##VIDEO ID:DTFq-BGKAT0## in terms of requests so that's balanced with it being summertime so just general the opportunities differ um but I think in terms of what we've been looking at is the efficiency in terms of the timing of the process um figuring out where the bottlenecks are uh which happened long before they make it to me uh it is also what those requests are for so security aside nutrition aside uh facilities aside what we know uh who else is in need of Transport or in need of overtime it also helps us take a look at that should some folks just be salaried um if they're working when you hear about people being overworked money doesn't always satisfy the issue and so do we need to take a deeper look at the types of um positions or titles or departments whatever it might be uh that may need a deeper look uh thank you for that you've shared the compensation analysis and and deeper HR work that and one-on-one and and what we are exploring are we are you concerned that a policy change before having that deeper analysis could are we making an unnecessary policy change before we change the business operations piece and and get those insights that's a fair question I think to a just see if the policy change was necessary is about just piloting let's just see what happens for the next month or two months um before we even bring the policy and so that's what may June served before we actually brought it forward and so in seeing those adjustments and seeing the Streamline and seeing that um that's why we actually made it to the red lining uh to present I think in terms of the compensation analysis overtime uh aside uh it is really about ensuring that our employees are being paid what they should be paid for the work that they're they're doing so generally speaking internally the internal team performed that review you know to the degree possible uh and just comparison when I say to the degree possible it's in compar to other districts our size um certainly neighboring spaces uh as well in terms of districts and systems uh and then overall just where do we need to improve and increase in terms from an equity stance for the work the compensation analysis by a third party offers that lens that is just not internal U that can give us you know sharper ways to turn the corner uh in specific dire that I I shared with you is is there is there a possibility that if we don't follow a process that we'll end up having employees who are working anyway and say oh you know what I you know I I know this is what it takes at a at a school level to to get the work done and then we end up not paying them for work um and I you don't I don't expect to answer to that that's an unknowable thing but I think the policy getting ahead of the process is is where that worry for me comes up I think not to answered directly in terms of knowing but to be specific in the policy it already stated that work done is work paid and so we cannot withhold pay uh for work that is being performed I think it's a uh you said we can't withhold work but I think for me I I want to have an understanding if the air goes out and I'm just going to make up uh Douglas High on Saturday morning because it was hot there Friday at 8:00 a.m. uh will we have to work wait for I'll just say Michelle to get that okay to get that to I just want to make sure that work doesn't stop if an emergency occur it says in here that if you uh work over time and you fail to get it approved could be grounds for termination so I just want to make sure we are fair because we understand what a district decides things will always happen whether we plan for them or not but I want to make sure that our employees of this District understand this is not something bad you know they need we need to make sure they understand I was just going to my text messages from Michelle I mean it already you know the toilet overflowed I mean those things we can't stop that's just informing what's happening um the contractor broke something when they were fixing the roof like those things happened um that's just accountability and understanding what's happening in the district as well um because additional decisions may also be made so it's not just the overtime um there are additional information we may have to share with you all we may have to shift some students we may have to close a school uh so additional uh issues can be connected to it's not just the overtime so the overtime process just streamlines the work it does not stop the work thank you madam chair Switching gears just a little bit um not specifically about the overtime but contracts in general and dispersement of those funds are we addressing that in policy in in terms of the time frame in which when contracts have been approved when they actually are implemented because there seems to be some um disconnect on um this funding for various contracts and when they actually go into play does that make sense what I'm trying to say here thank you might be asking two things but it certainly don't let me put words in your mouth I'll speak to one uh because I just shared with the team again today like who is where who's responsible for when it's approved by the board and board member Woods asked this maybe a month and a half ago or so uh then who's responsible for ensuring that the implementation happens the signature from the chair the signature from myself so that it actually moves forward into play but then there's also uh the beginning part uh how is it actually moving forward is it being stopped somewhere um and this is not a a a a blame or anything like that but legal takes needs time to review every contract and that's typically why they ask for the length of time that they ask for sometimes 45 days sometimes 60 days and then sometimes when it's an emergency we can es you know we can escalate some things or accelerate some things and get them done faster so there's that part of the process actually moving it to bring it to the board for recommendation and then there's the other side of it for implementation if I could just follow back up and uh Madam chair it's okay us speak committee style not wait for uh permission um you know it would be great great point and I think uh great response superintendent but I think we have an opportunity at least administratively to modify that and that way we can say hey here's the max number of days that sits with every department and board members need to see that clearly and so we know that it's not a blame game it's not on Tito's desk it's not on uh uh Bailey's desk it's the clock starts it has Bailey's desk day one he has 45 days to execute uh when I was working city government I had 48 Hours uh for a signature to be signed and for it to be tracked through docu sign so a client knew when they could expect uh to have an executed contract so colleagues that's where you get to say here's our expectations give us a one pager on what that process looks like what's the what's the business flow of that process and uh but I think it's a great question uh board member mckisic I have a couple of questions um um we don't have all the uh policies for um yeah yeah approved well 6014 was approved and 616 was repealed so you wouldn't have a copy of those it was only those um policies that I purchasing agreement purchasing Authority it should be in in the packet of information the first item would be your board staff Communications I have a question about contracts what is the actual number of contracts that have been um expired you're waiting on them they're sitting on your desk or computer and you um inadvertently let them expire will you clarify um every contract has a exloration date correct uh you don't let them sit on your desk pass the exloration date in the computer or on your desk you're asking yeah no so every contract is approved before the expiration date no you have been brought contracts that have been after the expiration date before um some youve been brought before the expiration date uh it depends on where they are in the process which is to board member Wood's point I'll codify the process so that we know where it is from day one to however many days we're sharing that a particular contract could move or take to move through the process um the reason I asked that because I have had principls call me and they have a contract um in your office and they are waiting on it to be signed so it's not in my office uh it could be in multiple offices but I sign twice a day uh nothing sits in my office for a full day uh so there's nothing in my office right now with the exception of one folder that I just saw on my way out but there's nothing in my office so I would have to know What that particular contract is and then the team would be able to tell me where it is uh in the system thank you yes ma'am are we are we talking about are we jumping from policy to policy do you guys want to finish conversation about specific uh policy I have a question about Communications so I don't I can hold uh or we can go back and forth how you guys want to do for for whatever staff that's having to track our red lining they probably would prefer us to go one by one okay so that's right and well we well I have the my I want to acknowledge that uh commissioner Edmund Ford and former commissioner Eddie Jones are in the room thank you for joining us today Joyce do you have anything I have a a a question on the professional service contracts and I asked a lot of questions um in the one-on-one uh space um and why the addition of all contracts we had talked about school level contracts and um having individuals in the building who could enter into them what is the what is the total number of contracts are that are under 25,000 that principles are entering into I'd have to get you that information okay yeah it is there a process for once those are signed if they have that Authority for them to share it if there if you were not the final final approver is that clear if if a principal is currently signing a contract is there a step in our procurement process that says now send a copy of the final contract to X Y and Z or are those staying at the school Level under a certain amount or just in under 25,000 I would assume there's a threshold hold for Signature will you restate your question a different way the the main purpose behind this change for all contracts were mostly the school level contracts that were being Ed into without a comprehensive way of understanding that they were happening correct is that the initial intent of the policy change to make insert all yes right I think when we shared this it was yes because principles entering contracts and generally speaking all contracts need the review um of legal uh to ensure those binding Clauses or are and and the language that is in there so it's less about me having to sign it and more about what's included in the contracts yes no that's that's understood I think what I'm trying to get an understanding of is what is the scope and will that delay services to schools so if I raise $110,000 with my PTO to buy a new slide um and there's a contract with a a vendor and my children are going to get that in July and we've had you know it already takes a long time to get you know get three bids over a certain amount and are we delaying the things that schools are purchasing um either discretionary or budgeted dollars um when we've just said you know contracts can take up to 45 days in the process no okay I I would like to see the number of contracts and under 25,000 that that are not currently coming to legal for review so got it yep thank you and again just reminding board members that you are required to receive a copy of all contracts on a periodic basis regardless of the dollar amount Let's uh if we if we start to forget that it's okay to remind the administration I know they're super busy but you are you should be getting that regardless um pcking backing off of what Kevin Wood said the board is responsible for implementing policies you have four jobs and this is part of your job anybody else on um contracts I am more uh interested in on the policy review Dr Fagen in reviewing the contract when um I I I appreciate you uh indicating that there's language around design have you given at least thought to uh areas that you will assign uh that contract Authority I'm thinking about for example legal department it was understood that that design obviously is the general counsel uh having the authority to approve contracts up to the threshold of a board approval above $100,000 uh I'm sure there are certain departments on your uh senior leadership team that eventually we want to make make sure that those uh those departments uh have a the bandwidth and authority to be able to um uh to authorized contracts have you given thought to when when you take that uh under your purview do you plan to lend it back if the policies passed to those division heads to enter the district into a contract The Authority that they currently has as design need to to enter into contracts for example professional so again if we if the policy passes professional service contracts that that previously could be entered into by uh those division head will now only be owned by you or your design do you do you plan to own it or do you plan to exercise the ability to to give that to a designate I think you're asking do I plan to allow anyone else to enter the district into a contract am I misunder yes based on based on the current policy which allows for it MH I currently sign the contracts under the current policy yeah so so I guess um are they able to get it to the the one yard line and then you just sign off on it okay I just want to make sure so you don't you won't say hey bring me those top three vendors and let me exercise the work as far as so I may ask when it comes to um especially after speaking at the the the conference with our business partners who named hey we're not getting the opportunities that we should have so sometimes I may ask for those smaller dollars were there any other businesses that could have done this um because we we do this business or use this business a lot so sometimes I do ask uh to keep us leveled in in our selections uh and ensuring that we are allowing more opportunities to those who can satisfy the work thank you any more questions on contracts now we're going to go to overtime I'll ask a question regarding more of less of a question more of recommend recommended uh adjustment to the policies uh to the policy office uh it sounds as if uh we want to at least give oursel the board primarily uh some bandwidth in the event of emergency uh superintendent you may be involved in that emergency uh where you can't get to a phone uh I think you should I would recommend that the board approve language that at least has in except for the case of emergencies whereas the managers didn't have the ability to uh authorize overtime uh I think it would be a limited use of that um of that requirement but it at least empowers those employees that again we hire smart people that should know what is an emergency and uh if it's 4:30 p.m. and the roof is leaking I I just would say that you should expect those individuals and you may have examples where that's already happening but the language gives me the cover that I trust you but it doesn't say it in policy so we have a simple opportunity as a board to include that language in the policy that says in the event of Emergency the manager can still uh approve overtime without fear of uh and again the policy proposes language such as termination I just think that we could give that level of flexibility that's my recommendation but if the board sees otherwise so bit and to pick it back off of what board member wood said it said all overtime must be pre-approved by the employees immediate supervisor all cannot be preapproved cuz like what board member wood said emergency comes up that's that can't be preapproved I mean except for emergencies it should so it should say except in the case of emergencies or something to that nature because again the toilet overflowing that can't be pre-approved because it's not predicted that Kevin going to put toilet paper in there and overflow it on Friday for overtime I think that was already in the language Maria correct the except for emergencies was a line in the previous if I recall reading uh the policy it already stated that the exception was in the um rules and regulations so it's not in the policy not in the policy in the rules and regulations needs to be and and Mar you recall very often because the public when they're when they're quering policy they don't see rules and regulations so it's we often duplicate that language and it's it's important that you remind particularly new administrators that opportunity because it's hidden somewhere in administrative rules and Rags that we often carry forward that language and policy uh especially new you got four new board members coming on board they won't know where to go look for that so it's it requires a little bit more typing but I think it's helpful um I have a question about a Safety and Security let's just say hypothetically a brawl breaks out at 2 35 you expect for the security officers to call their supervisor before they can break up a fight I think board member um love we had this conversation and that has never been the expectation and is someone who has worked in the field for quite some time had to approve um over time had to assign over time had to pay overtime as well uh I I clear I I have a clear understanding of security officers and their role uh shared the same with them again this morning when I met with them at 6:00 a.m. uh it's it's very clear that everything is also not an emergency right and so for safety and security purposes when something happens the expectation is they meet the need of something happening I have another question several principls called me this week and they are very concerned that the officers um clock out at 3:00 my grandson gets out of school at 3:15 who is going to manage my grandson's school and all the other schools sure we addressed that this morning as well when some of the officers raised that uh in terms of their supervisor sharing with them that they were supposed to leave early uh I allowed them to handle that get into the gaps to ensure that we have the coverage that we need but no one is leaving school early leave when campuses are cleared uh and that varies across schools um Raleigh Egypt for example yes the school um is full of employees and uh um students at 4:00 at 6:00 most days um you approve the overtime for that I don't want anyone to be fired for rec um um for taking care of our uh teachers and staff and students this policy is a little bit overboard and we are trying to find a common ground for the policy revisions ma Madam chair I know we're reviewing policy I want a superintendent to speak so in terms of Overboard I'm listening to how we're getting to what's overboard this process was already in place the I added the superintendent for additional oversight if we want to remove superintendent then we can remove the superintendent but in terms of finish it's okay but you have capable staff hired by you and evaluated by you to approve the overtime um I know you are the superintendent but you have capable staff hired by you and evaluated by you um I just feel um respectfully you don't don't have to do everything respectfully respectfully I receive it and I'm not doing everything but I think that the hus of a leader is when they see an opportunity and a gap uh in practice then that's where systems and processes and in this case policy come into play uh where we disagree uh is that my addition of the superintendent in terms of something that I have to speak to you about the expenses and the expenditures of a district uh overtime is what we're speaking of right now but overall and how that contributes to um the funding and and what we're able to do for our students as well in addition to providing them the safety and the security that they need I think that's a delicate balance uh if the addition of the term superintendent is where we are then that's not something that I would stand on the heel for but I am sharing that based on the analysis and the Insight I presented to the board uh a big opportunity here in this particular area without taking away the opportunities that our staff need to do the work that they do so you would be fine with taking the superintendent off if that is what pleases the board yes ma'am yes it will please me yes ma'am uh thank you Madame chair so I I since we're on the topic of security um I I do like to hear from Madame superintendent an update on on on the incidents that happened over the weekend and and the walk out from officers yesterday uh I don't we can talk about that when we finish talking about these policies or we can talk about that now however you prefer to do it in uh Community engagement I do have a presentation for safety and Safety and Security okay but uh Madame chair uh where where would that be on today's agenda it um it needs to be under here it is oh sorry I have do I have the wrong one oh got it I'm sorry it's okay got then then we can [Music] wait Mr Williams did you have a question yes it is going to be impossible for the superintendent to micromanage this District you can you just can't do it it's too large it's too big it's too massive there are some things that we will have that will require overtime year after year after year I was just in awe when I saw the term stolen we did not steal any overtime here those folk who worked were appointed and approved to work so nothing was stolen and that was a very strong term to put on employees that they had stolen something from this District that is not true and I want the media to reflect that that was not true those people who work during the summer months I stayed in this system 52 years as a teacher you have to have clean schools you have to have things done before you come back to school if you got to fix the windows and the leaks and the water that's going to be done and it has to be done during those times it has always been that way so if they're going to work any over time it will be then unless something disastrous happens again but I do not want employees to be cified as thieves because that is not true that is untrue and it should not have been said So to that end I think that those people who will be approving overtime should be responsible for it the superintendent cannot be responsible for overtime there are too many schools and too many employees to be that I mean your phone would never stop ringing things come up all the time that would be a waste of our energy and time to put that in policy because you have to hold the people you hired to do it to the standard of doing it and if they don't approve it correctly then you deal with them but for you to appr approve the the person fixing the wind in the water it won't work it will not work it would be it would be massive and it would not get done so my my final say is that please do not refer to our employees as stealing anything we're not in the stealing business we're in the working business and if it's done correctly it is done correctly and it is up to us to make sure that the policy is carried out correctly and not to impune the Integrity of the employees Madam chair uh staying on the overtime policy last comment on that um for me I know uh the team is taking notes to bring back to work session but I am mentioning Madam superintendent uh going back to the point that uh policy mentioned that the emergency language is in rules and rs but it was also as I uh review the the document we did strike the language from the existing document is there a reason that we decided to strike the language I'm you know and again I'm I'm and I know uh we have a new board member that's coming with a decade of policy experience but I'm just thinking about the long hours we would spend in policy meetings we debate whether or not it should be shall or or uh shall or may and or or and we spent hours debating on the unintended consequences of policy language so I tell my colleagues particularly those that are going to still be here it is challenging when you got bright lights cameras and and you're talking about stuff that seems mundane but has huge implications on the district and that's the policy work that's why it belongs to the board that's why it's where we should spend most of our time and most of our gotas are are going to often be found in a policy embedded that you simply hadn't looked at in a decade so uh but often Maria as you remember we would asked a hard question well what what's what's what's causing the change what's what's the reason of taking that emergency language out of cuz I cannot recall one time where we said let's take it out of policy because it's in rules and Rags we often say let's embed it in policy so we can so it can be reflected there so the public can be well aware of it so uh and if we don't want to go deep on why we took it out is there any objection to making sure that that's reflected or is there any problem with this language particularly uh on the emergency language and I read it out loud it says exceptions may be granted in situations deemed as emergencies an employee who works overtime without prior supervisory approval may be subject to disciplinary actions of to termination uh why take that language out so the language was originally stricken for your consideration to align with the superintendant um request to requests to approve all overtime now it's at the will of the board to add that exception language back into the policy and I think the superintendent has already spoken to the fact that if the superintendent language is an issue we can strike that but whatever the board's will is well colleagues uh for the unless there's objection right now I would just like to to that uh let the strike through to be removed uh as you bring that back to work session for approval thank [Music] you if I may jump in there so I like the aspect of striking the portion where you know making it seem less punitive and I think of you know up to an including termination because as we've all stated over time as necessary but as far as you know removing the superintendent from that role being the ultimate leader of the district that's something to consider as well I mean I I would think that um no one would have more Authority as an employee than the superintendent who's responsible for all of the employees so I see what you're saying here but at the same time I I see where that language could be um to me I interpreted it slightly differently where it's not making it punitive toward employees being fired if they do work over time because if it's ultimately approved if the supervisor who is the person doing the signing off by the superintendent is not like that employee is going to go run down the superintendent saying sign my form so just the checks and balances of the situation so maybe we can continue to work on that language to to strike that balance but I'm I just wouldn't want to usurp the authority of the the superintendent yeah just so for the record I I didn't I didn't recommend the superintendent language be St strict and I only talked about the emergency language I think that was Miss Love who referenced the superintendent being being removed from the process I I have no issue with the superintend ultimately we have that our one employee which is the superintendent so uh if her language is if her if her name is not there she's still responsible uh I I I simply uh just will often encourage the superintendent to uh utilize design I mean you hire trusted people you have people moving in town that's more that's more my take on it is that uh superintendent uh and or her design so in the event that she's not available uh there's someone who has the authority to act uh we we cannot paralyze The District in the absence of the superintendent correct so uh so and and I anticipate that that uh that that action either be taken by superintendent by us knowing who those designes are or that the board in Miss Love's point the board will know that it has the power to appoint a design so can you clarify the part that you wanted to make sure I know you read it but just what what in that part in those sentences there that really stuck out to you as far a great point so page two of two it just and we've talked a lot about it just in the case of emergencies right now if you strike that language there is no emergency provision so I just says remove the strike through and and it it brings that language back to life that in the event of an emergency uh whoever can approve it It ultimately I don't have to again if the building's falling and and the again if the building's on fire and the guys who was working it's time to get off at 5: the point we're simply making is that they don't have to wait on someone says hey stay late to get that done so Dr fagin what are your thoughts on this I think mainly she's referencing the emergency piece just the emergency that I think when we left out think it was my first question to Maria why did we strike the emergencies piece because that was never the intention because I understand emergencies happen and they will happen uh whether known or unknown something's going to happen in a district this size uh and the the magnitude of the work that we do um the case in adding the superintendent for approval is exactly what you said it's checks and balances and many of these reviews have led for some of these to be sent back even after the direct supervisor has uh signed it so it's not about micromanaging but it is understanding where there's an opportunity uh and there's a gap um and so that was this however if it is removed and I have to speak to it then I would just have to still speak to it though Mr Williams is your light on again yes I want to be very very clear Mike please it it's not possible for one person to rule over 8,000 and make decisions as to what can be done and what cannot be done if this board doesn't have the confidence in the people who are who is doing the work who are the leaders in those areas then we don't have the confidence in the superintendent because though they are her employees and to say that the superintendent has to give the approval of someone who's putting out a fire or who's cleaning up a flood is absolutely crazy because it has to happen and if you can't get in touch with it doesn't happen then it Bur birs down or the building floods there are people in place to do these things than there always has been but to give one person unfettered power is crazy and we are to rely on the system that we have we don't have a savior here to come in here and tell folks when they can and when they cannot these people clearly understand their roles and they've upheld this district for the past 52 years I know so I don't think you need someone to come in to say what you can and cannot do when you know your job and you know what you're expected to do and it minimizes those people who are in charge because I wouldn't be in charge of someone who was over me and then they over someone else too like then you don't need me you just be over all of it and do it all yourself and continue to use these kind of draconian words and cuts that we are seeing in the media now I will not tolerate that and I could not stand for it because I will not stand for employees being antagonized and counted as something that they are not and that's what I see so perhaps um if I may strike the happy medium here um the language if it's put back in the exceptions may be granted is it possible just to add the word superintendent or design or design before any overtime hours are worked um the strike through at the beginning where it says prior approval for any overtime work shall be required is that something that you know as a board we need to figure out do you want to keep that stricken from this policy and then just simply basically the policy as it has been added with the all overtime must be approved by the employees immediate supervisor at the direction of the division director or department head and superintendent or design before any overtime hours are worked I think that would suffice and I can get on board with that with okay get on board with that and then we add add back in the strike three portion in the paragraph where it starts with prior approval where that's stricken and you rephrased it and it says all overtime must be preapproved by the employees immediate supervisor at the direction of the division director or department head and superintendent this is the new part and superintendent and we can add in parenthesis or desic KN before any overtime hours are worked and then to put the strike through the exceptions part put that back in and I think that was maybe solve the concerns of the board does that make sense clear as mud okay well I'm sure uh Mr Bailey we can work through it between now and the work session except that who's doing the work because I would just go home I would not wait for that many bosses to tell me what I can and cannot do when I've did it when that's my job I would not even ask I would just go home and let it burn so superintendent um I want to know the actual number of overtime that was abused I want to know the actual number and the dollar amount before next meeting are you asking legal to do an investigation an internal audit no no no no you have the actual numbers right that I shared yeah yeah and I want to know the actual numbers and a dollar amount for the past two months you uh stated that you were doing the policy um you started doing the policy two months in advance I want to know the actual number in the amount that you reported of overtime yeah actual number of over I shared would you are you looking for something different um you shared with me and the whole board the total list of the overtime I want to know the actual number a dollar amount for the past two months right it's in that same it's monthly it's by month and it's by department and it has the amount so is there would you just like for me to take out the last two months got it yeah yes ma'am um Ria uh Maria Stewart next policy so we've covered board staff um Communications no okay so purchasing Authority you've discussed you've also discussed um I'm assuming that your discussion with the purchasing Authority also addressed your concerns around the professional service contracts and we've discussed overtime so the only one that's left is board staff Communications yes any you all want to discuss any concerns that you have around board staff Communications and the proposed give us the res uh revisions first do you do you not have your packet of information do [Music] you and this is the same um policy that was presented or the revisions to the policy that was presented during the board retreat I think a couple of months ago um as well as at the committee meeting um a couple of months ago there no no real significant revisions to this policy except for the fact that the superintendent will provide um documentation or information to the board on a weekly basis that's one of the changes I'm [Music] sorry so if you look on page two of the document you'll see that information requested by individual board members will be provided by the superintendent to all of the board members um as well as board members who wish to share information before the board relevant to District business will relay the information to the superintendent or the superintendent's designate or board chair and then that information will be placed on the board agenda so those are the significant changes to the policy what prompted the policy resistance I added um that the superintendent will provide communication because I think the communication should be provided that's it which piece um the second one the the piece about the board members who wish which piece the piece about the board members board members who wish to share yeah information before the board relevant to District business or issues will relay the information to the superintendent or designate or board chair s such information will be placed on the board agenda or if appropriate distributed to each member of the board in a weekly information packet that's just standard practice that wasn't stated in policy that if you wanted to share something that it needs to go on the agenda um that's just standard practice the piece about placing it um to each board member um that just helps me ensure that whatever is shared between you and I uh it is a it is shared between or two all board members so that the communication is [Music] consistent want to talk yes I do I I think we will inadvertently violate policy by spelling out in this way I think there are plenty of cases where maybe something doesn't get shared if board Coleman asks a question and I don't have to get that answer are we violating policy cuz I didn't see the response and act we can add anything to the agenda at any time if there is a a majority of board members who wish to do so and we would be violating policy even if we had unanimous consent on something we wanted to add to the agenda based on the way this was written I would recommend we strike both paragraphs from this under board Communications to District staff I I also have um you know questions to Mad superintendent when you say that is the expectation for the for the full board and the superintendent to formally communicate um could you define what formal communication would be expected like for example I know I don't formally meet with you every week and I do that on purpose because I feel that it is better for us to meet as a group right than than me one onone because then I hear what my colleagues have to say but what what is your expectation what is the expectation on formally communicate one onone on a weekly basis that it's sharing that it's your expectation that I communicate with you with all members on a weekly basis so if you if you'd like to strike that that's just how that reads that it is your expectation as a board that I as superintendent formally communicate I just thought that was important but certainly would understand if it wants to be removed no I understood that see was say if I had to with you on a weekly basis and again sometimes we meet a lot but sometimes we don't and as I said I I I don't want to put everybody on a corner and also as as the things that we said before sometimes when when you say formally does that mean a one-onone meeting no it just means that we we talk we speak we engage in conversation about um clarifying questions that you have uh there's no set time I think there's a I think we're overthinking this part but certainly if it causes heartburn like I would not I was just asking no but I'm glad that we're I mean that's what these meetings are important to talk about so moving on to the second one uh I know it's not I think when when we first started talking about this policy uh there was a change in tone on how board members can communicate with people on the staff so on a regular basis uh historically we communicated with the CFO we communicate with the general councel we don't we don't always call the superintendent first uh I call our constituent Services office and ask them to help a constituent navigate things uh talk to principles uh I I I don't it's important that board members do not exercise influence on staff but certainly board members and staff should be able to talk to us and we should be able to talk to them it is my impression that an intended consequence of this policy is is putting people on fear I have had employees who have told me I have been told that I cannot talk to you well I'm not sure where that comes from but I didn't write that part of the policy the all official Communications requests for information suggestions and concerns will be communicated to District staff members through the superintendent um that that was already written have have you instructed staff that if they hear from a board member they have to notify you no but I am aware that other members of the team have uh and I've addressed that when a board member or board members have brought that up I am aware of that particular communication being shared in that way all right okay that's all my questions thank thank you yes [Music] sir um hold can I ask may I ask a question um Alia first then you and then Kevin I'll let you go first Miss Kevin um my question is shall be the expectation of the board that the superintendent formally communicate with all board members all members of the board on a weekly basis we can take it don't struggle with Yeah because sometimes our conversations are not where they should be and I personally would like all Communications to be between it doesn't have to come from the chair and the vice chair if what the conversation should be open where whatever ever you discuss with board member love should be able to discuss it with me that's what the latter part of the policy and I think someone just asked why I put it in there that was the purpose but I think board member huitt Garcia just shared that she would like for it to be struck or stricken but that was the purpose of putting it in there I I want to do away with one-on ones I'm just going to tell you the truth because one- on- ones are not serving the purpose that they were originally from when I was started were told 101's would be for yeah I I I don't bite my tongue when I have to say something 101's should be stricken from Communications if if if board member Hugh Garcia has a question put it out there so all of us we all may be thinking that same question or may have some thought around that question put it out there I'm I'm totally I'm a whatever the board would like one ones should be done away with in my personal opinion board member Coleman I agree with the spirit and agree with that process I think my suggestion was we would violate policy if it was a an actual just oversight that if I left someone off of an email I violated policy or I forgot to put one email that I had sent a or you know I text Dr Fagan a question and I didn't include it in the board oversight are we violating policy like it is it's the opportunity for us to be um putting two detailed of a process we can all we set the expectations for our superintendent and how they how she communicates with us whether it's in this policy or not so that can still be the expectation I just don't believe that it has to live in policy but we are in 100% agreement that all of us need the same information at the same time as quickly as possible Madam committee chair I know uh your next right yes right cuz I I just have a recommendations on this policy more like tabling it uh we have a new board coming on board in about 14 days I think uh superintendent uh incoming board chairs Vice chairs will be in a retreat I think our time is best spent on overtime and um Contracting things that have immediate impact over the next two and a half weeks uh I don't think voting on a policy next week when there's an opportunity uh to set Cadence with your incoming board members the existing board members uh particularly on Communications I don't think my opinion matters as much I think communication is good I think communication is necessary but as far as the redlining uh of this policy uh I think though I I I happily hand that to the next uh the next team I I think that makes sense I agree duly noted so my recommendation Marie is that we table this policy to the September board meeting I think I see an incoming at least one incoming board member out there uh but uh you can hand her a copy of the draft now put it to work hey how you doing miss [Music] mckenny anything else from policy I do uh so as as we continue to discuss uh you know this this this policies and it's so important that that the board has I mean when when I was when I was in the elction people kept asking me so what is the role of a board member governance is our most important uh function as board members uh I want the board to consider uh the original intent of the general council's office and this this is agnostic to this particular General Council an agnostic to the superintendent uh best practices will say that the general Council should report to the board uh we still have one employee which is the superintendent but Tennessee law allows us to have our own legal council and there have been times multiple times this year that I had the opportunity to serve here where that is almost like a conflict and and and and the independence of the general council's office and the absolutely need of this board to have a general counsel that they can go to uh and that reports to us I think is is important happens in other branches of government like we wouldn't you wouldn't anticipate in in any other form of government to have the general councel who is the conscience of the organization to report to an employee it should report to the legislative body um we can talk more about it there is a president on Memphis City Schools Legacy Memphis City Schools when when the office of the general Council was first established it was instituted as as as as a as a direct report to the board uh of Education so I want to open that for discussion happy to talk more about it get hear your initial thoughts on that um I agree policy is a board function not the superintendent and we need no disrespect to Justin Bailey we need our own general counsel board member Cav are you talking about bringing our general counsel now over to the board or or we getting our own taking solicitations and getting the own general counsel I'm it's a little confusing what you what you see so the first one so Madam uh comment so it is the first one so we'll be the the dotted line right now is you know the the general Council reports on a direct line to the superintendent and a dotted line it serves the board it should be the other way around it will report to the board and provide services to the district of course on a day-to-day basis the general Council has to deal with contracts with you know injuries with lawsuits all of these things but it should be a more more independent But to answer your question it's it's uh it will be a direct line to to it will it will be bringing our general Council Office direct uh reporting to to the board and and again the the the the history is that that's how it was set up in Memphis City Schools it changed during the merger was that is that true so yes we had a history uh and to to to give context uh I think back even with Retreats hosted by U tamaa Hart U had indicated and expressed uh her thoughts that this should be something that this body considers uh so I served under both formats where the uh general counsel reported directly to the board uh for full disclosure I actually raised this to every superintendent candidate that uh if uh if selected I would likely push for this to be a change because I think uh my my um one of my regrets that I don't think leave a legacy uh is where I knew that we were in at times where we were in Conflict I understood the box that that individual had to be in of knowing that um they they of who they worked for and I I I I look back at the uncomfortable uh questions that board member would often put General counselors in and then in that uh Awkward Moment of having to answer that question but they yet yet they still sered with a great deal of Integrity with the understanding that uh the superintendent is going to have to make that tough call because I'm going to make decisions that it's sometimes it's going to uh be more supportive of the board and sometimes going to be support more supportive of the administration but I have to do what's in the best interest of the district in many cases you are rooll in the same directions the board superintendent we all want the same things but when that's in Conflict uh we often are going to be raised with that question of who can ultimately fire The General Counsel and um I don't know I like being able to be fired by five as opposed to one but uh but I understand that the board is the board can make that call but there are lots of nuances to it uh and so I think if that's going to be a a process that this body undertakes uh somebody's going to have to lead it and um uh look forward to seeing I'll be watching from afar all right I have one last item uh that I wanted to bring and I want this was the platform to bring it uh I passed out to each of you a resolution amending to shevy County Board of educations no had a question I'll let her skip go ahead go ahead we talk about can can I just you can jump back in before you bring your point I just want to put a pen in uh Mr cbo's point if that's going unless you just raised it for a talking point uh The Next Step would be a resolution to to act in that uh in that manner if that's something that you're looking for us to consider and and we can bring that up at work session but if that is the will of the body I I didn't know if we just moved on but uh I didn't know if we were done talking about that or not I mean I appreciate all the commentary I'd love to see what you had in mind if there was a resolution behind this so we can consider it and have a a formal beyond the discussion we've had today sure and and I so I'm working on on on on draft language for this resolution uh I'll bring it I I plan to bring it up for for discussion during the work session the again uh there's a young lady by the name of Natalie mckenny that may also be available to help draft that language as well all right we'll be calling her go ahead so a resolution amending the Shelby County Board of Education fiscal year 2024 2025 amended budget for August of 2024 uh thank you um County Commissioner uh Edon Ford for for joining us today um past commissioner and a good friend our brother um Eddie Jones recognize him back there and uh Joseph K thank you all White Haven just for your support and just know that we are committed to doing what we said we would do uh I brought this to the board uh for you to take for you to look at it if you have any questions any concerns that you would bring them back to me so that I could have this uh available I would say no later than Monday soup have it no later than Monday because we're trying to uh have a special call after work session on next Tuesday and do I need to read it to you or would you like to take it home and uh read over it read it read it all right whereas TCA 49-2 d301 W provides that the budget shall set forth in itemized form the amount necessary to operate the schools for the Scholastic year beginning on July 1st following on or on such a date as provided for by the charter or private legislative act and that any changes in the uh expenditures of money as provided for the budget shall be ratified by the local board and appropriate local legislative bodies and whereas it is necessary to amend the fiscal year 2024 2025 general fund budget and appropriate said funds as reflected in item one now therefore it be resolved that the Shelby County Board of Education hereby approves the fiscal year 2024 2025 amended budget and appropriate said funds as follow number one that the general funds will increase by 1 million doar uh at the Memphis Chevy County Board of Education uh direction to fund the White Haven stem building with the plan Ed fund balance uh a 1. million closes that funding gap of construction cost of the storm shelter which we know was something that came along a little later and that was after we had the original cost B the 1.3 million which was already allocated in the mscs capital budget and funded by previous administrations through the County's Capital bunded funds this has also been approved by both the Shelby County Commissioner and the Board of Education C both allocations $1 million plan use of fund balance and the 1.3 million ion of the County's Capital fund is a total of 2.3 million mscs will pay that and uh superintended will correct me directly to school seed but School seed will receive payments of the 1.0 million immediately from us it will provide records of all payments made to contractors and receipts upon request by mscs for audit purposes from funds used with the plan use of the fund balance MCS will pay the 1.3 million funded by the Shelby County Commissioner through Bond proceeds to school seed when receipts did I get that right Eddie Jones when receipts are [Music] received all right and so I think the problem was is that school seed School seed needed to be able to pay that money correct Mr Jones uh without us having to go through one of those steps come on help me out uh no so if the district go go ahead and submit that money all of it to school seed the stipulation should be that school seed for the first 1.3 million of the bond allocated money should be given back to the district so that it can submit it to the County Commission to be reimbursed the 1.3 that's where the difference what you're reading and what I what I'm hearing okay so all of it should go to them the first 1.3 million spent on that building comes back to the district so that the district can submit it to the County Commission and get reimbursed to 1.3 and it's done yes sir with receipts for reimbursement for the Shelby County Commissioner all right yes ma'am so I want I want to clear up some something so the $1.3 million we have sitting in a uh fiscal year fy22 appropriation it's sitting there right now right now as a resolution is written by the County Commission we can not reallocate that $1.3 million to anything except for the White Haven stem building we cannot send out cash from the District of that $1.3 million without having receipts today uh to be able to do because if we send the cash out today we no longer are going to be gaining interest on that cash yeah yeah so it's my recommendation that again we by resolution they can go ahead and start building the stem building by this resolution or whatever uh amendment that we do they can go ahead and start there's no expenditure related to the building have they Broken Ground yet no have not broken ground so are there any expenditures yet nine so we can't send that out any money if there's no expenditures related to the building so again when there are expenditures then the we can we can then pay out the expenditures starting first with the $1.3 million then we can submit those invoices when we send our cash out the door to the county to repay for the $1.3 million my second ask is $1 million is act of our plan use of fund balance is there any kind of receding or accuracy related to how much the storm shelter will cost I remember seeing something like $692,000 I wouldn't want to commit all $1 million if the storm shelter is only $692,000 my second ask since you guys gave me the mic is that is there still a requirement related to if a storm shelter is needed because I understood that there was reli as well so those are a few questions I have um so I apologize I took out talked out a turn I can answer that latter part of that it is required it's in the IBC building code you you know I got about 16 years in code enforcement background is required uh s the IBC 2021 code uh building code I've had a conversation with John Zena and um with with all of that oh so commissioner Ford then let me put these glasses off all right so and they got a cost for all of that now for the storm shelter compared to what you've seen it's uh 1 million 41243 the longer that you wait the more that the cost keeps going up but I want to go back to if you guys were building the building and you had to give money back to the commission would you not spend that money out of your fund balance already to uh get those receipts to send back to them cuz you couldn't spend the money from the commission cuz they didn't give it to you so that's my question on your explanation of how you uh presented it but if you were building the building you would spend that money out of your fund balance to get the receipts is that correct we if we were building the building we would the contractor would submit us a payout of services that they've rendered we pay our cash to it and we do it like that so again I asked the question are there any expenses right now and have you Broken Ground if you haven't broke broken ground or there's no expenditures it wouldn't make sense for us to pay out or send any expenditures out the door and the reason being is that you don't want to release any funds because you want to hold on to as much of your cash as possible because you're gaining interest on it so the the county does it the same way it's the reason why they don't give us the money up front because they want to gain the interest of their cash cash is King so again when we see expenditures there's no problem this resolution would say we'll send the money out the door when expenses are made and then we'll send cash out the door and we'll immediately ask for for their reimbursement for the county on the first $1.3 million now the extra million dollar to pay for the storm shelter if the board chooses to do so if you want we want if we want to donate funds to on behalf of debt which again I wouldn't recommend I was still doing expense for the storm shelter if it was for my expertise I would do expenses from the board instead of making a donation to any other entity since it's us that's my recommendation so and still get the same you still get the same uh thing you still get the building built is just a different way that you use your cash well I I think the biggest problem is with the builders and the commitment they want to make sure all of that is upfront so let me uh give you a little background on my experience now in the past you never got money from the commission UPF front not until I passed the resolution to make sure sure that you all got 85% of that money up front that's part of fy22 you could have been to did what you needed to do with that but y'all used it for other things in the district don't have a problem with that so for your fy22 so you get uh that 85% is divided up over 12 months and it's given to you in advance and you have to turn in receipts for it that's correct so I don't see where there's any difference in that maybe on you all's end but the commission gives you Bond money UPF front they uh on that 85% you don't get it monthly that's not what the the finance uh director tells us how that is distributed sir that that hadn't happened since fiscal year I'm sorry the reason I know we got to stay in this meeting all disect Mr Jones just so we can stay on task we'll be debating all day on how the process works I mean we still trying to figure it out right so I think uh ultimately you you're before a body that that's trying to figure a way to support your endgame which is to build this building uh I I do uh call into question you have a builder that wants all funding up front before they're willing to pull out a shovel I one thing you can start with is probably a different Builder they don't have it so where's but if it's a million short where's the other money you don't have to answer that now but is in somebody's bank account drawing about 5 to 6% probably if you wait another 6 months enough to close your Gap so but this body wants to help so as opposed to looking at the the Dynamics of you know where and when could you set up a process if the board wanted to allocate 2 million to this project you guys break ground and then we reimburse particularly potentially for your first set of expenses an idea came from Miss Garcia uh but we we can help that way as opposed to debating on is it the storm shelter if it's the last dollar first do dollar we we showed early on both personal finances as well as board finances in support of this project so that there's no question we we've seen all the media coverage we're in full support of this project but this is the first of me hearing that a builder refused to get started I'll take your first 8 million you may not get a roof but I'm going to start the work exactly and I get your point but when this process started in the raising of these funds and the one thing that was made uh known to us they would until all of that money is committed now if you all can ensure that this money is committed until the time that they can get those receipts they'll start building well Mr Jones if we make this body will make a commitment that we will pay the money right yeah and and again that way we don't have to allocate funding for a project that may not get off the ground that I want to be clear whether it happens in August or the new board you shouldn't cut a dollar until there's dirt moving because the these limited resources should be should be reimburse a project that you know is actually going to get completed right and so before and and and looking at this resolution to that point the 1.3 is bur money and there a certain way that you have to flow with that and I get that part but the 1 million uh y'all are using that so you you want to use that same process for that as well cuz that's that's just playing use of fund balance that's not yes Bond money and the commission is not going to receip y'all that money back cuz it's not because that wasn't approved by them I I agree all I'm saying is it's still cash so again to board member Woods's Point that's why I asked the question was there any expenses or have ground broken when there is like to to your point the first million dollars of expenses that come in for pay apps if the board chooses to do when we see the that payout we could send a million doll out the door then um and then same for the $1.3 million all I'm saying is that it wouldn't be financially feasible if we send $1 million of a donation out the door right now without any expenditures or receipts and this commitment this this is a commitment that says that it'll be done okay then I'm good with it cuz all they need is the commitment so if you want that and we will make sure that the 2.3 well 1.3 you'll get the receipts for that and make sure that so for auditing purposes you get the 1 million receipts uh for the auditing purposes okay for the whole 2.3 if that will fix the equation long as it's committed they ready to break ground next week so we are committed so I think we have resolved that commissioner Ford so we just all right we good yes ma'am I got we're not doing we don't have to do just um that is the end of policy [Music] Committee just bring it up on next the we can bring it back up in work session yeah yeah e uh the 1.3 already exists will add the commitment of the $1 million is the allocation I will place that in writing as a commitment I think what we have been having discussion about is the process of accounting for the funds and ensuring that it is on a reimbursable basis based on receipts uh invoices of that nature so no funds will go out to anyone without uh an understanding of what these funds are going to as we do with all of our business and superintendent I just want to say just for the record that never was there at any moment that this board this body was not going to support White Haven High School and the stem building we have been in support of that since day one so make that very clear to any and everyone listening and watching that that is always the case and it's like anytime you're dealing with significant funds like this everyone wants us to be fiscally responsible this is what we have to do and so thank thank you to my colleagues for ensuring that we were doing our due diligence as a governing body to ensure that we were not only being very responsible with this money and supporting the students of Memphis Shelby County Schools to that point Mr M do we need sorry do we need to pass anything or is because for you to write an email for an extra million dollars or that commitment is already she said she's going to bring it to the board meeting this is just committed meeting guys we we just get to pontificate today there's no action so she she knows what our expectations are I'm I'm confident all of us email two weeks to figure it out it'll be in the email but it also has to be the budet am will take care of it for the work session everyone will see it be official include all of us on the [Music] email include all of the board members on the email so we know that you sent it board member love I always include why you sharing this like I don't I will include all board members three times yes ma'am what's next academic academics you going hear Taylor first yes ma'am um Community engagement she is here yeah yeah Community engagement meeting um we are now um keep Community engagement meeting roll call please we don't have to do roll call yeah um director of Health Department you're up [Music] next thank you I asked for the director of the health department Michelle Taylor to give us a snapshot of what's going on in our city and how she can be a community partner with us in the city good afternoon Commissioners Good To Be With You superintendent fagans very honored to be here to present to you all today um I'm going to run through a couple of slides and I will try to leave plenty of time for questions um once again appreciate this opportunity to share this information with you um today I want to go over some of the sexual health data and statistics that we currently know about in Shelby County I'm sure you've been hearing um some of the things that have been going on um with particularly HIV and STI in our community and I wanted to give the board a fuller picture of what we're dealing with particularly in kids 15 to 19 next slide so first I always like to start with a to talk a little bit about myself because I think it matters um especially when adults get in a room and talk about things that may be sensitive um I like to remind people what it was like to be the age of the children that we are about to talk about so the two pictures that you see on the left are a 17-year-old Michelle Morgan recently graduated from White Station High School in 1993 yes I'm going to tell my age right and that is those are pictures of my parents and my younger brother moving me into my freshman dorm at Howard University and you'll notice in those pictures they're smiling but I'm not really smiling right because I am afraid I'm afraid about what's about to happen at school I'm afraid about whether I'm going to be successful I'm afraid about who I'm going to make friends with I'm a long way from home and I know DC but I don't know no DC right but what I can tell you is even through that fear I was able to overcome that clearly because I was armed with information when I went to school all right I also like to joke that this was probably the last time I wore belts during that year um before the Freshman 15 and and life um but I think it's important to level set the other side shows me with some of my lion sisters when we're graduating from Howard University and then the bottom right picture is five generations of women on my mother's side of the family and I also like to do this picture and show this picture because my father had the presence of mine to put us all on a couch when my mom graduated from Memphis State University in 1979 and she also was a product of legy Memphis City Schools fairly high school and I want you to look at the lady the second from the left that's Hatty Ray Brittain my great grandmother she's next to her mother Lula Cole my great great grandmother who did not pass until I was a senior in high school and what I will tell you about Hattie Ray and I won't make people raise their hands like I normally do is that when I hear adults fussing about what kids should or shouldn't be doing doing especially in the arena of sexual health I asked them do they know about normal human development and then I asked them especially in the South what does it look like for do any of you all know how old your grandmother or your great-grandmother was when she had her first child you don't have to yell it out you don't even have to raise your hand right my great- grandmother hadie Ray was 14 my grandmother Freddy in the middle J as she always was was 18 right and my mom was 20 when she had me I broke the mold and I was an old lady I had my first at 30 right but typically especially for that baby boomer generation and before that they were having their first children in their teen years particularly in the South so that is what I want you all to think about as we go through this presentation normal human development making sure our children are educated fully on their bodies in normal human development and what it looks like for us really to be in a era where people aren't different but maybe culture is a bit different next slide so next slide I'm going to talk to you a little bit about what we mean by a transitional Grant area so everybody knows we live in a tri-state area but what a lot of you all don't know is that the Shelby County Health Department's Ryan White program that is responsible for caring for people who are already living with HIV is responsible not only for the people living with HIV in Shelby County but we're also responsible for Tipton and fet County we're also responsible for four counties in northern Mississippi and one County in eastern Arkansas and you can see those represent and that total population for that transitional Grant area represents a little bit over 1.3 million people now why is this important next slide this is important because these are the representations of those counties and how many people are living with HIV in those counties and as you can see and I'm going to see if this pointer Works maybe maybe not not all right so as you can see Shelby County has the most people living with HIV little over 7,000 for a total in that total transitional Grant area of a little over 8,000 right and we are pulling and taking care of people in those other counties too and we are federally funded to do so next slide now this is the one that usually gets people clutching their pearls but I'm going to going to try to be gentle with you all but this is serious business so the reason why the Shelby County Health Department has really been raising the alarm since May of this year is because Shelby county is number two in the nation for new HIV infections I'm going to repeat that and I'm going to say it slower we are number two in the nation for new HIV infections if you can see the chart my old eyes can't see all of that but I know what's on it right number one is Miami number three not number two we're number two number three is Atlanta and as you can imagine what this chart is showing you in point is that even though we have a smaller population than those two large cities that are on either side of us on this bar graph the rate of new HIV infections is much higher meaning it is spreading much faster here in Shelby County next slide now the bar on the left shows you the total population and the percentages by race of the transitional Grant area I just showed you right so it's not just Memphis and Shelby County it's also those folks in Mississippi in F and Tipton and in West Tennessee and in Kinton and East Arkansas all right and of that population of about 1.3 million people 47% are African-American here's the other concerning statistic of those 47% of African-Americans in that transitional Grant area 75 plus% of those folks are African-American that are living with HIV so that means that the majority of the people living with HIV in our transitional Grant area are africanamerican so I just I I want you to take note of that all right and I said 75 I meant 72.9% all right next slide so let's talk a little bit about the trends in R TGA next slide now this is by age group this slide shows of the people living with HIV a What proportion are of each age group The proportion by age groups have remained relatively stable the proportion of those in 25 to 34 age group have remained High compared to other age groups falling AR around 34% throughout the 5year trend and this is showing you 5 years the proportion in the 15 to 24 age group increased slightly in 2022 and 2023 from 28% to 29% next slide and then when you look at adolescence this is very important that 15 to 19yearold age group is what we're really concerned about these are 2022 data and what you can see here in its circle is that the 15 to 24 age group had a more than five times higher rate compared to those among the same age group in the US overall so the red bar is our TGA Memphis TGA the blue bar is US overall and unfortunately what you're seeing across age groups is that we are much higher than the US average for every single age group next slide so let's talk a little bit about HIV coinfections what does that mean Co infection is a medical term next slide meaning that you have two or more infections in your body at the same time okay so on this chart what you're seeing is a couple of things coinfection often occurs with HIV particularly here in Shelby County in Shelby County the most common coin infection with HIV is syphilis and this is true across all stages of the 1,272 syphilis cases in 2023 19% were also infected with HIV of the 3,347 ganara cases 4% were also infected with HIV and 1% of the 9,455 chlamydia cases were all also infected with HIV so what does that mean if one of our children one of our adolescents or even one of our young adults who are graduating at high proportions out of our Memphis Shelby County schools has chyia gonorrhea syphilis then chances are they may have been exposed to somebody with HIV even though they may not be positive but it means they are at higher risk next slide and what this shows is the HIV incidents among 15 to 19 year olds in Shelby County between 2018 and 2023 so you're seeing a six-year Trend here and don't be encouraged by that drop in 2020 what we think that is is co right and that's a Under reporting because people weren't getting tested as much during that year after that you see we have risen well above 2018 levels all right and what that looks like in percentages syphilis rates among or actually HIV rates so this is over the past 6 years and we've seen a 50% increase at least and a lot of this is because we are now testing more and we're finding more people who actually are positive for HIV and more adolescents next slide and then when you look at syphilis rates that's even worse syphilis rates among 15 to 19 year olds have increased 2 67% in Shelby County over the last 6 years this is almost double the increase in this age group seen Statewide for 15 to 19 year olds over 6 years so we increased 267 Statewide the increase was 166% so there are increases Statewide but nowhere near what we've seen next slide so what does this look like especially for our folks living with HIV next slide so a couple of things since you all first heard the press release and I know a lot of you all heard it read it saw it on the news we have had unprecedented support from the Tennessee Department of Health and the CDC and we have asked for people on the ground to help with disease investigation to help beef up our staffing numbers and we have increased funding to have additional staff to get out there and get through these rates and figure out how we can reduce them next slide we have also started a no your status Campaign which is an old campaign but it still works and the reason why this is so important is because as you can see we have a lot of data we know the top 10 zip codes where the highest HIV rates are and you see those listed on the screen we also know that we've had an astronomical increase in the number of 15 to 19 year olds dealing with this issue so if you've seen our Billboards around town if you've seen us talking about hot summer and prepping yourself all of that is to let people know that HIV is not the death sentence it was when you saw me in the picture at 17 all right it's not the death sentence it was 30 years ago we have a lot of tools in our toolkit to be able to fight this but the first step in fighting it is to actually do more testing to know what the true Universe of HIV is in the county and then the next step is to make sure we are doing comprehensive sex education at age appropriate levels with our kids so that they know how to protect themselves in the best ways how many of you all know that there is a medicine called prep pre-exposure prophylaxis that you can take once a day and if you are having unprotected sex and you're taking that medicine once a day it reduces your chances of getting HIV should you be exposed that exists pep post exposure prophylaxis you take that within 72 hours of having unprotected sex it reduces your chances of getting HIV if you've been exposed and then for those who happen to be positive for HIV the medicines are much better even from 10 years ago you can take one pill a day in some cases people are able to take one shot a month and be able to live long fruitful lives with HIV and for years we have known that HIV positive pregnant mothers if they are treated throughout their pregnancy cannot transmit to their unborn children we've known that for a long time so all of this is possible and all of this tells us that we need to do a better job of educating our children so that they know how to protect protect their health and if they haven't been able to protect their health up to this point how they need to get linked to care next slide just to put it in perspective right now the health departments and this is just Health departments in West Tennessee So This Is Us faget and tipon majority of the tests we did right so you see how many thousands of HIV tests we did in 2023 and we had a positivity rate of about 3.2% all right community- based organizations followed that not as many tests and because it's not many tests you're not seeing as high of a positivity rate right the more you test the more you know and then our hospitals they're last in this number count but we're working with them as well to come up with solutions for how they could be testing more so that we can really capture who needs to get linked to care next slide and this I wanted to show you is just the HIV care Continuum right and what that shows you is that a person living with HIV goes through this care Continuum and if they follow it they can be what we call virally suppressed all right and that's what you want to get to so these are the steps engaging positive persons in care and retaining them in treatment helps them to achieve viral suppression depression next slide so a person living with HIV who is on antiviral treatment and has an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV through sex let me say that again if you are undetectable you are unmissable U equals you and that is really the goal that's why you test that's why you figure out who's positive you get them linked to care they're become they become undetectable and they become come untransmittable and untransmittable can't talk today Michelle yes what do you need from us the state law M prudes um testing in schools and we can't um we can't require parents to go get tested and children what do you need from us to become a better partner with the school system commissioner love I'm glad you asked me that next slide so these are the three laws that I know you all are dealing with all right one is a 12-year-old law the Gateway law saying that it's absence only education in schools and if it's not not absence only that's a problem right and then recently a family rights and responsibilities Act was passed that really put a cold blanket on a lot of efforts across the state around treatment of minors without parental consent right but what I will tell you commissioner love and I'm so glad you asked the question is that you all also have and I know you all know this a Tennessee health education standards right it's public and actually you all standards are published for 2024 and the new standards are published for the 2526 school year and within those standards it says things like recognize abstinence from all sexual activity as a positive choice but the next standard right under that says Identify preventative methods and potential outcomes of engaging in sexual behaviors pregnancy abstinence adoption Hepatitis B STI and it says compare various contraceptive methods in accordance with State and District policy so what does that tell me that tells me that you have a coordinated school health program that according to your Tennessee lifetime Wellness standards you can teach some of these things unless the standards are wrong next slide so what I'm proposing is a list of possible Partnerships okay and I'm I'm going to list them for you there's several things you have several options several things that you all can do based on what the board and superintendent feels comfortable with we have legal we understand you all have legal your legal department has to feel comfortable with what you're doing but what I would hold up is that we have precedent Shelby County Health Department of obtaining parental consent for all kinds of things we do with you all we do back to school shots with you all every single year sometimes multiple events guess what's required parental consent so you ask what we need we need for you all to partner with us so that we can best support you and getting that parental consent following all state and local laws and making sure we teach our children how to protect themselves and we give them the tools to do so so some of the uh options we could this is what I'm proposing yes ma'am you're going to work with the superintendent and the general counsel and they are going to bring us back a recommendation in 30 days yeah 30 days I think we we talked is is that too soon I think we said um about two months but um what I would say is this I wanted to read those options to you and then you all can decide what a timeline looks like some things can start immediately some things we would need two weeks to a month to stand up so we can train your nursing staff right we can help you distribute rapid HIV test kits we can co-locate in some of your schools with a coordinated school program we can beef up the after school public health programs you already have in some of your high schools through University of Memphis we could also form a 2 to three month task force reporting back with a defined date to discuss progress and implementation we could even do link Limited at home immunization and testing but it would have to be limited to those kids who are hard to reach and we have already drafted anou which is sitting in the superintendent and chairwoman Green's box and we will share it with the rest of the board um saying how we could stand these things up this would be no cost to Memphis Shelby County Schools but these are all options to get us started on the road to better protecting our children I like all of those options but um I'm going to this fer to superintendent Marie fagin and Justin Bailey to provide an update uh a month yes ma'am I'll give you a timeline yeah this is um a serious matter and we want to do it based on policies and laws absolutely thank you for taking the time to come down here I personally learned a lot thank you thank you Dr tayor thank you thank you and just one quick follow have you have you been on the 88.5 station with uh Mr best previously I've been on there previously to talk about Co that's been a while that's been a while uh those numbers those numbers are down these numbers are up so we need to have you back okay absolutely an yeah John has his antennas up so we look forward to you being on 88.5 helping us to make sure we're keeping the community and parents updated and informed thank you so much for your time thank you all chair love can we table 202 Community Schools for work session the next item on today's uh engagement agenda community community schools can we Ted out for next meeting I don't have Community Schools on my agenda and they and they updated one so we can [Music] move yeah yes thank you um Safety and Security yeah um yeah yeah so for Safety and Security uh we were able to meet with um officers initially but spent much of the day yesterday with director Riley I think I see him in the room director Riley are you still in here it probably doesn't want to be seen there he is uh director Riley and our new executive director of uh uh Safety and Security uh George Harris is in the front here uh both spent time yesterday uh really talking through uh what our officers not just wanted but what we need uh so certainly we spent time looking at money uh we spent time and thinking about what safety has to look like for the district and then certainly what those needs are and i' I've shared much of this with the board in terms of our needs and our gaps uh I've shared you know the desire to have an officer at every building that has at least 150 or more students uh and then What that particular Gap is uh yesterday's agreement certainly we enhanced the salary and we provided that to you uh so certainly our officers now start at $25 an hour uh as opposed to the 23 we have uh decreased the number of steps from 9 to 5 uh so they get to their top step if you will much faster which is $30 uh did keep the $1,000 uh incentive uh regardless if the state honors the cola the cost of living or not uh we also uh considered um how we would feel the need in terms of of the number of vacancies and so we have 125 uh total right now and I think 12 vacancies uh in terms of officers uh seven okay seven seven and then are there still seven in the academy though so hopefully they all finish uh and then those are filled but in terms of the need itself in order to meet the need of having at least one officer every building that has 150 or more students uh we are at about 64 four more officers that we need that places us at about $6.3 million I believe in terms of a funding Gap additional 4 million that we would need to sustain that over the next few years and so I've shared you know in some background conversations about what that advocacy would probably need to look like for us uh but overall uh in terms of overtime I shared earlier that I addressed that with them um that over time is understood shared it with Dr director Riley he heard me share it with officers um so they understood as well uh in terms of the jamere that has already been staffed uh properly uh so overall what do you mean staffed in terms of the number of officers that are needed at the jamere yeah yeah so the directors the the sergeants they take care of the Staffing and determining just based on you know expected population or attendees at the game I think in this term though considering what happened last year as I've learned historically what took place uh just kind of beefing that up I'll let director Riley speak to it just so you have clear understanding uh of what's taking place please so good evening um as far as the jambes were concerned there were overtime scheduled to do those jamb we did meet with msca to devise a plan for those six Jes that occur on Thursday and the five that occur on Friday and we have fully staffed those GES to ensure the safety we have also uh coordinated with our our partners with Memphis Police Department and Shelby County who would also provide support for those events I want to know the number of officers um this year and last year for the Jamber may I interrupt for a second I think I Madam chair so I think the specifics of of those things is important that that we take advantage of of the Tennessee code that allows us to speak on a close session for specific safety measurements and if it's the will of the board we could all just go into a conference room and talk about the specifics about how that's going to be stuff I am concerned about that too but I think it is uh it will be important to to not share specific numbers of how many officers are a particular event in public if it's the will of the board I do I do want to commend Madam superintendent your a rapid response to address the salary is issue uh and I have expressed um you know concerns as commissioner love about the events but I it is my my recommendation that we talk about this behind Clos doors but it's up to the will of the board um it isn't my will because I received phone calls about this monthly and I was at the jambur in Cordova yeah when the shooting happened um general counsel yeah if you um stop me yeah that's how it work if I am invading unto a private meeting uh thank you board member love I certainly will I think it's okay to talk generally about about numbers I just would caution about things like positioning and strategy and and detail detailed security plans I think that would be better suited for a closed meeting I know um the general public doesn't need to know about strategies and operation but I would like to know um last year versus this year how many uh sro's officers are going to be at jeree and just to further uh illuminate what board member love um is just to try to ensure the public that there is something different and increased from last year to ensure their safety and so um you know just like safety in general like are there more officers and let if you don't know say we don't know this is not a time to to to to to stand strong just give us the answer we don't know get back to us is it more than last year and if you can share the exact we know it can't be more than the compliment which that was printed in the paper today so how many how many are going to be covering the can't be more than when what sir how many are going to be there this weekend and the variance between between that number and last year's coverage I cannot give you what that exact number is compared to last year can the gentleman behind you do that no sir because why cuz he doesn't know it not off the top of his head but I can get I can get that information to you and we will share it with you in an email yeah totally understand and we you not you not supposed to come prepare for those answers just curious if we can get that information what they all have computers let them give them time to get it to yeah that's fine uh board member love I'll make sure we get that right before you before we leave I don't have they all have computers I mean it's the will of the board to still go on a Clos session to talk about some of these things I yeah I don't think a need to step into a closed session at this point since they don't have the information so if they can get back with us on that information and we've got time between now and certainly uh Friday but I I have no desire to just make sure that we get you the accurate number the G start Thursday and I think it's just important while we have every camera in our face and in our mouth to once again assure parents that students will be safe parents will be safe and we have everything worked out for the jamere reef even if we don't give a number I think just you know reminding them people are excited about Jamber re and Memphis welcome sir to the 901 we get real excited so just letting parents know we've got that covered we will have more than enough security I think is what the board and what the public needs to hear thank you yes ma'am Madam superintendent whether it's again I I'll keep referring to whether do we do this in close session Open Session I I think it's important that this body knows uh Plan B plan C like in law enforcement often happens I mean this is it's concerning to have seen the the you know what officers the memo that circulated with officers willing to not shop that day uh again whether it's the will of the board to speak this publicly or in private I think is it's personally and professionally we need to know uh what the plan B is in case that were to happen so I I I will share and I'm not speaking for officers but for something to take place as it did last year there is just a general fear uh not just from the public for and and officers aren't afraid but you can only see what you can see you can only control what you can control and so we can double the number of officers and if something like that happens then it's still mass chaos right and so I think what is being asked here we can provide in terms of the numbers compared from last year to this year the specific plan itself and how we plan to do a b and c and and what happens if this then those things we would have to share in a different space and setting was that fair what do you guys want to do so I I'll I'll speak briefly what I what I do want to know I want to have the reassurance and that could be through a series of of of calls or executive session uh what we need and the public needs is reassurance of safety yeah uh we need reassurance that this event is going to be safe for participants uh for uh for employees and we need our officers to be safe and so uh so this is not a moment to of board members to play gotcha so I'm signaling to my colleagues we should not be trying to ask you questions that you you're not prepared to answer but it's also not a moment for us to be guarded like this is this is an opportunity first of all welcome to Memphis uh a long history in doing this work uh we need confidence right now that these officers uh have a have a leader that they know that's going to that they can count on and that the folks we're going to show up at this event is uh is is is going to be safe and so regardless of knowing the and I think Mr calvo keep warning us well do we need to go into a special space I don't want to leave this space and if only for you to tell me I don't have an answer so uh so tell us either high level what's the what's the plan of uh of of of of activation of the event to make sure we're safe and if we don't have that uh is there a conversation that the board and superintendent should be having on whether or not we need to have the event uh board member Woods uh I can assure you we've had discussions about this the last couple days I have directed director Riley to provide me with an operations plan that will be detailed to make sure that we have done everything and checked every box uh to do our best to ensure the safety and the family atmosphere that this event deserves to have uh to that end I will assure that the Manpower is what it needs to be including I will be there myself on all three days to address any issues that may come arise uh that I can provide my leadership and guidance to but I have full faith confidence in director Riley to execute this and I will be there to support him in any way I can where will you be I will hit every site I won't I'm going to there's five sites on Thursday and six on Friday six Thursday five Friday and then we have middle school on Saturday I will hit every site uh if if any of the board members would like to coordinate I can coordinate the sites that are in your area and we can work on a time and we can walk it together I like but I will assure you that you will see my face in the place I enjoy High School athletics it is one of the best parts of going to school and every child should be able to enjoy that in a safe family friendly atmosphere and that is what the Safety and Security Department is thank you thank you for that I think this um finish M I'm sorry I I were you not it sound like he was he you know his intonation was going down which kind of signals that he was about to close for the moment but um it's your the reason I'm just eager because uh board member uh Coleman and I recently returned from a school safety conference and I think it's just incumbent upon the board that maybe you know another committee that needs to be added is um School Safety Committee and I learned a lot at that conference and I think just things like um everyone's got the new policies now of the clear bags and just how do we go about educating our community of what they can do what they should do what they shouldn't do to uh increase their uh safety at our school sanctioned public events like the upcoming jamere games so those sorts of things are what I'm concerned about so not just for right now but this is a larger conversation for us to continue to have on what we can do so just wanted to add that part of even in between now and then you know we need to tell folks leave all your big backpacks and bags at home that's what we need to be doing as a part of working with Communications and of course our superintendent and just keep the board a breast of what's going on yeah thank you thank you thank you Michelle so I I again I I think what is important here like I love the nice words and the sound bites and the Assurance you know one of my concerns is uh that we have explicit Partnerships established from MPD and the sheriff's department in case uh officers were not to shop on the next three days uh I know I know they I mean we saw the letter right they say hey we're not we're going to walk away we offer the you know you you move swiftly you offer the pains increase but they cited other concerns so my question that I was going to ask in close session is is that we need to make sure the district needs to make sure that in case uh that officers do not show up that that that that there is a plan that there is a backup a pre a proactive backup from other law enforcement agencies that are ready to to to to step in sure thank you for the question board member calvo in any instance not just this one there's always an additional plan right because if even if it wasn't the Jamboree officers may not show up life happens things happen right and so we always have a contingency plan uh in general but in this case yes our Partnerships with MPD uh and the sheriff's department continue to strengthen and so uh certainly they are prepared but they are also stretched right and so yes that exists uh and certainly where we need them uh things are taken care of and so it is not sound bites um this is that's just what they do and so they were able to share it with a level of confidence that maybe some of us wouldn't have um because this is what they do it's their professional expertise um but I can assure the board that a plan does exist can provide that to the board for sure uh and certainly the numbers that you requested board member love as well um I have a couple of questions but I'm going to save them um to EXA session I want to know what the officers are complaining about and how you remed those concerns um the board voted on a uh budget last year that included $1,000 pay ratees step increase but somehow or another it got lost in this budget session I am not blaming anyone but somehow it get lost um academics is first safety is second we need to make sure we address their concerns fully that's all I have to say would you like her response I will share well I'll leave that yes we need to send an um we um I need to see a email of what you did to rectify the problems so I went if there were issues whatever they were I listened to issues that have existed well before my time with director Riley uh we listened he expressed specific spefically some things um some overarching things uh I think just in general any of us if you've been talking about a thing for a year or so frustration is frustration um and so these conversations started a long time ago you mentioned you don't know where it dropped I learned of it when you learned of it but when I learned of it it was to kick into action and so I learned about it many many months ago well I learned of it Friday night so let me speak I'll speak for me then so I'll strike that from the the record and I will share that I learned of it from the news uh and then I called a sergeant and who called uh someone else but I got it when a board member shared with me uh that fox reached out uh and then Fox reached out to me so that's how I learned of it I ultimately saw um a string of emails Friday night at 7:08 p.m. when I received it via email and then I have established relationships with some officers already so I reached out to an officer directly and then he provided context to me about how we arrived here I think in general frustration about communication frustration about not being able to get to me for whatever those barriers were when I shared with them that they could talk to me any time um they made that request and for whatever reason it didn't make it to me and so I've addressed that with Administration and Personnel um but those were some of the main issues uh I named another issue earlier which is there just aren't enough officers and so we are stretching there are central office staff in buildings just like I Shar That central office and the chair and others have gone to teach classes uh to meet the needs and the gaps that we have so that was another opportunity in terms of just increasing the force itself um the other opportunity um that I think was brought up uh was about something that I'm unable to do anything about right now and I'd prefer to keep that off the record right now share with you offline um but they understand that in terms of the directors um but that is something that is a push um but I will'll share that offline but other than that director Riley um Mr Harris did I leave anything out uh that was mentioned they assured me I showed up this morning uh we answered a couple of questions uh in general about release you know early release from buildings but I allow them to handle that I moved on out of the way just to ensure that they didn't have questions about the salary and that generally took care of what was asked for they were looking for the step I went steps further uh and decreased it and I shared that with you yesterday and you were generally pleased as well I don't want an officer to be penalized for speaking up and I don't want an employee to be penalized for speaking up that is their responsibility to speak up for them El um it is long overdue for the board to have um it is long overdue for our employees to be treated fairly um um all of them um is my hope and my commitment to you and to the employees that no harm comes to them from speaking up I have heard some issues um but I'm not going to discuss them because I need proof and then I will come to you board member love I I know that the officer uh officer that's standing before you and the executive director that's standing before you as well I I think I have shared that very clearly now that goes against the culture of of of of paramilitary and law enforcement but I have shared where there is an issue if you have to jump someone to get to me or to get to someone else um then that is the expectation uh so that will take a little bit uh but the culture exists retaliation you would have to share with me or anything like that um but overall I have shared that expect very clearly uh not just for instances like this not to happen um but overall when there is a concern there is a concern regardless of who it is with um correct me in from wrong but all employees must go to the immediate supervisor before they can communicate to you correct me and from wrong I will say because you've used the term wrong I will say that you are wrong I have never shared that I have shared they look they're looking at me now I've shared the exact opposite actually if you the policy states I don't know does it which policy um I don't know remember love um the policy states that you are directed to go to yourmedia supervisor um to your um com chain of command before you go to the superintendent if that is what it states and I again somebody would have to share what the policy is I think that is out of respect though so let me balance the let me balance the conversation the expectation is not that you jump straight to me a I can't handle all those emails and we he's gone now but we talk about micromanaging I can't I can't handle all those emails uh but but more importantly even when someone reaches out to me from a school the opportunity has to be given to the school to handle it first have to give them an opportunity to fix it to address it and then if something is left unresolved to raise it up um that is the same with with officers that is the same in the department give the respect to the individual that you have the issue with even if it's not your immediate supervisor give them the opportunity to address to be to understand and to resolve and then if it is unsatisfactory then you rise up you raise up I think that is the delicate balance however um in in any case and is specifically cases like this where there was a roadblock someone should have made it to me and that did not happen yes ma'am what's next um I would like to know the chain of command for the Safety and Security team I don't want to hear it now I was about to say I can share that with you via a flow chart yeah yes ma'am and who is responsible for the chain of command to you yes I would like to know that in email yes ma'am yeah any more questions this committee um board um board member love since you since you have him up here I do want to introduce him since we've just been talking with him U this is George Harris he's the new executive director of Safety and Security he's coming to us by way of Detroit uh 29 years of of of law enforcement um Detroit public schools uh is the only District in the state of Michigan that has its own police force uh law enforcement agency uh he has small school experience small District experience and certainly uh with Detroit Public uh Detroit Police Department as well so I just want to make sure I introduce him as he's been standing before the body thank you thank you sir you're welcome any more questions comments this committing is adjourned next [Music] committee all right thank you we we're going to keep on flowing uh if you need a stretch break at any point you know you're more than welcome to we're going to go right on to uh the academic committee meeting and what I've asked of superintendent Fagan is to give us a very uh high level uh give us an update of where we are with the number of teacher vacancies um as we have just almost uh 7 days into the brand new 2024 2025 school year so I think as a board people are asking us those questions I want to make sure we know accurate and correct answers and so I'll stop and uh allow Dr fagans to speak and then board members you may ask questions when you finish okay so overall not much has shifted since we start of the year uh and we gave the last update July 31st at our last uh our board work session or board work board business meeting uh we still s have several hundred vacancies I won't give an exact number we haven't run the numbers for today just yet I do want to caution as we give the numbers some of these are not true vacancies so when we anticipate that we have an increase in enrollment then we build out the number of vacancies that we need based on that enrollment right now our enrollment is up from this time last year we're at 101 1,681 students who are actually enrolled we have a an attendance rate of about 95.7% that was as of yesterday haven't received the numbers for today just yet and so we are trending upwards if you will in terms of our numbers so with more students um our attendance rate is about 1% less than it was last year but that's with more students uh we are actively making Outreach to our students to see where they are uh and updating our records accordingly in terms of our vacancies then we've already shared that most of those uh are with our exceptional education department we still have nearly 100 vacancies in that particular uh department and area uh it's our hardest to staff because you have to be certified in the area we cannot use the permit route for that uh our second hardest to staff area would be our English speakers um our ESL population uh and so we have several vacancies there and then the vacancies just stretch out across our typical content area subjects what we do continue to maintain is most of our vacancies being filled uh with a substitute most of those being certified substitutes and so we talk about having certified teachers before our students that still counts many of those are retired teachers who know it well do it well still trying to get the chair to to return to the classroom as well um but just including that we do have about 96 97% of our vacancies fied uh with a few uh lingering uh day-to-day so uh our prek enrollment is was not included in that 10,681 students so that's more than 4,000 students not accounted for just yet so we're sitting right at 106 106,000 just barely uh with that number continuing to grow and we anticipate it growing continuously um our ready day one uh we do have some virtual engagement sessions coming up at the request of our parents uh so that will will continue to strengthen we know we welcome back our prek students on this Monday so they started back on the St schedule so excited to see them in the classroom as well uh and then overall I think if there are particular questions I'll take those but we haven't gotten into the semester just yet our testing has started for I ready so we anticipate having some true Baseline scores uh and data as we move forward to measure from thank you um thank you superintendent my question is you know know when we were in the thick of the pandemic and we you know did an amazing job as a school district getting these U devices into the hands of all of our students or you know 100 10,000 or so and my thinking was you know there were some Silver Linings to come out of the pandemic and how we were teaching virtually whatever what are are there still options of having you know certified virtual teachers I mean they're they're there are students like cuz how it operated there was someone physically there in the room but then there were also certified virtual teachers certified in a subject matter and pardon yeah proximity Learners thank you that's the term I was looking for um so does that can that still be a role to play Because as we are talking about being in the 21st century and preparing you know I still have a ton of meetings virtually even though we could have them in person so is that something that we use for the pandemic that we can still possibly use to some degree not to lean on it completely but is that still room for that in our education space so and I think I'll respond to that two ways one we use some of our current teachers who do that so I can see Miss mckisic um and but she's teaching in a different classroom in a different space so um not so much virtually that where I'm looking on a screen uh at someone totally you know unknown um but in my building or in another building some of that is happening in a few spaces right now I think our better option what we have um arrived at now and I've shared this with several several of you already is our volunteer instructional period option and so this is where we have offered our teachers or we will offer our teachers uh the opportunity to utilize their planning period uh to take on an additional course that they're certified in uh so I teach five classes already they must have a full schedule I will volunteer to say I will teach during my planning period for one sixth of my daily rate um that guarantees a certified teacher uh is in front of all of our students uh so took the baby steps to share it with principles first to see their their energy they loved it thought it was very Innovative Forward Thinking can't wait to get it out uh had the conversation with several of you to get your ideas to see if that would be a good way forward that would be something could support yes there um that final step was to get it uh waved by the state so submit the waiver for that something they have not heard of so they're interested in monitoring it observing it and seeing uh the results this is something that I've done in a previous space uh and seen it work very well certainly the teachers love it um because they get 1 Sixth of their daily rate but we also have students who have a teacher in this case who has an LOE their their score their evaluation of three or higher so we know that they um not only are experienced but they understand the craft if you will to deliver we're looking at it that way board members but board member mckisic specifically because we have to think about the academic performance of our students and so it would be um wouldn't be wise of us to think that we are not also contributing to the performance that we have to a degree meaning that if a student starts out in Algebra 1 and they're looking at someone virtually or they have several substitutes we know the instability and what we can expect on the other side of that so this way assures or ensures uh that someone who is certified in the building already knows the subject area uh and can be compensated for that work can do so in addition to that they can do it once more after school uh and so that is two times during the day um that you can take on as miss mckisic the teacher who teaches English uh to take on a class uh from a vacant position uh so that we have our classes taken care of we keep the vacancy as we stand up um a firmer recruitment plan I think we gave evidence of what that could look like with some of our hiring blitzes but as we build that out for the year recruitment is year round it gives us the opportunity to attract qualified individuals for the upcoming year that also does not include but just bringing back the reminder that we do anticipate bringing in several International teachers uh through our International recruitment plan uh in January we just couldn't get them in uh right now uh only I think five or seven or something were available so we just shared they could all start in January so that would also support as well I want to follow up on that and and and what I heard from you superintendent is uh a pecking order of preference as far as uh how you want or what you want to see in front of students so you know certified teachers where does the virtual option sit on your list of deliverables is it um as opposed to a substitute teacher right so obviously you have the pecking say Hey you know you're you you made it very clear day one we we wanted 100% field position and and because you said that that has to be the goal it's not like oh we want 90% we want to be at 100% so when we were not there I think in our first Retreat uh we asked the question well do we want to have in in the worst case scenario we we we are in a situation where we didn't hit the 100% goal we have this lever we can pull that says that hey we can access a virtual classroom in order for some in instructions to continue to be happening speaking for my own kids right like I know they prefer to have be in front of a great teacher but you also have that uh that high performing learner that says you know what give me the work give me the time if I have any questions I can I can get an answer back from you where does it sit on your on your list or does it simply not not part of your ethos as all like we we we don't believe in that model and we simply won't use it because you did say that you put out an uh a a procurement process about virtual and then you uh so I'm just curious is it is it something that you plan to implement or is like no we're not doing that I appreciate that very direct direct question yeah I mean again I have not I don't think that we've been you know we haven't skirted around where we where virtual sits um and we talk about the pandemic and it worked well then it also burned our children out right and so when I listen to students I also have to be mindful of their feedback that sitting and looking at a screen in their words uh is not their preferred learning but there are some students who just want to go and they can do it right and so that does exist um it does not exist through proximity um without continuing to name a vendor but that's just what has been known um but we still have students who partake in that particular opportunity um there aren't as many because the certified teacher before them the live person before them the engagement the relationship the interaction um that also goes into and contributes to the type of experience that our students have it contributes to attendance and students choosing to skip those particular classes when we look at the data and where students are going they're in the building but not in that class uh and so I think as we took visits during the VIP tours uh those were some of the things that stood out to some of you you know what is this class and where are the students uh and how can we sharpen this that was the RFP going out at the request of some board members uh can we put it back out there for um additional platforms and vendors to have the opportunity to position themselves for this particular Way Forward certainly our virtual schools still exist and we have parents and families or families and students who have chosen that option as well uh and so that still exists for virtual also yeah so thank you for that so I want to be clear at least for myself I I don't prefer virtual learning neither for my for my children but uh if if left uh to no other options uh it's it's what worked during uh Co and it's is what eventually got him got won to college but uh but my my my point is that I think left up to no other options let's let's make sure that all tools are in the toolkit right so if we need if we need to launch that as a as a platform like I don't think we should have a situation where a classroom don't have uh is not being covered uh you know when we say we have vacancies I assume that means they're being covered by at least a substitute right that's right and so is there learning happening there and is that I know we did get some data back from the administration that um obviously students grew faster with the certified teacher as opposed to uh virtual learning but we I don't think we ever got any data on substitute versus virtual learning it would be great to see if they're at par and substitute is cheaper than you just made the case that you know just get anybody that fog a mirror then is better than other options but just curious to know if there's data to support doing something different and obviously that doesn't say slow down at all on uh looking for teachers uh to to fill the classroom I think you shared that with Miss mcky so yeah that's right I mean it wasn't it's always best to have someone in person but you know I'm sure we there's been some reports on the media the last few days about you know a rotation of substitutes or whatever um but just you know looking at all the various options that we may have as a district yeah absolutely and I want to be clear that we value substitutes right and so I don't want to toss it and I don't want it to be perceived as though we're saying there's something wrong with having you know being able to use substitutes they are certified uh and so that does matter um but we are looking for certified full-time teachers who can be there 180 days baring the days they take off uh to be before our students virtual learning as we think about 1 2 3 4 five it is in that four or five and I think everyone understands why but it is not off the [Music] table uh Switching gears um the central office staff did you include them in a PD development and uh um onboarding process before you made everybody go back to schools I think what you're asking is for those who were at central office um before they were in schools if they elected to go back in schools did they receive level of training yeah everyone participated in training during Leadership Institute week which was July I think the week of July 17th yeah yes who is over the staff at the schools the principal or the uh Administration direct oversight goes to the principal of the school if if I'm misunderstanding will you give me additional context um the principal is in charge of every employee at that school whether they are part-time or full-time for the most part yes and I and and I share it as a response that way because we have like social workers who float in and out of you know several buildings uh and they don't report directly to uh the principal um there are a couple of other positions but for the most part everyone in the building reports directly to the principal and the last question what if the school doesn't have any room for the central office staff to be located in their building when you say central office staff are you sharing because that's where they are housing themselves as an office yeah then we need to find them in office we have plenty of have plenty of room if you can share that with me I can address it thank you yes ma'am uh last thing for me uh superintendent you know instead of just spending information in information out uh while you have the floor is there anything that we can be helping with particularly on the academic side as far as in addition to championing the message encouraging uh employees as we see them out doing the work uh anything else that you you want to uh inform us of or that we can help with particularly in the lanes of academics I think your your questions are always on par with providing the public insight to the decisions uh one but certainly continuing to support the work that is happening I know we talk a lot about like the challenges the issues what's going wrong um so just continuing to to Value you know that great work is happening and sometimes that gets lost uh and and ensuring that we are creating the type of system that is excellent excellent right because we know that's what everybody wants uh and certainly what is desired uh also in in terms of I know you're talking about advocacy but I think you you know that I believe that safety is achievement and infrastructure is achievement everything is achievement and so the board's voice uh or voices individually and collectively are important so as we start to bring some things to use your voices uh and as we develop our legislative I know you're going to be parting ways soon but uh still contributing to what that could sound and look like uh is is incredibly important I think this year is instrumental for us uh as we assert ourselves more um you know Statewide for sure just even reaching out and and establishing the relationship with the commissioner now has proven helpful for us to get these quick waivers to get these quick turnarounds and to get the support from the state that we've needed ensuring that we receive the dollars from ASD all those things are important so uh I think right now that's what's most important if I'm hearing from teachers and from staff is that we are doing a lot of things well as we work on you know the gaps and the opportunities and thank you for that I I think uh I'll close with the fact that like over the summer I think it's was much easier for us to get our proactive message out there to talk about your vision and the things that you want for the district uh and then often day one as as was expected the challenges is is what's going to lead the day and uh I often tell previous superintendent that I don't feel that my job is to talk about the 99% of the things you do well uh is to take the one my my limited time to talk about the 1% of the challenges so we can Cascade that out publicly so I appreciate calos and other points of of pausing at this moment to particularly thank the staff and the team for a week well done uh even in the challenges you have folks that are stepping in the gaps doing great work and I think that's much of what our conversation is about is to continue to thank those individuals who are really doing the heavy lifting and to know that we got their backs and anything we can do to support you and them we want to be there for you guys so I appreciate it thank you thank you we did we had a really great week a really great first week in shared that with the team at the end I also said rest um because we we worked long hours um but we had a really great first week from attendance I know that the air led the week uh and that was not the goal which we talked about that in conversations like I don't want the air to lead the week and of course the air led the day um but that's what happens but but a team that had a plan uh we weren't surprised by it we we thought through it um and so I am thankful for a team who continues to be agile and adaptable and also thinking forward about how we move forward um but also just being really transparent about what we have you know in our hands so I appreciate that I have a question super attender of the 200 you said 200 and something vacancies we have how many of those are tied up in HR cuz we get I get calls all the time stating that they're waiting on a teacher that HR has got paperwork lost paperwork that they submitted that they don't have now I I went into school yesterday and the teacher was walking out crying because she had done everything it was told to report yesterday and she did and she got there HR call the principal knew nothing about it so of those how many and of our children that are I'm not going to say Miss that are not accounting for right now how many of those are due to vacancy cuz I want to share with you a personal experience I have a grandson that just started school today because I didn't use Joyce D Coleman the board commissioner I used Joyce D Coleman the grandmother to find out my son is in the ninth grade my grandson excuse me is ninth grade I reached out to two different schools and because he went to believe Academy last year it was a hold up it was a hold up and this is something Michelle and I were talking about when we were at the safety conference how many of our children walked the streets because nobody you know they have nowhere to go so I want to know of the vacancies that we have for whatever reason they are how are we accounting for the teachers that are not getting on boarded or not getting their process done and how many of our children are missing out on getting their education because somebody is not in the seat to help get that child registered I'm talking about personal not get that child registered not find out what it takes to get that paperwork what what are we doing about these things yeah that's the same silus I've had for we well I want to be measured in my response um because I meet with the talent management team um Talent um multiple times a week they we have contributed to the delay the team is working hard uh and hard is not enough if if that is if I'm okay to say that uh and they honestly probably couldn't give more time they work Saturdays and Sundays um they're working several hours the system that we use right now which you will see an RFP come before you uh is not best suited for the work uh for for our organization I'll say it that way and so we are managing a lot of things manually and I think we all understand that in an organization of this size doing things manually is never going to work and so we've lost a lot of individuals in the process in terms of those who could have fueled vacancies I think that is also the answer to when you mentioned about your grandson and those who are not in the seat just yet when I ask about the five to seven or so thousand students that we're not seeing just yet enrolled and then the nearly 17 or so thousand um who are not showing up yet we already have schools where our chronic absenteeism has already caught my eye and so I I understand where you're asking um in terms of what we do about it it takes a combination of streamlining our processes we have to to get a new system which you've heard me share about an RFP coming for that uh and then certainly it is about sharpening the staff that we have superintendent um you ever considering hiring some more folks they have interviews scheduled Thursday yes ma'am we had I think 71 applicants for one of those positions 112 or 17 for another position but those interviewers one position so these are eight positions but they're two separate titles in that department how many uh workers do you have for compensation and onboarding the employees is it still I'd have to see what the numbers are right now uh I don't want to give you a wrong number because the media is here but I give you the right number um as soon as we conclude I would to give you the number that I'm have in my head but let me check it last year then I'll definitely have to check that yes ma'am I'd like to um follow up with that on um I mean we we're definitely have gone through some some Growing Pains over the last several weeks and as we've adjusted um two things one um there are concerns like for some schools who had depended on the seat office for uniform vouchers and that kind of fell through the cracks I think a little bit this year where um they're seeing the impact of that of students showing up who simply don't have the means and um apparently there weren't uniform vouchers that were handed out this year that's one thing um the second thing just want to comment on is uh we contracted with um a company quesa K12 to go and find students and so not sure how familiar you are with that but I don't need an answer right now but you know what are they do doing and how are they doing with their their efforts um to to find the students that are out there missing so just I would love to have an update from them on how it's going thank you I'mma jump in and say uh to commissioner mckisset response I had a call Sunday night from someone who needed uh three students need to go to school but we didn't have uniform vouchers in the past I've been able to pick up the F and call and say hey I got this family I had to send them somewhere where they got free uniforms and so I don't know why we thought we didn't need to have uniform vouchers but we have to understand the families that we serve some of them can't afford to buy uniforms some of them didn't know until the last minute that schools were not going to be in uniform so they have you know all kinds of of reasons but if we really want to find these students and get them in school we got to talk to parents to see what they need and we're going to have to be standing here to help with uniforms and to help you know I know we got the backpack Ministry down everybody got backpacks but something as simple as uniforms uh this is the first year that I've known us not to last year we had a whole Walmart store over there we worked half a day over there with parents getting everything Sherman I know that's a painful member everything they needed it was over there to this year you know we'll have the voucher so superintendent uh I know we have to make Cuts Tito I know there are tough decisions to make but I pray we go back and revisit that chair I appreciate that but I do have to I have to correct um we don't get vouchers for uniforms we have uniforms and so those have been issued I'd be curious to know who was requesting a voucher you don't need a voucher for the uniform uh we give vouchers for our houseless families or those who are experiencing you know houselessness but uh to receive a uniform you don't need it you can go to the parent The Welcome Center we had vouchers we had you could get a voucher go to so previous year someone would have to speak to that because I'm speaking to it in the past we had vouchers where you could take a voucher and go to the uniform shop and I know it was one in Southland Mall and one in Raley Springs Mall you could take it and go in there and get three uniforms for your child I'm going to let someone from previous administration speak to I haven't seen a voucher since I arrived yes ma'am I hear you though Lori was over last year um Miss Dr White was about to thank you superintendent fagin basically what we did on this year uh face this year we did change uh so I wanted to make sure that we have uniforms and the homeless has the vouchers that we did for the houseless students also some are some of our schools also have closets that uh we can give to as well and we have free uniforms at the supply giveaway so that was a change from what we've done in the past so I so I wanted to make sure that is that is a change that was a change uh and what we did we gave away the uniforms but also kept the vouchers for our house houseless students is there a way just you know I know as we are still that message didn't uh get to all schools to maybe have like a second tier of you know here we are two weeks in you know if you somehow missed it there some way to kind of fill that Gap that's exactly what I'm was sharing as you can see I'm being enlightened as well which should not be the case however it is the case and so we'll make sure we get that communication out uh to be very clear about how we can support our families I do know know the Outreach has been going out from our family engagement Liaisons as well at our schools and our attendance Liaisons um but to board member Coleman's I mean I was on the phone with her when she was shopping for uniform so I'm sure if she'd known then we could have supported as well but we'll make sure we get that extra layer of communication out very clearly uh about how our families can be supported specifically in that regard yes ma'am the Board needs to be aess of the changes in the district we are all elected officials and my phone rings daily from parents and teachers um this is the first I'm hearing about this um a school called me um just this um a couple of hours ago so there are no uniforms at the school Dr White Law because schools are asking for allocations to help with a closed closet so I know for a fact there are schools who do not have uniforms to give we need to know the changes in our districts and the administration needs to uh communicate with us we shouldn't be having this discussion at 5:30 6:00 so so superintendent before you yes you respond to that what I don't want you to find yourself in is thinking that in any way you're going to we're going to bat 100% on the communication uh what I ask my colleagues and especially if the new board members are listening it's incumbent up one of us in real time I can speak to Dr Richmond and that team of of folks who parents who ask questions I knew you were visiting schools but I knew in seconds his team was responding back and getting answers back on things I needed to know or at least pointing me in the right direction on where to get those answers I think if I have a issue where a parent doesn't know where uniform we have seasoned people that still work here there still I guarantee you they would have reported that to us in real time immediately and then as opposed to at 549 we're now all been educated all the schools who did not know would have would have learned in real time so that's where I I do remind us that it's still a partnership I think while we want to make sure the district improve on his communication that we own that fact that we're real time problem solvers and when constituents have issues we don't hoard them stack them high and spit them out and keep us here at 6 o00 right we like hey and I know that's not what you guys are doing but I promise you we can educate the rest of the team hey FYI here's how the voucher system works now so that's I'm just giving that as feedback for all of us to take back to make sure that when we learn something Cascade it to the whole body answer the question I communicated with um um rosn um Aaron Dr and she told me Robin was over before the meeting Rob get over here miss Stevenson Miss Stevenson I communicated with Aaron um before the meeting and she told me uh Miss what is your name [Music] uh rosn Stevenson was over and can I say something to what Kevin said Kevin every day last week I reached out every day two three four times a day I call other people to get other people's names because if you remember I asked when we first started this over two months ago that we wait before we made a lot of cuts I have had to stay at home I have had to do things with a grandson because no one was there to answer that's me how many more parents are in this same situation so communication goes both ways I have reached out I had another situation I called Dr Richmond he took care of that one but when I don't know who to talk to how can I tell my my constituents who to call I I didn't know who to call about uniforms so guess what I did I went out and bought them am I asking for money no so it goes both ways the communication has to be given as well as taken but when there's nobody you call L that Saturday when we were over at the uh Sports plex the few people from registration were registering kids she took about 20 minutes then trying to help me and I said out of respect I'm going to let you work on somebody else call me on Monday so it it it has to be done right what's next just I just have one last question uh Michelle Stewart you don't have to answer it today but you can email it to me um somewhere I was last week at a school and I touched the fire exchange and it felt like it was empty do we have an upto-date report on the monting or fire extinguishers I fire systems and if not get that information well I did fall on it but anyway get it to me is what I'm saying I just want to know that all that is Kevin you would have been trying to beill me for it but anyway I just want to know that we are doing what we need to do making sure that everything is inspected and we're good everywhere I know it's a lot going on right now but I just want to make sure that things we normally would have done over the summer that we make sure we get those things done thank you ma'am yes ma'am I have a question for you next month we are going to um my zoning enrollment in my district is take messed up and I have had this conversation with you numerous of times the principles are complaining year after year I need for you to sit down with me and um go through step by step the zoning requirements in um Power School and the locator I had a cousin that enrolled in uh Raleigh Egypt uh Elementary last week she has been staying at the same address for six years and she was diverted to Keystone elementary school all of her kids went to Raleigh Egypt Elementary for 6 years she has been staying in the same address I need you to uh get some time on your schedule to walk me through zoning and um I understand we did a zoning requirement six years ago when the ASD took over um a school in my district but those kids are graduated um what policies can we bring back and uh do the board have to make a uh recommendation so my principles can stop calling me um respectfully um for the same situations year over-ear I don't have no problems with the principal's calling me let's just uh make that clear but years are passing and I don't have an answer for them thank you I think the the last thing that I have and 3 minutes that I'm through I'm giving uh each one of you uh a copy of the superintendent's evaluation process uh nothing has has really changed because she's due an evaluation in November and we have new board members coming but I think with this board uh it is up on us to to look at this if you have any suggestions you have any recommendations or anything text me call me email me right because I want to be able to bring it back next week I okay is yours regardi yeah I have been asking for this for years I want the superintendent valuation to be mirror to that of the principal and um her staff and everything no more can we the time is out for the uh teachers to get evaluated and they listen to the uh to the administration the teachers don't make um nothing but their lesson plan and teachers are penalized year over year for doing the job they have been instructed to the superintendent gives out the uh valuations to her members and the members follow the superintendent's evaluations and her recomendations um I am asking for that to be included in this evaluation process yes ma'am that's all you'll be here for the next four years I hear you but my recommendation is that by August 31st when some of us leave we will have a a process for them to at least have something to work with for November and then they have time before that next evaluation is done in June whatever it is that need to be adjusted that would be something that you will be able to take care of I appreciate you miss love you sound like you're volunteering for the evaluation team but uh we appreciate it I will Madam chair just uh just a quick a quick correction uh per uh uh superintendent fen's uh contract that date is O is in October October which she uh that is scheduled to be evaluated so having this conversation particularly with five members returning at least is important and obviously the superintendent needs to be involved in that process uh on letter C uh you have staff relations counting for 20% um I think too often well a I've always argued that this evaluation tool is very subjective it's it's whether or not you know the superintendent you know took me for coffee or not and I think it needs te uh eventually you need real goals real objectives measurable you get to take it home and make all those obervations but since I in case we don't you know in case other new board members are listening I'm specifically speaking to staff relations which is the 20% goal and just something for us to think about is that I often think about the solid majority we all hear you know the banter around the the unhappy folks and they may be the majority but really we're all just guessing at it and so I just remind colleagues that I I did mention to superintendent that we need a culture climate tool we can actually get a real pulse of the district ideally we would have done that prior to any seismic changes so we get the Baseline so uh whenever this U this board decides to adopt such a tool it will be a a test of this new Administration but year-over-year regardless of how low or high how high that number is you just want to improve on that um if you if we were doing culture climate surveys we would not be surprised by the officers we would not be surprised how any division is feeling thinking doing uh because we would have measured that those reports uh coming would come back before the board and we then would instruct our superintendent to act I am signaling to the returning board members that if this is part of the evaluation tool you need an instrument to actually measure how staff are actually feeling about uh this organization and otherwise we're going to continue to be guessing duy noted [Music] well thank you guys for your attention I have a question for you um Tito if your name doesn't get called by Miss love today she's holding that to the work session go ahead this is the last week of the people who were let go do you anticipate anyone getting unemployment and do you have a a contingency plan for people that's wanting [Music] unemployment do I so Bo board M love great question uh actually I do do we do have a contingency plan so but it was always related to the Cliff of erer so what we've been doing over the past few years financially it's been building unemployment fund but it had nothing to do specifically related to what happened recently only because good CFOs knowing that it was going to be eser Cliff we've been building and putting money in the unemployment fund knowing that at some point we was going to have to have a cliff of Esser so to your to answer your question yes we have been planning for it do I anticipate it yes I mean to some degree or some level there's going to be some people impacted that won't come back to the district and may not have a job so again preparing for unemployment to rise and we've uh added money to the unemployment fund we've anticipated I don't have the exact number now um I'll know probably more at the end of this uh pay period but yeah we we anticipated uh thank you um get it to me as soon as you have itne thank you that was everything sure it wasn't too bad F 3 hours L 3 hours it's like