[00:00:05] GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION TO ORDER. [A. Meeting Opening] FIRST, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM MR. [B. County's Early Budget Process] HARRIS ON THE COUNTY'S EARLY BUDGET PROCESS. THANKS FOR JOINING US, MR. HARRIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. SO I'LL BE RELATIVELY BRIEF, I THINK BEEN WORKING, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOUR STAFF. DR. MURRAY HAS BEEN FANTASTIC TO WORK WITH. WE'VE PROBABLY GOTTEN STARTED THIS YEAR SOONER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND, YOU KNOW, BOB AND I ARE IN PRETTY CONSTANT CONTACT ABOUT A BUNCH OF THINGS AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH EACH ONE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY JUST TO SORT OF TEE UP THE SEASON AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE KIND OF GET INTO THE THROES AND CRAZINESS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. SO I'M HERE TODAY REALLY JUST KIND OF TOUCH ON A FEW KIND OF KEY BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE 26 SEASON, WHICH I KNOW FROM Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE, PROBABLY FEELS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS IN BUDGET SEASON, BUT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, OFFICIALLY, OFFICIALLY GOING TO START HERE PRETTY SOON. SO AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE ANY, I DON'T HAVE ANY SLIDES. IT'S NOT THAT FORMAL. I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF TOUCH ON, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF KEY TOPICS. FROM THE COUNTY SIDE, AS YOU'RE AWARE, OUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, COUNTY AND SCHOOLS IS THE VALUATION OF REAL PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY. THE LAST THREE YEARS NOW, WE'VE BEEN AT AN ELEVATED LEVEL IN TERMS OF THAT ANNUAL REASSESSMENT PROCESS. WE DO THAT AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF EACH YEAR. SO OUR TEAM NOW AND THE COUNTY DOES THAT IN-HOUSE, AND WE ARE WRAPPING THAT PROCESS UP ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. SO WHEREAS WE YOU KNOW, OUR AVERAGE THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS PROBABLY BEEN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 8 AND 10%. THAT'S NOT NORMAL, NOR IS IT SUSTAINABLE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HEAR A LOT FROM SOME OF OUR FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT RETURN TO A MORE NORMAL RANGE AND NORMAL RANGE, AND I SAY THAT IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN THE 3 TO 5 RANGE. IN TERMS OF ANNUAL GROWTH. IT UNFORTUNATELY THAT AVERAGE IS, IS ALL OVER THE, THE MAP. IT AVERAGES TO THAT, BUT WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE NEGATIVES AND ZEROS AND THEN WE'VE SEEN THE PLUS TEN. SO IT'S A BIT UNPREDICTABLE, BUT I THINK THIS NEXT YEAR YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOMETHING RIGHT IN THAT FOUR AND A HALF TO 5% IN TERMS OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL VALUES GOING UP YEAR OVER YEAR. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR DIALOG AS WE HEAD INTO THE WINTER MONTHS, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A MUCH MORE SORT OF NORMAL, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONAL ON AVERAGE TYPE OF REVENUE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY. I THINK BOB JUST TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE PLUS 12 RANGE IN TERMS OF THAT RECURRING PIECE AND, YOU KNOW, I TALK ABOUT REVENUES AND SUPPORTING. THAT REALLY KIND OF FALLS INTO THOSE, THOSE TWO CATEGORIES. SO THE RECURRING PIECE, THE OPERATIONAL PIECE, PRETTY MUCH A SALARY COMPONENT, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ALL YOUR SORT OF CAPITAL CONSIDERATIONS, BUT I THINK WE CERTAINLY WILL BE ABLE TO HIT THAT PLUS 12 I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOT A LITTLE BIT OF UPSIDE, BUT I DO CAUTION THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE LAST THREE YEARS, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF SALARIES, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPEAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FALL INTO SORT OF A NORMAL MERIT, YOU KNOW, 3% RANGE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE ONGOING REVENUES WILL SUPPORT. SO IT'S NORMAL RANGE SALES TAX ARE COMING BACK DOWN OFF OF ITS DOUBLE DIGITS. REAL PROPERTY SAME THING. SO NICE STEADY GROWTH BUT NOT THE SPECTACULAR, YOU KNOW, AMOUNT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, BUT AGAIN THAT CAN'T REALLY BE THE STANDARD MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT LOOKS. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD INTERRUPT THAT MOVING FORWARD, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, ONCE WE SET THOSE VALUES ON JANUARY 1ST, THEY ARE IN PLACE FOR 12 MONTHS. SO WE HAVE A GOOD BIT OF PREDICTABILITY. IT'S NOT LIKE SOME OF YOUR STATE ACCOUNTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SEEM TO BE ABLE TO VARY, YOU KNOW, UP AND DOWN LIKE SALES TAX, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE LOCK IN AND YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE CERTAINLY GOOD FOR THAT FROM FROM THE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE. SO WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WORK THROUGH BOB AND HIS FOLKS TO CONTINUE TO GIVE UPDATES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A FAIRLY SOLID FORECAST ON THAT, AND I THINK FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND PROBABLY THE NEXT, MAYBE THE REST OF YOUR TERM, THE HEAVIER FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON THE CAPITAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE. I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE COST PRESSURES AND THE, THE CREATIVITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY, AND SAME THING FOR THE COUNTY. IT'S NOT A UNIQUE NECESSARILY SCHOOL PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM IN TERMS OF GETTING CITIZEN APPROVAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE TIMING OF THAT PERHAPS WAS WAS NOT NOT THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD AS WE [00:05:01] SAW CONSTRUCTION COSTS, YOU KNOW, ELEVATE QUITE A BIT REALLY IMMEDIATELY TO THE DAY AFTER, I THINK WE APPROVED THE REFERENDUM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT WE'VE GOT A JAIL HVAC PROJECT, WHICH YOU WOULD, FAIRLY ROUTINE PROJECT ON OUR SIDE. IT'S REPLACING THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMING OVER $10 MILLION OVER THE BUDGETED AMOUNT JUST ON THAT ONE PROJECT. SO AGAIN, IT'S YOU GUYS HEAR THOSE SAME THINGS FROM FROM YOUR TEAMS AND SAME THING ON OUR SIDE. SO WE'VE GOT TO COLLECTIVELY PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THAT. HAVING CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE FRONT AND A COUPLE OTHER CAPITAL INITIATIVES WILL ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, BOB AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT REGULARLY, AND I KNOW WE'VE SHARED SOME EARLY INSIGHTS WITH YOU ALL ON THAT FRONT AS WELL, IN TERMS OF HOW THAT'S MANAGED. YOU KNOW, THE REFERENDUM $375 MILLION FOR SCHOOLS. WE KNEW GOING IN EVEN BEFORE THE INFLATIONARY THING, THAT WAS A PHENOMENON THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, [INAUDIBLE] BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT, AND THAT'S ONLY BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE COST ENVIRONMENT THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN. SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. WE CAN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF GOOD NEWS THINGS, ITEMS FOR YOU ALL TODAY. WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL CAPACITY ON THE ON THE CREDIT CARD, IF YOU WILL. IT WOULDN'T BE REFERENDUM MONEY. WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO GO OUT AND PUT ANOTHER REFERENDUM ON THE BOOKS. WE DON'T DO THOSE, YOU KNOW, UNLESS UNTIL WE GET THIS ONE WRAPPED UP, BUT IT WON'T BE HARD, AS I THINK YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT PRETTY QUICKLY TO EXHAUST THE 375 BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THAT POINT TO GO BACK OUT AND GET AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL BORROWING. SO WE HAVE OTHER AVENUES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU. THE STATE HAS SOME GOOD PROGRAMS THAT I THINK WE WOULD LEAN ON. WE'VE DONE THAT FOR YEAR TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECTS, KIND OF SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE LAST TWO REFERENDUMS, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THOSE THINGS, AND WE DO HAVE SOME CAPACITY IN TERMS OF OUR BORROWING CONSTRAINTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY MATRIX OF FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT GOVERN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, HOW MUCH WE'RE ABLE TO BORROW THAT DETERMINES OUR CREDIT RATING. ALL OF THAT STUFF GOES INTO THAT. SO WE LEFT SOME HEADROOM GOING IN, AS WE ALWAYS DO, TO BE ABLE TO DRAW ON THAT. IF WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION, THE TOUGHER PART IS GOING TO BE ON THE AFFORDABILITY SIDE. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A VARIETY OF OPERATIONAL THINGS. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A FEW OF THEM THAT YOU'LL WANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SIPHON SOME MORE ONGOING RESOURCES INTO THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, AND NEXT YEAR, WITH MAJOR MAINTENANCE SITTING THERE, WE GOT TO START WORKING OUR WAY BACK INTO THAT. TO ASSIST WITH THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH YOU ALL. I'VE TALKED TO BOB A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT OUR COUNTY YEAR-END PROCESS, JUST LIKE YOU ALL HAVE WRAPPING THAT UP FROM FISCAL 24. YOU KNOW, WE FINISHED OUR AUDIT, AND SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING IN THIS ROOM NEXT WEDNESDAY, AND STAFF WILL RECOMMEND SOME USAGE FROM WHAT WAS A RELATIVELY, YOU KNOW, FOR US, AGAIN, A VERY NORMAL YEAR END AMOUNT, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AS ONE OF OUR THREE STRATEGIES FOR COUNTY YEAR-END IS TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEBT SERVICE RESERVE OR DEBT SERVICE FUND THAT WE SHARE AS ONE. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN I TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL POLICIES AND BEING ABLE TO BORROW AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT THOSE ARE JOINTLY HELD. SO THERE'S NOT A COUNTY AND A SCHOOL PORTION OF THAT OVERALL ABILITY THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, JUST A CHESTERFIELD, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL C THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IN CHARGE OF THAT WHOLE THING. SO WE CREATED A FUND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND WE TRANSFER THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS INTO THAT, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE GO OUT AND HAVE A SALE IN THAT YEAR AND WE DO BETTER ON THE INTEREST RATE, WHICH WE TYPICALLY DO. IT HAS THE ABILITY TO BUILD UP SOME SAVINGS IN THE FUND THAT CAN HELP US ON THE DEBT SERVICE SIDE IN PARTICULAR. SO THAT'S A NEW MECHANISM, AND IT WAS REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP US THROUGH THESE PERIODS, AND WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DO IS TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION OUT OF THAT YEAR END INTO THE FUND SO THAT AS WE BORROW FOR PART OF THE WAY THAT WE CAN SOLVE YOUR REFERENDUM ISSUES, WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME MONEY IN THERE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, DEBT SERVICE CURVES ARE SPIKY. THEY'RE NOT LIKE PAYROLL AND OTHER THINGS THAT JUST SORT OF CONTINUOUSLY GO UP. IT DOES DRIFT UP OVER TIME, BUT THERE ARE SOME SPIKES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE. SO MAKING A CONTRIBUTION INTO THAT WILL HELP US SO WE CAN. WE HAVE BORROWING CAPACITY THAT WILL HELP WITH SOME OF THIS, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION HOPEFULLY INTO THAT FUND, SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE DOLLARS TO NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO BORROW, BUT TO PAY THOSE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ONCE THEY ARISE. SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A GOOD START ON THAT SIDE, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BEYOND THAT AS WE [00:10:02] GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AND FUTURE YEAR ENDS AND ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARISE, I THINK TRYING TO PUSH THOSE DOLLARS INTO THE CAPITAL SPACE IS IS A GREAT CONCEPT, AND I THINK YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE SOME ABILITY TO DO THAT THROUGH YOUR FY 25 YEAR END, AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE THAT AS A PLANNING TOOL TO SMOOTH OUT THAT DEBT SERVICE PROGRAM COLLECTIVELY OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 3 OR 4 YEARS AND BE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THESE PROJECTS DONE. IT IS GOING TO--SAME ON THE COUNTY SIDE--IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE HAVING TO ELONGATE THE SCHEDULE AND PUSH SOME THINGS OUT FURTHER INTO THE WINDOW, JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET IT ALL DONE BUT I THINK THERE IS THERE THERE IS SOME BRIGHT LIGHT ON THIS FRONT. AGAIN, EVERYTHING'S NOT GOING TO GET DONE EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS PLANNED AND WHEN IT WAS PLANNED, BUT WE WILL GET THERE EVENTUALLY, AND WE DO HAVE SOME AGAIN, SOME PLANNING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I THINK THAT WILL HELP US QUITE A BIT. SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY MY BIG CONCEPTS. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THAT OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO GET INTO. THANKS, MR. HARRIS. YEAH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? MISS CHATTERS? THANK YOU, MR. HARRIS. I DID HAVE ONE CLARITY QUESTION. SURE. ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE NEED TO PUSH THE TIMELINE OUT IN ORDER TO NOT DO ANOTHER REFERENDUM AND USE THE TWO MECHANISMS OF THE YEAR END CONTRIBUTION AND DO IT THAT WAY VERSUS A BOND REFERENDUM OR THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO? YEAH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OF THAT. I THINK THE EXECUTION OF THE PROJECTS IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO PUSH. YOU'VE GOT BASICALLY UP TO THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE, AND WE WERE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN 6 OR 7 YEARS. WHEN WE JUST STARTED PLANNING THE REFERENDUM 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. RIGHT. SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY NEED TO BE ON THE LONGER END OF THAT RANGE, PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE TEN YEARS AS OPPOSED TO THE SEVEN. THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME AFFORDABILITY BREATHING ROOM IF YOU WILL, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, AS YOU HAVE OVERAGES IN THE OVERALL PROGRAM, WE'VE GOT VPSA AND OTHER PROGRAMS WE CAN USE. WE'VE GOT THE DEBT SERVICE RESERVE THAT WILL HELP US DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE SPIKES SO WE CAN GET IT ALL DONE, BUT I DO THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE WILL HAVE TO BE A LONGER TIMELINE, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE SAME SPEECH TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO THE PROJECTS WILL GET DONE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE AN EXTRA YEAR OR TWO ON SOME OF THOSE JUST TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE COST SIDE OF THINGS. NOW, THE COST SIDE, I THINK COMES BACK TO US, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IS A POSSIBILITY WE COULD MOVE THAT TIMELINE AROUND A LITTLE BIT TOO. SO MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE THE TIMELINE THAT YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE PUSHING OUR LAST CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN HAD, YOU KNOW, WESTERN AREA HIGH SCHOOL AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. ARE WE TALKING THOSE PLANS NEED TO BE PUSHED OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE YEAR AFTER THOSE. I'M TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. NOT NOT THINGS THAT ARE IN FLIGHT RIGHT NOW, BUT SORT OF THE NEXT WAVE OF THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING AND I KNOW THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF POSSIBILITIES AND, YOU KNOW, NOT WADING INTO THAT TODAY, BUT I MEAN, I THINK AS YOU ARE GOING THROUGH YOUR CIP PROCESS, START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT A INSTEAD OF JUST A FIVE YEAR SCHEDULE. YOU KNOW, I'M SURE BOB WILL WILL BRING THAT TO YOU. A WINDOW THAT'S GOT A SEVEN AND A NINE YEAR SCENARIO, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE FUNDING SOURCES PER SE, BUT DOING IT AND WE'LL WORK TO GIVE YOU SORT OF HERE'S A MANAGEABLE LEVEL OF WHAT YOU COULD BORROW IN ANY GIVEN YEAR AND NOT PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON YOUR OPERATIONAL SIDE. SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S SORT OF THE MESSAGE, BUT THAT CAN BE MITIGATED BY THE USE OF THIS DEBT SERVICE FUND, WHICH HAS THAT RETAINAGE IN IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. YOU MAKE THE CONTRIBUTION. IF WE HAVE SAVINGS, THEY STAY IN THERE AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A HEAD START THAT NEXT YEAR TO BEING ABLE TO SPEED UP YOUR BORROWING IF YOU CAN. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS DISCUSSION. THANKS SO MUCH, MR. HARRIS. THANK YOU ALL. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WE'LL SEE YOU SOON, I'M SURE. [C. Finance Update] NEXT WE HAVE A FINANCE UPDATE FROM MR. MEISTER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. MURRAY. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOLLOW MR. HARRIS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A FINANCE UPDATE ON OUR END AND WHERE WE STAND AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THERE'S REALLY THREE THINGS I'M GOING TO ADDRESS. ONE IS JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FISCAL SCHEDULE. I KNOW MR. HARRIS GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HINT INTO THAT. I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MORE WHAT THAT MEANS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY. FY 24 CLOSEOUT YEAR-END FUNDS, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT AND FINALLY, THE ESSER CLOSEOUT, ALL IN HOPE OF GETTING TO A CLEAN AND EASY APPROVAL ON [00:15:09] SOME OF THOSE ITEMS IN THIS EVENING'S SESSION. SO AS TERMS OF BUDGET TIMING, WE'RE IN AN ODD SPOT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE SEPARATE FISCAL YEARS AND NEEDING TO JUGGLE DIFFERENT STORYLINES ON EACH. YOU SEE MY LITTLE YELLOW STAR HERE WHERE WE'RE AT IN DECEMBER WE ARE CLOSING OUT THE FY 24 PROCESS. WE ARE OBVIOUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF FY 25 AND WORKING THROUGH OUR NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR PROCESS HERE, AND WE ARE IN VERY MUCH IN THE DEPTHS OF STARTING THE FY 26 BUDGET PROCESS. THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THOSE FORWARD TO THE BOARD IN JANUARY, BUT THAT'S VERY MUCH A FOCUS OF ME AND MY TEAM AS WELL. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS AND AS WE GO THROUGH OUR VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS, KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE THREE VERY IMPORTANT BUT SEPARATE FISCAL YEARS THAT ARE ALL BEING JUGGLED AT THIS AT THIS MOMENT. SO AS WE THINK ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S FY 26 FISCAL CYCLE, A COUPLE OF KEY DATES I'LL PUT FORWARD ON HERE TO KEEP IN MIND. JANUARY 23RD. THAT IS THE BIG DATE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET. THAT WILL REALLY KICK OFF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF THE CCPS BUDGET AND CIP, AS MR. HARRIS RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT. A LOT OF THAT WILL BE PREDICATED ON SOME UNKNOWNS, RIGHT. WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE FINAL ANSWER WILL BE. WE'LL HAVE SOME EARLY INDICATIONS FROM THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEIR REVENUE WILL BE, BUT IT WILL LARGELY BE WHAT DR. MURRAY LOOKS AT AS A NEEDS BASED BUDGET, AND THERE WILL BE THINGS ON THAT LIST, ALMOST CERTAINLY THAT WILL NOT BE AFFORDED AT THIS POINT, AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE PROCESS TO PLAY OUT, WHICH LARGELY OCCURS FOR THIS BOARD OVER THE COURSE OF LATE JANUARY INTO FEBRUARY. YOU'LL HAVE A SERIES OF TOWN HALLS. YOU'LL HAVE A SERIES OF OTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF EXPLAINING DIFFERENT FEATURES OF THE BUDGET, ALL LEADING TO A FEBRUARY 22ND WHERE THE BUDGET STOPS BECOMING THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSED BUDGET AND IT BECOMES THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED BUDGET, WHICH THEN GOES TO THE COUNTY FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION, AND THEY EXECUTE A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS TO WHAT YOU DO BUT JUST OVER THE COURSE OF LATE FEBRUARY INTO MARCH. ALL WHILE WAITING FOR THE STATE PROCESS TO PLAY OUT WITH THE IDEA OF US WRAPPING THIS PROCESS UP, HOPEFULLY IN THE MAY ISH RANGE. RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN CLOSER TO JUNE AS THE STATE PROCESS HAS PLAYED OUT LONGER THAN THAN ANTICIPATED. SO PULLING THIS BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. DR. DAUGHERTY WOULD SAY, WELL, HE WAS HERE. THIS PROCESS IS BACKWARDS. I'LL REITERATE THAT A LITTLE BIT. YOU SEE, THE STATE PROCESS REALLY KICKS OFF IN EARNEST PUBLICLY IN DECEMBER. DECEMBER 18TH, THE GOVERNOR WILL COME FORWARD WITH HIS PROPOSED BUDGET. THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THEY'LL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT AND DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS TO THAT BUDGET THAT WILL PLAY OUT OVER TIME. OUR BUDGET LANDS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT PROCESS. YOU CAN SEE IT HERE IN ORANGE, AND THE COUNTY'S PROCESS QUICKLY FOLLOWS THAT. WHILE THE STATE PROCESS AND POLITICS CONTINUES TO PLAY OUT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THAT PROCESS, WITH THE HOPE, AS I SAID, OF THEIR PROCESS BEING WRAPPED UP IN APRIL, WHICH LETS US FINISH IN MAY. RECENTLY, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE, BUT WE'LL KEEP OUR KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED ON THAT PROCESS. YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT FROM MR. HARRIS ON THE COUNTY PROCESS. I'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE STATE PROCESS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT DISCUSSION HERE, I'LL REMIND YOU THAT FY 26 IS YEAR TWO OF THE STATE BIENNIUM. THAT MEANS THERE TYPICALLY ISN'T A SIGNIFICANT UPDATES TO UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS SUCH AS THE LCI, THE LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX, AND VARIOUS OTHER ASSUMPTIONS. IT ALSO MEANS THAT IF EVERYTHING DOES GO SIDEWAYS AT THE STATE SIDE, THERE IS A BUDGET TO FALL BACK ON IN JULY 1ST. SO THERE IS A SKINNY BUDGET. IT WAS CALLED PREVIOUSLY, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS NEEDED, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET FROM THE STATE SIDE TO FALL BACK ON INTO FY 26. THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT SCENARIO IS THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF NEW FUNDING FOR K-12 IN YEAR TWO OF THE BIENNIUM. THE STATE DID A REALLY NICE JOB LAST YEAR OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR K-12, AND THEY FRONTLOADED THAT INTO FY 25, WHICH IS GREAT, WHICH MEANS WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES, AND YOU SAW THAT IN YOUR REVISED BUDGET. HOWEVER, AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, ABSENT ANY OTHER CHANGES. REALLY THE ONLY THING IN TERMS OF NEW FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IS THE STATE SHARE OF THAT 3% RAISE FOR SOQ FUNDED POSITIONS, WHICH OF COURSE IS ONLY PART OF THE FUNDING REQUIRED FOR A 3% RAISE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, BUT JUST TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, AS WE WILL GO FORWARD, I WILL SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE GOOD NEWS AT THE STATE LEVEL. WE'VE HEARD DISCUSSIONS IN THE MEDIA AND FROM THE GOVERNOR THAT THE STATE SURPLUS DOES SEEM TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE THIS YEAR. [00:20:07] HOW MUCH OF THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE AVAILABLE FOR K-12? HOW MUCH OF THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE PROJECTED AS RECURRING IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED? WE'LL GET OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THAT IN A WEEK OR SO WHEN THE GOVERNOR COMES FORWARD, BUT THERE IS SOME REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, AT LEAST TODAY, TAKE A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH ON WHAT THAT WHAT THAT COMES TO BE. OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL IN THE FACE OF NEEDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. OUR NEEDS ARE NOT SIMPLY WE NEED TO MEET SALARY. THERE'S GROWING AND DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATIONS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. MR. HARRIS TALKED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS A FAIR AMOUNT, WE WILL HAVE A TYPICALLY LENGTHY LIST OF NEEDS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AS WE GO FORWARD, AND AS I SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO CROSS MY FINGERS THAT BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY MAY HAVE ULTIMATELY WILL LEAD US TO A SPOT OF A GOOD SOLUTION, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE VERY MUCH IN AN EARLY WAIT AND SEE, AND WE'LL PUT OUR NEEDS TOGETHER AND PRESENT THAT TO YOU IN LATE JANUARY. SO WITH ALL THAT SAID ON SCHEDULE, I'LL FLIP TO FY 24, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF LOOKING BACK. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS LAST YEAR'S FISCAL RESULTS. I KNOW WE'RE IN DECEMBER. THIS IS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED IN JUNE OF 2024. WE GOT THROUGH OUR AUDIT ALL IN GOOD SHAPE. NO MAJOR FINDINGS THERE, AND AS WE LOOK AT THAT, WE HAVE A NET POSITIVE FISCAL RESULT OF 8.2 MILLION FOR WHAT I'LL CALL NORMAL OPERATING ITEMS. YOU CAN SEE HERE A LITTLE BIT LOWER REVENUE FROM A LARGELY LOWER STATE SALES TAX, WHICH WAS DRIVEN BY A COMBINATION OF BOTH LOWER STATE REVENUE ON THEIR SIDE, PLUS A LITTLE BIT OF ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR ADM. YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF THE STORY THAT OUR GROWTH HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WE ANTICIPATED. THAT PLAYS OUT IN THE FORECAST AS WELL. A LITTLE BIT LOWER GROWTH MEANS A LITTLE BIT LOWER REVENUE TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, AT LEAST VERSUS EXPECTATIONS. THE BIG PORTION OF OUR YEAR END SAVINGS, IF YOU WILL, COMES FROM REALLY OPERATING AREAS. YOU SEE THEM HERE AS STAFF SAVINGS AND MISCELLANEOUS OPERATING SAVINGS. THIS IS TYPICAL VACANCIES ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT REALLY PLAY FORWARD TO A TUNE OF ABOUT 8.2 MILLION OF FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION ULTIMATELY THIS EVENING. YOU WILL ALSO NOTE THAT THERE IS AN ASTERISK ON THAT WHICH RELATES TO ABOUT $11 MILLION IN FUNDING RELATED TO ARPA FUNDING FOR THE AM DAVIS PROJECT. DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENTS, WE ALSO ARE GOING TO REQUEST THE BOARD TO RE-APPROPRIATE THAT FUNDING BACK TO THE CIP. IT WAS A TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROJECTS STAY FUNDED AS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE. SO ABSENT THAT 11 MILLION OF THAT TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENT, IT LEAVES US WITH 8.2 MILLION OF FUNDING TO ALLOCATE. MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TO APPROPRIATE THAT $8.2 MILLION BACK TO ESSENTIALLY FUTURE RESERVES TO BE APPROPRIATED AS PART OF THE FY 26 BUDGET PROCESS. IF THE BOARD RECALLS AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, WE TYPICALLY HAVE A LINE ITEM REFERRED TO AS ONE TIME FUNDING THAT IS FUNDED FROM ITEMS LIKE THIS PREVIOUS YEAR END FUNDING SAVINGS THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN PLACE AS WE WERE LOOKING TO ROLL OUT THE SALARY STUDY OF SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO MOVE THAT RELIANCE ON ONE TIME FUNDING DOWN OVER TIME. IT SITS AT $10 MILLION IN THE FY 25 BUDGET. BY APPROPRIATING THIS 8.2 MILLION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ON YEAR END TO THAT SAME POINT, IT TAKES THAT 10 MILLION DOWN TO 8.2 MILLION, CREATING A SMALL REVENUE REDUCTION. APPLES TO APPLES AT FY 26, BUT A VERY MANAGEABLE 1.8 MILLION REDUCTION, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT ON TONIGHT'S ACTION ITEM AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THE LAST ITEM I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT HERE TODAY IS ESSER. A LOT OF REALLY EXCITING PROGRAMS AND PROCESSES CAME FORWARD WITH THE ESSER MONEY THAT WAS REALLY MADE AVAILABLE SHORTLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC BROKE, REALLY WITH A HANDFUL OF NEEDS. IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT POINT IN TIME AND PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF WHERE WE WERE IN 2020, 2021. IT'S REALLY ABOUT WAS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT KIDS GOT BACK INTO SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON, AND ENSURING THAT WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS. ONCE THEY WERE, THEY WERE THERE, AND ENSURE THAT LEARNING CURVE REALLY ACCELERATES FROM WHERE IT WAS, AND THAT WAS REALLY ACHIEVED THROUGH THREE MAJOR FEDERAL ACTIONS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY BOIL DOWN TO THREE MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THIS BOARD OVER TIME. ESSER ONE. ESSER TWO. ESSER THREE. YOU SEE A NUMBER OF OTHER GRANTS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE OTHER FEDERAL ACTIONS ON HERE AS WELL, BUT THE BIG SETS OF DOLLARS WERE IN THOSE ESSER ONE, TWO AND [00:25:08] THREE ITEMS YOU SEE HERE, AND THE ITEM I'LL SPEND MOST OF THE TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT IS THAT LAST BUCKET ON THE FAR RIGHT, WHICH IS THE ESSER THREE OF ABOUT $51.5 MILLION. I WILL ALSO NOTE AS PART OF THAT ARP ACT, THERE WERE ANOTHER OR A NUMBER OF OTHER GRANTS THAT ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS. SO AS YOU LOOK AT THE ESSER NUMBER. YOU CAN ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE WAS ROUGHLY 12 MILLION THAT WAS SEPARATELY SET ASIDE FOR HVAC WORK ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN THREE SEPARATE BUCKETS. CLOSE TO 3.5 MILLION OR SO SPECIFICALLY SET ASIDE FOR SPECIAL ED NEEDS, AND IF YOU LOOK FURTHER DOWN ON THE LIST, ROUGHLY 1.5 MILLION IN THAT BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL GRANT, WHICH WAS LARGELY FOR TUTORING SUPPORT ACROSS THE DISTRICT. SO I'LL TALK MOSTLY ABOUT ESSER THREE, BUT AS I DO KEEP IN MIND, THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER GRANTS WITH RELATIVELY SIZABLE SETS OF DOLLARS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS THAT YOU MAY BE THINKING, WHY DIDN'T WE SPEND MORE IN THOSE BUCKETS? YOU CAN KEEP THESE SPECIFIC DOLLARS IN MIND. THIS IS A SLIDE THAT I'VE SHOWN SEVERAL TIMES TO THE BOARD OVER TIME. IT'S REALLY THE RULES OF THE GAME ACROSS THESE VARIOUS GRANTS. ESSER THREE TWO BIG POINTS TO MAKE HERE ARE PERFORMANCE PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, AND WE USED ALL OF OUR FUNDS WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD, AND THEY REQUIRED AT LEAST 20% OF THE FUNDS TO BE USED TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS. THINK ABOUT THAT AS INSTRUCTION AND OTHER STUDENT SUPPORTS, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE WERE WELL NORTH OF THAT FIGURE. SO THERE'S NO RISK IN ANY SORT OF BAD AUDIT FINDING ON OUR USE OF THOSE THOSE FUNDS. FIRST BIG CHUNK I'LL TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE 80 MILLION OR THEREABOUTS OF ESSER ONE, TWO AND THREE. ACROSS THE BOARD YOU CAN SEE WHERE THOSE WERE SPENT, LARGELY ON INSTRUCTION, MORE THAN HALF OF THE SPEND ON INSTRUCTION. YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THAT AS EVERYTHING FROM STIPENDS FOR TEACHERS AT HIGH NEED SCHOOLS TO LITERACY PURCHASES TO TUTORING THERE. THE OTHER BIG CHUNK OF FUNDS HERE IS ONLINE LEARNING. REALLY, THIS WAS USED TO STAND UP THE FIRST VIRTUAL ACADEMY, AS WELL AS IT ROLLED INTO A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL THAT IS NOW UP AND RUNNING. YOU SEE TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES, OTHER BIG BUCKETS OF FUNDS ALSO WERE WERE ALLOCATED THERE. GOOD NEWS IS THE ESSER THREE PIE LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE TOTAL ESSER ONE, TWO AND THREE PIE. WE HAD A PLAN AS WE WENT FORWARD, AND WE LET ONE GRANT KIND OF ROLL INTO THE NEXT. SO YOU DIDN'T SEE A MASSIVE SHIFT IN STRATEGY AS YOU WENT THROUGH INSTRUCTION HERE AGAIN, 52% OR SO OF THE BUDGET THERE. A LOT OF THE SAME ITEMS THAT I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS ONLINE LEARNING, A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PERCENTAGE AS WE LEANED INTO ESSER THREE TO FUND THAT ORIGINAL VIRTUAL SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS. STUDENT SUPPORT IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT BUCKET IF YOU THINK ABOUT COUNSELORS AND RE-ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT OVER TIME. THAT'S THE BUCKET THAT THOSE VARIOUS INITIATIVES THAT WERE IN TAKING A STEP BACK TO THE FY 25 PROCESS, MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE FUNDED HERE THAT WE LOOKED AT AND SAID, THESE ARE REALLY GOOD FOR STUDENTS. WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE TO CONTINUE THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THINGS LIKE ANNUAL SUBSTITUTES AND ADDITIONAL TUTORING, ETC. WERE INCLUDED AS WE WENT FORWARD IN THE ONGOING BUDGET. SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE CCPS BUDGET, YOU SEE, GOING BACK TO 2021, THE VARIOUS BLUE COLORS HERE ARE YOUR ONGOING SORT OF NORMAL SET OF FUNDING, WHETHER IT BE ONGOING GRANTS, FOOD SERVICE, OR OUR OPERATING FUND. THE ORANGE COLORS HERE ARE YOUR ESSER FUNDS. YOU CAN SEE WE'VE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM, I'LL SAY, NORMAL SOURCES AS WELL AS FROM THIS ESSER SOURCE. AS WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM MR. HARRIS ABOUT SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH IN SOME OF THE COUNTY REVENUE, AS THAT SLOWS DOWN, THE ESSER FUNDING FALLS OFF A LITTLE BIT. WE'LL HAVE TO BE SUPER MINDFUL OF THIS BROAD TREND AND SOME OF THE FLATTENING OF THIS CURVE AS WE THINK ABOUT FY 26 AND WHAT MAY BE AFFORDED GOING FORWARD. LAST SLIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE TECHNICAL IN NATURE, BUT THIS WILL ULTIMATELY BE WHAT IS ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEM THIS EVENING. WHEN WE WENT TO THIS BOARD WITH THE ORIGINAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR ESSER THREE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WAS APPROPRIATED THERE IN THE SECOND COLUMN, AND THE THIRD COLUMN. IS THAT FINAL APPROPRIATION, REALLY WHERE WE WOUND UP SPENDING THE MONEY? A FEW CHANGES AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT WERE MADE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME. YOU CAN SEE HERE INSTRUCTION ABOUT 800,000 LOWER. AS WE SHIFTED, MORE OF THE SUMMER SCHOOL FUNDING WOUND UP BEING SPENT ON ESSER TWO, THEN ESSER THREE A LITTLE BIT MORE AT ADMIN ATTENDANCE AND HEALTH, LARGELY BECAUSE OF A DECISION MADE SHORTLY AFTER THE GRANT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US TO SPEND SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY ON VISION SCREENING FOR CHILDREN TRANSPORTATION. [00:30:06] THIS WAS A GOOD NEWS STORY. WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD IN WHAT WE WHAT WERE TO BE GRANT FUNDED BONUSES FOR BUS DRIVERS FROM ESSER. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THOSE OUT AND PUT THEM INTO OPERATIONS SO THAT THEY ARE A SUSTAINABLE AND ONGOING SOURCE OF FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT OUR BUS DRIVER POPULATION OPERATIONS BASICALLY TOOK SOME OF THAT SAVINGS FROM THOSE BUS DRIVER BONUSES AND REALLOCATED THEM INTO VARIOUS OPERATIONAL SUPPORT BUILDING SERVICES, HVAC WORK THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO LEAN INTO, AND A FEW OTHER MINOR CHANGES ACROSS THE OTHER CATEGORIES. SO WITH ALL THAT, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING. I'LL BE BACK TO TALK AGAIN ABOUT THE YEAR END MEMO AS AN ACTION ITEM. THESE ESSER THREE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE ON YOUR CONSENT ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO APPROVE THOSE THERE, AND WITH THAT, I SAID A LOT. I'LL STOP TALKING NOW AND ASK FOR QUESTIONS. THANKS, MR. MEISTER. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. JUST THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE YEAR END FUNDS AND FILLING IN THAT ONE TIME FUNDING BUCKET THAT HAS KIND OF CHASED US FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THAT FOCUS IN THAT AREA. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION FROM MISS HITE. [D. CEF Update] HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DR. MURRAY, MR. ROBERTS, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT OUR YEAR-END REVIEW. SO WE ARE THE CHESTERFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR ANYBODY LISTENING WHO'S UNFAMILIAR WITH US. WE ARE A NONPROFIT. WE'RE IN OUR 35TH YEAR OF SUPPORTING CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH FUNDRAISING AND INVESTING IN VARIOUS INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS. WE AIM FOR EVERYTHING WE DO TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY. SO OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASE CLASSROOM INNOVATION FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS. WE SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT CCPS DOES IN TERMS OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN. WE ALIGN OUR GOALS WITH THE GOALS OF CCPS, AND SO WE HAVE CONTRIBUTION, NOT ATTRIBUTION AS OUR BYLINE BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT WHAT WORKS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE NEW IDEAS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT. WE DO THIS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN CHESTERFIELD HAS THE BRIGHT FUTURE THAT THEY DESERVE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS TO THE INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED, SO WE'RE HERE TO FILL THOSE GAPS AS THEY COME UP. WE DO THAT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. SOME ARE DIVISION WIDE, SOME ARE SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, AND SOME ARE INDIVIDUAL. MAYBE A SOCIAL WORKER OR A SCHOOL COUNSELOR OR A TEACHER MIGHT REACH OUT TO US WITH A SPECIFIC NEED, AND THEN WE'RE THERE TO HELP THEM IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN. WE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES THE AMAZING EDUCATION THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROVIDES, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT FIELD TRIPS, EXTRACURRICULARS AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AT THE SCHOOLS. I'M GOING TO GO NOW THROUGH SOME SLIDES OF SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT WE SUPPORTED THIS YEAR AND THE IMPACT THAT WE SAW. SO ONE OF OUR MAJOR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IS FOR CECLA. WE DO A LOT OF FUNDRAISING FOR CHESTER EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING ACADEMY, AND THAT IS THE MAGNET PRESCHOOL DOWN IN CHESTER THAT HAS 12 FEEDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THEY HAVE 376 STUDENTS THIS YEAR, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE BEFORE AND AFTER CARE. THAT'S THROUGH THE YMCA. WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, SO THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE AT THE SCHOOL PROVIDING THE BEFORE AND AFTER CARE, AND WE DO FUNDRAISING FOR IT SO THAT THE FAMILIES DON'T HAVE TO PAY A DOLLAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE GAME CHANGER FOR A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES, BECAUSE THEY CAN BRING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL AT SEVEN, GO TO WORK, AND THEN HAVE AFTER SCHOOL CARE PROVIDED FOR THEM. WE'VE SERVED 36 FAMILIES SO FAR, BUT WE HAVE FUNDING FOR UP TO 50 AND WE WILL SEE NEXT YEAR IF WE CAN GET UP TO 50. IT CHANGES YEAR BY YEAR. OF COURSE. WE ALSO DO SOME OTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR CECLA, INCLUDING KINDERGARTEN BACKPACKS FOR ALL OF THE GRADUATES LAST YEAR, AND RECENTLY SOME SHADES FOR THE PLAYGROUND SO THAT CHILDREN WITH MOBILITY ISSUES CAN PLAY OUTSIDE LONGER AND NOT BE IN THE HOT SUN. WE ALSO DO FUNDRAISING FOR CHESTERFIELD RECOVERY ACADEMY. WE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR SOME OF THE WRAPAROUND THERAPEUTIC SERVICES THAT THE STUDENTS RECEIVE THERE, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER STAFF AND STUDENT POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES, TEACHER APPRECIATION SOME OF THE DIFFERENT NICE TO HAVES THAT A PTA MIGHT PROVIDE, BUT CHESTERFIELD RECOVERY ACADEMY DOESN'T HAVE A [00:35:05] PTA, SO WE'RE THERE TO FILL THAT GAP FOR THEM. WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR CTC HALL AND COURTHOUSE. THIS IS A YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A TRADITIONAL PTA STRUCTURE. SO THEN WE'RE THERE TO HELP THEM WITH STAFF APPRECIATION AND OTHER NICE TO HAVES THAT REALLY BUILD A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE, AND I WILL I WILL TOUCH ON THAT MORE LATER. THE SCHOOL CULTURE THAT WE SUPPORT, WE PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH OUR DONORS. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THESE ARE ALL DONOR FUNDED. AT LAST YEAR, AS YOU RECALL, WE STARTED THE DR. DAUGHERTY SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO LAUNCH THAT ONE THIS YEAR. THOSE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE GOING TO OPEN IN JANUARY. WE ALSO DO A LOT AROUND LITERACY. SO THIS ONE I REFER TO AS OUR LITERACY INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE PROGRAM, IT'S LOTS OF PROGRAMS. THE FLAGSHIP IS THE BOOK VENDING MACHINES THAT ARE AT ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS EXCEPT ONE, BUT THEY'VE GOT A GOOD REASON, AND TWO OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BUY VENDING MACHINES FOR TWO MORE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN GREAT ADVICE FROM CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP THAT FOLLOW THE FEEDER PATTERNS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHERE IT'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN BUILDING A CULTURE AROUND READING AND AS A POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVE. SO WE'D LIKE TO PUT SOME VENDING MACHINES IN SOME MIDDLE SCHOOLS. ALL OF THIS IS FOR THE GOAL OF MAKING READING SOMETHING THAT KIDS LOVE TO DO, AND SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO AT HOME BY BUILDING HOME LIBRARIES FOR THEM. IT'S BEEN A REALLY FANTASTIC PROGRAM AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO SUPPORT IT IN EVERY WAY WE CAN. WE ALSO SUPPORT EL LIBRO AND ARE REALLY HAPPY TO BE HOSTING THE SECOND ANNUAL EL PASO THIS SUMMER, WHICH, AS YOU RECALL, GIVES THOUSANDS OF BOOKS AWAY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES TO KEEP KIDS ENGAGED IN READING OVER THE SUMMER IN PERHAPS THEIR PARENTS NATIVE LANGUAGE AS WELL AS IN ENGLISH. LAST YEAR WE WERE ALSO THE ADMINISTRATOR OF SOME 21ST CENTURY GRANTS. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, THOSE ARE THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THEIR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND WE WERE THE MAIN APPLICANT FOR THE GRANT AT FOUR SCHOOLS, TWO MIDDLE AND TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEN WE CONTINUED WITH SUMMER SCHOOL AFTER PROGRAMING FOR THREE OF THOSE SITES. SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A BIG LIFT FOR THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, BUT REALLY HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT. HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS GOT TO HAVE FREE AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT, AND IT'S NOT JUST DAYCARE. IT REALLY IS QUALITY ENRICHING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND IT ALSO SIMILAR TO THE BEFORE AND AFTER CARE AT CECLA ALSO ALLEVIATED A BURDEN FOR THE FAMILIES BECAUSE THEIR KIDS COULD STAY AT SCHOOL LONGER, RECEIVE MORE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND HAVE SOMETHING SAFE AND ENRICHING TO DO AFTER SCHOOL. ONE OF OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS IS THE INNOVATION GRANTS. LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO AWARD 15 OF THEM TO SCHOOLS IN EACH OF CHESTERFIELD'S FIVE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICTS. THEY RANGED FROM LITERACY TO STEAM TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. WE AWARDED ONE TO A COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS SITE COORDINATOR FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE ALSO AWARDED ONE TO AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT CECLA. SO IT'S NOT JUST LICENSED TEACHERS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR THESE, IT'S ANYBODY IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING. THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE KICKING THOSE OFF AGAIN, AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTERNALLY AT AN EQUITY AUDIT OF OUR PROGRAMS, TRYING TO IDENTIFY UNINTENTIONAL BARRIERS TO STUDENT AND TEACHER ACCESS FOR OUR PROGRAMS. SO ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING THIS YEAR IS WE'RE MAKING IT MUCH EASIER TO APPLY FOR FUNDING LIKE THIS. SO THE INNOVATION GRANTS AS WELL AS THE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE GOING TO BE GOOGLE FORM APPLICATIONS INSTEAD OF THROUGH A PORTAL WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A USERNAME AND A PASSWORD. ALL OF THIS IS IN SERVICE OF TEACHERS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA TIME ON THEIR HANDS, BUT ARE VERY DESERVING OF AN INNOVATION GRANT. WE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALWAYS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT SINCE I'M IN PUBLIC, WE HAVE SEPARATE FUNDING FOR A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION GRANT PROJECT THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO REPLICATE IN THEIR SCHOOL. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT GROW THIS YEAR AS WE WORK HARDER TO SHARE THE SUCCESS STORIES OF OUR FANTASTIC TEACHERS WHO RECEIVE THESE GRANTS AND IMPLEMENT THEIR PROJECTS, WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING THEIR STORIES MORE WIDELY SO THAT OTHER EDUCATORS CAN BE INSPIRED AND STEAL THEIR IDEAS. IT'S THE BEST KIND OF PLAGIARISM, AND WE ALL BENEFIT FROM IT. WE ALSO SUPPORT A COUPLE PROGRAMS AT SCHOOLS, LIKE THE MADE PROGRAM OVER AT MEADOWBROOK HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S THE MEADOWBROOK ACADEMY FOR DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURS. THESE CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, STUDENTS, YOUNG LEARNERS, THEY'RE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE, AND WE ARE SO FORTUNATE THAT WE CAN DO FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT THEM AS THEY GO TO STATE CONFERENCES, NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND PURSUE THEIR DREAMS. WE RECENTLY AWARDED THEM AN INNOVATION GRANT AS WELL THEIR COORDINATOR SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE A SCHOOL STORE. [00:40:04] IT'S A NICE KIOSK WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE SELLING THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY HAVE CREATED, AND THEY'RE RUNNING THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES. IT'S A REALLY IMPRESSIVE PROGRAM. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR CTE PROGRAM IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS INCREDIBLE, AND SO WE ARE JUST HERE TO HELP WITH ANY BARRIERS THAT STUDENTS MIGHT FACE IN TERMS OF UNIFORMS, HONOR CORDS, THE NICE THINGS THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD, AS WELL AS SOME BIGGER PICTURE THINGS LIKE RAISING MONEY FOR THE VETERINARY SCIENCE EXPANSION. WE WERE REALLY FORTUNATE TO GET A LARGE MULTI-YEAR GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER RICHMOND TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. WE ALSO DO SOME FUNDING FOR SKILLSUSA AND OTHER MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN. MIRROR ME IS ANOTHER SUCH PROGRAM THAT'S DIVISION WIDE, WHERE WE DO FUNDRAISING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND THEIR MENTORS. THEY RECEIVE STIPENDS THANKS TO THIS, AND IT ALSO PAYS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS WHERE THE MENTORS AND THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS THE COORDINATOR CAN GET TOGETHER AND DO LEARNING TOGETHER IN PERSON. WE DO ALL OF THIS THROUGH PHILANTHROPY. WE DO FUNDRAISING YEAR ROUND AND WE HAVE A SIGNATURE EVENT EACH YEAR CALLED THE BRAVO AWARDS. THIS IS AN ALUMNI AWARDS RECOGNITION EVENT, AND THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO SLOWLY ROLL OUT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, YEAR ROUND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. BECAUSE REALLY, THE BEST PART OF BRAVO IS WHEN THE HONOREES GO BACK TO THEIR ALMA MATER AND TALK TO THE STUDENTS THERE. I THINK IT'S REALLY REWARDING FOR BOTH SIDES, FOR THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE MENTORS, THE HONOREES WHO WANT TO GIVE BACK IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO THEIR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF OTHER INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS THAT WE FUND THAT DON'T FIT NEATLY ONTO ONE OF THESE SLIDES, SO I'VE LISTED THEM HERE. THANKS TO OTHER FUNDRAISING AND FOUNDATION ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CAMERON FOUNDATION, WE WERE ABLE TO DO MANY GRANTS FOR TEACHERS THIS YEAR. THEY'VE ALSO SUPPORTED A PROGRAM THAT'S NOT ON HERE YET, WHICH IS PAYING FOR LICENSURE PREPARATION FOR TEACHERS. SO IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AS MR. MEISTER WAS SHOWING IN HIS BUDGET, BUT THOSE DROPS DO ADD UP, AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO PUT MONEY BACK IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND HELPING THEM REACH THEIR FULL LICENSURE SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME FULLY LICENSED AND HAVE A GREAT CHANGE. THAT WAY WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND, WHICH WE TAP INTO SOMETIMES AS NEEDED. WE HAVE MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS WHO SOMETIMES NEED TO GO ON A FIELD TRIP, AND SO IF NEEDED, WE CAN HELP WITH THAT. IT REALLY RUNS THE GAMUT, AND WE ARE VERY PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO HELP. WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS US TO HELP, THAT'S THE GREATEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. SO LOOKING AHEAD, WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND OUR LITERACY INITIATIVE. WE WANT TO PUT SOME MORE BOOK VENDING MACHINES OUT THERE. WE WANT TO KEEP MEETING SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ARE. WE DO A LOT OF SURVEYS AND SENDING THINGS OUT TO ASK WHAT PEOPLE NEED. OUR DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN. WE'RE LOOKING INTO ALUMNI PROGRAMS, BUT WE WANT TO. WE WANT THAT TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES WANT. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A SLOW ROLL. EVERYTHING WE DO, WE WANT TO SUPPORT BUILDING A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE, AND EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOR THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO ULTIMATELY THRIVE AND WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL EVERY DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT WHAT WE DO, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANKS, MISS HITE. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? MR. PARANTO? THANK YOU. I HAVE THE HONOR OF SITTING ON THE BOARD AND SEEING THE GREAT WORKS THAT CEF DOES THROUGHOUT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOU'RE TALKING VERY HIGH LEVEL, BUT THE CEF AND ITS BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED DAILY IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND SO YOU'RE HERE REPRESENTING THEM, BUT YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM BEHIND YOU THAT I HAVE NOTICED AND GREATLY APPRECIATE, AND SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, TOO, JUST TO BRING TO LIGHT. IF A STUDENT CAN'T AFFORD TO GO ON A FIELD TRIP AND THE FIELD TRIP IS 35 BUCKS, RIGHT? CEF HAS SAID, SURE, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR YOU. RIGHT. GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO $500,000 FOR EXPANSION IN CTE VET SCIENCE PROGRAM, AND SO YOU'RE REACHING FAR AND WIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE REPRESENTATION IS THERE FOR OUR STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE MAY BE WANTING TO BE INVOLVED IN AND SO I THINK THAT IS SUCH A THING TO SHINE A LIGHT ON AND SAY, LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T WANT TO BE BOASTFUL, BUT THIS PROGRAM NEEDS TO BE BOASTFUL IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY, AND SO I JUST GREATLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD TODAY. [00:45:01] JUST TO REMIND US AND THOSE WATCHING. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES AND BEING THE DIRECTOR, YOU ARE LEADING A LOT OF THAT WITH YOUR BOARD SUPPORT AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEY, YOU ARE ALWAYS A BALL OF SUNSHINE AND I LOVE THE ENERGY THAT YOU PRESENT WITH IS THE SAME ENERGY THAT YOU GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND YOU SPREAD THIS JOY AND IT IS PALPABLE AND VERY APPRECIATED. YEAH, IT'S I LOVE EVERYTHING. I WAS LIKE, OH, LET ME WRITE THAT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. NO, EVERYTHING YOU DO IS SO IMPORTANT. SO I'M JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THAT FUNDING REPLICATION. WHAT A PHENOMENAL IDEA. SO HOW EXACTLY YOU WERE SAYING, OH, WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT OUT THERE. HOW HAVE YOU STARTED GETTING THE WORD OUT YET, OR HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? OR WHERE ARE YOU THERE? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THIS YEAR'S INNOVATION GRANTS LATER THIS MONTH BECAUSE THE APPLICATIONS WILL OPEN IN JANUARY. SO I'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT. IF YOU SEE AN IDEA IN THE GALLERY, LET US KNOW. REACH OUT TO US. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO INCLUDE A QUESTION IN THE APPLICATION ABOUT HOW DOES THIS SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL'S CULTURE? NICE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. AWESOME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT AGAIN. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I THINK WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THE FOUNDATION IS THE WAY THAT YOU'VE MANAGED TO SUPPORT AND MESH YOUR VALUES WITH CCPS VALUES, AND TO REALLY THEY DOVETAIL TOGETHER, AND YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED OVER THE YEARS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND I WILL ECHO MR. PARANTO, YOUR TEAM IS AMAZING AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO PRESENT TO US TODAY. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM MISS MANOS. [E. Special Education Update] GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS, DR. MURRAY. I'M SUMMER MANOS, THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, AS OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2024. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AND PRESENT A SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE TO YOU ALL. THE TOPICS IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE. WE'LL BEGIN WITH A REVIEW REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT THE STRIDES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER DR. GOULD, WHO RETIRED AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. AS WE MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES AND STRIDES THAT WERE MADE UNDER HER LEADERSHIP. SHE HAS SHARED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR OR SO THIS WORK WITH YOU, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IT AS IT REALLY INFORMS THE CONTINUED WORK THAT WE DO ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TODAY. SO AS WE MOVE INTO LOOKING AT THOSE PRIORITIES AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO ALSO TAKE A MOMENT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW THIS INFORMATION, AS WELL AS WORK WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR CENTRAL OFFICE AND SOME OF OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. IN LOOKING AT THIS INFORMATION AND SETTING OUR PRIORITIES FOR MOVING FORWARD. SO, AS DR. GOULD PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH YOU, THESE WERE SOME AREAS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON OVER THE LAST YEAR, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, SECONDARY TRANSITION SUPPORTS, AS WELL AS A STAFFING MODEL REFINEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THE ADEQUATE STAFF NEEDED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THERE'S ALSO BEEN WORK MADE AROUND THE AREAS OF INCREASING COMMUNICATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORTS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION PROCEDURES MANUAL THAT IS CURRENTLY IN DRAFT FORM. SO SHE SHARED WITH YOU ALL LAST SPRING THAT THE LAST UPDATE TO THIS DRAFT MANUAL WAS MADE IN 2017 AND SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME UPDATES THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND SO THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS DRAFT THAT I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WAIT FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AROUND, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DR. GOULD AND THE TEAM FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO INCLUDE SOME UPDATES IN. SO THAT HAS BEEN NOTED HERE, AND THEN THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AGAIN, UNDER DR. [00:50:07] GOULD'S LEADERSHIP MOVING FORWARD ARE GOING TO BE LISTED HERE FOR YOU. AS I HAVE REJOINED CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, SO I'VE BEEN REFAMILIARIZING MYSELF WITH OUR WORK, AND I AM REALLY JUST EXCITED AND ENERGIZED ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS, AND SO IN CONSIDERING THE BOARD UPDATE AND THESE DRAFTED PRIORITIES, I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CRITICAL VOICE WAS REPRESENTED AS IT RELATED AGAIN TO THE WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS. SO THE FIRST AREA THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THIS YEAR IS REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, BOTH PRE-K ALL THE WAY THROUGH STUDENTS IN THE 12TH GRADE. THAT WOULD INCLUDE EXPANDING OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CLASSROOMS, AS WELL AS FINALIZING A PLAN FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICES THAT WAS DRAFTED PREVIOUSLY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS, ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS OR, AGAIN, SOME OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE END OF THEIR TIME WITH US IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND LOOKING FOR THAT TRANSITION INTO THE COMMUNITY. AS DR. GOULD PREVIOUSLY SHARED, AGAIN, THIS INCLUSIVE PRACTICES SPECIFICALLY AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD HAS BEEN, I KNOW, A REAL FOCUS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE IN OUR WORK TOGETHER. THERE'S OH, I'M SORRY, I ACTUALLY CLICKED TOO FAST. THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS EXPANDED WORK BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOLKS WITH THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING STUDENTS AS THEY GO TO TRANSITION INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND INTO THE WORKFORCE, OR WHATEVER POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS LOOK LIKE FOR THEM, THAT WE ARE SETTING THEM UP FOR SUCCESS IN WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, AND SO THERE HAS BEEN JUST ONGOING COLLABORATION AND EXPANSION OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO REALLY WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROFESSIONALS ARE WORKING TOGETHER, AND SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME VERY INTENTIONAL WORK AROUND HAVING OUR STAFF WORK COLLECTIVELY AND COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MEET ALL OF THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR LEARNERS. THERE'S BEEN COLLABORATION WITH FOLKS IN THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, WITH THE FOLKS IN THE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE OFFICE, AS WELL AS TITLE ONE, AS WELL AS CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT AND THERE HAS BEEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIALISTS TO ATTEND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOGETHER, SPECIFICALLY THINGS AROUND OFFERINGS FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS WELL AS THE VIRGINIA LITERACY ACT. LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN THE FINAL AREA THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY, IS SUPPORTING OUR GROWING STAFF AS IT RELATES TO REALLY HELPING THEM AS THEY GROW. AS TEACHERS AND TEACHER LEADERS, WE HAVE CREATED AN ASPIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION LEADERS ACADEMY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS AND COLLABORATIVE SESSIONS THIS YEAR. IT INCLUDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPLICANTS WERE SELECTED, AND THE PROCESS INCLUDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN HALF DAY SESSIONS, AS WELL AS SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO SHADOW EACH OTHER AS WELL AS CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF, AND REALLY GROW IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE INSTRUCTION AND THE COMPLIANCE SIDES FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND WORKING WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND SO IN SUMMARY, THAT HIGHLIGHTS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND WHERE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GO AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS MANOS. YOU'RE SO WELCOME. ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION, ANY QUESTIONS. OH, SORRY. NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST A WELCOME. THANK YOU. WELCOME. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. LOVE YOUR ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM AND YOU'RE JUST CONTINUING ON. JUST THANK YOU AND WELCOME. WELL THANK YOU. IT'S NICE TO BE HOME. I HOPE THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE STRANGE OR CLICHE, BUT IT IS. THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, SO. THANK YOU. THAT DOESN'T SOUND STRANGE IN CHESTERFIELD; EVERYONE ALWAYS COMES BACK HOME. I JOKE I KEPT MY 804 AREA CODE PHONE NUMBER FOR A REASON, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I BELONG. SO THANK YOU. WELCOME BACK, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. OH, SORRY, MR. PARANTO. THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN QUICKER ON THE DRAW THERE. SO I HAVE GOTTEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW YOU A BIT SITTING ON THE SEAC COMMITTEE. [00:55:01] IT SEEMS LIKE TONIGHT THESE ARE COMMITTEES I SIT ON THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM IN THE WORK SESSION, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE THEY'RE FANTASTIC COMMITTEES, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE ASPIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. WHAT AN ADVANCEMENT TO PUSH US FORWARD, AND I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE REALIZE HOW BIG THIS IS, AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY IT'S GOING TO BE FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION WORLD, FOR TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND ON KNOWLEDGE AND TO GAIN AND LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT ALSO AND OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT. BECAUSE YOU SHARED THIS AT THE COMMITTEE, THE LAST SEAC COMMITTEE, WE HAD THE DIFFERENT HEADINGS AND TOPICS THAT FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ME, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AND JUST TO BE ENGAGED IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY IN THIS FORMAT HAD PRIOR. SO I THINK HAVING THAT NOW AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM MOVING FORWARD IS ONLY GOING TO PROVE BENEFICIAL FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. SO GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU CHAMPIONING THAT AND WORKING WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THAT SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE ALSO OFFERED FOR THAT TOO. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK. I TOO SEE GREAT VALUE IN THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEACHER AND OUR ASPIRING TEACHER LEADERS, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER TO NEW COHORTS OF OUR STAFF YEAR AFTER YEAR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? THANK YOU, MISS MANOS. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATION AND SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS. [F. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments] ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS? THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS EVENING, DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 AT 06:30 P.M. HERE IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER PUBLIC BUSINESS, WE WILL ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION WHICH WILL BE HELD IN THE PMR CONFERENCE ROOM. [G. Adjournment into Closed Session] MADAM CLERK, PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE ITEMS FOR TODAY'S CLOSED SESSION. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DESIRES TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.23711.A OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA. THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, AND SPECIFICALLY UNDER SUBSECTION ONE, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, AND EIGHT CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU'VE JUST HEARD THE ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. DO I HAVE A MOTION IN THAT REGARD? SO MOVED. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION, PLEASE? WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THE BOARD IS NOW IN OPEN SESSION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CLOSED SESSION? NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT SCHOOL BOARD HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE, ONE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES, AND TWO ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE FIRST PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2024-25/31-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION? THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2024-25/32-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2024-25/33-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENTS RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL ROLL? DOMINIQUE. CHATTERS. AYE. STEVE. PRONTO. AYE. LISA. HUDGINS. AYE. ANN. COKER. AYE. DOT. [01:00:01] HEFFRON. AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2024-25/34-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? THE MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2024-25/35-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? THE MOTION CARRIES. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.