.
42:40Um
42:41you can see that the two-year historical
42:43realized for our expenditures
42:45uh that we are below that two-year
42:47historical um only except for supplies
42:49and materials.
42:50And so as we continue throughout the
42:52year you'll continue to see that um
42:54trend towards the norm but the beginning
42:56of the year a lot of times is where
42:58we're making those a lot of purchases up
42:59front because we want to be ready for
43:00the first day of school.
43:02And so I really do think that two-year
43:04historical average, you know, kind of
43:06helps give that analysis of where we're
43:07trending. And some of the things you can
43:10see on the other revenues,
43:12the reason of course federal last year
43:14was an anomaly year for federal. We
43:15received
43:17multiple years of title funds in one
43:18year. So
43:20that two-year historical average is not
43:21going to trend as normal
43:23but you can see for revenue we've
43:25already received just over 2.1 million
43:27in a federal funding already this year.
43:29So we're on track as far as title
43:31funding goes.
43:32Budget's approved, everything's ready to
43:34go for
43:35or budget's submitted. Once it is
43:37approved we'll be able to submit for
43:39payment for expenses for this year
43:41already. So
43:43I feel like we're in great shape. We'll
43:44be happy to
43:46answer any questions you might have.
43:48>> With purchased services, is this a
43:50timing issue that we're below our
43:51two-year running average or is this a
43:52result of some re-bidding and
43:55cost-saving measures
43:57compared to previous years?
43:58>> Great question, a little bit of both.
44:02our purchased service
44:05account. You can see that
44:07actual in FY26 was 25.1 million and
44:10budgeted this year is 23.7. So we did
44:12reduce that line item this year.
44:15Second, we have a large payment that's
44:17going to come up for our liability
44:18insurance that comes in November. When
44:20that comes in then you swing see that
44:22kind of swing
44:23to a higher percentage. So to answer
44:25your question, a little bit of both.
44:27>> Okay, thank you.
44:29>> Any further questions?
44:32Can I have a motion please to accept the
44:34September financials?
44:39>> Make a motion.
44:39>> Okay, thank you Mike.
44:41Can I have a second please?
44:42>> Sure.
44:44>> Thank you Kim.
45:11>> Okay, motion motion passes 5-0.
45:14All right, we're ready for our quarterly
45:15investment report.
45:17>> So, once every 3 months we give you a
45:19quarterly investment reports to see how
45:20our investment funds are doing. Uh just
45:22as a reminder, we invest our funds in
45:24our health care trust fund as well as
45:26our operating fund as we receive our
45:28local tax effort and continue to spend
45:30that down through the year because what
45:32we receive in federal and state funding
45:34does not cover our monthly expenses. So,
45:36as we pull money down and need those in
45:38different months, uh we do that from our
45:40investments. And so, uh you can see from
45:43the investment report, um our interest
45:45rates range anywhere from 3.66%
45:47to 4.1%.
45:49Of course, any investments that are made
45:50around July are going to be that lower
45:52percentage rate. We've seen interest
45:54rates uh start to increase and that's
45:56why some of the latest fixed investments
45:58are on 4.1. Uh so, be happy to answer
46:01any questions you might have on that
46:02investment report.
46:09>> Are there any questions? All right.
46:10Do you have a question, sir?
46:11>> No.
46:11>> Okay. There are no questions. Can I have
46:13a uh motion to accept that investment
46:15report?
46:18Thank you, Ken.
46:20A second?
46:21>> I'll second it.
46:22>> Thanks, Mike.
46:53Okay, motion passes 5-0.
46:57Okay, Mike, we're for the personnel.
46:59>> All right, the personnel report and the
47:01supplemental report have been submitted
47:04for your review. The supplemental report
47:05should be at your workstations.
47:07Um if you don't have any questions, I
47:09ask for a motion for approval.
47:17>> Can I have a motion for approval of the
47:19personnel report?
47:21>> So moved.
47:22>> Okay.
47:24I take a pink in.
48:02>> I do.
48:03>> We have four in favor and one
48:05abstention.
48:13Okay, Dr. Hedgepeth, we are ready for
48:16the October budget amendment.
48:17>> Yes, so Miss Katie Knight and myself are
48:19going to present this together,
48:21um but I'm going to let Miss Katie
48:22Knight
48:23uh start the introduction.
48:25>> Good evening.
48:26I'm actually going to start on page
48:27eight of this patch document. The first
48:29part is our things you've seen in the
48:32previous document in June.
48:34So, page eight is going to show our
48:36revenue by fund and by source.
48:40I'll let Kevin get there.
48:44I think it's one more.
48:46Two more, sorry.
48:49One more.
48:50There we go.
48:53>> They're middle bottom.
48:56Okay, budget document. Is there a what?
48:57Middle bottom is where the page number
48:59are at.
48:59>> have said that. I apologize.
49:01>> There's some table contents so it if
49:04you're counting the number on the PDF
49:05it's
49:06still
49:06>> the page number.
49:07>> It's right there.
49:09>> Um so on this page you'll see our
49:12revenue split out between the actuals
49:14for 24, 25, and 26 and then what we
49:17budgeted in our October amendment.
49:20Um
49:21you will see the decrease in our state
49:23and federal from prior years and that
49:25can be attributed to the
49:28lower enrollment and for the loss in
49:31federal funding for our title.
49:33And then of our local dollars you'll see
49:36that is our highest funding source and
49:38that is $67 million from our local
49:40taxes. We like to thank our community
49:42for that.
49:45Uh we also have a reduced a reduction in
49:47our CTE allocation title four
49:49specifically and it was a $250,000
49:53reduction in our October amendment from
49:54our June initial submission for the
49:57classroom trust
49:59formula.
50:00Then I'm going to go to page 10.
50:05There we go. This is our expenditure
50:06breakdown.
50:08Um
50:10in FY26 our actual operating which is
50:13funds one and two was $165 million. We
50:15have budgeted $157 million for this year
50:19and that is an $8 million decrease.
50:21It is the lowest budgeted um expenditure
50:25that you can see here in the last 3
50:26years.
50:30Then
50:31uh salaries and benefits continues to be
50:33our highest categories of
50:36budgeted areas.
50:38If we can go to page 13,
50:40that's going to be our um
50:43enrollment numbers and we just find I
50:45won't say we finalize them because it's
50:47still kind of ever-changing but we just
50:49submitted that October 15th to the board
50:51so I think when we previously gave you
50:52guys some numbers it was preliminary. Um
50:55so we still have a little bit of cleanup
50:56to do and double-checking but that was
50:58submitted last week.
51:00That is a um decrease in school age as
51:04the demographer mentioned in the work
51:05session, 6.9% in the last 10 years for
51:08our our school age students.
51:11Um oh, the largest part of where our
51:13students have gone so far that we can
51:16tell would be um other districts in
51:18state, out of state, and then home
51:20school.
51:24Then we'll go to page 18.
51:26Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to go over
51:27that? I'm I apologize.
51:29>> quick. Thanks, ma'am.
51:30Uh so, this document is um shows our
51:33personnel. And remember that 75% of our
51:35expenditures in fund one and two, which
51:37are operating funds,
51:39um cover salaries and benefits. And so,
51:42this gives a great history of where we
51:45were with our personnel in the past and
51:48where we are this year. And so, the
51:50first section there we have is
51:51administration. And so, you can see in
51:54the 2025-2026
51:56school year, we had 75 administrators.
51:59And then in the 2026-2027
52:02school year, we had 68. So, that is a
52:04decrease by seven uh administrators,
52:07which is almost 10%. Um that is the
52:09highest percent of reduction of any of
52:12the categories that I'm going to
52:13present. Uh the next section we have is
52:15certified staff.
52:17And you can see how each category shows
52:19the changes uh through the years. Of
52:21course, some of those 2022-2023
52:25um school years that you see based on
52:27the number of staff we have uh were
52:29affected by ESSER funds and those
52:31provided by uh the CARES Act. And so, as
52:33that money um has dried up and is not
52:37provided to districts anymore,
52:39um you know, there's a natural need to
52:41reduce those
52:42um categories and those staff members in
52:44those total counts as well. And so, in
52:46certified staff area, you can see that
52:48uh the previous school year we had 936
52:50certified staff, and this year we have
52:52865.
52:54The last category we have is classified
52:56staff.
52:57And if you scroll to the bottom, uh
52:59there's more categories, a lot uh more
53:01specialized areas in classified areas
53:03that range from technology, maintenance,
53:06um library, uh parent as educators. And
53:10last year we had 779 staff members, and
53:13this year we have 701.
53:15Um and so the total in the previous
53:17school year was 1,790
53:19staff members, and now that calculates
53:21to 1,634.
53:24And I need again to thank the HR
53:27department for all their hard work in
53:28putting this together, uh because if
53:30there's one place uh
53:32if I could as a board member, if there's
53:34ever a spike in increases or things like
53:36that, this is the first place I would
53:38look in the document, and we'll continue
53:39to update this throughout the years to
53:41see where our staffing levels are
53:43because most likely um
53:45the outcome is the effect of changes in
53:47your FTE.
53:50>> Now we'll go to page 18.
53:52>> Can I just make a comment really quick?
53:55>> Yes.
53:55>> [snorts]
53:55>> I do appreciate you going through
53:59all of that and mentioning about the
54:01numbers.
54:03Cuz you know everyone's always like cut
54:05your admin staff, cut your admin staff
54:06and everything like that. Like
54:11and you mentioned, you know, that you've
54:12cut
54:1310%. Well, and that's okay, you know,
54:16but that's also like
54:20in my mind that kind of
54:23takes away from like
54:26cutting of like the
54:30special education teachers. It's the
54:34same amount as admin cuts.
54:37And so like as we're
54:39giving out the information, and I just
54:41want to be
54:43careful about making
54:45sure that we're
54:48cognitive about understanding like
54:53cuts are made, and there are
54:56cuts everywhere. I do understand.
54:59Admin's like a 10%. Okay, but that's
55:02like a smaller pool.
55:04It's going to look like a little
55:05differently percentage-wise, you know
55:06what I mean?
55:08So, but that's just what I'm looking at
55:09as I'm looking at this. Like, I mean
55:13it's a lot of cuts.
55:15And I'm understanding, you know, that
55:16we're going to be making more.
55:20That's a question.
55:22>> Um that is yet to be determined. Uh we
55:24do need to cut a dollar amount in the
55:26future years to get to a goal of 14%. Uh
55:30where that comes from um
55:32is is not to be determined yet. Of
55:33course, that's all going to be decided
55:34by the board. Uh but I will say those
55:37personnel cuts that I did mention from
55:39previous school year,
55:41uh those were done all through
55:42attrition, meaning that um if somebody
55:44left the district, um then that position
55:46wasn't rehired. And so, that that
55:48doesn't necessarily happen in a lot of
55:50school districts. Uh they're not able to
55:52do that. And I can never make a promise
55:54100% that that will continue in the
55:56future, but um I know our team worked
55:58really hard to strive to make sure that
56:00happened last year coming into this
56:02year.
56:03Um so, if anybody, you know, was, you
56:06know, continuing to work with our
56:07district, they had a position here. It
56:09might not be at the same school. It
56:11might look a little different, but they
56:12had a position here in our district. And
56:14we did work hard to make sure that
56:15happened.
56:17>> And to be clear,
56:19um
56:21cuz you mentioned
56:22to get to the 14%, you know, that that's
56:24not like official. We haven't made like
56:28a vote or like an actual like
56:31change, correct?
56:33>> We have not modified our CSAF. That is a
56:35ballpark percentage of where we wouldn't
56:37have to have what I would call a
56:39necessary expense to the district in
56:41that tax anticipation note.
56:44>> Thank you.
56:45>> Superintendent I look at the numbers of
56:47how many students we've lost since
56:4822-23.
56:50If I did my math right, roughly a
56:52thousand. And we still have 75 more
56:55employees than we did five years ago.
56:58And so, we've lost a thousand students,
57:01um but we still employ 75 more people.
57:03So, that number, you know, you always
57:05talk about those two numbers, you know,
57:07your hiring going up and your students
57:09going down, we still see that even after
57:11the cuts we have made, we still have
57:13more staff today than we did 5 years
57:15ago, but we have 1,000 less students.
57:17So, I do think it's something that the
57:18board needs to be aware of that we have
57:20less students and still more staff in
57:22the five in this five-year window.
57:25>> Yeah, you know, something when we look
57:27at things, we want to use a scalpel. You
57:29know, we don't want to just say, you
57:31know,
57:32we look at something, these four people
57:34left the district, let's not hire all
57:36four of these people in this area, you
57:37know. We want to try to look at it to
57:39where
57:40I know I've mentioned this before,
57:41what's the furthest from the classroom?
57:43I know everybody's pulling the same rope
57:45and everything does affect the classroom
57:46at some point, it really does.
57:48But, you got to look at what's the
57:50things that are furthest from the
57:51classroom and and try to work there
57:54back to the center.
57:55>> And from the MSBA conference, we had the
57:57pleasure and opportunity to talk to
57:59other board members from other
58:00districts. This is not a St. Joe only
58:02issue. We're seeing this issue
58:04throughout the state that enrollment
58:05numbers are coming down in public
58:06education and that many districts are
58:08having to struggle with deficit in
58:10budgets and they're looking at personnel
58:12because it's normally 70-75% of your
58:15operating funds. So, this isn't just a
58:17St. Joe issue, this is a state of
58:19Missouri issue due to the state not
58:21fully funding of public education,
58:23enrollment coming down and so I think
58:26it's good for us to realize this isn't
58:27just our problem.
58:29Many districts are facing this.
58:32>> Yeah, I'll agree.
58:36>> Okay.
58:37On [clears throat] the bottom of page
58:3818, you will find the updated fund
58:41balance percentage. It was 8.35% in
58:44June, that's what we were expecting. You
58:46can see that it's increased to 9.58.
58:49Along with that, you'll see some of
58:50these numbers update when we bring this
58:52document back in June. We had 24-25
58:55available and at that time we were the
58:57lowest district of our
58:59surrounding districts for our tax levy
59:01and we'll bring we'll update those
59:04in June.
59:06Next, we will go to page 20.
59:09>> Can I jump in real quick, Katie, on 19
59:10if you don't mind?
59:12>> Sure.
59:12>> Yeah.
59:13And so earlier today there was some talk
59:15about the foundation formula and how
59:17that's funded. So I I want to give you
59:19just a quick overview real quick
59:21just to make sure everybody understands
59:22how we're funded from the state.
59:23Remember there is a modernization task
59:25force that's looking to change this, but
59:27this is what's been in place for the
59:28last several years.
59:30So the first thing you look at is your
59:31state adequacy target
59:33and that target this year is probably
59:35going to be around 6800. By law it's
59:387145, but it's going to be 6800 for many
59:41reasons we've talked about before.
59:43You take that amount, you multiply it
59:45times your WADA WAM. Your WADA is your
59:48weighted average daily attendance
59:50and your WAM is your weighted average
59:52membership. Do you want to zoom in a
59:54little bit on that Kevin if you don't
59:55mind?
59:57So once you multiply that by a dollar
59:59value modifier, all that does is really
1:00:01give areas that have higher living
1:00:04expenses in areas around Kansas City and
1:00:05St. Louis
1:00:07a little bit higher because they know it
1:00:09is more expensive to live in those
1:00:10areas. So our multiplier is about is
1:00:131.039.
1:00:14So about 104% is what we get modified on
1:00:18top of that. And this is the part that a
1:00:20lot of people forget is then you
1:00:22subtract your local effort from the
1:00:242000-2001 school year. So a lot of
1:00:27people want to take the SAT and say we
1:00:29get $6800 per kid. We do not.
1:00:33If you can see the average of what
1:00:34that's looked like per kid,
1:00:36you can see that in the 2022-2023 school
1:00:38year is about 3700 per kid.
1:00:40This year it's going to be about 4100
1:00:42per student.
1:00:44Okay? And so let's take a hypothetical
1:00:48if you were to lose about 400 students
1:00:51and you are getting paid about $4000 or
1:00:544100 per kid,
1:00:56that's about 1.6 1.7 million
1:00:59reduced funding.
1:01:01Let me say that again. That's about 1.6
1:01:03or 1.7 million reduced funding. Now,
1:01:06also people assume that you're paid off
1:01:08the previous years WADA WAM. You're not.
1:01:11It is the higher of the current year,
1:01:15the previous year, or 2 years ago. So,
1:01:18for example, let's use this example. If
1:01:19you had 10,000 students
1:01:212 years ago,
1:01:23and then you dropped by 1,000 students,
1:01:25went to 9,000 students,
1:01:27people might assume, "Oh, they're going
1:01:28to lose all that funding." They're not.
1:01:30You're still paid off to 10,000.
1:01:32And then say you go back up to 9,500,
1:01:35you are still paid off that 10,000 cuz
1:01:37that's the highest of those 3 years.
1:01:40And so, people make the false assumption
1:01:42that you're only paid on the current
1:01:43year,
1:01:44or sometimes the previous year. You are
1:01:46not. You are paid to the highest of
1:01:48those three. So, if you have a sharp
1:01:50decline in the in in attendance or
1:01:52enrollment,
1:01:54but then recover one of the next 2 years
1:01:56or have a higher of the preceding 2
1:01:57years,
1:01:58you are going You're not going to see
1:01:59that drop in your state payment. Because
1:02:02again, it's the highest of the three.
1:02:04And so, there are some figures thrown
1:02:05around earlier. They were false. They
1:02:07are not accurate.
1:02:09Um
1:02:09Again, you can see what those numbers
1:02:11are right here in the budget. That's why
1:02:13I put them there, so people can see what
1:02:15the amount we are paid per student. They
1:02:17can see what we're paid for the formula.
1:02:19And you might say, "Well, Robert, if I
1:02:21do my math real quick and take the 47.7
1:02:23million minus the 45.7, that's about 2
1:02:25million. You said 1.6 or 1.7." Well, the
1:02:28reason is is last year's SAT was around
1:02:316950.
1:02:32This year's around 6800. So, that's why
1:02:35it's a little bit more than that 1.6 or
1:02:361.7.
1:02:38And so, I just want to lay that out
1:02:39there. Just wanted to give a little bit
1:02:41of tutorial on how the formula works.
1:02:43Next year, I'll have to probably relearn
1:02:44it because it'll be a brand new one that
1:02:46they'll throw out there with the
1:02:47monetization task force.
1:02:48But I just wanted to kind of lay line
1:02:50that out for everybody so they
1:02:51understood how we're funded from the
1:02:52state, so there aren't any misnomers
1:02:54thrown around about how our funding
1:02:56would increase or decrease in the
1:02:58amounts of what it is. Those amounts,
1:03:00how we're paid, are all right there. So,
1:03:02you're welcome.
1:03:03>> So, the decrease from the state would be
1:03:04the 2 million we see here on the actual
1:03:06>> That is correct.
1:03:07>> Okay.
1:03:07>> And some of that's from drop of water
1:03:10wham, some of that's drop of the SAT.
1:03:12Yeah.
1:03:13>> So, I have a question. So, I heard you
1:03:16say that it's based on 2 years. So, then
1:03:20the drop in our current enrollment, we
1:03:22really won't feel the impact of that
1:03:25for a while still.
1:03:26>> That is correct. Yeah, right now we are
1:03:28still being So, we're in the 2026-2027
1:03:31school year, whereas last year, you
1:03:33know, was the
1:03:342025-2026. We're still being paid on the
1:03:372024-2025
1:03:39lot of whim calculation.
1:03:42>> Meaning in a couple of years, in a
1:03:43couple of years we're going to be in
1:03:44trouble though.
1:03:45>> So, as we look
1:03:48out,
1:03:50we will have to look to predict. Of
1:03:52course, we have
1:03:53on the previous page that Katie had had
1:03:55what our latest demographer's numbers
1:03:57are.
1:03:58We are continuing to decline with
1:04:00enrollment.
1:04:01And so, we will
1:04:04have the highest of the three, the
1:04:05current, the previous year, the 2 years
1:04:07behind. So, I do have those calculations
1:04:10here in this 5-year forecast that I will
1:04:13talk about here in a second. But, that's
1:04:14a great point, and I I will point that
1:04:16out and show what that looks like 5
1:04:18years out.
1:04:18>> Thank you.
1:04:19>> Yeah.
1:04:20Thanks, Katie. Sorry.
1:04:21>> And Dr. Hedgecorth, this
1:04:23state funding, so this is roughly a
1:04:25third of our budget. Is that correct?
1:04:29>> Yeah, it was our our local was about 52%
1:04:30and our state was 34-35%
1:04:32I believe.
1:04:33>> The budget's 167.
1:04:35So, this would be
1:04:36like 20
1:04:3725% you said.
1:04:39>> Uh 32.8.
1:04:40>> 32.8%
1:04:43>> That's roughly a third.
1:04:46>> Thank you.
1:04:48>> [laughter]
1:04:51>> Okay, so on page 20 you'll see the
1:04:53breakdown in our expenditures by
1:04:55function. This is given to us on how we
1:04:58have to code things from the state of
1:04:59Missouri for their accounting manual. Um
1:05:02and we'll go into all of the
1:05:04the areas that we touched here, but we
1:05:06did this for both function and then the
1:05:08next several pages on page 25 is by
1:05:11object. Um so, that's all of the
1:05:13salaries and benefits and all of the
1:05:15purchase service categories, so you can
1:05:17review that at your leisure.
1:05:19Um
1:05:20lastly, page 28
1:05:23um will show you the the reduction that
1:05:26we've made.
1:05:27Um
1:05:28so far we're we're still showing a $2.57
1:05:31million deficit. However, what we
1:05:33presented in June was a $3.6 million
1:05:36deficit. So, we have been able to reduce
1:05:39that deficit by approximately $1 million
1:05:41since since our June numbers.
1:05:44And that's been done by a lot of
1:05:46collaboration with some other
1:05:47departments. Um reevaluating where our
1:05:49salaries were landing after kind of
1:05:52everybody settled where they were going
1:05:53to be, and we'll keep doing that um into
1:05:55our February amendment as well.
1:06:00>> I have a question on fund four.
1:06:02Is there um do we try to keep that at
1:06:04like 4.4? I see that we have a transfer
1:06:06into it of about a million dollars. Uh
1:06:09but when you look at like the revenues
1:06:11and the beginning balance,
1:06:12um
1:06:13I mean, we have enough to cover this
1:06:14year, but is there just a strategic plan
1:06:17where we try to keep that at a certain
1:06:18number or
1:06:19>> Yeah, great question. So, um internally,
1:06:21my KPI is 75% to 125%
1:06:25of current fund four expenditures
1:06:27uh
1:06:27outside of a special, you know, bond
1:06:30project or construction project, just
1:06:31our normal
1:06:33um deferred maintenance cost. And so,
1:06:35this year, our fund four expenses look
1:06:37to be about 4.4 million. So, if we're at
1:06:40100%, we're trying to keep that fund
1:06:41four balance at about 100% of what our
1:06:44annual costs are. So.
1:06:51>> All right.
1:06:52Any questions on the main budget
1:06:54document?
1:06:56Cuz I will go on to our five-year
1:06:57forecast if there's nothing on this this
1:06:59document here.
1:07:02All right. So, the five-year forecast,
1:07:03I've I printed this out on our large
1:07:06ledger paper because I know when Kevin
1:07:08brings that up, everybody's squinting
1:07:09and trying to look real hard. And so, I
1:07:11printed that out at your table.
1:07:13Um so, the first thing I want to point
1:07:15out is the point that Ms. Williams
1:07:17pointed out earlier is the uh state
1:07:20revenue. And so, if you look at the
1:07:22state revenue for FY27,
1:07:24um that is all of our state revenue, not
1:07:26just our um formula, uh which the
1:07:28formula makes up the majority of it, but
1:07:30that's all of our revenue. Uh you can
1:07:32see that this
1:07:34this fiscal year, you know, we're
1:07:35looking at about 54.9 million, and the
1:07:37next year 52.6, and then FY29 50.6.
1:07:42And so, uh we're seeing reductions not
1:07:44on the formula, but a lot of other um
1:07:46you know, state initiatives, and so that
1:07:48accounts for why you see that decrease.
1:07:50Um and then if you look at our overall
1:07:52revenue for this year, we're looking at
1:07:54about 155.8,
1:07:56um and then 154.1. And let me um say
1:07:59real quick before I do,
1:08:01this um removes fund three. Since fund
1:08:03three is restricted just for payment of
1:08:06debt, I take fund three out, so that way
1:08:08there's no confusion on um you know,
1:08:10what funds are unrestricted versus
1:08:12restricted. And so, I just want to make
1:08:14point that out real quick. If someone
1:08:15looks at this number and says, "Well,
1:08:16that didn't match the budget number."
1:08:17The budget numbers are all funds. This
1:08:19is removing fund three since it's
1:08:21restricted.
1:08:23Of course, if you look at our revenue
1:08:25over time, you can see it continues to
1:08:26decrease, but yet we have inflationary
1:08:28pressures for our health insurance, for
1:08:31our property insurance, liability
1:08:33insurance, um giving having steps uh for
1:08:37our staff members to roll those salary
1:08:40schedules. And so, you can see over time
1:08:42if we continue as status quo and don't
1:08:45make any changes,
1:08:46uh again, you know, Katie just reported
1:08:48that we'd end this year at 9.58%.
1:08:51Um after FY28, we would end at 5.41, and
1:08:55then be into the negative FY29. And so,
1:08:58uh of course, you know, we do see these
1:09:00reduced revenues. We do know we need to
1:09:01do something. We're not going to, you
1:09:03know, put our head in the sand. We know
1:09:04we need to take some action, right? And
1:09:06so, the next document I have is uh
1:09:10the one that has the large orange
1:09:13um
1:09:14rows added to the middle of the
1:09:15expenses. The revenues you see up above
1:09:18are identical. The only change from this
1:09:19document to the last document is that in
1:09:22FY28, we've reduced our budget by 5.2
1:09:24million,
1:09:26and then in FY29 we reduce it by 4.4.
1:09:29And so this is a hypothetical. You can
1:09:31see that we get above um
1:09:3314% in FY30 and we come a somewhat close
1:09:37in FY29.
1:09:38And so this is just a scenario of some
1:09:42things that we could do. Uh
1:09:44obviously if the modernization task
1:09:46force changes some things in the formula
1:09:48that makes our state revenue higher,
1:09:50this would all change.
1:09:51But we're going off of what is known
1:09:53right now as if the formula was
1:09:54identical. And so what's great about
1:09:56this document is we can make those
1:09:57changes on the fly and see how it
1:09:59affects our any fund balances and what
1:10:02that does to that operating fund balance
1:10:03percentage. And so this is just a
1:10:06hypothetical of what we would need to
1:10:08cut to
1:10:10get our operating fund balance
1:10:11percentage back up. If we wanted to just
1:10:13remain flat around 10% uh you know, we
1:10:16we'd be able to not have to cut as many
1:10:18expenses, but again that wouldn't get us
1:10:20to that 14% either.
1:10:22So happy to answer any questions you
1:10:24have on either these documents and those
1:10:26scenarios of what our 5-year outlook
1:10:29looking forecast looks like.
1:10:31>> Okay, so I have a couple questions real
1:10:32quick.
1:10:33>> Sure.
1:10:33>> Um okay, so
1:10:36I'm looking at the orange
1:10:38and
1:10:39this is
1:10:425.
1:10:44two cuts on staff.
1:10:46>> That is correct. Um there is one other
1:10:48thing I did cut in the upper right-hand
1:10:50corner. I did cut 5% of purchased
1:10:52services and supplies as well.
1:10:56>> And you
1:10:57is this like a wish list or
1:10:59or like or like a possibility?
1:11:01>> Just a placeholder. It's just a
1:11:03placeholder to show if we cut that
1:11:06amount of money then that is how our
1:11:08operating fund balance percentage would
1:11:10move. Does it have to come off from
1:11:11staff? No, that 5.2 doesn't. Um you
1:11:15could look for supplies and purchased
1:11:16services.
1:11:17Um there is just less in those areas to
1:11:19be able to make some movement.
1:11:22>> Cuz that just appears as if it's a lot
1:11:25um Um, especially after already doing
1:11:28lots of cuts.
1:11:29And then after that, it's another
1:11:334 million cut, a little over 4 million.
1:11:36>> The The following year, yes.
1:11:37>> In those areas again?
1:11:39>> Uh, just a placeholder. Doesn't
1:11:40necessarily have to be in staff, but you
1:11:43could push more of that to purchase
1:11:44services and supplies.
1:11:46Um, but we just need that ending fund
1:11:47balance amount to be the same.
1:11:52>> This just seems impossible.
1:11:55>> You know, it is
1:11:56>> I mean, I don't want to be like a Debbie
1:11:57Downer, you know, but
1:11:59I'm a realist and looking at this is
1:12:02scary.
1:12:02>> It is scary.
1:12:03>> Like
1:12:04cuz you can only
1:12:06go for I mean, are they already using
1:12:08one-ply? Like Like I mean, you can't
1:12:10really cut
1:12:12and cut and cut and cut it
1:12:14and still have a functioning district.
1:12:15That's scary.
1:12:16>> Correct.
1:12:17Um, you know, Katie presented that we
1:12:19had the lowest expenditures budgeted in
1:12:22our operating funds for the last 4
1:12:23years.
1:12:24Um, you know, we're we're getting into a
1:12:26revenue problem. We're not seeing the
1:12:28revenues come in, you know, from the
1:12:29state. And so, that is causing
1:12:32um, us to have to cut, you know,
1:12:33expenses in in other areas.
1:12:37Federal title funding has also been
1:12:38reduced.
1:12:40Um, and so, we had less title funding
1:12:42this year.
1:12:43Um, county's been pretty flat and and
1:12:45local has been a slight increase of 2 to
1:12:473% per year, so.
1:12:48>> Well, I mean, it's almost like we're
1:12:49being squeezed and squeezed and squeezed
1:12:51until we can't operate anymore. I mean,
1:12:53I have experience in that. And And this
1:12:55is ridiculous. Like Like
1:12:59And I know I've asked you this and and
1:13:00I'm kind of
1:13:02putting you on the spot, you know, but
1:13:02you're kind of good at it. Like
1:13:05what can we do?
1:13:07>> Sure. Um,
1:13:08I If we would fund Senate Bill 727 like
1:13:11it was passed in 2024, the 7145, that
1:13:15would be
1:13:16um,
1:13:17in my opinion, where we need to be
1:13:19because that's what districts planned
1:13:20for. That's what they staffed for. And
1:13:22then when you don't fund the formula for
1:13:24what uh,
1:13:26you know, our legislature passed back in
1:13:282024, how are you supposed to operate
1:13:30with a changing SAT every year not
1:13:32knowing what's going to be funded. So,
1:13:34that would be my first step.
1:13:36>> I think it's a good time to reiterate
1:13:37that, you know, clearly
1:13:40I mean everybody knows what's going on
1:13:42with expenses in every aspect of our
1:13:45lives. And to cut that 10%
1:13:49from the state level
1:13:51since 2027
1:13:55Excuse me, projected from 27 to 31. To
1:13:57cut that 10%
1:14:00uh
1:14:02the message is
1:14:04the state wants to push it back to the
1:14:07local taxpayer. If we are to maintain
1:14:10some semblance of the same district that
1:14:12we have now, services, staff
1:14:16it's it's going to come back on the
1:14:17local taxpayer.
1:14:24>> And that's not logical or feasible.
1:14:26People can barely afford groceries.
1:14:29>> With inflation, area pressures and other
1:14:31areas of everyday lives that it will be
1:14:33tough to ask more
1:14:35of our local community.
1:14:37>> Dr. Hedgecorth, when you look at the
1:14:40insurance line going up roughly 132% and
1:14:44estimated in the next 5 years
1:14:47what is the process? I'm new at the
1:14:49board. What's the process for us working
1:14:51through insurance, what we offer, what
1:14:54we can afford? What is the process
1:14:56throughout the year that determines this
1:14:58number?
1:14:59>> That's a great question. So, every year
1:15:01we have our fi- sorry, we have our
1:15:03salary benefits committee and that
1:15:05salary benefits committee works through
1:15:07not only looking at our salary schedule
1:15:09but also what our benefits look like. Of
1:15:11course,
1:15:12our broker is is locked in and they look
1:15:14at through those scenarios with their
1:15:16actuaries to see how that looks.
1:15:18I've budgeted 8%. They've told me 10%
1:15:22because health care costs just continue
1:15:23to rise and rise. And so,
1:15:26St. Joe, you know, school board has
1:15:27always been very generous to our
1:15:29employees and and had a no-cost option
1:15:32at all times for the employees.
1:15:34Um as you look in private industry,
1:15:37um that's not always the case that you
1:15:38have a no cost option. And so,
1:15:41um
1:15:41we're going to have to look at ways to,
1:15:44you know, kind of
1:15:45cap, I guess you could say, that that
1:15:47runaway cost because us increasing 8% on
1:15:50our health insurance for the next 5 10
1:15:52years, it is going to really put a
1:15:53squeeze on us. So,
1:15:55um you know, we're going to have to look
1:15:56at all things with health insurance to
1:15:57see how we can maybe restructure some of
1:16:00those plans a little bit to get the most
1:16:02value out of them so that way we're not
1:16:03increasing 8 to 10% cuz just a reminder,
1:16:06anything you're paid on your health
1:16:07insurance has to center benefit of
1:16:09retirement. So, then you also pay 14.5%
1:16:12of that if you're a certified staff
1:16:13member to the state. So, any increase in
1:16:15benefits goes up another 14.5% for
1:16:19certified staff.
1:16:21>> I sat through a session with locked in
1:16:22on health insurance at the conference,
1:16:24and their recommendation was that more
1:16:26board members need to be aware of the
1:16:28process and involved in it because it's
1:16:30not fair to put all the pressure on you
1:16:31to have to stand between a board, um
1:16:33asking you to evaluate cost, and
1:16:36district employees, and trying to
1:16:37balance, you know, taking care of your
1:16:39employees. And so, I do think the board
1:16:41as as a collective needs to be aware
1:16:43that health insurance is a big cost, and
1:16:46that we need to be supportive of this
1:16:47conversation, and not make you be the
1:16:49only one that has to raise the flag of
1:16:51of cost saving.
1:16:52>> Yeah, I know this has gone off the fly,
1:16:53but we have board representation at our
1:16:55finance committee meeting. We have it at
1:16:56our academics committee meeting.
1:16:58Um if we had it at our um salary
1:17:00benefits, you know, I
1:17:01I would think they would be comfortable
1:17:02with that. I would maybe should ask them
1:17:04first, but
1:17:06um you know, I and that would allow them
1:17:08to have a voice, too, to for a board
1:17:09member to be there to to hear their
1:17:11concerns, too. So.
1:17:12>> Yeah.
1:17:12>> Yeah.
1:17:15>> Uh my other question was um
1:17:18do we know roughly like the average cost
1:17:20of an employee in a year? I I know we
1:17:22have different sliding scales and
1:17:23different calendars and pay schedules,
1:17:25but just a random ballpark number of
1:17:28what one employee costs the district,
1:17:30salary, benefits, retirement?
1:17:32>> Yeah, we do. Me and Mark work through
1:17:33this. Um as a teacher, we use the
1:17:35master's plus 10 and then add in all of
1:17:38the work comp benefits, insurance and
1:17:41all those things. And so we have a scale
1:17:43that shows, you know, a teacher, a
1:17:45paraprofessional, an administrator, what
1:17:47those costs are on average if they are
1:17:50kind of in that middle part of the
1:17:51salary schedule.
1:17:53Of course, if you're a beginning
1:17:54teacher, you'll be less than that.
1:17:55Experience will be more, but we kind of
1:17:57have that mid-range and then we work off
1:17:58that to look at what staffing costs long
1:18:01term.
1:18:01>> Okay.
1:18:04>> Okay, so pretty much
1:18:08advocate to our elected officials.
1:18:11>> Yes, we have a revenue problem.
1:18:13You can see, you know, in FY27,
1:18:16funds 1, 2, and 4 are 155.8 million
1:18:20and in FY30, they're 155.9 million,
1:18:24basically flat for 4 years. When you
1:18:26have increasing cost of health
1:18:29insurance,
1:18:31liability insurance, you have to retain
1:18:33your staff, recruit staff, you have to
1:18:36continue to move on that schedule. And
1:18:38so those are things that are important
1:18:39to do. So that would be a huge help if
1:18:41if our state fully funded the formula.
1:18:47>> There is no further discussion. I'd like
1:18:49a motion, please, to accept the October
1:18:51budget amendment.
1:18:55>> So moved.
1:18:56>> Thank you, Jacob. Can I have a second,
1:18:58please?
1:18:58>> I'll second it.
1:18:59>> Thank you, Matt.
1:19:16>> While we're waiting to vote, I just want
1:19:17to say thank you to all the financial
1:19:18office and HR that have prepared these
1:19:21five-year forecasts.
1:19:23As a board member, I feel very equipped
1:19:24to make my decisions and so thank you
1:19:27for all the work that goes in. And then
1:19:29we're not just looking at October, we're
1:19:31looking at five years from now.
1:19:33I think that's an improvement in our
1:19:34district and so I just want to thank
1:19:35everyone, uh, the finance department,
1:19:37HR, that equip this board not only to
1:19:39see this year, but years to come. So,
1:19:41thank you.
1:19:55>> Motion passes 5-0 to accept the October
1:19:58budget amendment.
1:20:00Okay, Dr. Hedgecorth, it's you again.
1:20:02>> All right, so I'm going to be try to be
1:20:06a good steward here, and if I bring a
1:20:08problem, which I brought a problem,
1:20:10which I bring solution, okay?
1:20:12So,
1:20:13uh, with our last finance committee
1:20:15meeting, we talked a lot about tax levy
1:20:17planning, and knowing that we're having
1:20:19to find revenues, what could we do
1:20:21within our own structure to try to,
1:20:24uh,
1:20:24you know, attract, [clears throat]
1:20:25retain our teachers, and, you know, not
1:20:28have to have, you know, some of the cuts
1:20:30we have, be able to do more than just,
1:20:32you know, roll the salary schedule. We
1:20:34didn't add anything to it last year.
1:20:36Uh, so we talked about some scenarios,
1:20:37and so,
1:20:38uh, the first page that you see, I guess
1:20:41it'd be second page,
1:20:42um,
1:20:43are our funds and what they do. And so,
1:20:45our first fund one is your general
1:20:47incidental.
1:20:48Um, it's funds used for the majority of
1:20:49our expenses, just a quick recap.
1:20:51Uh, fund two are funds that are
1:20:52exclusively used for salary and benefits
1:20:54for certified staff. You're probably
1:20:56asking me, "Well, Robert, we don't have
1:20:58anything in fund two for our levy. How
1:20:59do we fund that?" Everything you're paid
1:21:01from the state for the formula goes into
1:21:03fund two automatically. And so, that's
1:21:04how that's funded.
1:21:06Uh, fund three is your debt service
1:21:07fund. That is how the the district
1:21:10manages their debt.
1:21:11Um, that levy funds fund three to be
1:21:13able to pay off our general obligation
1:21:15bonds. And then fund four is capital
1:21:17project, anything that's over $5,000.
1:21:19And so, if you add up the levy from all
1:21:21four of those funds,
1:21:23um, you'll hear this number a lot
1:21:24tonight, it's 4.9163.
1:21:27All right, next slide, please.
1:21:31All right, so what we proposed to the
1:21:33finance committee was, what if we did a
1:21:36levy transfer? What a levy transfer is
1:21:38is allows the the to move funds
1:21:40from a debt service fund to your general
1:21:43or incidental fund while leaving the
1:21:45overall tax rate unchanged. I'll say
1:21:47that one more time. Leaving the overall
1:21:49tax rate unchanged.
1:21:51>> So my taxes won't go up?
1:21:52>> Your taxes will not go up.
1:21:54Um it does take a uh ballot measure for
1:21:58a simple majority to pass, so 50% plus
1:22:00one to be able to pass this measure.
1:22:03If you can go down to the next slide. So
1:22:05this is our current levy. I I put them
1:22:07in buckets to show each bucket
1:22:09represents a fund and you can see right
1:22:12now in fund one that levy is 4.3558
1:22:16and our debt service levy is 5. Sorry,
1:22:190.5605
1:22:21for a total levy of 4.9163.
1:22:24Um again, what this transfer would do,
1:22:27if you go to the next slide, is it would
1:22:29take 15 cents from our debt service fund
1:22:33and move it over to fund one.
1:22:36So fund one would now be 4.5058,
1:22:39fund three would be 0.4105,
1:22:42and your overall levy remains unchanged,
1:22:45the exact same at 4.9163.
1:22:48>> So my taxes won't go up?
1:22:49>> That is correct. Your taxes will remain
1:22:50unchanged. So if we put this on the
1:22:52April election and it passes, we'll be
1:22:55able to have more opportunities in our
1:22:57operating fund which helps pay for
1:23:01salaries and benefits and those benefits
1:23:02we just talked about.
1:23:04Um if this did not pass in April, our
1:23:07levy would remain the same at 4.9163.
1:23:10It would not change. Your tax bill when
1:23:13it came back around would be identical
1:23:15whether this passed or not in April.
1:23:17And so what would 15 cents do? Is that a
1:23:19lot, Robert? Well how does that help us?
1:23:21And so this calculation on the next page
1:23:23shows what 15 cents additionally in our
1:23:26operational fund would bring in and you
1:23:29can see that's just over $2 million in
1:23:31additional funding.
1:23:33And so that would help us a long way in
1:23:35doing some of the things
1:23:36um that we know we need to do with our
1:23:37staff and to help [clears throat] retain
1:23:39and attract them.
1:23:41And so
1:23:42on the last page I have here is of
1:23:45course you have to um get this approved
1:23:46by your voters and we are proposing
1:23:48doing this at the April
1:23:50um
1:23:51election and it would read something
1:23:53like this, "Shall the school board of
1:23:55St. Joe School District of Buchanan
1:23:56County be authorized to increase the
1:23:58operating levy by 15 cents
1:24:01per $100 of assessed valuation according
1:24:03to the 2027 assessment for operating
1:24:05expenses of the district including and
1:24:08then that's where you state what you
1:24:09want it to be for." Um my recommendation
1:24:12and the recommendation of the finance
1:24:13committee would be for
1:24:14uh to attract and retain
1:24:16uh staff and to improve, you know,
1:24:19salary benefits.
1:24:20Um but you could put some other things
1:24:21there up up to the Board of Education
1:24:23what they like to put there.
1:24:24Um of course the next part reads, "If
1:24:26this is approved um what the total uh
1:24:29amount would be for our operational levy
1:24:31fund and that the district would reduce
1:24:34its debt service property tax by amount
1:24:36that is estimated to result in no net
1:24:38increase so the overall levy will remain
1:24:40unchanged at 4.9163." I know I
1:24:42paraphrased a little bit. But that is
1:24:45the what the ballot language would read.
1:24:47Now to put this on the April ballot, we
1:24:49would need to bring this ballot language
1:24:51to you in December. So I know this is an
1:24:54action item tonight. You would not be
1:24:56approving this ballot language. You are
1:24:57just approving that you want me to go to
1:25:00bond counsel and have language written
1:25:03up to
1:25:05evaluate this in December and that's
1:25:07when the vote would pass for it to go on
1:25:09the April ballot. So be happy to answer
1:25:12any questions on this strategy of
1:25:16making the debt service transfer to
1:25:18operations
1:25:20for that that tax levy transfer.
1:25:23>> Yes, please. Um
1:25:25Let's see. First of all, so the number
1:25:27was uh maybe 2 million more that we
1:25:29could operate with, right?
1:25:31>> That is correct, yeah.
1:25:32>> And
1:25:34I may be comparing but you know, we're
1:25:36we're we're kind of projected to deficit
1:25:38spend 2 and 1/2.
1:25:41Looking back on your chart here,
1:25:44Robert.
1:25:47>> Oh yeah, that's a good point. Okay, so
1:25:48even after
1:25:51even after this we would
1:25:54still need to cut
1:25:57all those millions of staff. So it all
1:25:59depend on how much of that two million
1:26:01you use to improve your salary
1:26:03schedules. Do you use Do you use one
1:26:05million of it for salary schedules and
1:26:07then the other million to help kind of
1:26:08change some staff? Do you put it all in
1:26:10salary schedules and benefits and you
1:26:13know
1:26:14>> And that's the including part, right?
1:26:16So that's that is just a figure we would
1:26:17get
1:26:19in our operating fund to help No, I mean
1:26:21I'm saying
1:26:23on the
1:26:24including on the ballot language
1:26:27we would choose either all to salaries,
1:26:30all to whatever like right?
1:26:33Yes, you're correct.
1:26:34You would
1:26:35You would include that language to say
1:26:38this is for to improve salary benefits
1:26:41and and specify what that's for.
1:26:44>> Yeah,
1:26:45that's good. And then there was another
1:26:47word in there with the district expects
1:26:50just reads a little
1:26:53soft to me.
1:26:55I mean I It does read weird but it is
1:26:58required from our state to
1:27:01be able to
1:27:03kind of state it like this. Really? Yes.
1:27:06But if if those two numbers are in
1:27:07there, the 4.5058
1:27:09and the 4.9163, if the voters approve
1:27:12those two numbers
1:27:14then debt services has to be 51 cents or
1:27:1741 cents. Cuz they're locking in those
1:27:19two numbers which just means the third
1:27:21number we only have 41 cents. Yeah, I
1:27:23just don't know if the voter will read
1:27:25that or they will just get hung up on
1:27:26expects but the two So if our bond
1:27:29language could include those two
1:27:30numbers, that's the guarantee to the
1:27:32voter is that our operations is going to
1:27:34be this amount and the overall levy will
1:27:36be this amount.
1:27:38Let me ask bond counsel a good point. If
1:27:40you guys would like me to put in what
1:27:41the debt service would be
1:27:43so that way the two numbers add up to
1:27:44the 4.9163. I think that would be
1:27:46helpful. Yeah,
1:27:47yeah, I think having the amounts on
1:27:49there is very helpful.
1:27:50>> I will
1:27:51I will ask.
1:27:52>> And I I know this year you recommended
1:27:55us to keeping it at 4.9163 because of
1:27:57previous ballot language. So, the
1:27:59district has shown that we're we honor,
1:28:01you know, the voter that they voted that
1:28:03number in 2 3 4 years ago and we're
1:28:05still honoring it. So, there's some
1:28:07trust there. So, if we can get the
1:28:08numbers in the ballot language, that's
1:28:10the easiest way to educate people is
1:28:11these are the actual numbers if we can.
1:28:14>> I believe it can be added. I will make
1:28:15that request.
1:28:20>> Okay, and then I'm still trying to get
1:28:21my arms around what that reduction in
1:28:24fund three does. So, like I know you
1:28:26told me last month that or at the work
1:28:28session
1:28:29that
1:28:30um
1:28:31you know, our bonding capacity, should
1:28:33we ever want to do a project, remains
1:28:37the same. But does that reduction in
1:28:39fund three mean that we've got less of a
1:28:41checkbook to pay that back?
1:28:44>> So, I had Raven James do an analysis and
1:28:47even reducing debt service by 15 cents,
1:28:51the district will have no issues
1:28:52repaying its debt that's currently on
1:28:53the books.
1:28:55>> Okay.
1:28:56>> [laughter]
1:28:56>> All of our general obligation bonds and
1:28:58all of our lease purchase debt.
1:28:59>> That's good. So, if we ever wanted to do
1:29:01a project, we would say
1:29:04we would say we have this much bonding
1:29:06capacity and
1:29:08that that fund three gives us the
1:29:10ability to make our payments.
1:29:11>> All right, I think I know where you're
1:29:12going. I asked the next question is how
1:29:14much do we have where we would not have
1:29:16to increase taxes. So, we can do a bond
1:29:18up to $91 million and it'd be at no tax
1:29:21rate increase. Anything over 91 million
1:29:24would require a tax increase.
1:29:26>> Okay, Roger that.
1:29:27>> Yep. And so, of course, my
1:29:28recommendation would be anything you did
1:29:29would be below that amount for no no tax
1:29:33rate increase.
1:29:34>> Right, thank you.
1:29:38Yeah, I like the idea um
1:29:40of supporting this. I think as we
1:29:41right-size, we also need to incentivize
1:29:44our employees. I think, you know,
1:29:46they've been asked to to take on more. I
1:29:48think they've been asked to um
1:29:50to hang with us during a very difficult
1:29:52time. And so, as we're right-sizing the
1:29:53district, if we can also incentivize our
1:29:56our base pay and our recruiting and
1:29:58retention, I think those are two great
1:29:59things we can balance. Right-sizing and
1:30:01incentivizing, and I think this helps us
1:30:03do that. We could look at, you know,
1:30:05increasing our teacher base, something
1:30:06along those lines. So,
1:30:08I'm all for uh this, and I would love to
1:30:11see it go towards uh
1:30:12increasing um our our teacher base if
1:30:14possible.
1:30:17>> Okay, now I'm confused really quick.
1:30:19Um
1:30:20cuz we're looking at
1:30:22cutting
1:30:235.2.
1:30:25Okay, but we're asking about
1:30:29increasing an operating levy
1:30:31to
1:30:32increase pay?
1:30:34>> Correct.
1:30:35>> And still cut
1:30:375.
1:30:392 in south?
1:30:41>> So, we have an extra little over 2
1:30:44million that would increase our
1:30:45operating funds with this. And so,
1:30:47again, how you word the ballot language,
1:30:50if you wanted to use some of that to not
1:30:53have to cut as much staff, you would
1:30:55want to add to the ballot language that
1:30:56you're doing it for salary benefits and
1:30:58other operational expenses.
1:31:00If you were putting the full 2 million
1:31:02towards salary benefits, then you'd want
1:31:03to leave the ballot language as just
1:31:05salary benefits. So,
1:31:06>> Right.
1:31:06>> that's that's Those are the things we
1:31:08need to discuss as it comes down to
1:31:09December.
1:31:10>> Yeah, and I don't want anybody getting
1:31:13confused, you know,
1:31:16to think that this will like increase
1:31:18the salaries,
1:31:21help the operating,
1:31:24and then no cuts.
1:31:26Cuz we're not able to do everything.
1:31:27It's not a blank check.
1:31:28>> You are correct. We We We can't We can
1:31:31do anything. We can't do everything.
1:31:32>> Right.
1:31:33>> Yep.
1:31:33>> Okay. I just want a clarification. Thank
1:31:35you.
1:31:35>> Yep.
1:31:38>> Any further questions?
1:31:40>> Okay, so you need a motion to
1:31:45bring a resolution back.
1:31:46>> Have Dr. Ashworth
1:31:48run the track.
1:31:49>> That's why I'm bringing a resolution in
1:31:50December to put this on the ballot.
1:31:52>> And I put that fund language in the
1:31:54motion too on that. If you want to bring
1:31:57that up on the weekend, Kevin. On the
1:31:59tax levy planning. No, not that. If you
1:32:02click into the tax levy planning agenda
1:32:03item, there's the motion to
1:32:07>> I make a motion.
1:32:08>> Here we go.
1:32:09>> To do that.
1:32:11>> [laughter]
1:32:12>> Worded much better than me.
1:32:14>> So, it's at the top.
1:32:14>> At the very top of you can scroll up for
1:32:16me.
1:32:17Yeah. Motion to
1:32:18>> So, the motion is to approve the review
1:32:20of the resolution at the December Board
1:32:22of Education meeting to transfer 0.15
1:32:26cents from the debt service fund to the
1:32:28general fund.
1:32:29Okay.
1:32:31Thank you, Kim.
1:32:32All right, LaTonya made the motion. Kim
1:32:34second the motion.
1:33:00Okay, motion passes 5-0 to um
1:33:04look into the tax levy.
1:33:08Okay, the next um item on our agenda
1:33:10tonight agenda tonight is a policy
1:33:13revision.
1:33:19So, that the ad hoc committee met last
1:33:22week in order
1:33:24to look take a look at some revisions to
1:33:27board policy GC BDA and GDBDA
1:33:33um
1:33:34in order to uh make some accommodations
1:33:36for some federal requirements and some
1:33:39changes to make it more clear.
1:33:47>> Yeah, so there was a federal law that
1:33:49passed uh or that went into effect in
1:33:51August
1:33:52to increase military leave um paid leave
1:33:56from their employer from 120 hours to
1:33:58160.
1:34:00We were going to wait on some of these
1:34:01other changes until possibly June, but
1:34:04with that coming up, we decided to go
1:34:06ahead and make all those other
1:34:07modifications to make some clarifying
1:34:10statements on
1:34:12vacation and um
1:34:16holiday pay for 12-month employees, but
1:34:18there were no
1:34:20no increases in
1:34:21in any of those in any vacation or
1:34:24additional holiday days, just some
1:34:25clarification.
1:34:27>> Yeah, Mark, and we
1:34:29I would just add that that that though
1:34:31that's that law wouldn't go into effect
1:34:33earlier, but the October 1st
1:34:36was technically when that 160 was
1:34:38supposed to be executed, and so
1:34:40we we we did a little bit of hurry up on
1:34:42this and said um yeah, we need to we
1:34:45need to make that part of policy, and
1:34:46then also made those clarifying uh
1:34:50um recommendations for staff, and
1:34:53that's kind of what we've got.
1:34:54>> Yeah, the fiscal year for the government
1:34:57is October 1st to September 30th.
1:35:00>> So, that's the only real substance
1:35:01subtle boy, substantive
1:35:04change that occurred. Yeah.
1:35:07>> And just making things more clear, put
1:35:09um additional clarification in the
1:35:10employee handbook to match um
1:35:14some more vague language in the policy,
1:35:16but we chose to put it in the handbook
1:35:18instead of the policy because it's
1:35:20easier to change the handbook
1:35:22um down the road. Plus, we felt like
1:35:24employees um read the handbook, they
1:35:27have to sign off on it so that if that
1:35:28way it's very clear.
1:35:29>> Good.
1:35:31>> Okay.
1:35:32All right, any other questions?
1:35:36From any other board members?
1:35:38Okay, if I could please have a motion to
1:35:41accept the changes to these policies.
1:35:45>> I'll make it.
1:35:46>> Okay. Thank you, Kim.
1:35:49>> I'll second.
1:35:49>> Okay, thanks, Mike.
1:36:15>> Oh, yeah.
1:36:19>> I went that 40 times. My bad.
1:36:31>> Okay, motion passes 5-0.
1:36:35Okay, now we're at the information items
1:36:37on the agenda and we're ready for the
1:36:39facilities planning, Dr. McInnis.
1:36:41>> Yes, thank you. You should have this
1:36:44sheet at your stations that has the
1:36:46building ratings.
1:36:48So, DLR Group in collaboration with our
1:36:51maintenance team has updated the ratings
1:36:53of our buildings to support our current
1:36:55facilities planning.
1:36:57Um, let's see.
1:37:00We have the 2019 ratings on here and
1:37:03then the 2026. So, most of our building
1:37:05ratings have improved. Of the 31
1:37:09facilities listed, 27 received higher
1:37:12ratings in 2026
1:37:15than in 2019.
1:37:17>> [clears throat]
1:37:17>> Those increased scores were due to
1:37:19improvements to HVAC, electrical,
1:37:23plumbing,
1:37:24roofing, safety and security, and then
1:37:27we had some kitchen upgrades as well.
1:37:29Three buildings that declined were the
1:37:32main warehouse, TMC,
1:37:36and secondary warehouse and grounds. Oak
1:37:39Grove was unchanged at 3.65.
1:37:43Oak Grove had the highest rating and
1:37:44then you can see kind of how they rank.
1:37:46They're in order there.
1:37:50DLR reported, I wanted to point this out
1:37:52to the board, a rating between 3.2
1:37:56and 3.5
1:37:58is considered the standard. That's what
1:38:00they called it. So, 3.2
1:38:03to 3.5 would be the standard.
1:38:07So, you can see although our buildings
1:38:09increase and I applaud our maintenance
1:38:10crew for investing in these facilities
1:38:13and upgrading our facilities, we still
1:38:15have quite a few buildings that are
1:38:17below that standard.
1:38:20We are going to share this data with our
1:38:23committees.
1:38:25Next Tuesday, we will have the third and
1:38:28final committee meeting with the staff
1:38:31group and the community group.
1:38:33So, we're planning on sharing this with
1:38:35them, but I wanted you guys to see it as
1:38:37well.
1:38:38And I know I just sent this to you on
1:38:39Friday night. We got that a little bit
1:38:40late um last week.
1:38:43But I'd be happy to have any questions
1:38:44or if you have any more um if you want
1:38:46to know any details about the building
1:38:48scores, we'd be happy to answer those as
1:38:50well.
1:38:51>> Is this on a scale of
1:38:55four or five?
1:38:55>> Four is the highest.
1:38:57Good question.
1:38:59>> Um
1:39:01is there a possibility to get a list of
1:39:03what was accomplished
1:39:05to every school?
1:39:06>> 100% since 2019?
1:39:08>> Yes. Thank you.
1:39:09>> Mhm.
1:39:10We have that from DLR.
1:39:16>> Do you have any need chance also have
1:39:19just cuz my I what I'm curious about is
1:39:22when they go in the to the buildings,
1:39:23what are they looking at in general?
1:39:26Yes.
1:39:28>> Mr. Houseman, you want to come to the
1:39:29podium?
1:39:31There's a lot of different categories,
1:39:32but Casey's probably best positioned to
1:39:34answer that question.
1:39:35>> a big deal, I can live without it, but I
1:39:37was just mostly curious.
1:39:39>> You can rephrase your question.
1:39:40>> Yes. So, when they go look at the
1:39:42building to give it the rating,
1:39:44what are some general things that they
1:39:46look for to decide how to rate it?
1:39:49>> Sure, they're going to look at the
1:39:50entire envelope of the building as far
1:39:52as the plumbing, electrical, the roofs,
1:39:54the lighting,
1:39:55uh the infrastructure itself.
1:39:57>> Okay.
1:39:57Okay, thank you very much.
1:39:59>> Is there one common thread throughout
1:40:01our buildings, you know, like
1:40:03a lot of our scores were affected by
1:40:05this general big area or was it all over
1:40:08the board different buildings?
1:40:09>> It's kind of all over the board.
1:40:11Um and it it ranges
1:40:14it's mainly infrastructure.
1:40:15>> Okay.
1:40:15>> Um a lot of it has to do with some of
1:40:17the bond that we did the updates.
1:40:19Um but yeah it's it's mainly
1:40:21infrastructure. Anything?
1:40:22>> Thank you.
1:40:23>> I will share with you one thing that we
1:40:25were consistently low across the board
1:40:28was exterior lighting.
1:40:31We have all those details I'll send that
1:40:33to the board.
1:40:35>> Thank you.
1:40:36>> Thank you.
1:40:38>> All right. Now we are ready. Uh our
1:40:41board committees have been meeting and
1:40:43so we want to make sure that we offer um
1:40:46kind of an update from those committees.
1:40:48So tonight
1:40:50uh we're going to get an update about
1:40:52the academics committee that met.
1:40:56>> All right. I had the privilege of
1:40:58attending the academics committee. I
1:41:00joked with Dr. Reed that I was going to
1:41:01stand up and walk around as I gave this
1:41:03presentation cuz uh Dr. Reed has great
1:41:06classroom management, okay? None of us
1:41:07talk while she's walking around but uh
1:41:10academics committee uh we're looking at
1:41:12our CCIP of effective teaching and
1:41:13learning, specifically goal number six
1:41:16which looks at exposing students to
1:41:17real-world learning. And then looking at
1:41:20the action step underneath of that of
1:41:21the study and exploration of a of
1:41:24implementing a tiered graduation diploma
1:41:27that includes market value assets. And
1:41:29the reason we're looking at this is the
1:41:31hopeful goal of accomplishing uh
1:41:33increasing how many of our kids when
1:41:34they walk across the stage not only hold
1:41:37a diploma but they also hold a market
1:41:39value asset. So we want to see our goal
1:41:41go from 39% of graduates to 50% in the
1:41:44class of 2027.
1:41:46When I summarized our meeting into two
1:41:48main talking points, the first talking
1:41:50point was should SJSD recognize students
1:41:52who earn more credits and secure market
1:41:55value assets during their four years of
1:41:58high school through tiered diplomas. So
1:42:01we have some kids that they get the
1:42:02state minimum 24 credits and we have
1:42:05other students who get more than 24
1:42:06credits. but when they walk across the
1:42:08stage, they're receiving the same exact
1:42:10diploma. And so the question was, should
1:42:12there be a way of recognizing students
1:42:14who accomplish more than the state
1:42:16requirement in their four years of high
1:42:18school? And the second question that we
1:42:20looked at in talking point was, um how
1:42:22should we determine the honors at
1:42:24graduation? When we're highlighting or
1:42:27we're celebrating achievement at
1:42:29graduation, should that be based on
1:42:31weighted GPA and class rank, or should
1:42:33that be based on how well each student
1:42:35has prepared themselves for their future
1:42:38path? Um and that would go into more of
1:42:40an unweighted system. So the question
1:42:42is, should we be celebrating only one
1:42:46path of of college readiness? So it's
1:42:48how many weighted classes you took and
1:42:50the grades and weighted and it's all
1:42:52about class rank and here's the here's
1:42:54the one thing we celebrate, which is how
1:42:56ready you are for college. Or should we
1:42:59think about celebrating how ready they
1:43:00are for all aspects of their future?
1:43:03Maybe some are career ready, some are
1:43:05college ready, some are going in the
1:43:06military, but what would it look like to
1:43:08have a system, an honor system, that
1:43:11celebrates every path that one can take
1:43:14in high school? So go to the first one
1:43:16of a tiered diploma, I have a slide here
1:43:18from Dr. Reed's presentation.
1:43:20And once again, we're looking at the
1:43:22idea of what how can we celebrate the
1:43:25students who accomplish more than the
1:43:27state standard of 24 credits?
1:43:32Yeah, it's on No. No.
1:43:35It would be under the academics meeting
1:43:37if
1:43:40It's all right.
1:43:42It's all right. So on the slide, uh
1:43:43there's just a standard state 24 hours.
1:43:46So you get your 24 credits, if I say
1:43:48hours, I apologize. You do your 24
1:43:49credits, then you and the state of
1:43:51Missouri can get your high school
1:43:52diploma. But in your four years here in
1:43:54the SJSD, you can accomplish more than
1:43:5624 credits. You actually can accomplish
1:43:5828 credits and you can secure market
1:44:01value assets. And so a tiered diploma
1:44:03system would say, if a student
1:44:05accomplishes more than the state
1:44:06standard, uh let's recognize that with
1:44:09maybe like a silver, gold, and platinum
1:44:11diploma. So, on the silver level, that
1:44:14means they did their 24 credits and they
1:44:15got one market value asset. On the gold,
1:44:18they got 25.5 credits and a market value
1:44:21asset. And on the platinum one, there
1:44:23would be 28 and two market value. So,
1:44:26all you're doing is saying, "Look, if
1:44:27you've accomplished something, we want
1:44:29to celebrate you with a diploma that
1:44:31says you did more than the state
1:44:32requirement." And that was a big talking
1:44:34point in our in our time together. The
1:44:36second thing was just how we honor and
1:44:38recognize and spotlight student
1:44:40achievement at graduation. So, right
1:44:42now, as I said, we are a weighted GPA
1:44:45class rank celebration at graduation.
1:44:48So, we we celebrate based on
1:44:50peer-to-peer ranking and based on their
1:44:52GPA.
1:44:54But, we all agree that high school is
1:44:56more than a GPA. High school is about
1:45:00preparing every student for a successful
1:45:02future. I mean, that is the mission of
1:45:04our district, preparing students for a
1:45:06successful future. If that's our
1:45:08mission, then the goal would be that
1:45:10they would leave as prepared students.
1:45:12And if that's the goal, then we need to
1:45:14celebrate that goal by celebrating
1:45:15preparedness at graduation rather than
1:45:18maybe class rank. Because someone can be
1:45:20just as prepared for a career as someone
1:45:23else is prepared for college. But, right
1:45:25now, on graduation day, the student
1:45:28who's prepared for college is being
1:45:30celebrated and highlighted while the one
1:45:32that's just as much prepared for her
1:45:34career or his career is not receiving
1:45:36that that recommend that recognition.
1:45:39And so, the committee spent a lot of
1:45:40time talking about, "What would it look
1:45:42like if we recognized every student's
1:45:45preparedness for every future for every
1:45:47student?" So, when you go into high
1:45:49school, our our our goal would be pursue
1:45:53something you want to be and prepare
1:45:55yourself. And the better you prepare
1:45:56yourself for that what you're pursuing
1:45:58in the future, that's what's going to be
1:46:00recognized at graduation.
1:46:02And so, uh, the idea would be that I
1:46:05think this on the screen, if you go to
1:46:06slide, "Honoring prestige in every
1:46:07pathway." I like that cuz that's two P
1:46:09words in it. It rings nicely. Uh,
1:46:12everyone can achieve prestige in the
1:46:14pathway they choose to pursue. I added a
1:46:16third P in there. Everyone can achieve
1:46:19prestige in the pathway they choose to
1:46:21pursue. Students shouldn't just be
1:46:23forced to pursue college readiness in
1:46:25order to be recognized at graduation. If
1:46:27you want to prepare yourself for a
1:46:28career that's going to provide for your
1:46:30family, that's going to bless this
1:46:31community, then we should celebrate how
1:46:33well you prepare yourself for that
1:46:34career. And that's what academics
1:46:36committee is working on. There's no
1:46:38recommendations to bring. More like just
1:46:40updating the board that there is a big
1:46:42conversation going around when it comes
1:46:44to diplomas, should we recognize the
1:46:46students who achieve more than state
1:46:48requirement, and when it comes to
1:46:49graduation, is there a way to recognize
1:46:52the students who prepare themselves well
1:46:54for their pathway that they want to
1:46:55pursue. And then the last slide I think
1:46:57she had academic relevance instead of
1:47:00ranking. I enjoyed these three bullet
1:47:01points.
1:47:03This is probably the hardest thing is
1:47:04when you make changes in a system, you
1:47:05have to ask question why. These are
1:47:07three whys that we we could we should
1:47:10consider when celebrating preparedness
1:47:12over ranking. And I just wanted to share
1:47:14those on the screen with you guys. So,
1:47:16really it just boils down to what do we
1:47:18want to celebrate graduation and how do
1:47:21we want to celebrate kids who achieve
1:47:23more than the state minimum.
1:47:25I would then give the rest of my time to
1:47:28to Miss Stuter or to Dr. Katie Reed if I
1:47:31have confused everyone in this room. So,
1:47:35I'm excited about it. I would say the
1:47:36general consistency in the consensus in
1:47:38the room from all of our board or all of
1:47:41our committee members was high school
1:47:43has changed in 2026.
1:47:46And the mission of our district has
1:47:47changed to prepare students for a
1:47:49future, not send every kid to college.
1:47:52And we need now to have a diploma and a
1:47:54reward system that says, go prepare
1:47:56yourself for what is next and if you do
1:47:58it well, we have your back and we're
1:48:00going to celebrate you at graduation.
1:48:02And everyone in the room said, that
1:48:03makes a lot more sense than expecting
1:48:06someone who's on the career ready path
1:48:08to try to compete with someone who's on
1:48:09the college ready path.
1:48:13>> Dr. Montemayor, I can't thank enough.
1:48:14You've articulated that beautifully.
1:48:18Dr. Reed, will you step up to the podium
1:48:19because I want to celebrate her and the
1:48:21work that she led with the academic
1:48:24committee meeting up there.
1:48:26You know, she is the spearhead behind
1:48:30all of this hard work and we continue to
1:48:32gather stakeholder feedback. I can tell
1:48:34you that Dr. Anderson asked a good
1:48:36question at the very end. Have you
1:48:38talked to students? Yes, right? This is
1:48:41where the feedback came from is when I
1:48:44go to work with students and they say,
1:48:47"Mrs. Stover, I can never be ranked
1:48:49number one because I cannot afford the
1:48:51dual credit courses." And so, what we
1:48:53have set up is a system of inequality.
1:48:57And I I you know as I think through
1:49:01what she shared with me is so accurate
1:49:04in that statement she shared. So, we we
1:49:07will continue to gather the stakeholder
1:49:09feedback, but I appreciate Dr. McMillan
1:49:12sharing all the pieces. Ms. Miller, do
1:49:15you have anything to add? You were there
1:49:16as well.
1:49:18>> It's just a remarkable
1:49:21futurist look.
1:49:24As you were talking, I was thinking
1:49:25about our Hilliard students
1:49:28who don't necessarily do the
1:49:30the top rank
1:49:32but their hands are busy and they're
1:49:34creating and they have earned
1:49:37those career-ready skills.
1:49:40>> And if they get they prepare themselves
1:49:42well with all those diesel mechanic
1:49:44classes, they should have an opportunity
1:49:47to graduate with honors the same way a
1:49:49kid who has prepared themselves for
1:49:51college through AP physics, AP biology.
1:49:54You know, just because their their
1:49:55future is different doesn't mean that
1:49:57they haven't prepared prepared
1:49:59themselves just as well, you know?
1:50:01>> Exactly. So, I think we're ahead of that
1:50:03game in having a place like Hilliard's
1:50:07where they can get those technical
1:50:08skills
1:50:10without having to worry about class
1:50:12ranking.
1:50:13But it's a success
1:50:15uh,
1:50:17line.
1:50:19I'm excited about it because I get to
1:50:21share something else from later
1:50:24that
1:50:25is just a passion
1:50:27that we see in you guys as you are
1:50:30trying to set a new course for our kids'
1:50:32success.
1:50:35>> Well, I appreciate it, too, because I
1:50:36feel like we've gotten lots of really
1:50:39good business partners in our community
1:50:42that are supporting our students. I feel
1:50:44like we've added programs to Hilliard's
1:50:46and we continue to do that, but we
1:50:48haven't changed what the end goal looks
1:50:51like for everybody. And um, the the
1:50:55system we have now has been around I
1:50:57don't even know how many years, but a
1:50:58really, really long time. And I think
1:51:00it's exciting that we want to look at
1:51:01things differently because if we also
1:51:04want to improve student attendance,
1:51:06we've got to offer things to our
1:51:07students that makes them want to come to
1:51:09school. And if I want to be a diesel
1:51:12mechanic, I want that opportunity and I
1:51:14also want to know that at graduation,
1:51:16that's that's going to be important. So,
1:51:19I'm very excited. I think it's very
1:51:20innovative and I think St. Joe does that
1:51:22a lot and I want our community to know
1:51:24that we do that a lot and I think it's
1:51:27very doable. We'll just have to educate
1:51:30people on what that looks like, but I'm
1:51:32I'm very, very excited that this is what
1:51:34we're doing. So, thank you very much.
1:51:37>> Well, when you said that, it's I the
1:51:38apprenticeships come to mind where
1:51:41that's offered like through out tech and
1:51:43several other
1:51:44different places, Herzog, uh, all kinds
1:51:48of areas that offer an apprenticeship.
1:51:52So,
1:51:53it's it's great. I'm looking forward to
1:51:56what's next.
1:51:59>> I get excited. I want it to happen
1:52:00tomorrow. I don't know if that's
1:52:01probably not going to happen, but I get
1:52:03excited about it because I think it's
1:52:04good for our kids.
1:52:06Yep. Anybody else have anything?
1:52:10Do you have anything you wanted to add,
1:52:11Mr. Tony?
1:52:12>> No, we can move on.
1:52:13>> Okay.
1:52:13>> I will quit being on finance.
1:52:15>> Right. If you were going to go to
1:52:16finance now or go to the next year
1:52:17today, I'm sorry. I didn't I wasn't
1:52:19sure.
1:52:21>> Finance committee. I'm sorry.
1:52:23>> Perfect. So, when we set up the meetings
1:52:24this year, we we set them up quarterly.
1:52:26That was my request cuz we had some
1:52:27meetings in the year that didn't quite
1:52:29have some attendance. Uh but talking to
1:52:31the committee members this year, they
1:52:33really want to do those monthly and
1:52:34really dig in. So, that'd be my
1:52:35recommendation if we can uh change that
1:52:39at that request of myself and the other
1:52:41members to have those monthly going
1:52:42forward. Um and then that way we will uh
1:52:46be able to
1:52:47go through, you know, more decisions as
1:52:49we, you know, look at our 5-year
1:52:51forecast and some of the things we need
1:52:52to do.
1:52:53>> Okay, thank you for that information.
1:52:55All right.
1:52:56Uh uh
1:52:57>> Does that Does that require action? I
1:52:59mean, I mean, I mean, I
1:53:00>> Back in Back in the June work session,
1:53:02the board had given Ms. Studer and Dr.
1:53:03Hedgecorth the permission to communicate
1:53:05when meetings were happening.
1:53:07So, we've never stated quarterly in a a
1:53:09formal motion. So, I I
1:53:11I think as long as the board is okay
1:53:12with them still scheduling them, we'll
1:53:14be all right.
1:53:15>> Yeah, no objections.
1:53:16>> Okay. Okay.
1:53:17>> I just want to make sure before we
1:53:19schedule the Thank you.
1:53:20>> Yeah, there's just been just kind of
1:53:21some weirdness around what what what
1:53:23what the ask is.
1:53:24>> Since this is a board committee, I just
1:53:26Since this is a board committee, I just
1:53:27want to make sure you guys were okay
1:53:28with that.
1:53:28>> that.
1:53:28>> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
1:53:30>> I mean, let me know others should speak.
1:53:31I'm
1:53:32>> Yeah, so I'm going to say I'm ready to
1:53:34I'm on board with that then. What time
1:53:35works for
1:53:35>> At at Dr. Hedgecorth's recommendation.
1:53:38>> I don't have an opinion. Okay, thank
1:53:40you.
1:53:40Okay.
1:53:42All right.
1:53:43So, the next item on our agenda, um
1:53:46I asked to have this added on here just
1:53:48because we went to the MSBA conference
1:53:50and I think it's important
1:53:52um
1:53:53that the community is supporting us to
1:53:54go to that that we share back some of
1:53:56the
1:53:57information that we gained while we were
1:53:59at the committee. So, anybody or at the
1:54:01conference, I'm sorry. Anybody is
1:54:03welcome to share whatever it is they
1:54:05would like to share that they gained
1:54:07from the conference.
1:54:10>> Well,
1:54:11I talked to Ms. Studer before because
1:54:14the last session I attended
1:54:18had to do with uh what we've been
1:54:20talking about through academics.
1:54:23And it's uh um
1:54:26These are some of the pieces
1:54:28that they have they've already begun
1:54:31this process.
1:54:33Fairly new, but they have
1:54:36uh
1:54:37just a book to hand out to parents
1:54:39because I'm sure this is planned
1:54:42already.
1:54:43I I'm confident in that. So, this just
1:54:46gave me a
1:54:47something to look at and it begins at
1:54:49pre-K
1:54:52that we begin just that process to
1:54:54encourage success at every angle
1:54:58from kindergarten all the way through
1:55:00high school.
1:55:02A- and it you know, I'm pretty sure our
1:55:04staff here is already doing a lot of
1:55:06that in their instruction every day as
1:55:10they're preparing their kids for success
1:55:12to the next grade and the next grade.
1:55:15But this was exciting for me because
1:55:18it puts on paper exactly what our
1:55:21academics team is doing.
1:55:24So, it
1:55:26I don't know. It was my favorite part of
1:55:27it.
1:55:29Um
1:55:30and there were a lot of questions, but
1:55:32things that could put it in the parents'
1:55:35hands, in the students' hands. It list
1:55:38the course work that's necessary or for
1:55:41each different avenue of success.
1:55:44Um what they expected at each grade
1:55:46level.
1:55:48So,
1:55:49I don't know. It just encouraged more
1:55:51enthusiasm for the direction that we are
1:55:55planning already.
1:55:57So, this just put a face on it for me.
1:56:00And uh
1:56:02I don't know. It was a great way to end.
1:56:05>> Yes.
1:56:06Okay. Jacob, do you have anything you
1:56:07want to share?
1:56:08>> I mean, I've already mentioned
1:56:09I've already mentioned the wonderful
1:56:11insurance session I got to sit through
1:56:13with Lockton. I would just say our
1:56:14plenary speaker on Friday reminded us
1:56:16that everyone involved in public
1:56:18education, uh your life matters and
1:56:20you're changing lives every day. And uh
1:56:23unfortunately, our society, our culture
1:56:25has not said thank you enough to
1:56:27everyone who works in and gives time to
1:56:29public education. So, I just want to say
1:56:31thank you for changing lives every day.
1:56:33From the custodians, the kitchen staff,
1:56:35librarians, everyone. It's It's
1:56:36dangerous when you start listing jobs.
1:56:38Everyone in the district, you matter and
1:56:40you are the greatest change agent in our
1:56:42city and in our community and we say
1:56:44thank you. Um, it is a good reminder
1:56:46Friday that everyone
1:56:48from board members to custodians do what
1:56:51they do in public education not for
1:56:52their self, their limelight, but for the
1:56:54sake of the kids. And if we can keep
1:56:56that center and focus, then we're doing
1:56:58a great thing. And so, on behalf of just
1:57:00me and the board, thank you to everyone
1:57:02who changes lives every day through
1:57:04public education.
1:57:07>> I want to give a shout out to Jake. Um,
1:57:10Kelly, he did a really nice session on
1:57:13the new
1:57:14um, clocks we have and the
1:57:17the horns we have on the outside of our
1:57:19buildings to keep our kids safe. And so,
1:57:22that was really beneficial to me as a
1:57:24board member uh, to see how the money
1:57:26that we approved to be spent was spent.
1:57:28And he did a very professional job of
1:57:30conducting that session. So, thank you
1:57:32Jake for doing that. It was really
1:57:34interesting and I appreciate that. Um,
1:57:36another session I attended was from the
1:57:38Rockwood School District and they have a
1:57:41student advisory group of kids to their
1:57:44school board. And I thought that was
1:57:47interesting. Um, I just wanted to
1:57:49mention that. Maybe that's something
1:57:51that we think about and look at in the
1:57:52in the future because tonight we
1:57:54recognize kids who are doing advisory to
1:57:57the community. I know you have a board
1:58:00that comes to you of children. And so, I
1:58:03just thought maybe that's something we
1:58:04might want to think about in at a work
1:58:06session. I'd be happy to share kind of
1:58:07some of the things they were doing and
1:58:09how they chose kids. It was really
1:58:10interesting. Um, and they had videos of
1:58:13the kids talking about what they learned
1:58:15through being on that advisory board. It
1:58:18was really interesting and I I've I just
1:58:20think we have kids that could do that in
1:58:22our district, too. And it would just be
1:58:23a way for them uh, to get involved and
1:58:25for us to hear what they have to say.
1:58:28Okay, anybody else have anything
1:58:30you want to
1:58:31>> Um
1:58:33I attended lots of meetings, had lots of
1:58:37sessions, lots of conversations. Okay,
1:58:38but the thing it comes down
1:58:41to is school funding.
1:58:45All those other things are nice and
1:58:47everything like that. Okay, but if
1:58:48there's no money
1:58:51to operate all those other things will
1:58:53never happen. And so
1:58:56all my meetings were about the
1:59:00importance of
1:59:03advocating
1:59:04for public education.
1:59:06And not only, "Oh, we like public
1:59:08school." No, we need money in
1:59:13public education.
1:59:15And we're losing money every every
1:59:18single year over lots of reasons. Okay,
1:59:20but it's mainly over our elected
1:59:22officials.
1:59:23As mentioned
1:59:25as mentioned in the opening
1:59:27session
1:59:28by Melissa Randall
1:59:31it's an election coming up.
1:59:35And Melissa Randall
1:59:37who's the ED of MSBA also said
1:59:39public education is not on the ballot,
1:59:41you know, but it is on the ballot and
1:59:43all of us need
1:59:45to act accordingly.
1:59:48And that also means
1:59:51to vote
1:59:52accordingly. And if anybody has any
1:59:54other
1:59:56questions about anything else, I've got
1:59:57lots of materials, I've got lots of
1:59:59flyers, you know, but like I said, it
2:00:01doesn't matter if there's no money.
2:00:03That's all I got.
2:00:05>> All right.
2:00:06Yes. One last thing.
2:00:08Our first speaker
2:00:11was so inspirational
2:00:13because
2:00:15as a burn victim
2:00:17at what, nine
2:00:20um 1% chance to survive.
2:00:23And he spoke.
2:00:25He has a family of his own. But what was
2:00:28inspiring is that we
2:00:31sometimes we look at our children and
2:00:32think, "Wow,
2:00:34you know, maybe
2:00:36maybe you can achieve here because of
2:00:38some
2:00:39uh just some physical ailments or just
2:00:42things that are
2:00:45just by appearance
2:00:47we grade.
2:00:49So, they looked at him at a 1% chance to
2:00:52survive.
2:00:55He's amazing.
2:00:58That all of our children in this
2:01:00district is capable of that success
2:01:04at the level they can achieve.
2:01:06And to be able to celebrate each child
2:01:10regardless of history, regardless of
2:01:14culture, regardless of anything like
2:01:16that.
2:01:18It was just inspiring and
2:01:21uh overwhelming emotionally
2:01:23because there was no hope
2:01:27in that child
2:01:29until
2:01:31they gave him hope.
2:01:33>> And when he played the piano with his
2:01:34fingers, it was really it was really
2:01:37lovely.
2:01:39>> All right. Thank you, Kim. All right.
2:01:41Future meetings and events. October 26th
2:01:44through the 29th are parent-teacher
2:01:46conferences. October 30th, there's no
2:01:49school because of parent-teacher
2:01:51conferences. November the 1st is the
2:01:54next professional learning day, so
2:01:55there's no school on that day. November
2:01:58the 9th is our next board work session
2:02:00at 5:30. November 11th is Veterans Day.
2:02:04November the 19th is the next um
2:02:06academic CCIP committee meeting at 3:00.
2:02:09November the 23rd is our next regular
2:02:12Board of Education meeting at 5:30 with
2:02:14an executive executive session to
2:02:16follow. November the 25th through the
2:02:1826th will be a Thanksgiving break, so
2:02:21there will be no school for our
2:02:22students. And if I could please have a
2:02:24motion to adjourn to executive session.
2:02:28>> Oh, yeah. You ready?
2:02:29>> I'm ready. Are you ready?
2:02:31>> Yeah.
2:02:32I'm ready. Let's see. Uh I'd a motion to
2:02:35adjourn to executive session pursuant to
2:02:37610.021
2:02:39closed meetings and closed records for
2:02:41legal hiring, firing, disciplining, or
2:02:43promoting of particular employees
2:02:46and individually identifiable personnel
2:02:50records.
2:02:50>> Thank you, Mike. Can I have a second,
2:02:52please?
2:02:53>> Kim, you open your computer. Yes, I'll
2:02:54second it. Kim, you got to vote on your
2:02:56computer.
2:02:58I'll second it. I'll second it.
2:03:38>> Okay, motion passes 5-0 to adjourn our
2:03:40meeting to executive session.

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